# The Date Went Well



## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Hit the new cat area early enough this morning and got up on a ridge to do some glass'in to get the lay of the land. The area looks like its gonna produce a few pussycats when the snow hits. After spot'in a fair size green belt from the ridge, I figured I'd head down that way, since it would be easier to pickup tracks in the muddy edges.

After about a half mile walk, I started hear'in some racket going on down below me. I turned sneak mode on and headed that direction. As I rounded a couple big boulders to a point where I could see into the green belt, I saw the Ravens and Magpies were feed'in on something---"Lion kill".

At 30 yards, I put sweetys (her real name is Lucy) scope on 9 power and could see that a lion had taken down a yearling Mule deer last night. Think'in whoever was hav'in deer steak for dinner last night might still be around, I was gonna see if I could piss him off and get him to show himself.

I ran about 30 sec. of Grey fox/Coyote fight on my PM and waited---maybe he'll think someone is eat'in his deer. Off to my right I saw a movement---it was a coyote comm'in in at a lope.

The coyote kept comming until he got to the high bank right above the dead deer and slammed on the brakes. I almost started to laugh out loud the way he kept look'in down at the deer and then back towards me since I was blow'in on a rabbit distress call real easy.

He must have been think'in---"Dead deer or hurt Rabbit?---Dead deer or hurt Rabbit?." He bailed off the bank---grabbed the head/neck/leg of the Mulie and headed for Dodge.








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I set up about 3/4 a mile away and called in another yote to around 60 yards. I had the camera on him until he got down wind if me and blitzed outta there. I'd post some pictures of him too but---the dumb *$$ runn'im the camera didn't hit the record button.









Lots of cat sign in the area and a lion for sure. I should pull some fur outta there this season.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Sounds like you had a good morning Dave. The photography is stunning, I really feel like I'm there! Will you get bobcats too, whats your limit you can take?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Bobcat season here in Colorado starts Dec.1st to the end of Feb. and the take is unlimited.

Hey Matt---its nice that you say good things about my pictures---but we all know my camera takes crappy pics.lol.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Are you just after the cougar's or all predators?


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Nothing like a fun morning..glad you were able to at least spot some yotes.

Question..why did you not take em out ?

Glad you found some kitty cats to play with.

I was talking with two guys at the Michigan Trappers Association convention yesterday. They are mostly mink trappers but catch a number of bobs in thier 1.5's allong the bank. They catch pole them and then release them. Both question if that stress might kill those cats after they run off. Any thoughts ?

Also ran into to other guys that confirmed seeing lions in my trapping area. So those 2.5 " cat track may have been a small lion ? But they also agree i may have a extra large bob running ? Lookin forward to winter


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Bobcat and Lion are my number one target. Grey/Red/Swift Fox and Coyote are just extra cream on the cake. I take a couple of Badger every now and again if there gett'in in the way.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Swift Fox?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

O.A.C.--- I don't kill'em unless their hide is prime or I have a pay'in hunter out.

As long as they don't crush their windpipe with the catch pole they are usally no worse for wear. Wild animals are pretty tuff. If you ever get the chance to play with a bobcat on the end of a pole, don't pass it up---its like hav'in a wild superball on the end of a stick.lol.

Why don't you put a picture in your avatar Brian?.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

The swift fox (_Vulpes velox_), is one of the smallest foxes in the world, and is only found in the Great Plains of North America. This fox is only about the size of a house cat, standing about 30 cm high and weighing about 2.7 kilograms. The swift fox gets its name because it can reach speeds of up to 40 km per hour. At one time the fox could be found in great numbers all over the Canadian grasslands of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Their U.S. range included several states between North Dakota and Mexico.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Wow Dave... You're having more fun out here than I am! At least you know how to get into them. I think I might have to retire from calling and stick with trapping. At least there is a sense of accomplishment in that.









Maybe one day we'll get together and you can show me how to do it out here in the Rockies. I'm volunteering to come along as your camera man. I just wanna see something called up out here lol.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Dave - is it not possible that we have swift foxes out here? We're seein a much smaller gray fox with black and sometimes black and white tipped tails. We've caught grays here but these smaller guys we're only seeing at night and they haven't gone into cages. At first I thought they were just malnourished grays but they are about 1/2 - 3/4 the size of a normal gray.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

catcapper said:


> The swift fox (_Vulpes velox_), is one of the smallest foxes in the world, and is only found in the Great Plains of North America. This fox is only about the size of a house cat, standing about 30 cm high and weighing about 2.7 kilograms. The swift fox gets its name because it can reach speeds of up to 40 km per hour. At one time the fox could be found in great numbers all over the Canadian grasslands of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Their U.S. range included several states between North Dakota and Mexico.


Thank you for the info Dave, never heard of it. They are tiny!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Dave one of these days I promise to get somthing up and maybe learn how to post photos







.

Those guys were more concerned with cats stroking out. They were serious or perhaps they want a law allowing them to keep a cat caught in a mink set and trying to get backing.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> Wow Dave... You're having more fun out here than I am! At least you know how to get into them. I think I might have to retire from calling and stick with trapping. At least there is a sense of accomplishment in that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Chris--- you must not have gotten my last PM I send you or you would have been my camera man today.

Don't ever retire from call'in---you just need to get that Texas crap outta your head.lol (No offence to our Texas folks.lol.)

By the way---I have a little head start on ya---I've been call'in this Colorado country for 30 some years.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> Dave - is it not possible that we have swift foxes out here? We're seein a much smaller gray fox with black and sometimes black and white tipped tails. We've caught grays here but these smaller guys we're only seeing at night and they haven't gone into cages. At first I thought they were just malnourished grays but they are about 1/2 - 3/4 the size of a normal gray.


Theres been Swifties around here for quite a few years. The DOW just put them up on the take regs. a couple of years ago.

You'll find they are a bit harder to get into a cage than some critters. Best set is a small cubby cage brushed up pretty good on the inside. The only bait I've been sucessful with in catch'in them is Cottontail rabbit parts.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> Thank you for the info Dave, never heard of it. They are tiny!


Hey Matt---they are about the size of your big Rabbits.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

catcapper said:


> Hey Matt---they are about the size of your big Rabbits.


How numerous are they?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

On a call said:


> Dave one of these days I promise to get somthing up and maybe learn how to post photos
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You can't use any excuses now with this new software the Boss put up now Brian--- you can just about load ANYTHING onto our Predatortalk site now.

Wow---if they make a "cat keep'in" law like that, there will be 100's of bobcats caught in mink traps.lol








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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> How numerous are they?


Some areas have quite a few, and some places you couldn't find one if your life depended on it.

Its a habitat thing--- they need boulders/rocky areas or lots of picket pin or den holes (Warrens) for cover from everything that wants to eat them.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

I guess that coyotes hammer the poor little sods?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> I guess that coyotes hammer the poor little sods?


Yep---when your the small guy on the block, seems like everybody wants a piece of your hide.

Coyotes-Lions-Bears-Bobcats-Red/Grey Fox-Badger-and Fur Hunters like me. Then---after all of those critters try'in to do you in---Swifty runs down the wrong burrow cause a yote is hot on his butt---and he gets nailed by a pissed off Rattle snake. *[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]*, life can be a *#!#@% and then you hope to die.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

I'm sure a read somewhere that you have wolves in the Rocky's now?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

A few stragglers here in Colorado but no resident packs. When they do show up around this part of the state they get their butt shot off---old time rancher style.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

catcapper said:


> O.A.C.--- I don't kill'em unless their hide is prime or I have a pay'in hunter out.
> 
> As long as they don't crush their windpipe with the catch pole they are usally no worse for wear. Wild animals are pretty tuff. If you ever get the chance to play with a bobcat on the end of a pole, don't pass it up---its like hav'in a wild superball on the end of a stick.lol.
> 
> Why don't you put a picture in your avatar Brian?.


Dave those are still in summer prime. I never knew about fur being prime twice a year. I was talking with Greg from Fur Harvesters Auction House last weekend and he explained there are some buyers that look for summer prime furs.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice pics Dave... really those are clearer than most. A great find by you also. Good luck on that cat.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

catcapper said:


> A few stragglers here in Colorado but no resident packs. When they do show up around this part of the state they get their butt shot off---old time rancher style.


How well does that go down, does anyone get in trouble for it?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Not if they SSS. If it's on the endangered species list you'll definitly get in trouble... unless you are defending your life or that of another human.
Out in the wilds of a state the size of CO. I think you'll find that the ranchers stick together. Shooting a radio collared wolf is another story though. the collar stops movin and they will come to investigate. Dave may be able to get permission to eliminate a problem wolf through his wildlife nuisance work once they are off the list though.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Well I know thats how it is else where it was just the way Dave put it that made it sound as if Colorado did things differently.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> Well I know thats how it is else where it was just the way Dave put it that made it sound as if Colorado did things differently.


I think ranchers tend to do things differently.... as in, defending their livestock because no one else will help them.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Ranchers are IMO the main reason the wolf was eradicated.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

No I think you are 100% right Don.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Ranchers are IMO the main reason the wolf was eradicated.


And also the main reason why I can enjoy a cheeseburger whenever I want.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> And also the main reason why I can enjoy a cheeseburger whenever I want.


Because the wolves aren't eating the beef herd!?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> Because the wolves aren't eating the beef herd!?


You got it!


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