2015 Unguided Public Land MT Mountain Lion Hunt

[ozzie]

I have read many great stories on this page over the years but I will have to say this is got to be one of the coolest for death factor alone!!  Thanks for sharing Scoot!!  man the life you live...glad we get to live vicariously through your tales!!! 

[pumper317]

Wow, that is INTENSE!!!  Glad it ended like this.  Congrats on the animal too!

 

[DonBo]

So....no hero shots?

[Scoot]

Thanks everyone!  It was definitely an intense, chaotic experience that was a blur as it happened. 

The pic below shows where I stood for the final shot and I’m pointing with my trekking pole to the final bed of the cougar.  You can see the blood from his final bed just off the tip of the pole. 

I had been told about the next thing that happened, but I was still caught off guard by it.  The dogs were released once the lion was dead and I couldn’t believe how they went after the dead cat.  This is the point at which the dogs are given their big reward for all of their work.  All of them aggressively went in after the cat- they bit, pawed, and mouthed the cat from nearly head to toe. 

 

 

The dead lion quickly got pushed off the steep hillside it died above.  All of the dogs quickly went after it.  Occasionally it would get caught up on a tree, but soon they were chasing it down the sharp dropping mountainside again.  They easily pushed, pulled, and wrestled the dead cat down the mountain at least 100 yards.  The most experienced houndsman told me that this step is really reinforcing for the dogs and helps positively reinforce all of the behaviors they do to get a cat in the tree.  Treeing a cat is great for the dogs, but getting a dead cat on the ground after the cat is treed is like providing a cookie to them for their hard work.  As a researcher and person who thinks a lot about behavior and reinforcement in my work, this made good sense to me.  It was really fascinating to see this play out with the teaching of the dogs and I was glad I could help get that big reinforcement to the ground for them to enjoy. 

 

After I notched my tag…

 

…we went to work on some hero shots. 

 

 

 

 

The obligatory lion hug shot…

We took lots of hero shots and Ryan was obviously experienced at getting the cat to look nice in the picture.  Not all of the pictures turned out, they never do, but we got some that I really consider keepers.  Without him giving us direction, we would have gotten very few good pictures of us with the cat.

 

While we did this the houndsmen and their dogs hung out for a while.  My one regret on the trip was not going over and shaking each one of their hands and patting each dog on the head before we started our little photoshoot.  These guys were some serious, hard-core mountain lion hunters and I can’t tell you how tough they are.  I wanted to thank each of them individually, but soon they said they were heading for the truck.  I asked if they’d still be there in a bit and they said they’d stick around.  However, when we got to the truck they had already taken off, in search of another mountain lion or a bobcat to chase with the dogs.  I wish I could have thanked them better and I wanted to take them out and by them some thank you/celebratory beers.  However, when we contacted them a couple more times later that day and the next they were too busy looking for cats to come in to town for the free beer!  I made sure they were taken care of in the beer department, but I wish I could have given a better thank you verbally. 

The dogs had done a lot of the work getting the cat over 100 yards down the hill, but the rest was up to us.  At first I said I wanted to get the cat down the hill by myself, but it quickly became apparent I needed some help to do it carefully (didn’t want to crack any teeth on a rock on the way down—either mine or the cat’s!) 

Once we got home we skinned the cat. 

He was a nice tom for the area- not an absolutely monster cat, but a very nice tom.  Ryan said that this cat would be bigger than about 80% or more of the cats taken in the area.  Obviously, I was happy as could be with this.  The tom measured 7’4” and was fully equipped to wreak havoc on any deer or someone who might be foolish enough to shoot it from a distance of eight feet!

 

 

 

We also set up a meeting with the local game warden to get the hide tag and have a tooth pulled from the skull.  This went well and we arranged it for Sunday morning. 

[Scoot]

Saturday was a bit of a lazy day.  We watched another cat fall that afternoon- the NDSU Bison football team beat up on the NIU Panthers—another cat fell over the weekend!  We also helped Jake’s in-laws put up their Christmas tree, went for a drive to visit some family friends (Jake’s and his in-law’s), checked out some scenery, ate a great birthday dinner (Jake’s b-day), and took Jake out for a birthday beer and a “shot my first cat” drink as well.  These are not the kinds of things I usually do on a hunting trip, but was darn fun!

 

Here are a few quotes from this trip that Jake and I still laugh about.  Most of them make absolutely no sense out of context, which is why I’ll include them and let you use your imagination!  All of them were innocent and fun, but sound questionable (at best) out of context.  LOL

Dude, there’s a toad on your couch!

Would you like the full experience?

I’m just gonna mount the trap!

The bag of guts.

So, how are you about following the rules? 

Wall of weasel. 

He’s in the million pound club. 

I stopped that car with an anchor.

I miss my wife.

How many tattoos does your brother have? 

You have fisher?!? 

He doesn’t even know his own name.

 

Sunday we met the game warden and took care of the cat, tag, and tooth.  It went smoothly and was pretty fast.  The warden seemed like a very nice guy.  Ryan took us for a drive through some great country.  Here are some pics of some of the beautiful scenery that we were blessed to see and be in that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A flyfisherman we saw when we were driving by a stream.

 

We cut one lion track on Sunday- it was a HUGE one!  Ryan figured it was the track of a cat in the 170-180 lb range, which is a dang big lion no matter where you are. 

We also saw some bighorn sheep that day too.  It was great watching them!  I’ve seen a few sheep, but not many.  There was a mix of all different size sheep in the group of about a dozen and here are a few pics I took of them.

 

 

 

 

When we go back we cut down some tree limbs from a Ponderosa pine at Jake’s in-laws with the idea that we could use some natural habitat for a potential mount of the cat.  I’m not dead set on a full body mount yet- it’s dang expensive!  However, I’m hoping I can figure that out because a cat mount would be really great!

 

 

 

 

Jake and I reminisced about the trip the whole way home.  I also wrote most of this story on the drive back.  This was really a unique adventure and we enjoyed it immensely.  I’m hoping to start to pay Ryan back next Fall if he comes and visits me in MN.  He and the whole family were so great to us!  This is the first hunting trip I’ve ever gone on and gained weight!  We ate like kings and were pampered and spoiled from the minute we got there.  I’m extremely grateful for the wonderful treatment, trip, and opportunity for another great adventure. 

I usually end my stories with a sunset picture, but this hunt was unique enough for a different kind of picture to end things.  Given the nature of this type of hunting, we were better able to get pictures of our quarry than I’m used to.  I was pretty happy with some of the pictures we got, and here is one of my favorites.  Thanks for following along- have a very Merry Christmas! 

 

[fivebucks]

Way cool story.  Thanks for sharing.

[mrklean]

Awesome Scoot, one question did you eat any of the lion?

[triggertrav]

GREAT STUFF!!!!!  again, thanks for taking the time to share and you and all have a wonderful Christmas.

[ANYFISH2]

A great story indeed Scoot!!

Thanks for the time and effort to let us all live these adventures with you.

Beautiful animal.

A Merry Christmas to you as well!

[nofishfisherman]

With a beautiful animal like that you have to go for full body mount.  How cool would that look sitting above your bed?

[leechlake]

With a beautiful animal like that you have to go for full body mount.  How cool would that look sitting above your bed?

probably pretty cool to have his wife hit him on head with frying pan too   I have four elk in my house and we have the perfect ceiling in our bedroom for any of them...none are in there and my head is safe.

That's a great story and awesome animal.  That he almost got you adds to it exponentially.  Congrats.

[Scoot]

Awesome Scoot, one question did you eat any of the lion?

We ate mountain lion backstrap last night for supper and it was great!  I've heard mixed reviews of it ranging from "bad" to "best meat I've ever eaten".  It was very good!  My kids both loved it, I really liked it, and my wife liked the taste of it, but struggled with the idea of eating a cat.  LOL

probably pretty cool to have his wife hit him on head with frying pan too  

Bwahahahahaha!  nofish, leech is right- it definitely won't go in our bedroom.  Only space for one cougar in there! 

A full body mount is really expensive and I'm hesitant to spend that kind of money on it.  However, my son is begging me and I'm seriously considering it.  I'm going to talk to a taxidermist today, and we'll see what we come up with.  The guy who does my taxi work is really good and a great guy.  I know he'll be straight with me and we'll figure something out I'm sure.  My wife is on board with a full body mount, but I'm just struggling with the idea of eating that much money up in a mount...

[NoWiser]

Great story once again!  Congrats on a beautiful cat.  I think it would look real nice hung over the couch in the living room, laying on a limb like in your last picture.

[DonBo]

Great adventure and awesome trophy, congrats!  Thanks for letting us come along, and as always, the photos that went along were exceptional.

[Boar]

That is the bet story ive read in the ten years ive been on this forum,Congratulation scoot. And the thankfulness you show towards your hunt and the fellowship thruout make you the best definition of sportsman I can think of. Well done Sir!!

[DonBo]

That is the bet story ive read in the ten years ive been on this forum,Congratulation scoot. And the thankfulness you show towards your hunt and the fellowship thruout make you the best definition of sportsman I can think of. Well done Sir!!

"Most hunters don't live up to the unfair stereotypes set upon them by ill-informed people. True sportsmen are as good as they come."

We ate mountain lion backstrap last night for supper and it was great!

Yep, I've eaten lion on a few different occasions and have always been surprised on how good it is.

[Scoot]

Thanks Guys!  This was a really different, totally unique trip for me.  I hope it's not a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but it could be.  I'd love to go back and hold out for a truly huge cat (the one I shot was big, but they definitely get bigger too).  My buddy Jake should draw the tag sometime in the next couple years, so I'm hoping to go back and be the tag along/camera guy with him on that trip. 

[rkhinrichs]

Thanks Guys!  This was a really different, totally unique trip for me.  I hope it's not a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but it could be.  I'd love to go back and hold out for a truly huge cat (the one I shot was big, but they definitely get bigger too).  My buddy Jake should draw the tag sometime in the next couple years, so I'm hoping to go back and be the tag along/camera guy with him on that trip. 

What was your bow set-up? same set-up as for deer?

[NELS-BELLS]

Awesome story Scoot!!!  Thanks for sharing.

Nels

[Scoot]

What was your bow set-up? same set-up as for deer?

Yes.  I've got a "one size fits all" set up.  In the perfect world, I think two bows would be great: one for elk, moose, bear, etc. (thick skinned and big boned animals) and one for thinner skinned and smaller boned animals like deer, antelope, turkey, etc.  However, that's a lot of money to tie up in different bows and arrow/broadhead combos, so I shoot a compromise-type set up. 

Bowtech Experience set at 62 lbs (I'd like to shoot more than this, but both my shoulders are getting goofy after over three decades of pulling high back 70+ lbs).  29.5" draw, 456 grain arrows (total weight).  I shoot either a G5 Striker (for big boned animals) or a Spitfire Maxx (for thinner skinned animals).  For this hunt I shot the Spitfires and as I always am, I was impressed as heck with their performance.  Ryan was amazed at the hole they put in the cat.  I have to admit, I am amazed every time I shoot something with them...  There's no doubt in my mind that the cat would have been dead before it hit the ground if I could have gotten a broadside shot like I wanted to wait for.  However, when everyone is yelling at you to "take the #!%&*!% shot", and it's their dogs and time that are being used on you, you take the shot! 

[rkhinrichs]

Yes.  I've got a "one size fits all" set up.  In the perfect world, I think two bows would be great: one for elk, moose, bear, etc. (thick skinned and big boned animals) and one for thinner skinned and smaller boned animals like deer, antelope, turkey, etc.  However, that's a lot of money to tie up in different bows and arrow/broadhead combos, so I shoot a compromise-type set up. 

Bowtech Experience set at 62 lbs (I'd like to shoot more than this, but both my shoulders are getting goofy after over three decades of pulling high back 70+ lbs).  29.5" draw, 456 grain arrows (total weight).  I shoot either a G5 Striker (for big boned animals) or a Spitfire Maxx (for thinner skinned animals).  For this hunt I shot the Spitfires and as I always am, I was impressed as heck with their performance.  Ryan was amazed at the hole they put in the cat.  I have to admit, I am amazed every time I shoot something with them...  There's no doubt in my mind that the cat would have been dead before it hit the ground if I could have gotten a broadside shot like I wanted to wait for.  However, when everyone is yelling at you to "take the #!%&*!% shot", and it's their dogs and time that are being used on you, you take the shot! 

lol yea!!!!! I wish bow shops would rent or lease bows for a season or a couple years.

[Ufatz]

So sad.

[paceman]

OMG! that is an incredible hunt! Congratulations Scoot!

[BLACKJACK]

All I can say is WOW!!! 

Great story Scoot!!! Thanks for sharing!!

[Scoot]

Thanks paceman and Blackjack!  OK Ufatz, I'll bite- what exactly is "so sad"? 

Edited December 23, 2015 by Scoot