Weather looked good from last weekend, so I planned a half day hunt this AM with my Nephew.
Well, the moisture came in yesterday when it was in the 40's up to 5 or 6000 feet, then it cleared off for the cold overnight. = No mountain snow.
Oh well, I planned to go, so going I am...
I decided we'd try a new "Cold Calling" technique I devised for Bobcats.
For our second stand we left the truck and skirted an overgrown clearcut for 200yards, and then faded into the dark timber for about 50 yards and set up.
About 2 minutes into the calling I had movement directly in front of me. I saw flashes of a BIG bobcat coming in from about 35 yards. It stopped at about 25 yards. I eased the gun up and had the cat's left rear hip in the scope. The rest was behind a clump of treetrunks.
Two steps later he'd be in a very small lane. I moistened my lips in anticipation of squeaking him to a stop in the lane... any second now.... I could only see the left rear flank. He kept me there, in a sitting position, holding the rifle mostly offhand, for quite awhile, probably almost a minute.
I started to get a little shaky with just one elbow on one knee. I decided to ease forward just a tad, and then I'd have both elbows on both knees. I couldn't see his front 2/3 at all, so I figured he couldn't see me either.
I eased forward and got the second elbow rested.
Immediately after that, the cat whirled and bounded away. I saw a flash of gray and black, and heard 3 bounds. I was definately busted! No sneaking away here, he was GONE!
I ran another sound for 5 minutes or so, but there was no hope for that one!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! I was so miffed I forgot to photograph the stand for you!
First call-in of the year and I blow it!
