Cougar Down! December 5th...

Great story and excellent write up Steve. Make sure to let us know when that video comes out. I'd buy the dvd for that stand alone.

Nate
 
Originally Posted By: Brian DownsWay to go man sounds like you managed to capture what many guys have been shooting for congrats!!!

Steve,

Brian is absolutely correct - your years of working at calling big cats really paid off for you this weekend. Your story is great and I like the tactic of moving in on a known lion fast and not giving it a chance to wander off.

Awesome work,

Mark Healy
 
Thanks guys, I'm really really excited about this one for many different reasons.

I had visions of being picky this season and holding out for a big Tom, watching other cats through the camera and letting them go, but let's be realistic! I've had 3 in the scope, and killed 2 of those, in 5 years of focusing on them... I confirm that about 3 or 4 are at my stands watching me per year... To go to a neighborhood sighting, and immediately call the cat right in, with my new sounds, get it on video, and put it on the ground before it takes any pets or livestock... I'm over the moon!

I can still take out friends, and I'll be able to focus on the remote and the camera now. I'm tagged out, but I'm not done!
 
Great stroy and pics. Looking forward to seeing the video where ever it becomes available.

Looks like you got the sounds right too! A less than cautious cat just strolling in
smile.gif
you must have really had her fooled.

B
 
That's a great story Steve. Good to see that it can go by the numbers once in a while. It sounds like you developed the skill, the tactics, and the nerve to focus when really needed (sticks slipping). That's all very motivational for someone on the other end of the cougar learning curve.

Thanks.
 
Congrats on the Big Cat Steve! Great story, great pics and good going on what appears to have been a great shot selection with the wssm - nice looking cat!
 
Again, thanks guys. I had so much confidence in these sounds before I got them into the field, now I'm just totally excited!

Hey, I figured out how to grab screen shots! I'm going to get some on here today sometime...
 
Ok, here's some screen captures from the video where the cat arrives, is shot, and the approach and etc, All in one clip, I never turned the camera off! I don't know what the quality will be but here goes...


Arrived.jpg


This is a close crop of the cat when it arrived, before the shot. It's not zoomed, this is what's on the screen. (I'm hoping it can be digitally zoomed, but that's over my head by quite a ways right now!) The cat is centered. It's in the frame when the camera comes on, then it drops down to take a few steps closer, then comes back up and you see this.




Approach.jpg

This is walking up the the cat, Survivorman style! (The camera is in the tripod and I'm carrying the whole thing at my side like he does.) There's one spot where you get the sky and timber tops, but most of it is real good, you get to walk up to the cat with me!




Check.jpg

This is checking to see if it's really dead, or if I'm just having a really good dream! (Again, Survivorman style.) This is where I recognize that it's indeed a mature adult cat.




Contact.jpg

I actually grab it by the scruff here and try to drag it... no possible way! I'm realizing how big it is now.






Heavy.jpg

Ok, no question about it now, it's a big cat! And heavy!
 
Originally Posted By: rainshadow1NE corner of the Peninsula.

Game warden was VERY happy I took this cat, said he'd try to get me another tag!!!

The last year of hound hunting here in WA, I chased a cat into the roadless area on the upper Gray Wolf. About a foot and a half of snow. Didn't get the dogs back until the next day, crossed the creek several times the dogs got so stoved up they would hardly move. Never again, but I'm spending some time trying to call one. Congrats again.
 
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