Post by: rainshadow1 on December 05, 2009, 04:11:45 PM
- Called with my new sounds, it responded without ANY caution!
- Got the whole thing on HD video! (Although I didn't zoom in.) 7 + minute clip including the shot and the excited approach after the shot. Plus 2 clips before the call-in and 3 clips after!
Ok, here goes...
Really apoligize for being lite on the pics, I favored the video, and only ended up with a couple field pics.
I'll see what I can do about the video. I'm not going to be posting it, I've been advised that it has potential value, so I'm going to be protective of it. I'll comment on what I got though.
Story:
I got back from a DISMAL Coyote calling trip to the Dry side of Washington late Wednesday. (1 shot fired, no fur.) I hadn't planned on hunting at all for this week, possibly not even next week. I'm finishing up a few knives and starting a couple other Christmas orders.
Anyway, I guess it was about Noon:30, I get a call from a friend of my wife,
"Are you still looking for a Cougar?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, one was just sighted on our road, right next to a guy walking. Scared him pretty good!"
"Where?"
"Just before my house, over the hill, in the DNR clearcut next to such-and-so road..."
It took me about 30 minutes to suit up and head out. I was almost out of gas, so I had to stop, but I had all my gear in the 4runner from this week's trip, so I didn't have to pack anything. Just grab the gun and go!
I got to the spot, drove around 2 sides, and tried to knock on a neighbor's door, they had a llama and dogs, I wanted to see if they had noticed anything. Nobody home.
The DNR plot was about 150 acres. 1/3 of it logged.
This is in the very low foothills, first hump of 3 before you get to the main mountains. The area is still quite timbered, but roads and houses everywhere. I was 400 yards from a major road, 400 yards from a subordinate road, both paved. I was probably 300 yards from the house I tried door knocking.
I walked in to where the clearcut was tapering into the standing second growth. The timber was so thick, I decided to go against my own advice and set up out in the clearcut.
I found a big root ball and set up on the shady side.
I decided that if the cat was there, and I hadn't already been busted, it'd come from the second growth. So I faced it, set up, and put the call out about 35 yards. I had been about 10 minutes since I stopped walking, and I sneak around pretty carefully when I'm at my stand location.
I set up the video camera and panned it around, then back to me and described how this stand was a local Cougar sighting, and it was really tight with the roads on two sides and houses on a third, etc. Then panned back around across the cut towards the timber.
I called for 5 minutes with JS rodent, then 5 with MO Baby Cottontail, then 5 with my new sound, RS Cougar Up, then switched it to my new sound RS Cougar CFPC. Contentedly feeding, purring, and calling. (Check my website, you can hear sample files of these sounds.)
While CFPC was running I saw flashes of movement past the caller slightly to the right. I thought it was a Coyote or something. It was walking right in! Head up, no sneak. Walking like it was out for a stroll! I looked harder, "That's the freakin' Cougar! Just walking right up to the call!!!" I thought very loudly, but I don't think I said it out loud!
Took me a second to remember I have a video camera this season, and I got it switched on and panned a little right just in time for the lion to come to a stop and look for the caller 10 yards away. I didn't zoom in, I was too nervous, and didn't want to make that much extra motion. (In the video you can see the cat's head and neck if I point it out to you. It's super high resolution, and HD, so I hope a good editor can zoom in on it and highlight it.)
It stopped at about 50 yards, just looking at the call, and looking around...
I leaned forward and picked up the gun out of the sticks. The sticks were a full 8 inches too low for this angle, so I just lifted it up and set my forearm on the end of the right fork. I released the safety and found the cat in the scope. Then the unthinkable almost happened!
My arm slipped off the sticks and I almost tumbled forward onto my face! I just barely caught my balance before that happened and before making much motion at all... and just inches before the gun clacked onto the branch in front of me! (You can see the camera bump, because the sticks and the tripod were touching!)
I got my arm back up and placed it into the crook of the sticks. I found the cat in the scope again and it was still looking down at the caller! I started to squeeze...
Kaboom! Center chest. I saw it's tail flailing around in the saplings. NO TRACKING THIS TIME!!!
I never turned the camera off! I kept it on the whole time, for the whole emotional outburst! For the whole approach to the cat, and while looking at the cat, then doing the traditional bear hug hero shot.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FIMG_0195.jpg&hash=447f22f77c7026b45722ccc50177bbf7fd078a82)
It walked in on this trail, when I shot it it flailed into the little Christmas trees behind it. I pulled it out before this picture. This is where I set it down after the bear hug shot. I would have got a still bear hug shot for you, but I don't know how to use the timer on this fancy camera yet! (These are stills taken with the video camera.)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FIMG_0196.jpg&hash=df3f8a8a2a87d06e88da5a92c034d030b24747ab)
This is looking back at my stand location next to the root ball. I got a good video clip of this too. I was in the shade of the root ball. The trees standing in the distant background are along the main road. You can hear the cars in the video!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FIMG_0192.jpg&hash=0bf3dffcc97e49b3f1368594590d10c50cb8683d)
And here's the ubiquitous National Predator Hunter's Association brag contest shot!
I'm still a little jittery! I couldn't believe how TEXTBOOK this stand went, but even more than that, I couldn't believe how calmly and unwarily this cat just STROLLED right into this stand. No sneak, at ALL!! The thing just walked on up and looked at the BCB. Unbelievable.
It's a big female, really similar to the one I shot 07/08. Just over 6 foot. Just over 100 lbs. If I had been in the high country, I'd have MAYBE taken another minute to decide if I wanted to take it, a big mature female, but I'd love a big dominant Tom! But this was a neighborhood Lion. It was literally under 400 yards from two dogs, a Llama, a flock of tame geese, and who knows what all else around a house. With several other homes and plenty of other livestock within 500 yards. It had to go down!
So, now I gotta find guys to take out if I'm going to go after the longtails anymore this season!
Thanks guys!
Post by: C-Money on December 05, 2009, 04:13:13 PM
Post by: Gutpile on December 05, 2009, 04:17:18 PM
Post by: Ray on December 05, 2009, 04:18:58 PM
Post by: Huntbear on December 05, 2009, 04:23:58 PM
Post by: Austrian Hunter on December 05, 2009, 04:36:23 PM
Post by: NWBREW on December 05, 2009, 04:37:01 PM
Post by: Big10gauge on December 05, 2009, 04:45:12 PM
Post by: mulehunter on December 05, 2009, 04:48:54 PM
Mulehunter :drool:
Post by: JoeVon on December 05, 2009, 04:49:08 PM
Post by: Gringo31 on December 05, 2009, 04:58:01 PM
I think that's the only thing that would beat bugling bulls.
Again, Fantastic!
Post by: billythekidrock on December 05, 2009, 05:18:00 PM
PM sent.
Post by: rasbo on December 05, 2009, 05:33:05 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on December 05, 2009, 06:14:35 PM
PS. As much as I would like to see the video, I think you will be better off not airing it on the web. Save it for a dvd. ;)
Post by: bearpaw on December 05, 2009, 06:20:56 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 05, 2009, 06:32:58 PM
Post by: coop2424 on December 05, 2009, 06:38:57 PM
Post by: sirfunkeybut on December 05, 2009, 06:44:23 PM
There it is, I'm gonna figger out how to get stills off the video... I hope!
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on December 05, 2009, 06:56:53 PM
Post by: saylean on December 05, 2009, 07:07:26 PM
Post by: Tony 270WSM on December 05, 2009, 07:16:18 PM
Post by: markts on December 05, 2009, 07:23:43 PM
Post by: boneaddict on December 05, 2009, 07:27:55 PM
Post by: Sneaky on December 05, 2009, 07:33:57 PM
Post by: Machias on December 05, 2009, 07:38:23 PM
Post by: shoot-em-dead on December 05, 2009, 07:46:45 PM
Post by: Aneoakleaf on December 05, 2009, 07:58:30 PM
Loved the story! I'll buy a dvd! :hello:
Post by: Kowsrule30 on December 05, 2009, 09:01:54 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on December 05, 2009, 09:23:27 PM
Post by: alecvg on December 05, 2009, 09:36:21 PM
Post by: Little Dave on December 05, 2009, 09:49:02 PM
Post by: Kain on December 05, 2009, 10:17:58 PM
Post by: shanevg on December 05, 2009, 10:35:55 PM
Post by: bearmanric on December 06, 2009, 05:38:06 AM
Post by: KillerMiller on December 06, 2009, 07:37:19 AM
Post by: MuleySniper on December 06, 2009, 07:56:19 AM
MS
Post by: bucklucky on December 06, 2009, 08:39:52 AM
Post by: robb92 on December 06, 2009, 09:37:11 AM
Post by: X-Force on December 06, 2009, 10:10:33 AM
Post by: 509er on December 06, 2009, 10:50:49 AM
Post by: huntnphool on December 06, 2009, 11:07:08 AM
Post by: TheHunt on December 06, 2009, 12:52:30 PM
Does your digital sounds work in all the eCallers?
Or are they set up for an iPod connected to a speaker + amp?
Post by: Cougeyes on December 06, 2009, 01:08:58 PM
Post by: Bighorse on December 06, 2009, 02:46:57 PM
Very sweet hunting prowess. Your passionate and it shows.
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 06, 2009, 03:26:50 PM
TheHunt: The sounds are saved in MP3, so they'll work in just about anything. My masters are 24bit 96khz .wav files, so the data is all there, any format can be done, just ask!
Cougeyes: Those are all large lots, a 5 acre plot up this road is small. Lots of 20, 40's etc. And all the acreages still have lots of timber on them for the most part. So there's plenty of wildlife corridore. Also, it's very likely that plenty of livestock and pets have gone down to this cat. They only get called in if they hit a flock of sheep hard, or if they keep coming back or etc.
Post by: Idabooner on December 06, 2009, 04:30:41 PM
Post by: Bigswedegml on December 06, 2009, 04:31:42 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on December 06, 2009, 05:28:47 PM
Post by: bighorns2bushytails on December 06, 2009, 06:36:44 PM
--BH2BT
Post by: lokidog on December 06, 2009, 07:13:21 PM
Post by: Machias on December 06, 2009, 07:19:36 PM
Awesome cat! Do you sell CD's of the calls? I, along with many here, would love to go chase some cats.
Go to his website, he does sell the CD, and it is very good, I bought it two weeks ago and the quality is outstanding.
Post by: Wea300mag on December 06, 2009, 07:28:33 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on December 07, 2009, 04:18:13 AM
Awesome cat! Do you sell CD's of the calls? I, along with many here, would love to go chase some cats.
I will second Machias. The sounds are the best I have heard.
Contact Rainshadow here or on his site and he will get back to you.
Post by: bearmanric on December 07, 2009, 06:19:53 AM
Post by: Gobble on December 07, 2009, 06:32:15 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 07, 2009, 09:05:10 AM
Hey, I figured out how to grab screen shots! I'm going to get some on here today sometime...
Post by: GoldTip on December 07, 2009, 09:12:16 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on December 07, 2009, 10:33:56 AM
Post by: Wacenturion on December 07, 2009, 11:36:25 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on December 07, 2009, 11:43:12 AM
Post by: Bearhunter on December 07, 2009, 11:47:54 AM
Post by: LongTatLaw on December 07, 2009, 11:48:07 AM
good looking mo fo fo sho!
ps- Ric...aint no cats down near you and bucklucky...there was one...but aint no more :P ;)
Post by: gramps on December 07, 2009, 11:48:24 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 07, 2009, 12:43:04 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FArrived.jpg&hash=920a62bf1e3a9894369050edaa317cff2e97dca4)
This is a close crop of the cat when it arrived, before the shot. It's not zoomed, this is what's on the screen. (I'm hoping it can be digitally zoomed, but that's over my head by quite a ways right now!) The cat is centered. It's in the frame when the camera comes on, then it drops down to take a few steps closer, then comes back up and you see this.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FApproach.jpg&hash=9a9c9b4c36afe75a1ca4d9c2298e25b4caf60667)
This is walking up the the cat, Survivorman style! (The camera is in the tripod and I'm carrying the whole thing at my side like he does.) There's one spot where you get the sky and timber tops, but most of it is real good, you get to walk up to the cat with me!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FCheck.jpg&hash=4139094e8b74932c4593908a75edeca9bbcdb74f)
This is checking to see if it's really dead, or if I'm just having a really good dream! (Again, Survivorman style.) This is where I recognize that it's indeed a mature adult cat.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FContact.jpg&hash=4d311f810e7e952338d337e1e4fe4b02e8dca10a)
I actually grab it by the scruff here and try to drag it... no possible way! I'm realizing how big it is now.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee99%2Frainshadow1%2FHeavy.jpg&hash=2004835bf082c0230d6938993b7a32556145f0d4)
Ok, no question about it now, it's a big cat! And heavy!
Post by: Alan K on December 07, 2009, 12:48:17 PM
Post by: backwoods_boy on December 07, 2009, 02:12:49 PM
Post by: jordano on December 07, 2009, 02:33:07 PM
Post by: saylean on December 07, 2009, 02:42:56 PM
Post by: Ray on December 07, 2009, 02:49:22 PM
Post by: Kain on December 07, 2009, 02:50:09 PM
Oh man...the jealousy....:yeah:
Post by: CastleRocker on December 07, 2009, 02:56:33 PM
Oh man...the jealousy....:yeah:
X2!
Post by: Birdguy on December 07, 2009, 05:48:48 PM
Post by: Gutpile on December 07, 2009, 08:54:36 PM
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on December 07, 2009, 09:23:42 PM
Post by: bearmanric on December 08, 2009, 07:31:05 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on December 08, 2009, 08:35:48 AM
Post by: tlbradford on December 08, 2009, 01:25:54 PM
I can't wait to see the video. Maybe you and ol' Will sitting on the front porch of his cabin while you give calling demos and he interrupts and talks for 10 minutes without taking a breath. :chuckle:
Post by: steeleywhopper on December 08, 2009, 01:46:14 PM
Post by: piled-up on December 08, 2009, 02:09:49 PM
Post by: javman on December 08, 2009, 06:10:02 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 09, 2009, 04:26:00 PM
TL, if you're ever over on the peninsula, give a shout. Free viewing on my 50 inch!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on December 09, 2009, 07:22:34 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 09, 2009, 07:56:02 PM
Post by: jager on December 09, 2009, 08:06:00 PM
That is so cool. Would love to call one in.
Got one with hounds years ago... but having them come to you.....Awesome!
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 11, 2009, 03:05:55 PM
Post by: Tombo on December 11, 2009, 10:28:26 PM
Congratulations! I just saw the post. WOOOOOOOO! :IBCOOL: :IBCOOL:
Tombo
Post by: Bigbuckhunter_1996 on December 14, 2009, 05:27:32 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on December 14, 2009, 06:45:33 PM
Thanks Tombo, good to see you on here again!