Mountain Lion Hunt

[btheis13]

With my dream of an African safari and Kudu hunt being fulfilled next Spring it's time for me to start thinking about my next dream hunt. I've always wanted to kill a large mountain lion with my bow. I'm looking for recommendations for outfitters and guides in the U.S. and Canada.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Have you tried saying "here kitty-kitty?" Okay, bad joke.

Based on a couple hunt reports I've seen on AH, I am going early next year to Arizona and hunt with Logan Anderson with Seven Anchor Outfitters. I'm doing a rifle hunt, using a trusty old 30-30.

Look at the search function results for "mountain lion" in the title.

Search results for query: mountain lion

www.africahunting.com

 

[Hutch01]

I hunted mountain lion with Josh Horox, Vernal, Utah in 2018 and had a great hunt. Early season, September dry land hunt. He had twelve hounds we followed for a few days before treeing a killing lion on Green River in an old cottonwood tree. One of the most physical hunts I’ve experienced. And the most memorable. Lots of muster, pain and suffering involved. For us and the hounds.

 

[btheis13]

Thanks guys. I have vision of fresh snow on the ground and hearing the dogs work. I've searched and seen the photos, but didn't have much luck finding info.

 

[K-man]

A few outfitters have a "will call" list of hunters wanting to go, then call when they have enough snow to track. You have to be available on one or two days notice but it's a lot more successful. A few outfitters hunt dry land but you will spend long days up and down the mountains. Good luck!

 

[Mnovak]

With my dream of an African safari and Kudu hunt being fulfilled next Spring it's time for me to start thinking about my next dream hunt. I've always wanted to kill a large mountain lion with my bow. I'm looking for recommendations for outfitters and guides in the U.S. and Canada.

Whiskey Mountain Outfitters – Idaho Bear, Cougar, and Elk Guided Hunts

www.whiskeymountainoutfitters.com

Here’s a recommendation, I had a great experience and hunt with Anthony Neidlinger at Whiskey Mountain outfitters in Idaho. They offer on call hunts which I would recommend if your schedule allows. I experienced and saw more cats in Idaho than I’ve seen anywhere. They have exclusive rights to hundreds of thousands of private acres and are the only outfitter hunting cats in those areas. I highly recommend you call and speak with Anthony. I’ll send you a PM as well with Anthony’s contact info.

 

[Moe324]

I hunted with Bullcreek outfitters in Nevada in 2018. Killed my tom on the first day. I hunted between Christmas and New Year's. This time of year normally has snow on the ground. Interesting fact. Nevada is the only state you can run lion dogs 24/7. They have Facebook and keep it updated during season. A husband and wife team Cleve and Becky do a wonderful job.

 

[Green Chile]

Lion hunts have something in common with leopard hunts...some had it easy and took a cat quickly and many have stories of suffering and effort and no cat (or a very hard earned cat). My very first guided hunt ever was a mountain lion hunt in Utah 25 years ago. We busted our butts in a blizzard and never let the dogs out of the truck. A couple of years ago, I hunted in western CO and took a cat midway through the hunt. It was easily the hardest hunt I've ever done in my life. The guide and I both threw up climbing out of the canyon with the cat. I posted my hunt report here after taking it with a revolver out of the top of a 100+ foot tree. Super challenging hunt.

 

[Badjer]

Miles High Outfitters, Grangeville ID.

Idaho Mountain Lion Hunts | MilesHighOutfitters.com

Book your Idaho Mountain Lion Hunts with skilled hound dogs. Idaho has more mountain lions entered in the Boone & Crockett record book than any other state.

mileshighoutfitters.com

Ended up treeing three. First day treed was a female and I was told not to shoot. I shot my big tom (9 feet - tip of nose to tip of tail) on the second day. Last tom, (day 4) I went along while 3 houndsmen were training dogs. They released their dogs, it treed once about 2 hours in and jumped down before we could catch up. When it finally treed again and we caught up it was 6 hours after letting the dogs loose! One of my favorite hunts!

 

[cpr0312]

Logan Anderson - Seven Anchor outfitters in Arizona

Dry ground hunting, and some big cats are around

 

[HankBuck]

Logan Anderson - Seven Anchor outfitters in Arizona

Dry ground hunting, and some big cats are around

View attachment 634959

@cpr0312 that looks like a nice sized cat, was it a Tom? I can’t tell by the head but body looks large. I’ve done 3 Cougar hunts (2/Idaho & 1 BC). We only treed one cat - Idaho 2nd hunt and my friend shot it—-Big Tom and a real trophy. To summarize - I’ve Cougar hunted a total of 21 days and only treed one cat and All were in good snow conditions where we could judge the track before turning dogs loose, I did turn down two cats based on track size and guide estimating the cat would be in the 120-130lb range…which is a decent 3 yr old cat but Not a trophy for me. Guide was happy to run the dogs on that cat but I didn’t want to waste a 1/2 day (or more) just to see a cat in a tree, preferred to keep looking for a better track - just never found one.
Question: when running a cat on dry ground, I’m told the size of the cat is more “luck” as it can be difficult to get a clean track to judge the size before turning dogs loose (unless you get lucky and see a nice track in sand or dry creek bed etc..). How did you decide to run your cat? You got a good one - congratulations!

 

[Neophyte]

Some nice cats.

 

[btheis13]

Appreciate you all taking the time to post. I've got alot of info to dig through here. I know it's hunting and nothing is guaranteed, it's about the experience. Just don't want a poor outfitter like I've had on other (elk) hunts in the past.

 

[dhoover]

I hunted with Tyler Bowler in Utah/Nevada/Arizona. He runs snow or dry ground hunts based on the conditions and you get tags for all 3 states. He is based in Veyo (St George) area. We started my Tom in Utah and ended up killing him in Nevada after he crossed a 9,000 ft mountain in snow, we could not cross. Dogs had him treed for 7 hours by the time we drove around and climbed for over 2 hours in the snow to get to the tree. He immediately jumped out by treed again fairly quickly.

I hunted with Tyler 2 years in a row, the first year we treed 4 females and a young male. Went back the next year and got it done on day 4. It was a great time. I will go back someday; it was just so much fun.

 

[280AI]

I hunted with Bullcreek outfitters in Nevada in 2018. Killed my tom on the first day. I hunted between Christmas and New Year's. This time of year normally has snow on the ground. Interesting fact. Nevada is the only state you can run lion dogs 24/7. They have Facebook and keep it updated during season. A husband and wife team Cleve and Becky do a wonderful job. View attachment 634881

I second this info....

 

[280AI]

Here's my cat with Bullcreek. I hunt with Cleve's brother and buddy hunted with Cleve. It was amazing all the info they have on Mountain Lions. We even pulled a dead deer off the highway to feed a momma and three cubs.

 

[Firebird]

INTERESTING FACT-cougars may be hunted year round in Utah with only a general hunting license. (As of May 2023)
Use of hounds is allowed year round as well except in specific hunting units.
Maybe someone can chime in but Texas might be the same.

 

[HankBuck]

INTERESTING FACT-cougars may be hunted year round in Utah with only a general hunting license. (As of May 2023)
Use of hounds is allowed year round as well except in specific hunting units.
Maybe someone can chime in but Texas might be the same.

@Firebird: When I went on a predator hunt in TEXAS in 2015 Bobcat AND Cougar were Not protected and could be killed 24/7/365 — no limits. I believe there are very few Cougar in Texas and guess the law treating them as “vermin” dates back to the cattle industry killing anything that threatened live stock.
There are more Bobcat in Texas then any other State and although they are smaller then up North (Maine, Michigan etc..) they are nicely spotted and a nice trophy Tom could go 22-30lbs…long & lean.

 

[Bucksom]

I certainly recommend Tyler Bowler. His crew is excellent. My wife got a great cat.

 

[Odie]

In 2021 I hunted with Wild Idaho outfitters in Challis Idaho. Had a very successful hunt .175 lb tom.
As others have stated a VERY physical hunt, bout tipped my out of shape older butt over. We hunted the first part of February with hounds. Awsome experance watching the dogs work. One thing to remember Idaho has two directions.. strait up and strait down. Lol
I highly recommend them, in my opinion they went to all extreams to make the hunt work and be successful. If one dose their part.