I have spent a large amount of time purposefully hunting cougar in the Blue Mountains. I saw my first one in 1999 and since then have seen a dozen more. I shot at that first one but missed. It was 500 yards away. They are quite small from back to brisket. I have killed 2 and missed another at 525 yards. The first one I killed was called in by a buddy to 310 yards. The second one I tracked for a couple hours and finally saw it at 440 yards up the canyon. That shot grazed it and caused it to run into the bottom of the canyon. I proceeded forward and then saw it working its way back up the slope. I got prone and dug my elbows into the snow and made a good killing chest shot at 400 yards. Of the 13 I have seen only 3 have been less than 310 yards away.
So one of my recommendations would be to become proficient at long range shooting. Keep at it and have fun. Go out with the mentality that you are getting some exercise in the mountains.
