Hypocrite

[Machias]

That would be me.  I have moaned about guys killing female lions or sub-adult lions.  Today I became one of those guys.  I have treed about 15 cats over the past few years, not alot by a good houndsmen standards, but that's what I have been able to tree.  I have passed on all those lions, always because they were young lions or females.  I have treed two really nice toms, but both of those were after the harvest had closed here in WA.  So today WACoyotehunter (Bart), three of his friends and I headed out to try and find a cat that he'd treed on Sat.  This cat had tore up his dogs pretty good on the ground and he thought it was about a 110 tom.  Not really something I was interested in to harvest.  I was looking for a 140+ tom.  So we started looking for tracks a little before 6.  Cold, but nice out, no fresh snow, lots of old tracks.  Bart found a track that was on top of yesterday's snowmobile tracks in the same area he'd ran into the bad cat on Sat.  So we loaded up the dogs and made the drop.  They cold trailed for a while, got the track worked up and finally showed treed.  So we loaded up our packs and headed in.  Pretty steep and I was trying to lead in a 9 month old pup, but in the snow and the steep terrain, that did not go so well, so I unsnapped him and figured he's stay with me...nope, in one of the real steep slick areas he headed back to the snowmobile...more on this later.     So part of the way in, here comes "Whisper" one of Bart's dogs, bleeding and all tore up.  We still couldn't hear Bo (my dog) or Tana (Barts dog).  We were worried the rest of the way in.  I finally made it to the tree.  Bo was pretty much covered in blood and Tana had a couple of new holes as well.  We couldn't get a clear look at this cat, we tried to make it move, no luck.  We didn't want to let it run again since the dogs had already had the snot kicked out of them.  No one brought any binos, big mistake.  I could tell it wasn't a toad, but I figured this lion liked fighting dogs on the ground and I could live with a 110ish tom who was probably going to end up killing a dog soon.  From what I could see it wasn't a bad cat.  So I decided to kill it.  Little bit of a tricky shot, I used Bart's .357.  Made a perfect shot (later found out I literally blew it's heart in half.  About half way through the cat bailing out of the tree I already knew I shouldn't have shot the cat, it was not a big cat at all.      Turns out it was a female.     On the scale at home it was 104 pounds.  Once we got the cat packed out, a huge thanks to Bart and his two friends, Mike and Chris who packed the cat out most of the way.  On the way back to the sled we could hear my pup, Rogue, baying on something.  So we get back to the sleds and all of my stuff and either Mike or Chris' backpack is scattered all across the road and Rogue is playing with our stuff.  A good friend of Barts who is a vet tech said to bring the dogs over and she'd sew them up.  HUGE thanks to her, she probably saved me $200+ in vet bills today.  Bo had his left ear split in two, a hole in his chest and a really nice 3 inch gash in his forehead that nearly went to the skull.  Whisper looked like she'd been shot with buckshot, she had 5 or 6 holes in her chest and one reall deep gash.  Tana had a couple of new holes and had reopened a wound from Sat.  Here's a few photos:



Bo





Whisper





Rogue's handi work

[JohnVH]

time to grow a pair, thanks for helping out the deer population! 

[Wazukie]

Any dead cat is a good dead cat, just my 

[denali]

WOW what a trip, glad everything worked out     thanks for the post ,  good looking cat 

[carpsniperg2]

Glad you were able to take a cat. There is enough cats that taking a female does not hurt anything in my eyes. I would have shot her to after working the dogs over like that. We use to have hounds and the few times they were ever on cats they would never get tore up. The cats ended up a tree pretty dang quick after the hounds jumped them. I plan on taking a cat one of these days with hounds. I would love to have dogs again and get back into it. Congrats and be happy with you cat my friend

[Pathfinder101]

Dogs come first.  Nice shot.

[Special T]

I wouldn't let one live that tore my dog up...  Bet you dogs are a little better educated as to what they are casing tho... Nice pics BTW

[deerslyr]

Way to go!

[WAcoyotehunter]

Not much sympathy around here Fred!    I'm sure glad you were along- after thinking about it more- i bet that cat would have killed Tana if Bo wasn't at the bay.  Once Whisper left she would have been in trouble. 

I haven't been on tons of lions, but I have never seen one that would fight like this.  That cat was a problem and would have killed a hound sooner or later.  Thanks for coming up and congratulations on a mature cat- even if it's a female.  There are planty more in that area and you're welcome to come hunt with me any time!

BTW- Bo was a real pleasure.  You have a good dog there!

[mkcj]

Glad all the dogs are safe. Still a good cat and good luck on the 140 pounder next year 

[Machias]

Glad all the dogs are safe. Still a good cat and good luck on the 140 pounder next year 

Next year?    I can still take another one down in Unit 10 or 12....if we can dodge the wolves.  I won't turn out unless it's just right down there.

[Machias]

Not much sympathy around here Fred!    I'm sure glad you were along- after thinking about it more- i bet that cat would have killed Tana if Bo wasn't at the bay.  Once Whisper left she would have been in trouble. 

I haven't been on tons of lions, but I have never seen one that would fight like this.  That cat was a problem and would have killed a hound sooner or later.  Thanks for coming up and congratulations on a mature cat- even if it's a female.  There are planty more in that area and you're welcome to come hunt with me any time!

BTW- Bo was a real pleasure.  You have a good dog there!

Had a great day Bart, really enjoyed hunting with you guys.  I too have never had a dog tore up from a cat.  I know it happens but I think you're right, this one would have killed a dog or two.  Thanks again fro a great day and as soon as the dogs heal let's go chase another one.  Maybe we can see Rogue at the tree...man he's loud!! 

[lokidog]

Fred, sounds like a shot well placed!

Is it a draw there in ID?  I'd love to get one sometime, they're yummy!   

Glad the dogs are OK.

[Bean Counter]

Any dead cat is a good dead cat, just my 

+1

[ICEMAN]

Any dead cat is a good dead cat, just my 

+1

+2

[boneaddict]

Sounds like you took care of business to me.   No jeers from this camp, just cheers.   

[Huntboy]

Either way Fred, congrats.

[Gringo31]

If I was in your situation, I'd have done the very same.....

[Arteman]

Some good dogs right there that receive a beating like that and dish it right back when it gets ugly, love it.  Congrats on your lion, no matter the size.  The dogs did their job and I know your happy with that. 
 

[jackmaster]

sounds like the dogs earned that cat to get shot out... damn looks like maybe i should have came over, glad the dogs all made it home, glad you up ended that cat boys. 

[quadrafire]

Nice work fellas. Sounds like a fun hunt. Sorry about the dogs.
I was wondering if it takes a bit of wind out of their sails after a tussle like that, or are they still raring to go?

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Not being a hound hunter.  I would think a guy would kill all the cats big small female male to save other game. Thanks for posting. Looks like fun.

[Huntbear]

No problem here with that cat being dead....   

That is a lot of deer you saved... and some dogs it seems.

[mkcj]

Glad all the dogs are safe. Still a good cat and good luck on the 140 pounder next year 

Next year?    I can still take another one down in Unit 10 or 12....if we can dodge the wolves.  I won't turn out unless it's just right down there.

  Good deal whack a big one!

[jackelope]

The way that lion was putting the hurt on those dogs, I think you killed a good one, whether it was a small female or not. Way to go. Sorry about the dogs but it does look like a good time.

[jackmaster]

Nice work fellas. Sounds like a fun hunt. Sorry about the dogs.
I was wondering if it takes a bit of wind out of their sails after a tussle like that, or are they still raring to go?

not to answer for those guys hounds but when i had dogs, if they got tore up by a cat or a coon it didnt bother them a bit, my big male walker "BUCK" he preferred a good fight and getn battle scars, put it this way he was always stitched up and colored blue from the blukote we spray on him to keep him from getn infections

[GoldTip]

I wouldn't call you a hypocrite at all Fred, you did what needed done.  Maybe it wasn't what you set out for, but sometimes the best laid plans go awry.  Congrats on the cat and sorry your dogs got tore up.  Is it 10 or 10A or both that you still got a tag for?  I know some of that 10a country south of Freezeout Saddle.

[Rob]

I think you should have verified sex first by rubbing it between the ears and getting it to roll over so you could get a nice close look.

[Machias]

I think you should have verified sex first by rubbing it between the ears and getting it to roll over so you could get a nice close look.

I tried to get Bart to climb up but he wouldn't!   

Thanks guys, I am very greatful none of the dogs were killed and I don't want to sound like I'm not happy to have killed a lion.  It was a great hunt, great dog work from all the dogs involved.  As a houndsmen and as a guest in Idaho as a houndsmen, I would rather have not taken a female.  But I don't want it to sound like I have sour grapes.  It was a great day on the mountain with friends, got to listen and see some great dog work and I ended with a great winter cat hide and some outstanding meat.  I'm very happy. 

Concerning dogs getting beat up, most dogs it will fire them up.  If it happens when they are very young sometimes it can turn them off, if they get their confidence smacked around, but usually it really fires them up.  Bo, swollen face and all, was ready to load up this afternoon when I went home to get the cat to take it over to IDFG and have the pelt sealed and a tooth pulled.  As long as he doesn't get an infection he should be good to go very soon...knock on wood!  Going to try and get a bobcat or two before the middle of Feb.

That would be Unit 10 and 12 that I can get another tag for....only problem it is wolf central for sure.

[Pathfinder101]

Not being a hound hunter.  I would think a guy would kill all the cats big small female male to save other game. Thanks for posting. Looks like fun.

In places like Idaho where they are not overpopulated, most serious cat hunters try to leave the females so they can continue their sport in the coming years.  Different here in WA where you can't hunt with dogs and there are too many...

[buglebuster]

Congrats on the cat, something I have still yet to connect on.

[Machias]

Not being a hound hunter.  I would think a guy would kill all the cats big small female male to save other game. Thanks for posting. Looks like fun.

In places like Idaho where they are not overpopulated, most serious cat hunters try to leave the females so they can continue their sport in the coming years.  Different here in WA where you can't hunt with dogs and there are too many...

 

[bearpaw]

congrats Fred....

[Hornseeker]

I sure wouldn't take it too hard Fred... A cat like that needs to go bye bye... and she did. Good. We killed a couple cats like that and a couple bears too, that we would not normally have killed if they weren't known for beating up the dogs...

I remember a little sow bear that killed a good dog we had... there was no fricken way she was going to walk away from that tree... and we had a female lion that killed 2 dogs over about a 3 week time that we finally killed. She was a nasty bitch...

[halflife65]

No problem here with that cat being dead....   

That is a lot of deer you saved... and some dogs it seems.

  Nice work!