Sunday 1/3/98  

Today was the third day of Kevin's hunt and my last day here in Idaho. We got up early on a very chilly 4 degree morning and headed down river for my last time. We suited up at the pickup and dressed accordingly.

He's from Kentucky - nuff said

We headed up the snowy trail on our snowmobiles and within a short time Ron had spotted a very nice cat track.

Kevin and Ron donned snowshoes and began to walk the cat out. Though we had dogs with us, Ron prefers to figure out the scene first before letting the dogs loose. The snow conditions were unfavorable because of the hard crust which made Ron more cautious than normal. Kurt and I stayed back at the snowmobiles and listened to a cow elk bark for nearly an hour, when Kevin and Ron returned it all started to piece together.

Here is the story.

The bed of the unsuspecting calf

The cat track we were following was very fresh. It had followed along the trail, headed up an embankment then up a hill. On his way there he jumped 3 elk and lunged at the smallest - a calf. He caught the calf, ripped his eye out and killed it, dragging it down a small hill. The remaining elk scattered and the cow we heard was more than likely the calf's mother. When Ron and Kevin found the scene it had just happened.

 Videos of the scene


Where the cat came upon the elk
Where the struggle ensued
Where the cat killed the elk
The drag and the dead elk
Proof that this was a very fresh kill
Why we would not run this nice Tom

 Blood and eye juice from where the lion punctured the calfs' eye

Because of the crusty snow conditions and the fact that we left this area undisturbed, Ron decided to run this cat on Monday or Tuesday depending on conditions. As an experienced lion guide knows, this cat will be here for a few days but the crusty snow conditions will tear up a dogs paws leaving them useless for quite a few days. There is a snow storm expected and Kevin, Ron, and Kurt will run the cat then. It was an exciting way to end my fantastic hunt here in Idaho and we will updated how Kevin makes out.

Kevin, Ron and Kurt at the snowmobiles

On our way out we were left with yet another reminder of the harsh reality of this beautiful wilderness. A young mule deer got stuck in the ice and died. When we found him he was fairly well consumed by otters, eagles, coyotes and magpies. This entire trip has been a lesson which we all know well about the relationship between predators and prey and how nothing goes to waste out here in the wild.

I'm heading home now to make up a big batch of lion sausage - while in a distant canyon a herd of elk are a little bit safer.

I hope to return here someday to hunt with my good friends, Ron and Suzy. While the hunting was fantastic, the stories, the food and friendship made this hunt extra special. I would urge anyone looking into a lion hunt, or just something very exciting, to contact Ron at [email protected].

 


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