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Author
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Topic: Called a cougar
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Okanagan
Budding Spin Doctor
Member # 870
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posted March 15, 2009 07:49 PM
While calling with my son on Thursday, we called in a cougar that he shot. We set up in open old growth coastal forest on a spur ridge off a big mountain.
The cat showed up at the 2 1/2 minute mark. My son watched it for at least 30 seconds till it gave him a chance to raise the rifle. He shot it at 80 yards but it was coming in with such intensity, moving and pausing, that he was sure it would have come much closer. Our philosophy is to take the first shot the shooter knows he can make, at least if it is an animal we want pretty badly. Photo below is looking from the stand up the ridge to where the lion showed and was shot.
Minaska M1 with the larger speaker added for volume. I started with dueling fawns as my standard to make sure all is working well, then switched to the loudest sound I have, myself blowing a Weems Wild Call. At about 1 1/2 minute I switched to a cougar vocal I got from Rainshadow, juvenile.
We backtracked and the lion had started from a thicket several hundred yards above and around the mountain. It had approached with a swift stride while it contoured, then when it got to the spur ridge straight above, it began a running lope downhill. I think that is the point when the Rainshadow sound started. When it came into the edge of visibility, it switched to intermittent stops and crouching dashes closer.
Male, average size frame and tracks but very lean with little body fat and an empty stomach so lighter weight for its size. Scarred all over from fighting. It's mouth was scarred and had some fresh fighting cuts, and below shows a fresh healign scar on its chest.
Packing it down to the road.
[ March 15, 2009, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: Okanagan ]
Posts: 269 | From: 49th Parrallel | Registered: Jun 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted March 15, 2009 08:40 PM
Great story and photos. Thanks for posting!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted March 16, 2009 03:58 AM
Congrets , very cool , thanks for the story.
if you get a chance can you list weight and and length ect.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted March 16, 2009 04:51 AM
Great Job !!! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
That's a beautiful cat !
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted March 16, 2009 06:14 AM
Nicely done and well told!
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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Okanagan
Budding Spin Doctor
Member # 870
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posted March 16, 2009 07:50 AM
The cat weighed 98 lbs. It's track was average cougar size, and its frame looked larger than it weighed. It was very lean, and until we skinned it we thought that it was almost emaciated with backbone and pelvis prominent, etc. but it had some fat in the belly area. It seemed healthy, just skinny and recovering from a fight with another cougar.
Its stomach was totally empty, and that plus very little body fat indicated a cat that could have weighed between 110 and 120 lbs with more normal amount of body fat and a few pounds of meat in its stomach.
We didn't think to measure the cat until we were starting to skin it and rigor had set in big time. I'm not quite sure how to measure a cougar anyway. At that point, from nose to tip of tail, straight and not over curves, it was either 6 foot six inches or 6'7" and I can't remember for sure.
Any advice on how to measure etc. appreciated.
[ March 16, 2009, 07:55 AM: Message edited by: Okanagan ]
Posts: 269 | From: 49th Parrallel | Registered: Jun 2006
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sparkyibewlocal440
Knows what it's all about
Member # 397
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posted March 16, 2009 08:46 PM
Thanks for posting!
Posts: 170 | From: So. Cal | Registered: Sep 2004
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Locohead
World Famous Smoke Dancer
Member # 15
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posted March 22, 2009 12:13 AM
WOOO HOOO! Way to go guys!!!
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I love my critters and chick!!!! :)
Posts: 2219 | From: CO | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted March 24, 2009 06:40 PM
That is awsome!
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted May 02, 2009 09:26 PM
That still is a big cat big forearms, blocky head. Very Nice!!
I was out somewhere in my semi sleeper getting in my DOT 10 hrs rest and had a dream I was a visitor at a circus and was attacked by a cougar that was part of the show the dam thing jumped me from behind and latched onto my neck and collar bone it scared me shit less. I awoke on my side and my shoulder was numb from digging into the poor matress that is supplied by Peterbuilt. Its kinda funny what your mind comes up with to wake you up. I topped the mattress with memory foam and now I sleep good..
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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Okanagan
Budding Spin Doctor
Member # 870
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posted May 06, 2009 12:23 PM
Redrabbit, what a dream! Or nightmare! I dreamed cougars for a few days after we got this one, mostly scheming about the next one. Do you see lots of game driving truck at night?
Posts: 269 | From: 49th Parrallel | Registered: Jun 2006
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted May 09, 2009 09:42 PM
Okanagan, I see more game during the day mostly deer and elk, but I'm always looking for coyotes and do see them mostly early in the mourning or at sunset. I've even seen a wolf and another driver seen the whole pack in that same area. He always keeps me posted of any predator sighting.
I've been actively plotting where the higher populations are and do talk with people who I deliver fertilizer and or other materials to, who live on very large farms in those areas and would be delighted I'd come out to take care of them.
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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