sojourner65
New member
- Mar 24, 2014
- 122
Do you pack a handgun when bow hunting in CO? I\'m not concerned with bears so much as I am with mountain lions. I\'ve hiked around out there and found some nice tracks, which caused me concern.
My dumb question re: mountain lions
- Thread starter sojourner65
- Start date
Here is my perspective.
I spend many, many days each year in the mountains - camping, scouting, hunting, etc.
Want to know how many mtn lions I have seen in 25 years of traipsing around?
NONE _ ZILCH_NADA
If youre gonna carry a handgun, do it for 2 legged stuff, not four
I spend many, many days each year in the mountains - camping, scouting, hunting, etc.
Want to know how many mtn lions I have seen in 25 years of traipsing around?
NONE _ ZILCH_NADA
If youre gonna carry a handgun, do it for 2 legged stuff, not four
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,326
That would be my take as well. Although I might stumble on tracks or an animal that a cat has taken down, I have only seen one. They have no interest in humans and, truthfully, I think most of them are pretty small. I have never heard of one attacking a hunter either.
Buglemaster
New member
- Aug 25, 2017
- 334
Agreed. In my 41 years of hunting, fishing, hiking, camping & in general just spending time in the mountains have only saw the tail end of a mountain lion once as he headed for someplace far away from me. I did hear another cat scream on the western slope when I was just a kid. Will never forget that sound. I wouldn\'t be concerned in the least with cats, but I\'ve been in a few places with lots of bear where a sidearm made me feel pretty darn good.
I\'ve seen two.
One was while I was sitting a wallow ... 72 yards away, a big, gray tom stopped when he hit my scent. He looked at me as if he had the same idea that night: Sit the wallow. Kind of like when you find another hunter hunting where you were headed. He shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Missed my first elk that night, about a half-hour later.
Second one was camping with some Boy Scouts. They were setting up camp about 100 yards off the trail, and downhill. I went back to look for some stragglers and when I found them, I started walking back to camp. I saw the cat -- more average-sized, I guess -- standing on the trail, looking down at the scouts setting up camp. He/she did the same thing ... shrugged its shoulders and trotted off.
Great experience just to see them. I don\'t know how useful a sidearm would be, actually, though. Seems like a lot of extra weight.
Sidearms, if carried, would be for two-legged trouble ... or to put an injured horse or dog down. (I had a friend who used to carry while riding. When asked why, he\'d ask \"Ever try to kill an injured horse with a rock?\"
I\'ve seen tracks less than a couple miles from my house this spring, but have never seen the actual animal.
One was while I was sitting a wallow ... 72 yards away, a big, gray tom stopped when he hit my scent. He looked at me as if he had the same idea that night: Sit the wallow. Kind of like when you find another hunter hunting where you were headed. He shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Missed my first elk that night, about a half-hour later.
Second one was camping with some Boy Scouts. They were setting up camp about 100 yards off the trail, and downhill. I went back to look for some stragglers and when I found them, I started walking back to camp. I saw the cat -- more average-sized, I guess -- standing on the trail, looking down at the scouts setting up camp. He/she did the same thing ... shrugged its shoulders and trotted off.
Great experience just to see them. I don\'t know how useful a sidearm would be, actually, though. Seems like a lot of extra weight.
Sidearms, if carried, would be for two-legged trouble ... or to put an injured horse or dog down. (I had a friend who used to carry while riding. When asked why, he\'d ask \"Ever try to kill an injured horse with a rock?\"
I\'ve seen tracks less than a couple miles from my house this spring, but have never seen the actual animal.
I do agree with carrying the handgun for the 2 legged varmints as opposed to the 4 legged variety. But, Come to Idaho if you would like to call in big cats with your cow calls. I called in a female with 2 semi grown adult cubs/kittens. This was on the exact ridge that the son of the guy I was hunting with the year before was sitting on a log cow calling during rifle season with his gun cradled across his body on his knees, muzzle pointed to his left. He Caught a slight movement in his periphereal vision to his left. It was the twitching tail of what turned out to be a 165lb tom that was crouched and looking at him from 15 yards.
When they cleaned out the cat they said that the most impressive thing was the huge chunks of flesh in its belly. Just because you rarely see them does not mean they are not there. That being said I do not generally consider them a threat I do however try to call with my back against a boulder or large tree when calling alone.
When they cleaned out the cat they said that the most impressive thing was the huge chunks of flesh in its belly. Just because you rarely see them does not mean they are not there. That being said I do not generally consider them a threat I do however try to call with my back against a boulder or large tree when calling alone.
Colorado_Lew
New member
- Mar 4, 2014
- 189
I have called in one with cow calls that took off when I stood up. The cat was 15 yards from me.
In total I\'ve seen 6 in the wild.
In total I\'ve seen 6 in the wild.
Colorado_Lew
New member
- Mar 4, 2014
- 189
It\'s the ones that you don\'t see that you need to be worried about. I doubt a handgun would do you any good if they decided to take you out.
archery bum
New member
- Sep 28, 2013
- 159
WHAT! What did I just read? Holy smokes Pete is going to try calling, the world is coming to an end. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Yes, but that\'s for bears. Not elk. Even then it will only be if still hunting isn\'t working for me. The season is a month long, so i\'ll try still hunting for 3 weeks, and save calling as a last resort on the last week.
You\'re right though. It is calling, and I even have two bear calls i\'m practicing with. I guess i\'m getting weak. :eh:
You\'re right though. It is calling, and I even have two bear calls i\'m practicing with. I guess i\'m getting weak. :eh:
sojourner65
New member
- Mar 24, 2014
- 122
Thanks guys for allaying my fears! Uh..what is a bear call? :silent:
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
Got stalked by one. I was in a tree stand doing some occasional cow calls...and when I climbed down...he was right there crouched at about 8 yds (obviously watched me climb down the tree). :shock:
Pulled my bow off my shoulder, came to full draw, and he turned tail and walked away (he did not run).
Walked back to camp in the dark, without feeling the need to look over my shoulder every couple minutes.
It was a cool encounter. I still do not carry a sidearm when elk hunting.
Pulled my bow off my shoulder, came to full draw, and he turned tail and walked away (he did not run).
Walked back to camp in the dark, without feeling the need to look over my shoulder every couple minutes.
It was a cool encounter. I still do not carry a sidearm when elk hunting.
I have probably seen 10 cougars in the forest. I have never been eaten by one. 
If you want to carry a handgun, go for it. I don\'t think it makes you any safer. That doesn\'t matter, as every once in awhile I take mine. That is rare as I usually don\'t want the extra weight to carry.
If you want to carry a handgun, go for it. I don\'t think it makes you any safer. That doesn\'t matter, as every once in awhile I take mine. That is rare as I usually don\'t want the extra weight to carry.sojourner65
New member
- Mar 24, 2014
- 122
\"Still Hunter\" said:Pretty much a predator call that says Bear Call on it.
:roll: :crazy:
