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Hunting => Big Game => Topic started by: Okanagan on January 22, 2018, 08:55:36 PM

Title: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: Okanagan on January 22, 2018, 08:55:36 PM
Just off the phone after listening to a fun report from our son that calls cougars.  He hunted today.  He cut the tracks of three cougars traveling together and tracked them for several hours.  He jumped them three times and they would sneak back and peek at him but he never got a glimpse.  Sometimes when they would come back to spy on him they would leave the mark of their body and foreleg in the snow where they had crouched and watched him.  They got way ahead and went back to hunting once, and he hoped that they would turn on him and growl but they never did.

They all seemed alike, maybe one different, and he was sure that it was a mama and two grown youngsters.  He had variously from 3 to 12 inches of snow and finally lost the tracks on a bare south face.  He called once but it seemed like the mama just wanted to keep them moving away. 

I checked our mountains at daylight today and didn't like the conditions I could see from here so didn't go.  We've had high winds for three days, still blowing this morning and the snow level was way high, which means no tracking snow at the lower levels where I drive logging roads looking for tracks.  We had rain squalls off and on all day and by late afternoon fresh snow coated our local mountains well down toward the valley.  I'll likely mosey out tomorrow.

Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: FinsnFur on January 22, 2018, 10:20:53 PM
Sounds interesting. Is he hunting with someone?
I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be stalking a cougar thats stalking me, while alone. :huh:
Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: Okanagan on January 22, 2018, 11:46:27 PM
He said we once so somebody was with him.  If Monday was a holiday in the US it was likely his son, otherwise maybe his nephew Code.

If North American mountain lions were as aggressive as leopards or tigers, it would be dicey to track one, but an attack is pretty unlikely with a cougar.   He's been trying to push one into turning on him and threaten him to back off.  We've heard of that happening but neither of us have been able to push one into doing that.  My legs and ability are not up to that kind of tracking anymore.  You sure learn a lot b y tracking critters, especially in snow that shows virtually every move they make. 



Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: nastygunz on January 23, 2018, 01:16:56 AM
 Anybody who tracks a tiger has some testicular  fortitude those things are Ginormous!  I was watching a show about tigers over in India and it said they regularly kill and eat bears!
Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: slagmaker on January 23, 2018, 01:59:14 AM
Quote from: nastygunz on January 23, 2018, 01:16:56 AMI was watching a show about tigers over in India and it said they regularly kill and eat bears!

This is another reason I don't go to India
Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: Dave on January 23, 2018, 06:43:38 AM
Wow that is just a whole different world from anything around here. 
Thanks for posting
Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: JohnP on January 29, 2018, 10:44:14 AM
When we had horses the wife was out riding one day and came upon lion tracks in a dry creek bed, lioness and two cubs.  She followed them for a good distance until they left the creek bed for higher country.  When she came home and told me about it I gave her hell, told her wives are a dime a dozen but good horses are hard to come by. 
Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: Okanagan on January 29, 2018, 10:49:40 AM
Quote from: JohnP on January 29, 2018, 10:44:14 AM
When we had horses the wife was out riding one day and came upon lion tracks in a dry creek bed, lioness and two cubs.  She followed them for a good distance until they left the creek bed for higher country.  When she came home and told me about it I gave her hell, told her wives are a dime a dozen but good horses are hard to come by.

Good thing I had finished my coffee or you'd owe me a keyboard!  That one is kind of quick at the end.

Title: Re: Son tracked three cougars today, got none
Post by: nastygunz on January 29, 2018, 07:21:03 PM
 :alscalls: :alscalls: