Did a cougar come in to BigB’s contest call?

[Okanagan]

Here is the evidence.  You decide.  I did a calling stand for coyote.   Saw nothing.  Came back later and found cougar tracks less than 25 yards from where I'd sat.

I have one of BigB's calls in the contest  (see Contest”  thread near the top of this forum).

For the coyote stand I sat at the bottom of a logging road embankment, 15 feet from the road in 8 inches of snow, watching ¾ acre of brushy clearcut running down a small ravine.  Great setup except that less than 25 yards uphill to my left was a skid road contouring along the edge of big second growth timber.  I thought that the skid road was a likely place for a cat to sneak up and peek over at a hunter, but wouldn't expect a coyote there.  I wasn’t expecting a cat.  The skid road took off from a switch back turn on the logging road and ran across the top of my little clearcut.  You can never see everything you want from a stand.  

My main goal was to find a cougar track in the fresh snow so I quit at 14 minutes, walked 75 yards to my vehicle and boogied on down the road.   I often walk around and check for tracks and almost walked up to check the skidroad but didn’t this time.

By late afternoon I’d found no lion tracks except some old ones on the road where I’d done the coyote stand mentioned above, so I drove it once more in case a cougar had come back today.  It was dark by the time I approached my earlier coyote stand and noticed cougar tracks coming off the bank 75 yards above the switchback and heading down the road.  Hmmm…  I had to get out with a flashlight to verify.  I drove on down the road.  At the switchback bend the cougar tracks followed the skid road.  That put it 20-25 yards above my coyote calling stand.  Ten or 15 feet on farther it was an easy peek over the bank, screened by small trees.  

I wish I had followed the lion tracks a ways on the skid road but I wanted to get home and my tired brain wasn’t on full amperage.   So I still wonder what he did out there.

It was a small cougar anyway, probably its first year on its own.  

Me?  I’m sure that the cougar didn’t come to the call.  I’da seen it.  It was co-incidence that it went to the same spot.  Yep.  Pure coincidence.  He just happened to walk by the same place.  Nah, a lion didn’t come to the call.  No way.  Not a chance…

[HaMeR]

Well maybe so but prolly not but then again you just never know. I would have to say tho without a doubt that cat showed up sometime between the time you were calling & when you went back to look around later on. 

I know nothing about big cats,, or little ones,, but is it possible the cat came thru & wasn't hungry? I know the smaller house cats will kill just to do it. Are the big ones the same?? 

[Okanagan]

Well maybe so but prolly not but then again you just never know. I would have to say tho without a doubt that cat showed up sometime between the time you were calling & when you went back to look around later on.  

I know nothing about big cats,, or little ones,, but is it possible the cat came thru & wasn't hungry? I know the smaller house cats will kill just to do it. Are the big ones the same??  

Yep, big cats are easy to call off a kill when they have a full belly.  That's counterintuitive but works.  

All of my dissembling aside, the fact that the cat tracks went right to the best spot to sneak a peek at the call sound indicates extremely high probability that he came to the call.  What irks me is that he may have come during the 14 minutes I was there.  I didn't check for his tracks afterward, so he could have come in immediately, looked at me, even watched me get up and leave.   I was focused on something squirrels were chattering at down below me that never came on in.  That fits with a coyote that knew a cougar was in the area and was afraid to dash in boldly to prey distress.

If I'd seen a fresh cougar track, I'd not have been messing with coyotes!  I would have set up entirely different with cat in mind.

And the cougar may have dropped by later to check out the call.  Once before (that I know about  ) I had one come to a stand and follow me 300 yards through the woods to my vehicle, but I didn't know that until I went back the next day, saw his tracks in the snow and back trailed him.  

Where I called yesterday is not good coyote country but there have been at least three cougars in a five mile radius of there within the past week.  Photo below is a couple of drainages over but same country, taken yesterday.   I called at the bottom of the road system within a quarter mile of highway and ski houses, least snow, best place for a coyote.

[HaMeR]

Well I just learned a little something today. Thanks!! 

[Okanagan]

Well I just learned a little something today. Thanks!!  

So did I!    Yesterday.  

I realize that I am using the forum for my personal debriefing, beyond a fun post about BigB's call.   I'm in the "shoulda, coulda, if I woulda"  stage with a rueful grin, scheming for next time!

[HaMeR]

   Sounds like you've found a legitimate way to boost your post count with resorting to ruthless posting to me!! 

[Okanagan]

  Sounds like you've found a legitimate way to boost your post count with resorting to ruthless posting to me!! 

You nailed me!     I'm all about post count. With all the stuff I've posted lately I'm up to .425 per day in the year and a half I've been here.

Where is BigB?  This is all his fault.  He made the call that created this confusing situation for the cougar and for me. The cougar probably needs therapy today.  I can see the cat on the couch, "Doc, you gotta believe me.  I could have sworn I heard a fat juicy snowshoe rabbit wailing but when I got there this overweight codger with glasses and cheap snow camo was playing improv jazz on an instrument that looked like a cross between a clarinet and a trumpet.  It was awful!) 

BigB needs to install a critter indicator on his calls, digital.  It would point the direction, distance and species of animals coming toward his call.  Now THAT would sell.  To me anyway.

[alscalls]

Sounds like your having fun.......Thats why he did this contest.......So your in the lead till fur is down......

[JohnP]

Yeah, you probably did call it in.  On numerous occassions I have gone back to check a stand  that I called.  Have found coyote tracks not only where I was sitting but also where the caller was placed.  One two occassions have also found this to be true with lion tracks in and around the area I sat in and where the caller was placed. 

[FinsnFur]

Digital critter indicator?
Wow, that'd be a serious upgrade package, not available on all models

I'm thinking whether you did or didn't call the cat in, seeing what you saw and considering the possibility, made your day over and over again.

By the way I'm leaning towards, "you called it in".
Thanks for telling us about it.

[Okanagan]

Digital Critter Indicator:  DCI unit.  We gotta play with this.  It has possibilities.

Possible ad copy:  The Digital Critter Indicator is a must for serious game callers and yet delivers the greatest help to inept beginners.  You can KNOW what's OUT THERE... and WHERE!  The unique feature operates on what is technically known as the Omniscience system, but around the campfire, most hunters call it God.

[BigB]

I ain't been around much.  Traveling during the holiday season, and trying to get some fur down these past two days myself.


That would be a real treat if you could call in a big cat for the contest.


I'll get to working on the digital critter indicator feature



Sure is some purdy looking country that you are calling in out there.

Brian

[iahntr]

Pretty cool.
Love that picture too.