weekends calling trip rundown and a run in with murphy and thunderpussy.

[bigben]

well this weekend I just got back from hunting with some of who I consider the best in the state.  first off I cannot even fathom calling anywhere it is colder then single digits.  this weekend I do not think it broke above freezing all weekend.  single digits in the morning and afternoon.  anyhow onto the story

as some of you might know my father drew a cat tag and we have been trying to get a cat by calling for the whole season.  we were heading up to a buddys camp (AW Sparrows).  we left on friday morning and decided to stop at cabelas since it was on the way.  went in and bought a set of stoney point bipod sticks.  before we left I went over to the bargin cave and wouldn't you know it I actually found a bargin.  A optronics 350yd scope light for 50 bucks.  I scooped that up and we decided to head north.  we got there around 2 in the afternoon which was early.  so we scouted around and found a good bit of coyote tracks in the day old snow but no cat tracks.  headed back to camp and talked cat hunting with sparrows and he pointed us in a decent direction to head the following morning.  so we decided since it was so bright out and the snow was crunchy as hell we stayed in and partook of some home made wine along with some homemade brew.  we decided to turn in around 11:00 with a plan to wake at 6:30. 

6:30 rolls around we get up grab a poptart and head to the spot were sparrows told us there was some cats at.  we arrived at our first setup and started calling and about 5 min into the stand here comes a huge white owl that another buddy said was a snowy owl.  he sat there and looked disgusted after finding out there was no food for him and flew off.  as we sat there with the foxpro calling I could here in the distance a bunch of birds causing a rucass.  they were following something with as slow as they were hoping from trees.  but nothing showed as they birds moved on and whatever they were following dissapeared. 

we walked down the road about 300 yds and setup.  as I was sitting down my father said lets make this a short one.  I imagine he was getting cold like me.  as the foxpro was wailing out the bunny blues I had it turned down to what I thought was a acceptable level.  about 12 on the remote.  about 5 minutes into the stand it happened.  my father has asthma and he had a coughing fit.  I reached down under my seat to hand him a bottle of water and I look up the road and there is the biggest damn cat I have ever seen walking down the road.  all I said was cat up the road.  a brief pause and I wispered do you see him?  dad said yeah.  well at this time the cat sat down and we made the biggest mistake that I will forever remember.  I tend to allways rush the shot for some reason I am afraid the critter is gonna be gone as quick as this cat showed.  as the cat sat pretty about 80yds away he started looking around.  I got nervous and said you better shoot.  about that time I here the hammer fall with a click instead of a boom.  my father was using a savage over under combo gun and forgot to take the saftey off.  I here him click the hammer back and the safty was off.  a second later I here a loud boom.  the cat jumped once off the road and that was it.  he was gone.  I looked down at dad as he reloaded the savage and I here him say I had the shotgun barrel selected instead of the rifle.  man what a rush.  went from cold to heart thumpin out of my chest to severe depression.  frustrated is what you could say as we sat there.  we sat about 15 more minutes hoping to maybe call him back in.  we got up and walked down to see if a magic bb of #4 buck might have found a mark but no blood was to be found.  we collected the gear and headed back to the truck.  we hunted the rest of the afternoon and the morning of today.  you are not allowed to call a cat on sunday in pa.  all in all I had a great weekend and fought all odds.  the cold the wind on the afternoon of saturday and the severe let down of hunting for one so long and rushing the shooter.  I think that the cat would have continued on because the setup was perfect.  he could not see nothing but our shoulders and head.  I thought he seen us and our window of opportunity was soon going to close.  I can still see that cats coal black eyes and this thing I call thunderpussy because of how big it was.  whe it was walking in on the road he walked past a tree with a branch that was hanging next to the road and this things head was about 6 inchs above my knee.  when he sat he had a huge head.  even now I can still replay the whole event through my head. 

a few things I did learn about this weekend is that predators come in quicker the supposed to when it is cold.  also I used a lower volume and I think that helped.  I was using a louder volume calling before.  another thing I learned was that I need more cold weather clothing.  this weekend was about the worst calling conditions physically that I have ever called in.  the mronings and afternoons when we made our stands were in the teens or lower.  the snow was crunchy and when the wind picked up it riped right through ya.  I never knew you could freeze your nose shut till this weekend.  we have one more weekend to make it happen and that is next weekend.  hope that this weekends problems pays off.

[HaMeR]

Thats too bad it didn't happen for your Dad. So close.   

I'm sure next time around he will connect tho. 

[wv_yoter]

That's a bummer bigben. Good luck this weekend, I hope y'all get one.

[Troy Walter]

That to bad that it didn't happen,but it is a memory you and your father will have for a long time.

[AWSparrows]

Ben,
Your right about the cold.
Thanks for going and thanks for helping me close up camp this morning, tell your dad I said thanks too.

Good luck this weekend, let me know how you make out.

Aaron

[trappinjohn]

I never knew you could freeze your nose shut till this weekend. 

You need to come up north more often buddy.  Was great seeing you and your Dad again.  Go get that cat this weekend, we'll be waiting for the pics.

[FinsnFur]

I'm with these guys...you got out...and for the most part enjoyed it. Well some of it...didnt ya?
C'mon tell me you didnt enjoy the time. 

[Nelson]

bigben,
Thanks for the story and good luck this weekend.
Nelson

[Purgatory_Predator_Calls]

Great story eventhough the outcome wasen't what you had in mind.  Things like that will happen to anyone who hunts for any amount of time.  Dang hard to swallow though! 

When you say "cat", we talkin bobcat or mt. lion?

Joey

[KySongDog]

Thanks for the story bigben.  I got cold just reading it.     You had a great time with your dad. Thats what counts.  There will always be another cat on another day.   


Semp

[bigben]

talkin bobcat.  yeah it was still a great time.  Its like they say hindsight is 20/20.  it just frustrates the hell outta ya.  believe me both me and dad are still pretty mad about it.  but as we were heading out he said atleast we called something in.  so I believe he had fun also.  I allways have a great time when hunting.  I guess the biggest thing is dad taught me a good bit about hunting and I figured this bobcat was a way to thank him.

[Frogman]

Good story bigben.  Something the non-hunters will never understand is how much we enjoy the comraderie and just being outdoors.  We don't have to kill something to have a great day!  Even when some things go wrong.  It sure beats sitting in the recliner watching dancing with the stars!!!

JIm

[bigben]

I never knew you could freeze your nose shut till this weekend. 

You need to come up north more often buddy.  Was great seeing you and your Dad again.  Go get that cat this weekend, we'll be waiting for the pics.

I don't think so john.  I like it purty good here in south part of pa you can keep the cold.  the only problem is we have to travel 2 hours to get into a cat area period. 

I was talking to matt lovelo this year at the bobcat drawing and he was telling me that they are thinking about expanding the regions and also in as little as 5 yrs going to a cat tag per furtakers liscence.  matt lovelo is the head of the furbearer dept for the pgc.  he was the one responsible for bringing back bobcats and is now bringing back fischers.