Upland game,mountain lions,bobcats,oh my!

[sooty grouse]

Was up in the beautiful sierra nevada mountains hunting mountain quail out on quail ridge (I named it that) 4 in the vest, hot dry and dusty,walking side slope, calling and listening for those very big, plump quail.

I was on a fairly well used deer trail, when all of a sudden I was looking at a nice size 2x2 rack through the brush. As I got closer I noticed antlers on ground, buck was dead as a rock.

Upon futher inspection some guts eaten out and cashed, yep mountain lion got him! probably no more than a day or two dead.

Boy that was spooky, looking over my shoulder rest of day hunting wondering if big cat was going to get me next.

So for the rest of the season I was packing my ruger red hawk .44mag, 4" barrel, for extra fire power.

Here's a pic of the 2x2 deer cashed.

Came up on this game taking machine, bobcat, while searching for mountain quail, not to far from quail ridge.

and mountain quail of that day, pic using remmy 12ga.

 

[quail hound]

Oh I know that feeling all to well. Walking alone in a canyon bottom and noticing the unmistakable smell of cat urine, then noticing a set of cat tracks twice the size of my dogs. Very unnerving.

Btw. I'm not sure but I believe your picture is an American lynx, very beautiful.:10sign: A bobcat tag and a stout load of #4 would have got you one beautiful pelt.

 

[sooty grouse]

Oh I know that feeling all to well. Walking alone in a canyon bottom and noticing the unmistakable smell of cat urine, then noticing a set of cat tracks twice the size of my dogs. Very unnerving.

Btw. I'm not sure but I believe your picture is an American lynx, very beautiful.:10sign: A bobcat tag and a stout load of #4 would have got you one beautiful pelt.

Yep, I here you, I've been seeing more and more lion tracks up hunting blue grouse and mountain quail than before. Hmmm, wonder why deer population is down in this area?

QH,Your welcome to come hunt with me this season as long as I can "OUT RUN YOU"...LOLOLOL

That could be a lynx, I will look it up and see if thats whats in my neck of the woods...thanks QH

 

[FCSpringer]

:coolpics::thumbsup::10sign:thanks for sharing.

 

[bobeyerite]

I agree with you SG, we have them here in Washington,yes they are scary......Bob

 

[grouchyolddude]

a BIG tom track from a couple years back...toes the size of walnuts!!!

 

[Dakotazeb]

In 2004 I was elk hunting on horseback in southern Colorado. We were up high near tree line riding across a flat rocky area when we came across some fresh mountain lion tracks. As we continued on there was some scrub pine in a rocky outcrop a couple hundred yards ahead. All of a sudden the big cat let out a screen from that area. We stopped dead in our tracks, changed direction and skirted around. Never did see the cat but I'll tell you one thing, just hearing one that close will make you pucker up real good!

 

[Upland Hunter]

Oh I know that feeling all to well. Walking alone in a canyon bottom and noticing the unmistakable smell of cat urine, then noticing a set of cat tracks twice the size of my dogs. Very unnerving.

Btw. I'm not sure but I believe your picture is an American lynx, very beautiful.:10sign: A bobcat tag and a stout load of #4 would have got you one beautiful pelt.

In looking closely, I believe it is a bobcat....the lynx has distinctive tufts of hair on it's ears that appear to be absent in the photo.
I have never actually seen a mountain lion here in Colorado but have often seen signs of them.....especially tracks. Once while elk hunting in the San Juan mountains I found a half eaten doe covered with sticks under a rock ledge with lion tracks around. It keeps you a little more aware and looking over your shoulder when you know a lion is around.
I hunt a sheep ranch near Newcastle, Colorado for deer...a couple of years ago the rancher said he had had some trouble with lions taking sheep.
I told him I'd like to see a lion in the woods.
His reply, "You won't see the lion, but he'll see you."
Something to think about.
Just this past pheasant season I was lucky to see three bobcats hunting together in a thick woods along a creek bottom in Pawnee County...only the third time I've ever seen a bobcat in the wild...I never dreamed I'd see three at once.

 

[quail hound]

You are right he is missing his ear tufts and he has a white underside on his tail. That "beard" he has just looks like a lynx to me, but I agree he is most likely a bobcat. We have both around here but bobcats out number lynx about 5-1 from my observations.