Post by: MichaelJ on October 28, 2007, 05:15:06 PM
Michael
Post by: WACATHUNTER on October 28, 2007, 06:10:45 PM
WACAT
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 28, 2007, 07:17:24 PM
Post by: robb92 on October 28, 2007, 07:40:17 PM
Post by: Wea300mag on October 28, 2007, 08:38:28 PM
I have never hunted ID, but huh? I think I like their rules.
Post by: jackelope on October 28, 2007, 08:40:47 PM
Post by: Lincoln4 on October 28, 2007, 09:18:28 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 29, 2007, 01:12:13 PM
My brother in law and a friend and I arrived in Idaho on the 10th and set up camp. Throughout the next 8 days we hunted hard and logged a TON of miles. One thing I will say for idaho, I have never seen so many road hunters in my life, and I have never seen so much lack of hunter orange in my life either! We probably averaged 3-6 miles a day on foot and only saw 1 other boot print! I missed a buck at 250 yards down hill on the run the 2nd morning which was pretty disappointing. We tracked him for 300 yards and he definitely wasn't hit. Also, our buddy who was hunting for the first time EVER passed on a nice two point the first morning. So we had our chances at bucks, but nothing came together.
One evening we decided on evening to split up for the evening hunt...
I hiked into a canyon that we'd seen deer in before and busted a buck out of a thicket at 60 yards but never saw him. Tracked him through a brush thicket for 300 yards or so never being more than 100 yards from him but never saw him. The tracks were BIG and he was leaving hair tuffs on overhanging branches and such! It was a rush!
I finally lose the buck and then run into the biggest bull elk I've ever seen at 60 yards! Got a good luck at him but he wasn't having not of it so he busted out of there as well. I took my position on a rock ledge and spotted 3 does 200 yards away feeding. Pretty soon they spotted something in the thicket between them and me and got the heck outta there! My first thought was maybe another deer or something was down there as I heard something moving in the brush below. 5 minutes later I hear some brush crash below me to the right and I see a patch of tan through the brush! I throw up my binos and there's this cougar 80 yards below me on a rock ledge looking at a grouse in a small pine tree. I slowly raise my rifle and flip the safety off and BOOM! Rolled him right off the rock! 5 seconds later I see him running away at 150 yards but hit hard. Then to my surprise another cougar starts trotting after him! I'm guessing it was his mate as he's to big imho to still be running with a sibling. I see him start to cash right on a ridge and the 2nd cougar is still standing right by him. It's getting close to dark so I fire a shot into the tree above her to scare her off so I can go find my cat. (maybe not the best solution, but I sure as heck wasn't going in there with her standing over her dead bf!) I found him dead and threw him in some buckbrush and headed for the road. I sure booked it out of there fast! Came back the next morning with my brother and Marcus and found where the other cat had come back and bedded down next to him for the night. Most likely spooked her when we came back. Skinned him and took out the meat and that was that! It was funny because the day before I shot him, we'd seen cougar tracks 10 miles away on a ridge that were pretty fresh.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado038.jpg&hash=27a824c33b5708354ac0fdb225ed37d33c4495f0)
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Some other pics of Idaho:
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The killer hole my brother stepped in getting out of the truck!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado029.jpg&hash=d8d8498db5f31e48d172d8a4cb359ecbd348feff)
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We also made a trip to Cabelas in Boise! Awesome store!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado004.jpg&hash=a9ef143a20db3305a30f0738ab81e09833813b03)
Got home on thursday the 18th and friday the 19th we set off for Colorado. Rolled into our hotel area at 4.30 AM on the 20th and got some sleep then headed out for the evening hunt. I passed on probably 15 different bucks looking for a nice 4 point but it just wasn't meant to be. My Brother and I agreed that if I hadn't tagged out by friday then I would shoot the first decent buck I saw. The first evening it hailed, then snowed, and snowed some more. The next morning it was still gusting 35 mph and there was up to 18" of snow in some spots. Didn't see a whole lot of deer until the storm passed but we're having a great time! The roads turned aweful and we had to chain up all 4 tires of the jeep to get anywhere! The 3rd morning we passed on another big two point and then busted out a NICE 4 point at 250 yards but only had a 30 yard window and on the run it wasn't a smart shot so I passed. That same buck was taken the next day and turned out to be 26" wide with 3" browtines and good mass. A solid 170 buck that I was kicken myself over for awhile.
We were heading back one evening and came around the corner to find this:
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He was blocking the only road in/out and we were stuck. So we tried getting him out and I ended spotting some deer up the hill with no shooters. Another couple guys showed up so I took one of them up the hill and let him use my gun to drop this buck at 500 yards... He wasn't sure of his gun and no bipod and didn't like the idea of an offhand shot at that distance... So it turned out to be quite the night! Sat around with 12 other hunters that were blocked in aswell drinking coffee and telling stories and we even got a buck!
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Friday rolls around and we hit up a canyon where we'd seen 4 different bucks and spotted my buck right at light. Two shots later and we had a good blood trail. He still managed to go about 200 yards where he bedded down in a small stream bed and I put him down with a final shot...
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado050.jpg&hash=19f72d93ccc056cb1197fe21b22d27f66d3ebc7f)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado059.jpg&hash=2172a398681db659a3ec5aeb15951cec6676d4a4)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FIdahoColorado071.jpg&hash=1d3e86981e97b96ae848c8a2409edcd280af8451)
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Beautiful drive back through Utah!
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It was an absolutely awesome time being able to fill two tags in two different states and a great memory!
Thanks for all the comments guys!
Michael
Post by: jackelope on October 29, 2007, 01:42:43 PM
the ride, great pics.
Post by: saylean on October 29, 2007, 02:43:20 PM
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 29, 2007, 03:50:04 PM
Post by: Slider on October 29, 2007, 03:58:07 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 29, 2007, 04:32:24 PM
Michelle, he did have quite a bit of white on his face, we estimated him at 175 lbs and that was a bit conservative but you know how estimations go!
I had a REALLY hard time picking him up and dragged him to an open slope to skin him... I'm pretty strong for my weight at can pick up my brothers 135 Rotweiler no problem and this cat was A LOT bigger...
Michael
Post by: missinmt on October 29, 2007, 04:34:46 PM
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 29, 2007, 04:58:06 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 29, 2007, 05:26:53 PM
Michelle, I understand what ur saying, but the cat was pretty big... I carried a 140 lb dead bear for a client this summer and the cat was a LOT heavier than even that...
Michael
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 29, 2007, 05:38:26 PM
Post by: Wea300mag on October 29, 2007, 06:10:26 PM
Post by: WAmuleyHunter on October 29, 2007, 06:18:15 PM
Post by: boneaddict on October 29, 2007, 06:36:12 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 29, 2007, 10:04:54 PM
Michelle, I will most likely get a rug made out of him... how much does a taxidermist typically cost for a cougar rug?
Thanks again guys, I know they aren't the biggest animals especially for out of state, but the memories will last a lifetime and I don't regret a thing! Thanks for letting me share it with ya'll!
Michael
Post by: sdwwaverider on October 29, 2007, 10:30:38 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 29, 2007, 11:02:22 PM
Michael
Post by: boneaddict on October 30, 2007, 06:09:34 AM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 09:45:28 AM
Michael
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 30, 2007, 10:25:45 AM
Most taxidermists charge by the L/F (Linier Foot) basicly from nose to base of tail. The tail length does not count! I charge $130 per L/F. That includes your choice of 2 colors of felt and open mouth! I also sew all my rugs! I do not glue the outer edges and hope it will hold.
The price of Cougar Rugs varies but in washington I have seen it anywhere from $115 per foot - $145 per foot. Peyser's price list says he charges a flat rate of $875 for a cougar rug. Divide $875 by the length of your cat( do not include the tails length) and that will tell you what he charges per foot.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 30, 2007, 10:51:05 AM
Post by: crabcreekhunter on October 30, 2007, 11:07:45 AM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 01:33:13 PM
Zane, the only bad morning was the last... haha it was a great trip, but I would've logged a lot more miles had I been hunting myself. Kind of hard hunting with two 30 year olds that aren't in shape! Even with 65 lbs of meat and hide on my back and them with nothing I totally dominated them... lol it was awesome!
Michael
Post by: boneaddict on October 30, 2007, 01:36:56 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 01:40:32 PM
Michael
Post by: jackelope on October 30, 2007, 04:18:21 PM
:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
geez mike....take it easy on us.
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 04:20:11 PM
Michael
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 04:22:31 PM
Michael
Post by: jackelope on October 30, 2007, 04:26:58 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on October 30, 2007, 04:40:22 PM
I'll be in the Entiat helping from the 6th through the 18th so if you need something give me a call... 509-670-9238 Adios!
Michael
Post by: boneaddict on October 30, 2007, 06:35:46 PM
Post by: Muleyslyr on October 31, 2007, 10:13:27 AM
BTW, Jackelope, ur not exactly 30 years old... don't they round up after 5 years? haha JK man! :IBCOOL:
Michael
Ouch!! 4 Days ago I could've rounded down.....now I gotta round up as well. :o
What a coupla' great trips Michael! I'd use my deer tag for that Cougar in a heartbeat! Nothing wrong with your CO buck either....gotta start somewhere. Great pics, thanks for puttin' em' up for us. You've come along way in the last couple years. Congrats!
Post by: jackelope on October 31, 2007, 10:18:28 AM
:chuckle:
Post by: MichaelJ on October 31, 2007, 12:11:22 PM
No worries on keeping to the roads Jackelope, I'll be sure to push some down for ya! ;)
Michael
Post by: addicted on October 31, 2007, 01:05:34 PM
Post by: Cougar on October 31, 2007, 03:20:44 PM
Post by: Thorny a$$ on October 31, 2007, 04:37:30 PM
You and your hunting partners have got your priorities straight! hats off to your team. You guys do quality work.
You save up vacation time for this adventure? Self employed? Any feedback tricks or whatever on how you work time off will be greatly appreciated!
Good Hunting,
Thorny a$$
Post by: actionshooter on October 31, 2007, 06:12:11 PM
Steve
Post by: MichaelJ on October 31, 2007, 07:21:07 PM
Actionshooter, we hunted in Eagle County. That's all I can say. And yes the elevation sucks! But it sure is nice to come home and feel how thick the air feels!
Michael
Post by: Wea300mag on October 31, 2007, 09:01:58 PM
Post by: actionshooter on October 31, 2007, 10:03:08 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on November 01, 2007, 12:53:41 PM
Heck ya I'd love to help ya out on ur raffle tag buck! lol I'll also keep my eye open for any monsters while I'm out there... :drool:
Thanks Miles! It sure was fun!
Actionshooter, we saw 5 branched antlered bulls where we were at, and around 40 or so cows/spikes. Lots of elk sign where we were hunting...
Michael
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 21, 2009, 10:17:16 AM
I was looking back through the archives and saw this thread. Just wondering, did you ever get the cougar rug done? I'd love to see it...
Post by: boneaddict on May 21, 2009, 10:18:47 AM
Post by: bucklucky on May 21, 2009, 01:53:12 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 21, 2009, 02:01:38 PM
That looked like a really nice cat too. Good luck to him..