Been Skunked on a Cougar Hunt
Contributors to this thread:cougar
From: prezboys
30-Jan-16
Been seeing a few reports coming across the western states that the area Quotas are still in place for many cougar zones. Yet the kills in those same zones are lagging and not even getting filled in some years. Many guys have done several cougar hunts and didn't tag on a mature Tom. Some Guys having to make the hunt 3 times before getting it done. Home many of you have gone this year or last and not filled out? I know that many outfitters in WY are having a real hard time just cutting a track.
From: Guardian Hunter
30-Jan-16
It happened to my buddy and I in Colorado. We didn't have any snowfall and could not cut a track.
From: Nick Muche
30-Jan-16
I think Bou Bound was skunked. He hasn't posted since day 2 or 3 of his hunt. Maybe he's still hunting?
:)
From: FullCryHounds
30-Jan-16
Bou killed a very nice Tom on day 6.
From: kota-man
30-Jan-16
Guessing Grant has other "obligations" for his story...
From: Bill in MI
30-Jan-16
There's always more than one type of cougar hunt going down
From: GhostBird
31-Jan-16
Yeah Bill, but most of the other cougar hunts are catch & release ;)
From: bradbear
31-Jan-16
My buddy got skunked for second year in a row where I got mine in wy.
From: N-idaho
31-Jan-16
i think i would mount that cougar
From: Bear Track
31-Jan-16
Ghostbird... no taxidermy bills attached either.
From: Mtgoat
31-Jan-16
It took three tries, but this year, I finally got my cat. It was near Meeker, CO. It was hard, only in the sense that the snow was kneed-deep to hip-deep. Dogs were turned loose roughly mid-morning and had the cat treed a couple of hours later. It took two hours to get to it.
From: Kurt
31-Jan-16
I spent 5 winters in CO trying to get my second Tom before it happened. We had several open winters with no snow to speak of during that time frame. We also would find tracks going the wrong way onto land we couldn't hunt, small tracks, or would turn out on a Tom and not tree him due to melted out snow, etc. It is nowhere near the gimme hunt that many think it is. We put in some long days behind hounds with nothing to show except tired legs back at the truck long after dark. Anyway, good luck to all the cat hunters out there! On the other hand my first one was easy...great conditions, the cat going into a huge ranch we could hunt, and a nice Tom bayed up on a ledge a few hours later. You never know until it over.
From: Halibutman
31-Jan-16
It took me 27 total days.
From: Shrewski
31-Jan-16
I'm at 25 days and counting.
From: TREESTANDWOLF
31-Jan-16
First trip to Idaho, cut one set of tracks in 6 days, late Febuary hunt.
The outfitter said " give me another chance" and if you can be on call, better yet.
I was on call, fresh snow, shot my Tom on day 3.
It's hunting, just kept after it.
From: PAstringking
31-Jan-16
Took me 6 days and 2 sets of fresh tracks.
Two friends have a combined 4 hours into their lion hunting career
From: Huntcell
29-Apr-16
Not a big fan of snow. Hard enough for a flat lander to negotiate the mountains without snow, so I went with a dry-ground outfitter in southern Utah passed a small track the first and fifth day finally seventh morning cut a nice one six hours latter shot him out of a big cottonwood. Was iffy for awhile as the cat went accross this big boulder field, the scent doesn't hold well on smooth rocks with the sun out, tough for dogs but they finally figured it out. A buddy went a few years latter was done in three days, again no snow. They do get snow in the area and then its a walk in the park for those dry ground dogs!!!
From: Scar Finga
29-Apr-16
Great looking Mount Huntcell! Congratulations!
From: g5smoke21
29-Apr-16
Took me about 4 hrs to kill my tomm on day 1 in colorado
From: Hawkeye
29-Apr-16
Two trips to Utah and two in Alberta before cutting a track we could run.
From: grizzlyhunter
30-Apr-16
Been waiting 2 years now for them to get get good tracking snow in the area my guide hunts in Colorado.
From: Fuzzy
03-May-16
ah yes, the famous Skunk-Cougar!
From: hdaman
03-May-16
5 days and counting. Not disappointed all as I did get to experience everything but the shot (my choice). Can't wait to go again!
From: Shiras
04-May-16
12 days for me in Utah. Last day of the second hunt.