Cougar Trapping????

[Foxtrot1]

This one is early in the brainstorming phase, and there would be plenty of leg work to do to make this happen, but how feasible do you think it would be to take a couple of weeks to go to NM to try to trap cougars? In theory, it should be possible to gain access to some ranches to help remove predators. How many sets do you think you would need to run to have a decent chance at a cat? Would 2 weeks be enough time? I was just thinking this would be a unique experience and at worst case would be a couple of weeks camping in a wall tent and maybe bird or coyote hunting while running your sets.

 

[Dave N]

I'll just let Cushman take this one.

 

[sharpshooter97]

Being they travel so much I think you would need to have some very good location actual catch one in two weeks. Do you have any experience with mtn lions or know anyone who does? I would imagine there aren’t many trappers out there who have caught one. Good luck!

 

[Gr8bawana]

I'm sure there have been some mtn lions trapped before but you certainly don't hear about it.
What would you use to lure them to your traps? As sharpshooter97 said they have a very large home range and who knows when they might come back to an area where you saw a track as they are traveling the country looking for prey.
I think it would be a tough endeavor indeed.

 

[elkantlers]

It's actually Illegal to purposely trap lions in Utah but I have caught lions incidentally while trapping for bobcats. I don't try to catch them and do a few things to try to keep them out of my sets. It's a real pain when you do catch one. Releasing them can be interesting. I would say that actually targeting and catching a Lion could be done. I think they have a larger territory than a bobcat but they do hang out in the same areas.

 

[shoots-straight]

Being they travel so much I think you would need to have some very good location actual catch one in two weeks. Do you have any experience with mtn lions or know anyone who does? I would imagine there aren’t many trappers out there who have caught one. Good luck!

Probably more prevalent than you think.

 

[LuketheDog]

I think you'd be better off randomly wandering around the mountains for 2 weeks and just hoping to bump into one, and then shoot it with your rifle...

 

[sharpshooter97]

Probably more prevalent than you think.

Probably more prevalent than you think.

If anyone here has caught one I’d love to hear the story, catch of a lifetime for sure.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Ranchers in West Texas trap mountain lions around the Davis Mountains.

 

[brockel]

Bobcat set will catch them. A cat is a cat no matter the size

 

[kmott]

a friend caught this in a coyote set a few years back. unfortunately lion wasn't open at that time and he had to release it. it took a swat at him that ripped his glove from his hand . lol

 

[KipCarson]

Bobcat set will catch them. A cat is a cat no matter the size

^^ He is right, Look up a fella named Clint Locklear, he’s a professional trapper out of TN who does ADC work in Texas every year on a bunch of large ranches and they have caught them occasionally. He has a podcast that I occasionally listen to, called Trapping Radio. Episode 358 deals with targeting lions. I have not listened to that one yet but I will be soon. The podcast is a pain in the backside bc it’s not on all the normal easy to access places, you can find it on his website with a quick google search though. I love trapping, keep us posted and Good Luck!

 

[Europe]

Foxtrot1

I would hunt them. It is a fun hunt, but physically demanding. Tags are available in Az over the counter . From my experience trying to trap one in two weeks would require a lot of luck, assuming you are knowledgable of the area. Also if your determined to trap one, you better do it soon as they put the "no trapping measure" on the ballet every year. Dirtclod am I right about the over the counter tags ?

 

[JTHOMP]

How do you go about releasing a pissed off mountain lion from a trap?

 

[KipCarson]

How do you go about releasing a pissed off mountain lion from a trap?

Very Carefully!!

I assume you’d put a catch pole over it’s head and another over its free feet and try to immobilize it while you put the guy you like the least in charge of taking the trap off. That’s what I’ve done with bobcats anyway.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Mtn lion tags are also OTC in NV, $104 for non-res. Good for most of the state.

 

[Foxtrot1]

Years ago I actually saw one in Colorado that I could have shot if I had a tag. We were both hanging out in the shade, waiting for mule deer to come toward the alfalfa fields. He was on one ridge, me the other. Watched him for hours, turned to look at a deer, then he was gone. I imagine it takes hundreds of hours and some luck to see one like that. Kinda like Bobcats here. I've shot a few, but sometimes it is years between sightings.

My thoughts on trapping them were, the guys paid to catch them often use traps as the best way. And you could make 12-18 sets and cover a lot of miles. All that said, I figure it is still a long shot.

I'm pretty sure I would rather just shoot one in a trap than release him. Looks like an exciting event. Haha

 

[elkantlers]

How do you go about releasing a pissed off mountain lion from a trap?

The last one I released I used a choke pole, shovel and my wife. I know now that my wife isn't quite strong enough to hold the choke pole when a lion is trying to lunge in my direction. Thanks goodness for a 3' chain. lesson learned.

 

[kmott]

he used rope and stretched him out like a cow