ARIZONA MOUNTAIN LION GUIDES

Hounds are often controversial. This is primarily due to the general lack of factual information known about hound hunting from the general public and hunters alike. The use of dogs is a time honored tradition and for good reason. The dogs and owners love what they do and It has long since been the most efficient and effective way to catch and manage many species including mountain lions. One of the major advantages of hunting mountain lions with hounds is the ability of the houndsmen and  hunter to selectively harvest a specific animal. When a cat is treed the hunter and houndsmen can easily determine the sex of the animal, estimate the animals rough size, age, and body condition. If a female with young is caught, the dogs can be pulled out and the cat freed without any stress or harm coming to the lion or its offspring. It could be analogous to catch and release fishing, but for large predators. Ultimately the primary goal is to use specially trained and bred hounds to selectively take only male cats, those that would be considered a surplus to the population. All while ensuring the safety of the dogs, hunter, and the effect and important management of the species.