Has this ever happened to you?

[JODakota]

So this is my first real year ever going after turkey. So yesterday I left work a little early to go out and do some turkey hunting up in Dayton. I drove out happily and excited because I was finally getting to go hit up the area that I had previously seen quite a few birds. I was out at the same spot on Wednesday for about 5 hours or so just wandering around and scouting. I didn't see any birds but I found lots of sign. So I got to my area at about 4:00 pm and scouted and finally found a spot to set up shop and call.
So where I setup was right on the edge line of a field. My back was facing a hill with a lot of brush and trees. My decoy was down in front of my about ten yards away and you couldn't really see it if you were behind me anymore. I started out calling by letting out a few yelps here and there just to let any birds know that I was in the area. I continued to yelp and call, peacefully enjoying my self. Well I only ended having a pretty short amount of time to hunt because my wife wanted to go to the drive in and 7 so I started looking around getting ready to leave when I noticed what looked like a little brown patch of fur about ten yards behind me and to my right. I was thinking man this is awesome there's a deer behind me. So I shifted a little to get a better look at it and guess what?? It was not a deer. My God it was a F***### Cougar. I immediately froze. I mean seriously, I'm pretty new to this state and there aren't any cougars where I was raised. So in the middle of halfway sh**ting my pants and trying to decide on what best to do this thing is just eyeballing the sh*# out of me. I kept thinking pull my phone out and take a picture or shoot it. Here's the deal though, I don't know the rule or guidelines on this kind of thing when dealing with a dangerous animal and I'm in the middle of trying to be a trooper and the last thing I want is an open investigation on me for poaching. So as I stand there watching this beast eyeball and flip is tail back and forth I decide to try something. I shouldered my shotgun aimed above it and pulled the trigger. I figured this would scare the crap out of this cougar and it would run off, but no, it just stood up as while its doing this I am leveling my gun on this cougars head, after about what seemed like ten minutes it just slowly turned around and trotted off.  I gotta say man, there not a lot that freaks me out but sitting there for that long and never even hearing that kitty cat sneak up on me is very eerie to me. I have now decided to carry a side arm while in the field. It was probably the scariest/coolest thing I have ever been through in the woods. Can't call in a turkey to save my life but can call in a cougar. Anyways just felt like sharing that with you guys.

[BOWHUNTER45]

NEVER go in the woods without a camera .... crazy !!!

[dreamunelk]

Many of us have had cats sneak in on them and got the privilege of seeing them while most of us have no idea how many times it has happened.   Why a side arm?  You have a shot gun.  At close range it will smoke that cat!

[The Gobble-stopper]

I heard they like 9 lives cat food, maybe have an offering for him next time. Fun stuff, yep the more you do it the more you will call, cats, bear, eagles, skunks, coyotes. Remember the camera. Oh yea and every once in a while youll call a turkey!

[JODakota]

Many of us have had cats sneak in on them and got the privilege of seeing them while most of us have no idea how many times it has happened.   Why a side arm?  You have a shot gun.  At close range it will smoke that cat!

Good point. I guess I was just worried about penetration on it. But that's pretty silly considering the range. Do you think it would have been safe to even pull out a camera? It was pretty awesome to see it though, man they are big!

[Turner89]

Cool story Dakota.

[Big game archer]

Yeah I have had a couple of friends who have called in cougars while turkey hunting. and as in your case, the cougars were not afraid of them at all when they tried to scare them off.

[turkeydancer]

Pretty cool story Dakota ... and probably not the last time it will happen ... at least he didn't run off with your deke ...   carry wet ones and a full roll of fire-starter.
 

[Wacenturion]

Called in a female and two half grown kittens in western Washington while hunting Easterns back in the 90's.  Got a picture of her about ready to jump my decoy at 12 yards.  Took one picture and the sound make her look right at me, then I took the second.  You can see my decoys, cougar and 12 gauge in my lap where I was sitting in a ditch along a gravel access road behind closed gates.

You're right.  The thing that struck home to me was just how quietly there got that close to me and my buddy.  Scary thing was we were crawling all over that area scouting for a good two months prior to the opener without anything but a sandwich and some cookies...lol.

Oh as a side note.  I love hunting the Blues.  One year over there I was up on a ridge calling and about 500 yards below me on a skidder road was the largest cougar I have ever seen.  One big ass male.  I looked at  my buddy and said screw this.  Don't need him sneaking in.  Changed locations. 

[Turkeyman]

I called one in the blues when i was guiding another hunter. Scared the crap out of us.

[AKBowman]

I've told the full story on here before but I had one come right up to me in the half light of morning while hunting turkey in rass valley CA. I shot a bird the day before and there were feathers Andy such all over, I heard it scream about 20 minutes before it came out and when it screamed everything in the woods shut down, there wasn't a bird chirping, then this thing comes slinking out so damn close I could here it's raspy breathing.

Freaked me out good, but even a 1oz 2-3/4" #6 20 GA load at 10 yards would blow the face right off of a cat.

[JCKILLSHOT]

Man that would creep me out!

[lokidog]

Cool!  And freaky!

[woodman]

Yep, Killed it and never go into the woods without a weapon at any time anymore.

[h2ofowlr]

Had it happen to me several years ago.  My buddy and I were archery elk hunting.  He was on the gravel road and I just came out of the trees and was walking towards him.  He was looking at me and then started freaking out.  I was about 50 yards away from him and was watching him wave his hands and he finally yelled at me to look out.  I was thinking what the ef, and turned around and didn't see anything.  He then told me how a cougar came out of the brush right behind me, stopped for a second to give me a look over and took off across the road.  Never saw or heard it, but he was freaked out about it.  I have seen 6 cougars out hunting now, but never shot one.