You Can Call Me a Liar.... But I've Got Proof.

[Gerald Martin]

Have you ever had a hunt unfold in such an incredible fashion that you are scared to share it with other people for fear they won't believe you? I had that happen to me several weeks ago on a mountain lion hunt.

I killed my mountain lion back in December, http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=244744 but the fun wasn't over for Rick and I. He had a good friend that drew the only nonresident tag in the same unit I killed my cat . Brad lives in Washington and has a several hour drive to our area. He hunted with Rick and a couple other friends for a week in Jan. without success. As the weather got warmer we were concerned we might not have good snow conditions much longer. Brad let us know that if we were able to get a cat in the tree and there was time for him to get there during legal shooting light, he had his gear in the truck and would be on his way.

Over the course of several weeks at the end of Jan and the first of Feb. Rick and I had cut the tracks of a mature tom in a nearby drainage. We had found these tracks twice, but each time we were a day behind the cat. We turned Bailie out, but they proved to be too old each time. It seemed like the cat was making a loop every seven to ten days and he was crossing in the same area each time.

On Thursday, Feb. 17 we got three inches of fresh snow. I wasn't able to get out on Fri. Rick ran the roads on Fri afternoon and came back with some good news. The lion was back in the area and the freshest track was between two roads. If he crossed back up during the night, we should have a smoking hot track. Snow conditions and temperature were perfect and Brad reafirmed that he was ready to come over at a moments notice.

Saturday morning Rick and I were parked well before daylight. We didn't want anyone else to beat us up the gated road. We ran all the roads on snowmobile before daylight and confirmed the lion had not crossed. It was on to plan B.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Plan B was that if the lion didn't cross the road during the night, I was going to get on the track and walk it out until it got fresher or we lost it.

I got on the day old track at about 7:30 and started walking. By 10:00 I had covered about two miles and found an old kill. The track was now within 200 yards of the road and looked fresher so we I went back to the truck and brought Bailie to the track. We were going to let her tell us how fresh it was. If she opened up on it we would keep running it but it looked like it was going to be too old once again.
I let Bailie out on the track and she was able to smell it. She wasn't barking and was sticking her nose in each track trying to get the scent. It wasn't looking good. She took the track about a hundred yards and then turned around. Rick had stayed at the snowmobiles several hundred yards up the mountain. He had said if she didn't open up on the track we were calling it quits for the day. I leashed Bailie up and started up the spine of the ridge. The time was now 11:30.

We were about halfway back to the snowmobiles when I noticed a white spot under a tree about 250 yards down the ridge. Something about it caught my eye and then I was sure I spotted movement. I could see white and brown, it almost looked like the throat patch of a deer but I was sure I wouldn't be able to see a deer's throat patch at that distance. It had to be bigger and then I was sure I saw movement. My binoculars were in my pack at the snowmobile so I headed up to get them. I left Bailie with Rick and told him "This might not be over yet, I've got to check something out."

When I got back to where I had seen the white spot it was gone. I walked around the area just a bit to make sure I was seeing the right spot. There it was again! When I put my binoculars up to my eyes I couldn't hardly believe what I was seeing. Under a small fir tree was a mountain lion laying in his bed!!! What are the odds of that happening?
I quickly got on the radio and told Rick to get down here pronto! He brought my pack with my video camera , Bailie and was totally astonished when he looked through my binoculars.

We got the camera set up on the tripod and quickly formulated a plan. The lion was totally sacked out and didn't have a clue we were around. The area was somewhat cliffy and Rick wanted to make sure the lion ran towards the timber below him instead of the cliffs above him. Our plan was that I would take Bailie and circle above the lion and try to make him run downhill. We were going to try and get as close as we could before I let her loose. Rick was going to stay and watch the lion and video. If the lion got up and ran, Rick was going to yell and let us know.

Bailie and I made a couple hundred yard loop around the lion and started to come in behind him. We were quiet as we made our way in and I spotted the lion from about 60 yards out. He was facing away from us and still unaware. I unleashed Bailie and held her collar in my hand. We got to within 25 yards of the lion. At this point I was getting a little uncomfortable. He was now above us and we were in knee deep snow. I didn't know how he was going to react. I didn't have much time to think about it because at that time the cat heard us and jumped to his feet. He looked over the edge at us and as we made eye contact I turned Bailie loose and yelled, "Get the cat, Bailie!" She started barking and I started barking and running toward the cat. The lion was already running the other way as hard as he could go.

The whole time, Rick could see the cat but he could see us. He just about freaked out when the lion jumped up and ran and then we popped out of the trees about ten seconds later.

Bailie just smoked the cat and she had him in a tree within about 150 yards. The whole chase might have lasted 45 seconds.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Here's what was in the tree.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Brad made it over in time and was able to kill the cat. It was a beautiful 147 lb. tom. He was thrilled and Rick and I were happy to have been able to catch the cat for him. Here's a couple more pics of the cat in the tree and Rick, Bailie and myself with Brad's cat. I also included a sock drying time beside the fire as we waited for Brad to get there.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Nice story and cool photos.

Good luck to all
the dog

 

[NChunter]

Great story and the pictures to prove it.

 

[JCS]

Great story. It was fun to read. Way better than the stories that I write. Mine would say--found a cat and then I shot it. Here is 1 pic.

 

[Dana]

Awesome story and pics! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Gerald Martin]

NChunter, a skeptic might say "big whoop" those pics don't prove anything. The cool thing about it is I've got about ten minutes of video footage of the lion under the tree and then the dog and I coming out of the timber as the lion runs off. The only problem is I haven't figured a way to get my computer fixed so I can edit HD video.

 

[Big Fin]

Very cool, GM. Congrats to all, dog included.

 

[NChunter]

NChunter, a sceptic might say "big whoop" those pics don't prove anything. The cool thing about it is I've got about ten minutes of video footage of the lion under the tree and then the dog and I coming out of the timber as the lion runs off. The only problem is I haven't figured a way to get my computer fixed so I can edit HD video.

I would believe you without the pictures. I like pictures, but I usually don't carry a camera. I would love to see your video.

 

[Oak]

Great story. Only could have been better if you had snuck up and killed him in his bed.

 

[schmalts]

Cool story. Gotta get me a big cat some day.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Oak, I really think I could have shot that lion with my bow. I am still in disbelief at the way it all turned out.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I would believe you without the pictures. I like pictures, but I usually don't carry a camera. I would love to see your video

.

I've been after BigFin to get some webisodes running. Maybe once he gets done with the Bayed. I'd be happy to make it availible on here. I'm just kind of limited in my editing technology at the moment.

originally posted by BigFin

Very cool, GM. Congrats to all, dog included

Randy, that little red dog deserves most of the credit for our success this year.

 

[elk_hunter]

That is awesome indeed! I need to get me one of those too!

 

[shoots-straight]

Way to go, and nice story. Very nice cat.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Great story. That would be a blast.

 

[nbell]

Great stroy, great pictures. Congats on the Lion.

 

[Big O]

I believe it, no problem there. I assume far western MT? Can't believe how many cats or sign we'll see in some spots over there. Tried hunting up the Bull River years back and we saw more cats and sign than Mule deer. 2 years ago up Martin Creek saw 2 in one weekend, middle of the day.

Great story, sounds like fun!