Cougar Hunting
All About Cougar Hunting
Although cougars are a protected species across the United States, cougar population levels in some states are high enough that cougar hunting is allowed, if only in small numbers. Cougars, also known as mountain lions, are now found mostly in Western States, Canada, Florida and Louisiana. They once lived throughout all of the United States. Some types of cougars inhabit parts of Mexico, Central and South America.
The cougar is the biggest species of cat in North America. Very few hunters would have the knowledge or ability to go cougar hunting on their own. Most cougar hunting is done with guides, and most of the time it is done with dogs. This is a controversial subject, even among hunters, but most of the time cougars are chased and worn down by dogs until they finally climb a tree, and are the perfect target for a hunter at a range as short as fifteen feet. Many times handguns are used instead of rifles because they are easier to carry on the chase.
The cougar is at the top of his food chain--the only predator the cougar has is the human being. Adult cougars can be gray or reddish yellow in color. Adult cougars have no spots but cougar cubs are born with spots and lose them by adulthood. In some states where cougar hunting is allowed, restrictions prevent hunters from shooting one with spots, because it is a baby or shooting one of a pair of cougars. A pair would either be a couple or a female with cubs. Cougar cubs stay with their mothers usually until they are eighteen months to two years old.
An adult cougar is approximate five feet long with a three-foot tail. They stand around three feet tall. An adult male weighs around 150 pounds. They only reproduce every two to three years, which makes a depleted population hard to restore. The bobcat is a much smaller animal weighing only in the neighborhood of twenty-five pounds.
Because of their size, strength, intelligence, and speed, a cougar is a very dangerous animal to hunt. A cougar can jump up in the air as high as fifteen feet and jump forward as far as forty feet. In most cases, they will know you are there long before you know they are there. They live in a territory that may be anywhere from twenty-five square miles to a hundred, depending on the location. They hunt at night as well as at dawn and dusk. While their favorite meal is deer, they also eat rabbits, raccoons, wild hogs, porcupines and birds.
There are many hunting guides and outfitters who regularly take out individuals and groups hunting cougar. Most of these have many years of experience in learning how and where to find cougar. Check out the background of guides and ranches before committing yourself to making a trip. Most reputable guides have no problems with letting you talk to their satisfied customers. The best cougar hunting guides are often found by word of mouth.