Accurate handgun or rifle
Short-range
Lion shots from a treed cat are often close, inside 50 yards; a rifle chambered in a deer cartridge or a large-caliber handgun both work well.
Hunting · Big Game · Mountain Lion
Mountain Lion Hunting
A winter track-and-tree hunt through deep snow behind a pack of hounds — one of the most physically demanding and traditional hunts in North America.
Mountain lions are the most widely distributed big cat in the Western Hemisphere, but they're rarely seen — most lion hunting is done by finding sign, not the animal itself, and following it until you're close.
Where hound hunting is legal, this is a winter sport: fresh snow reveals a lion's track from the night before, and a trained pack follows the scent until the cat is bayed on the ground or, more often, treed.
Several western states, notably California and Washington, have banned hound hunting for mountain lions, which has pushed hunters in those states toward calling and incidental spot-and-stalk encounters instead — a much lower-odds method.
- Range
- Western states & western Canada
- Peak season
- Dec – Mar (deep snow)
- Tag access
- OTC or quota-limited by state
- Live weight
- 80–200 lb
01
Where to hunt mountain lion
Hound-friendly states with healthy lion populations and real public-land access are concentrated in the Mountain West; check current hound-hunting legality carefully before you plan a trip.
| Place | Why it's worth your time | How you get a tag |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho & Montana | Strong lion densities, hound hunting legal, over-the-counter tags in many units | Over-the-counter licenses; some units have harvest quotas that close mid-season |
| Wyoming | Excellent hound hunting in rugged winter country | Quota-managed by hunt area; tags available over the counter until quota fills |
| Colorado & Utah | Good populations with hound hunting legal | License with unit-specific quotas; check current-year harvest limits before applying |
| Arizona & New Mexico | Year-round or extended seasons in desert mountain ranges | Over-the-counter with unit harvest limits |
| British Columbia & Alberta | Excellent winter hound hunting in classic mountain terrain | Nonresident aliens generally require a licensed guide-outfitter |
02
How to hunt mountain lion: the repeatable method
The classic method is following a pack of hounds onto a fresh snow track until the lion is treed, then making a careful judgment call before taking the shot — increasingly, in hound-restricted states, hunters instead call or glass for an incidental encounter.
- 1Drive or snowmobile logging roads after a fresh snowfall, checking for a lion track crossing the road — a fresh track is worth far more than an old one.
- 2Release the hound pack on a confirmed fresh track and follow on foot, snowshoes, or snowmobile as the dogs work the scent trail, which can run for miles over rough winter terrain.
- 3Stay close enough to hear the dogs' bark change when they bay or tree the cat, since the chase can move quickly through steep drainages and thick timber.
- 4On approach to a treed lion, assess sex and size carefully before deciding to shoot — many hunters pass immature cats or females, especially with kittens present.
- 5Take the shot from a stable position at a modest, confirmed range once the cat is settled in the tree, aiming for the vitals.
- 6Where hound hunting isn't legal, hunt instead by glassing winter deer concentrations at dawn and dusk, checking fresh snow for tracks, and using predator calls (rabbit distress) from a concealed position to draw a cat in — a much lower-percentage method.
- 7After the shot, recover the cat carefully from the tree or terrain, skin it promptly to protect the hide, and transport the skull and hide to a check station as required.
03
Tags, licenses, and the application game
Lion tags are among the more affordable and accessible big-game licenses in the West, but hunts are almost always booked through a houndsman because most hunters don't own or run a trained pack.
- 1Confirm hound hunting is legal in the state and unit you're considering — California and Washington currently prohibit it entirely.
- 2Buy a hunting license and lion tag; nonresident tags typically run $300–$600 and are often sold over the counter.
- 3Check unit-specific harvest quotas, since many hound-legal states close individual units early in the season once the quota is reached — call the agency or check the online quota tracker before you travel.
- 4Book a licensed houndsman well in advance of the season if you don't run your own dogs; good operators book up for the entire winter.
- 5Understand female harvest limits — many states cap or restrict harvest of females, especially those with kittens, and require you to identify sex before shooting.
- 6Confirm mandatory check-in requirements; most states require the hide and skull to be presented to a biologist within days of harvest.
04
What the hunt is actually like
A hound hunt starts before dawn, driving snow-covered roads slowly with the truck windows cracked, looking for a fresh track crossing the snow — the whole hunt can hinge on finding one good track in the first hour.
Once the dogs are released, the chase is loud, fast, and physical. You follow on foot or by snowmobile through deep snow and steep drainages, sometimes for hours, guided by the changing tone of barking dogs on the mountain.
When the cat trees, there's often a real hike left to reach the dogs, frequently off-trail through thigh-deep snow — the anticipation builds the entire way in.
The moment of truth is judgment, not marksmanship: sexing and sizing a treed cat correctly, and deciding whether to shoot or call the dogs off and let it go.
The cold is a constant presence — winter hound hunts run in single-digit and sub-zero temperatures, and staying warm during long stretches of standing and walking is as important as anything else you bring.
05
Gear that decides the outcome
Not a shopping list — the six or so items that change whether you fill the tag and whether the meat gets home in good condition.
Snowshoes or a snowmobile
Winter access
Deep-snow country demands real winter mobility to keep up with a chasing pack and to reach a treed lion.
Cold-weather layering
Standing and moving
Long stretches of both hard walking and standing still while dogs work — layer for both, with a warm outer shell for when you stop.
Binoculars
Sex/size judgment
Used to study a treed cat closely before deciding to shoot, and to glass for incidental sightings in states without hound hunting.
Skinning kit
Hide care
A sharp, capable knife for skinning promptly — lion hides are a prized trophy and need to come off clean and be salted or frozen quickly.
06
Meat care and what you take home
Mountain lion meat is legal to eat in most states and is lean, mild, and pale — often compared to pork. Many hunters do eat lion, though it's less commonly consumed than deer or elk.
Cook lion meat thoroughly, as with any wild carnivore, due to the possibility of trichinella; treat it the same way you'd treat bear meat for food safety.
The hide is usually the primary trophy and should be skinned carefully and salted or frozen promptly to prevent hair slip.
Hunting guides that apply to whitetail deer
- Rifle setup, zero, and shot placementCartridge choice, field positions, wind calls, and where the vitals actually sit.
- Shotgun and slug-gun countryGauges, chokes, slugs and straight-wall rules where rifles are not legal.
- How whitetail deer fits among North American gameBig game, small game, upland birds, and waterfowl compared by habitat and season.
- Field craft that fills a whitetail deer tagWind, scent, stand placement, tracking, and meat care after the shot.
Gear tools for a whitetail deer hunt
- Layer for long, cold sitsBuild a layering system for sitting still in weather you would normally walk through.
- Current gear dealsLive price drops on optics, packs, and layering worth buying before the season.
- Build a whitetail deer loadout piece by pieceAssemble and save a kit for this hunt in your Basecamp gear locker.
- Compound bow setup and shot processDraw length, sights and rest, broadhead tuning, and a repeatable shot sequence.
Plan the trip around the tag
- Plan your whitetail deer huntBook the rut week, map access, and plan the drive and cooler logistics before opening day.
- Calculators and checklistsBase weight, pack volume, sleep-system temperature, and packing checklists.
- Camp food for long hunt daysCalorie-dense meals you can cook at a spike camp or trailhead.
Official sources and further reading
Seasons, fees, and draw rules change every year. These are the agencies and organizations that publish the current numbers — always confirm with them before you apply or hunt.
- Idaho Fish & Game — mountain lion
Hound-hunting rules, unit quotas, and season structure.
- Wyoming Game & Fish — mountain lion
Hunt-area quotas and mandatory check-in requirements.
- Mountain Lion Foundation
Population research and state-by-state management policy overview.
- Boone and Crockett Club
Scoring standards and fair-chase records for cougar.
Questions
Frequently asked
- Is hound hunting for mountain lions legal everywhere?
- No. California and Washington ban hound hunting for mountain lions entirely. Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico all currently allow it in some form — always verify current-year rules before booking.
- Do I need to own hounds to hunt lions?
- No, and most hunters don't. Booking a licensed houndsman who runs a trained pack is the standard way to hunt lions if you don't have your own dogs.
- How do I know if a treed cat is legal to shoot?
- Study size and sex carefully at the tree — most states restrict or discourage taking females, especially with kittens present. Many outfitters train hunters to identify these cues before the hunt.
- What does a guided lion hunt cost?
- Typically $3,000–$6,000 for a multi-day hound hunt with a licensed houndsman, not including the tag and license.
- Can I call in a mountain lion without hounds?
- It's possible using predator calls near known lion sign, but success rates are far lower than hound hunting — this is largely how lion hunting works in states where hounds are banned.
- Is mountain lion meat safe to eat?
- Yes, when cooked thoroughly. Treat it like bear meat and cook to a safe internal temperature due to trichinella risk.
Every hunting guide
Hunting Hub
Where every hunting guide on The Wild10 starts.
Types of Game
Big game, small game, upland birds, and waterfowl — habitat and season.
Small Game & Birds
Turkey, pheasant, grouse, quail, ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels and predators.
Rifle Hunting
Cartridges, zero, field positions, wind, and shot placement.
Shotgun Hunting
Gauges, chokes, shot size, and lead for birds and slug country.
Recurve & Traditional Bow
Instinctive shooting, draw weight, arrow spine, and close-range craft.
Compound Bow Hunting
Draw length, sight and rest setup, broadhead tuning, and shot process.
Hunting Tips
Wind discipline, stand placement, blood trailing, and meat care.
Keep going
Related reading
Rifle setup, zero, and shot placement
Cartridge choice, field positions, wind calls, and where the vitals actually sit.
Read →Shotgun and slug-gun country
Gauges, chokes, slugs and straight-wall rules where rifles are not legal.
Read →Field craft that fills a whitetail deer tag
Wind discipline, stand and stalk selection, blood trailing, and getting meat out cold.
Read →Plan your whitetail deer hunt
Book the rut week, map access, and plan the drive and cooler logistics before opening day.
Read →Top 10 lists
Hunting gear rankings
Ranked picks with real product photos, specs, and editor notes — the buying side of everything covered in these guides.
Best Hunting Rifles
Bolt guns from budget workhorses to mountain rifles.
See the ranking →Best Deer Hunting Shotguns
Rifled slug guns for shotgun-only whitetail country.
See the ranking →Best Upland Shotguns
Over-unders and light autos built to carry all day.
See the ranking →Best Waterfowl Shotguns
3.5-inch guns that keep cycling through mud and ice.
See the ranking →Best Compound Bows
Forgiving, quiet compounds that tune without a fight.
See the ranking →Best Recurve Bows
Hunting recurves that shoot quiet and hold up outside.
See the ranking →Also on The Wild10
Fishing Guides
Fish identification, the knots that hold, lure selection by conditions, and the habits that fill a stringer.
Open the fishing hub →