Wolves.....what about Cats......?

[Sitkaspruce]

Interesting read on cats, one pred we cannot forget about or lose focus on.

https://www.nontypical.org/news/2018...mountain-lions

They are starting to show up in numbers here in the Peace, a buddy got a big one last weekend up here.

Cheers

SS

[northof49]

Thread already posted....see Killer Cats

[Bugle M In]

Yup, they are an issue as well.
I kmow I posted up that FB of someone in R3 taking pics of a Cat with a mulie doe attack right there on the road.
I see sign in areas I have never seen them in, and I am talking 40 years.
Another thing, wolves and bears kill, but they are "scavengers" as well.
A Cougar, is an outright "killing machine".
Meaning, most of there food comes from the creature that only seconds before was standing upright on all 4's.
I suppose they feed on winter kills, but a pack of wolves or even a pack of coyotes or a bear can push them off quick.
So, Cats definitely "create the kill".

[boxhitch]

and it sounds like they tend to over-achieve if given the chance

[horshur]

Please note the discrepancy of Idaho research stats...

[HarryToolips]

^^^^yup, quite the efficient killing machines....has anyone on here ever got one without hounds???

[horshur]

^^^^yup, quite the efficient killing machines....has anyone on here ever got one without hounds???

Yep..if you search the Washington/Oregon cougar stuff you should find stats. They banned hunting with hounds but left it open season for foot hunters. The harvest from the foot hunters was mainly females. Resulting in chaos for the cougar population increasing livestock predation and human conflicts and crashing the population.The dog hunts resulted in selective harvest( mostly males) and less chaos.
I , and more then a few people I know have taken cougar without dogs but usually it is taking advantage of an encounter. Best way I know is to sit on a cats kill. Finding a kill is not so hard just time and reading sign.
But by far best way is dogs...and not necessarily hounds. Border collies that love chasing cats will get it done if you set them up just you have to help a lot more. It is not rocket science. Get on a track in the snow and it will lead you too the cat.

[LBM]

Yup, they are an issue as well.
I kmow I posted up that FB of someone in R3 taking pics of a Cat with a mulie doe attack right there on the road.
I see sign in areas I have never seen them in, and I am talking 40 years.
Another thing, wolves and bears kill, but they are "scavengers" as well.
A Cougar, is an outright "killing machine".
Meaning, most of there food comes from the creature that only seconds before was standing upright on all 4's.
I suppose they feed on winter kills, but a pack of wolves or even a pack of coyotes or a bear can push them off quick.
So, Cats definitely "create the kill".

Cougars will eat things killed by others just like any thing else.
There not killing machines these are just words being used to get peoples attention, no different then calling
the person that shoots a animal out of season in town a hunter. Compared to others such as wolves would say
cougars are a more efficient hunter, meaning quicker and cleaner kill, but there is many missed attempts before
they actually make a kill.
Cougars are having a tough time in many areas because of the wolves, wolves are following them around and taking there kills.
This in turn could be whats causing them to branch out into new country.
One thing this study shows is how different things are in each area and how each bio sees things and how science is continually changing.
Even Bios cant agree on things, but you have to be actually out there to see things and trying to learn about them.

[LBM]

^^^^yup, quite the efficient killing machines....has anyone on here ever got one without hounds???

Yes have seen them and seen them taking with out hounds. IMO the best way is with dogs for you have a better idea of what is being taken as said
before taking the wrong cat can cause many more problems. Even with dogs you have to learn about cats etc if you want to be certain and selective
of what you are shooting. Following tracks around you will learn a heck of a lot more about other wildlife as well.

[338win mag]

^^^^yup, quite the efficient killing machines....has anyone on here ever got one without hounds???

I have, and its a wise idea to purchase a tag every year because when the opportunity comes up its going to be quick.
My son who is 28 was sitting on a tree stand while whitetailing had 3 cougars, 2 kittens and the mother come within 25ft of him on the stand, circling him and making whistling noises and other kitty sounds, rolling around like a house cat would, lol, this went on for at least a half hour. The kittens were probably close to 100lbs, and I would say as far as there hunting ability go's.....they are similiar to the skills of a housecat, which are superlative as far as the art of "sneak" go's.
I also observed a huge tom at 150ft for 10 minutes, I have a pic of him around here somewhere they are curious animals and I have had several other encounters.