Question about hunting sky islands and mesas in Arizona

[Grzyadms4x4]

I will be hunting some new areas in AZ this winter and I had a question for some of the more experienced hunters from the southwest. I hunt on foot with no quad or mule. I will be hunting some large mesas and sky islands where it is high desert brush at the bottom and 1-2 feet of snow on top and I have learned by now that lions will be wherever the hell they feel like being, but my question is, is it better to get to the top of them and walk along the ridge lines or edges of the mesa's or just pick the best looking drainage and hike up it and hope for the best?

In the summer I would do a little of both, but I haven't been on enough lions in the winter to figure out what is the better strategy. I would think the deer would stay out of the snow and simply drop down a few thousand feet, but do the lions still go up as high as they do in the summer?

I know that there are a lot of variables such as snow, feed and sex that will affect the lion's travel patterns, but is there any strategy that you might use when attacking a new area like these or pretty much just look for the prey animals like usual.

Any insight would be appreciated as I would really like to get a few more lions treed this winter compared to last year.

Thanks,

Zach

[Mike Leonard]

Find their food source first. Target that and then ask yourself , if I was a lion where would I be? Lions do change their habits as their prey species migrates or moves due to their need of available forage and shelter.

I hunt some of those areas and if you don't find a lot of deer sign don't spend a lot of time there. You might catch a lion crossing almost anyplace but it is best to spend your time around the food source.


Good luck!

[Tom A]

Hey Zach, you must have a pretty good handle on your dogs. How do keep em from running off and cold trailing forever. Are the warm nosed or do you keep em leashed? Sorry if this sounds dumb but i been doing some hunting on foot to lately and getting off the roads.

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[Grzyadms4x4]

Thanks Mike, that's kinda what I was thinking, but I wanted to see what some more experienced hunters thought. From your experience, when the snow is deep on the ridges and bluffs and there is no snow a few hundred feet below will the lions still travel through the snow or will they avoid it if possible?

Tom, my pack is a mix of what I would say are medium cold nosed to medium nosed dogs. I only have three, but that is what I have seen from them. I find they hunt best after they have been roaded for a mile or two to get the piss and vinegar out of them before I free cast them. A lot of where I hunt there are no roads to get to my hunting spots and I have to walk a mile or two to get to where I would consider letting the dogs loose. Depending upon where I am hunting I will leash the dogs to prevent them mostly from going onto private property and such. That being said, my dogs are not perfect and not "finished" hounds, and sometimes they will take off on a trail and I don't see them again for quite some time. Usually happens in the thick manzanita brush that's taller than you and I and only has tunnels to travel through. I just can't keep up with the dogs through that stuff. Good luck with your hunting.

[Tom A]

Hey thanks for the tip on roading em first. I was just thinking why didint I think of that. It sure gets you in shape chasing dogs on foot!

[Mike Leonard]

Always remember lions or bobs will step on dirt or rock anytime they can to avoid snow. Not sure why they never read Full Cry but they will do it and they will jump at times a good ways to avoid a snow patches to stay on dirt or rock. always remember they will walk on the very tips of ledges where the sun burns the snow off to not walk in the snow. Maybe I am like the cat I prefer to walk on dry ground myself but there are always traces small subtle signs and these will lead you on.

In some good snow country hunters are seldom challenged by this but in country where you get a little snow and it burns off quick it is a good thing to know.

You drive down the road and you look up at a majestic rock pinnacle and say to yourself. Now that is where a lion is hiding out. You get home and the 5 o:closck news says a lion was seen behind the mall today in a residential area. You just never know so keep your options open amd watch for the signs.


Merry christmas!