Calling Cougars?

[Tracker0721]

Holy smokes! 101 is still open and I bumped into a guy saying he’s got a big cougar hanging around his place. Should be a doozy of a hike in on snowshoes to the back side of where he thinks the cougars home is in the rocks but I plan to be in there tomorrow around 7-7:30. We still have snow so hopefully I can cut some tracks and get the call going.

[TheStovePipeKid]

Holy smokes! 101 is still open and I bumped into a guy saying he’s got a big cougar hanging around his place. Should be a doozy of a hike in on snowshoes to the back side of where he thinks the cougars home is in the rocks but I plan to be in there tomorrow around 7-7:30. We still have snow so hopefully I can cut some tracks and get the call going.

Sweet score! Take good pictures.

[Tracker0721]

I should know not to trust people. Hiked quite a few miles and only cut dog tracks. Found a good perch to call from and had the call down below in a tree and managed to get 3 dogs really riled up. They have to be his as there’s no one else for miles and miles in that spot. No coyotes even howled when I tried some coyote calling back there. I did scare 3 does and a buck came along 5 minutes later, no antlers, grunting, nose to the snow following their tracks. That was pretty cool.

edited to rotate images right side up ~KFhunter

[KFhunter]

looks like cat country, sorry no luck

[Bango skank]

Well, a friend who has never hunted anything wants to give it a shot.  So april 1st we will start hunting lions in 101.  Going to do the hunter ed deferral for him.  2 sets of eyes will double the odds of getting a cat down if one comes in i guess.  Will be pretty crazy if his first kill is a close range lion.  Id rather see him get one than get one myself.

[TheStovePipeKid]

I work at a hospital, non clinical, and have suddenly found myself working long shifts and off hours. I'll probably have to eat my first ever tag from 2019. I let my wife know that I'm going to be hunting extensively in 2020 and cougar hunting was going to get the attention it needs. I really want to be a good citizen notch a few tags this coming decade.

[rainshadow1]

So many guys have asked me about callers and what would be a good unit for a budget, so I thought I'd just mention that today (March 20, 2020 3:15pm) I got an email from gander outdoors saying they had a sale on the FP Banshee for something like $207. That's pretty good...

[Bango skank]

DUMPING snow right now!  Might have great calling conditions in the hills tomorrow morning.

[Bango skank]

Not doing so hot in 101 so far.  Think tomorrow i may head to an area in 113 that i know is loaded with deer this time of year, see if my luck changes.  Made 10 calling attempts so far this month.

[Bango skank]

Went out for another round in 101 today.  Nothing worked out.  Got up there and realized id left my wallet at home.  No id, license, tag.  Turned around and got it, drove north again.  Only got 2 calling sessions in.  Left my sunglasses at my first set 1100 ft elevation above my truck.  Decided they lacked the sentimental value to retrieve.  The area i wanted to hunt has had the livin piss logged out of it since i was there last, so much stuff wide open and parklike, not conducive to calling.  Did find one set of lion tracks in the soft muddy road that i think were fresh.  Small cat.  Another day a bust.  And between the last 2 times ive gone out to hunt cats ive hiked 14 miles and not even found a single shed to take home as a consolation prize.  Just on a bit of a losing streak i guess.  15 calling sessions this month, no nothin.  Maybe i do need to go hit 113, might change my luck.

[birdshooter1189]

Bango:  PM sent.

[Bango skank]

Replied

[Bango skank]

Got one with a tracking collar in my back yard

[nwwanderer]

You must be neck deep in WDFW folks

[Bango skank]

You must be neck deep in WDFW folks

Guessing its from the predator prey study.  They were collaring deer just down the road from me.  I talked to the people doing it, they said they were having trouble trying to get enough deer collared.  I told them they should have done it 5 years ago when there were still deer in the neighborhood.  Cats and wolves ate em all.