Parabuteos lad 878 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 (edited) Thought I’d share a few images with you guys from a recent trip over to Utah hunting mountain lions, we never got lucky unfortunately but I was still over there chasing dreams regardless of the result so who cares. Plus it led to plenty more opportunities and we should hopefully be headed back over in the new year and with a bit more luck may actually get one. If there’s interest more than happy to discuss the trip and how it panned out but don’t fancy writing it all now at 03:47am without any prompting Edited July 2, 2019 by Parabuteos lad 11 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kinkell 787 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 Just love them hounds best looking dogs fact 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sussex 5,776 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 Write it up , great looking dogs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,183 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 Stop being lazy you can sleep when your dead 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 25,147 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 37 minutes ago, baker boy said: You could have gone hunting big cats here in the UK not seen any and saved yourself a few grand... Just goes to show how easy it is really he went to a country with a healthy population, a guide and a pack of trained dogs surprised anyone believes him 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Parabuteos lad 878 Posted July 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 So I was invited over there, very fortunate. Only cost my flight ticket and my spending spree in bass pro. Flew into Cali where I met a friend from France, from there we road tripped to Vegas and spent the night in the Paris casino. Following day had a look around bass pro etc. Before driving through Arizona and ending at camp in Utah. Seen plenty of mule deer on the road and even a dead skunk which I was convinced was someone in the car with weed. Had no idea that’s why skunk is called skunk. Anyway got to camp at midnight and stayed up for a couple of hours before getting a bit of sleep and waking up at 5am to get the dogs rigged up etc. This was their first day at this new camp, more of a bear area as we arrived right at the end of lion season. The snow had been thawing out and bear where starting to leave their dens etc. We had a surprise frost and I guess much hadn’t been moving because of it. We drove a fair bit looking for tracks with the dogs rigged up on roof for any scents but had no luck. At about mid day we decided to check a canyon on foot that has produced consistently in the past but again, no luck. Back to camp where we had a few drinks, bbq etc. And I took a load of pics and stuff. following morning we started earlier was still dark and conditions where better. Literally as soon as we left camp the dogs started getting scent but it wasn’t fresh scent so we never stopped. We where in two cars and I was in the rear one, we stopped to inspect a lion track that car 1 missed and it seemed fresh so we raced to catch up to them and as we reached the brow of a hill we could see the first car slam on, everyone jump out and the hounds go off in full voice, morale was obviously high thinking were in luck here. We split up and surrounded the plot but as time went on the hounds started splitting up etc. Clearly lost the scent so we caught them up and carried on. It’s was now near mid day and the scent was all old now but we persevered. Found coyote, bobcat, mountain lion kitten and old bear tracks but nothing of a decent size and fresh. again we tried a productive canyon on foot but the temp was now high and we all just had that feeling it wasn’t going to happen. We stopped next to a river at the bottom of canyon for a rest and once we got up and walked around the corner we found a really really fresh bear track and dogs took off again but again for whatever reason couldn’t pin the scent and we had to accept defeat. Headed back to camp and started our road trip back to Cali. Was unfortunate but that’s hunting, it lead to invites hunting raccoons, coyotes and deer with hounds, an invite back to complete the mountain lion tag which is valid until November 2020. All sorts really so for me, it was definitely worth it and I had an unbelievable time. utah is without doubt the most beautiful place I’ve hunted, dusty mountains, snowy mountains, grass plains as far as you can see with pronghorn lying down not scared of you because of how fast they are and how fat I am entire place looked like a John Wayne film. It’s not the sort of place you could recommend someone to visit unless they’re hunting/camping/walking because there’s literally nothing else there. Elk tracks are literally everywhere it’s unbelievable I didn’t see one in all honesty, we must of done 50 miles a day checking dirt tracks for scent and I’d confidently say there was elk tracks the entire distance. not sure what else there is to talk about but if anyone has any questions fire away 10 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darbo 4,774 Posted July 2, 2019 Report Share Posted July 2, 2019 It must have been a hell of a good experience well done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 25,147 Posted July 3, 2019 Report Share Posted July 3, 2019 14 hours ago, Parabuteos lad said: So I was invited over there, very fortunate. Only cost my flight ticket and my spending spree in bass pro. Flew into Cali where I met a friend from France, from there we road tripped to Vegas and spent the night in the Paris casino. Following day had a look around bass pro etc. Before driving through Arizona and ending at camp in Utah. Seen plenty of mule deer on the road and even a dead skunk which I was convinced was someone in the car with weed. Had no idea that’s why skunk is called skunk. Anyway got to camp at midnight and stayed up for a couple of hours before getting a bit of sleep and waking up at 5am to get the dogs rigged up etc. This was their first day at this new camp, more of a bear area as we arrived right at the end of lion season. The snow had been thawing out and bear where starting to leave their dens etc. We had a surprise frost and I guess much hadn’t been moving because of it. We drove a fair bit looking for tracks with the dogs rigged up on roof for any scents but had no luck. At about mid day we decided to check a canyon on foot that has produced consistently in the past but again, no luck. Back to camp where we had a few drinks, bbq etc. And I took a load of pics and stuff. following morning we started earlier was still dark and conditions where better. Literally as soon as we left camp the dogs started getting scent but it wasn’t fresh scent so we never stopped. We where in two cars and I was in the rear one, we stopped to inspect a lion track that car 1 missed and it seemed fresh so we raced to catch up to them and as we reached the brow of a hill we could see the first car slam on, everyone jump out and the hounds go off in full voice, morale was obviously high thinking were in luck here. We split up and surrounded the plot but as time went on the hounds started splitting up etc. Clearly lost the scent so we caught them up and carried on. It’s was now near mid day and the scent was all old now but we persevered. Found coyote, bobcat, mountain lion kitten and old bear tracks but nothing of a decent size and fresh. again we tried a productive canyon on foot but the temp was now high and we all just had that feeling it wasn’t going to happen. We stopped next to a river at the bottom of canyon for a rest and once we got up and walked around the corner we found a really really fresh bear track and dogs took off again but again for whatever reason couldn’t pin the scent and we had to accept defeat. Headed back to camp and started our road trip back to Cali. Was unfortunate but that’s hunting, it lead to invites hunting raccoons, coyotes and deer with hounds, an invite back to complete the mountain lion tag which is valid until November 2020. All sorts really so for me, it was definitely worth it and I had an unbelievable time. utah is without doubt the most beautiful place I’ve hunted, dusty mountains, snowy mountains, grass plains as far as you can see with pronghorn lying down not scared of you because of how fast they are and how fat I am entire place looked like a John Wayne film. It’s not the sort of place you could recommend someone to visit unless they’re hunting/camping/walking because there’s literally nothing else there. Elk tracks are literally everywhere it’s unbelievable I didn’t see one in all honesty, we must of done 50 miles a day checking dirt tracks for scent and I’d confidently say there was elk tracks the entire distance. not sure what else there is to talk about but if anyone has any questions fire away Pictures always gratefully received especially pug marks and kills FairPlay to you for getting out there and doing it mate, not my bag for obvious reasons but take my hat off to anyone 5hat actually gets off the couch and pursues a dream, was in the bottom of a deep ravine myself looking for the same thing this morning but all I saw was this roe cooling off in a dried stream bed , far to relaxed indicating no large predator in town sat watching it for 5 mins before it got up and legged it 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 23,674 Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 Excellent read,I have a mountain lion booked for November,the guide has a very good % rate,the odds are in my favour I think,your right about the skunk,I am on the other side of the pond at the moment,got here two days ago,looked at a dead skunk on the road and there was that smell.Hope you get a cat next time you are over,be lucky. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Parabuteos lad 878 Posted July 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 On 05/07/2019 at 12:10, mackem said: Excellent read,I have a mountain lion booked for November,the guide has a very good % rate,the odds are in my favour I think,your right about the skunk,I am on the other side of the pond at the moment,got here two days ago,looked at a dead skunk on the road and there was that smell.Hope you get a cat next time you are over,be lucky. Thanks mate, hoping to be back over around February but hoping to go over to Texas in November time for some coyotes with staghounds 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ted Newgent 4,896 Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 (edited) excellent write up thanks for sharing your experience skunk advice from my own experience.......avoid the little fckrs, i have never ever been so violently ill after being down wind when one sprayed its toxic ass fume that day still haunts me Edited July 7, 2019 by Ted Newgent 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jiggy 3,207 Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 On 03/07/2019 at 12:12, Greyman said: Pictures always gratefully received especially pug marks and kills FairPlay to you for getting out there and doing it mate, not my bag for obvious reasons but take my hat off to anyone 5hat actually gets off the couch and pursues a dream, was in the bottom of a deep ravine myself looking for the same thing this morning but all I saw was this roe cooling off in a dried stream bed , far to relaxed indicating no large predator in town sat watching it for 5 mins before it got up and legged it Just aswell your not a wedding photographer. You would capture just the grooms shoes and none of the bride. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greyman 25,147 Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 10 hours ago, jiggy said: Just aswell your not a wedding photographer. You would capture just the grooms shoes and none of the bride. The deer never paid for the photo and won’t be getting a refund 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.