Here Kitty, kitty...

[maxflex]

Here are a couple of kitty questions for the collective mind to ponder...

I live on the Sunshine Coast where, BC Outdoors Hunting Magazine's outlook suggested that there were "piles of cougars on the coast." As the winter drags on, I've been musing about the possibility of hunting one or more of these cats. I also have good access to Vancouver Island. So, without dogs can anyone suggest how one might approach such a hunt. And, can you suggest the kind of habitat(s) I should start my search?

2nd, I notice in the 'BC Hunting Regs' that there does not seem to be any mention of Lynx or Bobcat seasons. Yet there are bag limits and tags fees. What am I missing?

Thanks for the feedback!

Cheers,

[bc_buckshot]

It would be mighty difficult to to find or hunt cougars without dogs.Never tried it before dogless. Cougars are smart, quiet and fast. Some say use any predtor call or some also say they knew people were rattling deer horn during deer season and a cougar came out. You gonna have to be lucky and really thankful to get a cougar without dogs. Cant say it never happens but what do you have to loose?

There is a bobcat and lynx season.Look closer to the bottom of the pages where the limit is. Just before the birds section. For region 1&2 there isnt any lynx but yes bobcats.

[tomcat]

There are no bobcat or lynx on the Island thus calling for cougar there would probably be a better potential for connecting with a large cat.

[Kopper]

Pick up a good predator call and plunk yourself down and how for the best. I don't have experience with cougars as they freak me out alittle but just like any predator they will come in quiet and sneaky so have your eyes open and look for the slightest thing that doesn't look right; such as an ear poking up. If you have no experience predator calling watch some tv or get a good book. I've also heard of a couple bad a$$ guys that will cut a fresh track and run the cat until it trees itself; but I think you need some big kahunas for that lol. I've been stuck on the island for 3 years for school so what I can tell you about cats here is once the snow hits it is very common to come across tracks as they are very plentiful on the island. Catch them on trail cams too. I also get to talk to a bunch of CO's here and they are kept quite busy with cougars on VI as they are abundant.

The regs do mention bobcat for region 2 although they are more plentiful east (regions 3, 4, 5, 8 8) and there isn't a population of lynx in the Sunshine Coast. Atleast not big enough to support a harvest; best to go east and north. Vancouver island doesn't have any bobcats or lynx.

I am guessing you looked at the page in the regs that is generic for all of bc; those pages don't take regions into account.

Good luck there should you actually try and pursue a kitty

[maxflex]

Thanks for the feedback! Unlikely I'll make it out this year - but, you never know!
Cheers,

[blacklab]

To kill a cougar you're going to need snow or dogs.
If you can track a cougar and locate a fresh kill, you've got the cat.
They don't travel far from their kill, and will feed at dusk and dawn.
Pick a spot where you can watch the kill, the cat will be back.

[pescado]

Got one last year without dogs on the Sunshine Coast. He was laying on a concrete bridge, just a last shooting light. I was coming out on my bike and it didn't look right so I brought my binoculars up and I could see he was a Cougar. The loggers had told me about some Cougars they had seen. I was tagged up and thought he was a Tom by his size. He was facing me, getting jittery, but he gave me enough time to get my Snipe-pod set up. He was at 210yrds so I didn't have much to shoot at. When everything felt good, breathing just right, I sent one and spun him. 338-06, 210 ttsx, hit him in the upper chest and the bullet never quite penetrated the back ham. When I walked up to him, I made sure I was ready to get into gear if I had to, couldn't believe the size of it. My guess was close to 180lbs. It was scored by Frank Gilbert @ Bird and Feathers Taxidermy. Was stoked when it made the book, 15 3/16". It is possible. In your area I would find an Elk kill and sit on it. Might even get a Wolf. Be fun trying anyhow.

[tigrr]

Set up in places with known cougar populations. In 10 years I saw 1 cougar on the island. North of Nitinat lake on a logging road. It ran straight up a 40 degree hill for 300 yards. I would use a deer fawn in distress call. Tracking cougars always look up in the branches. Thats where they like to pounce from!!
Good luck.

[finngun]

read a book.... cougar annie:-D