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2019/2020 Hunting Thread


Noogman

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No, these cats - like deer - are noticeably bigger. I have a friend who has bagged a number of Black Hills mountain lions over the past 15 years. I think only one, maybe two, (females) were under 150#.

I hadn’t gone out to the cabin for over 2 months, and that trail cam had gotten knocked out of position. I had partial shots of cougar asses about every 4-5 weeks. This one below is the best of the bunch. I have no idea how many I missed. I caught a couple about 7-8 years ago, but it appears we are now on their current routes. 
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Edited by ImissWallyPryor
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7 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I’m definitely not missing the mountain lion license deadline next winter. It takes about 250 deer to feed these big kitties for a year. 
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Inaccurate.

A male mountain lion (solitary) takes about one ungulate (deer, elk, etc.) a week, slightly less.  A female solo or with cubs under six months, about the same.  A female with older cubs 6-12 months slightly less than two a week.

If they are in groups like that, it's most likely a female and nearly grown cubs.  Sometimes multiple solo females.  Possibly a group of nearly grown cubs.

Male cougars are very homophobic.

Edited by TwiceHorn
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4 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Inaccurate.

A male mountain lion (solitary) takes about one ungulate (deer, elk, etc.) a week, slightly less.  A female solo or with cubs under six months, about the same.  A female with older cubs 6-12 months slightly less than two a week.

If they are in groups like that, it's most likely a female and nearly grown cubs.  Sometimes multiple solo females.  Possibly a group of nearly grown cubs.

Male cougars are very homophobic.

I was basing my number off what I heard from a wildlife biologist. He said full grown mountain lions kill at least one a week, usually more because they will kill immature deer which won’t sustain them as long. He was speaking of the impact they have on deer populations, not that every kill is of a 200# deer. The 250 number may be a tad bit high (about one per cat every 4 or 5 days), but not that unreasonable for three large lions.

You must have been reading my texts to family members because I made the joke to them that this was “probably a mama with two millennial cubs that are big enough to fend for themselves, except they won’t leave home.” I think that one on the right is a male due to it’s muscular build.

I’ll be more careful in the future. 
 

Edited by ImissWallyPryor
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15 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Inaccurate.

A male mountain lion (solitary) takes about one ungulate (deer, elk, etc.) a week, slightly less.  A female solo or with cubs under six months, about the same.  A female with older cubs 6-12 months slightly less than two a week.

If they are in groups like that, it's most likely a female and nearly grown cubs.  Sometimes multiple solo females.  Possibly a group of nearly grown cubs.

Male cougars are very homophobic.

Yep, this is why lions semi-bury their kills.  They eat on them for days.  We actually found tracks and a half-buried doe many years ago and brought out the Warden for confirmation.  Said the males can range for hundreds of miles.  They'd had an old female off 67 near Coleman with worn teeth that was feeding off roadkill.  The elevated deer populations are sustaining them quite well.  

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Use the ballistic tip and they go down pretty good. I have killed over 100 the last few years. I know there is all these other fancy name rifles with big ass shells, but I like my AR 

It takes a pounding in the Truck, in the tractor, on the 4 wheeler and onthe side by side.  Still reliable and highly accurate.

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Hogs shrugging off a 5.56 is what I like.  They shrug for a couple hundred yards until they become buzzard food and I don’t have to drag them off. 

Exactly what happened. I was disappointed because I wanted to harvest some backstraps. All I had was ball ammo which didn’t help my cause.
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  • 4 weeks later...

I was clearing out a sendero for a feeder and knocking down cedar trees when I noticed the smell of burning anti-freeze. I evidently had a stick come through the front end of the tractor and punch a hole right through the radiator. I was trying to be very careful to lift all the low branches up and fold the tree over so this didn't happen. I did a shit job clearly.

So I had to bring the tractor back home to take to the dealership. They informed me it would be over a month before they could get to it so I ordered a new one to install myself that may or may not be here in 2 weeks. This happened at the prefect time as well since I am expecting delivery of a new cabin in 2 weeks and I still need to finish padding out the area I am dropping it. If it ain't one thing it is another. 

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I was clearing out a sendero for a feeder and knocking down cedar trees when I noticed the smell of burning anti-freeze. I evidently had a stick come through the front end of the tractor and punch a hole right through the radiator. I was trying to be very careful to lift all the low branches up and fold the tree over so this didn't happen. I did a shit job clearly.
So I had to bring the tractor back home to take to the dealership. They informed me it would be over a month before they could get to it so I ordered a new one to install myself that may or may not be here in 2 weeks. This happened at the prefect time as well since I am expecting delivery of a new cabin in 2 weeks and I still need to finish padding out the area I am dropping it. If it ain't one thing it is another. 
Sounds like a rental is in your near future.
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15 hours ago, Both Tacos said:
22 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:
I was clearing out a sendero for a feeder and knocking down cedar trees when I noticed the smell of burning anti-freeze. I evidently had a stick come through the front end of the tractor and punch a hole right through the radiator. I was trying to be very careful to lift all the low branches up and fold the tree over so this didn't happen. I did a shit job clearly.
So I had to bring the tractor back home to take to the dealership. They informed me it would be over a month before they could get to it so I ordered a new one to install myself that may or may not be here in 2 weeks. This happened at the prefect time as well since I am expecting delivery of a new cabin in 2 weeks and I still need to finish padding out the area I am dropping it. If it ain't one thing it is another. 

Sounds like a rental is in your near future.

I found a shop that still repairs them. I was surprised as shit. The dude said he will have it fixed by tomorrow. May not end up too bad.

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Been getting some decent pics from our place over the last few weeks.  Starting to see some nontypical points on a few deer.  I really think that protein feeding is helping.  The genetics kind of suck out here, but the deer are healthy.  I'm hoping we get a decent whitetail in the next few years for my son to shoot.

Anyone have any experience aging axis?  I feel like I'm decent at aging whitetail on the hoof.  No experience with axis.  This one seems pretty young.  Maybe 2-1/2?

 

IMG_3657.JPG

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47 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

Been getting some decent pics from our place over the last few weeks.  Starting to see some nontypical points on a few deer.  I really think that protein feeding is helping.  The genetics kind of suck out here, but the deer are healthy.  I'm hoping we get a decent whitetail in the next few years for my son to shoot.

Anyone have any experience aging axis?  I feel like I'm decent at aging whitetail on the hoof.  No experience with axis.  This one seems pretty young.  Maybe 2-1/2?

 

IMG_3657.JPG

Not sure, but great looking pic.  I do know Axis can/will bully the shit out of WT.  They are just bigger and push WT away during feeding times.  They will go nocturnal if pressured enough...giving the WT's more feeding/resource opportunities.  

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28 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Not sure, but great looking pic.  I do know Axis can/will bully the shit out of WT.  They are just bigger and push WT away during feeding times.  They will go nocturnal if pressured enough...giving the WT's more feeding/resource opportunities.  

We've noticed the same thing.  When they come in to the feeders, the whitetail bail.  We seem to have a ton of smaller axis bucks this year.  Seems like the axis are way more nomadic than the whitetail.  They'll be there for a week, then disappear for a few weeks before we see them again.

My dad and I built this little alfalfa rack near the house to sit on the porch to watch deer.  My mom took this pic with her telephoto lens.  Believe it or not, it's about 80 yds from the house.  And that pic was taken after dusk.    

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5 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

We've noticed the same thing.  When they come in to the feeders, the whitetail bail.  We seem to have a ton of smaller axis bucks this year.  Seems like the axis are way more nomadic than the whitetail.  They'll be there for a week, then disappear for a few weeks before we see them again.

My dad and I built this little alfalfa rack near the house to sit on the porch to watch deer.  My mom took this pic with her telephoto lens.  Believe it or not, it's about 80 yds from the house.  And that pic was taken after dusk.    

I have a love/hate relationship with those twitchy turds.

Mew....Mew.....Mew......DAMMIT.  

But yeah, watch them.  They will give the WT a hard time and could impact growth/development if left unchecked.  The good news is they eat grass.  WT don't.  So certain plots can separate them somewhat besides feeders.  Maybe alfalfa bails, etc.  Problem ism they are so much bigger than WT.  From a resource standpoint, they can hurt WT.  Beyond feeders, they are also longer, and your vegetation browse-line raises, further limiting WT capacity.  

TLDR - they will push the WT out and take all the food if there are scarcity issues.  

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On 6/30/2020 at 12:43 PM, deadshank said:

Where’s your place and who is your guy with the shop?

We are sorta out near Spaulding, only east of Junction.

https://www.socomuffler.com/

These guys fixed it and after about 1hr of total work pulling and installing the radiator, I am back in business.

Edited by HOOKEM4
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2 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

We are sorta out near Spaulding, only east of Junction.

https://www.socomuffler.com/

These guys fixed it and after about 1hr of total work pulling and installing the radiator, I am back in business.

Glad you found an independent that will get your stuff fixed.  We finally found and independent guy just east of Knippa that is an ace tractor mechanic.  Sharp and personable guy that runs circles around the big dealership shops in the area.   He picks up and drops off your tractor and is very reasonably priced.   Good to see there are still some can-do types in the wild. 

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On 6/30/2020 at 1:35 PM, Spaulding Smails said:

Regarding our "axis problem", I need to make a bit more room in the deep freeze at home, but definitely planning on whacking a few before WT season kicks off.  

Do you have a walk in cooler to hang it in? If not, for a nominal fee of some Axis back strap, I would be more that willing to store it for a few days for you.

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4 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Do you have a walk in cooler to hang it in? If not, for a nominal fee of some Axis back strap, I would be more that willing to store it for a few days for you.

Yep.  We have an 8'x8' walk-in.  Actually just welded up the A-frame inside it last week.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Went out to the lease early Saturday morning to check cameras and ran into this guy as I was walking down to my feeder. Left my bow at camp (like a dumbass), so I hoofed it back to grab it and then put a stalk on him. As much as I enjoy hunting whitetails, it’s a shame we don’t get to stalk as much down here for fear of bumping deer around. Need to take advantage of doing that more with hogs.

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Freezer is low on meats, getting bratwurst made for some summer grilling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  • 2 weeks later...

I caught another cougar on a trail cam.

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Sucky image quality, I know. I don’t have cell phone or internet service at the cabin, so I just took a pic from my laptop screen. 
 

My friend gets a mountain lion just about every year. I took this pic of his bulletin board in his office about 5-6 years ago. He doesn’t use dogs, which kinda surprises me given his success rate. 
46-D62-AC4-472-F-46-BE-8-F2-F-570-E77308

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7 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

I caught another cougar on a trail cam.

A7501-D82-D2-A0-499-F-955-E-6-F41-BD229-
Sucky image quality, I know. I don’t have cell phone or internet service at the cabin, so I just took a pic from my laptop screen. 
 

My friend gets a mountain lion just about every year. I took this pic of his bulletin board in his office about 5-6 years ago. He doesn’t use dogs, which kinda surprises me given his success rate. 
46-D62-AC4-472-F-46-BE-8-F2-F-570-E77308

Where are you located?

Last year I found a 1/2 print that sure looked like a cougar at our place. The neighbor who lives out there full time said he had not seen one in over 15 years when I brought it up. I was worried as our camp area is pretty large and the kids often run around the periphery at night. They would be easy pickings. 

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Random game cam pics. All the times/dated are off. I need to replace all batteries and reset them all.

Fox family

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Momma & baby porcupine

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Ringtail

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Hawk

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Turkey

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I always hear them but this was the first game cam pic I got

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It is hot and I want to go swimming. There was a picture right after this where it slipped and dunked itself. I cant find it right now.

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Edited by HOOKEM4
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24 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Where are you located?

Last year I found a 1/2 print that sure looked like a cougar at our place. The neighbor who lives out there full time said he had not seen one in over 15 years when I brought it up. I was worried as our camp area is pretty large and the kids often run around the periphery at night. They would be easy pickings. 

Cabin is in the Black Hills, about 3-4 miles east of Mt. Rushmore. 

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Some good 2020 news - POTUS signed the great American outdoors act into law today. Establishing permanent funding from Gulf of Mexico and other other energy royalties into the Land and Water Conservation fund.

If the government is going to take its bite at least it’ll be appropriated correctly going forward.

Win for bipartisanship, win for outdoorsman. Small check for environmentalist and small check for O&G.

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Updated pic of the axis we've seen on and off now without velvet.  Pretty decent buck.  I'm guessing right at 30".  Headed back this weekend, so if he shows up, I may put my son on him. 

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Probably right around 27”. Looks to be a fairly young axis, he doesn’t have the gray in face yet & isn’t filled out.

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11 hours ago, Horns99 said:

 

Probably right around 27”. Looks to be a fairly young axis, he doesn’t have the gray in face yet & isn’t filled out.

The more I looked at him, I totally agree.  I found a pic of the one that I shot last year (30"), and side-by-side, he was noticeably younger in the face and neck.  

We saw two HUGE axis at separate times last week (neither on our property).  One when leaving the Llano River Saturday and another behind a high fence on 290 between Harper and Fredericksburg.  The second was so big, I turned around to get a better look.  He was a legit 36" and super wide.  I think we're going to pass on this guy.

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So, any of y'all interested in some really cool (and, per my research, reasonably valuable) hunting/wildlife art?  Short story: some friends of ours, the husband died suddenly right after Christmas.  Wife is downsizing, and is going through a bunch of his stuff.  They are coast people, and his dad regularly bought things at various DU auctions.  She has numerous signed and numbered prints (and she texted me offering some to me -- I let her know that they were worth some money, so I'd rather she sell them and make some cash to help her get settled in a new place).  Among the prints are these (images from the net, I have photos of the actual framed art I can put up):

Fox's Blind, by John Cowan:

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James Killen, Golden Retriever:

golden-retriever-wood-duck-james_1_33bb9

Norman Kelly, Prairie Majesties:

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And a few others -- a print of a belted kingisher, a pair of canvasbacks, and a set of pintails coming in (by RJ McDonald).

A couple of these are really cool pieces that I'd love myself, but I really don't have a place for them.  However, I suspect some of you might.  I know this is more of a "For Sale" post, but figured I'd get hunter eyes on them here.

 

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