MOUNTAIN LION TRAPPING 



By STANLEY P. YOUNG, Biologist, formerly of the Division of Predator and Rodent 

 Control,^ Fish and Wildlife Service 



nPHE AMERICAN MOUNTAIN LION (Felis concolor) is one of 

 J- the largest predatory animals of the United States, sometimes 

 weighing more than 200 pounds. Game conservationists recognize 

 it as the greatest natural enemy of deer. Stockmen suffer heavy 

 losses through its depredations, for when game is scarce the mountain 

 lion attacks young domestic stock, particularly colts, lambs, and kids, 

 and even full-grown horses and cattle. It is practically impossible 

 to raise young colts or sheep on open stock ranges in the rough, 

 rocky, and broken country that forms an ideal habitat for the moun- 

 tain lion. 



The range of the mountain lion, w^hich is known also as cougar, 

 panther, puma, and catamount, includes the large wilderness areas 

 of the United States west of the one-hundredth meridian. The 

 heaviest infestation is in the Rocky Mountain States and southward 

 through the desert mountain ranges of Arizona, Texas, and New 

 Mexico. Farther westward mountain lions are much less numerous, 

 except in the coastal ranges of California, Oregon, and Washington, 

 where they are somewhat plentiful. 



For the protection of domestic livestock and of large game in certain 

 areas it is necessary to keep mountain lions well under control. In 

 spite of control measures, however, these predators will probably 

 long continue to exist in the United States. There are many areas 

 where normal hunting and the vicissitudes of the wild can be depended 

 upon to keep their numbers within reasonable limits, but there are 

 also great stretches of wilderness areas that probably will never be 

 touched by any mountaui-lion-control campaigns. 



This leaflet, mtended to help stockmen and game protectors in 

 local control of mountain lions, is based on the experience of predatory- 

 animal hunters of the Fish and Wildlife Service. A similar publica- 

 tion (Circular No. 1) discusses control measures for such smaller 

 members of the wildcat family as the bobcat and the Canada lynx. 



FOOD HABITS OF THE MOUNTAIN LION 



Mountain lions find most of their prey near the rougher and more 

 inaccessible canyons, and m such places they live and breed with least 

 disturbance. One of the most striking things about these animals is 

 the distance to w^hich they will go for food. Many have been known 

 to travel 25 miles or more in a night, apparently without restmg for 



• Now with the Division of Wildlife Research. 



