Lion Kill

[Sam]

While scouting over the weekend, I came across a fawn which I believe was killed by a lion - based on the scat I found around the kill. It was not torn apart, but it was fed upon pretty much to the bone. Seemed fresh, the intestines were still around. If it was a lion kill, do you think other deer in the canyon will be driven away from the area? Or will deer still be in the area if it is part of their home range.?

 

I used hunt a canyon in unit 27 and always saw alot of deer. Then one year, no deer were to be found. I couldn't figure out what happened, water and food sources were the same - then one morning, I saw a lion in that same canyon and assumed that the deer were driven away.

 

Sam

 

[Simple Hunter]

I sat a tree stand three years ago and had 16 deer come into drink at the water hole - the following day a lion came in (out of range unfortunately) and got a drink. Only two deer came in late in the afternoon of that same day.

 

I heard deer in the trees and after the lion came in, they were whistling. I'm positive they smelled the lion and stayed away, they definitely didn't smell me as the two deer that did come in later that day bedded down under my tree stand

[tontotom]

The lion will stay around and feed on the carcass until it is gone or spoiled. It won't travel far until the kill is of no further value. The deer will move away but not out of the country, maybe just out of the close area, 1/2 mile range. Lions travel long distances and deer encounter them quite often. Lions average a kill for every 10-20 attempts.

 

Keep hunting the area, get the lion and the buck. Good luck.

[Snapshot]

While scouting over the weekend, I came across a fawn which I believe was killed by a lion - based on the scat I found around the kill. It was not torn apart, but it was fed upon pretty much to the bone. Seemed fresh, the intestines were still around. If it was a lion kill, do you think other deer in the canyon will be driven away from the area? Or will deer still be in the area if it is part of their home range.?

 

I used hunt a canyon in unit 27 and always saw alot of deer. Then one year, no deer were to be found. I couldn't figure out what happened, water and food sources were the same - then one morning, I saw a lion in that same canyon and assumed that the deer were driven away.

 

Sam

 

I hunt an area in Unit 27, and have had the same problem. At one time there were alot of deer and, one year, hardly anything. It is an area that is notorious for Lions as I always find alot of deer skulls. It didn't help matters when I happened to see a mexican gray wolf, and then found gobbs of wolf tracks in the sandy soil of the creek bottoms of two canyons.

[NRS]

One time I found a lot of Coues does and fawns up on a grassy mesa where I had not seen them before. When I dropped off the mesa into the wash below, I found a fresh lion kill and tracks of a female and 3 grown cubs. I think the deer just go to where they feel safe and then return to their home range after the lion moves on.

[Str8Shot]

I have seen deer scouting not far from where a fresh lion kill had been drug off into the thick .... pools of fresh wet blood and nothing else but some hair ..... I was always under the impression that if there was anything left after the first feeding that the cats stash the rest of the carcass to feed upon later ....

[rclouse79]

I have seen a few people recommend picking up a lion tag if you are going to be out deer hunting. I would have a hard time pulling the trigger on one and risk spoiling a shot at a deer. I also would have no idea what to do if I did shoot one. Is the meat good to eat? I know my wife would not be down with a lion rug on the wall.

[elkaholic]

hello - yes lion meat is good to eat - think of it as the third white meat - lol - most guys would not hestitae for a moment to drop a lion while on any hunt - the sightings can be few and far in between - if not at all -

 

get the tag - shoot the lion - think of it as helping your future deer hunts - a lion will kill a deer a week - think about that next time you don't find any deer around - that lion you let go ate'm ! - Gary

[Sam]

hello - yes lion meat is good to eat - think of it as the third white meat - lol - most guys would not hestitae for a moment to drop a lion while on any hunt - the sightings can be few and far in between - if not at all -

 

get the tag - shoot the lion - think of it as helping your future deer hunts - a lion will kill a deer a week - think about that next time you don't find any deer around - that lion you let go ate'm ! - Gary

 

 

I agree. A lion will do alot of damage to a healthy deer population really quick.

[Sam]

While scouting over the weekend, I came across a fawn which I believe was killed by a lion - based on the scat I found around the kill. It was not torn apart, but it was fed upon pretty much to the bone. Seemed fresh, the intestines were still around. If it was a lion kill, do you think other deer in the canyon will be driven away from the area? Or will deer still be in the area if it is part of their home range.?

 

I used hunt a canyon in unit 27 and always saw alot of deer. Then one year, no deer were to be found. I couldn't figure out what happened, water and food sources were the same - then one morning, I saw a lion in that same canyon and assumed that the deer were driven away.

 

Sam

 

I hunt an area in Unit 27, and have had the same problem. At one time there were alot of deer and, one year, hardly anything. It is an area that is notorious for Lions as I always find alot of deer skulls. It didn't help matters when I happened to see a mexican gray wolf, and then found gobbs of wolf tracks in the sandy soil of the creek bottoms of two canyons.

 

So true about the Mexican Gray wolf. I know they have had an impact on the Unit 27 deer population. One of the biggest lions I have ever seen was in that unit. Wish I was able to get a shot off. There alot of big bucks in there, but, I haven't had a 27 tag for a number of years - maybe next year.

 

[Sam]

I sat a tree stand three years ago and had 16 deer come into drink at the water hole - the following day a lion came in (out of range unfortunately) and got a drink. Only two deer came in late in the afternoon of that same day.

 

I heard deer in the trees and after the lion came in, they were whistling. I'm positive they smelled the lion and stayed away, they definitely didn't smell me as the two deer that did come in later that day bedded down under my tree stand

 

Interesting. Maybe the lion was hanging out by the tank, which discouraged deer from coming in. What time of year was it?

[curmudgen]

I thought it was cool last year when I got a lion and a deer within 30 yards of each other and saw another lion in January when bowhunting with my son, but this year and last year I've seen fewer deer than ever where I hunt and don't think it's cool at all that lion numbers are so high in the area. The rancher and other hunters who hunt in there also report a large increase the last few years in the number of lions they've seen. I'm convinced that the crash in deer numbers is directly attributable to the increase in lions, although I give this drought some of the blame. I say we should always carry a lion tag and use it when the opportuity presents itself. Look at the article in this month's American Hunter for further reasons to control predators. Jack

[lionhunter]

I watched a lion chase Coues deer for about 2 minutes in 36-c. It did not catch one in the 2 minutes I watched it chase after 3or 4 does. I was floored that after the lion did not make a kill, it dropped down into a drainage walked off over the hill. The deer calmed down and returned to feeding within 4 minutes of being chased by the lion. I would not have believed it if I did not witness it myself...

As far as lions eating kills I have seen them return to kills for 3-4 days (depending on the temp) and I have also seen them kill 11 deer at one water hole and never return?????? Now that was in the low desert in the summer, but I was surprise by this as well.

Bottom line is wild animals will "break the rules" more often than not.

Whitey

[COUESAZ]

If you get the chance to shoot a lion on a deer hunt you need to take it. There are plenty of deer for you to shoot later that day. Do not do anything with the lion. Throw it over your shoulders and pack it out and take it to the guy to mount it.

[Sam]

If you get the chance to shoot a lion on a deer hunt you need to take it. There are plenty of deer for you to shoot later that day. Do not do anything with the lion. Throw it over your shoulders and pack it out and take it to the guy to mount it.

 

 

These days, I will not pass up on shooting a lion. Over the years, I have let some lions live. But, there are too many things working against our state's deer populations. One less lion will help the cause. It would be a very successful hunt to come home with a buck and a lion. Tags are waiting to be filled.