Kat's Mountain Lion Photos (Trail Camera Photography)

[Erik G]

Kat, that's awesome that you got some pics of the beast!!! Mountain Lions are truly impressive creatures. I wonder if they like catnip the same way their little domestic cousins do…

I've seen one mountain lion, on my parents' old property in the Napa Valley. It had gotten over our 8' perimeter fence/wall and seemed to be unable to find a way out. For a couple weeks it was stuck on our property (so it seemed), and I saw it a few times retreating into the woods. Also heard it 'roar' a couple times as I came home from work in the evenings and that was quite thrilling…Nice kitty… :)

I might have to get me a few of these trail cams…

[Kattt]

Thanks everyone for indulging me with this .
I placed another one facing the other way. I should probably stay away a few days…
I see what you mean Bob; did you take that one?
Believe me I almost stopped at the store to get cat food…:)

[Bob Gross]

Yes, I shot that one in 2008. Yes, a long lens.

I think a trail camera is good for little critters like your grey fox, or maybe a skunk.

–B.G.–

[Kevin Buggie]

I saw this thread a few days after a very close (8 yards) encounter with a mountain lion in the Zuni Mtns, NM.

I was turkey hunting (stalking and chirping) at the time, and watched the lion for about 2 minutes at that distance before it seemed to finally identify my totally camo position (un-gloved hand to take pic seemed to give away my postion) and started to crouch and lean in closer. I yelled and fired over its head to scare it off. BPL inspired gear on the hunt was a SPOT, Gtx roclite boots, 7oz. rain gear. This was the second lion (different location) I had seen in 4 days, and the second chance inspired me to take the chance, remove my finger from trigger, and try to get a photo. Much like Kat's experience; one of the best adrenaline shots in years!

Gun barrel @ bottom of pic, lion at center of pic @ 8 yards. Pine cones and needles in foreground show relative proximity.

[Dale Wambaugh]

That gun barrel sticking up there makes it look like a video hunting game.

[Eugene Smith]

@Kevin,

8 yds!

[Kevin Buggie]

@Eugene, yup 8. Went back the next day with a friend to verify distance and measure tracks. Think it was a female or young Tom. I was just off of a MTB trail (Berma/Quaking Aspen) you might have ridden in the Zuni 50/100 endurance race

[Matthew Perry]

Kat…that's awesome! Now when are we going to see the Sasquatch pics???

Matt

[Kattt]

Yesterday I hiked the trail a little further up the mountain to place a camera where I was hoping to get daytime footage. I had hiked up further on another trail before; this one was new to me, but prints and large scat were a good indication that this trail was used regularly by the mountain lion.
This time I did bring my dog, wore a pack high on my back and a hat with sewn on eyes on the back….
My dog was constantly in my way, right by my legs; it was windy which I did not like because even though I kept talking to my dog I thought the sound was nor being carried in the direction we were going.
We walked around a corner and there it was, about 15 yards from us. My dog Is half blind with catharacts, almost deaf and generally clueless and did not see a thing. The lion looked up and took a few very slow steps back before leaping off the trail. My dog never noticed a thing but made sure to roll in the freshest lion scat he found.
On one hand it did not feel too threatening because the cat looked like it just wanted to get away as quickly as possible; on the other hand I do feel like this was a bit close for comfort and maybe I am pushing my luck a bit.
I placed my camera near that spot.

[Greg Mihalik]

Hot Zone!

[Jim Colten]

We walked around a corner and there it was, about 15 yards from us.
Notice an adrenaline surge, perhaps?

My dog never noticed a thing but made sure to roll in the freshest lion scat he found.
Could it be that our Kat has joined Andrew Skurka in that elite club of those who've scared the scat out of large predatory mammals? (he-he)

We have infrequent lion sightings in my locale (northern midwest) but they are transients. Seems likely that Kat's is a resident.

[Kattt]

@Jim

Yes, adrenaline rush and rapid heart beat for sure.
My dog Spotty, poor thing, I guess he was trying to take on the smell of a big cat. Like many dogs he seems to love rolling in some awful smelling dead things too…

This one does seem like a resident. I have found the bones of 3 fawns and one five point buck nearby. I think it is pretty young. I hear the younger ones and females have a smaller radius of territory and circle around more often. Bigger guys make bigger rounds.

@Bob
Your picture is clearly far superior than any of mine. I wasn't really even hoping for a National Geographic type shot; I am just glad to have something. I would love a face shoot, though.
I am also doing this to get a pattern of this and other animals that come by.

[Bob Gross]

"I would love a face shoot, though."

That could be arranged.

I would construct a small temporary blind (Brit: a hide) and keep my eyes open overnight.

Yes, these trail cameras are good for scouting purposes, just to see what animals are out there and at what times of the night.

–B.G.–

[Bob Gross]

"Seems likely that Kat's is a resident."

There are at least a couple of dozen mountain lions active in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They thrive anyplace like there where there are lots of deer around. Then also, some of the residences are suburban and rural, and they have pets running loose in the yard. The mountain lions have been hitting them pretty good around Felton.

–B.G.–

[Big Daddy]

It would be thrilling to capture such a beautiful animal. There have been a few spotted about 25 miles away from me, which is very unusual for this part of the country. (Central Illinois)

[Bob Gross]

If there is enough natural deer food in your area, then there will be some deer. If there are enough deer in your area, then there will be some mountain lions. They especially like it if there is enough underbrush and trees for good hiding. Although mountain lions are capable of swimming, they really don't like to swim much. So, if you have big rivers that block the mountain lions from getting into your area, you might need to venture out farther to find them.

–B.G.–

[Kattt]

The Puma foundation says there are about fifty in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
I think if anything that is a bit conservative. Just one mountain north of me a camera captures five different animals within a four month period.
Deer are definitively abundant here and the lion population has steadily been increasing and coming closer to inhabited areas…..including one that snatched a chihuahua from an "upstairs" deck a couple miles from here.
While I am glad to know they are here, I also know that the more frequent attacks on live stock will not end well for some of these cats. One more reason, really, for me not to bait them.

[Kattt]

The mountain lion came back but the video I got in the rain wasn't very good. I took my nicer camera in because of the rain and left my cheaper one out, oh well.
My other camera got some bobcat pictures that came out ok.

The little video is here

[Dale Wambaugh]

It would be so cool to have a live camera link.

Heheh– it would be fun to have a speaker and a remote mic…. BOO! {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{cat hitting sound barrier}. I do that to neighborhood cats stalking birds. I've got a couple to do full back flips. I'm so bad….

[Bob Gross]

Excellent.

I have a Bushnell as well, but I don't have as much ready access to animal trails.

–B.G.–

[Kattt]

I am placing the camera up the trail a little further, following tracks on the path. I am still not sure which way she ( I think) comes down, but this is one of her paths up the mountain.
I will upload a little frontal video on Flickr as well

.

[Bob Gross]

Excellent.

Well, the Kat and the cat are headed in the right direction.

Next, get some natural debris like a dead tree branch and put it along that path to "funnel" the cat in the direction that you want, maybe toward the camera. You don't want to block the path, because then it will go around outside of the camera frame.

Next, we want to see the cat in the hat.

–B.G.–

[Kattt]

I think I found what you are talking about. The trail makes a sharp turn, but the tracks go right through a small funnel down the hill at the turn. I placed my other camera right where I think it walks from there. There is a big root sticking out and I strapped the camera right there.
This is too much fun.

[Bob Gross]

Kat, keep us posted with your results.

I have a Bushnell, but I don't live close enough to the woods to use it daily.

A friend wanted me to use it to get images of a wood rat, but they aren't much fun until you see them climbing.

–B.G.–

[Hiking Malto]

Nice kitty. Keep the pictures coming!

[Author]

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