chilcotin hillbilly
03-09-2013, 09:29 AM
Something to think about!
I was not sure whether I would share this story but afterrelaying it to a friend last night he pushed me into sharing it. I hope it willgive you something to think about before you pull the trigger on female cougarand the consequences that may affect others.
The story starts back in Febuary during a a cougar hunt Iwas guiding. Usually all my lion hunts are done on my own, but this one wasdifferent with not one but two helpers along for the hunt. Both guys are up andcoming houndsmen and where here wanting to learn a little about hunting the bigcats. Little did they know that this day would give them a memory that wouldlast a lifetime.
We had loaded up some sleds on my truck and with the dogsloaded in Mike’s dog box inside of his canopy we headed off to the mosteasterly section of my guide block. Idon’t usually go to this area as itreceives lots of pressure from the Williams lake cat hunters and it’s an 11/2hr drive to get there.
We unloaded the dogs when we got there and let them emptyout before loading them back up. One of mikes dogs had ventured down the road acouple hundred yards before being called back, this was to set the stage forwhat happened next. I unloaded a sled tocheck a spur road and sent Mike and Darcy to drive the road we were on to checkfor lion tracks. Mike had not gone 100yards down the road before he stopped and called me over to check out a cougarsitting on the road. Sitting on the road!!!! I called both hunters over to take look at this strange situation. Iknew something was wrong with this cat as it sat 40 yards from us on the roadwatching us intently. I moved around tothe front of the truck to get a better look at the juvenile cat looking for atrap or sign of sickness, something that would of explained this strangebehavior! As I cleared the truck, the cat came for me running down the roadlocked on with bad intentions. Caughtoff guard and with no weapons handy I backed up a couple paces and consideredmy options, none where looking good right now. Both Mike and Darcy wherestanding in the truck cab with doors half open getting a good look at the catwhen this happened, both watching this unfold in disbelief. As the cat clearedthe front of the truck and prepared for the final attack Darcy bailed me out temporarilywith some quick thinking and tried to smoke the cat with the truck door. Thisstopped the immediate attack on me but changed the cat’s direction which endedup being the inside of Mike’s truck! Now with the cougar at Darcy’s feet tryingto get in the truck Darcy and I took to defending ourselves with our boots.Stomping and kicking madly with enough affect that the cat took cover under thetruck. I quickly took a look under thetruck to see where the cat went and to my surprise the cat popped its head outright beside me, I kicked once again at it head putting it back under thetruck. I quick went to back of the truck to release a dog, not so much to chasethe cat but to distract the cat long enough that we could arm ourselves to killthe cat. As Vicki (whom should have beennamed bait) hit the ground the cat ran out between the two hunters and grabbedthe dog. I attempted to open the dog box to give Vicki help as she wasobviously in distress but instead jumped out to help Vicki out myself. I was happyto see the boys fighting for the dog’s life, with Mike using his 30-30 as aclub and one of the hunters beating the cat in the face with his fists. Ijumped into the fray and when a couple quick kicks to the head didn’t make thecat let go of the dog I stepped on its head to keep it from moving, it was atthis time when Darcy stepped forward with his homemade custom Bowie knife andstuck the cat in the ribs quickly killing it. I now know what a huge knife likethat is good for and was glad to have someone with one, standing beside me.
With a few holy craps and what the hell just happened,everyone was a happy to have it over with. Vicki was by now having a chew onthe cat but was still shaken up but in good shape with only one hole in herside.
Shortly after this was over the local rancher happened byand let us know another juvenile tom cougar had been shot a few days previousat a nearby ranch as the cat tried to get into a dog kennel. Both of the these cats where starved and indesperation mode caused by a missing mother. Whether the mother was killed by ahunter or died of natural causes these two juveniles where orphaned and intough shape.
I am sharing this story to show people what the consequencesof killing females whether with dogs or killing a cat in a chance situationwhen deer hunting. (70% of females have dependant young)This cat could haveeasily ran into a kid walking to the bus or a housewife out for a walk. Insteadthe cat ran into 5 capable men that came out on top with little more thanmemories and a small hole in a dog.
I hope people will think before they shoot the first catthey see, as there can be terrible consequences for some on suspecting person.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm194/skinnercreek/Cats%202012-13/002_zps791be7ff.jpg
I was not sure whether I would share this story but afterrelaying it to a friend last night he pushed me into sharing it. I hope it willgive you something to think about before you pull the trigger on female cougarand the consequences that may affect others.
The story starts back in Febuary during a a cougar hunt Iwas guiding. Usually all my lion hunts are done on my own, but this one wasdifferent with not one but two helpers along for the hunt. Both guys are up andcoming houndsmen and where here wanting to learn a little about hunting the bigcats. Little did they know that this day would give them a memory that wouldlast a lifetime.
We had loaded up some sleds on my truck and with the dogsloaded in Mike’s dog box inside of his canopy we headed off to the mosteasterly section of my guide block. Idon’t usually go to this area as itreceives lots of pressure from the Williams lake cat hunters and it’s an 11/2hr drive to get there.
We unloaded the dogs when we got there and let them emptyout before loading them back up. One of mikes dogs had ventured down the road acouple hundred yards before being called back, this was to set the stage forwhat happened next. I unloaded a sled tocheck a spur road and sent Mike and Darcy to drive the road we were on to checkfor lion tracks. Mike had not gone 100yards down the road before he stopped and called me over to check out a cougarsitting on the road. Sitting on the road!!!! I called both hunters over to take look at this strange situation. Iknew something was wrong with this cat as it sat 40 yards from us on the roadwatching us intently. I moved around tothe front of the truck to get a better look at the juvenile cat looking for atrap or sign of sickness, something that would of explained this strangebehavior! As I cleared the truck, the cat came for me running down the roadlocked on with bad intentions. Caughtoff guard and with no weapons handy I backed up a couple paces and consideredmy options, none where looking good right now. Both Mike and Darcy wherestanding in the truck cab with doors half open getting a good look at the catwhen this happened, both watching this unfold in disbelief. As the cat clearedthe front of the truck and prepared for the final attack Darcy bailed me out temporarilywith some quick thinking and tried to smoke the cat with the truck door. Thisstopped the immediate attack on me but changed the cat’s direction which endedup being the inside of Mike’s truck! Now with the cougar at Darcy’s feet tryingto get in the truck Darcy and I took to defending ourselves with our boots.Stomping and kicking madly with enough affect that the cat took cover under thetruck. I quickly took a look under thetruck to see where the cat went and to my surprise the cat popped its head outright beside me, I kicked once again at it head putting it back under thetruck. I quick went to back of the truck to release a dog, not so much to chasethe cat but to distract the cat long enough that we could arm ourselves to killthe cat. As Vicki (whom should have beennamed bait) hit the ground the cat ran out between the two hunters and grabbedthe dog. I attempted to open the dog box to give Vicki help as she wasobviously in distress but instead jumped out to help Vicki out myself. I was happyto see the boys fighting for the dog’s life, with Mike using his 30-30 as aclub and one of the hunters beating the cat in the face with his fists. Ijumped into the fray and when a couple quick kicks to the head didn’t make thecat let go of the dog I stepped on its head to keep it from moving, it was atthis time when Darcy stepped forward with his homemade custom Bowie knife andstuck the cat in the ribs quickly killing it. I now know what a huge knife likethat is good for and was glad to have someone with one, standing beside me.
With a few holy craps and what the hell just happened,everyone was a happy to have it over with. Vicki was by now having a chew onthe cat but was still shaken up but in good shape with only one hole in herside.
Shortly after this was over the local rancher happened byand let us know another juvenile tom cougar had been shot a few days previousat a nearby ranch as the cat tried to get into a dog kennel. Both of the these cats where starved and indesperation mode caused by a missing mother. Whether the mother was killed by ahunter or died of natural causes these two juveniles where orphaned and intough shape.
I am sharing this story to show people what the consequencesof killing females whether with dogs or killing a cat in a chance situationwhen deer hunting. (70% of females have dependant young)This cat could haveeasily ran into a kid walking to the bus or a housewife out for a walk. Insteadthe cat ran into 5 capable men that came out on top with little more thanmemories and a small hole in a dog.
I hope people will think before they shoot the first catthey see, as there can be terrible consequences for some on suspecting person.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm194/skinnercreek/Cats%202012-13/002_zps791be7ff.jpg