Cougar Attempt Critique

[mtnrunner260]

Howdy.
Last weekend I was out for a hike and watched a cat chase a couple deer a couple hundred yards.
This was 10am.
I went home and ran errands with wife and headed back up getting to the area at 4:15.
I set the e call up in a mahogany 130 yards away and 700 yards from where the cat was.
There were 3 bedded deer 110 yards past the call.
I did a variety of prey distress at 4 to 7 minute intervals. Bird, rodent and rabbit.
At 7 minutes into stand the deer stood up, blew and exploded out of there. Moving toward top left corner of pic. They were looking at the small patch of pines just above barrel.
I thinknthis may be it and here it comes but never see anything.
Having done more research and listening to the Rain Shadow tutorial I think that having the call up in the tree was a mistake. Also having it in a more open area and myself having a good vantage also led to me being to visible.

Besides those changes what else would experienced cat callers suggest?
Thanks

 

[Skerhunter]

No matter what you are calling, the caller needs to be hidden and you need to be able to shoot any approaching animals when they enter the doorway of your stand. Getting the perfect stand set up isn’t always possible though due to terrain/wind/vegetation.

Sometimes animals just lose interest or if they are smart they get to a good vantage point sit down and just watch. Sometimes silence and patience kills on these animals (will sneak in after calling stops).

 

[wcasey755]

I’m not an expert but I have done a lot of research. One guy said if you are about to close you stand to start doing bobcat vocals and it will cause cougars to get very aggressive. He also said to open with another cougar whistle. So they feel like their food source is being threatened. But idk. Just what I read

 

[mtnrunner260]

Been out a handful of times.
Haven't seen a cat but did cut old tracks once.

To the right of the dog and deer tracks.
Thought I glassed one up this morning but was just a cat looking rock on top of a cliff.
Crossing deep snow on the north facing slopes is getting interesting with warmer weather and snow sloughing off.

 

[dirtytough]

Hopefully you get on one!

 

[pirogue]

That cat may have moved a considerable distance in the 6 hours you were gone, and those deer bolted from one of many reasons, none which were the cat. A cat is a sudden burst anttack animal, that runs out of gas quickly. We seen one trying to attack a sheep, and failing, and I killed the sheep the next morning less than 1/4 mile away. So the cat you saw, may have made a failed charge on the deer and moved on . They’re used to that. I’ve been 12 yards away from a cat in the woods, but I’ve never called one in.

 

[mtnrunner260]

That cat may have moved a considerable distance in the 6 hours you were gone, and those deer bolted from one of many reasons, none which were the cat. A cat is a sudden burst anttack animal, that runs out of gas quickly. We seen one trying to attack a sheep, and failing, and I killed the sheep the next morning less than 1/4 mile away. So the cat you saw, may have made a failed charge on the deer and moved on . They’re used to that. I’ve been 12 yards away from a cat in the woods, but I’ve never called one in.

Yeah they can certainly move a long ways in a short time.
That's cool you watched one stock and thankfully fail on your ram!

The Amazing Trace: tracking the 1,000-mile journey of a Utah cougar

I enjoy my time studying each species I work with, but none have challenged me quite like cougars. Every time we learn something new about cougar behavior or ecology, it only generates more questions about this species.

wildlife.utah.gov

This one moved a bit...