# Cougar info needed



## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

I noticed OTC Harvest objective tags for sale.
I am interested in this hunt but I know nothing of it or the areas its being offered.

If any one can give me any info I would greatly appreciate it.

1. I am willing to hunt any unit.
2. I am willing to hunt any time.
3. I am willing to pay a guide. 

PM or post thank you.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Iron bear,,,here's a quick run down.
There is a lot of opportunity with the harvest objective and unlimited tags available....

The HO units open right now have been picked through hard with very few lions left in them..

There will be 21 more split season units opening for HO hunting on March 6....

The snow condition is changing fast right now,,,,3 weeks from now it will be difficult..

Hiring a licensed guide will be almost impossible, There's only a hand full of us.
And I'm here to tell you the DWR, BLM, And Forest service is pushing this new law
like no one is going to believe............PM me if you would like more details...

This is out of the 2010 Utah lion guidebook..

New laws affecting hunters
In 2009, the Utah Legislature passed a number of laws that will affect hunters:
Requirement to Wear Hunter
• Orange (HB 92)
Firearm Amendments (HB 357)•
Administering Substances to
• Wildlife (SB 13)
Outdoor Guides and Outfitters
• Licensing Act (HB 173)
Trespass Law Amendments (HB 153)•
Of these, the Outdoor Guides and Outfitters Licensing Act may have the biggest effect on cougar hunters. The new law states that starting in January 2010, guides must be licensed before they can legally take hunters into the field.
The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing is the regulatory agency for this new law. For more information, please visit http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/hunting_guides.html.
You can also see the full text of these laws on the Utah Legislature's Web site


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## coyoteslayer (Sep 10, 2007)

> The snow condition is changing fast right now,,,,3 weeks from now it will be difficult..


Lions can be tracked down on dry ground if you have some good tracking dogs. Yes, snow is easier, but I always caught lions in the spring when most lion hunters called it quits for the year.

Iron Bear, I would contact Wade Lemon.


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## Hound Inc. (Mar 31, 2008)

Catching cats right now is tough, I caught 2 this week, both trailed both on 90% dirt, and the 10% was crap snow, neither time could I tell for sure what I was running. Goofy has dogs that will trail and catch a dirt lion. It is hard to find a good cat when you can't tell what your trailing. The likelyhood of you killing a good cat are slim, and it is getting worse daily. Good Luck

-Hound


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

Understand that there are a couple of reasons why the DWR puts units as harvest objective. The first, is that they have a deer herd under a predator management plan whereby they want to wipe out as many lions as possible in an effort to help the deer. The DWR over issues tags in these units and the cougar populations are severely stressed. Most of the units in the state that fall under this catagory have been this way for years and thus the success rate of cougar harvest is far below state averages, and the number of mature cats in these units is miniscule. Odds are, you'd be lucky to take any cat let alone a bragging sized tom.

The other type of unit is the tough to hunt areas. These are usually the islolated mountain ranges with limited access and consistently poor tracking conditions. The only way the DWR can get hunters to hunt these units is to give them easy tags and hope for the best. I suspect the chances of getting a mature lion is greater in these areas, but again, limited access and tough conditions make for a tough hunt. Even in these units, I wouldn't go in with high expectations.

As far as dry ground cougar hunting, a dog's success rate drops as the temperatures rise and the snow melts. That's why a lot of houndsmen quit hunting when the snow is gone. Those of us that still hunt into March, April, and May will manage a few lions on dry ground, but it's harder to find a track and harder to finish a track under dry gound conditions. That's just the reality of hound hunting.

Good advise from Goofy too about hiring a licensed guide, it's something law enforcement is watching carefully. You wouldn't want to be their poster child.


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

Any legal cat will do.
Just tell me which tag to buy and when to be there. 

I am still trying to contact an old buddy W/dogs and ask him for advise. 

I would like to use a bow? :shock: :? 

Although I am open so anything.

And for any licensed guy's out there. If you know off a quick situation and want to make a buck let me know.


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## Cold Track (Sep 11, 2007)

I hope you're right goofy about them putting the pressure on illegal outfitting. Here in BE county there are several scab ass wannabe guides and they'll take what's put in a tree for a third of what a real outfitter would charge. With that in mind they are stepping on their own you know what ,along with the rest of the houndsmens in hurting the lion population shooting females and sub adults. But man do they look cool and legendary as big guides to the rest of their gunsel buddies!


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