Glad to finally hear from you, Buttlers BS was getting exhausting! Thanks for posting up the pics.
It's unfortunate that your hunt was crapped on, but it is more unfortunate that you were misled and unaware of what you should have expected out of a special draw tag. You can hunt a lion and buy an over the counter tag in most of the state, the tag that you held was a special draw tag with no risk of quota closure. The intention of this system is to give the hunter a better opportunity to hold out for a mature lion.The reality of it is that you should be pissed at Buttler for telling you to shoot a cat, or not advising you to hold out for a lion that could have been much larger with a little more effort, but then he wouldn't have a check to cash and another tag to fill along with another check to cash.Not sure how I ever harrassed you as your friend has stated, I asked you about your hunt, you then told me how you couldn't wait to kill another one next year, and the year after and the year after, etc etc. long enough to get big. Lion hunting is not about killing, it's unfortunate that you were not introduced to it that way. Oh yeah, one last VERY key thing here, you don't have to draw a tag to enjoy the lion season, the killing is the most anticlimactic part.
Alright,I just have a few more things to say........
When I approached the tree that my lion was in, I was told "that's probably a 120 lb tom, you can take him or wait and we will keep going it's up to you" However, I have 4 kids and a full time job and knowing that I may not get to go again, and this may have been my once in a liftime chance, I didn't not have a doubt in my mind that I wanted that cat. I know people that have hunted for years and never had the opportunity to get a cat.
Now for me saying that I wanted to kill another cat this year and the next year.......I remember saying how I could not wait to go next year (not just kill) I would go with no tag just for the experience of seeing it all, I said it was the best experience of my life, and not just the kill, because yes as we know, even with deer etc. I agree with you there it is a bit anticlimatic, because you know an amazing hunt etc. is now over. And I hope I get the oportunity to go along this year.
As for being mad at my friend never....I am a big girl. I chose what I wanted to do.
As for the assumption of paying to go on this hunt? Again never....you don't pay to hunt with friends and family. As for my friend mounting my lion, I wouldn't have it any other way, again my choice.
As far as being harassed, just felt a bit hounded on (pardon the pun) coming off the high of such amazing event.
So nothing personal here, just want to set it straight. Everyone keep doing what they are doing, and sometimes we just have to agree to disagree. I do hope to cat hunt again, whether it is just to see an amazing dog work, or see that big cat in a tree, or to see the excitement on someone else's face when it is there first time!
