Bearpaw Season - Fall 2019

[bearpaw]

I'm always dismayed at the number of misses when you post these recaps.

We are pretty dismayed too at times. Actually it's just a part of hunting and quite a few of the hunters we get are more novice type hunters and more prone to get excited and miss. But it takes a lot of self control when a big bull is fired up and close! On a positive note, we've been having pretty good luck on our Idaho rifle hunts, several bucks and bulls have been taken, when I get a chance I'll post some updates.

[bearpaw]

10 bulls down so far, several others missed, many others seen, this is turning into a good elk season, but packing all these elk out has been a pile of work, will post elk photos when possible.

Eric nailed one of the first bucks this deer season in Idaho. He passed several smaller bucks and held out for a 4x4 buck, congrats Eric.

[bearpaw]

Washington Late Buck
We didn't hunt early buck in WA this year, we concentrated on our Idaho and Utah hunts. I had two hunters and a guide out the first morning for the WA late buck season and they saw 10 bucks, there wass a doe that several bucks were chasing, looks like late season is going to be a good one for us here in WA this year. First day one hunter filled out, the next morning , yesterday the other hunter filled out.

Montana Deer Season
Scouting this week before the hunters arrived, guide Derek saw 15 shooter bucks. Devon and Stephanie started hunting two days ago, Stephanie nailed her buck the first evening, Derek told me she shot the wrong buck, there was a bigger buck, but she was tickled so he never mentioned that the bigger buck got away, why spoil it for her. Devon nailed a toad the next morning and they are headed to the taxidermist.

Utah Deer Season
We just finished Utah, Russell's hunters nailed the last two bucks day before yesterday. It was a good season with lots of deer and bucks seen. Next year should be real good, we left plenty of bucks on the ranch.

Idaho Elk Hunting
We ended up having one of our best elk seasons ever in Idaho. The cow elk season is still ongoing, we nailed another cow elk yesterday and still have a couple more hunters coming, we'll be done on the 15th.

Cougar Season
Looking forward to another cougar season, that will get underway in December as soon as more snow hits the ground.

Photos
I broke my phone and lost all my photos, as soon as I get guides and hunters to forward photos again I'll try to get some of them posted. Here are two of the Utah bucks taken this season by Randy and Steve.

[bearpaw]

One of the bulls taken in Idaho this season by Jeff from Florida.

[bearpaw]

Another bull taken by Rhett from Washington.

[bearpaw]

Photos from the trail, packing camps, elk, and deer out.

[TheStovePipeKid]

Sounds like alot of full freezers and happy customers this fall. I'm looking forward to the cougar hunts.

[bearpaw]

Its been a super busy season for us all fall, now we are busy chasing the big cats. Snow has been tough at times but hunting has been good when we have had snow and have taken numerous cats. Two days ago Brian ran into a really bad cat. The cat had a 40" stride and a fairly good sized foot, he figured it was a tom, normally most cats with more than a 36" stride are toms.

The track was kind of cold so he walked the dogs a ways until they could take it on their own. It was a fairly long chase, the cat eventually ended up in an overgrown clear cut. Brian headed in with the hunter to get the cat, but he noticed at times the dogs would really roar and then some silence and then a roar again. This had him worried, not a good sign, the dogs should be barking steady.

When they got a little closer he realized it was bayed up on the ground in the brush, he moved in closer, every time a dog would get too close the cat would charge and try to catch the dog, the dogs were all bitten and bleeding. Suddenly the cat decided Brian was too close and charged, Brian didn't want to shoot the cat so he turned and ran straight downhill, Ruby grabbed the cat but the cat turned and grabbed her, a couple other dogs grabbed the cat and Ruby escaped with a few bites and some scratches. Then the cat charged Brian again, other dogs intervened and Brian escaped injury again.

Finally the cat turned and ran out of the overgrown clearcut and treed in a big fir. The hunter shot the cat and Brian inspected the hounds, all 6 dogs and Ruby had bite marks on their heads or necks with scratches and punctures on their sides and hind quarters. After photos he packed the cat and the dogs were all able to walk out on their own. Turned out the cat was an old female, really mean old female, I think she'd been conditioned by the wolves and that is why she didn't really fear the dogs.

After getting home Brian gave all the dogs antibiotics, most didn't eat anything, but the dogs all made it through the first night, the next evening they all ate, and they made it through a second night, we are hoping they all heal up and we don't lose any of them, so far they are all hanging in there.

Photos of the female that had the 40" stride!

[Platensek-po]

Good looking cat!!! Hope the dogs come out ok!! How common is it for the dogs to get injured while chasing cats??

[Tracker0721]

Glad you got the cat after all that. Big kitty right there! Hope all the dogs heal up quick!

[bearpaw]

Yesterday morning it was the first day of a new hunt, it was snowing lightly, we checked some canyons on snowmobiles then got back to the truck and went to a different area, we were only 10 minutes from the truck on snowmobiles when we cut a nice track that measured 39-40 inches, with big toes I was certain it was a decent tom, there very little snow in the track, but unfortunately it was headed toward private land.

We went over the ridge and down the next canyon, the tom had hunted the private land and came back out headed north into public land. I cut further down the that canyon and headed up the next canyon, the tom had already crossed that canyon too so I headed further up to see if he crossed again. Further up the canyon the tom came back on the road, walked the road a ways, then cut back up on the ridge to the north again, we went to the end of the road and turned around and come back out to go check the next canyon to the north, on the way out I saw where the lion had come off the ridge and crossed our snowmobile tracks, it couldn't have been more than 5 or 10 minutes since he crossed. I looked at Brandon, "I'm loving it, this track is smoking hot, let's get the dogs!"

We went back to the truck to get the dogs and Randy. It was getting light as we readied the hounds and Randy got ready for his first snowmobile ride, we loaded the dogs, showed Randy how to operate his snowmobile, and headed back up the mountain to chase the cat. We got back to the track and got the dogs out, they didn't even have to put their heads in the track to smell the cat's scent and opened loudly. We released the hounds and the chase was on, the dogs were all moving the track as fast as they could. The tom went maybe a half mile or so and took refuge in a fir tree. The dogs were screaming treed so we headed up the hill from the snow machines. It was a pretty short hike but really steep, we got there and at first sight I knew it was a decent tom. Brandon tied the dogs back, Randy took a careful aim, boom, the cat fell out deader than a doornail, I love it when a plan comes together!

Upon examination we determined the cat must have picked his head up just as Randy shot because the bullet entered the chest but came out the top of the cat's head, no wonder he fell out dead and didn't run at all. We got everything off the mountain and headed for home, a tom cat in the bag and smiles on our faces.

[bearpaw]

How common is it for the dogs to get injured while chasing cats??

It varies, most cats are afraid of the dogs even though the dogs are much smaller, sometimes we go a few years without a dog getting hurt and then we might run into a bad cat or two then maybe a few years again.

[pianoman9701]

Great story, Bearpaw. I've never hunted with hounds. I bet that's a kick.

[Machias]

WACoyotehunter and I treed a cat like that back in 2012. Would not tree and all of the dogs ended up leaking from several holes.  Female cat as well.  Good luck this winter Dale!!  Stay safe!

[bearpaw]

WACoyotehunter and I treed a cat like that back in 2012. Would not tree and all of the dogs ended up leaking from several holes.  Female cat as well.  Good luck this winter Dale!!  Stay safe!

You just never know what kind of cat you are turning loose on.   

Thanks Fred, good luck to you too!

Great story, Bearpaw. I've never hunted with hounds. I bet that's a kick.

Yeah, it's my favorite type of hunting.