Montana Mountain Lion Hunting

The Mountain Lion is such an elusive animal and that’s probably why this animal is missing in many trophy rooms. This is a great animal to hunt and it’s nice to keep them thinned out also. There’s a large population of deer and the lions seem to like that. Lion season begins in December and runs through March.

When the leaves start to rustle, the nights get frosty and the elk begin to bugle, we turn our full attention to hunting. Our main hunting camp is on the Big Salmon River, in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, 24 miles from the end of the road. Area 150 is one of the few to allow rifle hunting for elk during the peak of the rut. We also offer hunting for Mule Deer, Black Bear, Mountain Goat, and Mountain Lion.

Listen to our home-raised Redbone hounds work a cold trail as their bone-chilling bawl echoes down the canyons. December and January find us following the footprints of the majestic Montana cougar through a winter wonderland laced with migrating elk and native deer and mountain sheep.

Our area we hunt went to a trophy mountain lion draw, which has allowed us the best mountain lion hunting in the country. This allowed our lion population with its already amazing genetics to produce some of the biggest mountain lions we have ever harvested and allows us to be patient on the lion we decide to harvest.

Our Mountain Lion season is set up on a quota system by the Fish and Game. We have taken some great Cats out of our area using hounds. Hunts are three days ( But we will hunt up to five days if necessary). We base ourselves from the Lodge to hunt.

Near our headquarters in Big Timber, Montana we have access to some exceptional mountain lion hunting. These areas are very productive for big, mature toms. As with most lion hunts, a hunter’s ability to be “on call” will drastically increase chances for success.

If you are looking for heart pounding, up close action look no further than Mountain Lion hunting at Lost Creek Outfitters. This isn't a spot and stalk or treestand type of hunt. You have the ability to use hound dogs to track these majestic creatures and need to be alert at all times while in pursuit. In 2011 a Mountain Lion was shot on our property that made the Pope and Young record books.

Mountain Lion Hunts are conducted on a very limited basis. Best if hunter is available on call when conditions are right.

Hunting mountain lions is radically different than hunting for elk, deer or bear. Your day begins as early as 3:00 am. You’ll have a light breakfast and join our houndsmen who will instruct you on how to “cut” a track. Tracking a mountain lion involves driving or snowmobiling through a myriad of US Forest Service and private timber company roads, using spotlights mounted to the cat truck, and trying to eyeball a track from many yards away. Once a track is found, dogs are put on it to see if it carries a scent–if it's after day break.

This lion hunt takes place behind hounds on private ranches. This hunt is for the client who wants to take a large male lion and does not want to settle for a female or small Tom. For this hunt you must be in top physical condition, and be prepared to walk long distances, and/or ride horses in rugged terrain.

Mountain Lion hunting is very limited. I offer hunts under certain circumstances. There is a good population of cats on the Cascade Ranch and Sheep Creek Ranch. Hunters must be able to come out on short notice. 72 hours notice is what I prefer. I have to do this because we need to have the right weather conditions. i.e, fresh snow. If you are interested in persuing a Mountain Lion and can do it under these conditions please let me know and we can discuss it.

These hunts are conducted behind highly trained hounds in the Little Rocky Mountains around Zortman. Mountain snow is a must for these hunts and clients will need to be on call for this area.

Our Mountain Lion Hunts are phenomenal. With 20 years of hunting the big cats, we have only had 2 hunters go home without a cat. The first time was our very first cat hunter and we booked the hunt for specific days (live and learn) instead of adjusting to account for weather conditions. The second was a return hunter who wanted a bigger cat than he took on his first hunt. While we found cats, we did not find a bigger one. That hunter is booked again this year. We have had hunters come on multiple years and go home with a cat each year.

Lion Hunts are offered beginning in December and are run out of US Forest Service , Montana DNRC and private timber leased land in the Swan Valley as well as west of Kalispell. We utilize experienced hounds men and dogs to “tree” cats. This is a unique experience and we have great cats. It will be necessary to apply for a special permit in either Hunting District (HD) 102, 103, 120 and 130, or you can buy a winter license and hunt HD 132.

Our trophy mountain lion hunts take place during the winter months, starting in December and running into mid March. The area we hunt these big cats in covers over 250 square miles of exclusive outfitting rights we have secured in the LoLo National Forest of western Montana.