Stalked within 10 yards by cougar

[rasbo]

sweet deal.

[400out]

Good eye my friend 

[mulehunter]

Nice job!


Mulehunter 

[Buckhunter82]

Hangfire- This was 2-3 miles east of town. It's a mixture of national and state. Two years ago on the same road, but a few miles further up I saw a huge cat. Had to be 200lbs+ and I haven't stepped into the woods without a gun since. Luckily that one was going the other way. My assumption is the 2 hard winters we had a few years ago isn't the only reason for the low deer numbers.

[Hangfire]

Hangfire- This was 2-3 miles east of town. It's a mixture of national and state. Two years ago on the same road, but a few miles further up I saw a huge cat. Had to be 200lbs+ and I haven't stepped into the woods without a gun since. Luckily that one was going the other way. My assumption is the 2 hard winters we had a few years ago isn't the only reason for the low deer numbers.

Probably not the same cat, but I was within 6 miles of there. I am going to touch up my cougar call sounds and practice with the call I got from Rainshadow. I hope to be back up there this week, if we get some snow. After late buck if conditions good, I may try calling with my muzzle loading shot gun, with buck shot. I think that would be a neat hunt. If I feel really good I may take the flintlock 12 gauge.

Your cat would make a very nice rug.

[BLKBEARKLR]

That is one nice cat, I am hoping I get one like that in Feb with the hounds. Congrats on it, good thing all turned out well and you did not have to see if it would attack or not.


Joe

[TheHunt]

Nice cat...  Congrats on a great hunt

[Ranger91298]

Awesome cat...congrats!!!

[Ridgeratt]

Kudos to you on your harvest Buckhunter82!!    

This is the second cougar I have seen harvested this year by non-hound hunters. I saw a Female in the back of a truck above northport this last week also. It also was a large cat and when the WDFG agent was sealing the hide he sexed it as a female.

Congrats again

[ser300wsm]

Great job, glad you were able kill her before something bad happened to ya. That is a very big female, she must have been eating very well. Congrats to ya on a job well done 

[Austrian Hunter]

  WOW, that is one hell of a femail!!!  Congrats... what a trophy!!!

[MLHSN]

It's hard to say if the cougar would have attacked.  According to the WDFW (judge accuracy for yourself  ) there's only been 1 fatal and 15 non-fatal cougar attacks in WA recorded in the last 100 years.

That being said, in your shoes I would have taken the shot as well.  It's nice to have the peace of mind.  It will also be a good conversation piece for the rest of your life.  Two years ago while hiking north of Lake Chelan I was sidehilling next to a steep draw to avoid the brush at the bottom of the draw.  I reached a small rock outcropping and started to ascend to go around it. A heard a few little rocks tumble and looked up thinking I would see a deer running off.  Instead I saw a large cougar looking down at me. A couple seconds later it turned and run over the spur out of sight.  The size of it's tail sticks out so vividly in my mind. I wish I was carrying at the time.  I was covered with goose bumps the rest of the 4 mi. hike back to my car and I got a kink in my kneck from walking looking backwards the whole time.

That's an impressive animal you got there   

 

[Buckhunter82]

Well, I lied to you guys. F&G had a tough time themselves, but said they're pretty sure it's a male. Sorry for my ignorance, but on a positive note I'm getting a full body mount.

[carpsniperg2]

still one hell of a coug could not see any tits in the pics and it kinda look liked a male, but o well. still a great story and a fantastic cat.

[Cougeyes]

Nice cat and crazy encounter.  I am skeptical that this is a female.  Adult females weigh on average 90-110 lbs and sexing cougars can sometimes become difficult because the testes are sometimes not noticeable like a house cats.  I may be wrong and not trying to rain on your parade.  I've seen game wardens mis identify the sex of a cougar.  Unless you could see noticeable teats on her i would be skeptical. See the link below for identifying sex of a cougar. If this is in fact a 170 lb female its gotta be some kind of record.   

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/docs/cougar_article_web.pdf