Free: Contests & Raffles.
Will you share what the chain of events were?
I have been running into a big cat track in one of my shed hunting spots for many years and although I felt he was watching me or by me sometimes, I had never seen him. A couple of years ago, it was very late in the day and I was making my way down the mountain. I stopped underneath a large pine tree to spot. I looked to my left about 20 yards away and seen some garbage from someone. I stood up and went over and picked it up. When I turned back around I was facing the big pine tree and a cougar jumped out of it. He stared at me for a second and calmly walked away.
About 15 years ago, my Dad and I were working out a open basin. He called me on the radio and told me he was going up to the top and and build a fire and eat lunch. I let him know I was 45 minutes to an hour behind him as I was way below him but that I would head his way. As I started climbing up, the snow was getting about a foot deep and when I got to the top, I cut my Dads tracks in the snow and began following them. Well about 50 yards later, there are 2 sets of cat tracks in his. I called him on the radio and told him to watch his backtrail and why. I followed them and at about 30 yards out, they had laid down in some small trees and watched my Dad for a while and he didn't even know they were there.
When people see cougar tracks following their tracks, they're not always stalking the individual. At times they just follow out of curiosity. We've had a mom and 2 kits around since last February. The 'lil ones are actually almost as big as her and I would think getting kicked off the tit soon. This past elk season I know of two times they simply leisurely followed behind bow hunters at a distance of 70-100yds in an open field. Had they not seen them but for example found tracks in the snow, they'd have thought thy were being hunted.
Have had several encounters with predators. Mainly big cats, have never had one that raised any significant concern. Lots of snow trailing, they always peel off once they get close enough. Chalk it up to curiousity more than actually hunting me. Did have a mama calling to kittens while shed hunting with a dog. My lab was getting real wound up which was somewhat out of character for her. Called her back and leashed her up till it faded out. Had a stud cat stand in a road at 40 yards, watch me stop my bike, doff my pack, unload a bow, nock an arrow, then hightail it like it was on fire as soon as I started to draw . That one was cool. Another time had an adolescent sneak in to 15 or 20 yards while working a bull, i assume mama was around and had actually bumped the herd prior to the encounter. Probably should have killed it, but it was real small maybe 40 or 50 pounds. Every black bear I have bumped was packing the mail to the next county once it knew what i was. I treat the brown ones with due respect. My most" scared by animals in the woods " moment was not predators at all but free range cattle. Got caught in between two black Angus bulls on a steep hillside in the dark with a large herd of cows scattered around and they were hell bent on fighting. That one had me puckered up for sure.
Bobcats are fairly curious critters. Every time I see one, they seem to show no fear and have an aura around them that says, you're not bothering me. A few years ago, right after getting my deer camp set up for the night, I was standing on the corner of a closed road, pretty near dark, not far from the camp where I could see in both directions. About 100 yards away, a Bobcat walked out of the brush. It stopped in the middle of the road, turned, looked right at me and sat down like it didn't have a care in the world. I slowly started to walk towards him with really short and slow steps. He sat there while I cut the distance in half and then stood up and just meandered back into the brush.
