Who has seen one?

mlycrzy

mlycrzy

Very Active Member
Messages
2,089
I have spent a lot of time in the hills. My Dad first took me hunting when I was 6 or 7 years old and I have been out every year since. In all of those years of hiking, scouting, and hunting I have put many miles on my boots and a ton of hours behind my bino's and spotting scope. Up until a month ago I had never seen a mountain lion in the wild. I was elk hunting with a friend on the Oak Creek unit in Utah. We were near Cove Fort when we spotted not far from I-15 what looked like a female and her kitten. It gave me chills as I got a glimpse of them going through the trees.

I am curious with all of the people out in the hills these days just how many lions are spotted every year? Have you ever seen one? How many and what state?
 
Saw two cats one spring day in montana while bear hunting. I was walking down a logging road into a cut when out jumped a cat about 30 feet in front of me. It ran away as I was fumbling for my gun. Then I looked down at the brush and there was another one crouched down looking at me and waiving his tail. Still fumbling for my gun over my back, thinking I was dead, the other ran off.
That evening I sat under a tree glassing in the same cut and they came back. Both of them were chasing each other around, rolling, having a good time. I watched them for over an hour at 60 yards. It was awesome!
 
I've seen two, both in Utah, both through my spotting scope. They were both laying down twitching their tail, just like a house cat would. I did hear another scream. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. When I used to teach in Monroe, Utah I had two middle school students that had a major confrontation with a mountain lion up on the Pavant, above Joseph. They were staying at one of their parent's cabins and decided to go for a hike. It was a good thing there was two of them. A lion came after them and was within about 10 feet of them. They were yelling and throwing things at it and it just kept after them. They were finally able to make it back to the cabin, but the lion harassed them all the way. If just one, he would have become "dinner". They were a couple of scared boys.
 
Up until 5-6 years ago i had, had a glimpse of a couple, could'a been, maybe was, maybe not, of Mt lions. Since then there has been 4 different instances where, look at that, no doubt about about it, there he is, encounters.

I live in a mountainous area where they are commonly seen even down here in town. They are stealing peoples dogs from their own back yards. The few deer left in these parts hug into town in fear of the predator and the predator has followed them in.

I must say that they are truly a beautiful magnificent beast to see up close but we could do with about half of their number here in these parts.

Joey
 
My cousin and my brother-in-law and I were archery hunting elk and we were glassing a clearing in the oakbrush about 500 yds away and saw a doe a fawn and a 4-pt buck feeding there. Within a minute or two all of them were running full out and a lion was on their tail. They ran about 100 yds and the lion quit and just looked around. Ironically it looked as if he was zeroed in on the buck. Later that evening we were back in the same area and heard what sounded like a baby bawling. when we located the source of the call we found a fawn barely alive but bleeding badly from several gashes and puncture wounds on it's neck and chest. Looks like the lion made good on this attempt.
 
I had never seen one in tell last year in the fish lake area.In 4 trips we seen 4 cats total
I was thinking it had to just be a coincidence but a friend of mine returned there this year and seen 7 more cats during the 3 deer hunts (dedicated hunter)


ITS ALL ABOUT MEAT-IN WITH THE TAXIDERMIST
 
Never saw one until I was almost 50, now at 70 I have seen 7, but one was a female with three kittens for a total of 4 of the seven.

Have a good one BB
 
I was whitail hunting this last November. Had a big Tom walk out on the trail in front of me. Crappy part was. The season was open and I had a tag in mypocket by the time reality set in he was running hard on alittle two point whitey and I never could get a good shot

"blaming guns for violence is like blaming spoons for Rosie O'donnell being fat."
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-10 AT 08:48PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-10 AT 08:10?PM (MST)

Total of 4 for me.

3 last month
http://www.monsterhuntclips.com/video/1255/Ibex-Scouting-7-BIG-CATS

1 on my colorado elk hunt last year.

hard to see but 2 on the left and 1 right
cell phone pictures are not the best of quaility
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/cchr111/568246387_photobucket_18211_.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/cchr111/568246387_photobucket_18095_.jpg

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/cchr111/568246387_photobucket_18093_.jpg
 
seen 4 in all most that many years' when hunting deer elk ect . seen 3 when we hunting theme with dogs'how many are alive to day... i couldnt say/?? p.s. found one dead one. look like he had went 10 rounds with a tiger. a good pred. is a dead pred.
 
3 times in my life of 52 years. One at night in the headlights on our private road, once in mid-day and once in the fog while deer hunting. Boy was that one lucky!

Venison and Zinfandel are GOOD!
 
Seen 3 in Utah, out west and south of Grantville over about 5 years. In California, ran across 8 mature cats in the north end of the state hunting mulies (5 were in the Warner Mtns). While hunting Blacktails, saw 4 (2 in the Trinity Alps, 1 in the Russian Wilderness and 1 around Lake Mendocino. Damn cats are all over the place out there!
 
Two, one about six years ago on the fishlake through the Binos and one this year in Hobble Creek. Ran right past my son and I.
 
We have seen several lions through the years in several States. We have had two lion encounters the last two years in SE Idaho archery Elk hunting.

In 2009 I couldn't figure where all the elk went deep in our Wilderness Area canyons. No fresh elk tracks etc. Then I came accross a fresh lion kill of a mule deer doe right on the main trail near the bottom of the canyon. That cat had cleared out the elk. Hunted the country for two weeks and not a fresh track. The elk had relocated into another set of canyons over the main ridge so we had to hunt them in that location. After spotting the lion kill I walked out three miles steep up hill and went back down the next day to show my son the kill while we were hunting elk. The deer kill was gone. The cat drug it about 40 yds off trail behind some downed timber and was protecting it so we backed off. As we walked out of this steep canyon through dark timber and thick asphen groves the lion kept circleing us at about 70-100 yds and crying and whining like a baby until we got about a quarter mile away from the kill.

This past season 2010 "same area" I was set up in the canyons over a set of wallo's waiting for a nice herd bull I knew was in the area from seeing him and some cows the day prior. The herd bull was "big" he started bugleing for his cows and started down to the wallo's. I was real excited then things started to go hay wire. This bull started his bugleing about 200 yds up hill in dark timber and would walk down 20 yds and freeze for about 20 minutes then walk again 20yds down and another 20 min past. This went on for about two hours until the bull was to about 25 yds where he froze again but I still couldn't see him because of the folige and timber.. It is hard to stay still for so long. My legs were going numb because it was cold and I had long johns on which pinched off blood circulation behind the knees while I was in a kneeling shot position. I tried to move one leg to gain some blood flow while the bull was walking closer out of sight but the leg being numb.. my toe went thump on the ground and the bull froze again. The elk eventually backed off same way he came in...In a place with thick cover where I couldn't get a shot. I had never seen an elk act in that manner. About 45 minutes later a lion got up accross from me about 50 yds away and did her baby crying as she walked out and up the ridge. I guess that cat came in and set up on the other side of the wallo's sometime during the day after I was there because I came in.. "in the dark". At least once I saw that lion I knew why that elk was so cautious. Unfortunately that cat messed me up at getting a shot at a "quality" trophy herd bull. So,, as far as lion encounters for me it has been "two" to many the last two years.

)))).....>
 
Without dogs I've seen 9, most of them were glassed up from a comfortable distance.

I know quite a few people that have been followed by them, but never attacked.

The question is how many lions have seen you ;-)

I've seen a lot more bears. More every year.
 
11 without Dogs!

Over a 100 with Dogs!

Been Hooked by 1!!!

Brushed by a couple!

I hear alot of people say a Lion followed them,I'll bet for the most part if a Lion did follow you,you probably didn't know it!

God is Great!
Life is Good!
And People are Crazy!
I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!
And a good BBQ!
I am Medicine And I am Poison!
 
Two years ago archery hunting on the south slope. A buddy and I were headed back to the wheelers after a crappy morning hunt. We heard a lone yote, so my buddy started calling back @ her. She came in to about 100 yards and held up. I told my friend I was gonna sneak down to the next clearing. I took two steps. There was a huge cat 15 feet infront of me I yelled and about the same time my buddy yelled. There was another cat that came in behind us in the sage, it was less than 10 feet from my friend. That was the only day neither of us had our side arms!
Traditional only >>>------->
 
every other hunting season we see them.

but whats crazy is when your 17 miles in the back country and your riding your horse in the dark and hear and child like sound screaming. the sound of a mountain lion makes the hair on your back stand up
 
So you can't shoot your Bow at 15 feet?:D

God is Great!
Life is Good!
And People are Crazy!
I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!
And a good BBQ!
I am Medicine And I am Poison!
 
>So you can't shoot your Bow
>at 15 feet?:D
>
>God is Great!
>Life is Good!
>And People are Crazy!
>
>I love not acting my age,
>
>Damn I love my NASCAR race,
>
>And Hell yes I love my
>Truck!
>And a good BBQ!
>I am Medicine And I am
>Poison!

I even had one nocked and loaded. She was gone before I realized what happened!
Then we had to get back to camp to get clean underwear!

Traditional only >>>------->
 
I've seen several, though the one below is the most memorable. Spotted from across a canyon in the spring several years ago. The lion was unaware and my brother and I watched a while as the lion laid down and napped in the sun.

4227lionupclose.jpg


Another memorable time I never spotted the lion but was hiking again in the spring when there was still some snow in the shade. I happened to hike back to where I had been earlier and there were lion tracks in my tracks, which followed mine for a bit. A little eery. I picked up a large stick for the duration of my hike!
 
Lol!

God is Great!
Life is Good!
And People are Crazy!
I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!
And a good BBQ!
I am Medicine And I am Poison!
 
I've seen one. Sitting in the middle of the road like a dog. Loop road above Lander Wyoming.

Best story I've ever heard was one that happened to my Aunt and Uncle in Flagstaff AZ. They were on a dirt road and stopped to watch a group of deer on the side of a hill below them. As they were sitting there, the deer bolted and started bawling, then a lion came from the hill above them, jumped over the hood of their truck and went after the deer. They didn't see the end of the chase because they all, lion included, disappeared into the forest.

Crazy huh?

"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle." General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army
"Most men go through life wondering if they made a difference, Marines don't have that problem." President Ronald Regan
 
I have only seen one, I was hunting coyotes with my dad and neighbor. We were walking along a large valley, one side of which had ledges. I was in the bottom and my dad was walking along the ledge. Dad heard a sound and bent down to look and see what was going on, The cat jumped off the ledge very near him. It even knocked snow on his shirt. I have never seen my dad jump so high! I was shaking, it took me a few seconds to reallize what was going on. I only saw it for a couple leaps and it was gone. I am glad it wasnt hungry, My dad would be a gonner.
True story, 100% I have never seen one since. I have seen tracks everywhere though.


I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!
 
HiMtHunter that pic is awesome!
My pic isnt as good(I was in college and had crappy equip.)But I was archery hunting in Arizona in 08 and glassed these 2 adult lions laying under a rock bluff opposite side of the canyon. They were lounging like house cats. Pretty amazing to see and the only 2 ive ever seen.

79552650r.jpg
 
the cat i seen was seen in middle tennessee, i was driving thru the property i hunt on after turkey hunting and just 40-50 yards in front of me this big cat ran/jumped the road in front of me. we have found tracks and half eatin/burried deer bit it was a first to see it. of course the twra claims there are noone here.
 
I've seen 4, one up Santaquin canyon just below the camp ground, one up by Scofield, and two on Mt Dutton.
 
Since we're sharing stories...

Not long after I got married I talked my wife into going on the general spike elk hunt out to strawberry. The whole time she was worried we were going to get ate by a bear or lion, and I heard about it over and over.....:)

Up to this point I'd never seen a lion in the wild and honestly thought I probably never would. So, I assured her we would not see a lion or bear.

Wouldn't you know we not only saw one on that trip, but TWO!

Needless to say she was pretty upset and still gives me a hard time about it.
 
If you want to see mountain lions in the wild, just come to Northern CA. I have seen lions on 4 occasions. Three times at night, and once during daylight.

I even watched what appeared to be a large male lion take down a doe and kill it from about 25-35 yards distance. After killing the doe, he dragged it uphill to a log and began eating on his fresh kill.

My neighbor two doors down was working in his shop late at night. Shop is about 60 feet from his house. While walking from the shop to his house, a young lion, about 60 lbs, ran in front of him before he got to the house. He started keeping a shotgun in the shop after that incident.

I also have a good friend that was attacked by a lion while turkey hunting in the foothills of our county. He was in a brush pile using a turkey call when a young lion jumped him from behind. The lion hit his shoulders and ended up going over the top of him and upon relizing that he was a human and not a turkey, the lion ran off. He nows sits with his back to a tree when hunting & calling turkeys.

Now you know why I would like to dump about 10 live mountain lions into Golden Gate park so those tree huggers can deal with them after voting to stop lion hunting in Ca. years ago.

RELH
 
4 on the fishlake, 2 on the monroe, 1 on the boulder, 1 on the pahvant. Seen tracks in the back yard numerous mornings.

Two winters back a fellow on this way to fishlake reported seeing in cat chasing a coyote and pulled his truck over to watch. The coyote made a beeline to the truck and played "race around and under the truck" for awhile. Eventually it made a right turn when it should have gone left, end up in the cat's mouth where it promptly became lunch. Could be bs but made for a good story in the coffee shop!

I've seen enough of them that I've started packing when I'm out and about.

DC
 
4 lions.. the best was.. I was packing half of bull elk my son killed on a atv.. came around the corner and 20 yards behind my truck was a lion. He moved off when he seen me. I loaded the elk in the truck and shut the tailgate.. figured it would slow him down. Went back and got the rest of the elk.
 
Saw my first cat about 18 or 20 years ago he just kinda walked across the dirt road I was on and gave me a glance at 15 feet and kept going into the brush it was in northeastern CA.

It was a few years before I saw another but then I have seen at least one a year(except this year as we didn't hunt CA much)for the last 10 years or so and up to 3 in a year all in northern CA and I don't have a total but I would guess 20 or so.

CA really needs to thin them out!

Bill
 
Lately it been about one a year, nothing this year, Last year saw one right after a snow storm here we was out calling for yotes and he run out of the little valley we was calling in, saw him as he skylight going over the top. Saw 2 in NM two years ago during a elk hunt on two different days..

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 
I saw two in southern Colorado near La Veta. Early evening in the summer time, they were about to cross the road in front of us, stopped and headed back up the hill. I saw one last year in Boulder, 9:00 at night, crossed the road in front of us. North Boulder in a residential area.
 
I've seen 9 without dogs in the Central Utah area alone. Was also followed by a cat once while hunting up on Loafer. My buddy was glassing for me while I climbed up through some steep stuff. Suddenly he started freaking out on the radio saying, "There's a big cat behind you!!! There's a big cat behind you!!!" I guess when he started hollering on the radio the cat whirled around and took off. I imagine it could hear me rolling rocks now and then but couldn't smell me so it probably thought I was a deer or goat or something. He said the cat was not more than 40 yards behind me but I never saw it. I have 5 points for cougar here so hopefully I can poke a hole in one soon!

NvrEnuf
 
I've seem my fair share 9 in all and mostly archery hunting in southern utah , came across a couple while stalking in on a buck with my 8 year old in aspen park and had to arrow the female at 12 yards to keep her from advancing any further ,the second lion ran about 40 yards after the shot and i missed him in thick oak circling us called the dwr later that day they met me at camp and did a mini autopsy of her and her stomach contents or should i say her lack there of 130 lb female , the dwr cleared me of any wrong doing and took the cat just one story of many in so utah archery hunt. i've been on probably a dozen with dogs aswell .
 
I have seen two lions, both were in the dark though.
First one was in 2008, while we were walking back to camp in the dark, we spotted a set of eyes low in the grass in front of us with our headlamps. Couldn't tell what it was and so after a minute just started walking again. They disappeared and then reappeared off to the side of us.
The next morning on our way back up to get my bull, I wanted to see what kind of tracks they were and they were lion tracks.

The next year I was walking back to camp in a mix of rain and snow to come upon a lion laying in the trail in front of me again. There was no way I was going to give in so I knocked an arrow, attached my release and started towards it. After a couple steps, it just stayed there so I started yelling at it and kept walking. Finally it disappeared into the tall grass and bushes after I had got within a few yards of it. Talk about the pucker factor maxed out.

Never seen this one but in 2006, the day before season, we were out scouting and on the way back followed the tracks of the guys who camp next to us. One of them was riding their horse down the trail with lion track over the horse tracks. Didn't think any thing of it till we got to camp to see him just getting his gear off the horse. When he said he was in camp only 5 minutes he was surprised to have me tell him the lion was right behind him up to within 400 yards of camp.
Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
 
Back when I used to use trail cameras ( I no longer do that) I had several different occasions when lions showed up on the trial camera. I can't find some of them, but here's a few I did find.

Momandtwokittens.jpg


Lionandkittens1000x786.jpg


Daylightlion-1.jpg

Have a good one. BB
 
See a couple every year.

Saw one last year running across a ridge, with about 7 feet of his intestines hang out. I would have put him out of his misery, but you can't shoot them in my state......oh well.
 
Was archery hunting the south end of the Pavant a few years back when I heard the worst cow calls ever.. Thought someone was really bad or making a joke. Eventually saw three mountain lions making the noises. I grabbed my video camera and filmed through my scope what looked to be two lions breeding....Some really strange noises were coming from them. Lasted about two minutes then the three of them wandered off in different directions. The video turned out a little blurry but looking at it later that seemed to be what happened.
 
At age 38, I saw my first lion and bobcat on the Deloras unit in 1999. The next year I saw my second lion in the Book Cliffs. Both lions ran across the road in front of the truck. One at night, one at mid day.

Yelum
 
I've hunted 7 of the western states numerous times and never seen a mountain lion. Hiked and rode horseback countless miles for 30 years. September 7th I saw my first one. He was sitting at the end of my driveway as I looked out the window of my house. Oh the wild experience.
 
Rumor has it that if your an avid hunter, hiker, etc... you've been stalked by a mountain lion. So you may have not seen one in all the miles you've hiked, but they've seen you!
 
>Rumor has it that if your
>an avid hunter, hiker, etc...
>you've been stalked by a
>mountain lion. So you may
>have not seen one in
>all the miles you've hiked,
>but they've seen you!


Very true! Just like big bucks I would be curious to know just how many we have all walked past.
 
Seen several. Think there are more around now than ten years ago or so....................






the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".
 
Back in the mid '70s when I was working at the Geyser's Steam Field here in NoCal had three of them run across the road together as I came around the bend of the road up there in the mountains. Happened so quick and as they went off into the brush the last one stopped to look back at us. The guy with me jumped out and grabbed a rock and threw it at the cat and the rock went right over its head of that cat. We both thought it was maybe a year old or so, took off running full speed to catchup with the other two most likely the mother and its sister or brother.
I'm sure that there are still a lot of cats up there because there are not any deer left that is for sure.
One of the guys who was working graveyard shift swore he saw a cat but did not look like a Mtn Lion...and everyone told him he should be working not drinking. He came to me later and wanted to know if Wolverine were at the Geysers...which I said hell I don't know but let me check an old book I have. The migration range shows that they have been this far south from Canada but he is the only one who ever seen it if it was true.
Lots of ringtail cats up there and are on the endangered list so who really knows for sure.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-10 AT 08:19PM (MST)[p]I've seen 19 without dogs and one with dogs....total of 20.

I've got video footage of 5 of the 19 I've seen without dogs.
 
Back in the early 80's when I was about 10 years old, I had a close encounter with a Mtn. Lion in southern New Mexico, near Lincoln. As the sun was peaking over the ridge, a shot from the next canyon rang out and just below me about 15 yards, a mtn. lion bolted, traveling away from me to my right. I immediately ran left to my dad's sitting spot. I was scared out of my mind and told my dad I had just seen a "cheetah." I was so scared that I forgot the proper name. My dad started to chuckle, probably thinking this crazy kid and his imagination, thinks he's on safari. Regardless, of what my dad thought, I knew what I saw and it was indeed a mtn. lion. That lion was probably stalking me and ready to pounce. Luckily, that first shot scared the lion off or I might have been cat food. A few hours later, I was walking with my uncle and we see the lion again. It was running full speed, scared as can be. I'll never forget that long tail waiving back and forth as it weaved in and out between the trees. Later on, another uncle saw the lion so my dad had no choice to believe me. That year was the last time we hunted in that area cause the deer population was down.....I wonder why!

Thought, I saw another one in northern New Mexico near Pecos but this one was black and I'm not sure mtn. lions are black. Probably my imagination this time.
 
I have seen four.

The first instance was in Sardine Canyon (Northern Utah). I was working in Brigham City at the time. A lady I worked with was driving in front of me, just heading past Mantua towards work. It was early morning and still dark. 3 of them ran right in front of her and she hit and killed one of them.

I saw them running across in front of her, but I thought they were coyotes lol... When she told me they were lions, I still didn't believe her. I said are you sure? She said the one I hit had a yellow tail! I felt pretty stupid lol... This was about 15 years ago.

The next one I saw was when I was heading from Meadowville towards Temple Canyon (Near Logan Canyon). I saw one run down the road in front of me in the dark, early morning as well.
 
Five total in 30 years - 3 in Idaho and 2 in Arizona. Last one two weeks ago on our elk hunt in Az, that came in to 160 yards.
 
I had three come into a waterhole at the top of Card Canyon in Logan Canyon. A female and two full size cubs. I saw another in Logan canyon sitting by the side of the road eating a deer across from the Card canyon turnoff. One during a bowhunt in Pavant. I've called two in with a fawn in distress call. One sneaked in and one came rushing in. It stopped 7 feet in front of us and sprayed dirt on my buddy. Saw two on different bear hunts in Montana. Four in Idaho while bowhunting. There's more but I can't think of them right now.


For long distance dial 1-800-338-EDGE
 
I have seen a few...

4 together on Monroe Mountain UT (mom and 3 grown kittens I assume) visited a beaver pond in the bottom of a canyon I was glassing maybe 400 yards away from me.

2 big adults together that were hunting deer very close to houses in Alpine, UT maybe 600 yards from me.

1 big adult near Cascade Springs in AF Canyon UT maybe 300 yards away. I was about a mile from my truck and watched my backtrail a bit on the hike out.

1 smaller adult in the Bookcliffs UT glassed about a mile away.

1 big adult about 400 yards off the Nebo Loop UT road.

1 smaller adult stalking deer on Monroe Mountain UT maybe 600 yards away.

1 adult I jumped out of its bed on Monroe Mountain UT maybe 50 yards away but it got out of there in a hurry.

1 adult encountered while deer hunting in Gunnison Co CO maybe 250 yards away.

I think there are others but those are the ones I can think of now.

-RPinenut
 
Crazy, you folks have seen so many. I spend about 100 to 150 days a year up in the mountians and in 30 something years of bowhunting and scouting I've never positively identified one. I might have spotted a couple but wasn't sure. Never got a pic of one for sure.

You all'r making me feel rather clueless which may actually be true :)

Cheers,
Pete
 
Prior to 1990 0 here in Gunnison. If you saw a track you talked about it all year.
Since 1990 2 to 5 a year. More with dogs. July of 2008 driving to work up 135 to CB large adult at MM 7 had just crossed the Gunnison River. Then when I hit MM20 second mature lion sitting in the sun watching the cars go by. 2 in 15 minutes. 13 miles apart.
2009 4, one in the head lights doesn't really count. #2 was hunting the same bugle I was
42 elk 2 elk hunters, in a 40 square yard area, another couple of seconds and I would have seen him take a cow. He was at three yards of her, when we made EYE contact. He saw me draw.

Now I have a serious question for all you MM?s. Hope a Lion Bio reads this. The Night before 3rd season 2009 in 66 I was showing a wife, husband, son in law, group of clients the elk we would hunt in the AM. 3 bulls were watching something to their right. 60 yards from them were 2 adult cats?.. One tried to mount the other, then she backed into a cedar and started swatting him in the face. Happens at my house also. SO my question is?.What did we see? Two Flipping Lions? OR Two lions Flipping??
 
Five years ago while hunting the badlands in southeastern Montana about 8 miles or so south of Makoshika State Park, in an area where I'd seen tracks a few years before, I came across one at the most inopportune time. I was stalking a good buck. After an hour of following this buck trying to close the distance, I blew it when he bedded after I had lost sight of him in a cedar thicket and he blew out of there when I got up to it. I turned around and headed back to my wife watching through the binos about a mile back. After walking back only about a 100 yards one busted out of the brush right where I had just snuck through a few minutes before. Had to go home and change out my underwear after that.
 
Don't worry c3 I'm sure they've smelled you!:D

God is Great!
Life is Good!
And People are Crazy!
I love not acting my age,
Damn I love my NASCAR race,
And Hell yes I love my Truck!
And a good BBQ!
I am Medicine And I am Poison!
 
I've probably seen a dozen or so without dogs (hundreds with).....about half were running when I seen them, the other half were running when they seen me.
 
Pete (C3) As you know a buddy and I used to hunt the roadless area of the Bookcliffs for many years. We would back pack in about 6 miles and set up a base camp and then bivy from there.

The very first year I hunted back there and on our first bivy hunt from base camp Clair and I decdied to split up and he would hunt one ridge and I would cross over and hunt the ridge west of us. So as I split from him and headed to the other ridge, he just stayed put and watched as I hiked down a steep hill and headed for the ridge I was going to hunt.

I had only gone about 100 yards when he noticed something move quite close to me, so he put up his binos to see what it was. He watched as I past by a cougar about 10 yards to my right. As soon as I past by the cat raised back up and watched me walk away.

Long story short Clair snuck up on him and took a number of photos, one from just 10 yards away.

That happened to be a time when I had yet to see a cougar in the wilds. Several years later I saw my first cat on that same ridge. In fact that day I saw a cougar and a bear within an hour or so and that ridge we both refer to as "BearCat Ridge"

The photos I post earlier were taken a CF so I am sure we both have been seen by a cougar or two in that area.

Here's a photo my friend and hunting partner Shane took a few years back of a cat they chased and treed and photographed.

015G.jpg


Have a good one. BB
 
I've seen several in the wild without dogs. Only been able to get video of one on my deer hunt last year. Almost stepped on one, I mean within a foot of stepping on it, a few years ago while shed hunting. I was pushing through some thick oak, I had noticed cat tracks everywhere in the snow, but that was nothing new to see. I was pushing towards a cedar tree and as I got to it, a cat bolted from right at my feet! Never saw it until it took off! That one time damn near filled the drawers! Watched several from a distance, had several cross the road in front of me. Came back down trails to find cat tracks on top of mine. So they're out there, whether you see them or not. They deffinately see you! Been seeing a ton of bears lately too!

Here's a stills from the video on my deer hunt.

20091017_145521002.jpg
 
Thanks for putting that picture up.... Now what the heck is it? lol








>I've seen several in the wild
>without dogs. Only been
>able to get video of
>one on my deer hunt
>last year. Almost stepped
>on one, I mean within
>a foot of stepping on
>it, a few years ago
>while shed hunting. I
>was pushing through some thick
>oak, I had noticed cat
>tracks everywhere in the snow,
>but that was nothing new
>to see. I was
>pushing towards a cedar tree
>and as I got to
>it, a cat bolted from
>right at my feet!
>Never saw it until it
>took off! That one
>time damn near filled the
>drawers! Watched several from
>a distance, had several cross
>the road in front of
>me. Came back down
>trails to find cat tracks
>on top of mine.
>So they're out there, whether
>you see them or not.
> They deffinately see you!
> Been seeing a ton
>of bears lately too!
>
>Here's a stills from the video
>on my deer hunt.
>
>
20091017_145521002.jpg
 
After 31 years living/hunting in Colorado, I finally saw my first Lion in the wild this year. My buddy and I saw 2 lions out in a meadow at 310yds. We got to watch them for about 8 minutes. Very cool!

I've had cat tracks on top of my tracks over the years and have tried to call one in on 3 occasions. I'm feeling lucky that I'll call one in this year.
 
I've seen one... it was a small cat.. Me and a buddy were out driving some roads in SW Montana in search of bear. As we rounded a corner my buddy slammed on the brakes..."something was just in the road, and it was to long to be a bear..." I told him that he needed to lay of the drugs or whatever he was on. He was very concerned about what he had seen so we crossed the opposite side of the road and climbed a small hill to look down on the creek bed, full of willows, to see what it was... We saw nothing so we jumped back in the truck and continued on our merry way. Soon we hit too much snow and had to turn around. All eyes were on the road where we seen the mysterious animal and as we turned the corner, there 20 yards away stood a lion... It once again bailed off the side of the road. We both knew what it was this time and neither of us had seen one, so we cruised up to where he jumped of the road and we jumped out.
I had my 300 in hand, and he had my camera phone in his. We bailed down into the willows in hot pursuit. he circled one way and i circled the other and we planned on meeting in the middle. I didn't expect to him, but boy was i wrong. Suddenly i hear my buddy yell.. "here he is!" I was amazed to hear his voice, because he was just on the other side of the willow from me. When i looked a little harder, There only 10 feet from me was this small lion crouched under this willow bush giving me the death stare.
I backed up and my buddy rounded the willow to me. There were too many branches in the way to get a good picture so we decided to get closer... I had my crossairs on the lion and my buddy crept even closer!!! I know it was dumb now,, but we thought it was a good idea at the time. If that lion wanted him,,,he had him... i couldn't have shot fast enough if i needed to. Luckily the lion let us get close and then we backed out and left him alone.

On a another day, i was bow hunting some really thick timber for elk. It had just snowed about 4 inches. I made my way through the thicket for about an hour, and finally crested into a nice opening. This is where i decided to start calling. There was a big bushy pine tree directly in front of me but open on either side of it. So if an elk came in, i would be able to pull back when it went behind that tree. But as my distressed cow calls got more in depth, i caught the interest of a different critter.
I've called in a lot of elk, and i know elk when they come in. The sounds i was hearing coming in were not elk! they were coming straight for me. I could hear the soft gradual stepping through the deep snow until I could almost touch it on the other side of the tree, then nothing! For 5 minutes, nothing....soon 10 minutes...nothing... By this time i was really starting to worry. So I strained my eyes as hard as i could, to try and see through the tree with now such luck... Finally after a tense few minutes i decided to stand my ground... i stood up and said "HEY!" ... followed by ...nothing.... I started to circle the tree and when i did i could see the tracks that I heard being made. Bow drawn i crested the other side of the tree. Nothing! I walked over the tracks only to discover them to be lion tracks. This lion had snuck in to within a mear feet from me, and i didn't even know what it was until it *coulda* been too late! He had left on the exact same tracks he came in on. I don't know if i didn't hear him leave because of my heart beat or what,,, but i was glad he was gone.
 
10 without dogs.

1 south of Tropic reservoir

1 by Hancock peak, cedar mtn

1 crossing the highway by Rusty's ranch house Just east of Cedar City Utah.

1 Boulder mtn during rifle elk hunt. Crossed the road in front of the truck.

3 unit 9 Arizona. Mom and two kittens.

1 Crawford pass. Paunsaugunt

1 Robinson. Pauns. Was spotlighting and the cat was on a steep hillside right by the road. I had my window down and we made a rabbit squeeling sound and the cat stalked right towards the truck. I rolled up the window because the cat was about 20 feet away and coming closer. He would leave and we would call again, and he would approach the truck. Interesting.

1 by Alton. This is my favorite sighting. I was watching a 190" bedded on the backside of the A hill one morning a day before the season opened. As I watched the buck he jumped to his feet and ran down the hill as fast as I've ever seen a deer run, bounding through the manzanita and disappearing around the curve of the mountain. I also noticed another deer behind him running like crazy. I thought at first that someone had shot at the buck with a bow but quickly realized the other deer following him was a mountain lion! I was concerned that the deer was dead, but we found the buck the next morning and my hunter killed it.

DeerBeDead
 
Seen 2 1/2...

First sighting was returning from a frac job south of Rangely, Co. Saw a tail in the headlights and it was gone.

Second sighting was while scouting for a Javelina bow hunt in southern NM. With a buddy riding quads down a dry wash when a young cat ran across the trail in front of us. I blurted "Bobcat?" and he finally responded MTN LION! Hard to process when the sightings are so far in between.

Third sighting was in Northern California bow hunting blacktail. I was in a tree stand and saw a rabbit come tearing through. The rabbit came and left a number of times. A few minutes later, a large cat came strolling through about 40 yards away. It was a windy foggy morning and was pretty eery watching the large cat walk through the fog.

LRHF
 
Ive seen two, one with dogs and one w/o. This one I saw while hiking around in Diamond Fork canyon. Some guys were out there running hounds when me and a friend came across them. The other one I saw near the Dream Mine in Utah County.

DSC_0053.jpg


MountainLion12.jpg
 

Similar threads

Betterluckythangood
Anybody seen a grizzly in G area lately?
Replies
18
Views
2k
elkassassin
elkassassin
N
  • Poll
Colorado Hunting Ban, Who is Donating
Replies
34
Views
1k
hossblur
hossblur
deadibob
To whoever turned in
Replies
22
Views
2k
elkassassin
elkassassin

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

IMG_3985.JPG
1685486726018.png
IMG_4500.jpeg
98024023-075C-4B15-8F42-6BDB0F814153.jpeg
023341C5-3AA5-47E6-95A2-92306999FEC4.jpeg
IMG_0587.jpeg
E5DB8C47-59DA-4E81-BD0E-9A6995E91C73.jpeg
Screenshot_20220812-034421_Gallery.jpg
IMG_1819.jpg
SUNP2472.JPG
Longbow Score at 8 Feet!
2E961453-D3D0-4618-B0FA-6B028B1F3D3C.jpeg
Back
Top Bottom