Don Martin Report post Posted February 21, 2011 One of the local trappers up here got quite the surprise last weekend when he checked a pair of box traps he had set out for bobcats. In one cage was a full grown and p.o'd boar javelina! A couple of yards away in another cage trap was another critter, a 40 lb. mountain lion! The trapper said it was quite the sight! He let the pig out first and the kitty out second. First time I have heard of a lion in a cage trap... Don Martin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted February 21, 2011 wow! I can imagine either one of those would be tough to deal with in a trap! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwdodge01 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 The trapper is lucky neither one turned on him and ripped him up! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesBuckhunter Report post Posted February 22, 2011 he should have killed the lion, or had someone who had a tag kill it. But i am not sure the exact rule on trapping lions, pretty sure its only permitted in certain areas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhuntaz1 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 If a "Big Game Animal" is caught in a trap, it must be released right away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesBuckhunter Report post Posted February 24, 2011 If a "Big Game Animal" is caught in a trap, it must be released right away. is there a trapping season on lion though? in certain areas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don Martin Report post Posted February 24, 2011 If a "Big Game Animal" is caught in a trap, it must be released right away. is there a trapping season on lion though? in certain areas? No, since lions in AZ are big game animals, they can not be legally trapped. In this case the only thing the trapper could do was release it unharmed. I told him that he should do a lot of calling in the area and I'll bet that lion would come back. He said the "pucker factor" was big on both of the releases! Here is a photo of a lion I called in on my brother's javelina hunt in Unit 18B a few years ago. This gal came in in less than 10 minutes and on the dead run. My brother shot her with a Mini-14 at 21 steps as she was closing in. The lion had a newly eaten pig in her stomach, so she came in just to kill, not cause she was hungry. Don Martin AWO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ac guy Report post Posted February 24, 2011 Can't you trap them on the rez? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted February 27, 2011 If a "Big Game Animal" is caught in a trap, it must be released right away. is there a trapping season on lion though? in certain areas? No, since lions in AZ are big game animals, they can not be legally trapped. In this case the only thing the trapper could do was release it unharmed. I told him that he should do a lot of calling in the area and I'll bet that lion would come back. He said the "pucker factor" was big on both of the releases! Here is a photo of a lion I called in on my brother's javelina hunt in Unit 18B a few years ago. This gal came in in less than 10 minutes and on the dead run. My brother shot her with a Mini-14 at 21 steps as she was closing in. The lion had a newly eaten pig in her stomach, so she came in just to kill, not cause she was hungry. Don Martin AWO But as soon as it steps out of the cage, it is considered released and may be shot, you just cant shoot it in the cage... right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhunter Report post Posted February 27, 2011 Lance, you should be a lawyer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewp45 Report post Posted February 27, 2011 All trappers must carry a catch pole which is a long pole with a loop on one end and the string goes through the middle of the pole in order to pull the loop tight to control the animal or choke it. The AZG&FD wants us trappers to take our catch pole get the loop around the mountain lion's neck. Tighten the loop as tight as possible to the point the cat passes out from oxygen deprevation. You must know how long to do it so they only pass out for 30 seconds or so and do not die. Then after they pass out you are to release the lion out of the cage or leg trap or any legal type of trap, then remove the loop and catch pole and I guess run your a#$ off to get out of dodge. The cat will revive itself and regain its bearings and take off with no problems. I have caught a ton of Bobcats in leg traps and a 30 lb cat is a handful with a catch pole. I can not even imagine trying to choke out a lion long enough to run up take off the trap and choke pole and get away before he wakes up and eats you. If this fails and only after it is tried and failed the AZG&FD should be called and will come out to dart the cat to take the trap off and release the cat. I guarantee the cat will not be harmed from even a leg trap. With the regulations to keep our traps legal keeps the trap from binding or holding up on the animal. You gotta have a big set of Ba#@@ to let that thing go by choking him out. The guy that taught the class that I took to get my license had actually caught a lion in a #3 leg trap and was able to choke it out get his trap off and 5 minutes later the lion got up and ran off like nothing happened. You can only use cage live traps on public ground. No other trap is aloud on public ground not even leg traps. All other legal type of trapping must be done on private land only.FYI Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted February 27, 2011 Lance, you should be a lawyer! My Father is, so the apple must not fall far from the tree... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ihuntemall Report post Posted March 3, 2011 wow. i wouldnt have gone near that thing without puttin a few holes thru it first.. he didnt happen to get any pics did he? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don Martin Report post Posted March 3, 2011 wow. i wouldnt have gone near that thing without puttin a few holes thru it first.. he didnt happen to get any pics did he? Not sure if he did or not. Pretty darn spooky though, letting that lion go. Good thing it was a young one. Don Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hyperwrx Report post Posted April 4, 2011 Been there, done that. That tough part is getting the stupid javalina OUT of the cage. Open the door and it doesn't run out. It gets turned around and is head butting the back of the cage trying to create a new rear door. Tip the cage a little to 'encourage' it out the front and it gets it's hooves stuck in the bottom of the wire and can't move even if it wants to. Bang, kick. scream at it and the cage to no avail. Don't even think about putting your hand anywhere near the wire on the cage. At this point the pig was pissed off enough he was snapping and lunging at a shadow. After 15 minutes he realized how to get his hooves out and bolted off into the desert. Wire bent, steel on door frame bent. You do not want a javalina in your cage. AZG&F recommends using your choke pole and choking it out. LOL. Yeah. I wanna see that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
