I Thought Hunting Season Was Over

[JimB]

I hunted more a good bit during September and October,this past Fall.Having drawn a moose tag for Montana,I spent more time away from work than usual and after that was done in mid October,I decided to retire for the season.I didn't need any meat and deer numbers are way down in the area I normally hunt,especially mule deer.

It was nice getting caught up on some work and I still find time to shoot the bows but have to admit,by mid-November,I was getting an itch to throw an arrow at something.We don't even have very good rabbit hunting.There are a few but they are sparse and because of predators,they keep out of sight most of the time.

About a month ago I got a call from a rancher friend where I do a lot of my hunting and trapping.Lion season had started Dec 1 and he was giving me an update on how the lion hunters had been doing on the place.Only 4 lions can be taken in the entire unit which is about 60 miles North to South.Normally it shuts down by Dec 10-15th,depending on snow conditions.

There are plenty of lions on the ranch-really too many and they like to see some taken,especially now that mule deer numbers are at an all time low.With lion hunters all over the unit,some years a lion is taken off the ranch,sometimes not.I haven't gone hunting with the dog guys for some time but I buy a license every year just in case I run into one in my travels.Seeing one would be rare but I a around them all the time.

This year the lion hunting is going a lot slower,I believe because the lions are forced to cover a lot more miles to find deer,rather than spending more time in smaller areas.3 lions have been taken but there is still one tom that can be harvested.Well,the rancher tells me that one of the hound guy's dogs had treed a male lion and he didn't have a hunter along that day so they had to let it go.I new he wasn't happy about that but I couldn't believe he didn't know that I always kept a tag.

I know most of these hound guys have friends lined up that want to kill a cat but sometimes work schedules and days off don't line up.I can't always drop everything either,when the time is right but I told the rancher,if that comes up again and they need a hunter,just call me.I'm only 15 miles away.

A couple weeks ago I was relaxing having my morning coffee when the phone rang.I didn't recognize the number or the voice and he just said,"I hear you have a lion tag".I replied,"I do".It was Tim and he had a track that he thought was a young tom and it was hot.I told him I'd be there as soon as I could get my gear together.We hadn't met yet but we were about to.

It wasn't your typical lion hunting weather.The sun was shining and the forecast called for highs in the 40's.There was snow on the North sides of the ridges but the South sides were bare,but we had a track.

Here Tim is getting ready to put a radio collar on Joe.The dogs know whats up and you can feel the excitement.
 

[JimB]

Here is Mouse.He has his collar on and is testing the air for scent already.Mouse has a reputation for occasionally finding a cat on the wind at some distance.We'll see.The ground conditions didn't look too good to me.
 

[LongbowGuy83]

Keep it coming man.

[JimB]

I'm sorry to say,I didn't get many pictures after this so I won't drag this story out.I had enough trouble trying to play catch up with Tim and the dogs.

For awhile,they had trouble working out the track on bare ground but eventually they lined out.They jumped the cat from it's bed on the point of the next ridge and took it over to the next ridge where the cat lost them in a series of cliffs.Tim decided that the track was actually a female he had treed before and pulled the dogs in.

Me and the Mojo Stick weren't called into play but what a neat morning!
 

[LongbowGuy83]

Well at least you had a good time. Man, I miss Montana. Once you go it gets in your blood. Maybe next time.

[HOWITZER]

Nice, wish we had those lions here in NY  

[JimB]

Well,this morning I was getting ready to get a cup of coffee.The phone rings."I have a track out here"....."I'll be there as quick as I can".

It was Tim and he let me know he had another hunter along but it sounded like this guy was looking for a big one but I would be second if he didn't want it.Well,sometimes guys change their trophy standards when they get to the tree.I don't care.I'm outa here.

I met up with the guys and this time ground conditions are perfect.We had fresh snow late last night and this track was hot.The other hunter's name was also Jim and it turns out he was experienced and had taken lions before.This might be good...

Tim said the track looked like a young tom.OK,I've heard that before but who cares?With the ground condition,it was close to a sure thing we were going to get to see this cat close up.

This was rough country and there was a lot of ice under this fresh snow and the steep,rocky hillsides were slippery and I'm out of shape and older than I used to be.And of course,the chase went UP the steep ridge.There was some discussion about where they were and where they may be headed and Tim speculated that they may even end up in the draw where we parked the truck.

It is just so hard to tell.Down in a snowy canyon like that,all you are hearing is the echos of the chase bouncing between the ridges and it is easy to get fooled.We headed up.I was dying but the guys were patient.The boots I usually hunt in,that I thought would be good weren't.The soles were worn enough that I wasn't getting a very good bite on the steeper,slick spots and I took some spills.Who cares?

Tim was encouraging and when he and Jim topped the ridge where they could hear better and get some direction,they let me know that the dogs definitely had the cat up a tree.I knew that was motivational speaking and it worked.I made it up to those guys and we followed the rige top for aways till we were sure about where the dogs were.

I told Tim I was going to be mad if they treed that cat down by the truck.Big grins from both guys.I had that happen once.

Here is a view from the point of the ridge looking down the canyon,the Continental Divide in the distance.The snow was about 3" at the canyon mouth but almost knee deep on top of this ridge.
 

[JimB]

We dropped down off the ridge and started following our ears now,to the dogs.We were occasionally hitting the tracks of the dogs and cat as they slid and skid down the mountain.

I managed to take a couple more spills going down.Who cares? We have a cat in a tree.

As I got within about 50 yds,I checked the Mojo Stick and arrows over for any damage and put on my shooting glove.Sometimes cats get antsy and may want to jump when you get to the tree,so it isn't a good place to fidget with gear.

The guys were at the tree and Mouse and Joe were beside themselves.This is what they live for.
 

[bohuntr]

Awesome, waiting for the rest of the story!!!

[JimB]

Tim was underneath the tree and I knew what he was doing.He turned and let me know it was a female.Who cares? What a sight.Jim points over his shoulder and says "There's the truck" and now we all grinned.I had seen it.I could have hit it with an arrow.

She was a young female and beautiful.She was maybe 15' up and where I was standing,would have been less than a 30' shot.It was thick up there but there was an opening.
 

[bohuntr]

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing!

[JimB]

These pictures were taken with my little Nikon pocket camera with 3X zoom and they are not cropped.That' how close we were.
 

[frassettor]

That is awesome! Wow  

[JimB]

She was very calm and showed no signs of wanting to jump.She wasnt in a real photogenic spot but I tried to get a few.I used the Mojo Stick for a momopod.
 

[JimB]

I snapped a few more as Tim was gathering up the dogs and they really weren't done yet.
 

[JimB]

Well,Tim managed to get the dogs rounded up and I caught one last portrait before the short walk to the truck.That's really not a bad thing after all.
 

[JimB]

Well,I was back home at noon.My shoulder flared up a little from one of the spills and I busted open the gash in my knee that was almost healed from the last trip,my back hurts and I know I'll be sore tomorrow.Who in the heck cares?!We had a lion hunt.

Since I stopped hunting back in October,about the only thing that kept me going was seeing all the threads and pictures of everyone's hunts.I love seeing stuff from all different parts of the country,big or small,with trophy pictures or without.I just wanted to thank everyone.I didn't think I'd have any more to share this season and wish I could have snapped a few more before it was over.

I hope some that don't get into this country or don't get to go lion hunting or those that miss it or just like to do it,might enjoy these few pictures.

Recounting this,I had to reflect on how blessed I am and we are to do what we like doing.

The end.
 

[FerretWYO]

Thanks for the story. Lion hunting is a lot of fun. I love to watch dogs work and do what they do best.

[Michael Arnette]

Wow, Thanks for sharing!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Cool story, everyone wins!!!