Called a cougar (poor photo added)

[Okanagan]

Called a cougar last Monday and watched it for 11 minutes inside of 30 yards.  

On an evening patrol after a bear for my young hunting partner, he saw a cougar.  We tried to call it soon after with a hand call.  The call is a prototype closed reed prey distress call designed and made by Rainshadow that he let me try out.   It has a lower, raspy jackrabbit tone.

We set up on a brush choked old logging road, a lane between walls of alder saplings.  We had the advantage of being pretty sure the cat was on the downhill side of the road so we could concentrate there.  In 1 ½ to two minutes, the cougar sneaked to the edge of the road and started watching us from partial hiding behind a light screen of leaves.

The lion was super hard to see with naked eye even though it was closer than 30 yards, but with binoculars we could easily see the front half of the cat.  His face and eyes and white chin are engraved in my memory.   Part of his face plus some of his neck and all of his shoulder were wide open and easy for a scoped rifle, and when he changed position and edged closer, he showed the front of his chest free and clear for a shot.

After two or three minutes we started timing and the cat stayed another nine minutes.  I would call softly every minute or two to hold his  interest.  Once I switched to a few seconds of frenetic fast sound and the cat crouched down and edged a foot closer, his chin just above the big paws with his eyes intent.  After awhile he stood again, and he kept looking across the road, telegraphing that he was going to cross.  Sure enough, he walked across in the open and into the brush on the uphill side.

My hunting partner and I both took pictures but it was too dim in the sundown canyon for the little digital cameras we had to pick up enough light when zoomed in.  We first saw the lion about 8:55 PM.

I thought that all cougar seasons were closed and so had not bought a 2010 license nor tag when the new license year recently started.   My companion had a scoped rifle in hand but had not bought a cougar tag since he didn't think the season was open either.   A half hour later at our camp, a friend who lives in the area pointed out in the regs that we were in the only area where cougar is still open.

Call it a cosmic sense of humor to have such an easy shot with no tag.  It was a fun treat to see him and we picked up a bit more about lion traits.

Added later:  Just got a photo from my partner in which if you know where to look and what to look for, you can see the cougar's face.  It blurred some in the transition through Photobucket and it is virtually hopeless but I'll post it.   The cougar's face, both eyes and nose show up toward the left middle edge of the circle.  His ears show less and in this pic I can't see his white chin but in the higher res pics on my computer I can see his chin and his back line plus some cougar color.   This the kind of pic where you show a dirt road and say, "The critter was standing right there!"

[iahntr]

Very cool experience I'm sure ! 

[pitw]

That would have been some experience for a fact.  I'm thinking had I been there with you that a different smell would have permeated the air .

[FinsnFur]

Rainshadow's got a nitch for Cougars, so you definitely had the right call.

That would be quite a rush, even though the pic isnt the best I'm glad ya shared it with us

[KySongDog]

Great story.   I don't think I'll ever get the chance to hunt cougars.  Unless the one spotted in Indiana moves to Kaintuckee.   

[HaMeR]

THAT would be sooo cool!!  Except for the "no tags" part.  Thanks for sharing!!

[slagmaker]

Very cool!! I would agree with Barry. There would be a diffrent smell in the air if it were me there.

Great story.   I don't think I'll ever get the chance to hunt cougars.  Unless the one spotted in Indiana moves to Kaintuckee.   

That cougar was spotted just north of my dads and Fozzys neck of the woods. Wonder how many good ole boys are out there right now looking for an illegal trophy.

[bambam]

Awesome story, that had to be a rush.

[JohnP]

It doesn't matter how many times you see them out in the wild the thrill is always the same.  Thanks you for the story and the picture. 

[vvarmitr]

Even though the pix looks like it was taken by a Bigfoot hunter.    I'll take your word for it.


That has got to be one heck of a rush!!! 

[Okanagan]

Even though the pix looks like it was taken by a Bigfoot hunter.    I'll take your word for it.

vvarmitr, that is really funny!    And deserved!  So accurate a comment that it is cruel.