What would you use?
Contributors to this thread:cougar
From: fubar racin
03-Oct-19
A buddy just bought trained lion dogs to add to another buddies pack. Sooo I now have the opportunity to hunt cats in both Wyoming and Colorado every year as neither one of them has any interest in killing another cat unless it’s huge. ( they both have cats 180+ pounds). Iv never gotten a cat so I’d be happy with average cats but I want 2 cats one with my grandads old predator rifle and one with my bow. The rifle I have nailed down, and I know my elk setup would be fine on a cat but I’m wondering if something else may work better. I’m currently shooting a 550 grain arrow with vpa Broadheads, wondering if a lighter arrow and bigger cut may be more desirable.
From: Ucsdryder
03-Oct-19
A big car weighs 150lbs. Not an expert but I can’t imagine it matters too much with a 550gr arrow. Side note...can I go with you?!?
From: Busta'Ribs
03-Oct-19
Just shoot a big expandable and be pin point accurate. A Cougar has notoriously small (read: tiny) heart/lungs so it is very easy to screw it up. Good news is, if you hit the right spot, the cat will probably die very quickly. I was amazed just how small the vitals were on the big Tom I killed.
From: spike78
04-Oct-19
Since cats get shot out of trees with branches and twigs I’d opt for a fixed blade as it would deflect off twigs better if you happen to hit one. My 2 cents
From: Fuzzy
04-Oct-19
50# longbow, 4 blade Zwickey Delta
From: wildwilderness
04-Oct-19
If I could hunt them every year I would definitely invest in a takedown bow! Either recurve or long bow. Super light and easy to pack for the long hikes. You should have a controlled shot at a cat at a reasonable distance. Will definitely add to the hunt!
From: Paul@thefort
04-Oct-19
I used a 125 gr Thunderhead from a 64# compound bow to kill this 140 # Colorado cat. The heart shot was from 20 yards away , 45 degrees, on a broad side lion. He was dead before he hit the ground. Hound were used to tree this cat.
I had practiced "shooting" upward as various angles, by walking around and pretending a lion was up in the tree at various distances. Leaning back slightly to keep good form. When I actually shot the cat, I did a practice draw and aim, then let down, before the actual draw and shot. That made sure my equipment was ok and that my nerves were relaxed. good luck.
From: fubar racin
04-Oct-19
Grandpas recurve will definitely come into play chasing cats in the future but I’m not good enough with it yet to attempt steep angled shots on a cat with it.
From: Bowboy
04-Oct-19
I shot a mountain lion back in 1996 with a 60lb bow Hoyt bow. The mountain lion was a big Tom that weighed 180lbs. We weighted it on the outfitters scale at his house.
It really doesn't take much to kill mountain lions if your shot is in the boiler room.
From: Shug
04-Oct-19
Same set up you use for deer is fine...
From: Treeline
04-Oct-19
Lions are actually pretty soft. A 35# longbow with a 350 grain arrow is plenty enough. Just gotta put it thru the lungs and they die before they hit the ground.
From: fubar racin
04-Oct-19
I understand that cats are not a tough to kill animal. I guess my thinking was that a lighter arrow shooting flatter MAY slip between branches better and a larger cut MAY end things faster posing less risk to the hounds.
From: Medicinemann
04-Oct-19
Make sure you keep the meat. It is better than what most people expect....
From: fubar racin
04-Oct-19
I honestly won’t be doing anything with the hides but every edible ounce of meat will be eaten by my family and I we very much have enjoyed the lions we’ve been lucky enough to try in the past.
From: Treeline
04-Oct-19
Heck, you can sell the hides. Darn good eats! Good luck!
From: TravisScott
05-Oct-19
Whatever bow setup you’re comfortable with will work.
From the meat standpoint you’ll get more percent usable meat off a lion than any other game animal. Very little trimming is needed so if you can get it out whole, do it.
From: DanaC
05-Oct-19
Invest in a good pack with a bow holder.
From: GF
05-Oct-19
I think I’d use whatever excuse I had to in order to get as much time off to go hunting as I possibly could.
And if you don’t want the hides, skulls, or whatever, please let me know... I would be thrilled to pieces. I can think of dozens of projects for a Cougar-skin...
From: Trial153
06-Oct-19
Small mechanical like a hypo plus P or Sevr 1.5, Raptor trick. Or a small compact fixed head, oz cut ultra 4, or Ironwill
