Mountain lion hunting offers a unique challenge: it requires hours of waiting, often in a vehicle, followed by bursts of high-intensity action when the dogs tree a lion. The right gear is essential for staying comfortable, alert, and prepared for changing conditions.
Temperature: 0-25 Degrees
Conditions: Varies. Optimal lion conditions occur right after a fresh snow. Sometimes over 4” of fresh powder.
Difficulty: 4/10
Clothing
Outerwear: Clement Puffy Jacket
● Review: The Clement Puffy Jacket is an excellent choice for this hunt. It provides top-tier insulation for long periods of inactivity in cold temperatures, whether you’re sitting in a truck or trekking through snowy terrain. Despite its warmth, the jacket is lightweight and compressible, making it easy to shed or stow away when the action picks up.
● Personal Insight: One of the most crucial parts of the hunt was the pack-out. After an 800-yard walk while carrying a 150lb cougar, my body began to heat up quickly. The lightweight design of the Clement Puffy Jacket made it easy to pack away, reducing unnecessary overheating and moisture buildup.
Base Layer: Kinetic Merino 250 Hoodie
● Review: This merino wool base layer performed exceptionally well. It offered warmth, moisture-wicking capabilities, and breathability, keeping me comfortable during the high-output hikes after the dogs. The hoodie design adds extra versatility for regulating temperature and blocking wind when the jacket isn’t needed.
● Personal Insight: The unexpected challenge of the hunt was dressing for the day. Going from a 70-degree truck to 3-degree temperatures is a huge swing. Having a reliable, easy-to-layer system with the Kinetic Merino Hoodie at its core made all the difference.
Pants: Aptitude Soft Shell Pants
● Review: The Aptitude Soft Shell Pants were indispensable on this hunt. Often, you find yourself trekking through deep snow, rocky terrain, and other harsh conditions, and these pants handled it all. Their durable yet flexible design offered excellent mobility while
providing essential wind and water resistance. They kept me dry and warm, even during long stretches of trudging through snow.
Reflections on the Hunt
This hunt held a special connection for me. Like most kids in the lower 48, I grew up hunting behind dogs—whether chasing rooster pheasants or running coons up an oak tree. This experience brought me full circle, rekindling the memories of what first got me into hunting. Even better, I was able to share the adventure with the person who started it all for me: my dad.
