Anybody have experience with BIG Cats

[Teknys]

On the ridge we spend most of our time hunting, no Elk or Deer this year. One buddy had a Cougar at 50 yards but she had a cub, so no shot. A ranch at the bottom of the ridge had a big Tom on his deck this summer.

Could a pair or single cat move deer and elk off the ridge?

Just not sure what is going on. Went from seeing 5 - 15 deer a day to I've seen 5 all season and no elk. Weather hasn't exactly been to our favor but this is a barren season in that area.

 

[DrMike]

Figure a mountain lion will kill and eat about one mule deer every three to four days. Yes, they can devastate a herd in short order.

 

[baltz526]

Adult Cougar will kill 42-50 Deer and elk a year, with a split of about 35% Elk, 75% of which are Calves, 65% deer. If two adults where seen, Do not be surprised if 10 others where not seen.

 

[Palouser]

Wolves?

 

[baltz526]

Central Oregon Cougar Camp for 2015 is February 6th thru 16th. This will be 6th year in same location. Cougar hunting is something you need to do as a prime target hunt, to be the most effective. Since I began to take the time to hunt Cougar as the prime target I have been 40% per year successful filling my tags. Better than my Elk hunting success rate.

 

[longrangehunter]

Figure a mountain lion will kill and eat about one mule deer every three to four days. Yes, they can devastate a herd in short order.

+1 to that.

When I lived in Red Lodge the Mule Deer herd was especially hurt. Every year I'd see 40-50+ and nine months later be down to 10-12. The Whitetail herd not as much since they were so populated and lived more closer to town and/or around all the Cattle ranches.

One time I found two kills under a pile of pine needles below my house on my property. Two days after that both were gone, everything, bone and all, two mule deer from the shoulders up to the heads. I only found a small patch of the nose from one, and some very large scat from what I'd say had to be a big cat.

My Labrador would bark all day long when a lion was around, and she'd find their kills super fast when I took off with her. It was easy to know they were there with her barking constantly.