During the last few days of cougar season, I called in a lion and even got a glimpse of it without getting a shot. I am jinxed.
Seven minutes after I started calling squirrels told me it was coming and where it was. The wind shifted and instead of coming in front of me the cat swung around and used the clump of brush I was hiding in as cover to approach the electronic call. Hate that!
I had a thick screen of brush behind me with tiny peekaboo holes. Squirrels told me the cat was behind me and when I tried to twist around I got a glimpse of large animal movement 30 or 40 feet away through the screen of brush. That was 23 minutes into the call.
Then squirrels escorted the lion back the same route it had used on approach till it was out of earshot at about 35 minutes.
Good day and I didn't get my hands dirty skinning.
During the last week I did one calling stand in falling snow, one in bright sunshine on fresh snow, and a couple without any snow. On the last day I found a large lion track at least six hours old heading down an undriveable road. I tried a parallel road but a big down tree stopped me before I got far. I did a calling stand but nothing responded. It was a remarkably dead time with no squirrels, birds nor anything moving. Must have been nap time in the woods.
I cut out six small trees fallen across roads, got tired and with my age and abilities it was a satisfying local safari.