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Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: gramps on February 18, 2010, 06:42:48 PM


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Title: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: gramps on February 18, 2010, 06:42:48 PM
A very exciting day, to say the least.
After helping a friend deliver some plywood and 2x4s, I went to an area where I had seen cougar tracks and it was so foggy, I could not see 40 feet.  I sat in the rig until the fog lifted then I walked out a trail a ways  and set up to do some calling.
I found an open area and set the Fury caller and a decoy that looks like a rabbit next to a downed log.  I was sitting against a tree about 40 yards away.   I called with a deer distress sound..kinda high pitched…and I used a cougar whistle sound from Rainshadow’s CD.    Thank You Steve.    After 30 minutes of near constant calling, I saw a cougar walking my way about 120 yards away.   My Dr. tells me that my standing heart rate is 58…within a beat or two of seeing that cat..which looked 10 feet long…my heart rate must have gone to 150.  I only saw him for a couple seconds, but he was slowly walking upright.  He disappeared from sight and I was trying to figure out how he might approach.  I saw him again and I could see that he was gonna come thru’ some timber and brush to my left.  Sure enough there he was….still walking upright and focused on the sound and the decoy.  I didn’t know whether to turn off the sound or leave it running so I turned it down and left it running.   He could have approached directly from where I first saw him, but he would have been in the open or along the edge of the open area.  Lucky for me that he did not come in this way as he would have been walking directly toward me with the source of the sound exactly between him and me.  The caller was in the open about 12 feet from the edge of the timber and brush that he was now in.  It was about 10 minutes from when I first saw him and when he was out of sight, I turned a small amount and was in a good position to shoot, but was not calmed down a bit…maybe worse..I am not sure.  He stopped with his head behind a tree..25 to 30 yards away.. and I shot for the lung area.   I saw hair fly and he jumped up about 6 feet with his back arched and went over backwards and then ran toward the thick timber.  He never knew I was there.
I sat there for a few minutes just taking in what had happened and then went to look.  I found a few drops of blood and then nothing as he crossed an open area covered with snow.  I looked around thinking this may not be a good deal to have a wounded cougar in the thick brush that the tracks headed toward.    After a few more minutes, I started following the tracks and found him about 75 feet from where he was when I shot….dead as could be…YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS  !!!
He was a male..7’11” nose to tail. I did not have a scale big enough to weigh him but he was about 150 lbs.  He had been in a fight very recently.  He has a torn lower eye lid and 6 or 7 cuts clear thru’ the hide on his head and right side as well as two deep cuts on two of the foot pads.  All cuts looked very fresh.
I am disappointed with my photos..but they are what they are.
I have been fortunate to have hunted for 50+ years … Prairie dogs to Moose..but nothing quite as exciting as this.
Thanks to SnagPoint..an occasional poster here..for the help last night.  Maybe SnagPoint will share how he walked down a cougar last winter and had a little eyeball to eyeball in the snow.

Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: washelkhntr on February 18, 2010, 06:46:05 PM
Nice looking cat. Congrats!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: DUGANDEER on February 18, 2010, 06:50:30 PM
Congrats on a awesome cat!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: ThePascoKid on February 18, 2010, 06:51:28 PM
My heart rate increased just reading your story, very nice looking cat!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bobcat on February 18, 2010, 06:58:57 PM
Good job, someday I hope I can do the same!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Machias on February 18, 2010, 07:08:13 PM
WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Congrats, I'm SO happy for you.  Awesome story and great photos!!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Kain on February 18, 2010, 07:11:36 PM
Awesome!!!  I read it twice already.   :chuckle:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: hogsniper on February 18, 2010, 07:31:37 PM
That is awesome man!  Great write up and glad everything came together for you!   Congrats on the great trophy!!!    Justin
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: shanevg on February 18, 2010, 07:34:27 PM
Awesome!  Congrats!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: rasbo on February 18, 2010, 07:40:09 PM
that is really awesome,cudos to you :hello:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: markts on February 18, 2010, 07:41:53 PM
That is a sweet story and cat, congrats to you. Mark
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Kain on February 18, 2010, 07:47:44 PM
did you alternate the distress and whistle over that half hour or did you let the distress run then switch to whistle?
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: the1rod on February 18, 2010, 07:48:46 PM
blues? so im assuming you had a special permit? or is ther some season i dont know about  :dunno:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: River on February 18, 2010, 07:59:45 PM
blues? so im assuming you had a special permit? or is ther some season i dont know about  :dunno:

I don't see any special season in effect now.  What's the deal?
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bobcat on February 18, 2010, 08:04:10 PM
Looks like the permit season for the Blue Mountains is Jan 1 - Mar 31 and there are 40 permits. It's on page 51 of the 2009 regulations.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: the1rod on February 18, 2010, 08:06:42 PM
yep jsut saw that. thanks for the clarification.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 18, 2010, 08:08:47 PM
great cat congrats always makes my day to see a dead cat or wolf  8)
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: River on February 18, 2010, 08:10:13 PM
Yep, I see it now.  Good luck out there.  Wish I was with ya.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 18, 2010, 08:28:03 PM
 :whoo:   WAY TO GO GRAMPS!!!!    :whoo:


 :whoo:   WoooHOOOOOOOO!!!!!    :whoo:



Great stand, Great execution! I know what you mean when you say you don't know what to do, if anything, to keep it rolling in. You did AWESOME! Way to go!

What a beautiful cat!


Which one of the whistles was running when it showed up?


(Can I post your story on my webpage?!?!?!)





 :whoo:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on February 18, 2010, 08:29:04 PM
Yer a savage Gramps!! Congrats on a dandy longtail...
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: ribka on February 18, 2010, 08:35:53 PM
congrats, that is a real trophy!!!!!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: mulehunter on February 18, 2010, 08:38:15 PM
Congt!! Dang GREAT Story!  A Guy I know that run for WDFW down Blue Collared 14 Cougars recently. No Collar on your Cat!! Look like LOTS CATS down there!  :yike:

NICE RIFLE!  243 or 308?

Mulehunter  ;)
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: yelp on February 18, 2010, 08:39:09 PM
Nice Cat..Great Job.  Has your heart rate come back down?  Congrats!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Rufous on February 18, 2010, 08:41:58 PM
Gramps did have a late season special permit. He should post about how lame the local Fish and Game was about getting his cat's hide sealed. These guys are some piece of work. Enough of that though. I am so pleased that you were able to fill that tag. That is a dandy of a lion. Makes mine look like kittens. I hope you enjoy the meat. If not I would be happy to take it off your hands. I noticed on the first photo the black spot below the nut sack. I had read in a lion hunting book to look for that spot to determine the sex of the cat (of particular help on a treed cat). Neat to see it so obvious on your tom. Well done my friend, Brian.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Aneoakleaf on February 18, 2010, 08:45:24 PM
WOW... :oNothing wrong with thoese pictures! My heart is still racing :yike: You're so right ...nothing like a couger...nothing!
Thanks for the great story ! ;)
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: mtncook on February 18, 2010, 08:52:53 PM
Great Job, glad to see another cat laid out. Poor year here for snow tracking, game is really spread out also.

mtncook
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: gramps on February 18, 2010, 09:02:51 PM
Thanks everyone for the comments.

I was playing the deer distress for 5 to 7 minutes and then the cougar whistle for 2 to 5 whistles..maybe 20 to 40 seconds...and then back to the deer distress.

Rainshadow1....Please help yourself.  I was using the #3 from the first CD...I hope that identifies it for you...that is the number that shows up after I put it on the Fury.  That would have been one of the juvenile sounds.

Mulehunter...I ran into that fella...he wouldn't say much tho'.  I would like to know how big an area he is working.  I know he has not been up where I have been hunting most of the time.

Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: gramps on February 18, 2010, 09:07:14 PM
It was a .243  I will add some pictures later of the poor bullet performance I had on this one.

I was at 4200 ' elev. and the snow was down to 4" and it was 41 degrees at 1:30 PM when I shot him.
mtncook is correct...the game is very scattered.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 18, 2010, 09:10:36 PM
Thanks Gramps! M09 Would be the second edition version of it.

That is a NICE cat! I'm so tickled for you!!!

 :whoo:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bucklucky on February 18, 2010, 09:18:05 PM
Congrats on the dandy Lion Gramps!!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: BLR 243 on February 18, 2010, 09:34:04 PM
nice long tail. way to go
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bowhunterforever on February 19, 2010, 01:44:43 AM
Nice looking cat,Congrats! :tup:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: CastleRocker on February 19, 2010, 04:12:05 AM
Wow!  Great story about a great hunt!  Really nice cat. I've got to get my son to take a couple days off work so we can try to get him one. 
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: robb92 on February 19, 2010, 05:18:40 AM
Congrats!!! On a very nice cougar!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: snag_point on February 19, 2010, 06:21:33 AM
Gramps,
WELL DONE.  It's very very hard to call in a cat.  (I'm still trying!) All that scouting paid big time.  When you called to tell me you had called a cat, plus it was a big tom, I was thrilled for you.   
Here is to a good hunting buddy and cougar hunting partner.    A well earned trophy.
Snag Point
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Woodchuck on February 19, 2010, 06:30:53 AM
gret job gramps, congrats to you, you have to swing by the shop and show off. you the man .
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: lewy on February 19, 2010, 06:35:11 AM
Nice work :tup:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: BLUEBULLS on February 19, 2010, 06:39:04 AM
that's AWESOME!!!! Thanks for taking one out!!!!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: LongTatLaw on February 19, 2010, 08:13:26 AM
Nice lookin cat and great that called it in...i just wonder around aimlessly until one tries to eat me..no skill required!

way to make it happen brother!

sorry to see no bear hug pic of the cat...mine came out ok and thats a great look for bucklucky and his but I know u already said u didnt get the pics ya wanted!!

ps- anyone that wants to trade stories on the pain of getting a cougar sealed...bring it on!!!

I killed mine in Oct 2009   I got it sealed yesterday 18 Feb 2010...  and I drove it down to the Dept of Nat Resources to get it done in the parking lot...  I contributed to the time line some with my military career but only after they were completely unprepared to meet their own sealing timelines!!

so 4 months later...Michelle Nelson spent most of last night working my cougar! :drool:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: MtnMuley on February 19, 2010, 08:17:34 AM
Wow!  Dandy cat!  Congrats!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: turkey buster on February 19, 2010, 08:30:13 AM
nice job gramps, congrats on a dandy kitty,
chuck
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: KimberRich on February 19, 2010, 08:38:19 AM
Awesome cat and story!!  One less fawn eater out there..
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: whacker1 on February 19, 2010, 08:44:11 AM
Gramps - so happy for you.  Awesome story and glad that you filled the permit.  Nothing like reading these stories in Feb.; months away from the usual stuff we read in september, october, November, and december.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bigdave on February 19, 2010, 08:54:44 AM
Nice job!!  That is a nice looking cat.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: rainshadow1 on February 19, 2010, 09:00:47 AM
I've had touble getting them to show up for Bobcats, but I've never had a problem with Cougars. I know the main local guy, he's a good one. Very good. We're lucky I guess. But I do spend the time on the phone every time a longtail is down, beeping through the menus, until I'm talking in person to state patrol dispatch, then leaving messages until I'm talking to him in person. Makes it happen thatta way.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: tlbradford on February 19, 2010, 09:10:30 AM
Awesome cat, awesome write-up.  thanks for sharing the story Gramps.  Congratulations.

If I am ever lucky enough to get a cougar I think I'll just carry it in whole to the local WDFW office, drop it on teh receptionist desk and wait in a chair reading a magazine.  I bet that would do the trick.   :chuckle:
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: bigdave on February 19, 2010, 09:11:41 AM
the1rod

PM sent
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: whacker1 on February 19, 2010, 09:16:37 AM
Quote
If I am ever lucky enough to get a cougar I think I'll just carry it in whole to the local WDFW office, drop it on teh receptionist desk and wait in a chair reading a magazine.  I bet that would do the trick.   

after the number of stories I have heard about the troubles in getting bobcats and cougars sealed that is exactly what I had planned.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: C-Money on February 19, 2010, 10:53:39 AM
Nice Lion! Congrats!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: the1rod on February 19, 2010, 06:04:06 PM
so i forgot to say earlyer GREAT CAT!  and congradulations on drawing the tag. so what are you going to do with it mount? rug?...
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: gramps on February 19, 2010, 06:08:46 PM
Thanks Everyone for the kind comments. 
Will be a full-size mount.
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Rudy on February 19, 2010, 06:29:34 PM
make sure to post pics of that mount when you get it done!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 20, 2010, 12:19:38 PM
Can't see the pictures at work, but congratulations on the cat Gramps!
Title: Re: Blues Cougar Down
Post by: slayer1 on February 25, 2010, 10:29:00 PM
Great story and good shootin!  I can't see the pics though!  Says link broken  :dunno:
I wanna see that lion! 
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