Ghosts of the Rimrock
Watch as the Stealth Hunters of Big Game Country wander the Rocky Mountain Front on the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch
Presented by Fiocchi
For every mountain lion you see in the wild, ten have likely seen you first. Lions rarely want anything to do with humans. The feeling is typically mutual.
Puma concolor holds the widest geographic range of any native land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, stretching from the Canadian Yukon all the way to the tip of South America. Yet, despite their broad footprint across Western elk and deer country, they remain one of the most secretive apex predators on the continent.
When a trail camera captures a crisp, night-vision frame of a big tom or a female with kittens, it offers a rare, candid look into how these big cats navigate the landscape while the rest of the world is asleep. As you watch this compilation of images and videos of kitties on the prowl, keep your head on a swivel as the sun goes down.
Five Fascinating Facts about Mountain Lions in the American West
Supercharged Leaping Ability
Mountain lions have the largest hind legs relative to body size in the entire cat family (Felidae). This unique anatomy allows an adult cougar to leap 20 feet straight up a sheer rock face or launch 40 feet horizontally in a single bound—making easy work of steep coulees, blowdowns, and rimrock.
Massive Territories
In the arid, wide-open terrain of the West, a single male lion’s home range can span anywhere from 100 to over 300 square miles. They travel miles every night along ridge tops, game trails, and creek bottoms to mark their territory and scout for prey.
They Purr, But Don't Roar
Despite being one of North America’s largest carnivores—with mature males pushing 150 to 180+ pounds—cougars cannot roar. Because of a rigid hyoid bone in their throat, they produce vocalizations similar to house cats, including purrs, hisses, growls, and a piercing high-pitched scream used during the breeding season. That scream is enough to give any hunter the willies.
The Ultimate Ambush Tactics
Unlike wolf packs that rely on long-distance pursuit and endurance, mountain lions are solitary stalkers. They rely on dense cover, rock outcrops, and absolute silence to creep within 30 feet of their target before unleashing an explosive sprint.
Ecosystem Engineers
Cougars play a critical role in balancing Western wildlands. By keeping deer and elk herds moving, they prevent overgrazing along sensitive creek banks and aspen groves. Furthermore, their uneaten kills provide crucial winter protein for dozens of scavenger species, including golden eagles, ravens, coyotes, and bears.