Arizona Mountain Lion Hunter Trees Jaguar

First sighting since 2009, fourth ever since 1986.

Picture 1 of 14

The hunt was supposed to be a day in which Aly Fenn got her first crack at killing a mountain lion. Having recently turned 10-years-old, Aly had taken the required hunter safety courses and had tagged along on more than a few hunts with her dad, Donnie, who runs Chasin' Tails Guide Service, an Arizona outfit that specializes in dry ground mountain lion hunts. Up until now, she'd only been a spectator, taking in the sights and sounds of dogs baying and barking at a big ole' tom pinned atop a tree or canyon wall, snarling and swiping at his pursuers. If they spotted a tom cougar on this day though, it was Aly's time and turn for lion.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000139530006 Scott Winston

    I hope they didn't kill this beautiful and rare animal!

    • Kim Freitag

      Read the article then you would know

    • Doug

      Did you watch the complete thing? Seems clear they let the cat go.

    • Tyler Burkett

      The Jaguar was let go, and we have video of it jumping out of the tree… pretty amazing animal.

    • rightone

      Shut up you liberal cry baby.

      • Guntotinghippie

        As a Liberal, gun-toting, hippie, veteran, hunting and fishing enthusiast, gunsmith… Please don't judge all of us based on our "special" cases. I try not to judge all conservatives based on Michelle Bachman, please try to do the same for us.

    • BigEtheGlazier

      Awesome!

  • Farron Kempton

    Gave me goosebumps just reading the article. I'm from southern Arizona.

  • F250

    That's about as cool as it gets!

  • Tommy McCook

    Fantastic story and photos–I got chill bumps just reading the story. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. Good hunting in the future.

  • steve horan

    Very cool!! This puts the meaning in the words "Just being out there"!

  • Tom Boothe

    That is some cat!

    • https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=703614431 Blue Duck

      that is an awesome big cat! and the pictures, no one hardly ever gets that close aho is not trying to dart one for studying!!

      Those are some impressive looking hounds and or cur dogs too. I can only imagine the feeling of being able to witness first hand an impressive cat such as a Jag!

  • MoHunter

    Nice Kitty…I think I will stick with deer, turkey, and upland hunting. I don't think I would want to be one of those dogs either…

  • J Morriss

    Beautiful Cat!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000900413899 Chris Kane

    The last lion hunter in arizona who caught these large cats was a Houndsman named Dale Lee a long time hero of mine..

  • Curious

    I ride that country down by the border. Wondering if if was male or female?

    • adecker44

      Male

  • rdrhodes

    To be in AZ. and see a cat like that must have been very special. Thanks for the e-mail. Doug.

  • Ronnie G

    That's not a mesquite in picture number 5- dorks! It's an Aligator Juniper. So how many trees did the dogs chase it to?

    • MEANINGFUL

      THAT WAS SPECTACULAR.
      THAT ASIDE…
      WHY CAN'T WE LIVE AND LET LIVE?
      IS HE PROUD OR ON SOME EGO TRIP NEEDING TO KILL THE MOUNTAIN LIONS?
      HOW SAD TO KILL, KILL, KILL AND KILL SOME MORE. IS THE MEAT USED?
      I KNOW…WE NEED TO KEEP THE MOUNTAIN LIONS FROM OVERPOPULATING, BUT IS KILLING THE "BEST" OPTION?

    • Mac

      The last picture is certainly a mesquite tree, but one of the pictures is a juniper but that is not something unusual in Southern Arizona. It is evident you don't know anything about running cats with dogs. It is not unusual for a cat to tree several times on a single chase!

  • Mac

    That is a beautiful cat and today very rare in Arizona, and Notheren Mexico. When I was a kid back in the earlt 1950s Jaguars were treed quite often in Arizona