Tara Denney, Whitetail Deer
Anthony Neidlinger,
Bear Hunt
Nick Simpkins, Archery
Elk Hunt
Brian Denney, Cougar Hunting
John Nerdin, Turkey Hunting
Ray Doppenberg, Elk Hunting
Idaho
Cougar Hunts
Idaho is a well known for quality Cougar hunting and Bearpaw
Outfitters cougar hunts in Southeast Idaho are
no exception. Success has been 75% to 100%
nearly every year on these Idaho
cougar hunts. Bearpaw
Outfitters have been outfitting and guiding
cougar hunters for more than 30 years and have
caught hundreds of cougar.
Cougar
hunting is not just a sideline, it’s a passion.
An important factor to consider when choosing a Mt.
Lion outfitter is what size cat you will be told
to shoot. Bearpaw Outfitters do not tell anyone
they have to shoot any animal. The decision of
which cat you want to chase and which cat you want to shoot is
your choice.
Bearpaw Outfitters can usually
judge
within 20 pounds what a cat will weigh and tell
you it’s sex just by looking at the tracks. Male cougar feet look much
different than female cougar feet. The size and
shape of the track, and the width and length
between steps help determine the sex and weight of
a cat. This is important because there's no
sense wasting time chasing an animal that you have no
interest in taking. The time can be more
wisely spent locating a cat
of the size that you really want.
Location & Terrain
The Southeast
Idaho hunting area is in F&G Units 73, 74, 75,
77, & 78, an area over 50 miles wide.
Elevations range from 5,000 to 9,000 feet. There
are rugged mountains and canyons and there's
mountain basins and benches with easier terrain.
Licenses, Hunter Ed, &
Hunting Season
The Cougar Tag
and Hunting License is available over the
counter for $293.25 in advance or when you
arrive. Hunters born after Jan 1,
1975 are required to have Hunter Education.
Cougar Hound Hunting
Season runs December 1 to March. The best
hunting usually occurs during the first 2 weeks of
December before snow gets too deep for easy
access.
Trophy Quality &
Hunting Methods
Cougar
which are also known as Mountain Lions
usually weigh from 75 to 150 pounds and skin
out between 7 to 9 feet in length. Several cats
even larger than that have been taken by
Bearpaw Outfitters including a cat that weighed
205 pounds, was over 9 1/2 feet long, and became
the P&Y world record. Bearpaw Outfitters clients have
actually taken many record book cats, but don’t assume it’s easy to find a
record sized cat. It’s best to go into your hunt
expecting an average cat, then when a big old tom
is found, you can figure you have beaten
the odds of the average hunter.
The most successful hunting method
is to travel mountain roads in 4x4 trucks
watching for fresh cougar tracks.
Bearpaw Outfitters may even use a
snowmobile, ATV, or hike into remote
areas looking for cougar tracks. Once a good set
of fresh tracks is located the dogs are released
and the chase is on. Because the hounds can
quickly cover so much country, Bearpaw Outfitters will keep you with the
vehicle until the cat is bayed
up, then Bearpaw Outfitters will get you as close as
possible with the vehicle before hiking in to get to the cat.
Shot Opportunity &
Additional Game
Shot opportunity has been 75% to
100% nearly every year on these cougar hunts.
Most shots range from 10 to 40 yards. Bearpaw
Outfitters can’t guarantee success, quantity, or
the size of cats that will be seen because this
is a wild hunt,
but they'll work hard to give you the very best
hunt possible. Coyote,
Cow Elk, Bobcat, or forest grouse can also be
hunted
if scheduled in advance. If you finish hunting early, local
waters also offer excellent fishing.
Guiding,
Accommodations, & Meals
Idaho Cougar
hunts are guided 1x1. It's the hunter's choice
to stay at the local motel or at Bearpaw
Outfitters old farm house..
Farm House:The
old farm house is one mile from town, it's not
fancy, but it's warm
and dry. Modest meals are
provided at the farm house or you can eat at restaurants in town.
Restaurant meals are not includede. Bring your sleeping bag for the
bunk bed.
Motel “Town
Hunt”:
Stay at the motel in town.
Bearpaw
Outfitters will pick up & return you daily. Restaurant meals
and motel rooms are not
included, budget about $50 to $80 per day.
Travel, Itinerary, Trophy Care
Drive
to Southeast Idaho or fly into the Salt
Lake City Airport and get a rental car, it’s
only about a 3 hour drive from SLC to meet
Bearpaw Outfitters in Southeast Idaho. Arrive
the evening before your hunt begins. Plan to
hunt the duration of the hunt if needed and
depart in the evening after your hunt ends.
Reserve a motel room near the airport for your
last evening so you can clean up for your flight
home and easily make it to the airport on time
in the morning.
After you harvest your Mt Lion, your guide will
skin the cat and can remove the meat which is
actually very good eating, you can take it home
or donate it. Bearpaw outfitters can deliver
your trophy to a taxidermist for you or you can take it
home.
To take your hide and meat home, go to the nearest
Wal-Mart or Grocery Store and get a 24 to 48
quart cooler, a roll of wide shipping tape, a black
marker pen, and 5 pounds of dry ice. Put the dry
ice inside the cooler on top of the meat and
hide to quick
freeze everything on your way to the airport. Before
you go into the airport, remove the dry ice, tape the cooler, and mark
it with your contact details.
What’s Not Included
Your
personal gear, sleeping bag, meat processing
and/or shipping, taxidermy,
licenses, state sales tax, gratuities, and any other items not
listed as being included.
Contact Us Today
Call or
Email with any questions or to book a hunt.
If sending a deposit by postal mail, use the
Hunt Application
to verify your details. "We
look forward to meeting you and hunting with you
soon."
Best Regards,
Dale, Tara, and The Staff
Over-The-Counter Licenses are available for many hunting trips.
6-Day
Idaho
Cougar
Hunt
December 1-6
December 7-12Guide Ratio - EachGuided
1x1…$4950
Non-Hunter…..$600
