The New Huntmastersbbs!: Cougar growled at me when I picked up decoy

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Posted by Okanagan (Member # 870) on March 07, 2011, 08:04 PM:

Yesterday I called on a lion track a few hours old and after an hour on stand, walked out to pick up decoy and e-call. When I got within 5 yards of the decoy a lion growled at me from the brush line 30-40 yards away. A fews seconds later it repeated the growl.

A few years ago one did the same, though that sound was more of a hoot that morphed into a cat snarl. In both cases, I think the cat had sneaked close and was watching. When the man steps out and takes the cat's "prey" the lion growls his anger and displeasure. That's my theory anyway.

The lion yesterday gave a drawn out steady yowl that had a tinge of growl to it, like a cat that is looking at something he is threatening. Didn't see it though I tried, and there was no tracking snow under the brush where the sound came from.

FWIW curiosity value.

Posted by jimanaz (Member # 3689) on March 08, 2011, 07:56 PM:

What I want to know is did you suddenly experience a chill. That would be a cool experience after I was certain I wasn't about to take an ass whoopin' for swiping dinner.

Posted by Okanagan (Member # 870) on March 08, 2011, 08:11 PM:

It sure produced some excitment, especially the second growl. The first growl startled me and the second one shot adrenaline through me. The cat wasn't close enough to scare me, just the excitment of realizing a lion was looking at me.

I'm calling the sound a growl for want of a better word.

Posted by jimanaz (Member # 3689) on March 08, 2011, 08:16 PM:

quote:
The cat wasn't close enough to scare me

You sir, are one calm SOB. How many jumps and seconds would it take a lion to cover 30 or 40 yards? I'm guessing not long enough for me to get scared, so I woulda just started when I heard it, lol.

Posted by Steve Craig (Member # 12) on March 08, 2011, 08:39 PM:

Now, for every one that you hear, there are 10 more that are watching you and you dont even know it!

What you experienced is the NORM....

They hang up all the time, just like you got to see/hear.

There is a way to fix that situation, but you will have to buy my E-book to find out how, when I decide to bring it out. [Big Grin]

Posted by Okanagan (Member # 870) on March 08, 2011, 08:51 PM:

jim, you have a point there alright!

My assumption is that they don't want to attack a man. In the moment I'm trying so hard to get a shot that my mind is focussed on trying to see it rather than avoid it. That may be more stupid than anything else! [Roll Eyes]

If they wanted to eat people they are so sneaky, so quick and so deadly that we would be easy prey, whether we were armed or not.

Examine a deer killed by a lion and most of them will give you chills at how surgically quick the cougar killed it.

Posted by Okanagan (Member # 870) on March 08, 2011, 08:58 PM:

Hi Steve,
I posted while you were doing yours.

Yep, having them hide and watch a caller is the norm alright. And thats just the ones I know about!

When your book comes out, I'm in line to buy. I've always regretted that we didn't send my son to hunt with you. He is uncanny to me in how he can look at terrain and predict where we will see a lion track or where we will find a scrape, and he has more years to use what he learns.

They are a fascinating critter to hunt this way.

Posted by jimanaz (Member # 3689) on March 08, 2011, 10:17 PM:

Steve, you're such a tease!

Posted by TundraWookie (Member # 1044) on March 09, 2011, 07:53 AM:

That's an exciting story, glad you made it out safely.

What kind of decoy were you using during this hunt? Just curious, I've never hunted Cougars.

Posted by Okanagan (Member # 870) on March 09, 2011, 05:51 PM:

TundraWookie,
The decoy in both cases was the Minaska Sidewinder with the standard topper: a coyote tail with eyes and ears on the upper end and a maribou tail extension. I'll paste a photo of it below with a bobcat. I use a Featherflex fawn decoy usually but didn't have it along on these stands. The only odd thing to me was that the cat vocalized when he did.

Posted by Cayotaytalker (Member # 1954) on March 10, 2011, 01:50 PM:

Steve Craig,big fan of yours man.Make sure you get the word out about your book I want one.

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