Cougar Boot Hunting Stories!

Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
4,979
Location
oregon coast
Awesome, going out Friday, probably Saturday and Sunday… reliably finding a very big Tom track, just need to get the timing right where he can hear me.

Lions seem easy to call in, but very hard to have one hear your calling😉
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
4,979
Location
oregon coast
Keep me posted!
will do! went to re-zero my rifle when i got back up north this evening, and went into some timber co land to do it since it's close to home... walked out a muddy grade when i was done and there was a few day old lion track, and one so fresh i could have bumped it driving in there... could literally see the little wrinkles on the 3 lobes on the back of the pad in the soft but dry to the touch mud... average adult female sized track, but it's fresh and i have a direction of travel to go try to cut the track to the north where it was headed.

that's my afternoon plan, morning i'm going to go look for the big tom track. with no snow, i establish my little spots i know lions walk when they walk through, very reliable in that sense unless they are actively hunting through the area... i keep going to those spots and eventually have a fresh track.... lots of luck involved in timing here on the coast. they have their paths though, whether it's a road or ridge in the timber, they use the same paths... tracks in ground i can see tracks, and scrapes in the timber on the ridges.... like i have mentioned before, you have been a huge resource for me... anyone that asks me about hunting lions i send to your site, tell them they need a caller that accepts mp3, and they need your lion vocals... when i bought your cougar package, that has been by far the biggest bang for the buck i have spent on anything hunting related. (your youtube channel has some golden content too)

i learned more about hunting lions listening to your seminar and youtube stories than i did the prior 4 years just out there trying.... and i spend a lot of hunting related money, haha. i was pretty much hunting them like coyotes, just calling longer, i didn't know any better. what i did gain in that time was finding several travel routes of lions, and parts of boundaries, and learned a lot in that regard, how predictable they are but aren't, how they move through country, and how often they come by certain areas... also very valuable, then i found your content and filled in the blanks, which were very important... now i have irrational optimism every time i go (like other hunting) i think i'm going to call one in every day, but then when one does come in, it's still very surreal..... by far the coolest critter in the woods, so elusive and mysterious, and that quirky cat personality.

i seriously appreciate the content you have created and shared, it's a huge wealth of knowledge that you are generous to share, and it's a type of hunting that will never be over exploited.... no matter how prepared you are with knowledge, calling lions is not an activity for the easily discouraged, but there is also no other success in the woods that matches the gratification of calling a lion, especially with no snow to cut tracks.... by far the hardest tag to fill on purpose in this state, but very doable.... especially if they find you and the info you offer.

hope to have another story to add this weekend... i'm filling both of my tags this year on purpose, my main goal this year
 
OP
rainshadow1
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
32
"...now i have irrational optimism every time i go (like other hunting) i think i'm going to call one in every day, but then when one does come in, it's still very surreal....."

Well said!

I always anticipate success... even though my rate is probably <5% stands to encounters... (And what most don't realize, it's like other predator calling in that my encounters to shot opportunities are probably <25%! ) But I'm still assuming it's going to happen on every stand!

Get 'em!
 
OP
rainshadow1
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
32
This is really cool... YouTube hunter, hardcore backcountry dude... gets it done on a big cat!

Check out call-in story O37, all VIDEO (for now. I'll get a write up from him later.) Posted with permission!


Great vlog story, Joe! Got a little western there at the end, but... It's on the Ground!!!
 

KnightOwl

FNG
Joined
Apr 23, 2022
Messages
10
Just Posted R21. Great story by the young hunter, and great post-shot video by the Coach!


Distress and 3 different RainShadow vocals, predominantly "RS S Live Whistles" brought in a young cat. Great story! Lots of fun interacting with these guys over the past couple weeks!

Enjoy!
I too made a purchase of using your sounds have not gotten to try it yet but am excited too... Cat hunting stories freak me out though...too sneaky they use tactics etc...
 
OP
rainshadow1
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
32
I too made a purchase of using your sounds have not gotten to try it yet but am excited too... Cat hunting stories freak me out though...too sneaky they use tactics etc...

Had a cat use cover to approach my calling position for over 400 yards in a timbered draw! (Don't recommend hand calling!) Got to about 75 yards and watched until it picked me out and left. (I found tracks and followed them.)
 
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