I got in the deer blind on Mt Spokane at 3pm. Land belongs to my neighbors. I watched a parade of chipmunks, chickadees, and a blue jay run wild on the mountain all afternoon. Around 5pm I heard a deer about 200 yards off blow a few times. I had a hard time thinking it was me, but ya never know. Then a fearless chipmunk joined me in the blind! I watched him bury some seeds next to my chair and the heard him bury some more underneath it! He then sauntered under my crossed legs and out the blind he went. Towards dark I figured no deer were going to show and maybe I could hunt my way back to the cabin. I had heard another deer blow a while before than in the opposite direction and figured maybe I stunk! I stood and poked my head out the front window of the blind. Nothing moving. I glanced a few more times and then slung my pack over my shoulder. I dropped my 1911 in my cargo pocket and glanced up. A face was staring at me! I stared. He stared.

My mind was racing... "That's a #*^#^ cougar! Damn, I hope he doesn't run!" I slowly reached down to my bow, which still had an arrow nocked. I raised it. The cat stared. I glanced down and clipped my release on the d-loop. The cat stared. I drew the bow. The cat stared. I could see his face and right shoulder, so I found my pin and fired!

The cougar mule kicked and grunted as he scampered off. I could hear him crashing through brush for about 10 seconds, then silence. Oh #(*(%&! I'd shot a cougar!!!! But was it a good hit? I stepped out of the blind and immediately found blood. I strapped my bow on my pack and retrieved my .45 from my pocket. I waited a few minutes and with flashlight and 1911 in hand, started on the blood.

There was lots of blood. Splattered all over. I'm shooting 125 grain rage hypodermics from my 62 pound Martin Onza 3. Getting nervous as darkness fell, my pistol led the way. Less than 40 yards later, I see him laying on the ground, quite dead! But I have him a few kicks just to make sure!

I dropped my pack in the trail and hotfooted it down to the cabin about 120 yards away. I called out to my neighbor and we both kind of had a freak out moment when I told him what happened. We retrieved the cat, took some pics, gutted it (double lung!) and I hauled it over my shoulder down the hill. More pics and some handshaking and we went back to find the arrow. I paced off where the cat stood to where I was in the blind. 7 yards. 21 feet. Holy #(*%&! And I found my arrow! Only the second cougar I've seen in the wild!!!

Very nice.

And what a story.

Awesome and congratulations!!

Sweet!

What an experience!

Well done!

Congratulations!!

GREAT I'm happy for you.
Thanks for sharing such a great time with us.
PM coming
George

Congratulations, nice cat. Good that you capitalized on it when you had the chance. They don't come about very often. Years ago my wife and I had a little confrontation with a cougar at dusk heading back to camp. I was Bowhunting also.

Nice Tom!!!