Mountain lion hunt with revolver
Dec 23, 2022 16:17:17 GMT -5
Ken O'Neill, Stump Buster, and 13 more like this
Post by greenchile on Dec 23, 2022 16:17:17 GMT -5
I haven't been online in awhile but Huey encouraged me to post about my lion hunt from earlier this week.
It’s been an interesting couple of days in the mountains of western CO. I just finished what is easily the hardest hunt I have done out of many experiences. We found where a mountain lion had killed and eaten 1/2 of a record class mule deer and that was a real shame. We tracked it from that kill down into a nasty steep canyon (over 1000 feet of steep descent) and finally the dogs caught and treed the cat after 6 hours of trailing. Of course, the cat went to the nastiest hole it could find and then climbed the biggest tree within miles. The guides said in 26 years they had never seen a cat climb so high. It was well over 100 feet up and would not present a great angle. If you zoom in on the top of the tree, you will see the back right leg of the cat with its white patch of fur.
I found a little stick to steady the S&W 610 revolver and leaned way back for the vertical shot. Shot distance was estimated around 75 yards. The first shot went through the back leg and came out the throat. As the cat fell through the branches, I hit it again somewhere in the middle. It hit the ground alive and the dogs were all over it. These are expensive dogs and I was very concerned about them getting hurt as they live to fight these big cats. The guide was throwing dogs backwards off the cat and finally I had an opening and put 3 quick shots into it from about 4 feet away.
Then the hard work started and we took the hide and meat back up the nasty ascent. It took a few hours to get out, finishing in the dark. It was a tough climb out with some pitches of 40-45 degrees with snow that would slide every time you stood on it. One of the guides threw up 2x going back up and I threw up back at the truck. My legs are burning afterwards but this was a great hunt that I will never forget and I was grateful for the experience and challenge. The only hunt that is probably tougher on average is mountain goats. I'm drawing for that hunt on Kodiak but it won't be with a revolver!
It’s been an interesting couple of days in the mountains of western CO. I just finished what is easily the hardest hunt I have done out of many experiences. We found where a mountain lion had killed and eaten 1/2 of a record class mule deer and that was a real shame. We tracked it from that kill down into a nasty steep canyon (over 1000 feet of steep descent) and finally the dogs caught and treed the cat after 6 hours of trailing. Of course, the cat went to the nastiest hole it could find and then climbed the biggest tree within miles. The guides said in 26 years they had never seen a cat climb so high. It was well over 100 feet up and would not present a great angle. If you zoom in on the top of the tree, you will see the back right leg of the cat with its white patch of fur.
I found a little stick to steady the S&W 610 revolver and leaned way back for the vertical shot. Shot distance was estimated around 75 yards. The first shot went through the back leg and came out the throat. As the cat fell through the branches, I hit it again somewhere in the middle. It hit the ground alive and the dogs were all over it. These are expensive dogs and I was very concerned about them getting hurt as they live to fight these big cats. The guide was throwing dogs backwards off the cat and finally I had an opening and put 3 quick shots into it from about 4 feet away.
Then the hard work started and we took the hide and meat back up the nasty ascent. It took a few hours to get out, finishing in the dark. It was a tough climb out with some pitches of 40-45 degrees with snow that would slide every time you stood on it. One of the guides threw up 2x going back up and I threw up back at the truck. My legs are burning afterwards but this was a great hunt that I will never forget and I was grateful for the experience and challenge. The only hunt that is probably tougher on average is mountain goats. I'm drawing for that hunt on Kodiak but it won't be with a revolver!
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