# Mountain Lion in a Cage Trap!



## El Gato Loco

So I set this spot up yesterday for the first time with one of my bigger 42" cage traps from Bob Small. These cages are a little heavier than my others but they are longer and made with heavier gauge wire. Bob swears they will hold hogs and lions too. Not that I would ever target either of those, but this promise stood out to be because i like a quality product so I bought some of his cages.

Anyway... I set this cage in a canyon with a river running thru it last night. Used a little bit of bobcat gland lure, a long range call lure above the cage and some bobcat urine.

I returned this morning and this is what I found:









Needless to say, I was pretty friggin shocked and now a bit concerned too. How the heck can I safely let this lion out of the cage when I am miles into this canyon with no one around, and carrying only a single shot .22 for dispatching on the line? Luckily Dave (catcapper) was on his way up from Westcliffe anyway to help with some other trapping stuff so I got him on the phone and let him know about my little situation. He sounded delighted on the phone (but later told me he almost turned around and went home when I told him







) and agreed to meet up with me and we could wrestle this cat out together.

Here is another picture of it taking up the entire 42" of this cage and then some:









So Dave shows up and we go over a "plan". Ok, actually Dave tells me the "plan" and I just stand there like an idiot wondering if he's crazy, or what. Since I don't have a clue, I just follow along as he spells it all out.

Apparently the plan is to put some cover over this cage to calm the cat down (duh, not sure why I didn't think of that) and then we're going to use the longest branch we can find, along with some string to lift the door of the cage and let the cat out.

Dave was never really clear about what exactly we would do when the cage door came up, so I kind of had to pry that out of him. First here he is next to the covered cage:









So apparently the plan was to raise this door and set it on the ground but after that... we were going to head back towards the road that sits about 50 yards behind us. Ahhhh... how vague and well, kinda scary too. All I could think about was the fact that when this lion backs out of this cage, he would be standing there face to face with us - only 10 feet away. Ughh....(can we get a longer stick?







)

Here is Dave with his new fishing pole....

















This is when I expected something bad to happen...









I was all worried for nothing though. We got that cage door off and Dave set it on the ground in front of the cage. We were able to make it back to the road before he even backed out. From there... it was just pure enjoyment as we watched this cat walk down to the water (i guess to get a drink) and then resurface thru the brush and onto the road about 100 yards from us where he walked slowly down the road and eventually jumped up on a rock and then vanished.

I sure wish I had my good camera with me for this one, but I didn't. I don't think the camera could have done it any justice anyway.... but I am glad I got to experience it.

I am also pretty grateful for Dave... who was willing to come up and play with this kitty and even lift that door off while I hid in the bush with the shotgun.









Overall it was an awesome day. One lion is enough though. I just hope they don't get in the habit of clogging up my cages.

Short video to follow...


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## Mattuk

That was a great read Chris, I'm glad you and Dave had a good time, sounds like a fun day to me!


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## Predatorhunter

Great read sounds like a nerve racking few minutes or seconds but you probably wouldn't trade it for anything.


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## hassell

Great ending to a great story, one for the books.

Let me guess who made it back to the road first!!!!!!!!!!


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## "JJ"

Wow, I bet that cougar rethought its strategy a few times sitting that cage! Maybe even uttered a "_*D'OH*_" ot two!!









I am guessing you guys have to have a permit or there is a season is why it was allowed to walk?

Great experience none the less!!
I'm glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing!!


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## hassell

Hey Cat almost forgot but thats a pretty fittin looking coat you have on, kinda looks good on you!!!!!!!!


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## bones44

Dave agrred to help as he knew he could run faster than Chris ! LMAO	Great story man !!!


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## On a call

Caught your post on another site. Good going you two guys. So how come you did not just open the door pick up the cage and shake out the critter like I do little raccoon around here ??

Now that would have made a great video !

Again great catch Chris....what bait were you running ?

I see Dave brought along ol' Bessie


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## On a call

Hey Chris...you should have relocated him over here in Ohio to give us folks here somthing to talk about


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## Helmet_S

Awesome Story Chris and Dave. Sounds like a great time. Some of the best stories that I have involve being worried that something bad was going to happen at the end of said plan.

I am thinking it is a good thing that Dave gave you the shotgun. That way when he took off running past you with the lion hot on his tail you could have dropped dave so that you could get away from the lion. After all it is alot faster to shoot whoever just ran past you then trying to turn around to shoot what is chasing after you.


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## bar-d

Life long memory for you there Chris. Good to have a guy like Dave around.


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## ebbs

I'm surprised you didn't post the pics from Cat's camera....










Seriously though. I was sitting in church yesterday morning when I got the original text/pic from Chris and I JUMPED where I was sitting. I don't think anyone noticed but I felt like I made a scene. Especially since I snorted through my nose AND jumped simultaneously.


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## youngdon

Nice story.... LOL What was the plan if Dave couldn't come ?


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## El Gato Loco

youngdon said:


> Nice story.... LOL What was the plan if Dave couldn't come ?


This dummy was about 2 seconds from just lifting that door by hand and hoping for the best. That's when it hit me that Dave was coming anyway, so I drove out and called him.

So there was no plan.... unless planning for my funeral would have counted.


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## youngdon

Make a note to carry some string long enoughto throw over the treebranch you are set up under and stand back and yank it...No way i would be risking my hide, or should you. Them three girls need a Daddy.


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## wvcoyote

What a great story and a great ending Chris. I guess it was intense when the cat came out of the cage?


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## 220swift

great read Chris!


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## bgfireguy

Holy crap. I think that the scent of your piss dribbling down the leg was enough to frighten him away, He probably never thought something 4X his size would be scared so if youre scared he better be terrorfied.


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## ebbs

bgfireguy said:


> Holy crap. I think that the scent of your piss dribbling down the leg was enough to frighten him away, He probably never thought something 4X his size would be scared so if youre scared he better be terrorfied.


4X his size? ROFL!







Hey Chris he thinks you weigh 600 pounds!!!


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## El Gato Loco

ebbs said:


> 4X his size? ROFL!
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> Hey Chris he thinks you weigh 600 pounds!!!


He probably saw a recent picture of me.


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## On a call

How agressive was he while in the cage ?


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## El Gato Loco

Hey Brian,

He was as agressive as he could be for how tightly he was packed in this cage. He was able to spin his head around, and some of his upper body. Here is a little video... I had a to do a lot of video editing. I'll PM you with more details.


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## bones44

That is awesome !


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## Mattuk

Thats fantastic Chris!


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## ReidRH

Chris that Would Be an Awesome Memory! I Know without a Doubt You were happy to have non other than Dave With ya on That Deal there! How many People get to see something like that much less be involved directly with it!! Glad You and Dave didnt have a Real Bad Day on this one!


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## HowlinRed

Great story guys, glad it all worked out!

About how old do you guys think this cat was?


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## youngdon

Great video Chris, Thanks for sharing it.


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## El Gato Loco

Well I went and gang set this area yesterday with 5 cages. Came back today to fresh lion tracks at all but one set. I actually think he was in or near the brush when I was setting because my dog started acting funny and eventually came and sat behind me like she was scared. I've seen this dog chase bears, but something had her worked up.

I really hope he moves along but I think I setup in his front yard. Will be hard to get anything in a cage with the lion patrolling every night.


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## youngdon

What do you have to do to get a lion tag in CO. ?


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## bgfireguy

Yea seriously obviously hes in the area and that means you can probably track him again real easy. Just go Fred Eichler on him and get him with a bow like a mans man


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## ebbs

Time to get a tag and put the hurt on dude. I'll be out soon for a night hunt anyway.


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## catcapper

Lions are pretty territorial. I figure a different big cat (other than the on you nabbed) caught wind of the one that was in the cage and came buy to check (your cages) and see if another was try'in to claim territory. There was a lot of urine and gland scent at the set you picked up the lion---so thats enough to get the local *[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* cats pissed off and want to see who's push'in in on their turf.

Your sets locations are probably at the best food/cover/buffer area along the river. It might take a week or 2 for the area (scents) to get back to normal---but the bobcats are hunt'in that 100 yard stretch.

I'd give a try at back track'in the bob's up the sunny side (I know it'll be tuff in that terrain) ---but you may find a bottle neck trail with sign you can set. Ha---good luck find'in a simi flat spot.lol.

I'm gonna try to get loose after the Christmas rush and we can hit that area call'in in the DAYLIGHT. I'll even bring my Otie call.lol.

Hey Eric---don't be think'in about hunt'in big pussycats at night---thats a no,no. Their class is big game animal.









Holy crap--- I just had a thought---Me, Chris and Eric all out in the timber a the same time---locked & loaded---someth'in' gonna get it.lol.


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## catcapper

Ha---by the way---one of these days I might just tell you folks the rest of the story of
* Mountain Lion in a Cage Trap!







*


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## El Gato Loco

catcapper said:


> Ha---by the way---one of these days I might just tell you folks the rest of the story of
> * Mountain Lion in a Cage Trap!
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> *


You mean that part where you were afraid to ride with me, showed up pretending to be under gunned and then wanted me to stand there while you opened the cage door and ran? Or was there more?


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## hassell

catcapper said:


> Lions are pretty territorial. I figure a different big cat (other than the on you nabbed) caught wind of the one that was in the cage and came buy to check (your cages) and see if another was try'in to claim territory. There was a lot of urine and gland scent at the set you picked up the lion---so thats enough to get the local *[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* cats pissed off and want to see who's push'in in on their turf.
> 
> Your sets locations are probably at the best food/cover/buffer area along the river. It might take a week or 2 for the area (scents) to get back to normal---but the bobcats are hunt'in that 100 yard stretch.
> 
> I'd give a try at back track'in the bob's up the sunny side (I know it'll be tuff in that terrain) ---but you may find a bottle neck trail with sign you can set. Ha---good luck find'in a simi flat spot.lol.
> 
> I'm gonna try to get loose after the Christmas rush and we can hit that area call'in in the DAYLIGHT. I'll even bring my Otie call.lol.
> 
> Hey Eric---don't be think'in about hunt'in big pussycats at night---thats a no,no. Their class is big game animal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Holy crap--- I just had a thought---Me, Chris and Eric all out in the timber a the same time---locked & loaded---someth'in' gonna get it.lol.


 You mean locked and limbed Cat-- someone has to carry the stick and string HA !!


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## catcapper

Hey--- Don warned me not to let you drive.lol.


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## youngdon

LOL I can't wait for the rest of that one.


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