Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Coyote, Small Game, Varmints => Topic started by: jasnt on November 20, 2014, 10:00:59 AM

Title: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on November 20, 2014, 10:00:59 AM: Finally got some snow hitting the ground. I'm lacing up my boots and headed out to hopefully cut some cat tracks :tup: :IBCOOL:

who's cutting tracks in the snow? What are you finding?
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: mulehunter on November 20, 2014, 10:15:23 AM: Not FAIR... :chuckle:
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: boneaddict on November 20, 2014, 10:16:31 AM: 200 miles of freezing rain between me and my destination. Cozied by the fire today. Goodluck
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: KFhunter on November 20, 2014, 10:17:08 AM: Quote from: jasnt on November 20, 2014, 10:00:59 AM
Finally got some snow hitting the ground. I'm lacing up my boots and headed out to hopefully cut some cat tracks :tup: :IBCOOL:

who's cutting tracks in the snow? What are you finding?
bummer it stopped, not enough to cut sign

nm, it started back up again :chuckle:
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on November 20, 2014, 05:46:20 PM: Well 4miles today. Nothing was moving but squirrels and deer. I think the snow started too late today. But I'll be back at it come first light tomorrow.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: Payne on November 21, 2014, 07:03:16 PM: I'm thinking about heading out tomorrow morning... getting some good snow here, I would guess it will be gone by tomorrow night though...
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on November 21, 2014, 07:35:42 PM: Quote from: Payne on November 21, 2014, 07:03:16 PM
I'm thinking about heading out tomorrow morning... getting some good snow here, I would guess it will be gone by tomorrow night though...
I love going out when it snows most the night. Good luck. Looks like we got snow coming Sunday so I'll be out mon-wed
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on November 27, 2014, 07:10:06 PM: Been a crunchy/slippery week so far. Predator hunting thick woods is tough! Looks like a cold spell is coming, I'm ready for more snow!!!!!
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: JJD on November 30, 2014, 09:23:37 AM: Jasnt,
No snow here yet but sure cold enough today.
I'm just west of you a bit.
I love the snow too. I snowshoe the rims of the canyons with a light rifle and could litterally walk for days without running out of new territory. At daybreak, if ya move slow, ya take more critters than you'd think. Quieter than anything with a motor and being over 60, the exercise doesn't hurt either.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on November 30, 2014, 10:14:26 AM: Yup. I look at my legs like they're the ultimate all-terrain vehicle lol. I don't have snowshoes yet. I just tough it out till the snow is more than knee deep. I just love being out there. Looking for sheds and varmints. Hope we get more snow soon cougar always closes the first of the year in my gmu. I like moving really slow too. I just watch and listen as I meander threw the areas, watching for tracks or movement.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 18, 2014, 05:43:54 PM: Well we got a little snow Tuesday night so I was out Wednesday morning at first light. Checked all the regular spots along the way but no cats, on two of these spots are known cougar toilets. Not seeing any sign i decided to make a stand by the river. Called off and on for 45 min to an hour then headed up more north, found 2 old kills from last winter, bucks that had shed already, noses crushed and most the bones buried. Still not cutting tracks and snow melting fast we headed back to the truck, on the way back we passed one of the toilets and see a fresh pile of pine needles. Yup cat had been there where I had just been 2 1/2 hours earlier. The snow was pretty much gone by then so no way to tell where it went. We ducked down and started calling. Started with cougar whistles and ended with fawn distress. We heard something moving up on top but never spotted it. Sure wish we could get a good 2" of snow. Only a matter of time before I catch up to it.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on December 18, 2014, 05:48:56 PM: Have you been successful before tracking down cats? Just curious if its better than blind calling.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 18, 2014, 06:04:58 PM: Not yet. Idea is track till I feel I'm getting close,without bumping, Then set up and call. I feel it helps knowing the cat has been in the area,and could be still close. That's why I hit the fresh snow as quickly as I can. Gives me an good idea how long ago the cat was there,direction of travel and approximately how big.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: fast1 on December 20, 2014, 01:22:20 PM: I use to do the same thing to get time and size, but would also get a ruff idea of direction and try and figure out where it was headed. Then I would try to circle around and get in front of them and do some calls.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 20, 2014, 09:55:33 PM: Quote from: fast1 on December 20, 2014, 01:22:20 PM
I use to do the same thing to get time and size, but would also get a ruff idea of direction and try and figure out where it was headed. Then I would try to circle around and get in front of them and do some calls.
only issue I see with that is often tracking the cats I've found they pretty much wonder and often change course, even making a huge circle in about 4hours time just to cross its tracks and go a different route. I have also tracked them relatively straight for several miles. I'm also mostly hunting smaller peace's of public land. So I feel I need to get as close as I can before it leaves the public land. I'm sure hunting the nf areas you can try to get in front of it easier. currently I'm hunting one specific cat on an 1800 Acer public land area. I've found many of its territory markers( toilets /scratches ) trying to pattern this cat has been futile. The only pattern I've seen is no pattern at all. He simply seems to wonder. Maybe it will just take alot longer to figure him out than the last 2months. Time will tell
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: KFhunter on December 20, 2014, 10:30:51 PM: jasnt I went through several sets of snowshoes really hating life until I got the MSR ascent

man they're nice, you don't ski down the hills, don't slide sideways, they stick to logs when you ain't got enough legs to step all the way over. You can crawl up out of a brushy creek where even without snowshoes you'd slide back down on your chin cause it's icy.

expensive though, but cheaper than 3 throw Costco toss-aways you'll hate. :chuckle:

http://www.amazon.com/MSR-Lightning-Ascent-Snowshoe-30-Inch/dp/B00LFJNHWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419143230&sr=8-1&keywords=msr+lightning+ascent+30 (http://www.amazon.com/MSR-Lightning-Ascent-Snowshoe-30-Inch/dp/B00LFJNHWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419143230&sr=8-1&keywords=msr+lightning+ascent+30)

get the 30's you look to be north of 230lbs like I am, I got the tails too for the deep but rarely need them.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 20, 2014, 10:38:24 PM: I was wondering about weight. I'm 255lbs add my gear and rifle probably creeping up on 300. I may have to check those out. I've been so frustrated with snow shoes I gave up trying and just been tough'n it out with just boots. Gets VERY tiring when snow gets up around knee deep. Almost all my hunting areas are walk in only so sleds not an option. Thanks for the tip :tup: I'm a buy once cry once kinda guy
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 20, 2014, 11:33:03 PM: few of the cat pics ive gotten sofar
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FSTC_0109.jpg&hash=3d48f88f90b090b5c3badb323c1ec540ddcf574b) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/STC_0109.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FSTC_0108-1.jpg&hash=683699e4e357d2471407ac50528062415cf6856d) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/STC_0108-1.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FSTC_0107.jpg&hash=9f795c2e969d76fcef60731065a0015a1be25cc4) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/STC_0107.jpg.html)

bobcat buried my friends gut pile from his buck.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FHUNT0005.jpg&hash=f7336b77b5a3e157f2df02ebe004c4095c48ce58) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/HUNT0005.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FHUNT0004.jpg&hash=927ce8c89ee5522c5ca12bc8bdbf9af2346619be) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/HUNT0004.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FHUNT0002.jpg&hash=47a19843cca025a5ce317ca764c64ef09444e2da) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/HUNT0002.jpg.html)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi407.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp157%2Fjasen_photos%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2FHUNT0024.jpg&hash=f254bd409105712d667bdba8d57902fd2c962a9e) (http://s407.photobucket.com/user/jasen_photos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/HUNT0024.jpg.html)
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: JJD on December 22, 2014, 01:26:24 PM: Sweet,
Hope ya get a chance to put a seal on one.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: jasnt on December 22, 2014, 03:37:37 PM: Thanks jjd I'm hoping so too.
Title: Re: its snowing
Post by: Charlie on December 24, 2014, 02:55:58 PM: Nice pics..... good luck!!