close call, mountail lion, archery

nmhs · Jan 16, 2008

If you have ever thought about packing a pistol on archery hunts.........well this may help you in your decision.......as I will be packing a pistol for now on. This happend in southern NM.
About a week ago around the 8th of January, when it was really windy I thought I was soon to meet my maker (and I seriously thank God for not allowing this situation to get real bad) and I came real close to being a kitten feast. My buddy and I didn't think it would be a real eventful morning due to all wind but it actually turned out to be a pretty good day. We hunted until about 10:00 and then decided to try out a couple of new canyons.

Well it turned out this one canyon had a really nice buck so I proceeded to put the stalk on but due to the wind and the eddy effects of the topography I didn't make it close enough. Well while I was up there I found a really nice mule deer shed. So at 1:30 we decided to head back to our vehicle and try another area out. On the way back my buddy walked down the ridge line we had initially walked up, (which I am thankful he decided to do that because he was going to walk down a different ridgeline). I decided to walk down this canyon checking out some new country and looking for some more sheds.

As I walked down this canyon it ended up getting really narrow, and full of 4 feet high oak brush. Rather than beating through the oak brush I decided to walk right in the bottom of the drainage which was about 5-10 feet wide with a 10 foot embankment on my left and the right side was really steep and full of oak brush. Remember it was very windy that day so any noise that was made was muffled by the wind (remember I was bow hunting so I was trying to be quiet).

***What you're going to read next happened really fast***

About half way down the canyon for some unknown reason I pick my head up and about 30 feet in front of me (30 feet in front of me is a natural cubby hole that I couldn't see around) I look up and I see three brown creatures run off??...I think oh coyotes??????umm????no??????bobcats??????.um??????..no???holy &%^&%............ mountain lion kittens. I start to back up as far as I can while I continue to scan the creek bottom and hill side for the mom and then she pops out at 15 yards. At this point I am backed up as far as I can go and I am yelling and screaming and making myself look as big and bad as I possibly could. I am waving my bow and this shed???..well realizing she could pounce on my in split second I realize the only defense I have is to grab all of my arrows and do what I have no idea???.if she decided to leap at me. During my yelling and screaming she it trying to figure out what I am and kind of walking towards me at an angle real slow??????In my mind I am thinking this is a real bad situation, how in the world do I get out of this?.......I am fixing to get mauled real bad or worse kitten food????.the mom then stops at 10-12 yards broadside with a branch in between her an I. This branch runs along the length of her body and is covering her vitals so the only shot I have is at her hindquarters. I nock an arrow throw the twenty yard pin on her and let it fly. I end up giving her a hair cut as I just nicked her back, but at least she departed and I was safe. I backtracked my way out of there as quick as I could while calling my buddy on the radio. He was already on his way over because he had heard the yelling.

This is something I have read about but figured it would never have happened to me. I have been hunting for 15 years and this is a first??.as least this type of close encounter with a lion. At any moment she could have been on top of me??..if this ever happens again at least I will be prepared. Thanks for the read and I thank God for taking care of me!

fish4evr · Jan 16, 2008

Been there done that. I pack for that exact reason. First time the cat popped out at 30 yds. looked around then left. I was more scared after it diapered. I left my blind before dark that day, but not until finding it's 3 inch tracks. I had no sidearm at the time but the next year I did. Which brings me to the second time. My buddy and I were in a blind 30 yd's off a water hole. when a lion came out of the trees at 80 yd's 50, 30, I handed the video camera to my buddy and dug through my pack for the 9 mm. At 20 yd's it diapered. We started to stand to see over the brush just then it poked it's head through the trees 15 feet to our right. O CRAP!!! I yelled as I brought up the 9. I would have been justified shooting. but it was not crouched or anything. It just looked at us (probably laughing) then walked off. After making sure it was gone and finding 3 1/2 inch paw prints, we settled down and 15 min. latter I shot my first deer. Tracking a blood trail after dark knowing a cat is in the area is an interesting experience too.

nmhs. I'm glad God was watching over both of us. It sounds like you still beat me though. I just though I would share my story and let you know, I know what it's like.

Not the best photo, it was pulled off of an older 8 mm camcorder, but this is him or her before it diapered and we started worrying more about being eaten than filming.

SLIVER · Jan 17, 2008

I too had this happen. We were archery hunting elk, walking through some thick pines occasionally cow calling. We got to the end of the pines and into a grass meadow. All of the sudden my buddy who was like 20 yds to my left started skitching out, drawing his bow and then letting off, then drawing again. I looked in the direction that he was aiming and all I could see was the waving tail of a crouched lion at about 20 yds. The lion turned around and slowly walked off. Needless to say I peed.

I now pack the .40 on every hunt I am on. They frown on that in Utah on the archery hunt, but o well I'm still packin'

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sixgunn · Jan 17, 2008

I have posted this story before a couple years back but here is the run down again.

Its amazing how many of these stories you see. I have also had my close call with a cat. I ended up shooting a cat with my bow at very close range several years back. To sum it up shortly, I was whistling, trying to locate a buddy as I walked down a heavily wooded area. Something didn't feel right, I turn around and there is a cat crouched only a few feet......yes a few feet from me. Scared the hell out of me, I jumped back and it startled him. He ran about 10 yards around me and we began to have a stare down. Enough is enough, I drew back and let the arrow go. Hit him square in the shoulder. It was nearly dark, so I yelled for my friend and got the hell out of there. We went back the next day and never could find the cat, lots of blood and hair, but no cat. It had also rained off and on throughout the night which didn't help.

Scary, and I promise a true story. I always check my six when I'm out carrying a bow in the woods.

I have always thought it would be cool to see a big cat in the woods but after this experience, I'm ok if I don't see another for a long long time.

fish4evr · Jan 17, 2008

Funny thing is close calls like this don't keep us off the mountain.

Slide · Jan 18, 2008

That was about as close as it can get, I'm glad it worked out for ya. I also archery hunt and I live in Calif. where we can NOT carry a firearm of any kind on our person while we are Bow hunting. Not only do we have an over abundance of big cats but there is a lot of illegal marijuana grows in the are I live and hunt in. I even called the F&G and asked a Warden if I could pack a small caliber pistol on my person because I usually have my 9 and 6yr old along and I don't feel safe with all these grows around, he said NO.

I'm glad you kept a level head and got your self out of a bad situation.

Slide

pschultheis · Jan 18, 2008

I live in California too. I also carry and will take my lumps if I get caught. I am more afraid of the growers then the cats. Of course I have not had a close call like many of you.

COLO3D · Jan 18, 2008

That's it! I'm buying a 9mm before summer scouting starts.

slider · Jan 18, 2008

I've had more than one run in with them Cats!!! I always pack a 40 cal scouting or setting up my game cams,but it's illegal to pack in WA in Bow season!!!Last year I had 3 trail cams set up between to MAJOR grows and did't know until they got busted!!!

fisrtcoueswas80inches · Jan 18, 2008

I killed my lion at spittin range, thankfully with a rifle. I knew he was there. spot and stalked him into 20 feet and got him there.

Casey

falloutwest · Jan 19, 2008

Interesting stories. I have had a few close calls with cats myself over the years (one resulted in a dead lion). Fact of the matter is, cats are very elusive and most of the time will disapear long before you see them because they know you are there way before you do. When the situation occurs where they don't know you are there is when you stumble upon them. However, how often do you hear of cat attacks outside of California and Vancouver Island? That is where more than probably 90% of attacks occur and they are usually on women and children. For all the instances you hear of like the ones above, few become serious. Fact of the matter is, you are face to face with a top predator and you think you are in much more danger than you actually are. 99% of the time, stay calm, back away, problem solved.

creamofthecrop · Jan 19, 2008

please dont tell stories like this i used to make fun of my buddy for pulling his knife out at night and walking as fast as he could back to the fourwheeler because he was scared

SLIVER · Jan 22, 2008

A good way to get around the NO carry law while archery hunting is to obtain a Concealed Carry permit. I work in law enforcement so I pack every where anyway. If you want to be legal go that route and you won't get any guff.

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shed_horn_shelley · Jan 22, 2008

something like that happend to me but i was scouting and started down a oak hilside when i saw it it ran twords me then stoped like 20yds in front of me and just stood there i had a pistol it was just a 22 i shot at it but missed then it just took off i was way scary i will always carry one now

Wiszard · Jan 22, 2008

The Concealed Carry permit is easier said than done here in California. Our new Sheriff for Santa Barbara County has not issued or re-newed ONE new permit since he took office a year ago!

Steve

bckcntrybuck · Jan 22, 2008

Never been close to a cat but had a Black bear come full steam at me and then stop at about 15-20 yards. Scared the crap out of me. Needless to say I just got my concealed permit and will be carrying on all my hunts.

SLIVER · Jan 23, 2008

>The Concealed Carry permit is easier
>said than done here in
>California. Our new Sheriff for
>Santa Barbara County has not
>issued or re-newed ONE new
>permit since he took office
>a year ago!
>
>Steve

I got a Utah issued one before I got into law enforcement and the instructor said that the utah one is recognised by something like 40 of the 50 states. Don't know if cali is one of them or not??

))--SLIVER-->

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