Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: fastdam on July 29, 2013, 09:48:52 AM

Title: cat kill.
Post by: fastdam on July 29, 2013, 09:48:52 AM: We saw alot of deer behind rimrock this weekend, including this forkhorn. There were cat prints in the dust on the trail. I was surprised the prints were smaller than the palm of my hand. The cat ate some of the heart and lungs. It happened a few hours before we found it. Only saw one cow elk all day.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: seth30 on July 29, 2013, 09:54:47 AM: I would put a trail camera over that cat kill.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: h2ofowlr on July 29, 2013, 10:01:05 AM: I wonder how frequently a cat kills a big game critter? Between increasing cats, bears and wolfs and decreasing hunter I wonder how long until nature balances itself out?
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: fastdam on July 29, 2013, 10:05:29 AM: Thats a great idea. I think i will. I wanna see more the bucks there as well. Saw two nice shooter bucks one was a wall hanger.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: fastdam on July 29, 2013, 10:19:56 AM: I'll be back up therefirst looking for bears in a few days.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on July 29, 2013, 10:30:33 AM: Quote from: h2ofowlr on July 29, 2013, 10:01:05 AM
I wonder how frequently a cat kills a big game critter? Between increasing cats, bears and wolfs and decreasing hunter I wonder how long until nature balances itself out?
About 50/year
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: MtnMuley on July 29, 2013, 10:31:48 AM: You WILL get pics of the feline if you hang a cam over that kill.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: quadcrazy69 on July 29, 2013, 11:00:51 AM: Quote from: h2ofowlr on July 29, 2013, 10:01:05 AM
I wonder how frequently a cat kills a big game critter? Between increasing cats, bears and wolfs and decreasing hunter I wonder how long until nature balances itself out?

About one a week unless there are a lot of other predators (buzzards, coyotes, wolves etc...) stealing the meal. Then more often.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Elkstuffer on July 29, 2013, 02:13:36 PM: I'd get in there on Aug 1st and hunt for the bear that will be feeding on it.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: CoryTDF on July 29, 2013, 02:15:13 PM: Quote from: h2ofowlr on July 29, 2013, 10:01:05 AM
I wonder how frequently a cat kills a big game critter? Between increasing cats, bears and wolfs and decreasing hunter I wonder how long until nature balances itself out?

Heard they kill about 1 deer a week. Not sure about that. But thats 52 a year. Makes me want to shoot them even more.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: h20hunter on July 29, 2013, 02:22:15 PM: Quote from: Elkstuffer on July 29, 2013, 02:13:36 PM
I'd get in there on Aug 1st and hunt for the bear that will be feeding on it.

Would a bear typically push a cat off a kill? Vice versa?
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on July 29, 2013, 03:25:34 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 29, 2013, 02:22:15 PM
Quote from: Elkstuffer on July 29, 2013, 02:13:36 PM
I'd get in there on Aug 1st and hunt for the bear that will be feeding on it.

Would a bear typically push a cat off a kill? Vice versa?
Yes. Both wolves and bears will appropriate cougar kills. Typically cougar would not try to take a bear kill.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: fastdam on July 29, 2013, 04:01:42 PM: I dont think it was a very big cat. Its prints were not real big. Woulda fit in my palm easily. I'll be running my fox pro on the vicinity thursday after work and we'll see what happens.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM: Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on August 02, 2013, 05:32:32 PM: Quote from: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM
Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Hey ....Vantucky is back :chuckle: :tup:
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Kain on August 03, 2013, 10:02:43 AM: Quote from: BOWHUNTER45 on August 02, 2013, 05:32:32 PM
Quote from: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM
Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Hey ....Vantucky is back :chuckle: :tup:

Hunting season. Had to come back to see all the success pictures. :hello:
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: fastdam on August 03, 2013, 12:41:02 PM: Where did you see /hear the wolf report? What part of the unit? I would imagine divide ridge is going to be a wolf highway in a couple years.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: huntandjeep on August 04, 2013, 06:26:28 PM: Quote from: fastdam on August 03, 2013, 12:41:02 PM
Where did you see /hear the wolf report? What part of the unit? I would imagine divide ridge is going to be a wolf highway in a couple years.
. Or last year. Talked to a fella who seen / heard them there last year. Also a sighting from another on the Cowiche side last year.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: FANATIC on August 04, 2013, 06:58:37 PM: I don't know much about cats, but that seems like a bear kill. Do cats cover their kills too? It being covered up with grass makes me think bear.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: KFhunter on August 18, 2013, 05:20:04 PM: bear would do a lot more covering :chuckle:

Your lucky to see a hoof sticking out when a bear gets done
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Houndhunter on August 18, 2013, 05:25:50 PM: Quote from: Kain on August 03, 2013, 10:02:43 AM
Quote from: BOWHUNTER45 on August 02, 2013, 05:32:32 PM
Quote from: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM
Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Hey ....Vantucky is back :chuckle: :tup:

Hunting season. Had to come back to see all the success pictures. :hello:

Scary thing is, those cat numbers are way off! IMO......
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: saylean on August 18, 2013, 05:26:54 PM: Quote from: FANATIC on August 04, 2013, 06:58:37 PM
I don't know much about cats, but that seems like a bear kill. Do cats cover their kills too? It being covered up with grass makes me think bear.
cats absolutly cover their kills.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: KFhunter on August 18, 2013, 09:11:01 PM: that and a bear would eat half of the dang thing in one setting and crap all over the place trying to gorge itself even more.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Axle on August 18, 2013, 09:23:50 PM: Quote
Quote from: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM
Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Hey ....Vantucky is back :chuckle: :tup:

Hunting season. Had to come back to see all the success pictures. :hello:

Scary thing is, those cat numbers are way off! IMO......

Your IMO is way off unless it figures true statistics. Statistics have stated that big cats kill 2 to 2.5 ungulates per week.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: Kain on August 19, 2013, 11:06:06 AM: Quote from: Axle on August 18, 2013, 09:23:50 PM
Quote
Quote from: Kain on August 02, 2013, 05:19:47 PM
Each adult cougar makes a kill every 10 days (average)
2000 to 2500 cougar (estimated population in WA) will kill 73,000 to 91,250 per year.
Hey ....Vantucky is back :chuckle: :tup:

Hunting season. Had to come back to see all the success pictures. :hello:

Scary thing is, those cat numbers are way off! IMO......

Your IMO is way off unless it figures true statistics. Statistics have stated that big cats kill 2 to 2.5 ungulates per week.

Do you have a source for that figure? I would be interested to see it. I have read a ton of studies and they range from a kill every 7-12 days but I have never seen one that suggested 2 or more per week. Not saying it is not possible every once in a while but we are talking average number of wild ungulates.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/management/2009-2015/final_game_management_plan_2009-2015.pdf (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/management/2009-2015/final_game_management_plan_2009-2015.pdf)
Quote
Cougars are effective and efficient predators and average about one deer
kill (or deer equivalent) every 10 days (Ackerman et al. 1986).
pg 91

Feeding Areas (caches)
Cougars usually carry or drag their kills to a secluded area under cover to feed, and drag marks are frequently found at fresh kill sites. After killing a large animal and having eaten its fill, a cougar often will cover the remains with debris such as snow, grass, leaves, sticks, or soil. Even where little debris is available, bits of soil, rock, grass or sticks may be used to cover the carcass. The cougar may remain in the immediate vicinity of its kill, guarding it against scavengers and eating it over a period of six to eight days. (Meat becomes rotten quickly in the summer and male cougars have to patrol their territory. Often these males will make a kill, feed until full, leave to patrol the area, and return to feed on the carcass days later.)
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: ctwiggs1 on September 24, 2013, 12:15:56 PM: I'm surprised it ate the lungs. Must be a little guy. They typically go for the heart and liver first.
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: jackmaster on September 24, 2013, 12:20:55 PM: i found 3 blacktail a few years back out by alder lake, 1 buck and 2 doe, all were killed by a cougar and they werent even rotton yet and were with 50 yrds of each other, it was a natural funnel where the deer had no place to go, you had to get there by boat or i would have done a better job to rid the hills of that cat. big cats are oppurtunists, they kill whenever they can, unless they have a full belly :tup:
Title: Re: cat kill.
Post by: elkoholic1 on September 26, 2013, 04:27:44 PM: only good cat is a dead cat!!