Az Lion Down!

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wankerjake

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Flagstaff AZ
Went out this afternoon for some predator calling. I've been taking my girls (6yrs and 4yrs) with me and they dig it. They have been my good luck charms and boy they didn't disappoint today. We walked an old logging road I'd been eyeing for years for 500-600 yards until we came to a good spot. I was targeting fox and bobcat and in AZ that's usually lion country as well. I had one girl on each side of me and a camo blanket over us. They sit reasonably still with their beanies and earmuffs on :)

At about the 12 minute mark, first stand, I was looking off to my left at the canyon side and my oldest daughter whispered "coyote, coyote." I look to where she pointed and saw an animal coming, I immediately got my youngest on the right to see it and she nodded. It was behind some trees trotting in, I got the scattergun up and waited. It appeared about 30-40 yards facing us and I thought "nice big tom bobcat" not remembering the animal I saw before had a tail. I shot and it stumbled then leaped in the air. I saw the tail then and thought "holy crap!"

It ran broadside thru some trees and I shot twice more. As it cleared the trees, 40-50 yards estimated, I had a good bead on it as it quartered away. The next two shots were visual hits, it arched and stumbled both times. As we watched, me out of shells, it hopped out of sight. I knew it was hit bad, it couldn't run and it stumbled and rolled twice before hobbling out of sight. Three visual hits. Since I was out of shells (moron) I got the girls back to the truck. I had one shot left in the truck but didn't want to leave the girls behind so I called some help. I went home, met my sister and her boyfriend, got more shells and he and I headed back out. A friend of mine had dogs but lives an hour away. He headed our way but due to unforeseen road closures he couldn't make it before dark. So we headed to the spot and found it dead about where I'd last seen it. I figured that was the case but didn't want to go in with my girls after a hurt lion.

Nice tom!:
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Wish it would have fallen in sight, would have loved for the girls to see it down.

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Pics back at the house came out pretty crappy which is extremely unfortunate. Hopefully somebody got a good one, there were a few people taking pictures.

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Weighed him at 118lbs. Couldn't have asked for an easier walk out but it was still a bear. I've been calling 6 years, mostly in cat country, very very excited to get this cat. I've been wanting one forever but was still super surprised when he came in. Anyway I'm pretty jacked, check him in to G&F tomorrow and then to the taxidermist!
 
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Damn!!!

Absolutely beautiful animal, very impressive, also sobering to think it was stalking the bush whilst you were there with your girls.

I applaud you for getting your girls into the outdoors & hunting, but truthfully feel you used the right descriptor when referring to running out of ammo. Luckily it didn't matter....this time. Could have been a whole different story however. Might be time to rethink the minimum gear you take to a stand.

Congrats on an outstanding harvest and apparently the good graces of the lord in watching over you & your family. I have to believe this is an adventure your daughters will be telling their grandchildren about.
 
I applaud you for getting your girls into the outdoors & hunting, but truthfully feel you used the right descriptor when referring to running out of ammo. Luckily it didn't matter....this time. Could have been a whole different story however. Might be time to rethink the minimum gear you take to a stand.

I generally carry 9 shells to a stand, 5 on the side saddle and 4 in the tube. I keep the tube empty at home so I keep those 4 extra on my dresser. I went out with a guy two days ago and gave him some shells, and when I grabbed the shells off my dresser it added up to 5. Never emptied my scattergun on a predator stand before but I'll make sure I've got 9 shells going forward!

Your freaking lethal with that 870!

I love my shotgun, it's absolutely my go-to predator gun. But man this thing was tough! 3 visual hits with #4 buck and he still got out of sight (although it was thick stuff, only got 30-40 yards). He was full of buckshot, right front shoulder was pulverized. I might add some #1 buck to the mix for penetration.
 
Those are two cute girls, and one BIG kitty! :D Good on ya! If someone had shot one of those in this state, they would have had their gun(s) confiscated, given a healthy fine, been put under the jail, and then sentenced to 6 months of watching "The View"! :D:D
 
I'm honestly just not scared of them. They are so secretive and shy, they almost never attack people in the wild. Most of the attacks are along known hiking trails where they are often seen and have lost their fear of humans. Now, wading in after a wounded one with my girls... ain't happening!
 
Jake,

One of two things...

#1 your wife must be really cool, trust you 100% with your girls, and fully understands what gets the juices flowing in a human being, or

#2 you never told her the complete story as detailed in this post.

I hope that it is #1 :)

Laphroaig
 
Great cat and an awesome experience for the girls. You are doing it right.

You bet!!!! I can't wait until one of my grandson's gets down here and we go predator calling.
 
Jake,

Congrats on your cat. That is a very rare thing that just happened to you! It was just a week or so ago that I mentioned in one of your threads that I once called in a lion but was unable to close the deal. Are you sure on the weight? I would have bet dollars to doughnuts that he was heavier than that.

Just for reference,

This tom weighed 168 lbs. I am 6'4 and 250lbs. I killed him in New Mexico about 15 years ago.
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In any case that is a beautiful mature tom that you killed and the way you did it is almost unheard of! And to be able to share it with your girls is just out of this world, congratulations! Once you break it down and let it set in, this is one of the most incredible hunting stories we've ever had on THR. Calling in and killing a lion is about as rare as it gets.
 
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Thanks guys, I couldn't be happier. I've been dreaming about a cat for years, glassed a couple during deer season but they've been out of range. I have friend running dogs now so in the next year or two I'd love to kill one that way. Looks like an absolute blast.

H&H, thanks for the compliment. I still can't believe it happened. It is possible that the scales are not super accurate but judging by that picture of you and that enormous 168lb cat, I can buy 120lbs. I'm 5-7" and 180lbs for further reference. Also, I think that first pic makes the cat look a little bigger than it really was. Looks smaller here with just the shotgun for reference.

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It was about 4.5' head to base of the tail, 88" nose to tip of tail. These were taken after it was skinned. I don't know much about lions but my friend who runs dogs says it's definitely worth getting the skull measured to see if it makes 14" book.

Regardless though any lion would have made my year. If it makes book great but getting to share it with my girls was just amazing. They are young but I keep trying to tell them how special this was and hope it sinks in. Hell, my daughter spotted it! Who knows how long it will be before they see another lion. I was like 25 years old before I saw my first lion, briefly, at 650 yards thru binoculars!

It's still sinking in. We did it. We called and killed a lion!

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