Guess

[JohnP]

You never know what is going to come into your call out in the middle of the desert. 

Entrance hole, can you guess the caliber and distance?



Exit hole, can you guess the critter?

[Hawks Feather]

I made several guesses that I have deleted since they were not nice at all.

Mule deer, .223 armor piercing, 35 yards.

Jerry

[pitw]

Mexican hairless Bobcat with a 257 Roberts 87gr BTSP doing 3375fps at entry and a mite less at exit.

[FinsnFur]

I actually think it's a bird but I know you wouldnt skin a bird so I'm gonna throw a hail Mary and say an Ocelot taken with a 22cal

[JohnP]

Ocelot taken with a 22cal

"Arizona Game and Fish Department officials report that a rare ocelot was observed  in the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona.
An ocelot is a rare and endangered species of cat. "

No way would I shoot a rare and endangered cat.  But I can honestly tell you that they are not as rare as the Game Commission thinks they are.  After living in the Huachuca's for 37 years I have seen my fair share of them.

[HaMeR]

200lb muley doe at 235yds. 17HMR with the 17gr V-Max!!!!   

idea!! 

[riverboss]

200lb muley doe at 235yds. 17HMR with the 17gr V-Max!!!!   

idea!!

In a 30 mph wind.

Sent from my BLU STUDIO 5.0 C HD using Tapatalk

[Okanagan]

The meat looks a little bit light colored.  That could be pork or cougar -- or air dried venison.  .223 at 42 yds. shooting uphill if I'm seeing the anatomy correctly.

The prickly pear is sideways.  Must be really steep country.    John, here's a tip for us old codgers:  wear a shirt with vertical stripes.  Then when you look in the mirror, if the lines don't go up and down change your position till they do. 

[Hawks Feather]

I saw the prickly pear and thought the same thing.  I also appreciate the tip about the stripped shirt.  It will let me know if I am standing up or laying down. 

Jerry

[JohnP]

Not too steep but steep enough that a guy with a bad back, bad feet, bad legs and a nervous system shot to hell should ever try to go down, let alone come back up.  I have called many coyotes and bobcat out of this little ravine and thought I would give it a go once again.  The caller is at the bottom right hand side and I'm about thirty yards up the grade.



Had my Savage Walking Varminter, .204 shooting factory 32 grain Hornady V-Max at 4,000fps.  Turned the caller (WT) on and within minutes saw something moving on the far hillside in the cut on the left near the bottom of the page in the thick stuff.  Could never make out what is was until he stepped out into the bottom, moving very slowly and cautiously.  I couldn't get a clean shot as he was creeping on his belly from sagebrush to sagebrush.  When he finally stepped out into the opening I took the shot, Clyde your off by about 3 yards, please try to do better next time.  It took me a little over two hours to get out of that ravine the last hundred yards or so on my hands and knees and without the cat.  A friend had to come back and retrieve him for me.

[Okanagan]

Whoooeee!  WTG!

[nastygunz]

Pretty dang cool! You eat them? I always read that they were really good eating.

[Okanagan]

I have a couple more minutes now to comment.  That's a call-in of a lifetime for most hunters, and you did it with about half of your cylinders firing!  Impressive.  Tell your wife to let you out of the house a little more and give you a longer leash...

We are tickled for you!

[Hawks Feather]

Wow.  Now that is impressive - crawling out that is.  Oh yea, the big cat is almost as impressive.  And next time take someone along so they can have fun too.

Jerry


Edit added:  John, do you know what we call a .204 shooting factory ammo?  We call it .223 armor piercing.  Now who was it that said that?

[coyote101]

Very nice Mr. JohnP.  What a trophy that would be for anyone.  You're the man. 

Pat

[gravesco hunter]

Very nice what a trophy,the 204 is a very good round

[pitw]

Stunningly good story sir John.   Me hat is off to you and now I know I need a haircut.

[Okanagan]

Got to chuckling here as I read over the story again.  SNAFU and I have been chasing cougars and reporting our failures here for several years and you hobble out and kill one without even specifically trying for one.      Cosmic humor!   

 

[JohnP]

In that terrain a lion was the last thing I expected to see.  Most of it is flat and nothing but sage and cactus.  My theory is that he has been kicked out of his range and was moving into another mountain range, from the Huachucha Mountains into either the Dagoons or the Mule Mountains. 

Nasty - Will not be eating this one although have had them in the past.  He has been butchered, wrapped and frozen and a good friend will be by to pick him up.  I expect I'll be invited over for some BBQ in the near future. 

Thank you all for the compliments.  And yes the .204 can and will get the job done.

[JohnP]

Got to chuckling here as I read over the story again.  SNAFU and I have been chasing cougars and reporting our failures here for several years and you hobble out and kill one without even specifically trying for one.      Cosmic humor!   

I would be willing to bet that most lions are taken while a person is deer hunting or calling for coyotes, except for the professional guides who hunt lions for a living.  Had I been looking to kill a lion that spot is the last place I would have gone to.  We decided to do a full mount and then donate it for auction at the next local RMEF Banquet.

Might add that once again I am bed/lazy boy ridden and my days going out into the desert are limited.  It's been a good and fun ride but I can truly see the end of it.  Will now have to live it through my grandsons and you guys.