sneakem
Well-known member
One of the coolest excursions I've ever been on, so I thought I would share it. Found a set of tracks that were reasonably fresh, 8-10 hours old, walking down the middle of the road. The cat walked for a mile or so, and then turned off and was heading towards a vary dark and deep canyon. I have friends with dogs, but opted not to run the track because the location would have probably turned out to be a nightmare, plus there was a larger cat in the area.
So I figure... I've got some time to kill... I'll just strap on the snowshoes and stomp this track out to see if it indeed heads into the big canyon or at least a direction of travel so I can attempt to cut it again in the future. I grab my rifle and set off on the tracks. I follow the tracks into the bottom of the first canyon and as I see the track heading towards a lone pine in the creek bottom. The bottom of the canyon is fairly open as well as the opposite hillside. I see the tracks disappear into a canopy of pines branches covered in snow of the lone tree. I assumed the cat continued through the tree, so I walked around to the other side of the pine, surprised to see extremely fresh tracks out the other side. In fact they were extremely fresh tracks running. I Peered into the tree well and could see where the cat had curled up and bedded. I must have jumped him.....
So I scan across the canyon, following the sprinting tracks, they start up the opposite canyon wall, slinking bush to bush, and then they land on an exhausted cat, postholing up through the deep snow. I immediately loaded the gun, dropped prone in the snow and rested the gun in a forked willow. I waited for my shot, settled the crosshairs, and click. Another shell... CLICK.... another shell... CLICK. I grab the shell and the primers not even dented. I figure the firing pin must be frozen. I stick a shell in and keep firing trying to get the firing pin to break loose. The cat is approaching the top of the canyon. About 10 pulls pass, and the the gun goes off..... Contact!! The cat jumps in the air, whirls 180 degrees, tail fickering like crazy, and slinks over the horizon.
So I'm not 100% confident my shot was fatal... due to the rush associated with the gun failure. I decide to return to the truck for a different weapon to pursue this animal in case it is indeed just wounded. I returned to the truck, called a friend for back up, picked a different weapon the would fire.... and returned to the canyon with my helpers. We followed the track to the top of the canyon and sure enough, good blood. However the cat continued on injured.., but obviously not going anywhere fast. We follow the track maybe 200 yards down off the backside of the next canyon and the track lead strait to another pine tree with limbs draped over in the snow creating a little pine "igloo".
We circle the tree.... No tracks out. We circle the tree... we can't see the cat anywhere through the thick branches. Decision time. I'm taking the pistol and going in. My buddy is going to stay outside for back up. I pulled back the branches and slowly peered into the tree well. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can make out a sinister face directly across the tree well, crouched, ready to defend itself. I slide the .45 through the branches and pick a spot on the front of the chest... and Bang!! Better send a couple of extras as well!! Cat jumps to all fours and crashes around the tree well...me running the other way...
Needless to say.. he expired. I had my cat! It was unfortunate that he died the way he did, I would have wished a better ending on this magnificent creature, but it did and now I have this crazy story about the time I got a cat without dogs... face to face, man vs cat!
So I figure... I've got some time to kill... I'll just strap on the snowshoes and stomp this track out to see if it indeed heads into the big canyon or at least a direction of travel so I can attempt to cut it again in the future. I grab my rifle and set off on the tracks. I follow the tracks into the bottom of the first canyon and as I see the track heading towards a lone pine in the creek bottom. The bottom of the canyon is fairly open as well as the opposite hillside. I see the tracks disappear into a canopy of pines branches covered in snow of the lone tree. I assumed the cat continued through the tree, so I walked around to the other side of the pine, surprised to see extremely fresh tracks out the other side. In fact they were extremely fresh tracks running. I Peered into the tree well and could see where the cat had curled up and bedded. I must have jumped him.....
So I scan across the canyon, following the sprinting tracks, they start up the opposite canyon wall, slinking bush to bush, and then they land on an exhausted cat, postholing up through the deep snow. I immediately loaded the gun, dropped prone in the snow and rested the gun in a forked willow. I waited for my shot, settled the crosshairs, and click. Another shell... CLICK.... another shell... CLICK. I grab the shell and the primers not even dented. I figure the firing pin must be frozen. I stick a shell in and keep firing trying to get the firing pin to break loose. The cat is approaching the top of the canyon. About 10 pulls pass, and the the gun goes off..... Contact!! The cat jumps in the air, whirls 180 degrees, tail fickering like crazy, and slinks over the horizon.
So I'm not 100% confident my shot was fatal... due to the rush associated with the gun failure. I decide to return to the truck for a different weapon to pursue this animal in case it is indeed just wounded. I returned to the truck, called a friend for back up, picked a different weapon the would fire.... and returned to the canyon with my helpers. We followed the track to the top of the canyon and sure enough, good blood. However the cat continued on injured..
, but obviously not going anywhere fast. We follow the track maybe 200 yards down off the backside of the next canyon and the track lead strait to another pine tree with limbs draped over in the snow creating a little pine "igloo".We circle the tree.... No tracks out. We circle the tree... we can't see the cat anywhere through the thick branches. Decision time. I'm taking the pistol and going in. My buddy is going to stay outside for back up. I pulled back the branches and slowly peered into the tree well. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can make out a sinister face directly across the tree well, crouched, ready to defend itself. I slide the .45 through the branches and pick a spot on the front of the chest... and Bang!! Better send a couple of extras as well!! Cat jumps to all fours and crashes around the tree well...me running the other way...
Needless to say.. he expired. I had my cat! It was unfortunate that he died the way he did, I would have wished a better ending on this magnificent creature, but it did and now I have this crazy story about the time I got a cat without dogs... face to face, man vs cat!
