Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: Parasite on February 11, 2020, 12:54:16 AM
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... how many of you don't share your cougar sighting locations and also don't hunt them specifically? Seems we could do a better job of population control if we could share that information with hunters on this website. Since running them with dogs is out of the question, sharing sighting locations would be helpful to those of us that really want to bag some cats. I'm new to the state, never seen a cougar in my life, and would love to take one (maybe more if I like it). I know it can be a touchy area since a lot of cougars sightings are on trail-cams which are more than likely set up for game you want to hunt such as elk and deer and you don't want to give away those spots. Just throwing the idea out there.
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In what way would you like this information shared? If it is by way of a location(s) that's probably not going to happen as hunters already feel their hunting areas are over crowded as it is. As for cougars they are pretty much in every unit but some areas have a higher concentration. All you have to do is look at the areas that have a higher quota and that should tell you which ones have a higher concentration of cougars.
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Yeah, like I said, touchy subject. I'm not sure there is a good way to go about except maybe PMs, networking, etc. Just had an idea and was wondering what everyone else thinks.
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Unnecessary. Pretty much everywhere that has deer or elk will have lions too. And by the time somebody sees one, and you get there, its most likely gone anyway.
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wouldnt work, unless someone has a actual problem cat preying on livestock. You could know the exact location someone saw a cat 30 min ago and you will never see it chances are.
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When I started hunting for lions in the mid 2000s, we had to go to certain areas to feel confident about our chances of finding tracks.
Now we have the "luxury" of pretty much going anywhere with fresh snow and cutting a track before sun-up.
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I think it's great idea and you are spot on about people not managing them. I know people that won't kill a cougar if they are hunting for other game. They are shooting themselves in the foot I say. Just last week there was a cougar on a deer kill and it was on that same deer kill the next day. (closed unit) So there are times to spread the word. But like all predators that are NOT managed by WDFW we are doomed!
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I started taking my cousin out hunting two years ago. Last year he came out with me and we saw a cougar. Last year I got out for a single day of hunting and he was with me and we saw another cougar. Both less than fifty yards. I'd be willing to rent him out to any interested parties :chuckle: seems they are out there if you look. Both spots we found them neither of us had ever been to and were wandering around a few miles off the road.
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I have a lot of cameras out, and every one has cougars. They're literally everywhere. Grab a predator call and get out there.
There's no way I'm pointing someone to my hunting spots though. :twocents:
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95%+ of Cougars killed in this state are incidental. Meaning they are shot while hunting for something else. There are a few folks on here that are regularly successful but that overwhelming % is hard to overcome. There was a guy on here that would find fresh tracks in the snow and try and chase them down. If you are an athlete this might be an option. Others use a predator call. Belive some places are more conducive to calling than others. The good part of calling is you could shoot a coyote, bobcat, or Cougar. One of our members was quite effective with his shotgun and mountain bike whacking bobbies.
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Unnecessary. Pretty much everywhere that has deer or elk will have lions too. And by the time somebody sees one, and you get there, its most likely gone anyway.
:yeah: :yeah: Wherever the deer winter will have an abundance of lions. Follow the deer and elk too but most Lion kills I find are deer. Lions normally have a huge range and could be 20 miles from where someone seen it by the time you get there. If they have a kill they will come back to it for 4-5 days could be more or less depending on what else finds it. I have had Tom stay in same drainage for a while I think usually they are interested in a female that’s also in the area or they have a kill . My experience is female lions will stay in the same drainage or a smaller area than Toms will. I don’t know the science behind that it’s just been my experience. I use dogs but if I was boot hunting I would follow fresh tracks after a snow and when I felt they were getting hot I would set up and call. But I have never done that so others might have better ideas. Find the deer and elk winter range and you will have lions especially in Washington where they can’t be hounded. Get out there and do something! Zero plus zero equals zero ha ha. Get out there and you will figure it out.
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I have cougar bothering my cat cages almost every day and would be happy to share. Trouble right now the areas are closed.
I'm not sure the locations would help that much as they are pretty well spread out wherever I trap.
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What areas are still open?
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What areas are still open?
The Cougar hotline is supposedly updated weekly, 866-364-4868 option 2
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What areas are still open?
https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/big-game/cougar
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I run about 13 trail cameras a year. Some 365 days, others only fall and winter. Last fall I put 3 up cameras in brand new locations, and all of them got cougars pictures. It really doesn't take much effort to find a cougar.
