Where to go for Cougar?

375HH

New member
I have been considering doing a Cougar hunt for some time. I really do not like using hounds, just not my style of hunting. So I have been thinking of doing lion hunt using predator calls.

So, I guess I have a couple of questions.

1.) Where do you suggest? What state, were in the state?

2.) What time of year? I see some states have almost a year round season for cougar.

3.) Suggestion about specific areas?

4.) What should I be aware of? I have done some coyote calling using an electronic caller. I have hunted bear over bait, so sitting still on stand is no big deal.

Thanks in advance,

375HH
 
375hh,Welcome aboard.Lots of good folks on here and plenty of advice /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.What state are you coming from.I can tell you a cheap place to hunt for out of state hunters that has lots of lions.
The San Carlos Apache reservation has a fee of $10 a day,once you purchase a conservation stamp for $5 and the lion tag for $10.So the first day is $25 and each additional day after that is $10.You are allowed 5 tags per year.Talking to their biologist at the PM hunt,they are going to try to have a lion hunt in oct.or nov. and open up some areas that are usually closed to hunting.The lions are taking a toll on their cattle and they have world record elk that they get $30,000 a tag for.
From what I've seen if you have a decoy and it moves even a little,the cat will stare a hole in it for a long time.And if he feels safe,he will put a stalk on it.And yes like everyone says you want to stay on stand for at least an hour,especially when you've found fresh sign around. There are a lot of guys on here that know a whole lot more about lions than I do.Hopefully they'll jump in here and give you a hand.Once again welcome aboard and if I can answer any specific questions feel free to email or pm me.take care,daveyboy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
i didnt want to use hounds either but unless you have a alot of time and money go with the dogs, it is very exciting, i have some great shots the guide took of my cat in the tree. i hunted utah with www.pinesranch.com scott swenson i think , he was great. it would be cool to call one in though, someone just did it not long ago on the site big cat too. mine was 7-4" 175#, i have pic of mount posted somewhere. good luck, let me know what you do.
 
Quote:
i didnt want to use hounds either but unless you have a alot of time and money go with the dogs, it is very exciting...
it would be cool to call one in though, someone just did it not long ago on the site big cat too. mine was 7-4" 175#, i have pic of mount posted somewhere. good luck, let me know what you do.



I am glad you enjoyed the hunt. Congrats on the nice trophy. As I stated above, I do not like to hunt with hounds. No offense meant to those who do. I have done it, just don't care for it.

As to your logic. The website lists a cost of #3,708 dollars for the hunt and tag. That is not counting airfare(350), tip(300), taxidermy(500) for total cost of $4,800.

Thanks to a previous poster, I am considering hunting the San Carlos reservation, which will set me back about $1,000 not counting the taxidermy.

As far as time, I figure a 7-10 hunt will work for me. Not cheap, granted, but still a savings by comparison.
 
yes keep me posted i would love to go and call but dont think wife would buy it, she is already waking up to a caribou, full turkey , huge lion every morning, shes a keeper.good luck this is a huge challenge in my book not many would do it.
 
375hh the last time I had a talk with John Caid the WLM at San carlos,we were taliking mnt lions.I have hunted lion there many years and he and I only know of three being called in and taking by hunters.I hunt dogs and have taken many over the years.many varmit callers go thru life with out ever calling in a lion in prime habitat.I have called in thousand of critters and only five lions in 33 years of calling.I would not put a lot of faith in a 7to 10 day hunt.It may take many 7 to 10 day hunts to produce a lion,they will all look big on the ground.So many hunters are amazed at all the ground shrinkage of their so called 200 hundred lb -8 foot mnt lion when they get to it after the shot.With dogs you get a first hand look long before the shot.If I were to try to call in a lion on the res it would be at tick flat down by the river.see ya Mav
 
Steve Craig, who sometimes posts on this board, is a pro cougar caller, mainly in Arizona I think. He calls in 15-20 cougars a year as I understand it. I've called several and when I compare my experience to my conversations with Steve, he sounds realistic to me. I'm not advertising for Steve, so you can search out a post of his and how to contact him through that.
 
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