I was bow hunting on my dad's farm the other week after Christmas and I heard a very loud ruckus about 15 yards behind my tree.
There was a sudden jolt of heavy fast-paced running of a deer followed by very loud distress calls about 40 yards down the edge of a bluff.
When I decided to start heading in towards the house I checked out the prints and I saw unusually deep deer prints from the very sudden running and near it I saw a light padded foot print. It was a partial print because there had been leaves and sticks in the way it stepped on.
So, I knew something had killed a deer directly behind me.
Just yesterday my dad called me and told me they saw a mountain lion up at the barn and the neighbor down the road had some baby horses killed by lions.
It has been many years since we've seen lions around our farm but I guess a new family moved in to take over that part of the mountain range.
I'm just glad the lion didn't want to think about me for dinner.
Any of you guys run into any predators while bow hunting that you weren't stalking to take down yourselves?
Put a set of those doll eyes on the back of your jacket or pack,I read that a lion will not attack you if it can see your eyes.
I read they like to attack from behind
Well I will definitely make it a habit to carry a pistol more often while hunting.
I have gone with pistols before but I tend to not want to put them on while hunting because it's extra weight and if I'm hunting in a stand I may bump into the metal frame with it or something.
I have had two follow me while hunting elk in the back country. Not a big deal, apparently they were curious to see what I was up to. Once they noticed that I knew they were there they wandered off to find something else to be curious about.
99% of the time Cougars are not dangerous to humans. The only times I personally worry are if I come on a fresh unburied kill, that cat is right there and they can be protective of their food. I just back out of the are the way I came in and take a long route around that spot for a few days. The other time is when you suprise them while stalking. Predators often have an attack response when startled.
I would not be to worried about cat attacks on full grown adults. They regularly attack small dogs, farm animals, etc. I know some farmers that swear by a heavy load of rock salt in a shotgun for cats that come to close to their houses, barns or animals. Teaches them to stay away from humans.
If it was me I would check the regulations in your state. If they don't prescribe hunting them you may be able to harvest any nuisance cats. Some states have to say you can hunt them. In Washington it if isn't prescribed then you can hunt it.
Quote
If it was me I would check the regulations in your state. If they don't prescribe hunting them you may be able to harvest any nuisance cats. Some states have to say you can hunt them. In Washington it if isn't prescribed then you can hunt it.
I'm pretty sure you can't kill mountain lions here in Arkansas unless you're trying to protect yourself or maybe if they are killing your livestock.
I think hey were reintroduced here in Arkansas many years ago with some exchange programs with other states so I'd imagine they would frown upon the taking of them.
About 10 years ago, a buddy and I drew Wyoming elk tags. I was hunting a water hole close to a strip that they cut in the timber to keep forest fires from jumping. The water hole was just off the right side of the strip, and I was positioned about 20 yards downwind of it, right in the very edge of the strip.
The strip was grown up with grasses, and I saw something, close to the other side of the strip stalking up towards the top of the mountain right along the edge of the timber, but in the grass. At first I thought it was a coyote, because of it's color. A few more silent steps and I realized that it was a mountain lion that I was looking at. That long tail, with the black ring and white tip........it was quite an experience, and one that I will remember till the day that I die.
I can tell you one thing, if one of those cats were stalking you..........you wouldn't have any idea, until it made it's final dash towards you. I doubt that you would know until it actually hit you. They are a true master of the spot and stalk game.
When we got back home, I was telling my wife about it, and she said "Didn't that scare you?" I said, I never really thought about it at the time, and just felt really blessed to have been able to actually see one, out in the wild, without it having any idea that I was even around.
A pretty cool and humbling experience it was, and one I will always treasure.
Winterhawk1960
I just sent the Game and Fish an e-mail asking them if they had reintroduced some lions to that mountain range and what their stance was on the taking of lions.
QuoteOriginally posted by Winterhawk1960:
...I can tell you one thing, if one of those cats were stalking you..........you wouldn't have any idea, until it made it's final dash towards you....
I think there are a lot more close "encounters" where we are the watched and not the watchers.
Joshua, remembering hearing a mtn lion screem in the middle of the night when he was 10 and being mighty glad his Dad was sleeping next to him in the tent.
Here's one:
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000099
Saw my second one while hunting this past year. Moose hunting with a buddy further north. Was sneaking down a cutline after calling most of the day. Towards evening heading back to meet up with him a small cougar crossed ahead of me about 80yds. I thought at first it was a coyote (there was tall grass it was sneaking thru). Just before it ducked into the brush on the opposite side I saw the long tail and low body. My buddy was just down a bit and asked if I saw it. It came by him about 20yds. Cool! We figure it must have been looking for rabbits as there was a lot of snowshoe hare sign in the snow.
I called in a mountain lion while elk hunting in Colorado..I was using a diaphragm mouth call. He was hunkered down about fifteen feet from me with his butt up and his front shoulders wiggling back and forth just like a house cat after a mouse...not a good feeling when your sitting there with your recurve on your lap....I stood up with my bow raised over my head and yelled at him...he literally just walked off like it was an everyday experience for him.It was almost dark and my knees were knockin' all thee way back to my truck (about a mile walk)...anyone else had a similar encounter ?
I have seeen lions several times while hunting. Most of the time they are running like crazy away though.
I was once bowhunting for elk. I had a tag in a controlled hunt later in the year for deer; had already taken a bear; and I was sneaking into a wallow that I knew was active.
It was getting light; but there was darkness in the foliage.
I was totally thinking elk; just sneaking up a trail to the wallow. I thought I heard something and stopped. I have discovered over many years of hunting: that if your walking and your going to stop; you don't come to a rumbling stop; you stop dead still in your tracks in a heartbeat.
I did this; and heard a faint snap to my left; and looked that way- it was in timber; with ferns growing up - and I was thinking elk; and if there had been an elk there; I would have seen it.
But - no elk; so I continued to walk; and just had one of those feelings; and stopped suddenly again; and heard another noise to my left.
I got on one knee and looked hard; but it was still dark in there; and the underbrush was just not high enough to hide an elk- so I kept walking; but I nocked an arrow.
I saw in front of me- to my left; a mountain lion looking right at me; and if I had kept walking; I would have walked within feet of it.
It didn't have an angry look about it; it just looked at me- from 12 steps away.
Then it ran straight for me; and I drew back and shot Asbell style- and hit it right in the mouth at 8 steps away.
I have no idea why I hit it in the mouth- it just happened. I often look back at that moment and wonder how the arrow hit there; and if another place would have worked better.
My Kodiak recurve is 74 pounds at full draw; and I know I came to full draw; and that 2 blade zwickey hit the teeth at the gum line; and stopped in its mouth; and that resulted in the lion slapping at the arrow instead of me.
It rolled off into the brush; and I shot two more arrows at it; and backed out- I could not see it anymore.
It was not lion season yet- that was 10 days away; so I went to a friends house and called fish and game and reported the incident.
They told me to just get the lion and take it to a local taxidermist.
Well I went back and found the lion; and it was still alive. My second and third arrow had hit the gut and over the lungs. It charged me again- and I shot it again. It charged again; and I shot it again; both arrows went right into the chest; and the lion expired.
Tough- unlike all the stories I have heard. I was grateful the officer had not tracked it down; because it still had aggression on its mind.
Fish and Game said it was a justified killing; and use it as an example in hunter safety as when you ~should~ shoot a lion in self defense.
Thing is; lions seem to be really curious about humans; and I have noted in over 25 years of hunting lion country- that they often will follow hunters and watch them. I have often found lion tracks and found human tracks below- where the lion could have jumped on the hunter.
I think for every attack- there are probably a whole lot of times that lions could have and did not attack.
I was once elk hunting and was sitting next to an elk trail. There was heavy cover behind me; and just about when I was going to leave - I heard a twig snap behind me; in the thick stuff.
So I sat there and didn't move a muscle; and I could hear an occasional little slight noise behind me. I figured it was a rabbit. I waited until it got real dark; and the noise was right behind me; then turned and put my flashlight right into the eyes of a lion about 5 feet from me. It just blinked its eyes and turned and walked off.
I don't know what the intent of that lion was; but I think it was just enjoying the stalk.
I have had other lion encounters- but none where the lion was approaching me like those. I had a very small spotted lion on a bear hunt try to get at some fried chicken I had in the back of my truck. But it took me ten tries to get out of the truck where I was listening to the radio- before I turned off the radio- left the door open and listened for the scratching I had heard.
That little kitty was reaching in under my son- who was asleep- and trying to snag the chicken underneath the sleeping area.
I took my sons shotgun as the lion just stood at ten yards and looked at me- and fired a warning shot of bird shot near it.
My son slept through everything; and didn't believe the story until he found the tracks.
I think lions spend more time hunting us than we could ever imagine- but actually attacking? I think it is a rare rare thing.
Though I have never seen a lion while hunting, I wish I did. I have seen their tracks in the mud while out west.
However, I fear the two legged critters more as they can be far more dangerous.
Wow Brian-You Da Man! Those were under wear changing encounters.
I had a cougar encounter several years back on opening day of the elk hunt. It was a tough morning of hunting I had only seen one real big bull and this was a spike only unit. All mornig I had herd some coyotes making quite a comotion. I had come across where a deer had been drug out the day before and was sure the yotes were on a gut pile. I thought it might be an easy dog with the amount of noise being made. I made my way down the ridge when the dogs got quite. Not having a direction I was listing and watching to see if I could find them again. Then there it was like a ghost a cougar was working it's way up the ridge about 100 yards away. I was in aw,I have only seen a few outside of my headlights of a vehical at night. Then as quick as I seen it,it seen me. It hunkerd down like a house cat wiggled it's butt flipped its tail and started doing the slinky on me. I went from aw to fear real quick. I nock an arrow and said "hay cat". It didn't stop and slitherd closer like it was going to ponce. It made it to about 15 yards and was behind a small pine. I came to full draw and was expecting the worse,but it turned and walked away slow. It must have realised what I was or finally smelled me but I was glad. A few years before my friends mom on thier ranch just below where I was had to shoot one as it lit on her. And another kid while building a power plan on the same ranch was treed buy two yearlys for a night. I would like to say those thoughts were not going throu my head but they were. The way I understand it most bad cougar encounters are with young, 1 to 1 1/2 year olds that are having hard time hunting. I have had a couple of other friends that have had bad encounters,two had to kill the cats. Luckly the last one I seen was two years ago still hunting,it was so close I could see it's milk bags and it never knew I was there. Now that was awsome sight to see.
Awesome story.
A good friend of mine was walkin into his deer stand just about daylight and he saw something run across the trail in font of him and he said he thought to himself " a coon dog ".
But a couple hours later he heard somethin headed his way and looked thru the scope on his black powder gun and saw a half grown panther ( as ther called locally), he ask the local game warden about it and he denide any such animal be'n aroud here, my friend told him next time he saw it he'd drag it out to him ( the warden), The warden stuck his finger in his face and told him he'd better leave it alone.
The only reason he told him he'd shoot it was to try the warden out, just to see what he'd say, the wardens response answered our questions about the states involvement.
And about the same time me and my cousin were comin home from work and saw somthin cross the road in front of the car but it was nearly dark and the head lights only gave us a glimpse of the outline of the body and we were discussin what it was, that next weekend my cousin was go'n fishin and got a good look at it.
He called me when he got home that evenin and told me he'd got a good look at it and said it was a cat with a tail about 3 feet long and about the size of a big dog.
I live in a relitively populated area but you still hear of them from time to time, now thers gettin to be black bear sitings on a regular basis.
I wonder if the Game and Fish here have brought them in.
They have done it before. On their web site it says there are no known breeding population in Arkansas. But they have been seen around the mountains for a long time. Maybe we just have some 50-yr-old mountain lions that immortal that just wandered in from Texas.
Yeah right.
The AGFC brought back black bears, alligators, rattle snakes and Elk.
So, it really wouldn't surprise me if they were bringing in mountain lions from the Californian ranges where they are overpopulated in areas.
In Missouri are conservation department says we dont have any mountain lions in the state. I wish we had black bears too hunt, like you guys in Arkansas do.
QuoteOriginally posted by RLA:
In Missouri are conservation department says we dont have any mountain lions in the state. I wish we had black bears too hunt, like you guys in Arkansas do.
Our bears aren't like the black bears in Yosemite.
They are baby bears.
Similiar to Brian Krebs encounter. Idaho, 1997, glassing for elk,a very large tom came within 8 ft. of my buddy. Long story short no blood was drawn. Same yr. in ID 3 freinds had a cat approach them at dusk and they had one heck of a time getting the cat to leave. Yelling and throwing rocks, still took several minutes for the cat to leave.
I've seen a couple lions here in Texas over the last few years, one up on the Red River and the other down here in the hill country. I shot at him but missed.
I was stalking into a ground blind stand when I looked over to my right and holy crap, there was a large lion, long tail and everything. Took me a minute to realize what I was looking at, then I also realized he was stalking something, looking straight ahead, and had not noticed me. That's very rare, they almost always know about you before you see them at all.
I would love to say I just misjudged the distance and shot right under his chest, but the truth is I had to drop my bow arm, cause I wanted to see if I had hit him. He jumped and ran off behind me.
A few minutes later I was sitting in my ground blind about 25 yards from this spot, and I had a sudden realization he might still be in the area and pissed off. So I got up into a tripod, and left the ground blind for another day.
I think its funny every time a cat/lynx/whatever is seen in a state that is supposed to have none the next thing its the state has a secret re-intro plan and all the wardens, state personel and wildlifers are in on the conspiracy. Like THAT would work!
I have a friend who works for Fish & Game and trust me, they have plenty of other things to worry about without hatching secret plans concerning game which they then have to continue to hide from the public.
Joshua, just sayin'
Brian, your story about hitting the lion in the mouth reminded me of a story told to me by Dan Quillian. When Dan and his son D.D. went to Africa in the '80's, D.D. had a cheetah license. He took a broadside shot at one (they were plentiful where they were hunting) and the cheetah caught the arrow in his mouth, apparently thinking it was a bird flying at him. I wonder if that's what happened with yours?
In Bangladesh the woodcutters were getting eaten by tigers regularly until they started wearing masks of human faces on the backs of their heads. Seems the tigers wouldn't attack from the "front". I wonder what effect that would have on cougars, or other hunters encountered in the field? :) Might get you some space in a crowded hunting area!
Although I do most of my hunting in cat country I have yet to see one. :( All my hunting buddies have had multiple sightings and encounters. I would actually love to see one. Two seasons ago one of my buddies had walked down a cutline into an elk area and just before dark was on his way back to his truck. He had his 9 year old son with him and was cow calling occasionally on his way out. There was a berm and some high grass beside the oilfeild road he was parked on. A couger was waiting there for the 'elk' that was coming right to him. My friend was about 5 ft from the cat before it realized that he was not an elk and ran away. My friend has seen cats many times and I've been with him when an angry Rotteweiller charged us and my buddy charged him back while I stood there and peed a little. My buddy has more balls than I do but that encounter with the cat spooked him.
Had a couple friends stalked by a Mt Lion a couple years ago in CO. They were sitting near a wallow. They had the feeling something was watching them. They turned around and the cat was laying at 20 yards watching them.
They got up and went to another wallow 200 yards away. Same exact thing happened. They never went back to that side of the mountain the rest of the hunt.
I haven't heard of any spotted in my area, but I recently heard several reports of a Cougar in Lake Odessa, MI which is roughly 45 minutes away.
My folks live up in Cheboygan, MI and my Mom swears she has seen one on several occasions.
Unfortunately, you just don't see this kind of thing in Michigan anymore. At least not as often. Growing up I always heard stories about Bobcats, Cougars, Wolves, Bear.
Its been at least 10 years since I've heard of anything like that.
Coyote on the other hand...we have that in abundance.
I came across one in Arizona on the San Carlos reservation hunting Javelinas, it saw us and got out of there fast. I grew up having hound dogs and so I have been used to seeing them around. I actually skinned one last night for my dad and made $40. It helped me pay my phone bill, so I was grateful for cougars yesterday!
JHG,
Lots of government agencies do lots of things and are told not to tell anyone about it. I don't know if Arkansas planted the cats or they moved in. There are enough sitings that they cats are there. Their game department knows about it, yet their wardens will tell you they don't exist. It seems to me that if we are paying them to work for us, they should at least be honest with us. It also seems to me it is legal to kill a state defined non-existant animal on site. If they don't exist in the state, then they are not regulated by the state! The State doesn't get it both ways.
Explain this one. Sasquatch is a myth, yet in Skamania Count in Washington State there is a $5,000 fine for harming one. Odd, but interesting that the County government felt a need to create a law against is and place a large fine on it. If I see one there, I will pay the fine. It would be worth millions to have a verified example for science! What weight arrow and bow should I use for Sasquatch?
QuoteOriginally posted by Ragnarok Forge:
JHG,
...Their game department knows about it, yet their wardens will tell you they don't exist....
. It also seems to me it is legal to kill a state defined non-existant animal on site.
Look at it from his perspective- what game warden wants a bunch of folks with dogs chasing a small number cougars (and why? to sell their parts on the black market? because they hate preditors? they want to kill one and show it off?) that have yet to reach numbers that can be withstand hunting.
That second part of the quote is classic. Not saying you mean you would kill one, but I know they definately don't want that going on. A lot of people don't have much self control without someone helping them with it.
Game management may not be perfect in any state, but its a lot better than most of us could do. Everyone doing just what they want when they want to is anarachy. Rules suck, but they help us live together.
Anyway, I can't defend whether or not all states do not ever have game management plans in place that are secret. I just don't think they do.
Soapbox back to center...
Joshua
Sasquatch arrows should weigh at least 600 grains. Anything less would be unethical.
I've ran into several cats by me. Had one stalk me through a valley. Got pics of it on a post somewhere floating around this sight.
Still have them on photobucket here ya go,
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/wifishkiller/Turkey%20hunting%20and%20a%20hungry%20cat/Cat005.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/wifishkiller/Turkey%20hunting%20and%20a%20hungry%20cat/Cat006.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/wifishkiller/Turkey%20hunting%20and%20a%20hungry%20cat/Cat007.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/wifishkiller/Turkey%20hunting%20and%20a%20hungry%20cat/Cat008.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/wifishkiller/Turkey%20hunting%20and%20a%20hungry%20cat/Cat010.jpg)
To be clear, if I see Saqauatch he or she is a gonner. The fine would be totally worth having the proof! Just dont see it happening since they are mythical creatures, just like cougars in Arkansas.
Here in Washington we can buy cougar tags over the counter so no worries by me killing one. We know they exist here and so does our game department no need for lying there.
And yes, if I was hunting in Arkansas I would drag a dead cat up to the warden the next time and ask him if it was the non-existant mythical Arkansas Cougar. Lying to make life easier on yourself is still lying! We don't pay our taxes to be lied to. I didn't spend 8 years of my life in the Army often at great risk to that life, to come home and be lied to by a government official! Excuses by game wardens are well you all know the refernce. It is wrong and unethical for anyone who works in the government to lie to their constituents. Totally unethical. I work for a government agency in my day job. No, I don't lie to the citizens. Never have, never will.
I'll get off my soap box now.
this is what it says on the Arkansas Game & Fish web site
While it is possible that occasional sightings of free-ranging mountain lions may occur in Arkansas there is no evidence that there has been a reproducing population of this species in the state since the early 1900s.
I guess I was just imagining a deer being killed directly behind me while out hunting :)
Those distress calls of a dying animal must have just been something else.
Hoping to have an encounter here soon. I am going to start hunting this weekend. No dogs. I plan on calling one in.
This last season I decided to do a day hunt in bad weather during gun season. I took off a closed road and sure enough got stuck on my way out without my chains. I ended up hiking 8 miles in the dark deep snow trying to find another hunter's truck with chains I had passed earlier. I knew my wife was going to be freaking out, no cell phone coverage, and i knew it was a long hike, so i would jog until i couldn't then walk until i caught my breath back and start over. On one bend in the road i heard a sound behind me and off the road. I stopped jogging, turned on my flashlight and spun and nothing, i just thought i ran up on an elk or deer. When i finally realized i had passed the spot where the truck had been I turned around and went back, when i passed the bend again i walked over to where i heard the sound and sure enough there was a set of running cat tracks. I still had about an hour and a half hike back to my truck and without a pistol, my bow, or even a knife, it was a little nerve racking. I DID NO MORE JOGGING! When i got back to my truck there were 3 hunters from idaho who pulled me out, I could tell they didn't believe my mountain lion story!
Went hunting elk in Idaho about 4-5 years ago. The tag I had let you take an elk or bear or lion. I bought a predator call and figured if the elk hunting was slow I would blow on it and see if I could get a lion to come in. One afternoon I decided to give it a try. I did the wounded rabbit squeal for several minutes and then started to think about a big lion stealthily stalking up behind me looking for an easy meal. It started to give me the heebie jeebies, so I quit and moved on.
However, later on I walked into a sow grizzley and her two cubs at about 25 yards. She stood up looking at me and gave a low growl. Thought I was going to be a statistic. Fortunatley she dropped down and bolted up the ridge with the cubs in tow.
You dont have to go west to find moutian lion there in indiana, missouri,illinios.we have a farm in indiana just down the road from there our niebors found 1o of there sheep dead one morning the next morning they found 12 more. so they called D&R they came out said they didnt know what did it the farmer told them I know what did it,I just want to know if i can kill it.the D&R asked him what he thought it was he said mountian lion. They laughed said there was no mountian lion in indiana he said really and walked them back in the woods behind the barn and ask them how the sheep got forked 22 feet up that tree.when the wardens came out there was 2 of them old guy and young guy they got seperated when the old one went to look in the woods the young guy admitted that there was a program where they released cats to help controll deer population.I live in missouri not a half mile from my house they found lion tracks some others have them on there trail cams. there is also all black ones in indian.
One of the troubles is that in some states if a new species is discovered- then a management plan has to be established. That costs money - denial is cheaper.
I remember when there were no grizzly bears in Colorado- until a guide was attacked by one and killed it with an arrow (he took it from the quiver; and stabbed the bear- killing it).
After he killed that grizzly bear; he might as well have shot Kennedy- there was much to do about it.
If there is no season ; and no reason - take pictures :)
Yeah, well then they will say it's an escaped exotic animal. How many people have pet mountain lions though?
QuoteOriginally posted by woodbender:
there is also all black ones in indian.
Well according to Arkansas Game and Fish no such animal exists in the USA.
Hahahahaha.
I don't know why try and say that though. It's known that were was interbreeding of mountain lions and jaguars most likely has taken place in the wild from migration of Jags from Central America into the Southern area of the USA.
From there those genes had passed on through the mountain lion populations and pops up in cubs from time to time.
They aren't just myths. There are panthers out there. Biologists like to call them cryptids.
Kind of like Polar Bear/Kodiaks were cryptids...until they found them in the wild as natural crossbreeds.
Mountain lions do not take there food up in a tree to eat it or hide it(Not saying they can't) also they don't kill just to kill like wolves.
The prefer to kill what they can eat on the spot and drag the carcass up under a ceder tree or bush and cover the rest or the part that the eat on with leaves,needles and dirt to hide the scent from other predators.
I'm not a anti mountain lion person at all, I've hunted around them many times out west and have even had them come in and walk around in are camps at night while we slept in Oregon.
I'm a wildlife control agent here in Kansas and answer many dozens of calls every year here in Kansas of lion sightings and tracks. Personally, we don't want them here anything that can break the neck of a 500 lbs. elk with one bite is something I do not want around my grand kids.
Tracy
three years ago my fiance/boss/husband beater michele and i and her son were hunting a deep canyon by burns oregon.it was an afternoon hunt,i had gotten a response from a single locater bugle the evening before and decided to go into the canyon which was pretty deep.
michele and kyle decided not to go down the hill as they were not liking the fact we'd be coming out in the dark.i headed down the steep loose slope,i had gone no farther than 100yds when i saw several elk step out into the clear from the scrub oak and pines to my left.they fed across the clearing so i continued downward.i stopped 20yds above the crossing point to wait for more elk to cross.as i sat there i heard noise in the brush.i cow called lightly,next i hear a low hiss from the brush below and left of me.i knew what this was but thought it may be a bobcat.next i hear the ripping of wood as whatever this was definately had bad intentions.i cowcalled again and layed on my back with my bw ma111 on my chest peering under the brush,waiting for a visual of a bobcat.boy was i wrong...up through the brush comes this huge tom mountain lion in full stalk crouching and coming.i am now getting just a tad worried.i was not going to call again for sure.he came in to within 10 yds and stopped behind a medium sized pine.i pulled myself up to my knees and was ready to shoot me a puddy tat.somehow he figured it out and turned and walked straight away from me in a hurry.this was crazy of me to do,dont try this without backup.michele and kyle watched the entire event from above and were both crying thinking i was couger bait.lol...i was in trouble all over again.thanks.....larry
If you boys round up one of those black Mountain Lions, black panthers or whatever local folklore calls it in your neck of the woods, please contact the Smithsonian Institute.
Since a black mountain lion has never been "documented", you'll likely be very famous when you come draggin one in.
I remind you that "documented" is defined as "confirmation that some fact or statement is true through the use of documentary evidence".
Now that doesnt mean that a black panther sighting can be "documented" when your uncle Ed's best friend Earl's daughter's boyfriend's mother Irene saw one cross the road up near the old Wilbur place while she was on her way back from Nick's place at 5 in the morning on her favorite mount Trigger.
Sorry those just arent reliable reports. They may be good enough for some of you but, not for science. It's going to take the very first ever "documented" melanistic Mountain lion to confirm that Black panthers exist on this planet. Melanistic Jaquars or Melanistic spotted leopards yeah, but not black mountain lions.
To date, they are classified just as MOMO, Sasquatch and Bigfoot, " locally Reported but UNCONFIRMED."
The truth will set you free!!!!! Seek the truth
Trap
"One of the troubles is that in some states if a new species is discovered- then a management plan has to be established. That costs money - denial is cheaper"
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
A couple of Biologists can set down in a few hours and develop a management plan for any species. What is expensive, is a state agency responding to several thousand bogus mountain lion sightings per year to basically put people at ease because mountain lion hysteria has reached such a feverish pitch.
Trap
"our niebors found 1o of there sheep dead one morning the next morning they found 12 more"
Okay, let's ponder this quote from an earlier post.
Does that sound like a wild animal killed those sheep? Multiple kill sites typically mean domestic dogs did the dirty deed. From biological study we know that adult mountain lions typically kill a deer sized animal every week to 10 days. Was this one just stocking up? On the other hand, rogue domestic dogs when given the chance will chase and kill untill the prey quits running.
Sounds like dogs to me.
Trap
Do I look like a dog TRAP
You just might make my day!
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/bjornweb/DSCN0001.jpg)
If they allowed bigger images here you'd be in trouble!
Walt Francis posted a incredible story about a lion encounter earlier:
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=055765#000010
I've had a few myself. None that were a threat, but they are neat to see. However, we saw one one year off the side of the road, drinking from a pond. We stopped and looked at it talking the whole time. It continued to drink, then mosey off, without a care in the world. I decided then, that if you can see cats off the road in the middle of the day, without fear of humans, there's a few too many. Especially when I had my 5 year old with me at the time.
I had a skunk get after me one night after i came out of my stand.
Freaked me out because he seemed like he was on a mission.
Very similar to Brian's in Idaho. Instead of backing down cat just kept coming until an arrow took it right under the chin.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll130/grndhntr/MtnLion.jpg)
Here's one that came to a cow call while I was elk hunting last year.
Bjorn,
That's a fine specimen for sure. I figured someone would step up to prove me wrong ;) So, yuou're the one?
How much $ do state agencies pay you to release those rare critters into the their state?
Trap
Neat picture Dog Treat.That looks like a really big tom to me.
I had one stalk me while I was turkey hunting in Southern California up around Big Bear. That cat got within 20 yds of me before he figured out I was'nt a hen turkey calling. Thank God because I didnt see him until he was leaving.
That is a cool picture there!
While elk hunting this Sept. I had a stand set up 11 yds. from the trail. There was a large bent tree beside the trail that was supposed to be my cover spot so I could pull my longbow and not be seen. About 20 minutes after daylight I heard a panting sound that sounded just like the lions on National geographic shows. I looked down and a very large (cougar) came up the trail and turned to put his front paws on the base of my cover tree and looked right at me.11 yds. is sure close. I hollered at it and it slowly turned and walked away stopping at about 30 yds. to check me out. He then walked away in no hurry. Probably a once in a lifetime experience.
I saw one while elk hunting in CO this past yr. I was on a mtn bike and came over a rise and it was crouched, stalking rhodents in the rocks. Probably about a 90# cat. I got within 15 yds, and it took off like a rocket. Really neat experience, but I didn't know they were in that area....kind of nervous more often now. The bears there are large as well.
I had a close encounter with a lion while elk hunting a waterhole in New Mexico this past September. The cat came in to drink at a small waterhole at dusk. It was about 15 yds from me and had no idea I was there. I attempted to scare it away with a plumb sized rock that I landed about a foot from the drinking cat, splashing its face with water. The cat merely raised its head then went back to drinking. I was perplexed as to why it didn't bolt as the rock I tossed created a significant disturbance near its head. Next, I raised up on my knees with Bow in hand. The cat just stood there looking at me. I'm thinking its time to look big so I stood up. Again the cat just stood there looking at me. Finally I raised my recurve above my head to look even larger for about 30 seconds (that seemed like an hour). Then the cat simply turned and walked away at a slow pace. I have to say I checked my backtrail many times while hiking out in the dark that evening. The very next evening I saw another lion chasing a doe mule deer about 200 yds away at dusk. The cat gave up after a 100yd sprint. The deer then stood there a blew at the cat. I think the cats were feeding on the mule deer that were drinking at the waterhole. When doe mule deer with fawns would come into drink, the fawn would hang back about 80 yds and let its mother go in and drink for about a minute. Then the fawn would saunter in and grab a quick drink and bolt. I observed several doe/fawn groups behave in this manner.