When I left the gun at my set and found them still breathing, I have stoned 'em, clubbed 'em, and suffocated 'em rather than walk back for the rifle/shotgun. Just glad no one was videoing
Dispatch pistol?
- Thread starter Spidicus
- Start date
After reading OKRattler and Gary's posts above, all I can think of is how the good Lord was watching out for me a few years back.
I shot a bobcat standing broadside in the edge of a 2' high grass strip which straddled the two track running through a thicket. The cat jumped straight up at the shot, disappearing into the tall grass immediately. It was a gimme shot, so I was confident that the cat would be found on the spot where he had been standing. Wrong!
This satelite photo was obviously taken during drought, does not indicate the tall grass extending from brush line right up to both sides of the two track. We were sitting @ yellow x, white C is where cat was standing when shot. Grass was tall enough to close back over the weak blood trail left by cat and no tracks visible in the hard ground. To further complicate things, there was quite a lot of grass throughout the thicket as well.
Partner and I managed to follow the very sparse blood trail a few feet into the thicket by crawling under the low hanging underbrush, at times into "tunnels" made by the cat through the tall grass. Skimpy blood trail in other places led us to entrances were very low trails transversed impenetrable brush, under which no grass grew (fortunately). We overcame these obstacles by one of us lying on our bellies peering into the tunnels while the other circled around to the other side. Once the other partner was spotted, he was stationed at the exit to await the other. Rinse and repeat numerous times.
We spent 3 hours on our knees following the track of the cat we were so sure was lying dead nearby. The thought of encountering a live cat never entered my mind! I will admit that meeting one of our 6' rattlers face to face did raise the hair on my neck a couple of times. Blue line approximates cat's path.
We finally lost the trail and gave up & about the same time I missed my wrist watch. We backtracked as best we could to no avail. Obviously the pin had broken on the SS band and the watch was never found .
We had to leave the ranch that night, but went back 5 days later and located the cat just inside the brushline (blue x).
After reading Gary & OKRattlers account, I would not repeat that attempt again.
I shot a bobcat standing broadside in the edge of a 2' high grass strip which straddled the two track running through a thicket. The cat jumped straight up at the shot, disappearing into the tall grass immediately. It was a gimme shot, so I was confident that the cat would be found on the spot where he had been standing. Wrong!
This satelite photo was obviously taken during drought, does not indicate the tall grass extending from brush line right up to both sides of the two track. We were sitting @ yellow x, white C is where cat was standing when shot. Grass was tall enough to close back over the weak blood trail left by cat and no tracks visible in the hard ground. To further complicate things, there was quite a lot of grass throughout the thicket as well.
Partner and I managed to follow the very sparse blood trail a few feet into the thicket by crawling under the low hanging underbrush, at times into "tunnels" made by the cat through the tall grass. Skimpy blood trail in other places led us to entrances were very low trails transversed impenetrable brush, under which no grass grew (fortunately). We overcame these obstacles by one of us lying on our bellies peering into the tunnels while the other circled around to the other side. Once the other partner was spotted, he was stationed at the exit to await the other. Rinse and repeat numerous times.
We spent 3 hours on our knees following the track of the cat we were so sure was lying dead nearby. The thought of encountering a live cat never entered my mind! I will admit that meeting one of our 6' rattlers face to face did raise the hair on my neck a couple of times. Blue line approximates cat's path.
We finally lost the trail and gave up & about the same time I missed my wrist watch. We backtracked as best we could to no avail. Obviously the pin had broken on the SS band and the watch was never found .
We had to leave the ranch that night, but went back 5 days later and located the cat just inside the brushline (blue x).
After reading Gary & OKRattlers account, I would not repeat that attempt again.
GC
Well-known member
I like the SR22. I packed mine often. My son "borrowed" it several years ago, and the only time I see it now is when he is carrying it.
Spidicus
Active member
I had my own bobcat experience.. where its back was broken after being shot and the hind legs weren't working.. but the front ones and the fangs still were.. never wanted a pistol on my hip so bad..after that experience....hence the original posting question. Ill be carrying my tx22.. but also considering a ruger sp101 in 327.. mainly to use 32 s&w..to dispatch. I've seen 3 or 4 lions while spot lighting bobcats. Thats a little sobering at night..way way out in middle of nowhere hours from nearest thing that resembles a building.
Only experience with a bobcat was when one walked up the drive, jumped onto the trash barrel and then over the wood fence. In Plano. Coleman pop-up camping in Red River, forgot to put the trash into the bin and sat up most of the night with a 380, lion was licking the trash under the camper. Rio Grande camping in Colorado, went to dump the water from the tank, opened the door and head a loud growl, nope, let the tank freeze - ain't goin out there with the bears.