bush monkey
12-12-2012, 11:31 PM
Well, Im not the best for story telling, but I will do my best.
I had booked a cougar hunt 2 years ago with Sean Mclean. (Frazier Valley Outfitters) I was not able to make the hunt last year due to a few family things, and Sean said it wouldn't be a problem to come this year.
When I FINALLY arrived at Sean and Lisa's place they had just finished up with the first week of hunts which by that time had closed a few of the quotas in a few of the areas. This led us to do a little searching, and by a little I mean a lot! LOL. I learned a lot when I was there, and by a lot, I mean not that much. LOL. I learned that there are a few rules about cat hunting! Rule #1 would be, don't ask too many questions about cat hunting, #2 would be don't forget your blind fold, and #3 would be don't ask too much about cat hunting!.
These guys where friggin awesome! I didn't know what to expect when I was there, but soon found that there were no limits to resources to find a good cat track and have a good time. I couldn't believe the lengths and effort that was put into just me!
We cut six tracks the first day, and had a pretty decent track. We thaught about running it but Sean and Dustin didn't like the toes on it. Thinking it was probably a big female. Second day found us still searching, I don't even know how many guys Sean had out beating the trails, but the day ended with another decent track, but Dustin figured we could do better. A healthy tip led to travel to yet another area the next day! We got to the area where we located a kill, as we checked it out we found that the track was hot, and let the dogs do what they do best. The cat was treed in 5 minutes. She was a big old wore out female with no ears. Pretty awesome though, my first cougar sighting. We searched on and found a monster snowed in track. We worked on it till dark, got a hotel room and continued the next morning. Even more help showed up the next day! Sean figured he had previous experience with the cat the year before, and that he was headed for no mans land, About 10 miles later thats where he ended up. Day 5 sent us back to another area, Where we split up and searched hard. This would be my last day to hunt. At 8:30 Dustin and I had cut a track. It was a day old and snowed in. The stride was real good, and Dustin checked under a tree for a print. I could hear in his voice, when he said, " He's a runner" that i best get my **** together! Sean was there in about a half hour and cut the cat again. With their knowledge of the area and the direction the Big cat was headed I knew this cat was in trouble. The excitement was more than I could handle. Dustin worked hard and fast on cutting the cat. Straight line on GPS had Dustin hot on the cat after 12 km. Sean and I came in with the dogs. We still didn't know if we where gonna cut the dogs loose due to fresh wolf tracks all over the grid! I know those guys bent the envolope on the wolves being in the area, and it was a risk we where all nervous about. Knowing we had to work fast, the chase was on! We jumped the big Tom after about 300 yards and he wasn't to interested in treeing. It was like a death race. I found that I wasn't keeping up to Sean so well. I didn't say anything, but I figured I wasn't gonna make er! We found Dustins sled on a cutline, hopped on it and gained some ground on the dogs, but not for long. The line we took turned into Huge blow down one after another! We lifted the snowmobile over about 1 km of blowdowns, I thaught it was going to finish me again. We finally where 800 yards out from the dogs and they were treed. In we went again! FINALLY, I laid eyes on the most unreal sight I could have ever imagined ! One XXXL big old Tom cat. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! The cat was about 60ft up and didn't give me much of a bow shot! I may have been able to do a frontal shot, but it woulda been straight up the tree, and I was not comfortable with it. With fading light I borrowed the lever 44mag and shot the cat. He jumped straight up about 5 feet up in the air and 10 feet out from the tree letting out a rougghhh! He sailed the entire 60 foot fall right where Sean was standing. Sean had to dive out of the way. The cat made a solid thud and tried to make an escape, but I had another round on its way which piled the cat within 30 yards. Dustin walked in literaly 3 mins after the cat was down! I wish I coulda held out for him to make it there as we had robbed his sled! It was incredible to say the least! I owe it all to these Two guys. Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would also like to thank Lisa, Ethan, Luke (running bear), Bob, Tyler, Badger and all the dogs for all their help during my hunt!http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/bushmonkey1/cathunt383.jpg
I had booked a cougar hunt 2 years ago with Sean Mclean. (Frazier Valley Outfitters) I was not able to make the hunt last year due to a few family things, and Sean said it wouldn't be a problem to come this year.
When I FINALLY arrived at Sean and Lisa's place they had just finished up with the first week of hunts which by that time had closed a few of the quotas in a few of the areas. This led us to do a little searching, and by a little I mean a lot! LOL. I learned a lot when I was there, and by a lot, I mean not that much. LOL. I learned that there are a few rules about cat hunting! Rule #1 would be, don't ask too many questions about cat hunting, #2 would be don't forget your blind fold, and #3 would be don't ask too much about cat hunting!.
These guys where friggin awesome! I didn't know what to expect when I was there, but soon found that there were no limits to resources to find a good cat track and have a good time. I couldn't believe the lengths and effort that was put into just me!
We cut six tracks the first day, and had a pretty decent track. We thaught about running it but Sean and Dustin didn't like the toes on it. Thinking it was probably a big female. Second day found us still searching, I don't even know how many guys Sean had out beating the trails, but the day ended with another decent track, but Dustin figured we could do better. A healthy tip led to travel to yet another area the next day! We got to the area where we located a kill, as we checked it out we found that the track was hot, and let the dogs do what they do best. The cat was treed in 5 minutes. She was a big old wore out female with no ears. Pretty awesome though, my first cougar sighting. We searched on and found a monster snowed in track. We worked on it till dark, got a hotel room and continued the next morning. Even more help showed up the next day! Sean figured he had previous experience with the cat the year before, and that he was headed for no mans land, About 10 miles later thats where he ended up. Day 5 sent us back to another area, Where we split up and searched hard. This would be my last day to hunt. At 8:30 Dustin and I had cut a track. It was a day old and snowed in. The stride was real good, and Dustin checked under a tree for a print. I could hear in his voice, when he said, " He's a runner" that i best get my **** together! Sean was there in about a half hour and cut the cat again. With their knowledge of the area and the direction the Big cat was headed I knew this cat was in trouble. The excitement was more than I could handle. Dustin worked hard and fast on cutting the cat. Straight line on GPS had Dustin hot on the cat after 12 km. Sean and I came in with the dogs. We still didn't know if we where gonna cut the dogs loose due to fresh wolf tracks all over the grid! I know those guys bent the envolope on the wolves being in the area, and it was a risk we where all nervous about. Knowing we had to work fast, the chase was on! We jumped the big Tom after about 300 yards and he wasn't to interested in treeing. It was like a death race. I found that I wasn't keeping up to Sean so well. I didn't say anything, but I figured I wasn't gonna make er! We found Dustins sled on a cutline, hopped on it and gained some ground on the dogs, but not for long. The line we took turned into Huge blow down one after another! We lifted the snowmobile over about 1 km of blowdowns, I thaught it was going to finish me again. We finally where 800 yards out from the dogs and they were treed. In we went again! FINALLY, I laid eyes on the most unreal sight I could have ever imagined ! One XXXL big old Tom cat. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! The cat was about 60ft up and didn't give me much of a bow shot! I may have been able to do a frontal shot, but it woulda been straight up the tree, and I was not comfortable with it. With fading light I borrowed the lever 44mag and shot the cat. He jumped straight up about 5 feet up in the air and 10 feet out from the tree letting out a rougghhh! He sailed the entire 60 foot fall right where Sean was standing. Sean had to dive out of the way. The cat made a solid thud and tried to make an escape, but I had another round on its way which piled the cat within 30 yards. Dustin walked in literaly 3 mins after the cat was down! I wish I coulda held out for him to make it there as we had robbed his sled! It was incredible to say the least! I owe it all to these Two guys. Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would also like to thank Lisa, Ethan, Luke (running bear), Bob, Tyler, Badger and all the dogs for all their help during my hunt!http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/bushmonkey1/cathunt383.jpg