Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: archery288 on November 29, 2007, 09:57:05 PM
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Do you think it is possible to catch a fresh track in the snow and track down the cat and tree it - on foot?
Or has anyone tracked down cats without dogs or been successful without the use of hounds?
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I know a guy that cut some fresh tracks and followed them for a while then set up and called it in and shot it.
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Read Lloyd Bebe's book, find it on the Olympic Game Farm website. He was one of the best Cougar hunters ever, back in the days of the bounties. He mostly used dogs. Since then, during and after all the disney stuff he did, he's spent days at a time in the mountains following cougars, just to observe them. He never says how long it took to catch up to them, but he's done it several times. He's an old man now, and hasn't hunted for many years to my knowledge, but I still consider him one of the best Cougar men in history. Easy, no. For him maybe, he's killed hundreds, and tamed and trained dozens. But even for a guy who doesn't know Cougars like pets, it can be done.
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I know to guys that did it once, followed the tracks out not more that 400 yards and they stopped at the base of a tree, looked up and there was the cat, it was a young one though.
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I've tracked down several. One I treed and couldn't see it in a mistletoe broom. One I treed three kittens and went after mom. One I put a 30-30 slug into on the run and I couldn't follow the blood trail because it went into a bunch of cliffrock in deep snow and it was just plain suicide to follow. This was after I walked underneath it three times trying to sort out its tracks. It dropped out of the tree behind me a mere second after I figured out she was in the tree above me.
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well it sounds like it can be done! And I don't know if I want a cat jumpin out of a tree at me!! haha guess I will have to give it a try!
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You have to be in incredible shape if there is much snow on the ground.
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Or it will eventually put you in incredible shape, but I agree it'll wear you out really fast if you're not in that great of shape to begin with.
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Saw some bob tracks this morning. They were from yesterday and right next to them were human tracks. Some one was on them already.
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the being in shape part is the least of my worries! haha I work out daily and run as well - I live for hunting! I can't wait to get out next week and see if I can come up with one!
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i think runnin a cat can be done if the trial is hot, them things got no lungs
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I have tracked one down through a couple canyons and over a couple ridges and finally saw it 400 yards away and was able to make a killing shot. It was indeed a workout. Rufous.
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:chuckle:You are right about the lungs if you have hounds. They don't come into play whatsoever when tracking one. There is no way you can push them hard enough on two legs to tire them out.
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yeah I would agree with this statement! I don't think I could run fast enough in a foot or two of snow to run one of them down and out of breath! I would be the one out of breath first! haha And besides that, on a dead run through the snow, no way would my eyes work quick enough to follow the tracks!
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well from what ive seen though, if your right on there tail they'll tree pretty quick, they dont like to run far when somethins close to them. so say you cross really fresh tracks i think you'd have a chance at treeing it, but i dont know i've never thought of running after a lion before
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Is there someone you all would recommend for a cat hunt? It doesn't have to be Washington, I am willing to go to Idaho, Montana etc. but don't just want to take pics, although that would be part of it.
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I don't knwo of anyone that runs them without hounds for a living. I was thinking about trying it this winter with my long legged Bassett, but I doubt it will ever happen. If you keep the animal on a leash I guess its legal. I haven't confimed that either. Mostly I was looking forward to going to the Valley to nail one, but as you all know, the WDFW screwed that up for me. Anyhow, your best bet to tree a cat fast is off of a kill. If their belly is full they don't tend to run far. Its really a tough sport. You have to kjeep track of their trail and they will do things to throw you off. I can't tell you how many times they climbed the hill and sat up there and watched me come up after them, only to take off again. I'm pretty sure their lungs weren't hurting as much as mine. They love to double back, circle and play all the games like fox and the hound. Its really best with two folks. One to keep his eyes on the track and one to keep his eyes up ahead. They are curious enough, you can probably catch one this way watching you.
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well you got me interested in this, next time i come across some fresh tracks im guna try and chase after it and see what happens
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I have sone it quite a few times and have been unsuccessful all times. Caught a glimpse at one, and damn near killed ourselves hiking in 2 feet of snow. Be prepared to hike up and down the same hill multiple times, and like Bone said make sure the track is going the right direction, they'll walk in thier own tracks, and confuse the hell out of you. Most of the people that I have heard killing them on foot did it near a kill like bone said, and most were not tree'd. Good luck share your stories, if anyone wants to try it near WEnatchee PM me I would love to go and have sleds.
WACAT
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You guys got my curiosity. Had never thought about tryng this. Sounds like it would be great fun. Any suggestions on good locations to give it a try?
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Where there is deer or elk there will be cats. Make sure you don't go into any of the elk closure areas. They frown on that.
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also beware of the 5 countes that closed for foot hunting, and are only open for hounds.
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I started a bobcat track last year and walked, and walked, and walked on a rough, rocky hillside. I was stopping and calling every 1/2 mile or so. After about 5 miles of up and down on this hill side (who would have known such a little animal could walk so far over night??) I snuck into a boulder slide and he squirted out about 10 yards from me at about 50 mph... no chance for a shot.
It was worth it, but i wouldn't do it again.
I also tried some lion tracks and walked my legs off w/out any luck. It was interesting to see what they were up to, i found two scratches in the dirt and learned a little about thier habits.
A guy in Bridgeport WA walks out lion tracks and gets them pretty regularly. Not sure what his trick is. :dunno:
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I just spent the better part of 4 hours on a cats ass, and the only lungs that were hurting were mine. I found the kill, eagles flew up, then took off after his track, with fresh snow from yesterday, it was nice. He slowed me down in the rocks up and down, and I never spotted him. I had my grnadpas 32 special in my hand for a fast shot on the run. It was warming up enough it was getting dangerous in the wet snow on the rocks. I gave up! Sure alot of guys in the woods for a Friday.
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wannahunt, you pretty much need snow, unless you're a Kalahari bushman tracker or something. Need to move fast and quiet and stay on the trail, so for 99.9% of even the most skilled hunters, that means snow.
Like WAcoyote said, and bobcats are theorized to move about 10% as much as a lion. Plan to hike like a goat, non-stop, for MILES!
And, like bone said, just get above (in elevation) the migrating deer and elk, and you'll find lion tracks.
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I seen a ton of fresh cat tracks during the late archery hunt in Eastern Lewis county this year. Now that I'm tagged out with the bow, I think I will head back up with the 270 and see if I can make it happen.
Coon
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Thanks for the info rainshadow. I'm gonna have to give this a try. I haven't spent much time in the woods after the rifle elk season. Always headed to the marshes to find ducks this time of year so this will new for me. can't wait.
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I couldn't agree more with Bone. Here's one set of three tracks we crossed during late season on the west side this year. My buddy shot a cow and I missed a big mature bull shortly after crossing these tracks. Which I will be haunted by all off season long. :'( But that's a story for a whole other thread.
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10331/RIMG0497.JPG)(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10331/RIMG0496.JPG)
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My friend and I went up into the snow yesterday cuttin tracks. We saw 1 set of longtail, 2 sets of bobcat, and a bunch coyote. We didnt bother going ofter the longtail because the tracks were to old. but we went after the bob-dogs and you would not believe how far these suckers went!! we finally gave up after them taking us into thick reprod. we will be back up there on wed. Mybe I can catch em them. Have any of you heard of treeing bob-dogs before, I havnt heard of it but wouldnt see why not
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I know this is different than what some others have posted, but I have heard that Bobs will go substantially farther than a lion, when pressured. I have never chased a bob track, because of what I have heard, but have and will be chasing some lions when I get a chance.
Good luck and keep us posted.
WACAT
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i have had bobs tend to run longer then lions, if the trail is hot a lion will tend to tree pretty quick. from my lil expeirence in houding. but ive seen bobcat go along ways. then again my uncles this year ran there dogs for 3 days strait on a lion and never got. they treed it i think on the second day but couldnt find the dogs, i believe is what happened
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I hear that Cougar tastes surprisingly good. My buddy cooked some up right after the apple cup this year. He said it felt satisfying and he was surprised how delicious it was.
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I've tried walking cats out twice and I'm 1 for 2, didn't shoot it because it was a little small, the experience was fun...took all of 8 hours and found him right at dark. I use to hunt them with dogs. I think you can be surprisingly successful...but I do miss hunting them with dogs. YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO PUT THE PRESSURE ON THEM...RUN THE TRAIL WHEN YOU CAN! Hunt with two or three people. I have friends that expect to tree them, they've caught at least 7 or 8 that I know of.
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Any pic? congt on treed them on your own.
coonhunter.
