Date: September 24th, 2023
So here's the short version of what happened last week because I don't have time to write it all again. I spent 45 minutes writing this journal entry because a lot happened and hit spell check at the end and it froze up the computer, and I lost everything. so the short story with no details is Dave harvested a beautiful whitetail buck with double split browe tines. This is his 22nd or 23rd year hunting with Montana Whitetails, congratulations.
One hunter missed the big bull in the photo attached. Another bull was wounded and not recovered, but likely dead somewhere. We also had a few close encounters with other bulls and due to trees being in the way or raining prevented range finders to work things just didn't go our way. Also, I was stalked by a mountain lion while cow calling a hot bugling bull in. At 35 feet and no handgun (1st time in 3 weeks I left it at home), and my bear spray on my pack 30 feet away as I was moving backwards calling to lure the bull past the hunters. This lion was 35 feet from me when I noticed his face pearing out from behind some sage under a pine tree, (pictured attached). Long story short, I had to throw rocks at him while continuing to cow call as the bull was closing quick on the hunters less than 75 yards from me. The lion would not leave, I was throwing rocks at it and it wouldn't move. Walking straight at it, to within 20-25 feet finally made it move backwards a few feet then it set back down and watched me. Eventually I kept having to move around it to continue trying to bring the bull into the hunters and he did get to 40 yards but a cow elk busted the whole set up getting down wind and it was over.
