Bounty the Dog Hunter Report post Posted March 22, 2009 FOR ALL YOU BEGINNERS OUT THERE...LISTEN UP I AM STILL REPLAYING THE MOMENT IN MY MIND....ANDRENILINE PUMPING AS I GLIMPSE THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAT OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE...IT IS CREEPING IN SLOW AND CAUTIOUS...SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE FOR THE SOURCE OF ITS DEMISE....THE MINASKA IS WAILING LOUDLY, CHRIS IS AT THE REMOTE LIKE THE PIED PIPER LURING HER EVER SO CLOSE. SHE PAUSES AT THE END OF A FALLEN TREE, HER BODY IS MOSTLY COVERED FROM VIEW. HER HEAD IS UP AND ALERT AS SHE SCANS THE BRUSH. SHE IS MAJESTIC, FOR A SECOND WE ARE IN SYNC. WE ARE BOTH THERE FOR THE SAME REASON, TO HUNT AND TO KILL. LIKE HER I AM CAUTIOUS TRYING TO CONTROL THE INSTINCT TO RUSH. WE ARE BOTH READY NOW THIS IS THE MOMENT, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TIMING, NO ROOM FOR ERROR...NO ROOM FOR ALL THE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OF THE PAST....THE MOMENT IS NOW! EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT IS COMING THE SIMPLE SQUEEZE OF THE TRIGGER SENDS A DEAFENING SOUND THROUGHOUT THE LANDSCAPE THAT STARTLES ME. I AM EXCITED, KNOWING THAT THE SHOT WAS WELL PLACED AND HIT ITS MARK. INSIDE 100 YARDS....YOU CAN HIT A BEER CAN ALL DAY WITH A SCOPED AR....BUT THERE IS NO HEART POUNDING EXCITEMENT TO SHAKE UP YOUR CONCENTRATION...IF YOU MISS YOU SIMPLY SHOOT AGAIN. THIS IS DIFFERENT...THE PRESSURE IS ON JUST SEEING THE CAT...YOU RUN THROUGH A 100 THOUGHTS IN A SECOND THEN TRY TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD TO FOCUS AT THE TASK AT HAND. YES I AM SURE I HIT IT....BUT I HAVE BEEN SURE BEFORE ONLY TO HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY THE REALITY OF FAILURE. I HEAR CHRIS SCREAMING "WHAT DID YOU SEE???" "WHAT WAS IT?"..............."IT WAS A BOBCAT" I SCREAM BACK...."DID YOU GET IT?" HE ASKED....I HAD TO PAUSE AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH MY SCOPE FOR SOME CONFIRMATION....I SEE NOTHING BUT BRUSH....NO SIGN OF A KILL...NO MOVEMENT AT ALL. I ALMOST COULD NOT ANSWER....ALREADY THINKING TO MYSELF "HOW DID I MANAGE TO F THAT UP...I WAS SO FOCUSED. I YELL TO CHRIS WHO IS ALREADY HALFWAY TO THE LOG "I THINK I HIT IT?" CHRIS IS FRANTICALLY TEARING UP THE TERRAIN SEARCHING FOR A BLOOD TRAIL. HE YELLS TO ME " ARE YOU SURE? I DID NOT SEE shoot!" I START HEADING DOWN TO THE LOCATION WHERE I THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE. GOING DOWN THE HILL WAS THE WORST. HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED? I WAS WITING TO SEE THE CAT JUMP 3 FEET HIGH LIKE ALL THE VIDEOS I HAVE SEEN....I DIALED DOWN THE SCOPE TO LET IN A BETTER FOV....THE CAT MUST BE DOWN!!! I MEET CHRIS ATH THE BASE OF OUR HILL AND RUSHED TO THE SPOT....CHRIS WAS ASKING WHERE I HIT IT....I TOLD HIM IT WAS A HARD SHOT BECAUSE SHE WAS HIDING BEHIND A FALLEN TREE....HER SHOULDER WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED...." I SHOT RIGHT UNDER THE NECK AT THE SHOULDER" AS I APPROACHED THE SPOT I SAW HIS FACE LIGHT UP....HE LET OUT A "heck YEAH"....."THATS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT" THE CAT WAS THERE! RIGHT WHERE SHE HAD BEEN READY TO POUNCE A 2 MINUTES EARLIER!!! THE WHOLE TEAM HAD DONE ITS PART....THE BUSHMASTER AND NIKON COMBO PERFORMED FALWLESSLY, THE HORNRADY V-MATCH HAD DELIVERED A K.O. WITHOUT MESSING UP THE FUR. SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS SPARWLED OUT FOR A NAP. LIKE SHE WAS LULLED TO SLEEP BY THE LULLABY THE MINASKA HAD SUNG TO HER. I HAD A GREAT TIME....I HAVE RENEWED HOPE IN THE CALLING BUSINESS....CANT WAIT TO POST NEXT SEASON THANKS, SAL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kilimanjaro Report post Posted March 22, 2009 Nice cat but... WHY ARE YOU YELLING????? capslock typing is a PAIN to read and insinuates yelling over the computer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismp51 Report post Posted March 22, 2009 Glad to see ya joined the site Sal. Congrats on the cat! It is deserved after so many dry stands! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted March 22, 2009 Nicely colored pelt on that feline. Congrats on your first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted March 22, 2009 Congrats on the bobcat and great right up! I agree with Scottyboy about the all caps. Thanks for sharing! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rimhunter Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Sal Thats one nice cat hope to get me one some day . And welcome to the site hope the rude comments dont discourage you . there are some nice people here . And I think I'd be yelling if I got a BOBCAT Bruce Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Congrats on the Kitty!!! ...and you can YELL all you want.... IMO..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bounty the Dog Hunter Report post Posted March 23, 2009 I was typing in all caps to save a little time, had the wifey yelling to put the crib together as we got another little one coming next month. I dont mind the comments, I am on here to learn, share, and get feedback...for me it is all good! I am glad there is a place to share with likeminded people. If you think that is yelling, heck you should of heard me when I saw a dead kitty laying there. Thanks for the support, I will try to share more quietly in the future for those of you who were a little intimidated...haha.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D.F.M. Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Nice cat excellent job but why are you yelling Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted March 23, 2009 Thanks for sharing your story and congrats on the cat. I agree that the all caps seeming like "yelling", so glad to hear you will soften it up next time. Welcome to the site! Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
