Long before sunrise, my mountain lion team had finally cut the track of a huge tom and I was frantically organizing my deep-snow gear and archery equipment. Minutes later, I got in my truck and headed out to where we would try to freshen the track. The cat had covered about five miles of mature boreal forest before settling into a block of dark timber — we hoped.  

As the sun rose, I caught up with the crew and their leashed dogs. The smiles on their faces told the story. The track was big and fresh, and everyone was ready to start the chase. The two lead dogs nosed into the tracks, and we were off. 

We trudged along as quickly as possible, pushing knee-deep snow with every step — maneuvering around neverending deadfalls while trying to keep up with the chorus of dogs ahead. Occasionally, we stopped and watched the chase unfold on the GPS tracker. The cat swept around a lake and headed down the far shore. We decided a shortcut was in order and cut around the bottom end of the lake to pick up the tracks. Unfortunately, the cat turned away and led the dogs in the opposite direction. Twice, the old tom gave the dogs the slip, but the experienced hounds circled, picked up the scent and continued the pursuit. 

We had been tromping through the deep snow for hours when the dogs started barking a chorus that indicated they had treed the cat. We backtracked and then took snow machines and a quad around the lake to close the distance. When we arrived, the hounds were trying their darndest to climb a big old aspen where a giant cat was perched in a comfortable sleeping spot — seemingly unconcerned that we were gathered below.  

The angle to the cat was steep, and we discussed shot placement, as I positioned my TenPoint Nitro 505 crossbow and my shooting sticks. Targeting a gray patch of fur in the armpit of the tom ensured my broadhead would find its lethal target, but a tangle of tree limbs would require careful aim and a precise shot to thread an arrow through the small opening to the cat’s vitals. 

Sitting against the base of a tree with the crossbow anchored on shooting sticks, I checked with the team to ensure everyone was ready. With the dogs tethered, I was cleared to take the shot. I took a deep breath to help steady the bow and placed the crosshairs on the tiny gray spot and slowly squeezed the trigger. 

The shot was perfect. The cat instantly slumped over, but got hung up in the tree for about 15 seconds. The dogs went crazy, as seconds later, the old cougar stretched out and crashed through the branches to the ground. The immense size of the cat was confirmed when it fell to the ground — even bigger than we had expected. It is difficult to explain, but harvesting a cat is not always the day’s highlight. It’s the total experience of doing things correctly so that it doesn’t frustrate the crew or harm the dogs. We had scored on all counts. 

The Hunt is On

Hunting an apex predator such as a cougar is exciting in so many ways and having an intimate knowledge of this incredible predator is essential for success —  knowing how to read signs and understanding its habits and travel preferences. Staying hot on the heels of a pack of focused hounds adds an element of adventure that most hunters could not even imagine until they experienced it. 

Having an experienced houndsman and experienced dogs is paramount to success. For my hunt, my buddy Clint Taylor introduced me to Kelly Morton (www.kellymortonhunting.com), a premier cat outfitter in Alberta and British Columbia with a reputation for taking big cats. My hunt started prior to the opening week of the season, with my cougar-crazed team busy cutting fresh tracks. Conditions weren’t ideal, but they located plenty of tracks  — just not the right ones. 

Looking for tracks sounds easy enough, but spotting the light-toed impressions of a fleet-footed lion takes practice. Fresh snow makes the job easier. Backroads and wilderness trails are the best places to look. During most years, a four-wheel-drive truck can access prime country. I discovered the tracks were easier to see in the pale morning light when they were illuminated by the truck’s headlights. 

When these large cats walk, they leave a single line of tracks, whereas ungulates leave tracks from the left and right legs. Watching the surroundings is important, because cats can jump between points, leaving little signs. The sneaky posture of felines makes them easy to distinguish when spotted from a distance. Some hounds are trained as striker dogs — sounding off when driving past a fresh track. Hunting in areas without snow means relying heavily on these dogs.

A good hound’s sense of smell is said to be 1,000 times better than a human’s. Bloodhounds have been known to follow a scent trail for more than 130 miles and can detect substances at one part per trillion concentrations. To put it into perspective, that would be a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Embracing and enjoying the hounds is easy when you see how they sort out the sneaky tactics of a cat trying to escape pursuit. Cougars are continually harassed by wolves trying to steal their kills, and they know how to avoid these wild canines. Houndsmen need to pay close attention to details to keep the cat from frustrating the crew or harming the dogs. During my hunt, we came through a bog area with stunted trees. There was immediate concern that the hounds might catch up to the cat that had no escape options, creating a situation that would force it to fight. The hounds are hunters with keen noses, and their ability to assess the tracks is impressive. How they decipher fresh spore from a cat that has backtracked is astonishing. The hounds live to hunt, and it shows. 

Weather Watchers

The weather plays an important role in any hunt. Hounds have an advantage when the ground is wet and the air is cold, allowing the scent to linger. A light wind helps  with scent dispersion and direction as it picks up scent particles and disburses them downwind in a cone.

The weather can also make a mountain lion hunt more challenging — with rain or snow, cold temps and wind often the norm. Dressing too warm for actively chasing after dogs can make you hot and sweaty. When you finally catch up to your quarry, it means standing around, and you can quickly get cold. Our crew carried supplies and started a fire to keep us warm once we arrived where the cat was treed. A packable puffy jacket is recommended, especially if using a motorized vehicle for the pursuit.

Pack light and take everything you need in a day pack or fanny pack. I used an Alps fanny pack to carry glove liners, hand warmers, knife, water bottle and a protein bar. I carried my crossbow slung over my back with a string guard to protect it from branches. 

I opted for SEVR’s Titanium 1.5-inch broadhead for its devastating terminal performance and the fact it leaves smaller entry and exit holes because I intended to have the short-haired cat mounted. Gun hunters can choose a bullet that will penetrate, expand but not exit to manage damage to the hide and ensure a quick kill. Archers need to practice steep angle shots and learn to bend at the waist to keep the 3rd axis level. 

You be the Judge

Understanding body structure and language is important when determining the gender and size of a lion. The big tom I harvested was obscured by some large branches, making it difficult to see the entire body. The head was visible, and looked like a pumpkin with ears extending from the sides and eyes that could peer through your soul — characteristics of a mature tom. The tail seemed as long as the body and well-toned and rippled muscles were also tell-tale signs.

Judging these large cats is not easy, and while some hunters want to harvest a cat that makes the record books, many come up shy. My advice is not to get too concerned with the score and enjoy the overall experience. A good houndsman with lots of experience will help determine the trophy quality of any cat you might tree. 

Many jurisdictions have quotas for cats, and when a certain number of females are killed, the season is closed. Hunters who want to harvest a trophy cat need to target males with larger skulls, which is what is used to determine the score.

The best way to establish the gender of a mountain lion is to look carefully at the genital area. Adult and sub-adult male cougars have an obvious black spot of hair, about 1 inch in diameter, surrounding the opening to the penis sheath behind the hind legs and about 4 to 5 inches below the anus. Good optics can help establish if the cat has that black patch. A big male has a bucket-sized head, which also helps to determine the sex. 

Cougars are scored for various record books by taking the length and width of the skull. My cat scored 15-4/16, qualifying for the Boone & Crockett record book. The cat was also scored using the Safari Club International (SCI) system and was deemed the new world’s record cougar harvested with a crossbow. 

In Alberta, all harvested cougars must be registered, with information including coordinates of the kill site. A tooth is extracted for aging. Healthy cougar populations are indicative of healthy ungulate numbers. There are Cougar Management Areas with quotas for male and female cats. Hunters must check online to see if quotas have been filled before heading out each day.

Hunting a unique species that is carefully managed is a privilege that generates respect for the species and ensures its future. 

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Mountain Lion

Mountain lion meat is not only edible, it provides excellent table fare when properly prepared. Here is a recipe that will make you glad you brought home every ounce of this delicious meat.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. round roast

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

1 cup chicken broth

1½ cups tomato sauce

⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce

½ cup maple syrup or brown sugar

Juice from one lemon

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, sliced

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Trim the roast and cut into ¾-inch cubes. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast-iron frying pan over medium heat and brown the meat. Place the meat in a baking dish or Dutch oven with a lid.

2. Deglaze the frying pan with the chicken broth and add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and garlic, and bring to a simmer for a couple minutes to make the sauce.

3. Place the sliced onion over the browned meat, add the bay leaves, pour the sauce over the contents and cover with the lid. 

4. Place the baking dish in the oven preheated to 375°F for two hours or until the meat is fork-tender.