Mt Lion hunting, no dogs, calling

[Gun&BowSD]

I need some help. I’ve hunted cats hard for 8 years, called in one to my knowledge but never saw it, just heard it. That was my first year and the first year they were open so I think it was as new being hunted as I was to hunting them. Since then I’ve upgraded my call library, sets are longer, tried a ton of combination sequences. Using vocals. Read all the rainshadow hunting stories. Listened to the podcasts, you name it. Followed cats, had cats follow me, tried to get in front, cold called, looked for them sunning on rock faces, gotten them on camera. I feel like I am simply armed hiking. The lack of snow isn’t helping either. I’m very still in my stands, set up with good vantage points, foxpro hidden. I know its not uncommon to go a ton of stands without calling in anything, but man, 8 years. So here I am. What do I need to change?

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

I assume you have one, but if not add a decoy to your set. They like movement.

I would go about it like...

Cut fresh sign then follow and set up.

If you have one on camera then keep it there and wait to see when it comes through. Usually they do routes and will be back there about the same time each route. Give or take days.

Ultimately time and luck. Put yourself where you've seen the sign, or have pictures. Then hit it until one finally commits.

Fresh kill could also be a game changer.

Probably will try to kill one this year myself the same way. Just hunting bobbers like this feels like insanity, but it only takes that one moment that they're back in the area.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

I have tried the area/right time during the route too haha. I do have a decoy, I’ve tried a lot of different ones over the years and have found a good one I like, I used to use it but then saw an overwhelming majority of people saying not to because they will see it and hang up watching it, as compared to having to investigate in a bush or behind a large boulder. But there are also videos of them snatching decoys out of trees so who knows. Maybe I’ll throw it back in the mix. Oddly enough I have never found a kill fresh enough to set up on. But would sure be a game changed for sure!

 

[justinspicher]

Sounds like most of my cat hunting days. I don’t have dogs either, so its mostly just taking a rifle for a hike.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

I know running dogs is a hard hunt too, no doubt. But I have worn out so much boot leather on them I HAVE to take my first one in a stand before I would get behind dogs. Someday for sure...but not my first one. Not after all this haha.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Instead of a decoy on the call you can try a feather in a tree.
It's all just putting in more time. Eventually it'll come together.

 

[CamoPirate]

Aye, I was looking into it as well. Bout to start hunting them from a tree saddle with my bow. I've read about people from biologists to hunters having success with breeding/mating calls year-round.

 

[Wildbuck]

Not sure if your cameras are cell cams or not, but having a cell cam in an area and getting a minute by minute update on what’s happening in a certain area could certainly help you get a “live” update when a cat moves through. While I have never utilized my cell cams to hunt cats, it has been because when I have been sent pictures of cats, I’m not able to drop what I’m doing and going after them.

If you stumble upon a fresh kill, don’t be afraid to drag it somewhere within a hundred yards or so and tie it to a tree to get a better vantage point. I have helped neighbors kill two cats who have killed livestock and this is what we have done. If the kill is super fresh, you can be certain they’re within 3-400 yards of the kill somewhere. Setting up on the kill and calling may be a good idea too, we have simply just had to wait for them and they’ve come back.

My first cat I killed I called in with a call. We had an unusual amount of snow in our area that pushed everything down towards the valley floor. I didn’t cut tracks or have any clue he was there, just got lucky and that’s what happened to come in. I was in a pretty dense area, shot was only about 30 yards and the call was cottontail distress which is a common prey item in my area. I’ve heard others say that cats like to have cover to come into so setting up in some thicker cover may help, but of course then you have to pick them out as they approach.

The last cat I shot I actually had some luck and assistance with a couple coyotes. Believe it or not, they treed a cat in a small apple tree on the edge of one of our orchards. I had no idea what I was walking up to until I looked up and saw the cat in the tree at 10 yards away about eye level in the apple tree. Coyote and cat both hit the dust that night. Obviously a huge stroke of luck.

Sounds like you’re on all the right paths and like others have said, time and effort will ultimately turn the tide in your favor. Best of luck to you! Post up pics when it happens. Last tidbit I’ve heard is to get out and cut tracks in the snow in February and play female in heat calls. Couple people in my area do that and fill their tags most years that way.

 

[Gun&BowSD]

This story is depressing and sort of hard to believe. Today I was in public about quarter mile from a small rural development on a further high ridge. I could see a house as I dropped into this valley. It had a much better vantage point than I at the bottom of the ravine. I got a chirp in return to my call at 40 minutes. Between my ridge and theirs. Was using cat vocals. I got situated better to the direction of origin, couple minutes go by I figure this cat is just slow rolling coming in but I’m ready. Suddenly BLAM! About 15 seconds later BLAM! I’m pretty sure somebody shot my cat... I can’t think of another situation playing out. Hey at least I called one in...

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

This story is depressing and sort of hard to believe. Today I was in public about quarter mile from a small rural development on a further high ridge. I could see a house as I dropped into this valley. It had a much better vantage point than I at the bottom of the ravine. I got a chirp in return to my call at 40 minutes. Between my ridge and theirs. Was using cat vocals. I got situated better to the direction of origin, couple minutes go by I figure this cat is just slow rolling coming in but I’m ready. Suddenly BLAM! About 15 seconds later BLAM! I’m pretty sure somebody shot my cat... I can’t think of another situation playing out. Hey at least I called one in...

Maybe they shit themselves and missed.

I've had guys do this by my car just to mess up my sets.