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So the family and I took the trailer out last weekend. We got skunked on bobcats (damn heavy cats are everywhere).

We headed back out to spike camp on Tuesday night to find 10 inches of snow and temps in the low 20s. We had been looking for a big tom for the boy to harvest so he could have it mounted. I had seen a track a week or so ago in a patch of snow that would make any cat hunter proud. The cat Gods must have blessed us as we cut it first thing. It was so cold that it was hard for me to judge the track so I did the next best thing and put them out on it. My ol red dog took it right out. They trailed on it for an hour before they got it jumped and treed it in an old growth. The oldest boy made a great shot and the hunt for his mount was over. We all placed our bets as to what it weighed before we hung it on a scale that I keep in the truck. I guessed it at about 27 pounds but was off by a few. It weighed 30lbs everytime I weighed it (3 times). It really didn't look that big but it is a deep, wide built cat.





The kids were not done after this one. We hunted a a drainage off the the east and cut another track. This rascal was a runner.



We tried for a third but it managed to give us the slip......

This morning we decided to do a quick hunt so we could get to town to meet family/xmas obligations. We caught this little sow and headed home for the night. We will be headin back out on Christmas afternoon for 2 more days of "harassing bobcats with coon dogs".



Cold cat camp.....



The whole bunch.....

Nice Don! Sure wish we could make it down there this weekend, Just don't think it'll be in the cards for us.

tell everyone Merry Christmas for us and We'll see you next weekend.

Great times for the kids Don. Merry Christmas and good luck hunting but I dont think you need the luck part.

Great pictures! thanks for the story. You got a good lookin crew for sure.

Great pictures,Looks like every body had a great time.Nice dog work.

Nice pictures! Looks like you guys had alot of fun.

Don,

Great pics, Great Story, Great Hounds, and best of all GREAT Family!

Have a very Merry Christmas and get back atem to get us some more Pics and stories!

CJC

The cats put up a great show this weekend!

We cut a track that crossed three drainages! I was more than a like un-nerved thinking it was a coyote but I found its track in two places where they cross the road.
I finally picked them up on the highway! Talk about stressed out!

On Sunday we started a track about 11am. They trailed on it for an hour before they got it jumped. It went straight down to the river and crossed. By the time it was over they crossed the river 6 times! Keep in mind it was only about 29 degrees along the river bottom. They finally lost it on a sunny face. I was disappointed but glad to have all the dogs back.

I will be heading back to spike camp tomorrow night after work for 5 more days of "Harassing bobcats with coon dogs".....

Boy, it's about time you had one of those days. I was getting worried that pretty soon you'd be coming on here so disapointed that you only got two today, but tomorrow is another day . Keep us posted on those coon dogs.

congrats on the catch's thanks for sharing great pics

Nice job and nice pics. thanks for sharing them

I'm only going to post this one picture and leave the rest for Buddy and Laura to tell........

This was one of the funnest cat camp trips yet!!!!!

Don

This is the cat we caught the day before Bud,Laura and Brad made camp. Checkout the white pads.....



My new young dog "Lilli"

Don, It was a blast hanging out with you guys. We always enjoy your company.

We ended up with a couple cats this weekend, Here are some of the photo's Not the best. Lucky for us the tree's weren't too bad that we were able to make it as a family with the little one. He really enjoyed the dogs barking.

How does the internet story go, Find a Cat track put the dogs down and it was easy.. LOL..
Thursday was pretty frustrating, Lot's of Lion tracks, The kind that were walking in your hour old tire tracks, but just horible Trailing conditions. We tried everything to put something together and just couldn't move a track. Put 2009 to bed at 7:30pm, and must have had a little change of luck with the new year.
Here are a couple photos of the weekend.









The Last day was "supposed to be" a quick 2 hour hunt, But right about the Hour and 45 minute mark on our way back to break camp, a nice track changed our plan and we spent another 4 hours cold trailing and trying to jump a track in the crusty ice and snow. That one pretty much whipped us off the mountain, and Humbled us to remember.. you sure don't catch them all..

Here is a photo, of us just hanging out and listening to them cold trail that cat and crossing our fingers. I think this will be one of the times I remember most, my boy playing on the Hood of the truck, Dogs barking once in a while just pecking out a track. It's just not about the kill or the Tree, just enjoying good company, and hearing the dogs work on the tough tracks, holding your breath for the next bark...

Buddyw,

Great Story!

Family moments with Good Friends and Great Hounds....it really does not get any better than that!

From all the good stories coming out 2010 is going to be good for the Hunters and Bad for the Cat.

Happy New Year!

CJC

Great pictures and stories, keep them coming. later, Andy