Cougar Calling

[Crowns]

Although this doesnt really relate to cougar calling. It does relate to locating one by sounds. Sorry if this leads your thread astray.

So this year I was lucky enough to draw a late mule deer permit. The morning of the second day was looking to be a bust. I had only seen one doe, while the day before I had seen six does and three 3-point bucks. I decided to relocate to an area that I had always wondered about during the general season. I figured what better time to scout this out then when no one else is around and the deer should definately be in the area. I hiked probably a mile, as the crow flies, up a fingers back until I got to a main ridge. I hiked that main ridge out to a rock outcropping overlooking a few good openings.

Seeing as it was now mid day and that the deer had been pretty nocturnal, I dozed off. I woke up maybe an hour later to snowflakes peppering my face. So I decided to do some more glassing and get some more yardage points figured out. Im a very patient and persistant hunter. Ill sit anywhere for however long in whatever conditions. But I told myself that I would start working my way down about 45 minutes before the end of shooting light. There were some nice openings down lower that I didnt want to miss either.

Well about 15 minutes before I was planning on getting up and moving down, I heard a THRASH! CRACK! THRASH! and then the following cries BWEEE! BWEEA! BWEEE!. Knowing that this is a fawn crying, I instantly told myself that this was the doings of a cat.

I got up from the rock, gathered up my gear and kicked it into "Ultra-alert stalking mode", yes thats what I call it. I pin pointed where I heard the noise, it was in a timbered draw out ahead of me. So thats where I was heading. The draw was steep and thus fairly narrow across. I walked around the uphill side from where I heard the noise. As I approached the inside of the draw I saw three fresh sets of tracks in the snow, they were headed down the draw's bottom. I continued my way around the uphill side of the commotion, keeping my eyes down below me. I made it almost all the way around the inside of the draw and I was beginning to think that maybe I was wrong. I guess it could have been a doe running a fawn around or possibly a buck. But just as I was exiting the timber and getting out into the open face, I looked back and under a tree bow in the dark timber was something out of place. It was only 25-30 yards away but I still had to throw the binos up. Sure enough there was the outline of a large kitty laying about as flat as you can possibly imagine, still as can be. Its ears were pinned back and flat to its head. I didnt catch an aggressive drift from it, more of it being defensive. I watched it for a minute or so just to make sure it was kitten-less. Threw up my rifle and shot it.

I hit it right between the eyes  . Was quartering towards a little and the shoulder and its head wasnt really THAT far apart. My adrenaline rush probably didnt help much either. As I approached it, I heard a limb snap. I looked down and in the creek bottom, not 10 feet away from the cat, was a bedded fawn. Im not sure what made the snap exactly, maybe it just lifted its head or tried to stand, im not sure. I got within maybe 10 feet of it and its ears twitched back towards me. It was definately alert to my presence. It sprung up just as if nothing had ever happened at all and bounded off without showing a sign of a limp.

Anyways, sorry to ramble, but I guess the moral of the story is to just listen to the woods. Sure, your sense of vision is most important. But I rank my ears right up there.

Listen to the sounds like Rainshadow has to offer and keep an imaginative head on your shoulders. You never know what you could hear out there.

[Machias]

Got my CD in the mail today, sounds awesome!!  Thanks Steve, can't wait to try it out.

[sporked horn]

I just visited your site Rain Shadow, very impressive, you do some amazing craftsmanship on your calls and knives.  I could see spending a lot of money there and getting in trouble, but I will definately be ordering some things from you soon.  Again, very impressive.

Dan

[rainshadow1]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the stories... Every one adds a wrinkle to the Cougar Hunter's brain! I have an old timer friend who had a Cougar hiding under low limbs like that, Crowns... unfortunately he and his son didn't spot it until the over the hill old Tom took the son's dog... OFF HIS LEASH!!!

They killed it that night when it came back to eat the rest of the carcass. 50 yards from his house.

Amazing how they can hide!

[Crowns]

Yeah its amazing. All this cat talk makes me wish we could grab a second tag  I have a new tactic that I cant wait to put to the test next year. But until then, bobkitties maybe?

[jdb]

i have found that I simple you look great babe works well with my couger

[carpsniperg2]

 

[Jamieb]

Rainshadow1
I have a electronic call that I've only used for crows, works well for that but I dont like any of the other sounds so I use my rabit in distress mouth call for yotes. I bought this electronic call and a decoy for cougar hunting and I'll use it if I can get some better sounding calls on it. I dont have any idea how to put sounds on it. Do you?  I dont use a remote with this call, set the delay and get in position, then let it play over and over. Heres a couple of pictures of the call.

[stumprat]

Rainshadow1
I have a electronic call that I've only used for crows, works well for that but I dont like any of the other sounds so I use my rabit in distress mouth call for yotes. I bought this electronic call and a decoy for cougar hunting and I'll use it if I can get some better sounding calls on it. I dont have any idea how to put sounds on it. Do you?  I dont use a remote with this call, set the delay and get in position, then let it play over and over. Heres a couple of pictures of the call.

The new issue of Predator Xtreme has a great article all about loading sounds on the Foxpro. Any one with a Foxpro should pick it up.

[billythekidrock]

The new issue of Predator Xtreme has a great article all about loading sounds on the Foxpro. Any one with a Foxpro should pick it up.

Yes, it is a pretty in depth article. I didn't know that sequencing in some units could be such a process.

[billythekidrock]

 I bought this electronic call and a decoy for cougar hunting and I'll use it if I can get some better sounding calls on it. I dont have any idea how to put sounds on it. Do you?

Here is a link to the instructional pdf on the FP site.
http://www.gofoxpro.com/InstructionManual_ZR2.pdf

Here is the portion you would be looking for.

Reprogramming the Sounds in your ZR2
The factory programmed sounds may be changed by recording new sounds
over the factory sounds. Note that when this is done, the original sound is
lost and cannot be recovered. Follow this procedure to record new sounds in
place of the existing ones:
1) Remove the round black plastic plug to the right of the volume
control. Observe the pushbutton switch behind the plug. This is the
record switch.
2) Set the rear panel sound selector switch to the sound position to be
reprogrammed. Remember that this sound will be lost.
3) Connect an external audio source to the external audio jack using a
stereo patch cable. Turn on the caller and play the external device
through the ZR2. With your selected sound passage is playing, push
the record switch with the eraser end of a pencil, or another suitable
non-conductive aid.
4) Release the record switch when you want the recording to stop. If you
hold the button in for more than about 18 seconds, the recording will
stop automatically.
5) Once the recording process has stopped, unplug the patch cable from
the ZR2. This will allow the just-recorded sound to play. If the new
sound is weak or thin, increase the volume setting on the external
audio source and re-record the sound. If the sound is heavy or
distorted, reduce the volume control on the external player. Note that
the ZR2 volume control does not adjust the record level. This must be
done on the external audio player.
6) You may continue to reprogram sounds on other sound selector
positions as above.
7) Replace the record switch plug when you are finished recording.

[rainshadow1]

My Cougar Vocals are in high quality MP3 so you could do that out of a CD player. I didn't know it was such a production to reprogram the ZR2, but it can be done then. All of my sequences are longer than 18 seconds, but you can pick out the best 18 seconds and loop it in there.

It WILL work, just takes a bit of doing, sounds like.

[Jamieb]

Thanks guys. Even I should be able to figure it out with those instructions.
I'll have to give rainshadow a call after Christmas if I have any money left.

[stumprat]

Nice post BTKR.

[fishing is for fools]