Post by: rainshadow1 on January 31, 2010, 05:32:03 PM
If anyone has had a confirmed Longtail call-in in any way incorporating my Mountain Lion Calling products, I'd sure like to hear about it! PLEASE! Quit holdin' out on me!
I'm going to be building a call-in story page off my rain-shadow.com website soon, and if you allow me, I'd like to post up a quick synopsis of your story, and calling sequence employed.
(Even if your story wasn't incorporating my products, I'd like to hear and post up the story in another catagory, as an educational database. The only qualifications are: 1.) You were calling specifically, and on purpose, for Mt Lion, and 2.) You confirmed in some way that a Cougar responded to the call.)
It'll be a super concentrated database of Mountain Lion call in stories. The techniques used, and the story surrounding when Cougars came in to the call.
(If you only want a synopsis of your story posted, or you want it posted anonymously, that's not a problem, I'd still like to hear them.)
I'll be clearly identifying each post as a Kill, a Miss, a Pass, No Shot, Otherwise confirmed, Probable, etc. etc. Full disclosure, and no truth stretching involved. All stories welcomed, even if the Cat never hit the ground, even if the shot was never fired. Just confirm that the Lion came in, and that's data I want on this page!
Help me out here, fellers!
Post by: billythekidrock on January 31, 2010, 05:47:02 PM
I tried the same thing with a few individuals on bear calling for www.callingbears.com (http://www.callingbears.com) and though everyone said they would write up a short story.. it very seldom happens.
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 31, 2010, 05:51:43 PM
Post by: bearmanric on January 31, 2010, 07:22:06 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 31, 2010, 07:49:10 PM
Post by: bearmanric on January 31, 2010, 09:08:55 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 31, 2010, 09:21:01 PM
I need to dress the page up and add more information, but it's a start. (I have a hectic week coming up, we'll see how fast this develops.)
Take a look and see what I'm talking about...
http://rain-shadow.com/cougar_callin_stories.htm (http://rain-shadow.com/cougar_callin_stories.htm)
You can PM, or e-mail, or post, or whatever. It's a database of sucessful call-ins TARGETING Cougar/Mountain Lion. (Shot or no shot.)So it doesn't matter what tools or sounds you used, I want to get short little condensed stories to post on that page.
Post by: Missing on January 31, 2010, 09:44:03 PM
So on New Years day my son and I were working on our house in Cle Elum and about mid afternoon we decided to go out and do a quick set for coyote or bobcat, it was about 2:30 so we knew we would only have time for 1 or 2 setups. There is a section of state land just outside of town so we decided to head for there as we could get 2 sets in if needed. The old dirt road goes right through the middle of that section so we parked just at the edge, just before parking we met a truck coming out with 2 hunters wearing orange, I thought they must have branched antler elk tags. We left the truck and walked about 200 yards to a spot that I have called before, we dropped off the road about 20 yards and set up looking north were we could see about 150 yards through scattered timber. My son set up against a good sized fir tree and I set up against a small blow down we were about 25 yds apart. I set my fox pro and mojo critter in a small opening about 20 yds in front of me. This looked like a real nice place to set up, but I usually say that to my self, we had good visibility, some thick brush for bobcats on both sides in the bottom of the draw and about 6" of fresh snow from earlier that day. I looked at my watch and it was 3:45 so I new we would only have time for that set, I did 3 sets of howls about 1 minute apart and waited, several deer moved out of the brush below us and moved off quickly I turned the fox pro on to a rabbit distress and let it go for about 5 minutes then I changed to a higher pitched rabbit call and let it run for about 5 minutes. I was just ready to change sound again and did a last sweep of the area and nothing yet, as I looked to my right something told me I needed to look behind me and I never do that because in all the years I have been calling I have only had 2 coyotes come from behind (that I know of) so I slowly turned my head an sitting on the edge of the road is a lion, just a mere 17 yards away, from the angle I am fairly sure he was looking over my shoulder at the mojo critter so I slowly turned back around and got my sons attention to look up the hill, but from his angle he could not see the cat because it was behind a tree. As I turned around again he was now focused on me because of all of the movement and I knew it would be a good idea to have the business end of the rifle pointed in his direction as I am sure he was looking for a late afternoon snack, I think he figured out that I was bigger than what he had heard screaming and stood up wheeled around and headed back into the timber following his same tracks. As I stood up my son says what was it and I said it was a lion and he gave me that yeah right look (you know the same one your kids give you). So we both headed up the hill to the road still about 20 yds apart, I went right to where the cat was crouched and my son came down the road and met me, there low and behold was a fresh set of cat tracks.........That is the first time I have called in a lion and wouldn't you know it was 1 day after the season closed. But still a great day of calling
Post by: Hangfire on January 31, 2010, 09:56:49 PM
My sister lives on 300 acres in N.E. Washington. My other sister lives on a joining 40 acres. There has been 3 cougars taken on the property and others seen and tracks noted in the past 10 or so years.
My nephew about 10 years ago was getting him self in condition for a coming army reserve activity and he was running several miles, partly through the timber. While running through the timber he jumped a white tail fawn, it ran into the woods a short distance from him. The brush started moving and he heard the fawn cry and a cougar jumped up on a tree or stump with the fawn. My nephew turned and ran down the hill, he said after having ran several miles, he had no trouble jumping the barb wire fence at the bottom of the hill. A couple weeks or so later after getting back from the reserves he went near the same area with his rifle and a call. I don't know what brand of call he was using, I know he had a Critter call and I believe a Circe. He got situated and started calling. He heard very shortly something walking, he could then see the bottom half of a cougar at I believe about 50 yards. He shot and he heard the cat run off. He couldn't find any blood or hair and assumed he missed. Opening day of deer season a few days later he went back into the same area and found a dead cougar secluded in some brush. The weather had been cool and the hide was still ok for a rug. I would estimate a 100 pound or more cat.
To the best of my knowledge he was blowing distress calls as he would for a coyote. I think that was his first year of using a predator call.
Post by: Aneoakleaf on January 31, 2010, 09:58:37 PM
Here's my story..
opening day I walked up an old grade to my elk standf about 4pm. About 6pm I heard a weird noise... Thought it was a deer but had never heard the noise before just like a snort hiss...??? about five minunets later there was a scream . The sound was comming from the ridge above me and about 70 yards to my left. The next scream was closer...and I knew it wasn't a deer. It had to be a cougar. now sounding about 30 yards away. I didn't have a pistol on me and I realized the elk wouldn't be comming my way with a cat here...I was mad! I put an arrow on my string and stood up. My tree stand was about 6 feet above the ground on a hill side. The trail to my stand came directly up hill and out about 5 yards from the stand before turning to the stand.
Post by: Aneoakleaf on January 31, 2010, 09:59:52 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on January 31, 2010, 10:07:12 PM
Post by: Aneoakleaf on January 31, 2010, 10:20:29 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 31, 2010, 10:27:36 PM
Keep them coming!
I'll be editing and posting throughout this week, not sure the schedule, but I sure appreciate these!
More stories! More Stories!
Please!!!
!!!
Post by: bearmanric on February 01, 2010, 08:22:45 AM
Post by: rasbo on February 01, 2010, 08:45:26 AM
Post by: Blsum on February 01, 2010, 10:36:39 PM
It was august of 200? I'm not sure I could tell you the exact year. The family was having our anual camping trip. We have been camping at this spot for more than 30 years. We use to be able to just drive in to camp. But when they locked the gate we moved. Finally they locked that gate. The only access we had was via boat. No matter which way you came in, either by boat or by road it was a 6-7 mile journey. 7 miles from the gate/paved road. or 6 miles from the launch.
We ussually camp there for a week. Sometimes shorter sometimes longer. This particular year we had some people in camp since monday. As the week progressed more and more people showed up.
Friday morning one of the guy's (Terry) had decided he was going to walk up the old road, take his dog for a walk, and see what was up there. A while later he returnes and tells all of his discoveries. Everyone was enjoying the sun and water as it was about 90-95 degrees out. Later in the afternoon some of the other guy's in camp decided they wanted to check out what Terry had told them about. After asking around we had quite a large group. There was Terry, Ron, Mark, Mark, Mark, Justin, Kenny, Tommy, Andy, and myself. Plus we had three dogs with us Buck, Spud, and Lucky. My cousin Kenny had decided to bring his mountain bike along just for the fun of it. We are walking up the old grade towards the clear cut that Terry had told us they just put in. The dogs are out in front of the group (as alway's) Kenny is just behind them, followed up by the rest of the group, all kinda spread out. The next thing we know the dogs just loose it. They all start going ape $h!+ crazy. Kenny takes a couple quick peddles on his bike and see's the back half of a cougar jumping into the bushes. Well we get the dogs settled down and head back to camp. Now because of a mis comunication with one of the other guy's I brought all my bear hunting equiptment. Full camo, descenting soap, Rem. 700 .30-06, and my side arm. S/W .40.
I've been wanting a cougar for some time so Justin and I decided we where going to go after it. We jumped in the lake. Took a quick bath with the descenting soap. Dressed up in full camo. Some of the parents where a little un nerved about us going. So I told them I would let Justin carry the side arm, since I would have the rifle.
We walked past where we had our first encounter, just out side the clear cut in the bigger timber. I figured that with the temp. and time of day there wouldn't be any deer in the cut but in the cool shade out side of it. Justin and I found a spot where log had fallen perfect for us to hide behind and look two different directions. We had no idea which way the cat would come in from. Justin was about 12-15 feet away from me looking up hill to the north and I was set up looking down hill to the south west. I had with me a Carlton Calls, Critter Gitter. It's an open reed call, very basic but I could do higher pitch rabit/fawn distress calls or I could do lower pitch doe distress calls. I decided I was going to use a doe distress for this set up. After about 25-30 min's of calling I hear Justin whisper. "Ben, Ben, It's right there." I'm looking all over. Down on the road. all over. I whisper "Where" he say's "Right there" and points in the timber. I asked him how far. He say's "20 yards. It's looking right at me". I'm looking all over for this cat, and I still can't see it. Finally Justing say's "Scoot over here". So I slowly crawled over next to him. He say's "Look right between those two tree's right there" and points. I'm still not seeing this cat. He tells me to scoot over even closer. Now I'm sitting in his lap. He tell's me to look in the same place. Now all I could see was the face of this cougar looking at me form 20 yards. I pulled the 06 up and looked at it threw the scope. I put the cross hairs right on the cat's face. I whispered for Justin to plug his ears. As soon as I seen him plug his ears out the corner of my eye I shot. That cat litterally went 6 feet in the air. Did a complete 180 and took off on a dead run. We spent the next few minutes trying to compose ourselves. We looked all over for blood. Nothing. We went back to camp to recruit a pose for recovery. 6 of us spent the next 2 hours looking all over. We never found a single piece of hair, blood, nothing. The best we can figure is i shot right over the cat's head. At this time I was shooting some handloads a guy had given me. Plus the gun was sighted in for 150 yards. Also when I was at the range with these hand loads I would get a flyer that would shoot about 8-10 inches high at 150 yards. Sorry if this was a little to long for you Steve. You can shorten it up if you would like. Thanks for reading. Also Justin is a member here as well (Hilltophustler). He would vouch for anything that I said.
Good luck with your project Steve.
Post by: Aneoakleaf on February 01, 2010, 10:42:16 PM
dear annie,quit writing on here and get that damn book out :chuckle:Thanks coach ;)
Post by: Aneoakleaf on February 01, 2010, 10:49:02 PM
Post by: Aneoakleaf on February 01, 2010, 10:58:39 PM
Post by: CastleRocker on February 01, 2010, 11:07:38 PM
Post by: Blsum on February 02, 2010, 07:59:38 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 02, 2010, 06:50:06 PM
I'm still hoping for more! There's more out there, I know!
Post by: robodad on February 02, 2010, 06:59:25 PM
Thanks guys!
I'm still hoping for more! There's more out there, I know!
You take me huntin with you and I'll tell you any kind of story you want !!! :P
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 02, 2010, 07:13:27 PM
Post by: robodad on February 02, 2010, 08:34:22 PM
I was only joking about taking me hunting, I couldn't afford to do a guided type hunt anyhow, I only buy a tag in case I run across a cat while hunting other things !! If you want more information I can call him for more specific info !!
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 02, 2010, 08:39:57 PM
4 days is a little late, but better than nothin' ! Keep me posted!
Post by: robodad on February 02, 2010, 08:45:18 PM
No charge, I just wanna get out and call / film over sombody else's gun!
4 days is a little late, but better than nothin' ! Keep me posted!
I'll call him and have him call me ASAP when he encounters another one of these cougars, he is a brush picker and has many encounters in all kinds of locations so I'll let you know what I find out !!!
Post by: bearmanric on February 03, 2010, 09:57:22 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 03, 2010, 10:58:54 AM
Ricky, send me a PM or something with real short versions of your call-ins too, Bro!
I still have a several others to post, I should be building a sheath, a grip, polishing 4 blades, restocking my Detailing trailer, and building a 3 call set.... but this is too much fun!
If a stand TURNED INTO a Cougar stand, I'll take it too. If you were trying for the big cat, even only for the last few minutes before it came in, I'll take it! Information can still be gleaned.
If you know of any others, please let me know, I'll chase them down!
If you HAVE any others, PLEASE, let me know!
Post by: bearmanric on February 03, 2010, 11:24:23 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 03, 2010, 04:35:30 PM
Please let me know if ANYONE else has any stories....
Post by: bearmanric on February 03, 2010, 06:05:27 PM
Post by: Rudy on February 03, 2010, 07:10:33 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 03, 2010, 08:21:41 PM
Ok, 15 down! I've got a couple more of my own, and I'm waiting on at least 6 more, but I think they'll come through...
Any more? You got one to share?!?!
I'm considering also posting another catagory of call-ins where the big cats showed up on Coyote/Bear/Bobcat/Etc. stands. Surprise call-ins! Mostly for fun, but I suppose some information could be extrapolated, even though the event was a surprise to the caller! Post 'em up if you feel like it! I'll get to them!
Thanks tremendously for the stories that have already come in!
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 04, 2010, 11:32:22 AM
Might not get them posted immediately, but eventually they'll get there!
If you've ever called a Cougar by accident, or allowed for the possibility, and sure enough... I'd love to use it if you're willing!
Post 'em, or send them to me... Thanks!
Just put Missing's story as the first Surprise call-in story!
Post by: Rudy on February 04, 2010, 11:51:55 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 04, 2010, 04:55:37 PM
Remember, ANY called Cougar story has a spot on this page now, so post up a link or re-tell a story or whatever!!!
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 05, 2010, 02:01:59 PM
Thanks again, to all who have contributed!
Post by: bearmanric on February 05, 2010, 05:32:29 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 06, 2010, 11:13:39 AM
If you're reading this, I want your Cougar Story, and your pics!
Please contact me!
And thanks again to all who have contributed! It's a great pile of stories
Post by: rainshadow1 on March 06, 2010, 07:18:05 PM
I numbered the stories. It's getting a bit long for a one sitting read, and some of you lost your stories in the mix, so I anchored myself to the order, and numbered them. You can go back and start where you left off, or you can send people over to read your story!
I also made an easier to read page color and format, and I changed the text color of my own comments.
I hope it's a lot more user friendly now...
Again, if you have a Cougar Call-In story, I want it!!!
Post by: MADMAX on March 06, 2010, 07:51:48 PM
Well here's my story,this happened in 02,, been calling predators for a couple of years with
good success on coyote's, had a bobcat come in last year and couldn't get a
good shot off, he was locked on me and soon as I moved gone. Anyway I Went out to where my bud's had seen a cougar during bow season,,
It was my 4th trip over there to the same spot with zero results, saw some poop and some tracks but nothing else, used some info from the web and some info from old Fishing and Hunting News articles on calling cougars so I figured I'd work around ridges and where I'd spotted deer before, I wanted to go out on the opener for blackmouth but the
snow that year screwed that up.
So Saturday the 17th I got up hooked up my boat trailer and was heading out for a day of fishing,,, but the snow and meltoff had refrozen so I thought better of towing a $40,000 jetboat that morning.
I backed the boat into my garage and figured I'd go over to Tarboo lake near Quilcene and call coyotes, went there a lot over the years,, parked in my same old spot and went in to the same old stump that I've killed a few coyote's from and also missed the shot on the bobcat, it's a sweet set up, I hunt in the bigger timber and call where the timber corner meets the
clear-cut and the doghair.
I figure how the wind works and use it to my advantage, it blows down tree's in this particular spot and when you call it makes the critters that come in
stay on established game paths ,,,, usually at least the coyote's do.
The bobcat came in so quiet he was locked on me at less than 5 yards away,,,
I missed but I went and bought a 22mag 20 gauge over and under and used it
that year except for the last couple trips for my predator hunting, That
is,until my one buds Ken said,,, " you over there messing with that cat" I said yep,,, he said better use a bigger gun ,,, he's big,,, that got me thinking so I switched to my favorite varmint gun the Ruger mini 14 in .223. 12 shots.
It makes me feel better than having 2 shots. So I get down to my stump and start checking things out for the setup,,,,
the setup is everything. I moved twice before I ever called that morning and
also saw some tracks that I thought were bobcat ,, due to their size,, I thought to myself cool that bobcats still here,,,I got all comfy and put my headnet on and started my calls, I call for 1 hour at a spot and about 5minutes apart and try and stay real still except for moving my head, so I give a few squeals and notice a woodpecker fly over in front of me working
on a blowdown tree,,, I think cool this is good it's making the squeaking noises woodpeckers make, and I'm thinking this is good it will draw anything that comes in towards it,, so I wait a few minutes and call again ,,,,
stop sweep my head back and forth and back again,,,, all of sudden I see it ,,,
I recognize it as a cat looking at me from behind a horizontal blowdown
tree,,,, just the head peeking over it,, then it hits me,,,, it's a cougar,,, I think,, I don't want it getting no closer ,,, it was at about 50 yards,,, so I pick up the mini 14 and put the peep on it ,,,,, bang,,,,got it,,, head shot,,, I run over stop and check it out ,,, I'm tight and ready
at the same time ,,,, all business,,, so just to make sure I pop it again in the chest,,, dead kitty.
I now check it out it's a female ,,, so I make darn sure no 1st year cubs
are with it and make a bunch noise as to scare anything if there is.
I get to the truck and get a tag on it.
The cougar turned out to be 110 lbs. and seven and half feet long female.
Beats a 7 pound blackmouth any day.
I look at the rug everyday and she was excellent eating, I used a burnham bros C-3 reed shoved in the end of 8 inches of auto fuel line
Post by: MADMAX on March 06, 2010, 08:00:47 PM
Post by: Rudy on March 07, 2010, 06:31:11 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on March 08, 2010, 05:53:59 PM
Anyone else, please do feel free to post or link or PM, I want those Cougar Stories!
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 13, 2011, 01:15:37 PM
Thought I'd resurrect this thread and remind you guys that I'm looking for good call-in Stories that will help us all learn about Cougar behavior, especially in responding to the call.
Take a look...
http://rain-shadow.com/cougar_callin_stories.htm (http://rain-shadow.com/cougar_callin_stories.htm) ...
And if you have a story, please let me know!
Post by: bearmanric on January 13, 2011, 01:29:20 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 13, 2011, 10:44:00 PM
Good luck man! I'm not getting time to get out at ALLLLLL!!! So frustrating! I have to live through you guys with free time!
Post by: bearmanric on January 14, 2011, 06:41:23 AM
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 14, 2011, 09:11:33 AM
Post by: bearmanric on January 14, 2011, 09:42:50 AM
when i send the Fury to Foxpo was just to get there newer sound's. they have some better ones now. have all the older sounds now.
Post by: rainshadow1 on January 14, 2011, 02:19:39 PM
Mark was gonna sell my CD's too, we agreed on a commission, but he hasn't followed through. Possible conflict of interest, not sure. Very good guy though. Hope to work with him in the future.
Have a blast in the SW, Ricky!
Post by: bearmanric on January 15, 2011, 01:23:38 PM
Post by: denali on January 15, 2011, 01:35:16 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 22, 2011, 12:33:25 PM
Several Call-In Stories have been LOST!!! If I recently posted a call-in story that you offered me, make sure it's there. If it's not, please PLEASE let me know! I'm rebuilding rain-shadow.com from SCRATCH! I lost the site completely. I need your stories back on the page to keep it what it is and what it can become!
Thanks for your help!