How to hunt for Mountain Lions in the PNW

Hunters on the "wet" coast often debate about which is the hardest game to pursue. Is it the mature blacktail buck who only daylights two nights a year and lives on the sheer cliffs of the Cascades? Is it the 6 point Roosevelt swimming through the dense underbrush in the Western slope of the Coastal Mountains? Could it be the smart black bear who hangs out in berry patches 2 times taller than he is? Some might even say it is the full fanned toms who will never cross a fence line even if the most beautiful hens are calling to him just on the other side. As much as behavior can make an animal difficult to hunt, for example the nocturnal behavior of our West side deer and bear, habitat can really be the defining factor that makes chasing any given game species flat out miserable. 

Picture a venn diagram with three overlapping circles. 

• On one side, write difficult habits such as: extremely weary of humans, sensitive to movement and sound, most active at night. 

• In the next circle, write difficult habitat features like: abundant food on the landscape, no water scarcity, thick underbrush, steep/dangerous terrain, unstable weather.

• In the third circle, put down hunting style challenges: No hounds, requires many days in the field, not often encountered coincidentally.

Of all the animals we pursue in the PNW, I think there is only one who squarely fits within the overlap of that venn diagram in a majority of hunting scenarios, and that is the mountain lion. They are able to walk right past you without ever being seen or heard, they can hide in impossibly small cracks and crevices, and if you wound one, you'd better bring a side arm for the track job. Most mountain lions are killed by hunters incidentally while they are pursuing elk or sometimes turkeys (styles of hunting that require mimicking prey animals). Even still, many hunters go many years without encountering one of these elusive beasts, let alone successfully harvesting one. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife sets harvest quotas for each area of the state. Rarely, if ever, are these quotas ever met. In 2024 we came in at 355 cougars killed. Far below the statewide quota of 970, and considerably below the previous 6 years of total Mountain Lion deaths (hunter AND non-hunter related) For hunter effort, we only saw a 2% success rate that year, which is on par with previous years. 

In other words, we could do a lot better, but lion hunting is full of challenges, and requires many days in the field. If you have been thinking about trying your hand at hunting a mountain lion anywhere in the PNW, you are in luck! We have a 365 day season, and every unit in the state is open to hunt! Lion meat is known as some of the best in the woods, so make sure you pack that thing out and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I recently got to sit down with Jim Myers of PNW_Mountain_Lion and I learned a ton about the nuances of hunting cougars in Oregon. Here, we are not allowed to use hounds. Many successful hunters kill their lions while out pursuing other animals with hooves, but Jim specializes in hunting mountain lions with E-calls such as the popular “Fox Pro” which can mimic a wounded animal for hours on end, bringing in those weary cats who will often sit just out of view for long periods of time. Here are some of the best tips I gleaned from Jim about calling in mountain lions:

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THE SET UP:

• Don't sit too close to your call. This isn’t just for your safety, a full grown tom can break 150 pounds and has the claws to match, but also because cats have good vision and will key in to any movement you make. On that note…

• Don't move around. You will need to sit still if you ever want to have the chance to pull the trigger on a big cat. 

• Hide well. Camo goes a long way, and sitting with a big tree or a steep hill behind you is a must.

• Place your call 50-100 yards away from you. This gives you enough distance to watch the cat come in and look at your call, while still being within reasonable shooting distance.

• Set up on an overgrown logging road. This was one of Jim’s biggest tips. Hunters often try to call lions into clear cuts, but they feel too exposed. Lions are easier called into a brushy road.

• Sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Most cats come in anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes of calling, but you will want to sit for a while after you shut your call off to be sure you don’t bust a lion and educate him. Call for 45 minutes then wait for 10-15.

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WHERE TO HUNT:

• The whole state is open for hunting, but there are some population pockets. North East Oregon is stacked full of cats. The Blue Mountains have the highest quota in the state for this reason. We have strong populations everywhere, though, so don’t be too picky.

• Brushy roads. We said it before, but brushy overgrown roads are some of the best places to set up, much preferred over clear cuts or old timber. You want the cougar to feel safe sneaking really close to your call.

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WHEN TO HUNT

• Cougars breed year round, but there is a rash of kittens usually born in late Spring, putting any semblance of a cougar rut around the late January to February time period. They are also easier to hunt in that time because it is the hardest months of winter and food is scarce. This time of year, a rabbit in distress is a great option.

• Starting in March and going through Summer, cougars hit fawns and calves real hard. This time of year, using either a fawn or calf in distress is the most effective sound.

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OTHER TIPS

• Use more fire power than you really need. Cats are fragile. They get knocked down easily if you hit them in the vitals which are similarly placed to a deer. BUT, you don't want to have to track an injured cougar through the bushes. We recommend any kind of .30 caliber hunting rifle to really let the wind out of them quick.

• Be patient. Jim easily goes out for 40 hunts before filling his tag. If you want it, you have to really want it. When a lion comes in, it is never before 20 minutes of calling, and rarely after 35 minutes. Throughout the day, you should plan to cover at least 10 miles Do a calling session at least every mile if you know there are lions around.

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MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Take a deeper dive into Mountain Lion Hunting by listening to our cougar hunting episode, and get some more inspiration that will help you be successful in the field! This is the perfect time of year to try it out yourself! Duck season just ended, the rivers are too full to fish, and we aren’t even close to turkey time (but it’s comin’).

If you truly want to grow in your outdoorsmanship, don't forget to take advantage of all the awesome things we have to offer through The Life Outdoorz! Get out there and breathe in some fresh air, you can’t get one unless you try!

-Bryant