My available time to scout hasn't been very good this year. Well life happens. I got a chance to get out and scout this last Saturday same area I scouted and hunted last year d14. Yup archery opener. This area doesn't see many people and I have yet to see an archer out in this rifle area. I figure ill get a couple of cameras out and try a new unexplored approach to an area I know bucks frequent. Good time to practice, scout like i'm hunting, slow deliberate and as quiet as I can be using the wind. I pull up and see a truck parked. Mental note keep an eye out for that guy.
I make my way a mile glassing and moving slow. wind is perfect for where I'm going. I see the dry creek bed in a small valley that will take me in deeper to the good spot I want to get to. Scrub brush on the hillsides of the valley and tall 6-7ft bushes in the creekbed. I drop in and check the sand for sign. Its nice and cool down here. I think... if i like it animals like it too. no prints keep moving in another 50 feet. More sand, now I see sign. Big cat prints. About the size of my fist. I'm thinking reassuring myself ..ok I have seen cat sign out here before no biggie just keep your guard up. I take a couple more steps and I hear a strange sound, a thump almost sounded like car door shutting in the distance.... weird misplaced sound. I'm standing pondering this sound that doesn't belong, then I hear a low deep gutteral growl about 15-20 feet in front of me on the other side of this bush. I pull my pistol keep it pointed in the area of the growl and say in a medium voice "ok..all right.. i'm backing out im backing out" my eyes are scanning everything looking for any sign of movement. Nothing. I start to back up the way I came. Not too fast. focused and aiming on the cats area. don't want to trip backwards and don't want to give him my back. I keep talking out loud while backing out "fucking cat I don't want to shoot you. stay put, neither of us wants anything to go down". I get far enough away to feel safe to walk forward checking my six , out of the creek bed I make my way backtracking making sure i'm not followed trying to keep to clear areas. had to backtrack 3/4 of a mile and turn back in another way with a nice sized hill between us watching my back plenty.
It was surreal. I was very calm and deliberate. , but now when i tell the story my heart starts to race. I tend to scout and hunt solo no one around for miles. Always have my pistol and bear/cat spray, even though there are no bears where i'm at. I would rather spray at a cat then shoot it if he gave me the choice. I think I ran into a cat that was bedded, nice wind in my face and moving quiet I think I surprised him. He gave me a good warning and let me be. I think i'll leave that little valley alone. Thought I would share.
I make my way a mile glassing and moving slow. wind is perfect for where I'm going. I see the dry creek bed in a small valley that will take me in deeper to the good spot I want to get to. Scrub brush on the hillsides of the valley and tall 6-7ft bushes in the creekbed. I drop in and check the sand for sign. Its nice and cool down here. I think... if i like it animals like it too. no prints keep moving in another 50 feet. More sand, now I see sign. Big cat prints. About the size of my fist. I'm thinking reassuring myself ..ok I have seen cat sign out here before no biggie just keep your guard up. I take a couple more steps and I hear a strange sound, a thump almost sounded like car door shutting in the distance.... weird misplaced sound. I'm standing pondering this sound that doesn't belong, then I hear a low deep gutteral growl about 15-20 feet in front of me on the other side of this bush. I pull my pistol keep it pointed in the area of the growl and say in a medium voice "ok..all right.. i'm backing out im backing out" my eyes are scanning everything looking for any sign of movement. Nothing. I start to back up the way I came. Not too fast. focused and aiming on the cats area. don't want to trip backwards and don't want to give him my back. I keep talking out loud while backing out "fucking cat I don't want to shoot you. stay put, neither of us wants anything to go down". I get far enough away to feel safe to walk forward checking my six , out of the creek bed I make my way backtracking making sure i'm not followed trying to keep to clear areas. had to backtrack 3/4 of a mile and turn back in another way with a nice sized hill between us watching my back plenty.
It was surreal. I was very calm and deliberate. , but now when i tell the story my heart starts to race. I tend to scout and hunt solo no one around for miles. Always have my pistol and bear/cat spray, even though there are no bears where i'm at. I would rather spray at a cat then shoot it if he gave me the choice. I think I ran into a cat that was bedded, nice wind in my face and moving quiet I think I surprised him. He gave me a good warning and let me be. I think i'll leave that little valley alone. Thought I would share.
