Bearpaw Season - Fall 2013

[carpsniperg2]

Love seeing those dog and cat pictures!

[Machias]

Love seeing those dog and cat pictures!

 

[bearpaw]

Because the Danes were still in Atlanta we told Nick we were hunting for him in the morning. We loaded the dogs and headed out to look for one of the toms we knew about. First thing early in the morning on his way to find the tom that had made the deer kill, Brian found another tom that had crossed the road, from a complete different area, this track was fresh in the new snow which had fallen only a few hours earlier in the night, there wasn't a flake in the lion tracks.

At daylight we prepped several anxious hounds and released them on the track. The hounds opened up well on the track and moved along quickly. It was a fairly quick chase and in less than an hour the dogs were treed. We took off the heavy layers of clothing and started hiking, I followed with the video camera as we closed the distance. Before long we were within 50 yards and even though we tried to approach carefully the cat spotted us and jumped out over the top of the dogs. I tried to get it on video but not sure you can see the cat jump, the dogs were following hot on his heels, we saw them all go across the hillside with the dogs only about 30 yards behind, wow this was great for the two young pups and a new dog I had recently bought that needs finished out.

They were headed almost straight away and suddenly the cat changed direction and came back downhill right below us, we saw the cat at about 150 yards and heard his claws as he climbed a tree to escape the hounds. Then suddenly he jumped again in an attempt to lose the hounds and headed straight down the canyon. The hounds were absolutely screaming as they followed the big cat down the canyon, this sounded awesome and I was getting most of it on video. Soon the cat turned to the right to climb up the ridge, that was a mistake, the dogs always gain on a cat that goes uphill.

Within 100 yards after turning uphill the dogs treed the cat again. We were only a few hundred yards behind the dogs and quickly closed the distance moving in carefully the last 70 yards. The cat was only about 25 feet up the tree so Nick and I stopped at 25 yards, Brian snuck in and snapped a couple closer photos then leashed the best dogs so Nick could shoot.

Nick aimed the lever action 44 and hammered the cat which jumped out and headed back down the hill. The young dogs and my new dog were hot on his heels as was Brian and Nick. I stayed with the good dogs until Brian hollered that the cat was down, then I released the good dogs and headed down myself. The cat had fallen about 120 yards from the tree. We took photos and video and then headed for the truck.

We estimated the cat to weigh 140 or more and judging by his teeth he was probably 6 or 7 years old. I love it when a plan comes together.

[bearpaw]

The Danes finally made it here and we hunted the last two days. It's been below zero for a week in the mornings but this morning was the coldest. This morning it was -43 in the nearest town where we were hunting and -46 on the mountain. Yesterday we cut 4 female tracks but no toms. This morning a few animals moved but no cats. We had a hard time with equipment this morning, my wheeler wouldn't start, I towed it 2 miles with the truck and it still wouldn't start. One snowmobile wouldn't start either, and Brian blew a new tire on a rock that should have never blown a 10 ply tire.

I rode snowmobile for 1 1/2 hours looking for tracks and even though I had my head completely covered and goggles, I still froze some skin on my face. Gotta keep an eye on that skin now. 

It's supposed to warm up some tomorrow and more the next day. I just hope it don't get colder.

[quadrafire]

Exciting cat stories Dale. That last one had me on the edge of my seat.

That cold can't be too good on the dogs either. At least my nose freezes up when it gets super cold.
It is warming here in Spokane this week. Not sure where you are, but I doubt it will drop anymore.

[bearpaw]

I've ran the hounds and caught the cat when it was about -30 once and several times in -20's, but never found a track in -40's, I'm glad that we didn't have to run this morning, it was brutal cold.

[Killmore]

Tell Nick congratulations, or is he on this forum..

[mulehunter]

I wish I could... Chase everyday 

Miss chase all my cats.   

[bearpaw]

Tell Nick congratulations, or is he on this forum..

He's not on the forum so I'll tell him. 

[HighCountryHunter88]

whats that shaggy dog all about? great pics!! glad your getting after it!

[RadSav]

whats that shaggy dog all about?

    Little shoe lace eater with a Napoleonic inferiority complex!

[bearpaw]

whats that shaggy dog all about?

    Little shoe lace eater with a Napoleonic inferiority complex!

That's Ruby, half Irish terrier, half Jagdterrier, chases bear, cats, mice, birds, whatever you sick her on. Also makes a heck of a pet with some serious personality.

[bearpaw]

Another Tom Down
It warmed up, it was all the way up to 1 degree last night, we thought we were in the tropics this morning after the -40's yesterday morning. 

Cats move when it warms up, this morning was no exception, Brian and I each found female tracks and then he found tom tracks. We turned loose right after daylight and the dogs trailed for probably 7 or 8 miles, a longer chase this time, it took them 4 hours to follow the old tracks, catch up to the 135ish pound tom cat, and persuade him to tree. The two pups made the whole race and were at the tree, one began treeing a little at this tree. The cat was way up the tree and tough to get a good shot but we found the right spot.

One of the brothers from Denmark shot the cat with the 44 lever action. Cat only ran about 50 yards after jumping out. Both young dogs were loose for the kill and barking at the downed cat, they are this spring's pups but will probably be cat dogs by the end of the season. The old dogs did an awesome job. We think this might be the tom we had been looking for that had killed the deer with the female last week. No way of knowing for sure, but it sort of adds up considering where we found him. I love it when a plan comes together.

Tonight we celebrated with big ribeyes, a rack of ribs, and hot wings, we were all stuffed, oh yeah, their were also a few beers that disappeared.   

[Duffer]

He's a beaut! awesome stuff 

[carpsniperg2]

Another beautiful cat! He found a tall tree didn't he