New guy... Cougar advice, is this as dumb as it sounds?

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photohunter

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Hi all,
I'm not a hunter... I'll just throw that out there. Ha. Definitely an outdoorsman and definitely in the right place for advice though, so here goes... I'm in Northern Cali where it's illegal to hunt Cougars. I live on a few acres at the edge of the thick woods (eastern Sierra, high desert to the east). I have a creek in thick woods on my property. I have a few trail cams around, and get cougars and bobcats 100 feet from my house pretty regularly. I have never seen a cougar with the naked eye, and it tortures me. Mountain lion sightings are pretty common in my immediate area. I see tracks in the woods all the time when there's mud or snow, and I've startled a few bobcats while out on my mountain bike... So as far as locations, that's not really my question... Here's the dumb part:

I'm a wildlife photographer, and I want to call predators just for the photo opportunity. I've finally decided that a chance meeting is never going to yield the results I want, and it's time to up my game. So I've been devouring info on calling for a few months, foxpro purchase is imminent. Hand calling is probably not in my future. (?). I don't want to be that close, or the source of the call. But I obviously want to be safe also. I think I have a good shot at calling cougars because they are seemingly thick around here (neighbor up the road saw one this week, I had one on a trail cam the week before), and they don't get called here, so they may be a bit more likely to come in, at least at first.
I'm looking for any and all advice around the idea of letting one walk away... Seems like often that's just what they'll do anyway, but let's assume no warning shot, nothing to scare them off except maybe my movements when they've busted me... I've read plenty and studied their behavior, but obviously no first hand experience there.

I'm also wondering about what caliber handgun I might want to carry, in case that warning shot or a self defense shot becomes necessary, and general comments on how dumb this all sounds. Ha!

I'm in for the long haul... Totally aware this could be a 10 year project, but I gotta get those pics. Bucket list stuff. I consume cougar encounter stories, and I have what some of you probably understand... Maybe an irrational...maybe not... need to have that experience of a few moments with one of these critters. I know they've seen me... I need to turn the tables. So there you go. Hunting Cougars in Cali the only legal way.... Am I nuts?
 
Couple things to consider.

Maybe purchase a quality ground blind like a double bull. This would help conceal your movement. Plus provide "some" protection in the event it charges in. If the cats seem shy to it, set it up on your property and leave it set up so that they will walk by and get used to it. Also some form of decoy that works with the Foxpro might really help you keep their attention.

As far as protection is concerned I would think that you would be fine with getting by with bear pepper spray or even an air horn. I don't know the ins and outs of the laws in California but if you do decide to carry a handgun I would definitely check and see what the laws are.
 
A blind is a good idea, thanks. Something I could easily leave set up on my property for sure...I don’t like the idea of not having a full field of vision, but it would conceal movement for sure. already legal with a handgun, so no worries there. I’d really have to justify using it on a cat, probably easier to explain using it on a person In California. I have a 3S tag but I don’t want to use it.:) I like the air horn idea...
 
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Originally Posted By: photohunterA blind is a good idea, thanks. Something I could easily leave set up on my property for sure...I don’t like the idea of not having a full field of vision, but it would conceal movement for sure. already legal with a handgun, so no worries there. I’d really have to justify using it on a cat, probably easier to explain using it on a person In California. I have a 3S tag but I don’t want to use it.:) I like the air horn idea... blinds have come a long way. I beleive the good ones have see thru black out windows that allow you to see out while nothing can see inside. Also some used to wear a complete black suit and that would allow you to disappear inside of the blind. You may even be able to set up some additonal equipment to capture movement for you. I have a cellular camera that will email/text me an alert if it catches movement. I often set it up along trails outside of my view to give me a warning something is coming.
 
Honestly the creepiest thing about the whole idea for me is the suckers creeping in from behind. Which you know they'll do....

What's the consensus on a lure of some kind for mountain lions? I've been researching bobcats also, I'm in prime bobcat country, and what I'm gathering is that having some kind of a lure could certainly buy me a few more good seconds of time with one in the general area I want it... I'm trying to take all this hunting advice and apply it to also getting the cat into a good spot for photos... similar but different...
 
Decoy is what I meant, sorry... not hunter enough to have the vocab. haha. I've read about using a bunch of feathers or something similar for bobcats... would it have to be a furry mammal type thing to get a lion's attention?
 
Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work
 
Originally Posted By: Catdog1Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work

Do you prefer hawk wings, or owl wings?
 
Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work

Do you prefer hawk wings, or owl wings? either or. Just whatever i can come across from a dead one on the side of the road.
 
Also curious about a "poor man's" decoy... my area is thick with turkeys... is it always better to go with something more native over a "random" decoy? Red Tail hawks are everywhere around here also...

Also figuring out my own equipment, here's a question for anyone calling either bobcats or cougars... what is the most likely distance for them them to 'hold up' and check out the scene before coming into any sort of decoy? I realize the likelihood of getting to watch them do this is slim, but it happens... if you have had the experience of watching either of these critters stalk in, at what range (roughly) did they hold up and pose for the camera before either coming all the way in, or busting you and taking off?

As a photographer I have to figure out the lens situation... mega far fixed mm lens, or medium range zoom... what kind of distances are you generally taking a shot at when hunting these cats with an e caller? And how far are you setting yourself up from the caller? (generally speaking, It's obviously going to vary with the situation)... I assume that what I want to be able to see is going to be very similar from what I would want to see in order to locate and get a shot off as a hunter.

Gotta tell ya... I started my first post with "I'm not a hunter..." but the more I explore hunting, as a wildlife photographer... yeah I am. ha.
 
Here is a good place to start...

http://www.rain-shadow.com/

You will likely need all of that determination/persistence you seem to have.
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Bobcat on the backyard cam last night. Seems to be 2 week intervals that I'm getting them (it?). Neighbor got a cougar a week ago.

Anyone use a "ghostblind"? they seem cool but pricy and hard to pack around.

Is it common to call in a mountian lion when calling for bobcats? Like how a bobcat might show up when calling for coyotes? I mean if there's a cougar in the area, is it likely that it will respond to a smaller game call like a jackrabbit or bird distress that a bobcat would be attracted to? I use the word "common" loosely... I mean it's not "common" to call in a mountain lion when calling for mountain lions.... but you know what I mean
 
I have a ghost blind. Like most things, if used in the right circumstances, it works. My daughter took her first deer using it. It fooled every animal that walked in front of it, and probably just as many humans. Keep in mind they are pretty low, unless you buy the extensions. Also, it’s a relatively narrow concealment angle. Probably 90 degrees or so.
 
Copy that, thanks. I can see it being great in the right application, if the terrain cooperated. I thought it was a complete enclosure though... 90 degrees may be great, or not... I'm leaning more towards heavy camo and no movement.

I found a turkey kill site today... got a bunch of feathers and made a couple of bundles for decoys... if you watch enough internet you realize that it's impossible not to attract a few dozen bobcats every time you turn your call on. Looking forward to that.
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haha.

Cougar question... all these stories about them winding up coming in from behind... what is the best way to try to minimize that, assuming you've got a treeline/open space kind of thing to work with... or is the better bet to get in the thick cover and just do your best to try to call them out front? Any good resources on strategies for cougar stands? I've been on other forums with the constant "use the search bar" irritated replies... I'm searching, I'm searching... but not landing on a good resource for that specific question.
 
Originally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work

Do you prefer hawk wings, or owl wings?

either or. Just whatever i can come across from a dead one on the side of the road.

Ok.
Does the US Fish and Wildlife Service make exemptions for possession of parts of road-killed federally protected raptors?
 
Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work

Do you prefer hawk wings, or owl wings?

either or. Just whatever i can come across from a dead one on the side of the road.

Ok.
Does the US Fish and Wildlife Service make exemptions for possession of parts of road-killed federally protected raptors?

im permitted to posses them.
 
Originally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: Catdog1Personally if you decide to buy a Foxpro I would just buy the decoy that goes with it that would be the easiest thing. Other than that just a couple wings from an owl or a hawk on some string will work

Do you prefer hawk wings, or owl wings?

either or. Just whatever i can come across from a dead one on the side of the road.

Ok.
Does the US Fish and Wildlife Service make exemptions for possession of parts of road-killed federally protected raptors?

im permitted to posses them.

Would you mind sharing the details of your exemption?
.
 
Go to the link that Doubleck suggests spend I think it's $50 and you'll be way farther ahead than you are now.

I'm no expert but I have put in a lot of time hunting lions over the past 8-9 months and have learned a lot. I personally do not feel like a decoy will be very effective in calling lions. If you know lions are around I think a blind will help with concealing your movements. Listen to Steves talks on lion hunting and you will learn tons. I had two come in from behind and above me and it does make you abit unsettled. I finally called in two at once.

Finally posted the story on the predator hunting post. "Finally called a lion"

As far as caliber of side arm, pack something that will have some energy but I believe one shot from any gun would for sure change an attacking lions attitude.

They are an amazing animal.
 
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