Chasing a cougar has been on my bucket list for a long time . When my buddy Clint posted a photo on social media of his mom with a huge mountain lion taken with a bow , it spurred me into action . It was a significant feat , as Clint ’ s mom is more than 70 years old . The photo inspired me and rekindled my desire to get on the trail of a tremendous old tom .
I harvested a cat years ago , but it wasn ’ t the big old tom I had always dreamed of to fulfill my quest , and ever since I have been infected with the cat disease . The addiction to the excitement , working with dogs , and trying to outwit a shy and strategic predator can quickly get in your blood . My buddy ’ s contact with a reputable outfitter with a history of producing big cats brought me to Kelly Morton ( kellymortonhunting . com ).
I talked to Kelly at length and decided to book a hunt . Cougar hunting is difficult to do on your own , and having an experienced houndsman and good hounds is paramount to success . Even more important is a team working in the background to search for tracks , cover an incredible amount of country , and discern the track of a big cat from a mediocre one . Kelly has a crew of dedicated track chasers that are continually on the lookout for big tracks . More importantly , Morton has dogs that see more work than imaginable . Welltrained hounds can make a significant difference between success and the search for the next track .
Long before the opening week , the cougar-crazed team was busy “ cutting ” or looking for fresh tracks . Conditions were not ideal . However , plenty of tracks were cut , just not the right one . My buddy Clint and I spent some time cutting before Christmas , and I ’ m sure I drove him crazy with the never-ending questions . I learned a lot about Alberta ’ s cougar population . These animals are fascinating , and determining
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