Live Montana Mountain Lion Hunt

Jaker_cc

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San Antonio, TX
With deer season winding down in most of the state of Texas it’s almost time for me to head North for a hunt I’ve been looking forward to since I booked it last season. I’ve always loved hunting with dogs, whether it be flushing quail behind prim and proper pointers or baying hogs with a pack of gritty cur dogs, something about the dog aspect of the hunt has drawn me in. I’ve got a great hound handler lined up for 8 days of chasing cats in the fresh snow around Southwest Montana. We are going to be a little picky this hunt because I’ve decided that if I kill a cat, it will be the only one I ever take. I feel like a lion is something that should be once in a lifetime. I’m not saying I’ll never run another cat, but hopefully after this trip I’ll be behind the camera instead of behind the bow.

I fly out Friday morning at 6am to Bozeman, and I’ll be returning the following Saturday. I’ll share everything in between and take y’all along as best I can. It’s going to be cold, way colder than anything I’ve ever run around the mountains in so it should be interesting. I’ll be hunting with my good friend Forrest and another buddy Scott (houndsman).

Here is the forecast and a couple of cats taken in the area last year. Wish me luck

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JWF

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Safe travels and good luck


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robby denning

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This will be interesting! Lots of pics please. Those temps
are actually pretty warm so you’ll do fine. I just hope you get the snow you need.


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Jaker_cc

Jaker_cc

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I’ve been in touch with Phil Soucy out of Libby Montana to do the taxidermy if I happen to get one on the ground. The man is a master at cat taxidermy. Anyone that hasn’t seen his work needs to go check out his Instagram. Here are 3 poses that I really like in case I get it done

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Im dialed in, I just need to figure out how to shoot straight up in a tree. Should be very interesting

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Jaker_cc

Jaker_cc

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Got a nice little dusting of snow this morning while looking for tracks. Found a female track at about 4:45 this morning
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It looked like the fur was white. I did not think they would brand a dogs ears. Never heard of freeze branding.
 
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Jaker_cc

Jaker_cc

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They are freeze branded, we found a female track today and saw 200 head of elk. It snowed a little bit then started gusting to 65+ mph. Tomorrow is another day.
 

robby denning

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They are freeze branded, we found a female track today and saw 200 head of elk. It snowed a little bit then started gusting to 65+ mph. Tomorrow is another day.

If you get time, tell us how he identifies a female track?


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Jaker_cc

Jaker_cc

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If you get time, tell us how he identifies a female track?


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The way Scott explained it to me is the size of the track is generally smaller and narrower, and the length of stride is shorter. A Tom is intolerant of any other males in his area, so he’s convinced it was a female instead of a young Tom because he ran and passed on a big male in the same area 3 days ago.
 

robby denning

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The way Scott explained it to me is the size of the track is generally smaller and narrower, and the length of stride is shorter. A Tom is intolerant of any other males in his area, so he’s convinced it was a female instead of a young Tom because he ran and passed on a big male in the same area 3 days ago.

Thanks man. Love to hear those woodsman speak! Best of luck out there.


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Robby did you watch the latest Meateater on Netflix? Steve does a cat hunt and they talk about identifying tracks. Pretty cool.
 
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