Close call with a Mt. Lion!

[thp]

This is a fantastic story.  Can't believe you kept your cool.  Fantastic pictures too.  I've got the second to last one as my desktop!

[hs6181]

nice story and pics

my first thought while reading was along bonebusters thinking, cats hunting people, raised the hair on my neck, wow

but I'd sure hate to take a less then perfect shot at an animal like that(lookn to eat me), I'd really hate to make it mad  

[DeerSpotter]

It is normal for you to see lions in your area, we have had the DNR verify on three different occasions and at three different locations mountain lions in our area, we live about 20 mi. north of the Twin cities they have been verified 20 mi. north of us, and 100 mi. north of us.  It is unusual to find them this close.  They may be coming out of Canada.  We also have a pack of wolves that are living in an area eastern and north of us by about 15 mi.

As we take more and more of their territory we will see things like this.  And then you get people that have the stupid attitude, " we should wipe them out" Boy, I hate to hear that.  As humans sometimes we don't have very much restraint, and we think it's all about us.

Pastor Carl

[Gehrke145]

To say seeing a Mt. lion in the woods is normal is like saying everytime I hunt I could kill a 400 inch bull elk or a 180 inch whitetail.  I know people that lived out here all there life and never saw one in the woods!  I should add that I'm not counting my buddys that hunt with hounds.  These cats are amazing animals and I spend a lot of time looking for them and keeping tabs of there movments.  Ive seen 2 in a year and I would say im vary lucky to see the ones I have.

[DeerSpotter]

Well it certainly wouldn't be normal for you to see elephants, or maybe a shark swimming through the woods, mountain lions lived in your area, more so than they do in Minnesota.  That's what normal means, it's normal for me to see Whitetail deer in my area, if I started seeing mule deer, I would think there would be something weird going on.  Unless of course the DNR reintroduced mule deer in my area.

So normal, is living in an area, that you would naturally see those types of animals, not that you'd see them every time, but you have the possibility of seeing them more so than other individuals that live by skyscrapers or a large city !


It's a little more clear !


Pastor Carl

[Gehrke145]

BrokenArrow1
 
Im not really following were this is going lol.  What town do you live by in MN?  I used to live in WI and hunted wt. deer in NW MN a few times.  There some monster bucks up there!  Out of all the states I've hunted I'd say MN is way underrated.  You hunt up that way?  Its been a few years but I hunted a big strip of bow only public land and it was prime!!!!!!

[DeerSpotter]

In the area that you're talking about, there is a 33 point buck, but, and that's a big but, the only thing they have found on that buck is the shed, they mount it on another deer head just for looks.  But he is yet to physically be seen.  And there are some monster bucks that die of old age and never see people in the northern area.

Hunting north in the boundary Waters, is like going on a trip in Elk country without the mountains.  You better be ready to pack your deer out for 5 mi., quartering would be better.

I hunted in " bow only area " three years ago.  It was too small and too close to the Twin cities.

It is certainly challenging, the public areas that is.  The one I went to last year, is overrun by coyotes now, but that's an opportunity !

There might be some opportunity for wolves, Wisconsin is opening up hunting season.

Carl

[snag]

Gehrke, come out to Oregon. Since the good citizens of the civilized cities banned hunting with dogs there is plenty of cats to see! My friend was in elk camp and running right through his camp area was a doe followed by a large cat. Another friend was elk hunting with rifle when around the ridge came a doe running hard with tongue hanging out and up over the ridge comes a cat. When the cat got in full view of them he put it down!  They are having a major effect on the deer and elk numbers here!

[tradtusker]

cool

[Frank V]

S,S,S. Frank

[Izzy]

I wish we had cats here.Hunting where there are no challengers to our place in the food chain leaves something to be desired.

[Bowspirit]

Always black bear, Izzy...

[San Juan Slim]

Mountain lions are plentiful here in SW Colorado, but to say seeing them is normal is absolutely a mis-statement.  Even in California and Oregon where they have outlawed hunting with hounds and sightings have become much more frequent, it would not be considered "normal" to see mountain lions.  To see elk and deer is normal.  To see a bear ravaging through the neighbors trash is normal.  To see foxes, turkeys, coyotes, and the occasional bobcat is normal.  To see a big cat while you are in the woods hunting is not normal.  Lions are very solitary creatures and are rarely seen in the wild.  Personally, I have only seen five cats in the wild--one of those was the one we cought with hounds and I killed with my longbow.  One was an almost dead tom laying in the highway that had been hit by a truck.  Otherwise, I have caught glimpses of three other lions as they crossed my path.  That is unusual.  I know plenty of "oldtimers" who have lived and hunted in this country their whole life and have yet to see a mountain lion.  

Those are some great pictures.  Other than haviing to clean your underpants, that must have been quite an experience.

Mike

[baretraks]

It is exactly because of situations like this that I carry an extra pair of undies!!!!

[Walt Francis]

Out here, in the west, there are lot more kitties then most people think, you just don’t see them.  Not only are they ultimate predator, they are the best critter I can think of at concealing themselves.  I started big game hunting twenty years ago and have only seen four in the wild without the use of dogs.  I’d guess I have walked by another couple thousand without seeing them.  Here is a link to an encounter I had with a kitty a few years back.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=055765

[baretraks]

RE: "I wish we had cats here.Hunting where there are no challengers to our place in the food chain leaves something to be desired."

 From personal experience I can tell you that tangling with a six pound, unhappy house cat is like grabbing a hold of the business end of a circular saw!!! Just think about that same cat weighing in at 180 pounds!!!

 I've seen the pics of those unlucky enough to have found out just what a big cat is capable of.

Personally, I dont want any challengers to my place in the food chain. I'm happy where I'm at!!

[DeerSpotter]

San Juan Slim your not "normal"    


I understand, what ya saying !

Pastor Carl

[Gehrke145]

baretraks lol you must trap to (I did till I moved to CO wish it was legal here)

[stykshooter]

Incredible that was an experience of a lifetime.

[San Juan Slim]

Originally posted by BrokenArrow1:
San Juan Slim your not "normal"      


I understand, what ya saying !

Pastor Carl

Thanks Carl,

You must have been talking to my kids.  They woudl certainly agree with you.    

Mike