ursusguy said:

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Have you tried any of the meat yet? Mountain lion is extremely good.

Not me horsing around, mountain lion is very good.

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ursusguy said:

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I'm not kidding. When I've had it, it was awesome. Cooked it like I would a lean feral hog (in fact just called it feral hog with one group to keep arguments down, no one knew the difference). Let it start to dry and it will toughen quick.

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jftx04 said:

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So i finally turn around and look up into the tallest, thickest tree. We were looking dead into the sun. The lions tail dropped all the way past the next branch which in itself crazy to see. He was wrapped around the trunk of the tree head to tail, oriented left to right. There was a sliver between the tree trunk and his vitals.
Guide started to film, he informed me only the stupid dogs were left unchained should the cat run.
Got my breathing under control, squeezed the trigger and a few moments later he dropped like a stone. We could feel the thud.
Guides were elated. Cusswords all around, but the one that sticks with me "Oh my f******God, you just killed a Giant. Absolutely the biggest lion I have ever seen".....that makes a hunter feel good.
We spent the next 30 minutes taking pictures. They probably took 30 more than i did. I was flat exhausted.
Garett asked the other guide "Corey, if there were 400 inch elk sheds laying here, would you pack em out?" Response was..no way in hell.
Then it dawned on me..i still had to hike BACK. It was not a good feeling. I didnt want to lead on how bad I was whooped, but i wanted no part of that dadgum swinging gun.
We field dressed and started the hike back. Crossing the first river back (on way in, last out) once crossed the water we made the craziest snow staircase to get up the bank. Looked like something on the north wall in game of thrones.
With no sunlight left we came to a point where i heard water and i literally cussed out loud not remembering a 3rd river. I looked up to see snow mobile and realized the water was just the first small creek we had crossed. That was the first point it all started to sink in.
Im on the back nine of life. I had the question inside of whether or not I had what it takes. You never want that answer to be NO. My first guide of the trip took a nasty fall and tore his knee to shiot. Torn ACL/PCL, other stuff. Its a reminder that nature can be brutal.
In the end, this final trek was in the 5 to 6 mile range of the toughest stuff ive ever hiked. Ive hunted around the world. Ive filmed hunts- camera crew could not have done the hunt...period.
Both guides agreed it was the hardest hike of their lives, but that feeling was trumped by the smile knowing what trophy we were carrying back.
5 guides, 7 UPWD peeps, none had seen a lion that big. That's pretty cool company.
So, those that know me understand the next part.
I observed the men that dedicate their lives to this pursuit. I knew that trophy meant more to them than it could possibly mean to me. So, i agreed to send the lion we named Maximus to the Outfit that made it possible. The outfit which by the way, got everyone in my group of 5 that week a TOM. One day Maximus will be in my man cave, but for the immediate future, the trophy will remain with the men whose passion deserve it. The memory is a hell of a parting gift.
JS

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jftx04 said:

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When the kill was over i offered to biy the gun so i could leave it on the mountain. I literally thought it migh be the cause of my death.

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Floorguy said:

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jftx04 said:

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So i finally turn around and look up into the tallest, thickest tree. We were looking dead into the sun. The lions tail dropped all the way past the next branch which in itself crazy to see. He was wrapped around the trunk of the tree head to tail, oriented left to right. There was a sliver between the tree trunk and his vitals.
Guide started to film, he informed me only the stupid dogs were left unchained should the cat run.
Got my breathing under control, squeezed the trigger and a few moments later he dropped like a stone. We could feel the thud.
Guides were elated. Cusswords all around, but the one that sticks with me "Oh my f******God, you just killed a Giant. Absolutely the biggest lion I have ever seen".....that makes a hunter feel good.
We spent the next 30 minutes taking pictures. They probably took 30 more than i did. I was flat exhausted.
Garett asked the other guide "Corey, if there were 400 inch elk sheds laying here, would you pack em out?" Response was..no way in hell.
Then it dawned on me..i still had to hike BACK. It was not a good feeling. I didnt want to lead on how bad I was whooped, but i wanted no part of that dadgum swinging gun.
We field dressed and started the hike back. Crossing the first river back (on way in, last out) once crossed the water we made the craziest snow staircase to get up the bank. Looked like something on the north wall in game of thrones.
With no sunlight left we came to a point where i heard water and i literally cussed out loud not remembering a 3rd river. I looked up to see snow mobile and realized the water was just the first small creek we had crossed. That was the first point it all started to sink in.
Im on the back nine of life. I had the question inside of whether or not I had what it takes. You never want that answer to be NO. My first guide of the trip took a nasty fall and tore his knee to shiot. Torn ACL/PCL, other stuff. Its a reminder that nature can be brutal.
In the end, this final trek was in the 5 to 6 mile range of the toughest stuff ive ever hiked. Ive hunted around the world. Ive filmed hunts- camera crew could not have done the hunt...period.
Both guides agreed it was the hardest hike of their lives, but that feeling was trumped by the smile knowing what trophy we were carrying back.
5 guides, 7 UPWD peeps, none had seen a lion that big. That's pretty cool company.
So, those that know me understand the next part.
I observed the men that dedicate their lives to this pursuit. I knew that trophy meant more to them than it could possibly mean to me. So, i agreed to send the lion we named Maximus to the Outfit that made it possible. The outfit which by the way, got everyone in my group of 5 that week a TOM. One day Maximus will be in my man cave, but for the immediate future, the trophy will remain with the men whose passion deserve it. The memory is a hell of a parting gift.
JS

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Great write up, thanks for sharing! Were you with Wade Lemon?

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

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Sounds like you have a good taxidermist! I was afraid he might end up on the bad taxidermy google image search...

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jftx04 said:

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Floorguy said:

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jftx04 said:

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So i finally turn around and look up into the tallest, thickest tree. We were looking dead into the sun. The lions tail dropped all the way past the next branch which in itself crazy to see. He was wrapped around the trunk of the tree head to tail, oriented left to right. There was a sliver between the tree trunk and his vitals.
Guide started to film, he informed me only the stupid dogs were left unchained should the cat run.
Got my breathing under control, squeezed the trigger and a few moments later he dropped like a stone. We could feel the thud.
Guides were elated. Cusswords all around, but the one that sticks with me "Oh my f******God, you just killed a Giant. Absolutely the biggest lion I have ever seen".....that makes a hunter feel good.
We spent the next 30 minutes taking pictures. They probably took 30 more than i did. I was flat exhausted.
Garett asked the other guide "Corey, if there were 400 inch elk sheds laying here, would you pack em out?" Response was..no way in hell.
Then it dawned on me..i still had to hike BACK. It was not a good feeling. I didnt want to lead on how bad I was whooped, but i wanted no part of that dadgum swinging gun.
We field dressed and started the hike back. Crossing the first river back (on way in, last out) once crossed the water we made the craziest snow staircase to get up the bank. Looked like something on the north wall in game of thrones.
With no sunlight left we came to a point where i heard water and i literally cussed out loud not remembering a 3rd river. I looked up to see snow mobile and realized the water was just the first small creek we had crossed. That was the first point it all started to sink in.
Im on the back nine of life. I had the question inside of whether or not I had what it takes. You never want that answer to be NO. My first guide of the trip took a nasty fall and tore his knee to shiot. Torn ACL/PCL, other stuff. Its a reminder that nature can be brutal.
In the end, this final trek was in the 5 to 6 mile range of the toughest stuff ive ever hiked. Ive hunted around the world. Ive filmed hunts- camera crew could not have done the hunt...period.
Both guides agreed it was the hardest hike of their lives, but that feeling was trumped by the smile knowing what trophy we were carrying back.
5 guides, 7 UPWD peeps, none had seen a lion that big. That's pretty cool company.
So, those that know me understand the next part.
I observed the men that dedicate their lives to this pursuit. I knew that trophy meant more to them than it could possibly mean to me. So, i agreed to send the lion we named Maximus to the Outfit that made it possible. The outfit which by the way, got everyone in my group of 5 that week a TOM. One day Maximus will be in my man cave, but for the immediate future, the trophy will remain with the men whose passion deserve it. The memory is a hell of a parting gift.
JS

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Great write up, thanks for sharing! Were you with Wade Lemon?

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No, I was with Alpha Outfitters. Garett Smith- the best.

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AUAg92 said:

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jf, that is one helluva write up sir. I couldn't wait for you to get back to the story during your freakin breaks. Well done sir, & congratulations on that kill.

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

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Your taxidermist did a badass job! Love the ears and mouth! Congratulations, I'm jealous!

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