Okanogan Cougar

[trapper1]

Nice one!

[SuperDave]

Nice looking cat!  Congratulations!!

[MtnMuley]

You must have meant "Okanagan" Valley cat if you were hunting in BC and could look into Molson.  Big difference in the names.  One it's legal to harvest a cat with dogs, while the other it isn't.  Anyhow, great tom!  Definately a once in a lifetime sized lion.  Congrats!

[TheHunt]

Very nice.  Congrats on a good one.

[threedwizard]

Thanks for all the great comments! I only have a few real trophies. I took him with black powder rifle. I'll post my Shiras moose when I get a chance later from a few years ago.

@bearpaw  The head is being beetled now, we rough taped him at 15 7/16, but it's tough with some of the flesh and stuff, I think it will still hold 15+ after drying

@30.06 Thanks, I hope to do some deer/bear hunting up around Bonaparte after a few scouting trips

@MtnMuley  You're right about the spelling, was trying to been PC on the Washington website, HaHa. I've just started to read the regs, you can't dog cougar? we dog them here in Utah. I think it would be tough to get a cat without dogs, Spot and Stalk?

[buglebuster]

awesome cat!

[BOWHUNTER45]

  180# Man have not seen that size in along time 

        He does have some cool colors in the face area ...awesome !

[75johndeere]

@MtnMuley  You're right about the spelling, was trying to been PC on the Washington website, HaHa. I've just started to read the regs, you can't dog cougar? we dog them here in Utah. I think it would be tough to get a cat without dogs, Spot and Stalk?

There is no spot and stock there is you get lucky and have one fall in your lap or never see one lol this state sucks. very nice kitty ive only ever seen one and i think the tail on that one is bigger than the one i saw 

[threedwizard]

That's what I was thinking, lucky is an understatement! I don't think I've ever seen a cat except using dogs. It's got to be pretty hard to make quota on cougar harvest without dogs. Thanks on the cat, he does have a great tail. Long, thick, and 4" black spot on the end. There must be some pigs hiding out in NE Washington!

[carpsniperg2]

Dandy cat indeed

[bearpaw]

Were you hunting with Kettle River Outfitters?

[threedwizard]

No, I was hunting with Jim Wiens of Vaseux Creek Outfitters. BTW, do you use dogs on your cat hunts? If not, then how?

[carpsniperg2]

You can only use dogs by special permits here in washington right now. Some guys will walk them down "very rare" and most just bump into them why hunting deer or elk.

[bearpaw]

No, I was hunting with Jim Wiens of Vaseux Creek Outfitters. BTW, do you use dogs on your cat hunts? If not, then how?

We use dogs in Idaho and Utah. But I have caught hundreds of cats in WA when we could still use dogs there. I have cougar hunted in 5 states but still think WA has the best cougar hunting of any of those states.

In WA you currently you need to call them, find a kill, or walk them out. They do issue a few special tags to hound owners only if there are a lot of problems in the area.

Like carp said, a lot of guys stumble on them.

[threedwizard]

I agree with you bearpaw, I think there are some huge cats up there. In Utah, I think the cats are too harassed as you can pursue them almost all year. There are lots of cats in NE Washington that never see a person or dog. Are cougar tags OTC in Washington? I've seen a cougar track on my lot up there this winter, and been told there are lots of bears too. It was following some deer tracks. I bet if you learned your area, and studied the roads, you could circle off a cat and try walking it down or find a kill. What would you call with? Deer fawn? Maybe from a tree stand?