Passed on a Lion

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

While on an Elk hunt for someone else this lion came in to water mid day and the photo was taken through my sons scope.
I had at the time a tag in my pocket but had an easy decision to just film and watch this beautiful animal while he hung around.
I received a lot of flack for not taking the shot, what would you have done and why?

 

[MuleyFever]

Opportunities like that are few and I would have taken it. I would much rather take a cat like that than run up a tree by dogs.

 

[Pro953]

Why shoot something if you do not want to. Sounds like a good call.


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[Fatcamp]

Why buy a tag and carry a rifle if you don't intend to harvest?

A decent camera would probably be a wise investment.

 

[sdfuller]

Sounds like you made the right call. I buy a lion tag every year but not to hunt them. It's just in case my dog or I run into one while chukar hunting that decides to get a little too close.

 

[orionsbrother]

If I had a tag, I think that I might've taken the shot...

But... your tag. Your hunt. Your call. I don't think that you should worry about what anyone else thinks.

 

[FLAK]

Boom!

 

[Loco4dux]

Dead kitty

 

[Bulldawg]

Couple reasons I would shoot that lion.

Rarely get a chance at a lion that isn't treed by dogs

That cat looks pretty fat

I want to eat lion super bad

The last reason isn't a big one but in some areas I think that there are more lions than some think and I have seen elk and deer populations decline, I don't know for certain but I think predators have a very large impact.

 

[Trial153]

I can understand why you didn’t. I agree, personally I have no desire to kill a cat incidentally. I would rather hear a good hound race and hunt for them rather then kill one by happenstance.

 

[Blinginpse]

How many animals would you have saved by pulling that trigger?

 

[Randle]

Wow you have self control. Great picture.

 

[huntcoop]

I would most definitely have taken the shot. I've only seen a cat once before and a shot was not possible. Those opportunities come not very often....I shudder to think how many animals that cat and its offspring will eat.

 

[amassi]

I believe they avg 1 deer or elk/week.

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[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Ya pretty much what I heard from my local guys. Couple of things to consider on my end. I was helping on a cow elk hunt that happened to be my son and dads first ever elk tag. My dad is 70 years old, both dad and son told me to take him but I didn't want to lose a day or two taking care of that cat. In AZ it's mandatory check in on lions so I would have wrecked prime time in that spot and had to leave to handle the game and fish. No brainier for me on just those notes.
I will say I am new to hunting by most measurements but I do know what I want out of a hunt, tripping over an animal I wasn't hunting and calling it a hunt is just not for me. In the end I had 10 minutes to decide and it only took 1.
For the record I have 10 minutes of HD video of this and an hour later a 300 plus bull walked in for a bonus. The picture I snapped was with my phone through a scope so quality was poor but cool pic with cross hairs.
Funny thing was after that bull came in dad and son never even mentioned that lion. Haha they talked about that bull all night.

 

[duckhunter175]

Good call on keeping the priority of the hunt on your son and your father!! Very cool encounter and the story of seeing a lion while the three generations of your family was out in the woods is a story that your son will pass down to his kids and their grandkids!!!!

 

[huntcoop]

The bigger question, did a cow get shot?

 

[Stew]

Would have done the same thing just take a picture, just because one has a tag doesn't mean you have to shoot something. I have tags that go unfilled every year by choice. as you say your son and dad were more excited to see the good bull elk so all is good. Hunt and shoot something for your reasons not what others say you should do.

 

[CHSD]

Wow that is an amazing picture. Nothing wrong with turning down a shot. Takes alot to turn down an opportunity like that! Props to you for not wanting to ruin your dad and son's hunt! Love that picture!

 

[hunter4life]

I would have let it walk for the same reasons you did. I have killed 2 big toms myself and have walked away from many others. It is much more fun to chase them with a pack of hounds. Shooting one in a situation like this is just sheer luck.