I want a cougar

[DoubleJ]

how do I get one?  I got a tag months ago just figuring I'd shoot one if I came across it.  Now I want to pursue one.  Where do i go and what technique do I use?  I'm so green to this that I'm actually blue 

[PolarBear]

Seeing that you are in Shelton try from Spider Lake over to Wynoochie.  My cousin has shot several out of there over the past few years and has seen a few that he couldn't connect with this year.  He uses a variety of calls but his fawn distress seems to work the best.

[bobcat]

Wait for some fresh snow and then go find some tracks. Follow the tracks until you catch up to the cat. Easy as that! (not really)

I would try up in the Hoodsport area. There is state land and National Forest that you can hunt up there.

[DoubleJ]

Any time of day better than another?  Are the females still with kittens?  Once I've found tracks, and start calling, what do I keep an eye out for?  Are they like deer where if they see a human they'll run the other way or are they not too botherd by humans?

[MADMAX]

I personally like ams early enough to see good, the one I shot had no kittens with her and was 3 and half years old,. they are NOT scared of you,when you are calling they come to eat, remember that, shoot straight and I have found with cats lift the weapon your using nice and slow and they will hold.............usually!

[JimmyHoffa]

If you check the tracks in the snow, the females with kittens might have additional tracks with them.  One method, proving to be difficult, is to find a cougar's cached kill.  Set up near it and wait for the cat or use a call with coyote sounds.  If you don't have snow available, try to find game animals.  In some of the areas I go to, the cats follow the elk around.  The elk can be seen feeding in a field and the cat will be walking around the perimeter in the brush.  You can also talk to ranchers and sheep farmers.  They can usually tell you if there is a cat in the area, then you could try calling or baiting.  As said above, the fawn bleat/distress is a good call to try.

[rainshadow1]

Check my story page... website in my sig line.

It's very possible to do it on purpose!

[DoubleJ]

Cougars can have kittens any time of year.

Oh yea.  I remember reading somewhere that if you could do a cougar in heat growel that it worked sometimes

[bearmanric]

what Polarbear said. i use to spend alot of time. up there lot's of cougar and bobcat's. going up this weekend. if i get caught up on call making. there is a certa

[Yeti]

I was just flipping through the regs and didnt find an answer to this question....

Is it legal to bait cougars?

[JimmyHoffa]

As far as I know, yes.  The only things you can't bait are: turkeys, migratory game birds, and bears.  Until King County gets to vote on it of course.

[Machias]

It is legal to bait cougars.

[quadrafire]

You are baiting them every time you walk into the woods

[CountryslickR]

          hahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

[Yeti]

You are baiting them every time you walk into the woods

        hahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

   I had that one coming.

[Houndhunter]

Cougars can have kittens any time of year.

dont be proud and pass on a kitten, ill shoot any and as many cats as possible

[carpsniperg2]

You are baiting them every time you walk into the woods

        hahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

   I had that one coming.

NOW THATS FUNNY!

[h20hunter]

Plenty of coug's in Bellevue. The flock near the mall. Try putting up a "blind" advertising free nail fill ins. You will be deep in couger country. Are you gonnna mount it after the kill?

[Yeti]

Plenty of coug's in Bellevue. The flock near the mall. Try putting up a "blind" advertising free nail fill ins. You will be deep in couger country. Are you gonnna mount it after the kill?

Full body and stuffed......   That just crossed a line somewhere

[jackelope]

Cougars can have kittens any time of year.

dont be proud and pass on a kitten, ill shoot any and as many cats as possible

Thats why quota's are full and hound guys don't get to hunt their permits. That response surprises me coming from you.
 

[Houndhunter]

we aint talking about hound permits, but i see where that could be confused. never shoot a female on a hound permit till the total harvest and female quota are equal, i dont think i would ever shoot one with hounds, atleast not intentionally

but on a general tag i say shoot anything big or small, and if your in a hound area dont report it........

[Yeti]

we aint talking about hound permits, but i see where that could be confused. never shoot a female on a hound permit till the total harvest and female quota are equal, i dont think i would ever shoot one with hounds, atleast not intentionally

but on a general tag i say shoot anything big or small, and if your in a hound area dont report it........

If it is spotted SSS. Regs say no kittens<80lbs

[chester]

So how has cougar scouting went Double J? 

[jackelope]

we aint talking about hound permits, but i see where that could be confused. never shoot a female on a hound permit till the total harvest and female quota are equal, i dont think i would ever shoot one with hounds, atleast not intentionally

but on a general tag i say shoot anything big or small, and if your in a hound area dont report it........

Maybe I'm wrong, but don't they all go to the quota if you're in a unit with hound permits?

[Houndhunter]

not sure im getting what your saying, but if a cat is shot in a hound unit than yes it goes on the quota even if it was shot before the hound season opens. all cats killed in the unit go on the quota, thats why if you shoot one on a general tag in a hound area you dont report it or atleast say you shot it in another area

[jackelope]

not sure im getting what your saying, but if a cat is shot in a hound unit than yes it goes on the quota even if it was shot before the hound season opens. all cats killed in the unit go on the quota, thats why if you shoot one on a general tag in a hound area you dont report it or atleast say you shot it in another area

No...you got exactly what I was saying.

[fair-chase]

What exactly is the problem with a guy shooting a young cat as long as it is legal?   

Someone explain this method of thinking to me. Is it just because it leaves less for you? If I hunt early archery and you hunt modern do I have to pass on every big game animal I see just so you can have a poke at it later? Just sounds greedy to me. If a guy has a shot at a cat I say more power to him. For most hunters without hounds encounters are so far and few between, mostly opportunity kills. Why would you want to deter someone from harvesting what is for most a once in a lifetime opportunity?