Hi All,
I was heading up the mountains a few weeks ago on a Friday evening for a weekend of bowhunting and decided to walk into a canyon for the last hour of daylight to see if I could see any deer or elk. I followed a well used trail down the bottom of a canyon about a mile and a half when I noticed some movement up ahead under a large pine tree. I froze and slowly brought my binoculars up to see what was going on. I could not believe it, but I was looking at a Mountain Lion dragging a freshly killed small buck up a side canyon. I was only 80 yards away and he had no idea I was there. I just could not resist the opportunity of a lifetime to stalk a big cat so I dropped my pack, got out my camera, made sure my knife was accessible and I even knocked an arrow. It was great terrain to stalk in as he was in a slight depression and I could remain out of his site if I stayed low. I managed to crawl within 35 yards and figured I was close enough. My camera is not the best in the world and it was getting dark but I managed to snap a few pictures of the big cat. I wanted to see if I could get a better picture of him and let out a "meow" sound and that sent him running away. I was able to get that picture as well. The little buck he had killed was still warm to the touch and I figured he had just killed it before I spotted him. I am not sure if he came back to his deer, but I knew something would eat it (coyote, bear). I was lucky to have such a cool experience as you very seldom see Mountain Lions and especially stalk up on one. I really wish I had a cougar tag at the time but I figured pictures were the next best thing.
-Riley
I was heading up the mountains a few weeks ago on a Friday evening for a weekend of bowhunting and decided to walk into a canyon for the last hour of daylight to see if I could see any deer or elk. I followed a well used trail down the bottom of a canyon about a mile and a half when I noticed some movement up ahead under a large pine tree. I froze and slowly brought my binoculars up to see what was going on. I could not believe it, but I was looking at a Mountain Lion dragging a freshly killed small buck up a side canyon. I was only 80 yards away and he had no idea I was there. I just could not resist the opportunity of a lifetime to stalk a big cat so I dropped my pack, got out my camera, made sure my knife was accessible and I even knocked an arrow. It was great terrain to stalk in as he was in a slight depression and I could remain out of his site if I stayed low. I managed to crawl within 35 yards and figured I was close enough. My camera is not the best in the world and it was getting dark but I managed to snap a few pictures of the big cat. I wanted to see if I could get a better picture of him and let out a "meow" sound and that sent him running away. I was able to get that picture as well. The little buck he had killed was still warm to the touch and I figured he had just killed it before I spotted him. I am not sure if he came back to his deer, but I knew something would eat it (coyote, bear). I was lucky to have such a cool experience as you very seldom see Mountain Lions and especially stalk up on one. I really wish I had a cougar tag at the time but I figured pictures were the next best thing.
-Riley
Last edited by a moderator:
