caddisguy
11-10-2013, 04:38 PM
I was out looking around and scouting in 2-2 from yesterday first light until around noon today. Only saw one doe (pretty sure it was a doe) just before sunrise yesterday, as well as a monster grouse later on... oh and about 200 other hunters. Also found some predator turds while hiking in an area known for cougar sightings. Figured I'd check it out because if they hunt there, so should I. Droppings all contained hair and bones... guessing snowshoe hare, as there are quite a few in that area... maybe from cougar or coyote... I don't know how to tell and it isn't the kind of terrain where you would see obvious tracks. Anyway that was all yesterdays news.
This morning, I was hiking the Eaton lake trail--never heard of cats in this old growth though--with my girlfriend, looking for deer sign and letting out the out rattle and tilt of the esterdoe can. We were crouched down a couple switch backs before the old bridge--now a only a fallen tree--looking and listening carefully--slightly impaired by the sound of the creek--for any incoming bucks.
About 60m away on the hill across from us, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. It was like a flash and then stopped behind a large tree. I pointed it out to my girlfriend and we watched for a moment. Maybe I was seeing things? Just as I was turning my head to whisper, flash! We both saw it this time and it took off further up. After we lost track of it, we stopped acting like prey... at least for 20 minutes or so anyway. Though neither of us saw the entire body at any given time. I can't say for certain it was a cougar, but I can't figure out what else it would be. Estimating it was 5-6 feet long, low to the ground. It was able to cover 30-40m of steep, slippery moss covered boulders/logs in old growth terrain in two quick 1.5 second dashes. Even for a cat, I did not think the laws of physics would let anything travel like that. It was animated, like a movie with unrealistic computer enhancement... something out of this world. We did not hear a thing and it seemed to know exactly when to dart between cover, the second we were not focused.
Glad that though curious from the rattle, it was not interested in us. A couple more dashes, it would have been on us and the 30-06 would have been a reactionary after thought at best. However, I wanted to see it again. Tried some more rattles, even a couple predator calls. Nothing.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has seen a cougar while hiking in thick old growth--as opposed to seeing one crossing the road or treed from dogs--to know if this is what it's like to be checked out by a curious cat. I'm always aways watching my surroundings and check behind me when I'm hiking, but I never would have seen this if not stationary and scanning.
This morning, I was hiking the Eaton lake trail--never heard of cats in this old growth though--with my girlfriend, looking for deer sign and letting out the out rattle and tilt of the esterdoe can. We were crouched down a couple switch backs before the old bridge--now a only a fallen tree--looking and listening carefully--slightly impaired by the sound of the creek--for any incoming bucks.
About 60m away on the hill across from us, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. It was like a flash and then stopped behind a large tree. I pointed it out to my girlfriend and we watched for a moment. Maybe I was seeing things? Just as I was turning my head to whisper, flash! We both saw it this time and it took off further up. After we lost track of it, we stopped acting like prey... at least for 20 minutes or so anyway. Though neither of us saw the entire body at any given time. I can't say for certain it was a cougar, but I can't figure out what else it would be. Estimating it was 5-6 feet long, low to the ground. It was able to cover 30-40m of steep, slippery moss covered boulders/logs in old growth terrain in two quick 1.5 second dashes. Even for a cat, I did not think the laws of physics would let anything travel like that. It was animated, like a movie with unrealistic computer enhancement... something out of this world. We did not hear a thing and it seemed to know exactly when to dart between cover, the second we were not focused.
Glad that though curious from the rattle, it was not interested in us. A couple more dashes, it would have been on us and the 30-06 would have been a reactionary after thought at best. However, I wanted to see it again. Tried some more rattles, even a couple predator calls. Nothing.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has seen a cougar while hiking in thick old growth--as opposed to seeing one crossing the road or treed from dogs--to know if this is what it's like to be checked out by a curious cat. I'm always aways watching my surroundings and check behind me when I'm hiking, but I never would have seen this if not stationary and scanning.