MONTANA308 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Posted January 9, 2016 Headed out Jan 1 for my annual predator hunt to western Montana wth a buddy of mine. Both of us being lion virgens. I was fortunate enough to have a family friend with hounds and 30 years of running cats. Not sure why I waited this long to do this. I'm a flat lander through and through. The Moutains kicked my ass! This hunt was the most exhausting and fulfilling hunt I have ever been on.We drove roads for three days and had guys on sleds trying to cut a track. No dice. We couldn't buy a cat track. On the fourth day things got better. We cut a pretty good sized cat track headed up the Mountain. We turn out the dogs! As I stand there in amazement how the dogs seem to effortlessly climb straight up a mountain side. I started thinking poop that's where I gotta go. We soon lost sight then sound of the dogs. Time to mount up on sleds and head to the top. At the top we locate the dog OJ and he has something treed. Can hear him baying way down in a deep cut. So we head off into the trees. About 40 minute walk down the side of a mountain we come up on OJ. With a young tom treed. Pics below. It was not big enough for me so I let my buddy shoot. He botched the shot and wounded the cat and we had to track it to the base of the Mountain. Where it treed again and we where able to get the cat. Well I'm beyond exhausted at this point but we got one cat down. We are one dog short yet so it's back to the top for me. We locate Tibby the other dog and off the face we fall. Now before I get warmed up from sled ride up the mountain my quads are in knots. Gotta get that dog so sucked it up and walk on. This was the worst nastiest steepest terrain I have ever been on. Best I can describe is a super steep Avalanche shoot covered with boulders, jagged rocks,trees,and loose rock. It is kicking my ass! Well we make it to Tibby. Tibby is there baying and my heart starts pumping I forgot how tired I was for a brief second. Till we look up and it's an empty tree. Well we pick are way for about an hour through the cliffs and rocks to the bottom. I may have ended up with an empty tree but my heart was full. Was the hardest craziest hunt I had been on and I lived through it to run the dogs again. I am not done. I'm addicted and next year if I don't make it back this year to turn out I will be ready. Thanks for reading. I know my English and punctuation are pretty bad so bare with me and feel free to give me poop! Montana308 out
washguy Posted January 9, 2016 Report Posted January 9, 2016 Way to go Montana Daaaamn that mountain is steep...yep you gotta go back....looks like a hoot! nothing wrong with that cat !Wash
MONTANA308 Posted January 9, 2016 Author Report Posted January 9, 2016 Thank you! That cat was like 80lbs but the kicker on him was the double K9s on both side. The guy who took us has been running cats for 30 years and never seen it. Was a lot of fun can wait to turn out again.
shepp Posted January 9, 2016 Report Posted January 9, 2016 They're evolving lol!! In that pod cast I was telling you about they were saying they've seen cats run from dogs get out ahead and rest under a tree, then when the dogs get close again they'll bolt, and because the scent is stronger there than in a trail dogs sometimes get held up on that tree thinking that cats up there.
NTXshooter Posted January 9, 2016 Report Posted January 9, 2016 Well, you may not have gotten a cat but you have a helluva story to tell. Over the last few years, I discovered that it is the comradery and the tales that make it memorable.
unforgiven Posted January 10, 2016 Report Posted January 10, 2016 Living the dream brother Montana,great read.Outstanding.
MONTANA308 Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Posted January 10, 2016 Thanks guys!!! It was a hell of a time.
Magwa Posted February 29, 2016 Report Posted February 29, 2016 Cat hunting is a very tough game I had my own pack of dogs for 10 years and hunting a cat in winter is as tough as it gets way to go and it just shows you what we think is being in shape really isn't...... lol
Malig8r Posted March 1, 2016 Report Posted March 1, 2016 hunting a cat in winter is as tough as it gets way to go and it just shows you what we think is being in shape really isn't...... lolAin't that the truth!!! Snowshoeing in the middle of winter up & down a mountain is a kick in the nads, I don't care who you are!!! Been there and done that!!! Sure is a great feeling and experience when it's all over though!
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