Wannabe Mountain Lion Hunter from SC now in New Mexico. Any tips or offers to join much appreciated. I have two tags so if anyone wants to join please

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Hunting New Mexico as mentioned. Old deer, duck, squirrel, and dove hunter from South Carolina living out here now as the wife got a job at the hospital.

Been glassing for a few weeks now and found one off of a doe, but it was a few hundred yards so not getting it.

Heard it’s pretty much impossible to get one without dogs, but that isn’t an option at the moment.

I’ve been in the Jemez Mountains and 5A.

I still don’t quite understand public land hunting so trying to figure that out so I don’t mess up and where I should go.

I was going to head down to the Sangre de Cristo mountains, but not so sure where to start glassing/tracking with others out there or if I’d even have a shot at finding one spending a few days?

 

[ccc23454]

Low odds but it can be done without dogs but does take some luck. Good luck!

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Awesome. Have until March 31st with these tags so I’m going to keep at it. Were you right place right time or track and glass for days?

 

[Nm252525]

Hunting New Mexico as mentioned. Old deer, duck, squirrel, and dove hunter from South Carolina living out here now as the wife got a job at the hospital.

Been glassing for a few weeks now and found one off of a doe, but it was a few hundred yards so not getting it.

Heard it’s pretty much impossible to get one without dogs, but that isn’t an option at the moment.

I’ve been in the Jemez Mountains and 5A.

I still don’t quite understand public land hunting so trying to figure that out so I don’t mess up and where I should go.

I was going to head down to the Sangre de Cristo mountains, but not so sure where to start glassing/tracking with others out there or if I’d even have a shot at finding one spending a few days?

Make sure you check on the area closures on the game and fish page, areas you listed have been closed since November

 

[Valley1320]

Get a foxpro and be willing to make hour long sits calling would pry be your best luck if if you dont have access to hounds

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Get a foxpro and be willing to make hour long sits calling would pry be your best luck if if you dont have access to hounds

Appreciate it! I’ve been doing hours long hikes after spotting deer so sitting doesn’t sound so bad. I’d do about anything to get one. Just gotta find the right spot

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Make sure you check on the area closures on the game and fish page, areas you listed have been closed since November

Shit that would’ve been trouble. Thanks!. Do you have any suggestions on open areas? I’ve never hunted public land.

 

[brymoore]

You’re looking for a very small needle in a hay stack if you’re glassing for a lion. My sons and I spend a significant time glassing each year for bear, deer, and elk including scouting. Hundreds of hours over the years with Swaro optics. We’ve never glassed a lion. I have one bobcat at about a mile.

I’d suggest adding another technique such as calling into your lion hunting.

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

You’re looking for a very small needle in a hay stack if you’re glassing for a lion. My sons and I spend a significant time glassing each year for bear, deer, and elk including scouting. Hundreds of hours over the years with Swaro optics. We’ve never glassed a lion. I have one bobcat at about a mile.

I’d suggest adding another technique such as calling into your lion hunting.

Thanks for the advice. I saw one on a carcass with my swaro binoculars after following a herd of elk for a couple miles but it was 3-400 yards. I’m def going to add calling. I have no clue what I’m doing as it’s brand new to me so I appreciate all advice

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Thanks for the advice. I saw one on a carcass with my swaro binoculars after following a herd of elk for a couple miles but it was 3-400 yards. I’m def going to add calling. I have no clue what I’m doing as it’s brand new to me so I appreciate all advice

Do you have any advice on areas? I’ll go sit and call wherever, but looks like all the areas I’ve been are closed as NM252525 mentioned.

 

[Nm252525]

Shit that would’ve been trouble. Thanks!. Do you have any suggestions on open areas? I’ve never hunted public land.

I don’t, spent a lot of time in the mountains and have only ever seen a handful, most of which were in the Floridas which you can’t hunt without an ibex tag. I’d recommend getting onx or carry maps if you don’t have one already. The I wasn’t sure where I was at doesn’t fly with the ranchers out here as it might other places in the country. Good luck never know might get lucky

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

I don’t, spent a lot of time in the mountains and have only ever seen a handful, most of which were in the Floridas which you can’t hunt without an ibex tag. I’d recommend getting onx or carry maps if you don’t have one already. The I wasn’t sure where I was at doesn’t fly with the ranchers out here as it might

I don’t, spent a lot of time in the mountains and have only ever seen a handful, most of which were in the Floridas which you can’t hunt without an ibex tag. I’d recommend getting onx or carry maps if you don’t have one already. The I wasn’t sure where I was at doesn’t fly with the ranchers out here as it might other places in the country. Good luck never know might get lucky

other places in the country. Good luck never know might get lucky

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Yep I understand that. Not trying to get shot for trespassing. I have ONX, but if you don’t mind helping my ignorant self out. I don’t see where they post section closures anywhere on the page or my e tags etc.

 

[Nm252525]

Go to the main nm game and fish website, under the hunt drop down it shows cougar under species, at the top there’s a zone closures pdf that updates daily or every couple days. Same for bears next year if you were to go for them

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

Make sure you check on the area closures on the game and fish page, areas you listed have been closed since November

Thanks for the help and suggestions. One question I’m having trouble finding where they post area closures on the main

Go to the main nm game and fish website, under the hunt drop down it shows cougar under species, at the top there’s a zone closures pdf that updates daily or every couple days. Same for bears next year if you were to go for them

Much appreciated.

 

[EKYHunter]

Good luck. You never know what might happen. A friend was in Mexico a couple weeks ago hunting Coues and came across two Lions fighting. He was able to kill one of them. Said one had a claw in the others head!

 

[BAKPAKR]

Thanks for the advice. I saw one on a carcass with my swaro binoculars after following a herd of elk for a couple miles but it was 3-400 yards. I’m def going to add calling. I have no clue what I’m doing as it’s brand new to me so I appreciate all advice

What are you hunting with (300-400 yards doesn’t seem like much of a poke for a lot of rifles), how long ago did you see the cat on the doe carcass, and was that sighting in an area that is still open?

 

[GratefulHorticulturist]

What are you hunting with (300-400 yards doesn’t seem like much of a poke for a lot of rifles), how long ago did you see the cat on the doe carcass, and was that sighting in an area that is still open?

You are correct my friend. I have some great binoculars, but need a nicer scope on what as I was carrying- light youth model savage .308 my other 7.62 is more for stationary hunts as (wouldn’t have any trouble with it). Thank God I didn’t shoot though I was in a closed section (Jemez) without my knowledge as I’m new to this public land hunting. Thankfully learned to check that today. Next hunt I’m going with my bipod 7.62 and just going to stationery call rather than hike miles. If ya have a suggestion it would be appreciated.

 

[Chingon]

Please get a copy of the NM Game and Fish Hunting laws and read it front to back, seven times.

You can just go out and shoot animals without valid licenses, tags, seasons and quotas. Also, certain animals like bear and cougar require special inspections within certain times. Bobcats are their own thing.

Publications - NMDGF

Our recent print and downloadable PDF publications: hunting and fishing rules and information booklets, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, brochures, and more.

wildlife.dgf.nm.gov

 

[BAKPAKR]

You are correct my friend. I have some great binoculars, but need a nicer scope on what as I was carrying- light youth model savage .308 my other 7.62 is more for stationary hunts as (wouldn’t have any trouble with it). Thank God I didn’t shoot though I was in a closed section (Jemez) without my knowledge as I’m new to this public land hunting. Thankfully learned to check that today. Next hunt I’m going with my bipod 7.62 and just going to stationery call rather than hike miles. If ya have a suggestion it would be appreciated.

Had the area you saw the cat in been open, and if watching the carcass was a legal hunting method, I would have been sitting there watching it from a couple hundred yards away until there was no meat left on it. Other than that, calling is probably your best bet.

BTW - In the past, I did a lot of calling in areas with mountain lions, and I have only actually seen one that came in. I was calling for moose when that happened.