SpotNStalker
FNG
The months leading up to September are usually very exciting for me. I love hunting elk in the rut with my bow, and I love watching summer bachelor groups of mule deer especially in June, July, and August. This summer was once again filled with preparations for early archery. Lots of shooting my bow, getting out on scouting trips, and some fly fishing mixed in to fill the time.
Finally, August 30th rolled around....opening day in my home state of Idaho. I was hunting elk in a unit that I've been hunting several years. The opener like many years was a little slow. The temps were high, the elk were quiet, and the hikes were long.
August 31 I had to work, but wanted to run out after work for a quick hunt. I hiked up to a wallow that typically gets some traffic in the early season with no luck. I had a little over 1 hour of daylight left so I thought I'd hit one other water hole and sit there until dark before hiking out.
I had hunted this spot many times. It was pretty easy to access and would be an easy hike out after dark. Upon arriving I dropped my pack, and started doing some calling. Little cow calling, couple bugles, just acting like a few elk stopping at the water. About 20-30 min went by, little calling here and there, but no answers or indications of elk.
I was sitting down eating a little trail snack when I heard a squirrel going crazy. It caught my attention enough that I stood up to look towards the alarmed varmint. Nothing......I heard some really subtle brush, so I nocked an arrow. I thought maybe a bull was coming in silent.
I decided to call a little more, thinking if something was coming in, maybe I could convince it the rest of the way. I heard a little more brush, again very subtle, but definitely something. I got on a log to see better and still nothing.
It was all pretty thick, 50 yards of visibility at most. I heard something in pretty close, so I walked a few yards down to see if I could catch what it was.
Just then, around the corner of some brush a mountain lion stood there. He was inside 20 yards staring right at me. I had an arrow nocked, but quickly checked to see if my release was still in my pocket. It was, and without hesitation I grabbed it and hooked it on my d-loop. I drew back and settled my pin. The cat was inside 20 yards. He was facing me only slightly quartered. As I drew he never twitched.
I released the arrow and watched it hit it's mark. The cat dropped then bounded off into some nearby brush. I saw the wound where my arrow entered as he turned but I couldn't see him after he disappeared in the brush.
In the moment I found myself stone cold. I executed a good shot. After the mountain lion disappeared in the brush the reality of what just occurred set in and my heart started rushing. I went back to my pack and grabbed the pistol that I just started carrying. I walked over to the brush where I saw him disappear and quickly found him piled up within 30 yards of where he was shot. It was my first mountain lion harvest, and an absolute thrill to face him on the ground with my bow. I was by myself so I was unable to get really good pics with me, but a day I will not forget.
120lb tom, Hoyt Carbon Spyder, Black Eagle Rampage shafts tipped with a 100gr kudu. Full pass through front shoulder and out the hind quarter.
Finally, August 30th rolled around....opening day in my home state of Idaho. I was hunting elk in a unit that I've been hunting several years. The opener like many years was a little slow. The temps were high, the elk were quiet, and the hikes were long.
August 31 I had to work, but wanted to run out after work for a quick hunt. I hiked up to a wallow that typically gets some traffic in the early season with no luck. I had a little over 1 hour of daylight left so I thought I'd hit one other water hole and sit there until dark before hiking out.
I had hunted this spot many times. It was pretty easy to access and would be an easy hike out after dark. Upon arriving I dropped my pack, and started doing some calling. Little cow calling, couple bugles, just acting like a few elk stopping at the water. About 20-30 min went by, little calling here and there, but no answers or indications of elk.
I was sitting down eating a little trail snack when I heard a squirrel going crazy. It caught my attention enough that I stood up to look towards the alarmed varmint. Nothing......I heard some really subtle brush, so I nocked an arrow. I thought maybe a bull was coming in silent.
I decided to call a little more, thinking if something was coming in, maybe I could convince it the rest of the way. I heard a little more brush, again very subtle, but definitely something. I got on a log to see better and still nothing.
It was all pretty thick, 50 yards of visibility at most. I heard something in pretty close, so I walked a few yards down to see if I could catch what it was.
Just then, around the corner of some brush a mountain lion stood there. He was inside 20 yards staring right at me. I had an arrow nocked, but quickly checked to see if my release was still in my pocket. It was, and without hesitation I grabbed it and hooked it on my d-loop. I drew back and settled my pin. The cat was inside 20 yards. He was facing me only slightly quartered. As I drew he never twitched.
I released the arrow and watched it hit it's mark. The cat dropped then bounded off into some nearby brush. I saw the wound where my arrow entered as he turned but I couldn't see him after he disappeared in the brush.
In the moment I found myself stone cold. I executed a good shot. After the mountain lion disappeared in the brush the reality of what just occurred set in and my heart started rushing. I went back to my pack and grabbed the pistol that I just started carrying. I walked over to the brush where I saw him disappear and quickly found him piled up within 30 yards of where he was shot. It was my first mountain lion harvest, and an absolute thrill to face him on the ground with my bow. I was by myself so I was unable to get really good pics with me, but a day I will not forget.
120lb tom, Hoyt Carbon Spyder, Black Eagle Rampage shafts tipped with a 100gr kudu. Full pass through front shoulder and out the hind quarter.
