WYOMING MOUNTAIN LION HUNTS
Josh and his 180lb Tom
Mountain Lion hunting is a fairly new addition to Hoback Peak Outfitters. Although the lion population in our areas has been at an all time high, we really just started offering fully guided lion hunts in the last few years. Unique to our outfit, is that we offer dry ground hunting in the fall. I know of very few, if any, outfitters in the state of Wyoming that offer dry ground lion hunting. To be able to do this, you have to have an unbelievable pack of hounds, and just as talented houndsmen. That’s where we rise to the top of the list. Scott Leeper is one of the most talented and experienced lion hunters in the state, and he just happens to work for us. Scott’s dogs are SPECIFICALLY trained to be able to hunt the harshest conditions possible. By hunting his hounds in Wyoming as soon as the season opens in September, and spending all winter hunting the arid dry deserts of Arizona, he’s created a very respectable bunch of dogs.
The biggest advantage of hunting lions in the fall, has got to be comfort. Not only do we get to hunt at the beginning of the season before anyone else starts killing cats, we get to do it
from our fully operational hunting camp. Here, we have very comfortable wall tents, with cots, sleeping pads, tables, and stoves. There is also corrals for our horses, an outhouse, and even showers in camp. We also have a full time cook on hand, where we feast on some of the finest cooking you’ll ever have in the woods! So if you’re looking for an extremely exciting lion hunt, but don’t want to spend most of your time in a hotel room, or driving around back-country roads, this is where it’s at. We’ve had great success over the last few years, and we’ve been harvesting some monster Toms!
During these fall hunts, a hunter can expect to put a lot of time in the saddle following us and our hounds. It’s a good idea to be in
2nd place 2009 WYOGA Awards
good shape, and if possible, try to find a place to ride a few times before you arrive on your hunt. We spend quite a bit of time riding the country, “free casting” the hounds, from the back of a horse or mule, trying to cut the fresh trail of a mountain lion. We are nearly 100% successful on these hunts, and we can guarantee that there will be some trailing!
For 2011 there will be three weeks offered for these dry ground lion hunts, and this year we can accommodate up to two hunters per week. Although one hunter per week is ideal.
Fall Lion hunt #1……….Oct. 13th – 19th 1 hunter max
Scott and a big headed Tom
Fall Lion hunt #2………Oct. 22nd – 28th 2 hunters max
Fall Lion hunt #3………Oct. 31st – Nov. 6th 2 hunters max
2011 Fall Lion hunt price……..$4,000
Winter Lion Hunts
We are also offering Lion hunts during the winter of 2011/2012. For those of you who can’t make it out during the fall, or just want a different style of mountain lion hunting, we also hunt cats in the snow. Lion hunting during the winter months can be very enjoyable, and also allows us to leave the area surrounding our hunting camp, and cover new territory. Each day guides and hunters will be out on snowmobiles covering miles of beautiful country looking for fresh lion tracks. Once a track is found, the dogs are brought in, and the race is on! Hunters
Big Tom caught and released
will stay at Black Mountain Lodge and all expenses are taken care of….. including…..meals, snowmobiles, ATV’s, 4×4 vehicles, gas, oil, etc……. Hunters must buy the apropriate license, and stamps. If you wish to reduce the price of your lion hunt, we are happy to work with each person individually to lower the cost. If you want to take care of your own lodging, meals, etc… we can lower the cost of the 7 day hunt by a lot. You are even welcome to bring your own snowmachine if you’d like, and that could take some money off the total cost of the hunt. We just want people to come out and experience the excitement of hunting mountain lions, and we’ll do whatever we can to make it happen for you.
For some hunters the physical requirements of a lion hunt can be too much too handle. Winter hunts are great because they give the hunter the opportunity to stay in a comfortable lodge or hotel until a fresh track is found. This saves the exhaustion of hundreds of miles on the back of ATV’s and snowmachines. Once a track is found, the hunter must be present when the dogs are turned loose. These hunts will start in December and go through March or until the area quota has been filled. Give us a call to schedule an exact date for you hunt this winter.
2011/2012 Winter Lion hunt…….$4,500 (7days)
2011/2012 “DIY” Lion hunt………$3,000 (7 days)
video clip of lion hunt 11-19-11
