Mountain Lion Hunting

The Mountain lion, also known as the Cougar or Puma, is a large, solitary cat that inhabits a vast range from the Southern Andes in South America to the Yukon in North Canada. The Mountain Lion is the fourth largest cat in the world following the Tiger, Lion and Jaguar. First on the food chain for the Mountain Lion is the Deer, but it will also hunt small game and insects. The Mountain Lion has also been known to kill livestock, Bighorn Sheep and Elk. The Mountain Lion is known by many names throughout its range including Catamount, Painter, Panther, Ghost Cat and Deer Tiger. Though often referred to as a Panther, this term is more correctly used in South America to refer to both the spotted and black color phases of the Jaguar. The adult male Mountain Lion can weigh up to 160 lbs. and be nine feet in length, nose to tail. The Mountain Lion is extremely agile and has been recorded to have a vertical leap of up to 18 feet. Mountain Lion Hunting is enjoyed by many in areas where there are huntable populations. Most of the Mountain Lion Hunting done in the States is done using dogs to chase and "Bay" the Mountain Lion. Mountain Lion Hunting can be very taxing to the Hunter who must follow the dogs to where the dogs have treed the cat. Mountain Lion Hunting is much more effective when there is snow on the ground and the cat's tracks are more readily found. There are numerous Mountain Lion Hunting guides and outfitters located out West where the Mountain Lions thrive. For those who have experienced the thrill of a Mountain Lion Hunt, there is nothing that duplicates the chase and hot pursuit of a Wild Mountain Lion and the scenic beauty in which it lives.

Tips for hunting the Mountain Lion

Handguns

Hounds and Handguns

Most who pursue game with a handgun do so because they either enjoy the extra challenge or are really fond of the short arm. There are, however, certain game and hunting situations where a revolver or pistol is preferred. For instance when running mountain lion or black bear with hounds, a rifle is generally a nuisance, cumbersome and heavy to carry. On the other hand, a powerful revolver can easily be carried in a hip or shoulder holster, freeing the hands to help climb in steep country or carry other gear, and it is noticeably lighter.

Under the above circumstances, the advantages of a practical size, easy-to-carry revolver cannot be overstated. A few years back Darl Allred (Sawtooth Wilderness Outfitters, PO Box 81, Garden Valley ID 83622) and I spent a few days pursuing mountain lion here in Idaho. It was the dead of winter, the last week of December, and the Sawtooth Mountain Range temperatures plummeted below zero with snow measuring in feet rather than inches. This region offers some of the most spectacular year-round beauty found anywhere in the world and is naturally steep and rocky.

When the time comes to get off snow machines and travel on foot, the necessary gear, camera and food are carried in a backpack with the handgun in a hip or shoulder holster, keeping the hands free to help climb the steep, snow-covered (slippery) terrain. On this particular hunt, I carried a .44 Special singleaction revolver containing handloads and used an El Paso Saddlery shoulder holster to help protect it from the elements. This also allowed the backpack to be strapped on without interference from the gun rig.

After a couple of days of studying many difficult-to-read tracks in the powdery snow including wolf, deer, elk, bobcat and coyotes, a fresh set of lion tracks was found, and the hounds, who had waited patiently in a sled hooked to the snow machines, were turned loose. They eagerly took up pursuit and quickly disappeared over a nearby mountain. We waited to see their general direction, then followed. The going was hard at times, and carrying a gun with a minimum of weight was appreciated.

In something around 1.5 miles, the lion treed, and upon reaching it, the pups were tied (for their own safety) and I proceeded to take a couple of photographs. Suddenly the cat began working its way lower – and once they start out of a tree, rarely can they be turned back. This one was no exception, and in spite of Darl and I waving arms and hollering, it jumped between us to the ground and quickly disappeared into the timber. The dogs were again loosed and something around one mile later the lion was treed again, and upon our arrival it was quickly taken with the .44 Special revolver. Hunting mountain lion is hard, but hunting cheetah is a challenge. See the Cheetah Hunting page for more information.

With no rifle to contend with and both hands free, it was relatively easy to haul the cat back to a trail where snow machines could access, allowing us to bring it out whole. Darl never packs a rifle but has a Ruger .357 Magnum double-action revolver under his coat should something go wrong, wherein he must shoot a lion to prevent damage or death to a client or an expensive hound.

A number of years ago, when son David was 14 years old, we treed a black bear with hounds, which he took using his new Ruger M77 MKII .30-06. Since his hands were busy carrying a rifle, I somehow got the “privilege” of draping the bear over my shoulders and carrying it out whole. Resting casually on my hip was a Ruger Blackhawk .44 Magnum revolver, loaded with heavyweight cast bullets. It offered plenty of power to reliably take black bear, and unfortunately in this instance, left my hands free to carry a bear!

Generally the value and effectiveness of an iron-sighted, big-bore sixgun is only appreciated after it has been used in the field. It has the advantage of always being in reach and ready to go, and if we use it regularly and become reasonably proficient, we can take big game reliably at 100 yards.

Shooting Tips

Learning to shoot a handgun accurately is not necessarily difficult but requires regular practice and lots of it. Rather than burning up hundreds of rounds in a single day once a month, it is much more productive to shoot smaller amounts two or three times a week, or better yet, daily. Shoot from field positions, including standing offhand, rather than from a sandbag rest, which does little to improve skills.

The revolver’s grip should be held so the barrel is in line with the forearm, with the palm well behind the grip frame. When possible, use both hands to steady the gun. Rather than placing the second hand under the butt, keep it to the side and press the hands firmly together. Most shooters will find that placing the weak hand’s index finger firmly on the front of the trigger guard helps steady the gun.

Focus on the front sight and make certain it is perfectly centered in the rear notch, with exactly the same space (or light) on each side, and level it with the top of the rear sight. Generally it’s best to sight the handgun so the bullet strikes at exactly the point where the front sight rests. In other words, the target (or place we want the bullet to land) should always be visible just above the front sight. Sight-in can be at 25 yards, but I generally prefer hunting revolvers to be sighted at 50 yards.

The trigger pulls of many of today’s handguns are a bit heavy, making it difficult to keep the sights on target when the trigger breaks. In such cases, consider taking the gun to a qualified gunsmith to have the trigger pull reduced to a safe, yet manageable level. The importance of trigger control cannot be overstated. If the sights are aligned on target but the trigger is jerked, the sights will move and result in a miss. Concentrate on keeping the sights aligned and on target as the trigger is carefully squeezed and the hammer falls.

Time spent dry firing is effective practice that can be done at home, but keep in mind this will damage firing pins or recoil shields of many models. Snap or dry-firing caps will prevent damage and are a good investment. To learn more about mountain lion or exotic hunts, visit our Exotic Hunting page.

By Brian Pearce

This article and many more like it can be found by Successful Hunter Magazine. Visit them at www.successfulhunter.com