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I was looking through the fauna photos and noticed that no one has managed to snap a shot of a mountain lion. Any reports of sightings anywhere in AZ? If so, where and what advice would you have about increasing my chances of a sighting? I've spotted a black bear (Mazatzal Wilderness) and a bobcat (Catalina SP) and I've hoping to round out the trifecta but no such luck in 2 1/2 years of hiking around the state.

With all predator human interaction,it is difficult to see how humans will not learn how to be in the natural world, awareness of what is or may be around.
I have spent time around wolves hyenas,bears and big cats,the key is knowing how to just be.Its like learning the skills before you go scuba diving.A lack of prep or arrogance will always be the human fault.
If its a matter of population control I think humans are the ones Im ok with trimming,even if my own number comes up.

Very good point!! But the line for in front of us for "our number" is extremely long, you get the idea, sexual predators for one, so we have a pretty long wait!

Jeff

I saw my mountain lion a few years ago at McDowell Mt. Park near Fountain Hills. Amazing, unforgetable experience!

I've also gotten to observe a bobcat, but no bears yet.

Mountain Lions are curious animals and will follow you. I know! One summer morning just after a rainfall I hiked down a drainage off of Apache Trail near where the road turns to gravel. After descending to a widow maker I turned around and began the hike back up. In my footprints were mountain lion tracks. He had followed me almost all the way down the drainage. No, I never saw him. But he clearly had seen me and followed me down that drainage. So - be careful out there!!!

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I took that on the Butterfly Trail in the Santa Catalinas last December. There were animal tracks all over the trail: deer, squirrel, chipmunk, and possibly rabbit. On the way back I ran into a family w/ 2 young kids who were running up and down the trail, and thus out of their parents' eyesight. I showed the father this picture, and those kids weren't running up and down the trail any longer.
In general, if you see a mountain lion then you are probably pretty safe unless it's a "problem" lion that has lost its fear of humans.
However, just because a lion is afraid of humans doesn't mean it won't attack. If a lion is going to attack, it's most likely going to attack from an ambush, and you won't have any idea.

There are competing theories as to why California saw an increase in mountain lion attacks. The most popular theory is that the lions lost their fear of humans because they weren't being hunted. I feel a more plausible theory is that development into mountain lion habitat has brought too many people into mountain lion territory. The theory that mountain lion attacks in CA increased because of the lack of hunting pressure is refuted by the fact that the rate of lion attacks increased all over the West, and the common denominator across the West is human expansion into mountain lion habitat rather than a lack of hunting.

As an interesting side note it is becoming increasingly clear that mountain lions are rapidly repopulating their former ranges east of the Mississippi River. Most game & fish departments in the East refuse to give credence to lion reports, but there are far too many reports to write it off as people seeing bobcats & golden retrievers. There are also far too many white tail deer for me to believe that a predator wouldn't have ample opportunity to feed itself

Photos

Those pics are cool! What are the mtn lions doing?

Hoffmaster wrote:Those pics are cool! What are the mtn lions doing?

Making more mountain lions

Dude, that was a good one!

But all kidding aside, they are drinking. Those concrete structures are water catchments (a.k.a. "guzzlers") built by the Arizona Game and Fish Department to provide water for wildlife in the desert. They collect rain water and store it in underground tanks, and the concrete ramp gives the critters access.

For anyone that thinks cougars are endangered in Arizona, not even close! These animals do not need any protection. They are everywhere, just not in great numbers (as it should be, since they are top tier predators). And they are seldom seen because 1) they mostly roam at night (as evidenced by the photos), and 2) they have a healthy fear of humans (also as it should be). As you can see, all these photos were taken within a short span of time. And all were taken in the same general area. These lions are healthy and breeding (3 cubs!!).

And anyone that thinks a lack of hunting doesn't cause animals to lose their fear of humans has not spent enough time in our beautiful National Parks. The deer at Phantom Ranch will eat out of your hand, for crying out loud! (Not that I have ever shared my Power Bar with one - that would be against the rules!)

I got these pictures on one of those "trail cameras" that trigger automatically when they detect motion.

What Trail Camara do you use ? I need to replace my film type that was damaged a couple of months ago.

It is a StealthCam I390 (STC-AD3), 3MP digital. It's OK. A bit slow on the draw, but takes a decent picture. Check these out:

Are those people what I think they are? UDA's? And is that your Blue Heeler? I have a very similar dog.

Thanks for the interesting photos and the well-informed comments.

Yes, illegals. I don't know whose dog that was, but he deserves a treat.

In response to Amilnor:

Pine Mountain Wilderness (Dugas/Orme exit on I-17) has a good density of cougar. White Mountains too as somoene earlier mentioned. AZ is great for cougar period. Chances are you've hiked past scat, tracks, or a scratch. Get familiar with those signs and you'll find your cougar.

I have some mountain lion photos. I saw and photographed 3 so far at close range. I saw one in Big Bend Nat'l Park (May 2006), one in Everglades Nat'l Park (Jan 2010), and one in the Pinaleno Mountains (July 2007).

^Awesome pictures. that last one scares me and the Florida panther you sure are lucky to see. Looks huge too.

Ckzona wrote:^Awesome pictures. that last one scares me and the Florida panther you sure are lucky to see. Looks huge too.

Thanks! I appreciate the kind comment. Yeah, that Florida panther was huge. There's supposedly only 8 in the park, so I was really lucky to see one. I've also seen plenty of recent mountain lion scats and heard two mountain lion's screams in the wild from distance.

Nice... I just never have my camera ready when I've run across them. Had a nice encounter a month ago over here in the Sacramento mountains... and a great encounter up on Kimbell when I was in Tucson. Ran across one in Big Bend on the river twenty years ago... Colorado thirty years ago. Nice that they're still out there...

There are signs all over the place in Sabino right now and articles every other day in the paper. Every single article features a picture of an angry, savage-looking puma. It's just sad...

I often find their tracks in the Pinalenos. Have only seen 1 in my life on a trip to Riggs Lake 10 years ago. He walked down the hill onto the road about 20 feet in front of my truck, stopped and looked at me then walked down the other side as calm & slow as could be. I had my camera with me but never thought to get a pic, I was just shocked to see one!