Friends,
we have a small place in Knox County where we have found lion tracks and scrapes over the last 30 days. I'm guessing its the reason we also haven't been seeing many deer. would appreciate any ideas you have on how to hunt this guy.

thanks

Lou

If you have the opportunity to get a deer or hog, place the guts in the area of the last known sign. Best is to put the guts near cover.

What does a Mountain Lion scrape look like?

X2

Find somebody with hounds that has run down lions before. A good hunter with the right hounds will get her done.

here you go...

Claws look to close together for a big cat. Looks like coyote or dog that just took a dump. I'd put camera up over a gut pile to see what it is for sure. Saying that...I'm no big cat expert.lol..but have seen yote and dogs do that....if the tracks are as big as your fist and there's no claws showing in tracks then it must be a big cat.

Got pictures of the tracks?

hunt the pigs out.
cats prefer porkers.
at least the ones by
ioni creek do.

That's Not a mountain lion they would not do that to the ground only time they move dirt is to bury a kill and they only scratch on a tree to sharpen there claws.

Tigercobra, i hope you are right but i cant think of what else it could be. Its hard to tell from the pics, but the width of the 4 claw marks was wider than my hand...probably 5 inches or so. Any ideas of what else it could be?

I have some lion dogs if you are interested. I need a little more proof though before we head up there.

Cats like meat not guts. Canines will eat guts a cat will not.

That my friend is a yote track , cats dont leave there claw marks when there just walking.
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Lions work on deer fawns & young stock goats & sheep. The males have up to 150 mi radius they travel, females about 80-100 or smaller. They will decimate your deer herd and prime animals. They are fairly nocturnal but do move during daylight hours often in the middle of the day. My buddy in West Texas usually traps or snares more than 20 a year. He used to keep some in his kennel and they'd whistle at feeding time. Snares are your best bet, but will catch domestic dogs

20 a year come on really man that's a crap load for Texas

As Kenneth pointed out, not a lion.

Of course, if a lion was to swipe at something he would use his claws. If he is just walking, no claw marks are shown. And the shape of the claws circled is the perfect shape of a canine.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2685982/Found_Out_Why#Post2685982

Here's a track from a place I hunted a few years ago

My buddy up in Childress was seeing a ton of deer until about month ago, started seeing a lot of big car tracks since then but never in person.

Them big cars will run the deer off for sure.

Sorry couldn't resist... heard stories of cats on the pease river west side of Hwy 6

I have a cast if I can find it, of a Mountain kitty track. Some of you will be surprised.

As mentioned, dogs are your best guarantee. 2nd would be a gutted animal under a brush pile if you have time to sit there for ever.

I will look for the track cast if y'all care to see it. It is from a 1-1/2 year old tom.

I was told by an old timer that cats walk with their claws retracted and their toes are more toward the front of their feet instead of having some on the side. This has always helped me tell the difference quickly.
I agree with the guys that say you have a canine.

What was at the bottom of that pic where all the dirt was moved to?

Unless that is a house kept K9, the claw marks would not be that pointed and pronounced. Wild dogs would have a triangle shaped claw mark from wear. Cats will leave clawmarks when placing their feet after using their claws for anything from killing to scraping to cover scat.

No it's not. I know hound men in west TX that do a lot more than that. Also, I talked to the taxidermist in Alpine last year and he said he gets around 40 or so lions a year from guys who were deer hunting and shot a lion.