Passed on a Lion

[Mturney]

Did you intend to harvest a lion when you bought the tag? Every tag I have bought I have intended to use but I respect sacrificing your chance for preserving your childs potential chance. Maybe I missed it but did you get a cow?

 

[stxdeer hound]

Boom

 

[87TT]

That lion probably ate the cow you were waiting for.

 

[Charon]

i would have taking the shot, took it down and taken many Pics and made many Vids.

 

[crowinghen]

. 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. .

I hate when states do this!! Basically by making it inconvenient or burdensome they are protecting the cougars.
I feel that Washington state is in the business of protecting not managing predators.

Big pretty cat! I would have shot it, but I understand your reasoning as well.

 

[Xenomorph]

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?

Dead lion for sure. Wolf, bear, cougar, if I am hunting I'd always shoot those if they come along. Several reasons why:

1. Bear meat is delicious and any big boar taken you're giving a chance to cubs to grow and save up a lot of deer fawns, elk and moose calves as well.
2. Cougar meat is spectacular and they're a lot tougher to find and tag one than bears. Your lion there would've taken a bullet after the picture.
3. Way too many ungulate species here in BC are suffering from over predation. We've opened up resource roads to places that used to be harder to access and it has led to an explosion of canine numbers (wolf packs at all time high).

I haven't grown into a hunting family, I'm the first to hunt and ever since I started I've gotten more and more into the "conservation" part of the "putting meat on the table". That's why for me, at this time, predator management is a must, and a challenge. I would've shot it, no questions asked.

 

[Xenomorph]

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.

That's something that needs to be petitioned to change. We have compulsory inspection here too, but you have 30 days to do so. Absolutely no rush, you can do it and continue your hunt.

 

[Kilboars]

It was your hunt to hunt. Sounds like you enjoyed it.

 

[Xenomorph]

It was your hunt to hunt. Sounds like you enjoyed it.

True that, he most likely did. I think he wanted to know why everyone else would've taken a shot at the lion. I see though, having to cut your trip short to inspect it according to AZ laws, I see how that's a huge deterrent to people.

 

[Kilboars]

True that, he most likely did. I think he wanted to know why everyone else would've taken a shot at the lion. I see though, having to cut your trip short to inspect it according to AZ laws, I see how that's a huge deterrent to people.

Like shooting your target animal the first day of a 10 day hunt, you may regret not taking that shot day the road.

 

[Xenomorph]

Like shooting your target animal the first day of a 10 day hunt, you may regret not taking that shot day the road.

Everyone gets there sooner or later, at least once in a lifetime

 

[theonlybfc]

I probably would have been caught up in the moment as well since it wasn't the main intention of the hunt and just watched and taken pictures as well.

 

[wymtnpounder]

I would have let it go so I could chase it with my dogs. Not many people would have passed up on that opportunity.

 

[[email protected]]

While I agree that it’s your hunt do what is right for you personally I’d love to take a cat would love for it to be over hounds but I’ll likely never justify the cost of that type of hunt to myself so I’d have shot the cat I had an opportunity to shoot. That’s just me doesn’t mean that’s the right thing for anyone else. Oh and I’ve gotten to sample a couple different mtn lions they are awesome on the table!

 

[carsonkeys]

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.

I love hearing sportsman put others before themselves; bravo sir. My pops would've done the exact same thing.

 

[KurtR]

i would have shot. I gotta itchy trigger finger any way and no way i am able to hold off on that cat.

 

[Brucebarker024]

I would’ve taken the shot. Reasons below-

Very rare opportunity
Mountain lion is delicious
Predator management
Helping the ungulate population
You have a tag



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[JoeRjolin]

Nice!

 

[Where's Bruce?]

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?

A wise man lives in the moment with appreciation. Any decision you make that provides you peace is the correct one. What other's think or might do is irrelevant. You did the right thing. If you didn't, you would express regret.

 

[rodney482]

Thats an individual decision. I support your decision.
Had it been me...