Cougar baiting

[saylean]

So, here is a question for you coug hunters...

I have tried predator calling for cougs with minimal luck (I havent seen one...who knows if one came in or not), but I know its legal to bait for them, so my question is, what bait would you use?

I read on here somewhere someone tied some chickens in a tree and they disappears over the weekend...

What other methods would u use? I can figure some sort of fresh meat, hanging in a tree...but thats bout it...

[billythekidrock]

Skunks, coons, possums and weasels with also make a chicken disapear.

[PolarBear]

So will a bird of prey.

[jackelope]

so will I...a short time after it comes off the BBQ.

[billythekidrock]

so will I...a short time after it comes off the BBQ.

[saylean]

LOL...true...gimme some watermellon and im down too...and grey goose naturally...

[Rufous]

I am quite surprised that baiting is legal. Are you sure of that? I thought baiting and hound hunting were outlawed in WA in 1996 or so. Rufous.

[bearhunter59]

I just looked in the regs again, and it specifically mentions hounds and bait in the bear regs, but in the cougar regs, it only mentions dogs....nothing about bait.

I found it interesting as well, when I first saw this topic,then I went and looked in the regs, and sure enough it doesn't say jack about bait, when it comes to cougars...

[Mike450r]

I would presume the legality or illegality would fall under being inhumane to the animal being used as bait.  Live bait generally being illegal in Washington for anything would be another thing to consider.  Cats are not scavengers so giving them something to kill and eat would be the ticket and that would be where your problem lies.

[Ray]

Cats are not scavengers so giving them something to kill and eat would be the ticket and that would be where your problem lies.

That's what I was thinking too.

[Machias]

It's an intriging subject.  Are their habits so different from say leopards or jaguars?  I wonder what a goat or road kill deer tied up in a tree would do?  I know lions normally cover their kills and come back and feed.  Be interesting to see if you could bait one like an African cat.  I watched a guy sitting in a blind kill a leopard that way a couple of weeks ago.  Would be an interesting way to try and take a lion.

[Intruder]

Are their habits so different from say leopards or jaguars? 

I was wondering the same thing.  That's the main way they hunt leopards in Africa.  Dead critter hung in a tree.  It'd be pretty damn cool to hunt cougars that way... if it viable and legal.

[Machias]

I believe it is not illegal, therefore I believe it is legal, now viable, not sure but might have to give it a try next year.

[russ]

thats crazy...i always assumed that hound hunting and baiting applied to both bears and cougar. nice job...something to look into!

[Palmer]

Call the WDFW and ask them all these questions.  They'd probably be happy to tell you where there is a problem cougar terrorizing people's pets.  In such a  circumstance I'd imagine a cat like that would be easier to bait.