Yep, got the biggest I have ever seen in my parts. If it didn't have a long tail I would have thought it to be a bobcat.

This has been a tricky old bugger to get too. He's been marking my doors for far too many years. And then he ended up going down rediculously easy.

I was out in my woods after work today checking deer tracks at the salt lick. Sho nuff I was admiring a very large set of tracks that I have never seen before. Wow, big deer hope it hangs out for bow season! I thought to myself.

I heard a muffled scream but thought it was birds fighting in the swamp. And went back to looking at the deer tracks. Then I heard something running and getting close to me. I looked and saw a black cat galloping through the woods right towards me. I was certain it was Zena since it was running straight at me.

Cept it ran right past like I wasn't there. It was NOT Zena. This beast looked scared and was the maker of the noise I surmised. Every hair on its body was fully flared out, it was terrified. I waited to see what might be following behind. Bad thing was I was unarmed. Nothing showed after several minutes so I went back to the house to get my rifle (the infamous Critter Shi**er). Zena and Mimi (my cats) were there with the dog in the barnyard.

I went back to the woods, armed now but down wind to look for the other black cat. Zena seeing me with firearms immediately took off in front of me, knowing the hunt was on. I locked the dog up (she does not chase cats).

To no avail we searched for the black feral and did not find him. So I went back to the salt lick to resume my recon of deer spoor. Zena was doing what all cat haters hate, she was twirling around my feet and just kind of under foot.

Once again, I heard something coming through the woods and it was close and it was from the same direction the other black cat traveled.

THEN I SAW HIM! And he did not see me.

I looked down at my feet and Zena was sitting silently looking at the HUGE brown tabby approach. She slightly moved when I flicked off the safety and I posititoned myself behind a small swamp maple bole. Smaller than I would have liked but big tom still did not know I was there! I had my rifle raised and ready and as he passed the tree 6 yards away he looked up at me with hatred in his eyes. I saw him through the scope and could not believe he made such a stupid mistake. Neither could he.

He was all shoulder, neck and head. Never quite seen a feral this big. I made a good shot and he rolled. Zena shot herself at him and attacked (damn cats). I knew I hit him good but man what a huge body and head he had. Built rather like a bison.

He surprised me and took off so I hollered at Zena and I ran after him (in my bare feet too) but heard the death moan. Our hunt ended as quickly as it began. We admired the big trophy tom, Zena never ceases to amaze me. She growled vigorously at him and definitly showed her dislike.



I still get a kick out of her, she cares not about shooting and knows exactly what is going on. I just hope she doesn't start on the coyotes and these ferals on her own.

BTW- another possum made the mistake of touching my BBQ two nights ago.

Wait till she goes in to heat and use her as bait .
A female in heat can call males from a long way out.

Johnch

Ann,

I hope you learned your lesson for the day. Never leave the house unarmed, you never know what may turn up around the corner of the barn, chicken coop, BBQ, etc., etc. If you had your critter shi**r with you on your first trip out, you could have posted a double kill instead.

Hog Killer

Congratulations Ann! Sounds like you can make yourself a nice fur-hat now.

Regards,
Martin

Helluva tale Ann, when's the book coming out? "Death with Bare Feet" by Ann Aspenhill. Maybe "Buffalo Crats in the Big Woods"? By Xena, as told to Ann.

Dan

Pres., TYHC

www.Crystaline.Moments

I hope you got a pic of this trophy.

Nah, no photos, once nature cleans the bones up I will save the skull. This one was definitly the boss tom of the ferals in my area. You could tell by his walk.

Martin, ferals rarely have nice fur. Not like a tame cat. Ferals here are very easy to distinguish due to their appearance which is very rough and generally they are quite dirty. Not fur hat material, the possums are better for that.

My cats are neutered. Normally I am armed but had the grill going and had not planned to stay in the woods long since I did not want my lamb steaks to burn.

Call it "Whopper in the woods".

And you had the grill going? What a great coincidence! The Turks who lived in my neighborhood in Germany used to like to combine lamb and old bull-meat. They claimed it added flavor and "snap", which I assumed means a certain chewiness to the meal.

So, how was the lamb and tom mix???

When I was a very young child I really loved Tom Mix. And His Horse, Tony. Don't know about the lamb though.

Nice going ANN on both counts Cat & the stinkin Possum.Possums are protected down here so they have to be removed "humainly" Which being a Pro shooter under the scruteny of the Gov Inspectors.I never,ever shoot them .Cause I never break the law.( I hope the Inspector who pulled me up last week reads this,and works out who it was that S**t on his drivers seat the next day)

Annie,

Nice tale... Male crat's heads usually grow until they die so they'll get quite large on an older non-neutered tom.

Sounds like this one was the top cock of the walk and a great trophy for your skull collection.

I've seen a few feral crats that aren't scruffy looking. Usually those that are good hunters and healthy. The sleek and pretty ones usually get adopted if that's what they want.

$bob$