Author Topic: Big old Utah mountain lion. (Read 8555 times)

Craig · « **on:** December 11, 2024, 08:38:41 AM »

Went on a hunt of a lifetime in Utah. Chased a couple older tracks but on day four it all came together. Worked our asses off. From cutting tracks in buggies, to riding mules in, to walking the mountains trying to cut tracks in crossing points. This cat was in some nasty country. We chased him for two days. Always loosing the dogs in the cliffs. We found him the second day one canyon over with a fresh kill. Full belly and he didn’t want to run as far to the cliffs again. The north slopes had about 1-2 feet of snow and the south slopes were almost bare. He was still up at 8400 feet elevation. Hard ass hunt.

Craig · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:39:20 AM »

I’m 6’2” about 220. He’s a big Tom.

pashok23 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:46:33 AM »

Nice cat, congrats 👍

boneaddict · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:50:06 AM »

This is the epitome of Lion hunting to me. Not sure if its from reading old Jack Oconnor stories, or from hanging out down in the red rock. I've just always wanted to have a lion hunt there. AWESOME

pianoman9701 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:56:34 AM »

Boy, what a beauty!

Dan-o · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:56:51 AM »

What an epic hunt.
Bigggggg cat.

sjhgraysage · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2024, 08:57:18 AM »

HntnFsh · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2024, 09:37:01 AM »

Holy Smokes!

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2024, 10:01:04 AM »

Awesome Lion! Congratulations! Bucket list hunt for me for sure

redi · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2024, 10:16:19 AM »

Congratulations

carpsniperg2 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2024, 10:20:45 AM »

Beautiful cat! Congrats

Houndhunter · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2024, 12:44:05 PM »

That's a good Tom!

MADMAX · « **Reply #12 on:** December 11, 2024, 12:50:09 PM »

Very nice I’d like to see more of those taken in Washington what a big old pumpkin head on him

Taco280AI · « **Reply #13 on:** December 11, 2024, 12:52:03 PM »

Great cat!

lewy · « **Reply #14 on:** December 11, 2024, 02:22:45 PM »

FWilliams · « **Reply #15 on:** December 11, 2024, 02:34:22 PM »

Beautiful cat. I miss those days

Klickitatsteelie · « **Reply #16 on:** December 11, 2024, 02:34:57 PM »

One of my top bucket list hunts for sure. Awesome cat

teanawayslayer · « **Reply #17 on:** December 11, 2024, 05:51:32 PM »

Congrats! That is a great Tom!!

actionshooter · « **Reply #18 on:** December 12, 2024, 04:57:36 PM »

That looks like such a cool hunt!

elkrack · « **Reply #19 on:** December 12, 2024, 05:43:43 PM »

Nice cat! Bucket list hunt

Gentrys · « **Reply #20 on:** December 12, 2024, 06:59:18 PM »

Congrats! That's one big cat.

mburrows · « **Reply #21 on:** December 12, 2024, 08:25:19 PM »

That's a stud, congrats

HighlandLofts · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2024, 04:23:41 PM »

Thank you for taking that big cat out of the system.
Will you be doing a mount with it, he is one big Tom. Probably was almost as much as you.
Just curious what a hunt like that would run?if it's with in my means I'll like to do one.

Ironhead · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2024, 06:50:29 PM »

He's a tank, congrats!

HUNTINCOUPLE · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2024, 09:35:49 PM »

Dandy cat!

C-Money · « **Reply #25 on:** December 18, 2024, 08:00:10 AM »

Glad it came together for you! Big lion!

Craig · « **Reply #26 on:** December 18, 2024, 08:50:12 AM »

The hunt wasn’t cheap. Been planning and researching for a four years. Booked this two years ago with an outfitter that kills a lot of big cats. We used to, side by sides, mules, and hiked . They know the area very well . Had three rotations of dogs so we had fresh dogs every day. When you count up everything. Guide, lodging and food was on my own, a tip, plane tickets and rental car. I’m north of $10,000 on this hunt already. He’s a really big cat so I am doing a life size mount with some habitat. Philip Soucy in Montana is going to mount him. Probably one of the best cat/lion taxidermist in the country. That’s going to be $7,000 + for the mount. Was a bucket list hunt. Not sure I will do one again or get a chance at a bigger cat. So wanted to do it right this time.

Few more pics

time2hunt · « **Reply #27 on:** December 18, 2024, 06:23:12 PM »

Beautiful Cat

I’m glad to hear your going with Phil no use spending that type of money and have so so taxidermist ruin a mount of a life time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

dvolmer · « **Reply #28 on:** December 25, 2024, 10:35:31 PM »

Wow!!! That is a Whopper!!!

furbearer365 · « **Reply #29 on:** December 26, 2024, 09:48:36 AM »

Did they have you on "stand by?" Reason I ask is, I was in the midst of doing a cat hunt in North Idaho, until my wife used that money to get me Montana Spring bear hunt. But talking with the guides, they recommended being on standby instead of just booking a week in advance. That way it could be timed better with snow conditions and cat movement. I was ok with stand by, just because it was Northern Idaho and could be there fairly quickly. But not sure I could just drop everything and shoot to Utah

HillHound · « **Reply #30 on:** January 07, 2025, 08:22:47 AM »

Awesome cat. That is great You got Soucy to do the mount. I have seen some of his at an SCI convention and they are crazy lifelike. He is definitely one of the most highly sought after cat Taxidermist's around. This is a bucket list item for me hopefully in the next 5 years

Nmarth88 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 07, 2025, 12:23:26 PM »

Awesome cat! I’ll be doing likewise in a couple weeks and am hoping for something of that caliber!

deadyote · « **Reply #32 on:** January 08, 2025, 12:43:41 PM »

Bucket list hunt for me!!! Jealous for sure....nicely done.

greenhead_killer · « **Reply #33 on:** January 08, 2025, 06:43:15 PM »

Congrats on a hammer of a cat! Sounds like the whole experience met all your expectations all around! Can’t wait to see the finished mount of this guy too

Limhangerslayer · « **Reply #34 on:** January 08, 2025, 09:30:02 PM »

I don’t think there is anything more fun than hound hunting! Amazing cat and congrats!! I’m jealous

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Author Topic: Big old Utah mountain lion. (Read 8555 times)

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