I filled my cat tag

[bigben]

This is a repost from two other sites but I wanted to let the fellas at finsandfur what I have been chasin over the last few weeks.

I started north sat morning around 4 and got to the happy hunting grounds at daybreak.  I started out at a location that a friend tipped me on.  I made a few stands and found some cat sign.  at around 11 I turned even further north to see if there was any sign at another location.  I found some but not as good as what I seen in the morning.  So I had enough time to head south to get a few stands in before dark.

Atleast so I thought.  I ended up getting stuck numerous times as the sun beat on the roads it melted em just enough to be a pain in the side.  After making it down out of the mountain I made it to where I was in the morning and had just enough time for a short daylight stand.  I called for 15 minutes till it was too dark to see.  I walked back to the truck and grabbed the light.  I wanted to make a few stands and then take a break and then do a few more before heading home.  I wanted to make the most out of this trip.

I setup in front of a dirt pile and was watching a pine tree line of some of the thickest country I have ever called.  I turned on the foxpro to screaming jay and made two sweeps of the light.  There they were.  A set of burning red eyes looking at me from the cover of trees.  I followed the set of eyes threw the trees.  I had to get him to stop soon because the truck was soon approaching to be between us.  I twisted the power up on my scope and made the id.  At the crack of the gun I imagined that I heard the solid thump of a bullet finding its mark but I wasn't sure of the hit.

I had a good mark so I walked over and checked the spot.  A few drops of blood and paw prints.  I called my friend who tipped me of the spot and asked if he could come up and help me track it.  After about an hour we took up the trail.  With fresh snow on the ground it was easy to follow the cat.  I was starting to loose confidence as I followed the diminishing blood trail.  The trail went under a group of trees and I looked with my light but didn't find no hide piled up close by.  I walked around that clump of trees and found blood again.  I looked to my right and there he was laying.

It is a 30 lb tom cat.  It was a 100 yd shot and the cat traveled about 100 yds before he finally collapsed. 

[weedwalker]

Very nice looking cat Ben. Congradulations.

[FinsnFur]

  Kudos man, that thing is huge!

[SCcoyotehunter]

Thats a good one!

[Bills Custom Calls]

Good Job Ben  Nice cat
Ya gonna get him mounted

[bigben]

well at the present time I am going to take him to a local tannery and get him to skin it and tan it so that down the road I can get it mounted.  dads cat was almost 800 bucks to get mounted.  which is a serious chunk of change.  I plan on getting the skull cleaned.  eventually it will get mounted but until I find a suitable taxidermist I don't want to rush the job. if ya know what I mean.

[Todd Rahm]

Good Job Ben. 

[coyotehunter_1]

Ben... 

That big ol' tom has some serious spots, beautiful pelt.

[iahntr]

Congratulations Ben !! 
and it's a beauty at that !   

[alscalls]

Thats a BIG cat right there!!!!  WTG Ben!       

[KySongDog]

Perseverance pays!  Way to hang in there, Ben!  Congratulations on a fine cat.   

[HuntnCarve]

Congrats on your bobcat Ben!

[pitw]

That's a good story and a nice ending for it Ben.

[Coulter]

Way to go Ben...nice Tom! What caliber did you take 'em with?

Steve

[HaMeR]

That's a big ol cat right there!! And a nice lookin one too!! Congratulations Ben!! 

[bigben]

.223 55gr psp

[Frogman]

WTG!! 

Jim

[coyote101]

Way to go Ben.  Congratulations on your cat. 

Pat

[GunDog]

Good job Ben ... Congrats to ya! 

[JohnP]

Congratulations on killing that cat Ben.  Sure looks like a pretty one and big also.