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 

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[ICEMAN]

Any dead cat is a good dead cat, just my 

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