Washington Cougar Hunt Begins

Today was the first day I really hunted mountain lion seriously this winter. Was a nice, clear 19 degrees with a fair bit of fresh snow on the ground. I'd talked to the WDFW people and let 'em know that I'm going to be out there quite a bit over the next few weeks and months. They're hoping I tag a cat. Me too! Season is open now for bobcat, cougar and of course coyotes.
Chilly but beautiful today:






Was smart enough, for once, to stop after the Jeep was dragging the rear diff through the snow. That's often a prelude to getting stuck. I was miles back in off the main road, and on my own. I didn't want to mess around with a stuck Jeep! So, parked it, put on my snowshoes and my pack, and headed out afoot. No luck, but it was glorious being out there in the Big Quiet.

By glassing, I found the mule deer. They were bedded down on sunny, south-facing slopes, as expected. Did not however find a cat or coyote. I shall persist! Rifle is the 308, with 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip handloads and the 6x SWFA scope.

Terrific snowshoes! So happy with the little MSR shoes!

All set for poking around the snowy backroads. Survival gear & food, Max Trax, chains, winch, recovery strap, extra fuel, etc... The BFG KO2's are working great in the snow!

I don't think this is going to be easy, but it gives me a worthwhile hunting project over the coming weeks and months.
Guy

Tagging along. I'm doing the same
Gmu 117

Excellent!

nice jeep! I had a '98 almost identical to yours.

Calling or just glassing?

Nice, and good luck to you.

I like your setup, simple and well thought out. Do the turrets on that scope seem to catch much? Looks like they stick out quite a bit.

HARPERC said:

Calling or just glassing?

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Today I was just glassing and looking for tracks. Later, if I can find recent tracks, I'll start calling. Not really wanting to get coyotes now, though normally that's just fine with me. I'm trying to concentrate on the cats. Dunno how that's going to work out, I'm getting older and haven't managed to shoot a mountain lion or a bobcat yet!

LanceK said:

I like your setup, simple and well thought out. Do the turrets on that scope seem to catch much? Looks like they stick out quite a bit.

Click to expand...

I haven't had this scope very long, but I've used others that had large turrets. You're right - it's not the best setup for going through the brush, but in more open country like where I usually hunt, they're fine. I have not noticed any tendency for these to get knocked off their "zero."

My lighter weight hunting rifles don't have large target-style turrets on their 6x Leupold scopes.

Don't forget the rural/suburban cats. Pretty sure we have more living in backyards here. Plus there's always been those that winter close in.

There are lots of cats in Washington now......we see at least a couple a year around our home.....never when I'm home though. I have ran into 4 bow hunting.....and tracked a couple. I was amazed where they traveled, and I'm now convinced anyone spending time in the woods here has walked past one. Try hunting the thick stuff that grows in the fire trail between timber and second growth, they seem to like it! We need more people targeting large predators now that other means have been banned! Keep at it, and good luck....I hope you kill one! We are working on figuring out calling them, but haven't made it out yet.

Cut a fresh track after the snow and simply get on it at a constant and steady pace. A steady pace you can maintain and not push it extremely hard. They can be tracked down pretty easily. Keep looking ahead and and you may catch movement. When they start stopping and looking back for you they are close. They will usually not look back after the first time and then their stopping and weaving to get a view of their back trail will increase. Start looking and watching in those distances and locations when you see it and they like to get on a small rock out cropping or elevated edge to look back and down. The most important thing is a fresh track and to hit the roads/trails as soon as you can after the new snow.

Looks like a great time!!

I was out but looking for wolf sign Ran into guy I new, they turned out on cat They got a 150# male earlier I run a lot of snow when deep I'm at 5 psi with my 37 I rocks, arbs when getting tough