Cougar killing sheep

T

TAC

New member
A guy in my town had three sheep killed last week by a cougar. The area is just out of town and borders timber. Well, a friend of mine and I went across the road from were the attacked and check out where the cat was crossing and found what was bringing in the cat. It was evident that a heard of elk had been bedding there for some time in a marshy area.

Several people have seen it on their way to work and my buddy saw it dragging a doe through the barbed wire fence – it dropped it and disappeared into the thick Oregon underbrush.

Well, it’s back this week and has killed another sheep – bad for the sheep but good for me since I have permission to hunt it on his property. I want to try luring it in with cougar vocalizations. I did a search on line and found a couple in mp-3 format but thought I check and see if anyone here can e-mail any cougar sounds to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I’m heading out there tomorrow morning (wish me luck).

I’ll post pics if successful.

Thanks.


TAC

tylercleary@charter.net
 
I think I'd be looking for a recording of a lamb in distress since that's what this cougar has shown a taste for.

You could easily make your own recording by separating a lamb from it's mother and recording it's plaintiff sounds.

I imagine that the rancher could help you with this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Watch your back!!! If you can't hunt with a buddy then get your back against a tree... I came in from a calling trip less than a week ago, and when I backtracked away from an "unsuccessful" calling stand I found that a cougar had quietly come in behind me and I'm pretty sure it got within 20 years of me and directly behind me.

I wear amplified headphones to aid in my hearing and I never heard him but I can hear a gnat fart at 600yds with these things... Well almost... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyway I didn't detect it at all and now I'm pretty spooked. I always wear a sidearm (Glock 10mm) in a shoulder holster in case I get jumped and can't get my rifle into play, but from now on I won't call predators around here without a solid tree or brush at my back or a buddy sitting back to back with me.

That's the third time I've called in a cougar (first two times in Colorado) while calling coyotes and I'm beginning to think I need to be prepared ALWAYS for that eventuality.

They're sneaky buggers. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Oh... I'd also recommend a deer rifle rather than a varmint rifle if you expect to possibly get "up close and personal" with this cougar. I wouldn't want to find myself fumbling with a bolt trying to chamber another round with a [beeep] off and wounded couger in my face. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

$bob$
 
There is always an exception to every rule but the tendency for a wounded cougar is to get self-absorbed into it's new found predicament .... it lasts a little while and then they bugger! ..... and sometimes they just bugger RIGHT NOW!

Bears can get rather mad on a stand however and they like prey sounds TOO!! And bears are not as adverse to pain as cougars are and require more "artillery"!

Cougars are sneaky? Do Tell! They make their living by remaining invisible .... they are all about stealth. You need a partner for calling them if you can but place the call such that you can watch a number of POSSIBLE approaches with you and your partner in different locations about the call but somewhat removed.

When a cat "makes you" it's because you moved. Don't feel bad, I would bet that only a 1/2% of predator hunters can really sit still enough to not be made! ... and I mean tiny movement is POISON for calling a cougar! I know one hunter who trumped that problem by using a blind along with camo. He called two successfully, one each of two days back to back!

Cougar vocals are by themselves no magic bullet. Prey sounds in the absence of knowing what "kind of coug" you are dealing with is a safer bet. Coug sounds do work but you need more info before using them!

Three 44s
 
Sometimes the answer is starring you straight in the eyes. Idhunter, it makes perfect sense – a lamb in distress call for a cat with a hankering for an easy meal.

I went out this morning and looked for a place to set up with some cover and wasn’t that successful. There but a few trees and a hedge by the house that looks over the pasture, beyond that there is also deep cover and timber. His shop has a bunch of race cars and parts around it, so I parked there, walked around and decided the best place to be was back in my rig. It seemed to be the perfect blind (with windows down). It was early morning light and the windshield glare prevented viewing inside. I set my caller out and waited.

I’ll try the lamb call and if the cat doesn’t show up I’m sure a yote will.



TAC
 
TAC,
I hunted on a ranch a few years back and they were having the same problem with a cougar. These guys had lost up to 15 sheep. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Anyway, there was a camper in the middle of their corral so they figured between the three brothers they would man the camper 24/7 till the animal showed itself then they would get a shot at it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif So, of course they did this and on the 4th day, yup ,the 4th day, just after sun down one of the brothers forgot something in the house, so he runs back to get it real quick. Well, by the time he got back out, the cat had wacked two more sheep. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif These guys were PO'd. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif Hope you have better luck!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Id try bait. One of the killed sheep or deer and drive a few pieces of rebar through it so it cannot be carried away and sit on it during the evening and into the night with a spotlight.
 
The staked bait is a good idea. The cat may accept it.

Some don't as their desire to relocate it may over-ride their growling guts. Then it gets tricky. You may have to use a drag if it won't stick around on the staked carcass.

A live bait in a cage? Or if the stock owner really gets driven over the edge ... a live bait in the open.

New vehicles on a stand pose a problem. The "brothers three" had the right idea .... a camper or any other object parked long enough to be "part of the normal" landscape. Too bad their luck was not with them that evening.

One houndsman from Shade Tree told me about an idea that could help when your eye lids get heavy. He uses a dog tracking collar on a trip wire. As the transmitter is tripped it sends to the receiver (in his case) situated at the nearest farm house. Those people baby sitting the receiver call him and he brings the hounds ASAP.

For this situation you could keep the receiver with you for a more secure warning about the cougs approach.

Three 44s
 
wow, three 44s and the guy that is hunting the cougar are in my area, i havent been on here long but you 2 are the first that ive seen in the NW i like in beaverton oregon,


good luck,

go get that coug,
 
simon 445,

A belated welcome to Predator Masters!

Actually, the Northwest is very well reprsented on PM.

You would see more activity from them but I suspect that many of them are out hunting deer/elk, bear and cat right now.

Regards

Three 44s
 
Three 44's you are right… all the way around. We did stake down one of the dead sheep and something has been chewing on it, but the land owner hasn’t seen anything (no big surprise). There are no shortages of other critters around that could be feeding as well - ravens, yotes or dogs around the area could have been chewing down so it’s hard to tell.

We are in the middle of deer season and it does have me torn as to where I should be with my free time. The good thing I work from home so I can make a stand in the morning and am home by 8:15 AM for business. The bad news it this stinking warm weather and clear skies has been terrible for deer hunting – I’m hopeful that will change with the rains this week.

I’ve been hanging out over at the long range website for some time now (…god, like I needed more toys) but this cougar thing has my hair on end. It’s good to be back here.



TAC
 
Rake the area around your staked baits. Add fresh dirt if you have to but make sure there is good soft dirt all around the bait and you should be able to figure out what has been chewing on it. Take care, Mason
 
RockCreek is right on the raking at the bait.

Our soil here is rock hard when it's dry and will mire a saddle horse when it's wet .... all in all a real pain in the .......!

A shortcut, but I would not guarentee it AT the bait but worth a try on approaches is hydrated lime. It works no matter what the "dirt" is doing right then. This is the stuff in paper bags that's piled up around fruit controlled atmosphere storages (usually begging for a new home, at least in our area).

This stuff is good enough that any animal walking through it will leave tracks from it after it has passed over it for a short distance..... and the main thing is that it's much less affected by mother nature.

Good luck TAC

Three 44s
 
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