Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 12:15:08 PM
Little back story, 5 acres not far from a small down about 30 mins south of Olympia I back a few thousand acres of weyhauser land. About 2 years ago right before dusk myself and my daughter came off the trail to our field and about 5 minutes later my wife spotted an animal come off the same trail didn't get the best look at it however the profile looked like either a yote or a cougar, chased after it up our road in my truck trying to get a better look at it to no avail, flash forward a few months neighbors call me up asking me to come up to their house they have a cougar sitting by the bonfire pit watching them, so I head up there armed of course, cats gone, flash forward about a year my dog disappears from the front of the house after barking at something for about 10 minutes on and off, no sign of a struggle no blood nothing just up and disappears, no person could have walked off with him he was a rescue and didn't allow anyone he didn't know anywhere near him, flash forward about 2 months it's about 830 pm I'm coming home and something runs across the road to my neighbors property I thought maybe it was a German Shepard though none of my neighbors have a dog that size.
Flash forward to about two weeks ago and several cats disappearing later, weyhauser has clear-cut behind our house so we go up to look at our field and see what they cleared, came across the leg, found the skeleton that I'm pretty sure the leg belonged to a few days later in our lower field...two days ago one of my mini pigs disappears, so what do you guys think. Cougar Sasquatch manbear pig?
Post by: 2MANY on February 19, 2020, 12:34:23 PM
Obviously the manbearpig wins.
Sorry they closed your local river.
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 12:35:42 PM
Post by: b0bbyg on February 19, 2020, 01:01:20 PM
With that much activity I would not want my kids wandering around outside until you can deal with the issue.
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 01:05:39 PM
Sounds like a Cat, do you have any trailcams you can put out, or anyone you know close by have a caller to try and coax him out for a shot?
With that much activity I would not want my kids wandering around outside until you can deal with the issue.
Kids are not allowed outside without me or the wife, I have a camera up looking at what's left of the skeleton, as soon as I get a photo I'll have enough confirmation to pick up a cougar tag
Post by: Bango skank on February 19, 2020, 01:11:59 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 19, 2020, 01:17:39 PM
Denning females will hang in tight to an area for several months, but not years.
Inside a cat's territory, and showing up regularly is more likely. Unmolested, it doesn't have any reason not to.
I've only seen cat kills THAT clean after coyotes get to them later, but that could have easily happened.
Definitely cats there... warrants caution. Night of the Grizzly fear? No. But little kids (<4ft) and pets/livestock are at risk, tread wisely.
Post by: buckfvr on February 19, 2020, 01:23:39 PM
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 01:27:39 PM
Youre backed up to thousands of acres of timberland and you already know you have a cat problem, so why do you need tcam pics to buy a tag? You should always have one.
Cat wasn't really any issue till this past year. We've had cats through the area on and off for 30 plus years no issues. Timber company clear cuts and now I'm having issues... causation or correlation? Maybe.
As to coyotes getting to the carcass I'd bet money on it, there is a relatively local pack that roams the ridges and hills behind the house but haven't ever come close to the house. We have an understanding they don't mess with me and I don't shoot and hang them..🤷♂️
Post by: idaho guy on February 19, 2020, 02:52:56 PM
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 03:02:17 PM
that doesn't really look like a cat kill especially with the leg drug way off from the skeleton- unless as said the coyotes got to it after the cat. Looks like a wolf (or at least canine kill) more than a cat. I agree with bango you know cats are there- I would buy a tag and start hunting cats and big dogs :tup:
I mean I suppose wolves could be down by the Vail hunting unit outside of the town of Rainier however I've heard no howling except for the occasional time the coyotes kick off.
Post by: bigmacc on February 19, 2020, 03:56:52 PM
Probably a lion kill if they are in the area, then picked clean by other critters is my hunch. The area in the Methow that we found over 24 lion kills in it had a few that had been cached then drug out by something else and picked clean. All those kills were in a couple mile radius and looked to have been from the previous spring or early spring, we found them in a migration route the deer in that area will use to go back into the high country in March/Apri, that cat had a field day in there, very little of the deer were eaten, mostly hind quarters then buried, I've heard from a game fella I know that once the meat starts to spoil they abandon that kill and go get another, hence the 50-60 deer a year per cat fact. The previous year in another area about 10 miles away we ran into over a dozen cached kills that were fairly fresh, in fact a few of those were bucks with 2 of them being real dandies, those looked to have been about a month old(maybe august/septemberish), we got a glimpse of the cat on our way out and told a couple young fellas who had lion tags where we seen him and about all the kills, they went in the next day and shot him while actualy guarding a fresh kill. Like a lot of folks have said, you have a lion frequiting your property and you have kids, kill it on sight, that thing has probably seen you and your kids many, many times without you even knowing it. This is exactly the powder keg situation I have spoke of and in many areas the fuse is becoming very short unfortunately. They will continue doing their studies, spending our money and putting out under estimated numbers of these things while apparently everyone except WDFW sees how cougar populations have exploded, they will drag their feet on this issue and keep feeding the public their way off population numbers until some very bad encounters increasingly happen, thats to late in my book, there is a lion problem in this state, it needs to be addressed NOW, actually should have been tackled about 10 years ago IMO, we actually would have more game in some parts of this state if they would have addressed it then. IMO thats a very scary situation you have going on there, your doing the right thing by not letting the kids out and about unsupervised.
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 04:05:49 PM
Probably a lion kill if they are in the area, then picked clean by other critters is my hunch. The area in the Methow that we found over 24 lion kills in it had a few that had been cached then drug out by something else and picked clean. All those kills were in a couple mile radius and looked to have been from the previous spring or early spring, we found them in a migration route the deer in that area will use to go back into the high country in March/Apri, that cat had a field day in there, very little of the deer were eaten, mostly hind quarters then buried, I've heard from a game fella I know that once the meat starts to spoil they abandon that kill and go get another, hence the 50-60 deer a year per cat fact. The previous year in another area about 10 miles away we ran into over a dozen cached kills that were fairly fresh, in fact a few of those were bucks with 2 of them being real dandies, those looked to have been about a month old(maybe august/septemberish), we got a glimpse of the cat on our way out and told a couple young fellas who had lion tags where we seen him and about all the kills, they went in the next day and shot him while actualy guarding a fresh kill. Like a lot of folks have said, you have a lion frequiting your property and you have kids, kill it on sight, that thing has probably seen you and your kids many, many times without you even knowing it. This is exactly the powder keg situation I have spoke of and in many areas the fuse is becoming very short unfortunately. They will continue doing their studies, spending our money and putting out under estimated numbers of these things while apparently everyone except WDFW sees how cougar populations have exploded, they will drag their feet on this issue and keep feeding the public their way off population numbers until some very bad encounters increasingly happen, thats to late in my book, there is a lion problem in this state, it needs to be addressed NOW, actually should have been tackled about 10 years ago IMO, we actually would have more game in some parts of this state if they would have addressed it then. IMO thats a very scary situation you have going on there, your doing the right thing by not letting the kids out and about unsupervised.
Yeah found a nice 3 point carcass probably 2 months old on a different section of the neighborhood.
Post by: millerwheeler on February 19, 2020, 06:43:44 PM
Post by: Hillbilly Zen on February 19, 2020, 06:52:59 PM
Actively hunt that cat and you will likely get it or spook it out. Either outcome is good with little kids. If you kill it, you will likely have another eventually. I assume they are always there and just try to make my yard a terrifying place for an ambush predator in the daytime. “Living with wildlife” be damned, the mule deer come back EVERY night regardless of the dogs, shooting, noise, kids, chainsaws. I assume the cats will too, but they can have the night. They are awesome creatures: truly one of nature’s most spectacular hunters. Kill it or don’t, you’ll be alright if you make your human space unfriendly to them (but keep your head on a swivel 😂)
With regard to livestock or pets being actively hunted...I would be looking for that cat.
Post by: Milkman on February 19, 2020, 06:57:35 PM
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 19, 2020, 07:30:21 PM
Hey just another dad perspective: you can’t live in fear. You live in the range of large predators. My kids are very young and we have had kills near the house and plenty of cat sign around. Bear cubs in fruit trees. Rattlesnakes on the porch. I run the dogs out before kids to protect and intercept anything that might eyeball them. contrary to firm townie beliefs that dogs should be on leashes to protect them from predators, I keep mine for the purpose of making me aware of things I can’t see or hear. That is their job. 99% of my target practice is with a 10mm, and it’s on me any time I’m hiking with the kids or even just up behind our place dinking around.I don't fear cats I respect them like every other critter in the woods. I will leave them be till they give me reason not to. Had bear sign up in the field the last two winter's I'm getting more game cameras and a cougar tag.
Actively hunt that cat and you will likely get it or spook it out. Either outcome is good with little kids. If you kill it, you will likely have another eventually. I assume they are always there and just try to make my yard a terrifying place for an ambush predator in the daytime. “Living with wildlife” be damned, the mule deer come back EVERY night regardless of the dogs, shooting, noise, kids, chainsaws. I assume the cats will too, but they can have the night. They are awesome creatures: truly one of nature’s most spectacular hunters. Kill it or don’t, you’ll be alright if you make your human space unfriendly to them (but keep your head on a swivel 😂)
With regard to livestock or pets being actively hunted...I would be looking for that cat.
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 26, 2020, 03:42:53 PM
Post by: millerwheeler on February 26, 2020, 08:17:42 PM
Checked my camera. No cat just a few yotes
How long was it up they usually do very large loops
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 26, 2020, 08:31:23 PM
Post by: millerwheeler on February 26, 2020, 10:23:57 PM
A week. It's back up and taking photos though
Do you have only one up ?
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 26, 2020, 10:30:21 PM
A week. It's back up and taking photos though
Do you have only one up ?
Yeah I only have one till payday comes around then I'm going to buy one or two more, probably at least one that sends photos to my phone
Post by: TooTallMike on February 26, 2020, 11:23:12 PM
Post by: Taco280AI on February 27, 2020, 06:44:53 AM
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 28, 2020, 03:37:41 PM
I've got a camera you can have to help in your pursuit. I've also got a tag myself and frequent capital state forest. Might go to the range this week and if it's close enough to you I can drop off the trail cam. Best of luck
I appreciate the offer it's payday so I think I'm going to go buy a camera after work
Post by: millerwheeler on February 29, 2020, 02:41:32 PM
I've got a camera you can have to help in your pursuit. I've also got a tag myself and frequent capital state forest. Might go to the range this week and if it's close enough to you I can drop off the trail cam. Best of luck
I appreciate the offer it's payday so I think I'm going to go buy a camera after work
Wal-Mart has tasco game.cameras for 25bucks they work perfect
Post by: JimmyHoffa on February 29, 2020, 02:57:26 PM
Post by: RadioSquatch713 on February 29, 2020, 05:53:30 PM
I'm guessing the cats were there all along, but when it was bigger timber they had more space to kill and you didn't stumble upon it. After clear cutting, the cats are still hunting more in the timber; just the timber is more concentrated now. So, it looks like more of a problem. Not a horrible problem to have since it means you probably have a good amount of deer. Just need to get rid of cats for safety and improved deer herds.
I've always known they have been around just haven't had them this brazen before
Post by: JakeLand on March 01, 2020, 06:38:37 AM
Post by: teanawayslayer on March 01, 2020, 06:47:57 AM
Looks like coyote kills from the pics ! Cats will try and hide a kill in thick stuff and will cover it up:yeah: