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Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 08:36:23 AM


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Title: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 08:36:23 AM
I got in the deer blind on Mt Spokane at 3pm. Land belongs to my neighbors. I watched a parade of chipmunks, chickadees, and a blue jay run wild on the mountain all afternoon. Around 5pm I heard a deer about 200 yards off blow a few times. I had a hard time thinking it was me, but ya never know. Then a fearless chipmunk joined me in the blind! I watched him bury some seeds next to my chair and the heard him bury some more underneath it! He then sauntered under my crossed legs and out the blind he went. Towards dark I figured no deer were going to show and maybe I could hunt my way back to the cabin. I had heard another deer blow a while before than in the opposite direction and figured maybe I stunk! I stood and poked my head out the front window of the blind.  Nothing moving.  I glanced a few more times and then slung my pack over my shoulder. I dropped my 1911 in my cargo pocket and glanced up. A face was staring at me! I stared. He stared.

My mind was racing... "That's a #*^#^ cougar! Damn, I hope he doesn't run!" I slowly reached down to my bow, which still had an arrow nocked. I raised it. The cat stared. I glanced down and clipped my release on the d-loop. The cat stared. I drew the bow. The cat stared. I could see his face and right shoulder, so I found my pin and fired!

The cougar mule kicked and grunted as he scampered off. I could hear him crashing through brush for about 10 seconds, then silence. Oh #(*(%&! I'd shot a cougar!!!! But was it a good hit? I stepped out of the blind and immediately found blood. I strapped my bow on my pack and retrieved my .45 from my pocket. I waited a few minutes and with flashlight and 1911 in hand, started on the blood.

There was lots of blood. Splattered all over. I'm shooting 125 grain rage hypodermics from my 62 pound Martin Onza 3. Getting nervous as darkness fell, my pistol led the way. Less than 40 yards later, I see him laying on the ground, quite dead! But I have him a few kicks just to make sure!

I dropped my pack in the trail and hotfooted it down to the cabin about 120 yards away. I called out to my neighbor and we both kind of had a freak out moment when I told him what happened. We retrieved the cat, took some pics, gutted it (double lung!) and I hauled it over my shoulder down the hill. More pics and some handshaking and we went back to find the arrow. I paced off where the cat stood to where I was in the blind. 7 yards. 21 feet. Holy #(*%&! And I found my arrow! Only the second cougar I've seen in the wild!!!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 08:38:17 AM
 :EAT: :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Timberstalker on September 29, 2017, 08:40:10 AM
Damn, that is awesome.  Looks like a good sized cat too. :tup:

What an experience.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 29, 2017, 08:41:19 AM
Congrats :IBCOOL: Solid cat :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Woodchuck on September 29, 2017, 08:42:13 AM
Awesome man, well done.  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 08:42:43 AM
 :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: greenhead_killer on September 29, 2017, 08:44:52 AM
That's freaking awesome! Nice job
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Elkcollector82 on September 29, 2017, 08:46:51 AM
Way to go. Nicely done.  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: vandeman17 on September 29, 2017, 08:47:40 AM
Well played and holy stabilizer! For a split second I thought it was like a 25 pin sight :chuckle:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 08:51:06 AM
Well played and holy stabilizer! For a split second I thought it was like a 25 pin sight :chuckle:

 :lol4: :lol4: Smooth Stability, baby! HAHA! This bow tends to tip backwards at the shot, so I use a bit of front weight  :tup: AND I like being different!  It's gone now, but i had a "rooster" ring for a vibration damper on it for a couple years  :chuckle: :chuckle: people at the range would look at me funny when i pulled it out and there was a pink and purple silicon spiky ring on it  :lol4: :stirthepot:

Did you notice the XX75 2215 aluminums with 4.5" feathers?  :chuckle: :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: lamrith on September 29, 2017, 08:52:45 AM
Up close and personal, well done!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: jackmaster on September 29, 2017, 08:57:23 AM
Damn nice cat !! Congrats, you saved some deer in your area that's for sure  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Sandberm on September 29, 2017, 08:58:47 AM
Wow, look at the paws on that thing! Nice. :tup:

My bro in law had a similar experience a couple weeks ago. He was standing with his back to a tree with some brush behind him and some brush in front of him. He could see down one trail but not the other that intersected his position. Arrow nocked looking down the trail he could see down, the cat surprised him from the trail he couldnt see coming on his right. Like your experience, the cat just stared. My bro tried to pivot slowly to his right to get a shot but some branches were in the way so he reached for his holstered pistol and when he unsnapped the strap going over the pistol, the cougars eyes got huge, he realised then that he was looking at trouble and bolted off. He was 11 yds out.

Of course when my bro told me the story over coffee the other morning he was very animated. He said it was one of the coolest outdoor experiences he ever had. :)
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: HuntnFishnRyan on September 29, 2017, 09:00:34 AM
nice work on that kitty
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: vandeman17 on September 29, 2017, 09:06:21 AM
Well played and holy stabilizer! For a split second I thought it was like a 25 pin sight :chuckle:

 :lol4: :lol4: Smooth Stability, baby! HAHA! This bow tends to tip backwards at the shot, so I use a bit of front weight  :tup: AND I like being different!  It's gone now, but i had a "rooster" ring for a vibration damper on it for a couple years  :chuckle: :chuckle: people at the range would look at me funny when i pulled it out and there was a pink and purple silicon spiky ring on it  :lol4: :stirthepot:

Did you notice the XX75 2215 aluminums with 4.5" feathers?  :chuckle: :tup:

I did! I am confident that I will never see a bow like yours ever again.  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: npaull on September 29, 2017, 09:09:21 AM
Way to go, man.

So, do you think it was stalking you, or just happened to be close?
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: quadrafire on September 29, 2017, 09:17:15 AM
WOW......That had to get the heart rate up. Geez
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 09:20:12 AM
do you think it was stalking you, or just happened to be close?

I don't know.  I was quiet in the blind and there's been no deer on camera at that blind all week (surprise surprise!). He didn't seem nervous or crouched or anything, just... there! appeared out of nowhere!  :yike: he did have to walk right past the spot i peed before getting to the blind.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 09:23:06 AM
Well played and holy stabilizer! For a split second I thought it was like a 25 pin sight :chuckle:

 :lol4: :lol4: Smooth Stability, baby! HAHA! This bow tends to tip backwards at the shot, so I use a bit of front weight  :tup: AND I like being different!  It's gone now, but i had a "rooster" ring for a vibration damper on it for a couple years  :chuckle: :chuckle: people at the range would look at me funny when i pulled it out and there was a pink and purple silicon spiky ring on it  :lol4: :stirthepot:

Did you notice the XX75 2215 aluminums with 4.5" feathers?  :chuckle: :tup:

I did! I am confident that I will never see a bow like yours ever again.  :tup:

You should have seen it when I got it!  It was leopard print!  Like a trashy girl's thong  :lol4: :lol4: :lol4:  Why Martin thought that was a viable color choice for a bow, I'll never know... :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Gringo31 on September 29, 2017, 09:27:18 AM
 :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: E35alex on September 29, 2017, 10:13:46 AM
 :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: bearpaw on September 29, 2017, 10:15:06 AM
nice cat and story, congrats :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: OutHouse on September 29, 2017, 10:54:55 AM
Very cool story and great animal. I wonder if it was just curious or of you were potentially on the menu!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Mfowl on September 29, 2017, 10:55:01 AM
 :tup: Congrats!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: KFhunter on September 29, 2017, 11:02:33 AM
Very cool story and great animal. I wonder if it was just curious or of you were potentially on the menu!

never know  :o


I suspect it seen movement and was trying to figure out what was behind that blind, cats see any movement immediately.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 29, 2017, 11:07:36 AM
Well done on a nice cat!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 29, 2017, 11:28:11 AM
Hair raising event for both I'm sure. Good shot! :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Rainier10 on September 29, 2017, 11:55:43 AM
Awesome cat and story, well done.  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: lokidog on September 29, 2017, 12:28:51 PM
Way to be prepared and take care of business!   :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Pegasus on September 29, 2017, 01:19:54 PM
When you realized that face staring at you was a cougar did the thought that you might be on the menu for dinner cross your mind? Nice shooting!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on September 29, 2017, 01:24:11 PM
When you realized that face staring at you was a cougar did the thought that you might be on the menu for dinner cross your mind? Nice shooting!

It took a few beats to process what I was seeing, and if it was real.  but yes, I had the debate about who was hunting who in my mind!  :yike:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: pygmy1985 on September 29, 2017, 02:20:42 PM
That's what I was thinking, that you were the prey. I'm surprised he didn't take off when he saw you. Good thing you had those deer helping you out!
Was it a Tom?
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: saylean on September 29, 2017, 02:22:20 PM
That doesn't happen every day.  :tup:

Congrats! So awesome.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: REHJWA on September 29, 2017, 02:45:44 PM
Going from the hunter to the hunted would get my heart rate up. Nice shot. Thanks for sharing. Great cat.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 29, 2017, 02:55:00 PM
Wow, great cat. You're a stone cold cougar killer, 724.  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: pd on September 29, 2017, 03:25:19 PM
And this, my dear friends, is why we by that cougar tag.  Most of us will never use it, but this is a stellar reason why you need it.

Congratulations to Cool Hand Luke.  I am not sure I would have been able to keep my composure.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 29, 2017, 03:34:29 PM
Damn, that is awesome.  Looks like a good sized cat too. :tup:

What an experience.
:yeah: :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Machias on September 30, 2017, 09:27:59 AM
Awesome job!!  Congrats on a nice cat!!!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Kit Carson on September 30, 2017, 09:38:19 AM
Congrats!  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: stew pidasso on September 30, 2017, 02:22:27 PM
Dude. Nice
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: hunting4sanity on September 30, 2017, 02:33:08 PM
That's going to be forever a high-point of your hunting life, congrats!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: TVHunts on September 30, 2017, 03:11:18 PM
What a great story and nice animal!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Pinetar on September 30, 2017, 03:42:51 PM
Great story, Congrats!!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Watimberghost on September 30, 2017, 04:29:21 PM
Nice Cat! That's a great encounter  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: gramps on September 30, 2017, 07:52:34 PM
Congrats on a nice cat and story.  There is an amazing feeling that one experiences and does not forget when you are that close to a large predator....been there myself.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Dan-o on September 30, 2017, 09:08:05 PM
Wow, cool story!!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Turner89 on September 30, 2017, 10:08:36 PM
Congrats on a nice cat and story.  There is an amazing feeling that one experiences and does not forget when you are that close to a large predator....been there myself.
:yeah: been there also.

Awesome cat, and story :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: MADMAX on October 01, 2017, 06:27:12 AM
ditto :yeah:
nice job with a bow on the ground cool
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on October 02, 2017, 01:02:39 PM
Congrats!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Mossyoak on October 02, 2017, 05:02:10 PM
Nice work!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: RB on October 10, 2017, 09:05:50 PM
Just caught this in as they lay 2017 nice Cat!  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Rainier10 on October 12, 2017, 09:20:27 AM
Post up a pic and a link to your story in the 2017 photo album here http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,219333.0.html
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Netminder01 on October 12, 2017, 09:51:03 AM
Rad story and a successful outcome!! Congrats!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: Milkman on October 12, 2017, 09:53:00 AM
Story had me on the edge of the toilet seat!  Lol awesome shot!  :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: ebusa on October 24, 2017, 07:43:15 AM
Congrats!

There is absolutely NO OTHER RUSH like the one you get when you get a cat!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 24, 2017, 08:39:10 AM
 :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on October 24, 2017, 11:44:08 AM
So, I shot my cat on September 28th.  I got a photo from our game camera from my neighbor on October 11th. This cat is roughly 15 feet from where my cat was standing when I shot it. My cat would have been just out of view to the bottom right. My blind is just out of view to on the right hand side. This cat looks pretty close to the size of the one I shot and I assume they're siblings? If that's the case, I would think it would be highly likely this cat was very near when I killed it's brother!  :yike:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: 724wd on July 29, 2019, 08:18:55 AM
UPDATE:

Clyde the Cougar (kids named him) is home and on the wall! Gary at Northwest Taxidermy in Post Falls knocked it out of the park!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: pianoman9701 on July 29, 2019, 09:07:56 AM
I saw your post on FB this morning. What an incredible mount!
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: HighlandLofts on July 29, 2019, 07:26:10 PM
It must of been a hell of an experiancen from the second you relized it was a cougarn to taking the shot with a bow and then walki g to itb.c. to see if it was dead or still alive.
Nice looking mount on that cougar.
Congrats.
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: sjhgraysage on August 01, 2019, 10:50:32 AM
I've seen a lot of cougars mounted. Yours is one of the better jobs that I have seen. Way to Go!
 :tup:
Title: Re: Archery Cougar
Post by: elkrack on August 03, 2019, 07:06:59 PM
Awesome mount! Big cats give ya a chill when you look them in the eyes! :tup:
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