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Healy Arms

Capturing Great Mountain Lion Photos with Trail Cameras

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In unit 33

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  On 8/19/2010 at 8:11 PM, Healy Arms said:

Since we're really into capturing lions on camera for the purpose of locating and calling them, getting a good photo is important so we don't spend time calling for small / juvenile lions or into areas that have females with kittens and no tom activity. We like to get a full-body camera shot and make a determination if that's an area worth spending our hunting hours calling into.

 

One of the early problems we had with trail cameras, and one that lots of guys I talk to have had, is getting the cat to slow down it's face-paced walk enough to get more than a butt shot. Like this:

 

MountainLion-LowerSTagCamera-ButtShot-2009.jpg

 

 

We've found that the easiest way to get the cougar to stop cold for a photo, several photos, or a video is to take a lion scat from another area and drop it on the trail your camera is set up on. It works for us like gold--they seem to be unable to just walk by--their DNA says they have to investigate.

 

One of our favorite nighttime photos is of this impressive and very muscular cougar. That's a 4-legged deer eating machine. That lion scat came from another lion travel area about 15-20 miles away.

 

MountainLion-STagCamera-TurdReplacement-2009.jpg

 

 

This next lion is also a full grown lion, but has a smaller head and is most likely a female, although it is very hard to be certain without a "different view". We got a few photos of this lion and never saw her with kittens nor did we see a big tom cruising around checking her out either. This one is a mystery. But it's a muture lion nontheless and a good lion to call for--a caller's trophy any day of the week.

 

The lion turd that stopped this lion was from a deep drainage about 5-6 miles away.

 

MountainLion-TinTopTrail-TurdReplacement-2010.jpg

 

If you're interested in getting good lion photos, I hope this trick helps.

 

Good calling,

 

Mark Healy

great tip thank you! 

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Couple in 33, Redington area 

 

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One of my cameras caught something wild but it's difficult to see.  Mountain lion or just my imagination?

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I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't be able to stay in that blind knowing a lion just went out of my sight when it's that close.  Gives me the willies.

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