Big Cat to Close for Comfort

Saturday night I was sitting in my brush blind with my bow and heard one of the most bone chilling sounds I have ever heard in the woods. I have spent countless hundreds of hours over the past 15 years in the woods alone and never been more afraid than I was Saturday. About 5 min. before dark I heard the unmistakable growl/hiss of a mountain lion about 15-20 yards from where I was sitting with nothing more than my bow and a skinning knife. I just about cr@**&d my khakis.

I don't have a CHL or a pistol so I can't carry a firearm with me. Does that rule apply once rifle season opens? If so, does anyone know where I can get a CHL near SA? I don't think I will be out in the ground blind again without some type of centerfire weapon. Anyone else think that bow hunters should be allowed to open carry during bow season for situations like this? I'm new to the bow so I'm still learning.

You can take a rifle with you once rifle season starts sure. I don't there is any problem there. Guys?

I have a CHL and I always pack heat when I bow hunt. I am deathly afraid of snakes. Where I hunt alot (Sterling and Baylor counties)rattlesnakes are a common sight.

I am also like you - I hunt alone so any surprises I run are up to me to deal with.

Get a CHL!!!! Type San Antonio CHL into google and you will get a ton of options.

That certainly is a blood curdling sound. I heard that sound about 12 years ago just as the sun was setting; I got out of there in a hurry. That sound will make a grown man want to pack some defense.

I had the same thing happen to me 10 years ago. Can you carry a pistol in bow season if you have a CHL? Does it have to be concealed?

Might be a silly question but I'd really like to know.

You can carry a pistol with a CHL during bow season. It does have to be concealed though. No pictures. Last thing on my mind was pictures. Wouldn't have been anything to photograph anyways. Never saw that cat just heard it. Just heard from a rancher on a big ranch about 3 miles as the crow flies that they have trapped and killed 12 mountain lions in the past 8 months...
CHL class for me next week I believe. Christmas may have to come early too.

What good is a pistol going to do? If you got attacked you wouldn't se it coming and he would most likely jump on your back. How would you get your pistol drawn and shoot it if you didn't know he was coming, especially in the dark?

Cat talk cracks me up

Probably wouldn't do much good. It would give me peace of mind I guess. As far as cat talk goes. I was never much of a believer until Saturday. Kind of changes things when it gets personal.

I just try not to think about it when I'm walkin to my stand in the dark, and hope that he's got his fill with all the deer we have and I'm not on the menu. We shot a doe a few years ago an when we trailed it it had been drug a ways. It had both hams completley eaten out of it. Coyotes eat the guts first and a bob cat couldn't eat that much. Only leaves one more suspect.

Had the same thing happen last year. I waited an hour and a half and both hams and one back strap were eaten off of her. The buzzards where perched in the tree over her and not on the ground eating on her. That makes me think the buzzards were waiting on the leftovers from what ever was eating on her.

correct me if I'm wrong but can't you carry a handgun if you're bowhunting hogs? and aren't hogs everywhere? just sayin...

You're right, but then you can't carry a bow! I've asked a game warden the same question.

Gets creepy at dark sometimes. I've thought about carrying a gun too...

From what I have read over and over again, you cant have a firearm with you during bow only whitetail season if you are hunting whitetail unless you have a chl.

However you can carry a firearm during bow season if bow hunting hogs. Dont have my book with me now and maybe I misread it but I will quote it tomorrow if any body disagrees.

I picked this one because they didn't have a chicken.

I'd rather take my chances with the GW!

That happened to me earlier this year. It's about a 400 yard hike from where I park my truck to my primary blind. Hog hunts are at night mainly with an AR10 in .308 topped with a 3rd gen nv scope.

I've walked that trail countless times at all hours of the night and early morning. This time I was headed back to the truck after a hog hunt and about mid-way up the trail every hair on the back of my neck stood up. I felt like something was definitely watching me. Switched to NV and didn't see anything, so I slowly proceeded to walk out and head home.

Later that day I mentioned to the lease manager how I felt like a little kid after watching a scary movie that night. His reply took me by surprise. He was getting ready to call all the lease members as a cougar had just showed up on a game cam and he wanted it killed on sight.

This was in Comal county not too far from IH35.

We got a new lease this year and we have seen to many signs of a cat and the neighbor said they have lost calves recently. I went and bought a pistol and work out of town and haven't had time to get a CHL but plan on getting one I would rather deal with the GW vs a ml and a bow

Once firearm season opens you can carry whatever you want.

I think it's stupid that you can't carry a firearm during archery season... anyone can tell the difference between a gun shot wound and a arrow wound.

In the old days you couldn't have a gun even in camp or your vehicle.

I wish we could get a "kitty" icon...
It would be helpful on posts concerning mt lions, snakes, spiders ect...

just think about what i tell my wife who doesnt like to walk n the woods at dark. would any cat or boogyman want a you who will put up a fight or would they want a little bunny or a deer? its all in your head.... now if you see one stalking you.. well thats another story haha

It was probably a big bad bobkitty