Busted...Again

[gramps]

I am convinced from past experiences and from the discussion many years ago on the Trapperman forum that cats hunt with there eyes more than their other senses.  I have  seen this print in the snow several times.   On a couple occasions I saw the cat but could not get in position to shoot and other times I found the track when I walked around the area where I was calling.

Still exciting to know I tricked one long enough to come and investigate the sound.

[pianoman9701]

Pretty cool, Gramps. 

[Machias]

Awesome!!!!!!!!  What sound(s) were you using?

[gramps]

Fred
I called this one in with a kid goat in distress sound.  I have used quite a few different sounds..deer in distress, bird sounds, cougar sounds.
 I am just about convinced that it does not matter what animal sound it is as long as the sound projects an animal in distress.

Because cats are so cautious, I usually call for 45 to 60 minutes depending on how cold I get.

Thoughts...anyone?

[LongBomb]

I would love to get into this! Gramps what's your calling stand to seeing one ratio?

[gramps]

Well, that is an embarrassingly low number.

When there has been reasonably fresh tracks....maybe 50%
I have, however, made 50 calling sets in a year in places where there have been tracks at other times without any success.

It can certainly be a fool's errand.   But one never knows.

It is better if we have some serious winter conditions because the game is more concentrated and so are the predators.  Open winters are more difficult to find tracks.

[Machias]

I have managed to call in a couple, one with a elk calf distress (I never saw it, the guy sitting with his back to mine saw it) and once with turkey sounds.  That one I got to see really well for several seconds since he was only 15 feet away and just stood there staring at me. 

I imagine you have used Rainshadow's lion sounds?

Have you tried calling from a blind?

[KFhunter]

Hide your call, the cats come in just far enough to see what all the commotion is about and sit to study it all. Hide the call and force them to come a bit closer, where you can see them.

I think most times cats come in on pure curiosity rather than: "I'm gunna eat something". They might have a full belly, sleepy, for whatever reason arent really looking for a new kill, but can't resist checking out that racket. We as hunters have a hard time getting past calling a cat to a meal, instead call to it's curiosity, where will a cat stop to see whats going on down below?

I dislike calling in timbered or brushy flats, I like rocky terrain and I like to hide the call below a small bluff with good over look areas, I watch those overlooks well above my call.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[gramps]

KFHunter
I agree they are curious and I have try to hide the call also depending on the situation.  Not too many really open places where we call.
The last two had very empty stomachs.

Fred
I bought a chair blind last fall.  Only used it twice this winter.  It does restrict one's view to the sides, but is comfortable and one doesn't have to sit in the snow.

[carpsniperg2]

Looks like the cat is traveling in that area or multiple cats on that line maybe tom following a female? Looks like a couple variations on how old the tracks are.

[WA hunter14]

It looks like the cat was sitting and just melted the snow a little more here and there.

[WA hunter14]

See the marks from its back legs in the snow

[KFhunter]

It looks like the cat was sitting and just melted the snow a little more here and there.

 


I looked at the ice in the bottom of the track, it's not melted out from sun, and the fluff where it lifted its foot isn't melted out at all.  It's fresh, it sat there a while in its haunches and melted some snow on the rock. 

[gramps]

I saw this cat make this track.  There were tracks of more than one cat in this area and as stated else where calling on fresh tracks is best.  It came in on my right side about 60 yrds out.  I am right handed and was trying to get lined up to make a left handed shot and it must have seen me move and was gone when I had the rifle moved to my left side.  I moved and made two more calling sets with out results and took the photo on my way back to the rig.
Still exciting!!

[Machias]

Awesome, good luck!!!!

[boneaddict]

Thanks for the post.  Very interesting.

[rainshadow1]

You sure get in on 'em, Gramps! I have a pic like that! So cool... but aggravating when you know they were sitting there listening to ya!

[elkrack]

Great post! Predator hunting is going to be a necessity with the WDFWs game management policy’s.

[Skyvalhunter]

Or their lack of game management