lynx or cougar

[rosin]

how does everyone tell the differance between a lynx track and a cougar track?

[Darvin Ecklund]

Sometimes its tought in deep snow, but a cougar track will look a lot clearer then that of a lynx. Along the edges of a lynx track, the track won't be so defined because of the fur around the feet. Just my experience. The stride will also be a little shorter on the lynx. Hope this helps.

[horshur]

in deep snow it is real easy...lynx will not sink.

walk it for a bit and it will become clear...

[nait hadya]

well, it can be very difficult with the loose powdery snow we get here in alberta and especially difficult when it's a big lynx covering some country. most of the lynx in the areas i hunt are located very close to the hares and that is not usually lion country. however there are always exceptions to the rule and ive seen lynx tracks where there were no hares and at least one occasion where a big lion wandered through the rabbit patch. when you can't see the toes/pad and the space between is similar, you might still be able to see the mark of the hind leg in the snow just behind the rear track.

travelling the same area year after year you will learn where the lynx are and where the lions perfer to cross. don't let that old tom lynx lead you and your hounds ashtray.

[nait hadya]

[Darvin Ecklund]

Tough to tell from that picture that it is even a cat track but I would quess Cougar. I'm sure you walked it out a little and found a spot under a tree where the track was a little more identifiable. Pretty tough sometimes when the snow is deep powder and the snow falls back in the track. How long was the stride? Looks like it sunk in pretty deep, so I would say "cougar".

[nait hadya]

wish it was a cougar track, unfortunatly its just another lynx track, a very good one though. no one seems to be trapping them, we can't hunt them and the woods are full of bunnies, so they do quite well. i didnt have to follow it to know what it was,the area is a thick black spruce swamp, full of hares.

[Darvin Ecklund]

So you can trap lynx but can't run them with hounds? Can you run bear and cougar? Where are you located?

[nait hadya]

im located in alberta where only owners of registered traplines can harvest lynx. only thing we run is cougar and the occasional moose

[houndcrzy]

The way I tell is how far its sinking in the snow, and if its only in an inch or two of snow then by how clear its stamped into the ground is a tell tale sign. I cut 5 Lynx in 5 different areas the other day. I dont see why we cant run em! Sure would keep a guy alot busier! I heard you were allowed to if you were on a registered trap line and had permission from the trapper? But still not clear on the deal???

[nait hadya]

i heard the same thing, i was hoping to run into the trapper that has a trap line in the area i hunt so i could ask him weather that was a possibility,perhaps make some kind of deal. not sure weather a guy would have to be considered a junior trapper if he were to run them with hounds, as that's not trapping. sure would get the hounds out of the box a heck of a lot more often.

[houndcrzy]

I would make a guy a deal on the furs if he would let a guy run some. If there was a healthy population in the area, wich there sure seems to be around here, a guy could harvest a few.

[Darvin Ecklund]

What part of Alberta are you guys from? Have some relatives that live in Taber.

[bluedog4]

Houndcrazy and Nait this is why you guys should join the Alberta Treeing Hound Association ATHA, We already have a Bobcat season in the bottom corner of the province. With a strong lobby from the ATHA to the Trapper Association and the Goverment I,m sure we could turn some heads .
Hound hunting and trapping doesn't effect the Lynx population rabbits due.
With a maximum of 100 Cougars shot in the province a year it's pretty safe to say that we wouldn't kill more than 200 Lyxn a season. So the trappers would have nothing to worry about. Local communities and Taixdermists will gain etc;
So now that I said this hope to see you guys at the BC field trials in Cranbrook in April and the Alberta field trials in June and Oh ya bring some of the other two hundred houndsmen from the Rocky area.
Bluedog

[houndcrzy]

I am ready and very willing to join, I had a fella that was gonna send me the info on the association but havent received it yet. Maybe you could do that for me? I would love to get involved.