Had a great hunt with Jeremy of Wild Side Outfitters last weekend. We decided to go out early on Sun eve in order to beat a front, according to WX reports, would arrive about 11PM. We had been night calling for fox and bobcat on Fri and Sat and wanted get in our time.
He set up the caller with attractor, at the edge of a deep canyon about a half mile or so from the Rio Grand. The bottom of the canyon was covered with brush and boulders.
Sitting on the edge so we could see the bottom for 3-400 yards or so. I set up my 3 leg stool and sticks to cover all the area up to the caller. The wind was against us, but due to our elevation, didn't think it would be a problem.
Jeremy started off with standard rabbit and bird stuff. I am burning my eyes on the bottom of the canyon. About the 30 min level, he switched over to the lion in heat sound, rather scarey actually.
After about 45 min, we both noticed the brown shape just appear from nowhere. I pulled the sticks up to get on the cat. He jumped up about 10 feet to the top of a large washed boulder. Jeremy who was besides me laid back to give me clear aim. I got solid on the cat, but, I had to wait to get angle into boiler room. He finally turned enough that I felt comfortable and touched off. Jeremy yelled "good shot" and as I was frantically reloading the Valmet, he yelled he's down.
He had went about 25 yards and expired.
I used a Valmet 223/12ga. Handloads 55 gr sierra HPBT.
The cat was a mature tom, good teeth, pelt in good shape. Ranch scale showed a heavy cat at 142#.
This was a "once in a lifetime" hunt for this old fart.
I have pictures and someone would be kind enough to post for me I would appreciate it.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I would love to get a chance like that.

Outstanding!!!! That is one,of the coolest Texas trophies you can get. Congrats!!!!

.

Good job

PIX???????????

The pics he sent...

[IMG:left] cat3 by michael privett, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG:left] cat1 by michael privett, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG:left] cat2 by michael privett, on Flickr[/IMG]

Thanks nmcollektor.

Wow Wallyfish that is outstanding, Cool Valmet as well Congrats!!

Nice cat, good story. I am a bit envious, actually. Congratulations.

What a magnificent animal!

Are you doing a mount, a rug, or what?

European on the skull.
Pelt being tanned.

That is an amazing trophy! Once in a lifetime opportunity for most Texas varmint callers.

Great job getting one down. The European mount and Hide will be impressive. I've thought if I ever shot one would I do the full body mount or not but I think I would do the same as you.

Justin

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The European mount and Hide will be impressive.

Plus One on that option.

Wow! Just . . . WOW! Thanks so much for the narrative and the pictures. That's one gorgeous cat.

Nice Tom. Bet that rancher was just as happy as you.

That is a huge cat for So. Texas or the Big Bend area..Ive shot a lot of Lions on a big ranch So. of Marathon bording the Big Bend Nat'l. park and just a couple of mile from Mexico.. I had it leased in the 60s and 70s..The largest cat I shot (trapped) was 124 lbs. A Lion in Idaho can go twice that, and they have a beautiful coat...One deer season my boy John and his friend both from Texas and I watched two albino cubs and their mom play in the brush South of my house..Never saw them again, and kicking my butt for not having a camera, but it made my day..no made my hunt for that year..

Thanks for the pictures. I am a Valmet fan as well. I have a 9.3 and 12 ga pair of double barrel sets. I haven't blooded the 9.3 set but the 12 ga got me a turkey a few years back. Great job on a good and successful hunt. Packy

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A Lion in Idaho can go twice that, and they have a beautiful coat

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248 pound cat? Wow, that might be a state record!

That Texas cat is very nice! Congrat's

I had not heard about this one and it was killed about 80 maybe 90 miles southeast of where I live.


https://www.star-telegram.com/...rticle203528199.html

Jason,
The cat I refered to was in the office of Steve Herret the pistol grip maker from Twin Falls, It was supposed to weigh over 200 pounds, I figure that's close enough as most of the Toms I killed on my ranch in Texas weighed 80 to 90 lbs and the largest weighed 125 rounded it off to the nearest figure..the twice as much quote was just a figure of speech since I never weighed many cats to start with. I was just pointing out the difference and the scientific fact that the further north you go the larger animals get, there is a name for that, but I can't recall it just off hand.

Nice cat!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Jason,
The cat I refered to was in the office of Steve Herret the pistol grip maker from Twin Falls, It was supposed to weigh over 200 pounds, I figure that's close enough as most of the Toms I killed on my ranch in Texas weighed 80 to 90 lbs and the largest weighed 125 rounded it off to the nearest figure..the twice as much quote was just a figure of speech since I never weighed many cats to start with. I was just pointing out the difference and the scientific fact that the further north you go the larger animals get, there is a name for that, but I can't recall it just off hand.

Yeah, that is a monster for sure. I shot a 170 Tom in Montana a few years back and I could not have been happier.
In Utah, there is significant pressure on cats and many are in the 130 pound range (from what I have been told).

The OP has a great cat and IMO a Mountain Lion is one of the great North American Trophies. I am getting a life size mount on mine.

I used the term "twice that size" Meaning twice the size of the average cats I shot on my Texas ranch, they went 80 or 90 lbs, the 125 was a record of sorts I believe...The big bend of texas has perhaps the highest population of cats in the US I suspect..They come in from Mexico and the Big bend National Park, and have been a sore spot for Texas Fish and Wildlifes Desert Sheep Program..I would guess that the average lion in Idaho would go 150 or better, and they have a beautiful coat and white turf. I sure whatever one could say about Idaho on cats would apply to Utah or Montana, the pacific North West..the Texas cats or kinda of a alley cat by comparison is what I should have said!

Can you post up the Outfitters information? I would love a cat hunt in West Texas.

Beautiful lion! How cool!

well, no outfitters in Texas to speak of that I know off, but some of the ranchers that have dogs will take someone hunting at a reasonable price, Fussy McBride from Alpine used too hunt on my ranch (The Rosillas Mountain Ranch) its for sale on the internet I hear..I had it leased in the 1970s for a couple of years, had a lot of Lions, Mule Deer and a few Coues..Contact the chamber of Commerce in Alpine,Marathon, Ft. Davis, they will help you out..

Two years ago in Southern Colorado, waiting on an alfalfa patch for a cow elk to come by I saw a monster of a Whitetail come out feeding, while watching the buck, my guide says theres a Lion about 100 yards right in front of us..He was just sitting watching the deer maybe 100 yards in front of us..A big male, my guess is 200 lbs, maybe a bit more, with a beautiful white collar and about the prettiest Lion Ive ever seen, shined like a gold coin..Deer trotted off and the Lion followed until they went out of sight..I only had a cow tag, but who cares a trophy Lion and a trophy deer in the same view..The locations was about a mile out of Walsenburg on the South side of hiway 10 in those Alfalfa fields on the Ross McKenna ranch..He books hunters for elk, deer and antelope, not sure about Lion, but I would only hunt Lion with dogs, otherwise its folly IMO..