Muley Reports Chelan and Okanogan Counties

[UBA]

Cougar meat is pretty dam good. Last winter, in a three week span, we killed three cats out of a 50 acre area all males and all over 140l lbs. When it takes less than week for another cat to move in, there are way way to many.

[bigmacc]

I admire you and respect you for following the law but PLEASE put a cougar tag in your back pocket next time, that cat you just let walk will take down 50 deer, I guarantee that you could knock one down, tag it and have many people who would shake your hand and take the meat, in fact you may reach hero status, nothing would go to waste. A couple of us in deer camp this year purchased nothing but predator tags, we don't eat cougar or bear either, just not our cup of tea but there is not a shortage of folks who would appreciate it. Once again, I respect you for following the law and not killing something you won't eat, I am and have been brought up the same way but knowing other folks will eat these deer killers, well, its game on, nothing will go to waste and in my mind we are saving deer and elk, after all, no one else is looking out for our herds so we as hunters need to do our part and do it legally and ethicaly.... and

[bigmacc]

Oh and one more post from some more folks I know, camp of 3 hunted the Methow for 4 days, seen very few deer(12 total, 10 does-2 small 2 points) jumped the hump into the north Okanogan Valley and killed a 4by4 and a 3by4. I got no one else left (except for my buddy in Davis Lk turf) they had a 3by 3 down on the second to last day, maybe they filled up on tuesday(that would be 4 more), I highly doubt it but will talk to him on Sunday to verify.

[MADMAX]

2 out of 10 in my group got bucks in the Methow valley
pretty freakin sad
game check was in and they made it like one day and had to take no doze

[Windwalker]

Only people I've ever heard say mt lion doesnt taste good are people that havent had the chance to try mt lion.

 

Some of the best meat I’ve ever eaten.😉

Ditto! 

[Camo]

On the cat food conversation, a member on here graciously brought me a package of cougar steaks when he came by to purchase something I had posted in the classifieds. Admittedly, it was not something I ever really considered eating although I always buy the tag on the chance that I can get a shot opportunity. Although I overcooked it on a new unfamiliar grill, it seemed very similar to pork and I would definitely look forward to the opportunity to prepare it appropriately. 

[X-Force]

During modern hunted 2 days saw 6 legal bucks, 2 more bucks unknown size because of distance, 4 spikes and 2pts and saw 30 deer the second day only hunting until noon. All deer were on public.

My buddy passed up on 2 bear.

We went 2 for 10. 54 hunting days.

[wolfbait]

What the heck! I know it is been said  on here before but why do people not buy these cougar tags??? If you just buy the combo it’s hardly anymore and this is the only way we’re ever going to help our deer population out if these people are seeing them actually kill them. But then again I guess the most effective way to not see them for me is to always have a tag in my pocket.

Because if I don't plan on eating it, I wont kill it.

       

There are always others who would eat the meat or food banks. But insects and rodents are killed to protect crops, prairie dogs are killed to protect cattle, mice are killed to protect the health of our families. None of them are eaten, but killed to protect our families or natural resources. Our predator populations are out of control and are a direct threat to our natural resources when unchecked and not properly managed. Deer and elk are major natural resources not just as a food source, but for our economies both micro and macro and there are communities in this state that are suffering because of the number of people heading out of state. It is our moral duty as hunters and conservationists to do our part to protect our natural resources and communities every time we step into the woods. That means buying the tags and taking advantage of the opportunity to harvest predators when given the chance. So while the meat should be utilized, the life of one predator is not greater than the lives of hundreds of deer and ungulates that will be taken out of the herd.

I wish more hunters had your attitude Scuffy!

I admire you and respect you for following the law but PLEASE put a cougar tag in your back pocket next time, that cat you just let walk will take down 50 deer, I guarantee that you could knock one down, tag it and have many people who would shake your hand and take the meat, in fact you may reach hero status, nothing would go to waste. A couple of us in deer camp this year purchased nothing but predator tags, we don't eat cougar or bear either, just not our cup of tea but there is not a shortage of folks who would appreciate it. Once again, I respect you for following the law and not killing something you won't eat, I am and have been brought up the same way but knowing other folks will eat these deer killers, well, its game on, nothing will go to waste and in my mind we are saving deer and elk, after all, no one else is looking out for our herds so we as hunters need to do our part and do it legally and ethicaly.... and

in 2010-2011 when we were chasing wolf kills up and down the Methow Valley, we came across a few cougar kills where the wolves drove the cat off it's kill, which means the cat then has to go kill another.

[boneaddict]

We watched that in the scope.  multiple times.

[shootingblanks]

What the heck! I know it is been said  on here before but why do people not buy these cougar tags??? If you just buy the combo it’s hardly anymore and this is the only way we’re ever going to help our deer population out if these people are seeing them actually kill them. But then again I guess the most effective way to not see them for me is to always have a tag in my pocket.

Because if I don't plan on eating it, I wont kill it.

       

There are always others who would eat the meat or food banks. But insects and rodents are killed to protect crops, prairie dogs are killed to protect cattle, mice are killed to protect the health of our families. None of them are eaten, but killed to protect our families or natural resources. Our predator populations are out of control and are a direct threat to our natural resources when unchecked and not properly managed. Deer and elk are major natural resources not just as a food source, but for our economies both micro and macro and there are communities in this state that are suffering because of the number of people heading out of state. It is our moral duty as hunters and conservationists to do our part to protect our natural resources and communities every time we step into the woods. That means buying the tags and taking advantage of the opportunity to harvest predators when given the chance. So while the meat should be utilized, the life of one predator is not greater than the lives of hundreds of deer and ungulates that will be taken out of the herd.

You all sure like to jump to conclusions and get preachy.

[shootingblanks]

I admire you and respect you for following the law but PLEASE put a cougar tag in your back pocket next time, that cat you just let walk will take down 50 deer, I guarantee that you could knock one down, tag it and have many people who would shake your hand and take the meat, in fact you may reach hero status, nothing would go to waste. A couple of us in deer camp this year purchased nothing but predator tags, we don't eat cougar or bear either, just not our cup of tea but there is not a shortage of folks who would appreciate it. Once again, I respect you for following the law and not killing something you won't eat, I am and have been brought up the same way but knowing other folks will eat these deer killers, well, its game on, nothing will go to waste and in my mind we are saving deer and elk, after all, no one else is looking out for our herds so we as hunters need to do our part and do it legally and ethicaly.... and

 Thanks but I wasn't even there when the pics were taken.  My boys took the pic while I was hunting somewhere else with my daughter. And I am proud of them for not shooting it without a tag. But I'm sure they will buy tags next year.

[bigmacc]

I admire you and respect you for following the law but PLEASE put a cougar tag in your back pocket next time, that cat you just let walk will take down 50 deer, I guarantee that you could knock one down, tag it and have many people who would shake your hand and take the meat, in fact you may reach hero status, nothing would go to waste. A couple of us in deer camp this year purchased nothing but predator tags, we don't eat cougar or bear either, just not our cup of tea but there is not a shortage of folks who would appreciate it. Once again, I respect you for following the law and not killing something you won't eat, I am and have been brought up the same way but knowing other folks will eat these deer killers, well, its game on, nothing will go to waste and in my mind we are saving deer and elk, after all, no one else is looking out for our herds so we as hunters need to do our part and do it legally and ethicaly.... and

 Thanks but I wasn't even there when the pics were taken.  My boys took the pic while I was hunting somewhere else with my daughter. And I am proud of them for not shooting it without a tag. But I'm sure they will buy tags next year.

 

[bigmacc]

Just talked with my friend in the Davis Lk. area in the Methow, big family camp(on private land to boot!), 9 tags, 1 buck. He said worst he has seen in over 50 years, 4 of his grandsons even took horses up into higher country, 3 days in seen 8 deer, no bucks. Found 6 cached cougar kills 1-2 months old but did not see the cat.

[Idabooner]

From my wolf diary!
March 17 2010     *last day the female was seen (she denned)
More wolves this morning.  As the sun hit the hill approximately 7:45, I thought the deer were placed different than normal. My gut told me to grab the bino’s and take a look, soon I spotted #2, #3, and #4 wolves standing together at attention looking into a sharp draw that I couldn’t see the very bottom of.  I quickly set up the scope and about that time a cougar came charging out on the tail of #1 wolf, they went about a 100 feet then the other 3 wolves joined in and they put the cat at bay, then circling and charging in at it they made the cat start backing up, about 10 minuets of this they had the cat backed past the kill ( I’m sure it was the cats kill) and it turned and ran with the wolves on it’s tail to a lone pine tree, it treed and 3 wolves kept it up the tree while #1 went to the kill and drug the deer AROUND a very steep side hill for 30 feet (this would have been very hard for a man to do, it took several minuets) the deer rolled once, (I could see it was completely intact)     (the only reason I can think of would be to get the carcass out in the open so they could claim it easier)  It must have taken #1 about an hour to get her fill and get back so #2 could eat which didn’t take so long until he got back and #3 & #4 could eat together, they didn’t eat long until #1 started to leave, #2 followed her and then #3, they were strung out a mile when they all stopped and the back two come back slowly waiting for #4 which was still eating, #1 continued on around the hill to never be seen again.  #2 (a male) took over the kill and soon got a BIG chunk loose and carried it around the hill ½ mile before he was out of sight, soon #3 followed with a big chunk. The three carried meat for an hour (5 loads) always on the same path and always leaving one at the kill so the cat couldn’t get any.  A couple times one would make a run at the tree like the cat might have started down. I could only see the cat part of the time in the limbs. Finally the three just lied down near the cat tree watching, once they suddenly made a run at the tree, #2 going clear in while the other two hung back a little.  After a long while the wolves just wondered up over the hill out of sight.  I put my full attention on the tree for 20 minuets and about decided the cat must have slipped out when I seen a limb move more than the wind, soon the cat jumped out and went to where the kill was then up to where the kill had started from, about that time another cat come out of the tree and joined her, then another cat appeared from some place. It was a mother and two 2-3 year old kittens.  There was absolutely nothing left for them to eat so they wondered up over the hill probably to make another kill some place. It was 11:50 when the cats went out of sight so this was a long watch.

[Idabooner]

Another time from the diary!
April 24 2010
Seen 2 wolves on the ridge top and very soon seen a very large cougar make a circle from the ridge top down the hill and back over the ridge. (Think they run him off his kill)