2015 Unguided Public Land MT Mountain Lion Hunt

[PropsterII]

Awesome Scoot. One question and an observation.  Where did you first shot hit that the cat was able to live for a bit yet?  Or didn't you do an autopsy?  As for affording the mount, if your taxidermist is anything like the ones I work with they are busy and behind.  Would your guy consider allowing you to work off some of the expense of a mount by you assisting him with caping animals for him, now or in the future?  Seems you've had to do it enough on your own critters you're probably pretty decent at it.  Just a thought.

[Scoot]

Thanks Propster.  I didn't open up the cat to do an autopsy, but it was pretty clear I hit the cat's left lung, but not the right and likely not the heart.  I hit exactly where I aimed and although I didn't like the shot, I figured I could blow through the heart and hit it's spine on the way out the topside.  When we skinned it I saw that I missed the spine by about 1/8", just a smidgeon to the right!  The cat was turned a little more than I realized, I think and I missed center punching him through the heart and hitting the spine as a result.  Also, the whole thing happened really fast- from the first shot to the second was likely only 2-3 minutes (I'm just guessing because the whole thing became an absolute blur after the first shot).  It was a weird experience- if I had shot a deer or an elk like that I would have simply sat and waited for an hour, so the animal could expire on its own.  However, all the houndsmen went running after it and I took a "when in Rome" kinda approach.  I'm certain with the amount of blood pumping out of that cat it would have died quickly on its own, but I felt obligated to do what the houndsmen were doing, so I ran after it and along with them.

 

That's an excellent thought regarding the mount!  I'm not sure I'll take that approach, but I will certainly put in a little more time on something associated with my work that will essentially do the same thing.  If I do something at my work I'll not only get a little extra cash, but I'll get credit for doing it too, which would doubly benefit me.   I'd like to figure out a way to pay for the mount, so I'll figure it out.  I appreciate your suggestion!     

[1eyeReD]

Wow

[PropsterII]

I merely bring it up Scoot because I believe that later on you would be dissapointed if you didn't get a full mount. And at that point it's not like your taxidermist can just grab you an extra cape like he could with a deer.  You'll think of the adventure every time you look at it and it will be worth it for that alone I would think.  Plus they just look cooler than heck!

[Scoot]

21 hours ago, PropsterII said:

I merely bring it up Scoot because I believe that later on you would be disappointed if you didn't get a full mount. 

I know you're absolutely right!  Even my wife, who's not a huge fan of mounted critters, has said the same thing.  I'll figure out a way to make it happen.  As far as full body mounts go, a mountain lion is about as cool of a mount as there is IMO.