Cougar hunting at its best

[C Taylor]

I have been pondering on how to tell this story,as there is deep feelings that is hard to put in writing. Anyways here it goes.
If you have ever seen the old cowboy get well cards, I'm sure they were drawn while looking at my dad and his buddy Sam.
Sam always loved his hounds an him and dad decided that since coyote hunting with dogs was now illegal, they would go catch a cat. They spend 3 winters riding through the mountains with horses or argoing the cutlines until they finally found a track. Which they couldn't get thier dogs to follow. These old boys were disgusted! They thought of renting some dogs but after finding out what the cost was if they lost a good dog they went home with thier tail between thier legs, so to speak.
A few years later I found an area with good cat sign and called Sam to let him know. Sam had gotten rid of his dogs by then but was so excited he bought a couple good cat hounds. Unfortunatly before they had a chance to go chase a cat, Sam had a stroke, followed by cancer. It wasn't long before we were at his funeral.
Dad was 72 when he ended up getting bucked off his horse an broke his back and 4 ribs. At 74 he broke his neck of the same horse. Then come cancer followed by 4 bypasses.
I watched this rawhide tough never quit man, turn into a feeble old man in a walker with oxygen tubes stuck in his nose. At times I thought he would die, at other times I prayed he would die just to stop his suffering.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

....

[C Taylor]

Last year I went on a cougar hunt with Kelly Morton. It was a great hunt but I sure missed dad not being there. Kelly mentioned how he would like to get dad a cat, but that was highly unlikey
When I got home, dad was laying in bed to weak to do anything. He had to have all the pictures of my hunt, and you could see how much he wished he could have one last chase.
I told dad that, if he lived an could get some power back in his body, I'd get Kelly to find him a cat. My mother who was doing everything possible to keep him alive was ready to kill me!
All winter was touch an go but spring gave him more life. He started going out shooting gophers with no oxygen! Every time he mentioned being healthy enough to go cat hunting mom would be giving me that ice cold look again!
It was the last week of November before dad decided he should buy a hunting liecense. So I let Kelly know that dad would go if we found a easy one.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

Great lion Mr Taylor! What a great hunt to be with your family on. Also good job to a great houndsman Kelly Morton
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww228/buckbrushoutdoors/95BF0914-909E-4617-B176-8B13E2814A9F-2258-00000105F2753038.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww228/buckbrushoutdoors/18020FE5-48E4-4563-9131-D297002EB828-2258-00000105FB795A86.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww228/buckbrushoutdoors/A6915204-A005-436E-A33B-CB0B29801D85-2258-0000010600CD2501.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww228/buckbrushoutdoors/AA037EDC-398B-467C-A500-2332DC920C12-2258-0000010608070F8C.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww228/buckbrushoutdoors/EEE66DE6-A788-4842-ABB5-44EBC942F64C-2258-0000010612A6F50D.jpg

[Lefty-Canuck]

After having the opportunity to meet you and your Lady and have a chance to get to know you a little bit. I have to say bravo to you Sir!

....Not much gives me a quiver chin...but this story did.

LC

[Tundra Monkey]

Beauty of a cat Sir......and I truly hope we get to see some pics of you and your Dad with one of his own!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats again :happy0034:

[bush monkey]

Always tough watching poeple you look up to and love, fade away! great post! congrats on the cats.

[bush monkey]

I must have read this post before you re posted the second time. Great job you guys! Im sure that hunt means the world!

[C Taylor]

Kelly had one he thought was blocked in good for a short chase and some other hunters that was generous enough to give up their day of hunting. So off we went. I had a rhino with a cab for both mom an dad to go in. They had a blast running the cutlines with the dogs but with all the snow and what not we lost the cat somehow. Kelly was beside himselve. He worked his butt off and felt horrible, but these things happen in hunting. As it turned out my mother showed great interest in the hunt and I wasn't getting those icy looks anymore.
The next weekend Kelly called, he had found a whitetail buck a cat had killed an thought it could be a short chase. Only trouble was we couldn't use atv's and it was mountain country!
The next morning we were all there and ready to go, well almost, the look on dads face when looking at those big hills didn't exactly look like he was confident in this! We spent some time making sure the cat tracks would end up on the right side of the road, an let the dogs loose. The dogs took off bellowing on the hot trail and in a few minutes they were just a faint noise over the hills. Then slowly they noise got louder an louder! Kelly looked over at us an said"get ready they have him treed".
We were lucky it wasn't a half mile to where the cat was treed, an just needed to follow a valley. Kelly was saying "just take your time Mr Taylor my dogs will keep him in the tree". The sun was shining and it was just below freezing so dad wasn't getting cold.

[C Taylor]

When we got to the tree the cat was quite hard to see. Then with dad's broken neck so he can't look up very good made it even harder, but we did finnaly clear some branches an dad was able to make out what was a cat in a tree. Kelly had some great guys helping him on this hunt and when dad was finally in a position to shoot there was no playing around! Kelly had to get every one out of the way in a hurry cause "Mr Taylor" was raedy to shoot now!
Dad is now 80 years old and has trouble holding steady, so we practiced on a block of wood tied off in a tree. Lets just say I wasn't so sure he was going to make this shot! At the shot the cougar streched out an died still in the tree. Dad would of still been shooting if Kelly hadn't stopped him an explained that it was dead! If you never seen a 80yr old happy dance, its a sight to see! I'm sure old Sam was looking down grinning from the heavens!
This hunt was all but impossible to actually have happen. My mother kept dad alive be sure will power for the last few years. Kelly and his crew could not of done a better job on this hunt, the respect and patience they gave my folks was outstanding! I could see the last 8 years of hell being lifted off both my folks as they relished in the glory of the hunt.
A few days after this hunt an the folks were rested up, dad says" that was the best hunt I've ever had"

[Stinky Buffalo]

That is an awesome story. I am so thankful for our dads who instilled a love for the outdoors in us.

[bagwan]

Holy smokes. Hard to type with a lump in your throat. Best story and ending I've read in a long time. Who says this board is losing it. Thanks a lot. Marvelous what will power can do. Kudos to Mom as well.

[biggmac]

This story gets the nod for story of the year. Simply awesome.

[nube]

AWESOME!!!! That is a nice cat and a great story. Thanks for sharing

[Gbuss]

That is awesome.

[iliketrout]

Awesome story, easily my favorite of the year. Congrats to you and your father, glad that your mother was there with you guys. Kelly and his crew sound like top notch guides as well!

[nigel]

Best christmas story I've heard!

[C Taylor]

Thanks for putting up the pics for me buckbrush, and thanks for the comments guys. Its hard to put in words the heartbreak and pride that I've felt over dad the last few years. It does open ones eyes to how quickly life can change and usually not for the better.

[waterninja]

what a heartwarming story. congrats to you,your father and your mother.

[Ericson]

Awesome hunts you two had. I had better book my cat hunt right away.

[thumper]

Dads RULE!
('specially when Moms are beside them!)

[saltwater cowboy]

A wonderful moving story sir, congrats to your dad and a big well done to you for getting your dad out for this hunt,
Salty

[wolfkiller]

Congrats to your Dad, and to you and your mom for letting him pursue a big dream. Just dont get any better than that story. Big thanks to Kelly for a hunt none of you will ever forget.

[Rigby]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Taylor the day fallowing his hunt. The glow in his eye and the smile on his face said everything. The happiest 80 year old I have ever seen. Congrats on both the cats Clint.

This is a great story but to here you tell it in person and see your dads renewed spirits is truly life inspiring.

Congrats!

[ceedub]

Thanks for the great story, made my day. I know your old man and he was one tough guy. Glad to see that he got his cat, just goes to show that once you get the hunting bug you likely have it forever. Sounds like a family/team effort to make it all happen, you should all be proud of his success. Say hi to the folks from me, will ya please?

-Craig

[binocular]

What an awesome story! Kudos to all involved. Great to hear of things like this.

[Fishabs]

Congrats on what I'm sure will remain the hunt of a lifetime. A truly touching story, and I thank you for sharing it.

[dutch_m]

wow , what a story , congrats to your dad , and you a big thanks for sharing that with all of us ,

and i'd be proud to have a son like you , never met you but i'd like to someday

doing that for your dad only gave him a push for more life , so nice to read this story

as i get older each year , i hope when i get up in my 70's that i'll have someone who will give me that push ,

[bearbait]

kelly is a great guy! awsome story!

[davebuck]

Awesome story thanks for sharing

[SugarCreek]

Great write up Clint......can't imagine what your family has gone through. Very heartwarming to hear of all the things that came together and the people to make it happen to allow your Dad to get out on a great cat hunt.

Some of the nicest field photos of cats too!!!

Congrats........Marco

[cacty]

Outstanding. Glad to hear there are still people like your cat guide!!

[Icefisher2885]

Doesn't get any better than that!

[ab_hunter]

Great photos.

[liv4it]

Had to register to reply, but felt it was a must! I'm the hunter that had set aside the day for your dad to kill his cat. After Kellys story, then reading yours, I would hesitate to do it again. Too bad it hadn't worked out that day, but thrilled that he ended up with a great cat the next week. It was a pleasure to meet you guys that day. I had as much fun with you as if it was my hunt! Great job and wish your family the best. Also want to thank Kelly for my hunt as well. Both my wife and I shot two nice cats that week. We had a blast!!

Liv4it

[C Taylor]

Great to hear from you liv4it. I never really got a chance to thank you for your generosity. It is to bad we never got the whole hunt on video with you but we got some great pictures. I seen a picture of your cat an it looks like a great cat but by the sounds of it I'm glad it was you an not dad on that cat. He'd never of made the chase.

[goldscud]

Great story on all sides. Thanks for sharing the adventure!!

[Toe823]

Awesome story, good on you for makin this happen for your Ma and Pa, huge congrats to your dad on his cat, and kudo's to the houndsman and all the folks involved to make this possible, this is what hunting is all about!!!!

[S.C.W.]

A great write up Clint. Thank-you for sharing it I really enjoyed it.

Dad says to tell Ross Howdy !

[trashheap]

Amazing is all I can say! I agree one if not the best story of the year!! Congrats

[Lefty-Canuck]

I just killed my first P&Y cat a couple days ago and was searching for old cat hunt stories here.

Crazy to think since this was written Clint and I have become good friends and I know his Mother and Father and Wife well.

Clints Dad is still kicking, and his mom even has accolades of bow hunting under her belt, including a P&Y cougar!

10 years flies by fast!

LC

[marky_mark]

I just killed my first P&Y cat a couple days ago and was searching for old cat hunt stories here.

Crazy to think since this was written Clint and I have become good friends and I know his Mother and Father and Wife well.

Clints Dad is still kicking, and his mom even has accolades of bow hunting under her belt, including a P&Y cougar!

10 years flies by fast!

LC

Pics or it didn’t happen lol

[DRhunter]

Pics or it didn’t happen lol


X2

DR


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[Lefty-Canuck]

Pics or it didn’t happen lol

LOL you know it happened :)

I’ll post a new thread.

LC

[marky_mark]

LOL you know it happened :)

I’ll post a new thread.

LC

Lol 😬

[1899b]

LOL you know it happened :)

I’ll post a new thread.

LC

Looking forward to it!!!

[Phil McCracken]

Little late to the dance. Awesome story! Man I love to read those!

Thanx for sharing!...:)

[58thecat]

Thx for the story, simply awesome, perseverance at its best.


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[IronNoggin]

... A few days after this hunt an the folks were rested up, dad says" that was the best hunt I've ever had"

Simply AWESOME!! :)