Mountain Lions - A Montana View

For those who might not have guessed, I am an outdoor enthusiast, a hunter, wildlife advocate, naturalist and environmentalist. To the left is a stock photo I found on the internet of a mountain lion. I don't have any photos of a live mountain lion. The photos in the slideshow below are of a dead one.

Jack and I hike the Bitterroots, mostly Bear Creek, Gash, and Sweathouse ridges and draws. I have been seeing mountain lion tracks frequently for about 6 months and have never seen a lion (except when I worked for the Forest Service at Seeley Lake, MT) or a lion kill. On May 2, Jack and I went up one of our usual haunts, but instead of directly climbing a ridge, we decided to take the farm road to see the level of Sweathouse Creek. We found the dead mountain lion on the road a few feet from the creek.

We couldn't see any blood or trauma. Was it poisoned? Was it a natural death? She looked very fit and healthy (besides being dead). We called Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MT FWP)Warden, Joe Jaquith. He picked her up Sunday and was going to take her to a vet for an autopsy. Joe emailed us today. His conclusion is that she took a blow from another lion, probably a male.

Joes words: I have come to the conclusion that this lion was killed by another lion. It has injuries that are consistant with the bite of a large tom. There was no trace of lead in the skull.

He mentioned that a male lion will sometimes kill an unreceptive female. This female was about 65 pounds and maybe two years old. She was a beauty.

Keep checking this blog, I may get photos of a mountain lion yet!

As a naturalist, I love to hunt and I love to shoot...legally. Our Fish, Wildlife and Parks department is full of professionals and they do a great job of providing recreation regulations. I also have great respect for natural ecosystems, flora and fauna. Some might disagree with me, but I hope you will still visit my blog. I love bears, lions, wolves, coyotes, deer, elk, eagles, osprey, snakes and my list goes on and on. All of these creatures were here before I was, before you were. We are in their territory. They have a right to live and thrive. That is "my Montana view."

Below are links to the MT FWP site and the slideshow of my photos.

View Album

Click here for Mountain Lion Hunting Guide at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website.

Hunting News
Check FWP news for important updates throughout the hunting season.
Montana Animal Field Guide my personal favorite (ml)
How much can a mountain lion weigh? The animal field guide contains interesting information about Montana's species.

2009 Season Dates
Fall Mountain Lion Season (without hounds)
October 25–November 29, 2009
Winter Mountain Lion Season (with hounds)
December 1, 2009–April 14, 2010
Caution: Season dates vary by district, so please check the regulations. ~

Joseph A. Jaquith or for a warden in your area see Staff Directory
FWP Warden Sergeant
MT FWP Region 2
363-7110
E-Mail