,transcriber ,notes    ,text emphasis   
displayed as ,italics4          ,,hints 
,,on ,,mountain-,,lion ,,trapping       
,illustration3 ,,leaflet ,,no4 #id      
,issued ,april1 #aicc          ,,hints  
,,on ,,mountain-,,lion ,,trapping    ,by
 ,stanley ,p4 ,young1 ,principal        
,biologist1 in ,charge1 ,division  of   
,predatory ,animal and ,rodent ,control1
 ,bureau of ,biological ,survey         
,,the ,,american ,,mountain-,,lion      
7,felis concolor7 is one of the  largest
 predatory animals of the ,united       
,states1 sometimes weighing more  than  
#bjj pounds4 ,game conservationists     
recognize it as the greatest  natural   
enemy of deer4 ,stockmen learn to their 
sorrow that when game  is scarce the    
mountain-lion attacks young domestic    
stock1 particularly  colts1 lambs1 and  
kids1 and even full-grown horses and    
cattle4 ,in some  western areas it is   
practically impossible to raise young   
colts or sheep  on open stock ranges in 
the rough1 rocky1 and broken country    

that forms  an ideal habitat for the    
mountain-lion4    ,the range of the     
mountain-lion1 which is known also as   
cougar1 panther1  puma1 and catamount1  
includes at present the large wilderness
 areas  of the ,united ,states west of  
the one hundredth meridian4 ,the        
heaviest  infestation is in the ,rocky  
,mountain ,states and southward through 
the  desert mountain ranges of ,arizona1
 ,texas1 and ,new ,mexico4 ,farther     
westward mountain-lions are much less   
numerous1 except in the coastal  ranges 
of ,california1 ,oregon1 and            
,washington1 where they are somewhat    
abundant4    ,for the protection of     
domestic livestock and of large game in 
certain  areas it is necessary to keep  
mountain-lions well under control4 ,in  
spite of control measures1 however1     
these predators will probably long      
continue to exist in the ,united        
,states4 ,there are many areas where    
normal hunting and the vicissitudes of  
the wild can be depended upon  to keep  

their numbers within reasonable limits4 
,there are also great  stretches of     
wilderness areas that probably will     
never be touched by any                 
mountain-lion-control campaigns4        
,this leaflet1 intended to help stockmen
 and game protectors in local  control  
of mountain-lions1 is based on the      
experience of ,biological  ,survey      
predatory-animal hunters4 ,a similar    
publication 7,leaflet ,no4 #gh7         
discusses control measures for such     
smaller members of the wild-cat  family 
as the bobcat and the ,canada lynx4     
,natural ,food and ,feeding ,habits of  
the ,mountain ,lion    ,mountain lions  
find most of their prey near the rougher
 and more  inaccessible canyons1 and in 
such places they live and breed with    
least  disturbance4 ,one of the most    
striking things about these animals is  
the distance to which they will go for  
food4 ,many have been known to  travel  
#be miles or more in a night1 apparently
 without resting for any  appreciable   

length of time4 ,because of their       
remarkable endurance1  hunting them     
takes stamina and strength4 ,biological 
,survey hunters on the  fresh track of a
 mountain-lion have trailed the animal  
for #aj consecutive  hours or longer    
before treeing it4    ,like the bobcat1 
the mountain-lion relies upon its senses
 of smell and  sight in much of its     
foraging4 ,its smell is keener than that
 of the  bobcat1 though less so than in 
either wolf or coyote4 ,it can see its  
prey for a long distance1 but           
unquestionably it does much of its      
silent1  cautious stalking by the sense 
of smell alone1 taking advantage of     
every  cover until within striking      
distance of its victim4 ,its sense of   
hearing  also is acute4    ,in making a 
kill1 the mountain-lion brings its      
victim to the ground with  a stunning   
impact of its entire weight4 ,it        
generally attacks at the  throat and    
breast4    ,after making a kill and     
taking one meal1 the mountain-lion will 

sometimes1 though not always1 bury the  
remainder of a carcass under  leaves1   
litter1 or other trash1 to return for a 
later feast4 ,whether it  will thus     
return depends to some extent upon      
weather conditions and on  its ability  
to find prey elsewhere4 ,its killing and
 feeding habits vary  in other ways     
also4 ,in one instance1 a lone lion     
attacked a herd of ewes  and killed #aib
 in one night4 ,frequently more than one
 mountain-lion may  feed on a single    
carcass4 ,near one cow carcass the      
writer once trapped  six lions1 of      
various sizes1 evidently the parents and
 two litters of  offspring4    ,the     
presence of a mountain-lion on a range  
may be indicated by its kill  of deer or
 other game1 even though domestic stock 
may not have been  disturbed4 ,if a kill
 is made in fall or winter1 the meat may
 remain fresh  for many weeks4          
,control ,methods    ,where the control 
of mountain-lions is essential1 the     
principal means  employed is the use of 

trained hounds4 ,kentucky fox hounds and
 a cross  between the ,walker hound and 
the bloodhound have been found most     
satisfactory for trailing               
mountain-lions1 though any good dog may 
tree  one4 ,the hunter must keep up with
 the pack1 however1 for a mountain-lion 
that fights at bay instead of treeing1  
may kill all the dogs4 ,when it  chooses
 to fight1 it uses teeth and claws1     
backed by powerful neck and  shoulder   
muscles1 in a telling way4    ,the use  
of poisons in mountain-lion control is  
not recommended4 ,hunting  or trapping  
is more satisfactory1 and it is unsafe  
to expose poisons on  ranges where      
hunting dogs are being used4    ,under  
certain conditions mountain-lions can   
easily be caught in traps of  the sizes 
known as ,nos4 #ad and #d4 7,fig4 #a47  
,although some persons oppose  the use  
of such traps as inhumane1 no better or 
more practical device is  yet available4
      ,where to ,set ,traps    ,either  
of the traps recommended may be set on a

 known route of the  mountain-lion1     
preferably at a point where the route   
narrows4 ,being a  great wanderer1 the  
animal generally has well-defined       
crossing points  where it passes from   
one watershed to another in its search  
for food4  ,many of these are in the low
 saddles of divides1 and at such        
crossings it  is not uncommon to find   
scratch hills1 heaped up by the         
mountain-lion  in covering its urine4   
,the writer has seen as many as eight   
such hills  in an area #d feet square4  
,they are sometimes #c to #d inches high
 and #d to  #f inches in diameter4      
,frequently old or fresh feces may be   
noticed near  them4 ,these hills make   
ideal places for setting traps1 but     
should be left  in a natural condition4 
,the mountain-lion is trapped as it     
comes through the saddle of the divide  
and stops to visit a scratch hill1 being
 attracted either by the hill  itself or
 by a catnip lure placed there as       
described at the top of page #e4        

,illustration3 ,b#dcci,m    ,figure     
#a4--,trap most suitable for            
mountain-lions 7,no4 #d71  showing drag 
chain and double-pronged drag attached  
,when the carcass of a domestic animal1 
deer1 or other prey found in a  control 
area shows unmistakably that a          
mountain-lion did the killing1 at  least
 three traps should be set around it1   
each #ae to #bj inches away4  ,when the 
carcass is found lying on its side      
7,fig4 #b47 one trap should be  set1 as 
later described1 between the fore and   
hind legs1 another near the  rump1 and a
 third near the back and parallel with  
the loin4 ,these traps  constitute a    
carcass set and require no lure other   
than the carcass4  ,frequently it is    
well to set a fourth trap #f to #h feet 
away if tracks  show the exact route    
taken by the lion in approaching or     
leaving the  carcass4                   
,caution4--,trappers1 especially when   
using the ,no4 #d trap1 should take     
every needed precaution to safeguard    

livestock and valuable or harmless  wild
 animals2 and1 where necessary1 should  
post signs to warn human  beings4       
,use of ,lures    ,traps set along a    
trail and near an obstruction meant to  
divert the  mountain-lion close to a    
scratch hill1 are only partly           
successful4 ,the  trapper may1 however1 
take advantage of the mountain-lion's   
keen sense  of smell by dropping a few  
drops of oil of catnip in the center of 
the  undisturbed scratch hill1 as a     
lure4    ,why catnip is so attractive to
 members of the feline family is not    
yet fully known4 ,experiments have      
indicated that it produces sexual       
excitation and also that it has a       
soothing effect on the nervous system1  
similar to that of opiates on man4 ,in  
some of the larger circuses catnip  has 
been used for years in gentling animals 
of the cat family4 ,the use of  catnip  
oil in this country to lure members of  
this family within trapping  distance   
has been remarkably effective4          

,illustration3 ,b#cdfc,m    ,figure     
#b4--,quarry of mountain-lion4 ,a       
carcass found on its side1  as          
illustrated1 furnishes an excellent     
opportunity for making a carcass  set of
 three or more traps1 #ae to #bj inches 
away    ,when pure catnip oil is        
obtainable it should be used1 diluted   
with pure  petrolatum1 in the proportion
 of #dj drops of the catnip oil to #b   
ounces  of petrolatum4 ,a catnip lure so
 placed that it will last a long time   
has  been experimented with by members  
of the ,provincial ,game ,conservation  
,board of ,british ,columbia1 and later 
by the writer in the ,united ,states4   
,prepared as follows1 it promises to    
increase the effectiveness of  trapping 
in mountain-lion control3    ,the       
petrolatum-diluted catnip oil is smeared
 thinly over a piece of  cotton batting 
about #h inches square1 and this is     
covered with another  piece of the same 
size4 ,the catnip-oil sandwich thus made
 is placed on  an ordinary tin pie      

plate1 brown in color1 so that the      
bottom will be  inconspicuous against   
the bark of a tree4 ,two or three feet  
from the  ground a tree is blazed to    
make the sap flow1 the cut being made in
 the  shape of the plate4 ,the plate is 
spiked over this blaze1 with the batting
  next to the tree so that the cotton   
will be kept moist by the sap4 ,to      
prevent its being torn out by a bear1   
the plate should fit snugly into  the   
cut1 the lower edge flush with the bark4
 ,the bottom of the plate  should be    
perforated with small holes made with a 
shingle nail1 so that  the scent will   
escape slowly4 ,the plate should be     
shaded from the sun as  much as         
possible4    ,such scent stations should
 be placed on trees along creeks where  
mountain-lions are known to travel1     
particularly near deer trails that  lead
 to water4 ,they are probably best      
placed on trees in narrow canyons1      
where the chances of successful trapping
 are greater because of the  narrowness 

of the path along which the             
mountain-lion must travel4 ,the  writer 
has known catnip pans to be visited by  
mountain-lions in such  places as long  
as #f months after placement1 and in    
,british ,columbia the  game authorities
 report a lion's visit to a station #aj 
months old4 ,after  the scent station is
 made1 traps should be set1 as described
 later1 near  the base of the tree4 ,the
 mountain-lion1 attracted by the catnip 
odor in  the plate1 steps into the trap 
when approaching the lure4              
,illustration3 ,figure #c4--;,a #b-trap 
blind set for  mountain-lions4 ,in the  
saddle of a divide the traps are placed 
in the  trail where it narrows4 ,a small
 stick or other obstruction should be   
put  between the traps and one at either
 approach1 to make the lion step into   
one of the traps rather than between or 
over them      ,setting the ,traps      
,the hole for the trap set should be dug
 about #ae to #bj inches from  a        
carcass1 a single undisturbed scratch   

hill1 or a tree on which a  scent       
station has been placed1 or directly in 
a trail where it narrows  naturally or  
is made to narrow by rocks1 brush1 or   
other obstructions  placed at the sides4
 7,fig4 #c47 ,the hole should be only   
slightly larger  than the trap1 and just
 deep enough to hold the set at a level 
slightly  lower than the surrounding    
ground1 with the drag and chain buried  
beneath  it4 ,the drag1 which should    
preferably be of -inch wrought iron1    
should  be attached to one end of the   
chain by a figure-#h swivel and it      
should  end in two well-curved prongs4  
7,fig4 #a47 ,bedding the drag under the 
trap1 of course1 requires more          
excavation4 ,the drag chain should be at
  least #h feet long and attached to the
 base of the trap or to one of the      
springs4 ,at scratch hills it is well to
 place a trap on either side1 the       
springs at right angles to the known    
direction of approach4 ,in a trail  the 
traps should be in line1 the springs at 

right angles to the direction  of       
travel4 ,experiments have proved that   
most of the larger predators1  and      
particularly the mountain-lion1 tend to 
avoid stepping directly on  any hard    
object in a path4 ,knowing this         
tendency1 the trapper may place  a stick
 or a stone between the two traps and   
another at each approach2  these will   
cause the animal to break its gait and  
step into one of the  traps rather than 
over or between them4 ,in approaching a 
scratch hill1  a scent station1 or a    
carcass where sets have been made1 or in
 passing  over a blind set in the trail1
 the predator is usually caught by one  
of  the forefeet1 though it may step    
into a bedded trap with a hind foot4 ,no
  scent is used at carcass or blind     
sets4 7,pp4 #d1 #f47      ,covering     
,traps    ,after the trap has been      
firmly bedded near an undisturbed       
scratch hill1  scent station1 or        
carcass1 or in a trail1 it should be    
covered with  earth and the surroundings

 left in a condition as nearly natural  
as  possible4 ,dry horse or cow manure1 
finely pulverized1 may be used to  cover
 the inside of the trap jaws4 ,extreme  
care should be taken to keep  all dirt  
from under the trap pan and to see that 
the open space there  is at least       
one-fourth inch deep4 ,the trap pan     
should be covered by a  pad made of     
canvas or old descented slicker cloth1  
and cut to fit snugly  inside the jaws1 
and all should then be covered with     
finely pulverized  earth1 leaving the   
immediate area looking1 as nearly as    
possible1 as it  did before the trap was
 buried4 ,finishing such a task properly
 and thus  leaving the ground over the  
trap in a perfectly natural condition so
 that  it blends with the surrounding   
area is an art that requires much       
practice4      ,traps ,accidentally     
,sprung    ,when traps are set near     
carcasses additional care should be     
undertaken to  underpin the trap pan so 
that it will not spring under the weight

 of a  magpie1 buzzard1 or other        
carnivorous bird that may be attracted  
to the  carcass4    ,in forested areas a
 mountain-lion hunter may find his traps
 sprung by  small animals1 for squirrels
 and other rodents 7and sometimes small 
birds7 may dig or scratch around and    
between the jaws of the trap4 ,unless   
the trap pan is properly supported1     
these animals are unnecessarily         
endangered1 and in addition the trap is 
frequently sprung4 ,this may be         
prevented by setting the trap pan so    
that it will carry a weight of  several 
pounds4    ,one simple way of           
underpinning the trap is to place a     
small twig  perpendicularly from the    
base snugly up to the middle point of   
the pan4  ,instead of the small twig1   
some hunters use a fine coiled-steel    
spring4  ,such contrivances will permit 
the trap pan to carry the weight of the 
smaller mammals or birds without        
endangering them or releasing the trap  
jaws and thus spoiling a set well placed

 for a mountain-lion4 ,devices  adjusted
 to mountain-lion traps to prevent their
 being sprung by small  mammals and     
birds are illustrated in ,figure #d4    
,the ,biological ,survey pan  spring    
7fig4 #d1 ,d71 recently developed in    
this bureau can be readily  attached to 
the ,no4 #ad steel trap used for        
mountain-lions4 ,a slightly  larger     
spring is required for the ,no4 #d trap4
 ,a patent on this device  has been     
applied for1 to be dedicated to public  
use4      ,care in ,details    ,in      
trapping1 attention to simple details is
 essential4 ,though the  mountain-lion  
trapper need not be so cautious about   
human scent as the  trapper of wolves or
 coyotes1 it is well1 when placing a    
trap1 for  him to stand or kneel on a   
setting cloth1 if for no other reason   
than  convenience4 ,this cloth may be   
about #c feet square and made of canvas1
  slicker-coat material1 or the skin of 
a sheep or calf4 ,it will also help  to 
avoid disturbing the ground about the   

trap set4 ,excavated soil can  be placed
 on it1 and that not needed in          
completing the work can thus be  easily 
removed4 ,in addition1 at the completion
 of a set1 the trapping  equipment can  
be rolled up in it and carried away4    
,minor trapping details  include        
removing rust from traps1 boiling them  
in water to eliminate the  conspicuous  
fresh odors noticed when they come from 
the manufacturer1  carefully repairing  
traps with faulty springs1 taking care  
that the trap  pan moves freely on its  
post1 and seeing that the jaws are      
adjusted to  close snugly and rapidly4  
,without attending carefully to minor   
details1  no farmer or stockmen can     
expect success in trapping ,america's   
prince of  predators--the mountain-lion4
    ,illustration3 ,figure              
#d4--;,devices to prevent capturing     
small  animals and birds in traps set   
for mountain-lions or other predators3  
,a1 ,fan supported by twig 7grass or a  
light coil spring may be used72 ,b1     

splint support2 ,c1 forked-twig support2
 ,d1 ,biological ,survey pan spring     
99       99       99       99       99  
,u4 ,s4 ,,government ,,printing         
,,office3 #aicc                         
----------------------------------------
---------------------------------       
,for sale by the ,superintendent of     
,documents1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4        
,price #e cents                         
99       99       99       99       99  
,transcriber ,notes      ,illustrations 
positioned so as to avoid splitting     
paragraphs4 ,all  occurrences of        
mountain lion were changed to           
mountain-lion4