So last Saturday evening the warden and myself went and sat on a ledge overlooking one of our favorite places for elk in September. The elk numbers have been declining for years but there’s still herds in there. Well I have had trail cams in the past and gotten, bobcats, black bears cougars etc over the years. We didn’t see any bears which is what our primary target was but used the time as an elk scouting trip. She had to push her hoochie mama call several times and got no response and as the day ended we left. Well she wanted to see it in the am so Sunday morning found us before daylight perched in the same spot awaiting the sunrise. No bears were spotted , no elk or deer just eerie silence. I got up to relieve myself and there was a lion track 6’ from where I sat the evening before. No biggie to me as I figured something was up from the lack of animal movement. Went into the same area tonight , it was 88 degrees with very little wind and I thought this is pointless. Just as the sun set behind the mountain and the shade started showing up the wind stopped, the bugs were out but I kept hearing something strange coming down the trail that leads into the canyon. When a squirrel chattered behind me I knew something was wrong, I turned around and saw a young mountain lion through the trees watching me. I had my 10 mm pulled and ready as the wife saw my reaction and turned for back up. It was partially covered by trees, I could see the outline of the head and the white of its chin. Mountain lion season isn’t open in Washington yet but I wasn’t about to ask if it wanted to square dance. The cat came in down wind, but I could hear the footsteps in the silence of no wind. I have no idea how long it was there. I arose from the kneeling position I was in and walked towards it and it bounded off. Darkness came and we slipped out of the area without a site of the cat again. The area is extremely dry and the slightest pine needles break are louder than usual. It was a great experience to be hunted as prey. We are certain it was a juvenile out on its own from the first time, had it been the parents the outcome may have been different. I ranged where the cat was , 43.5 yards. Cleanse of the soul or the shorts. It was definitely a rush.
Interesting evening
- Thread starter str8meat
- Start date
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,917
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Always a rush when you realise you've been stalked. It surely sounds as if it was a young cat that was eyeing you as a source of protein.
Wolfshead
Handloader
- Feb 5, 2022
- 267
- 709
Wow!
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,375
- 12,040
That was a close enough encounter. Glad you were prepared
JD338
JD338
salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,574
- 7,270
There are a lot of cats in the northwest, populations have exploded in the decades since they outlawed hunting with hounds. I’ve seen very few but know from talking to the ODFW bio there are 14 collared cats within a few miles of where I walk my dogs almost every day.
Your’s was a very interesting encounter to say the least. Situational awareness , in all cases, is a good thing. Gotta love adrenalin dumps.
Your’s was a very interesting encounter to say the least. Situational awareness , in all cases, is a good thing. Gotta love adrenalin dumps.
Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,171
- 3,707
Definitely an experience you (or your wife) will not forget anytime soon!
That was a most interesting read! Thanks for sharing a memory that you and your Mrs. will likely never forget.
Large cats are not supposed to exist in my home state of Louisiana but I have absolutely no doubt about what I saw when I was about 12 yrs old. Thankfully I saw it but it never new I existed. It was still a difficult walk for me back to the camp in the darkening twilight.
Goat358
Large cats are not supposed to exist in my home state of Louisiana but I have absolutely no doubt about what I saw when I was about 12 yrs old. Thankfully I saw it but it never new I existed. It was still a difficult walk for me back to the camp in the darkening twilight.
Goat358
