Well another issue

skeet · #1 11-05-2011, 11:46 PM

The grizzlies are running rampant lately in Montana and Wyoming. Another hunter got chewed on by one in Montana last week...but that is not what i want to talk of.
Y'all might have followed sone of my posts on the wildlife issues here in my area of Wyoming. Well yesterday while sneaking on a small group of mulies back on the farm/ranch..I kinda snuck up on the big ol kitty cat that lives around the place. He was (I guess) stalking the mule deer too. Man when I got up close to him..startled the snot out of me fer a second. That ol cougar(mountain lion, puma, whatever) was sure startled too. He took off towards the mule deer which were about 125 yds away. Scared the hell outta them..so eveybody got a bit of a scare. But it was a really neat encounter..even if it did rock me back a bit. They have very long tails..in relation to their bodies..or so it seemed. I mean I was within 15 ft..before I saw it and it saw me.. no snarl... nothing..just bolted out of there and gone..even running it would have been a fairly easy shot..but I really don't want to shoot a mountain lion...or a bear either unless necessary.. Now I am happy.... have seen the mountain lion. I was carrying the Win 94 AE XTR I wrote about buying on here a month or 2 ago..so I had to get closer to the mule deer. One fairly nice buck in the bunch oh well another day maybe

scalerman · #2 11-06-2011, 07:23 AM

I had one walk through my yard when I was living in BC. It was huge. Glad I didn't have to meet up with it in the bush. A friend and I each shot mule deer bucks on the same day. When we skinned them out they both had scars from cougar attacks. I think mule deer are like candy for the cats.

skeet · #3 11-06-2011, 11:37 AM

You may be right..we had many more mule deer here in years past.. the kitty and the wolves are kinda hurtin 'em i think..and the whitetails re kinda pushing 'em too. Luckily the whitetails don't think too much of that dry ground.. but the darn WTs stroll through my yard all the time....but they are kinda safe from the yotes wolves and kitty around the yard..

Adam Helmer · #4 11-06-2011, 02:34 PM

skeet,

Could you legally have shot the mountain lion?

Adam

Larryjk · #5 11-06-2011, 02:55 PM

skeet, Thee current knowledge is that cougars take about twice as many deer as was admitted in past years. That used to be one a week. The current research shows that they take more like two a week. So if you have a resident cat, you will have about 100 less deer or equivalents. Some "experts" don't like to talk about that number. So the G&F has to decide if they want to have deer or cats. There have been about 60 bighorn sheep planted in the Seminoe Mountains and we joke that the cats call the G&F trailers hauliing the sheep as "Meals on Wheels". Really isn't all that funny!

skeet · #6 11-06-2011, 03:53 PM

Adam if I had purchased a license I guess I ... could have... but I really have no desire and if they are depredating on my cows or sheep or whatever i guess you can kill 'em. We've only lost one cow critter to what we don't know in all the time we've been here. By the time you find out about it everything has eaten on it..feom coyotes MLs wolfies coons eagles(goldens and Bald and then the Ravens magpies and every thing else.. Dead stuff doesn't last long here. for certain..we even have an occassional buzzard. Larry can attest to how long dead stuff lasts here. I've read the same thing Larry. G&F agencies really don't want hunters to know.. The mountain lions supposedly will not eat rotten meat so they have to kill something substantial a couple times a week in the summer..maybe not as often in the winter..if they stayed in the area..but I think they travel constantly. BTW I have heard an odd noise lately at night..almost like a coarse moaning. A friend attributed it to the big cats..if so the whitetails are gonna start getting eaten..because it has been below the house..down in the wooded whitetail areas.. I like that meals on wheels thingie..That's what the grizzly transplants should be called..with people the meals..LOL I read the other day that the grizz that killed the hiker in the Park was killed..surprised they didn't just move her to the end of the Southfork Road outside of Cody..or down towards the Dubois or Pinedale Jackson area..Lots of nice tender people there. That is what has been happening..no wonder we have more grizzly attacks

buckhunter · #7 11-07-2011, 10:45 AM

Living in New England we don't have them here or the F&G folks don't want you to think so. Parts of Northern NH and ME have them. I have seen their track and believe me the hair stands up on your neck. One was shot in Central Mass because it was messing with a guy's cattle. But they ain't here. None no way.

Adam Helmer · #8 11-07-2011, 04:10 PM

skeet,

I guess you should decide if deer are more important than mountain lions. License, or no license, I know what I would have done. I have talked with folks hereabouts who were Spring gobbler hunting or deer hunting and saw mountain lions within 40 yards and NONE had the "Stones" to shoot the cats. Either they were funin' me, or they just do not have the will to shoot. I wonder if they keep a gun for home defense, WHATEVER!

Adam

skeet · #9 11-07-2011, 10:06 PM

Well I have no problem with the lions..If they get too numerous I will probably shoot one. I don't know about "stones. " I just never had a desire to shoot one. They aren't like the wolves..given to us for some ridiculous reasons. They were just here. I know there are a few people attacked by the cats every now and again. If one attacks me or my wife..I know we will shoot if necessary. I just don't kill things for no reason..cept groundhogs prairie dogs gophers rattlesnakes etc.. the first for sport and control... the snakes for protection around the place

Larryjk · #10 11-08-2011, 01:14 PM

skeet, There are many places in the country that voice their opinions about how the grizzly should still be totally protected. I think the grizz should be made available to those areas so they can experience how nice they (girzzlies) are to have as close neighbors. Then they would have a more reliable base of experience to speak from.

skeet · #11 11-08-2011, 08:32 PM

Larry...I'll drink to that..and I don't drink to just ANYTHING. But I used to. LOL. If ya have a really serious grizzly attack you probably ain't gonna make it..less'n you are armed..then the bear probably ain't gonna make it. People that really want to keep 'em protected live for the most part in a disneyesque world..or they know the truth and since it won't affect them..they really don't care.. Maybe we should sue those animal rights groups..and the judge who keeps finding in their favor..

PJgunner · #12 11-10-2011, 10:21 AM

Just a comment about Mountain Lions. I've heard not only on some other sites but from one of the members of my church that Mountain Lions are mighty tasty. I have a tag and if i come across one during my hikes, I'll let you know. A friend when I lived in Nevada was a trapper and he loved catching a Bobcat. Told me they were good eating. One day he gave me some and you know? he was right.
So yes, I'd shoot one for the pot just to try it out. Otherwise I'd leave 'em be.
Paul B.

skeet · #13 11-10-2011, 12:55 PM

Well what do they say about Chinese food..White meat is cat..dark meat is dog.. I many years ago had a bit of Lynx when i was in Alaska..and yes it was good. As they say..Tastes just like Ckikin..well not really but it was good. I would probably shoot a bobcat as we have them here..but just have no desire to shoot a ML.. Those little ol bobcats are getting furred up pretty goo now. Maybe it's gonna be a cold winter. I see one of them fairly often. Think I will get the ol H&R 700 22 mag out. The darn thing is very accurate and probably won't tear an ol bobcat's hide up too bad