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Author Topic: Poll: ever seen a lion? Leonard HMFIC Member # 2 posted January 29, 2003 01:49 PM                       I guess I have to generate some activity here, so the question is simple. What were you doing when you saw a lion? Were you calling? Have you managed to kill one? It's always an event to see a lion. Tell us about it. Good hunting. LB -------------------- EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All. Don't piss me off! Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Locohead World Famous Smoke Dancer Member # 15 posted January 29, 2003 03:49 PM                    2 brief instances: I had a buddy get married in Kalispell Montana. I drove with another friend and we saw one for about 1/2 a second in the headlights as we went around a curve. Another time My wife and I had one run (or slink rather) across the highway in front of us. It was about midnight and I pulled the car over (backwards) to get a better look. I dug out a distress call and a camera with a flash. My wife was just getting ready to aim the camera in case the critter returned when to our suprise, red and blue lights flashing. The policewoman thought I was nuts!!! I have yet to see a bobcat though. I have seen mega tons of bobcat tracks though. Oh yeah, once while deer hunting I came across a rather wet and fresh lion poop with tracks all around. I love that stuff! -------------------- I love my critters and chick!!!! :) Posts: 2219 | From: CO | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Lonny PANTS ON THE GROUND Member # 19 posted January 29, 2003 04:47 PM                   Your right Leonard it is always a memorable experience to see a lion. I have seen 3 while driving down the road. Mostly just quick glimpses of them bounding across the road. I have seen another 3 while out hunting. I used to do quite a bit of hound hunting and I estimate I have seen 30-35 treed lions. I have killed two in my life. The first with the use of dogs. It was a 130 lb female (the biggest female lion I've ever seen) that I ended up selling for $300. I really regreted selling that first one for several years. Always told myself if I ever got another I would have it rugged or lifesize mounted. Several years ago I killed a 145 lb male while out coyote hunting. I found fresh tracks and walked them 5-6 miles before finding where the lion had killed and eaten a coyote. Luck was with me and I was able to get a shot. That one got rugged, and I don't expect to get another any time soon. I know lots of people that have spent their whole lives in good lion country and have never seen one. Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Bud Knows what it's all about Member # 4 posted January 29, 2003 04:57 PM                    Yep, I had one at 75 yds two years ago. Was bowhunting elk. It came in to cow calls. No tag, no shot. Last Oct., deer hunting, I had a pair come in to about twenty yards. I had been flipping one of the Primos estrus cans(the big one) while a "rattling" tape was going. I had a tag. I had a rifle. I couldn't do it. I kick my butt(mentally) for not carrying a camera. What a rush!! Three years ago my son was elk hunting with a buddy above Milton-Freewater. They had been moving, working a bull that was trying to wind them, when my son(the caller) started getting wierd feelings. You know, that "hair on the back of the neck" thing? I guess they had moved a couple times when my son caught something out of the corner of his eye. A small lion was belly down about fifty feet away. I guess everything went to hell about that time(I wasn't there.). My son hollers "HEY". The cat does a 180 out of there. My son's buddy hollers "What the hell you yelling for?". The cat spins back and starts creeping towards my son again. My son hollers "HEY" again. At nineteen(measured) paces my son puts an arrow into the cats chest. Then it starts to get funny. My son, the one who simply must hang trophies on his wall, packs the cat, about ninety lbs. to his truck, hair-hide-n-all. He went looking up and down the highway till he found a State of Oregon policeman. He asks permission to keep the hide. He doesn't have a tag. He thinks that won't matter. The lion attacked him didn't it??? The cop had some questions. The Fish and Game had some questions. Hell, I had some questions. He got away clean but it was close money for a while. He had a witness and, coincidentally, two other lions had recently(at that time) stalked or attacked hunters in Eastern OR.. Carry a tag boys and girls. That old, "You got a lot of 'splaining to do Lucy", stuff aint getting it done. Bud EDIT: I just read Lonny's post. Didn't know treed lions counted. I followed my old man's dogs when I was a kid. It isn't the same rush in a tree. It's exiting but not scary. On the ground, in my face, scares the crap out of me. [ January 29, 2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: Bud ] Posts: 19 | From: OR | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Lonny PANTS ON THE GROUND Member # 19 posted January 29, 2003 05:24 PM                   Your right Bud, I shouldn't have included treed lions. Leonard was most likely asking about lions seen on the ground. I agree, Seeing one on the ground is completely different than seeing one in a tree. Still exciting to see one or hunt either way but on the ground is more memorable. [ January 29, 2003, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Lonny ] Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Barry Knows what it's all about Member # 34 posted January 29, 2003 06:12 PM                    I've only seen one lion after living twenty years here in Colorado.That was fifteen years ago while glassing for elk just before dark at about a half a mile.There's quite a few around here,I've seen eight or ten sets of tracks this year alone.Local ranchers sometimes tell me to be carefull because there's one in the area but since I have a tag I probally won't see a thing.Locohead;the policewoman was right. Posts: 133 | From: Trinidad CO. | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Locohead World Famous Smoke Dancer Member # 15 posted January 29, 2003 09:58 PM                    Hey now Barry!!!!....Don't forget, you only shot that badger because I half way pooped my pants during that awesome stand of ours!?!? LOL Bud and Lonny, I think (and hope) Leonard meant ALL cat sories, treed and otherwise. I find them all fully intriguing, whether in a tree or on the ground!!! More stories please!!! -------------------- I love my critters and chick!!!! :) Posts: 2219 | From: CO | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Leonard HMFIC Member # 2 posted January 29, 2003 10:20 PM                       They are all memorable. I've got a few, and witnessed a few more, but the most memorable was the one my Dad got. Next most was the one that me and my son totally botched up. We were lucky we didn't wreck the truck. Good hunting. LB -------------------- EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All. Don't piss me off! Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged 20t-n-t Knows what it's all about Member # 46 posted January 29, 2003 11:59 PM                    My son and I predator call bear in the spring every year. Well 2 years ago, about the 2nd week of the season we were up in the high country about 7500 ft, we had glassed for 3 days and not one bear, when my son says there,,, whats that. he pointed it out to me and sure enough it was a cinnomon around 230-250lbs and feedin our way. We moved into position and started callin. Here he came hell bent, so when he gets to about 35 yards I stop callin and the bear stops, stands up on his hind legs, looks right through us and does a 180* turn and runs off. I stood up to see what the hell he saw that blew the stand and this cat screams at us from 19 yards behind us. We had a bear on one side and a cat on the other. I know what it feels like to be the creamy white part in the middle now. My son and I do our bear huntin with pistols only. My son Aaron shoots a 454 ruger redhawk and I'm shootin the Desert Eagle 50 AE and ever since that day I carry a 45-70 levergun also. Called 1 female with cubs in once elk huntin and a 50-60 pounder came to the predator call once but nothing that I wanted to shoot. Its a special thing to see a cat in the wild. Ilove what I do. Slydog -------------------- Teach a kid to hunt and fish and feed them for a lifetime...... Posts: 245 | From: Boise Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Bob in TX Knows what it's all about Member # 66 posted January 30, 2003 08:53 AM                      I have called in two. One in AZ with Steve Craig, which doesn't count.....it is hard not to call lions when you are with Steve! The first one was in SE Okalhoma while we were calling coyotes. I have yet to shoot one, but my hopes remain high! Bob [ January 30, 2003, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: Bob in TX ] Posts: 51 | From: San Antonio, Texas | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Lonny PANTS ON THE GROUND Member # 19 posted January 30, 2003 04:45 PM                   Bob C. Good to have you here. I envy you getting the chance to hunt with Steve Craig that must have been an educational experience. It's always interesting to read Steve's post's. Leonard, If you get a chance I'd like to hear about your memorable experience with the lion your Dad got. Loco, I'm far from being any expert on lions but, if you really want to learn about their habits find a track and simply spend some time following it. I do this all the time if I come across a track when out and about. The tracks in the snow can tell a very interesting story if you follow them far enough and try to figure out things as you go. This to me, can teach you much more about lions than stumbling upon one and killing it. Sounds like you should hookup with Barry. He seems to be finding a good supply of tracks. Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged varmint101 Knows what it's all about Member # 41 posted January 31, 2003 12:28 PM                    ..and for my first post! I saw a lion once at the zoo! It was a real lion though. I think that would scare the hell out of me to have one scream behind me! It's too bad that here in Indiana we don't even have bobcats. Well, very few. I've never seen one. Those mountain lion stories are pretty neat! Thanks. Oh, 20t-n-t, how do you like that Desert Eagle? Pretty sweet pistol. Too bad I don't think I could afford it. _v101 -------------------- "From my cold dead hands." #135663262 Posts: 60 | From: Seymour, IN | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged 20t-n-t Knows what it's all about Member # 46 posted February 01, 2003 12:58 AM                    V_101, Its a hole lotta gun. I only use it for bear huntin cause the damn thing is to heavy to carry all the time. I don't care who you are, when a cat screams at you from 19 or even 40 yards it will make you have to hunt for your huntin partner, cause their gone. Idaho produces the most B&C and P&Y cats and has done so since they started keeping reccords Hunt Smart Slydog -------------------- Teach a kid to hunt and fish and feed them for a lifetime...... Posts: 245 | From: Boise Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged Steve Craig Lacks Opposable Thumbs/what's up with that? Member # 12 posted February 02, 2003 07:33 AM                   Leonard, I have called in a few. There IS a trick to doing it on a consistant basis. Few if any actually target lion for their calling. Most callers do not have the patience to sit for an hour or more per stand to be succesful. True, some lions come in in the first 15 or 20 minutes, but these are the rare ones. It is my belief that most callers simply are not SEEING their lions! Same for bobcats. In fact, I believe that fully 80% of all cats called, ARE NOT SEEN! This is daytime calling that I'm talking about. AND the reason night callers are much more successful on cats. Those big eyes just give away their position, plus cats are nocturnal anyway. Winston Burnham once said," for every coyote you call and see, there are two more you don't". It only makes sense that with cats, this is magnified even more. The biggest mistake most callers make is they refuse to believe that something can be done, because, THEY HAVE NEVER DONE IT! Their own ego's get in the way and they refuse to take advantage of someone that is doing it. Jealouscy is also a factor in their growth as a great caller. I run into this type person all the time in my guide business. They come to me NOT to learn, but instead they want me to PROVE to them that I can do what I said I could. This type person can NEVER grow or develope into a truely great caller, because he has stopped his own ability to to learn. How sad. There IS much more to learn about calling cats, and lions especially. This is what I teach. Sorry to drone on so long. Bob C. Thank you for your kind words. Also, that big female was finally caught by a hound man. She weighed in at 128 pounds. I hated to see her go, as I had called her in 3 times, and she taught me alot. FWIW Steve -------------------- Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction. - Thomas Jefferson Posts: 442 | From: Cottonwood,Az, USA | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged

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