Ex-NFL Lineman Derek Wolf kills HUGE mountain lion terrorizing Colorado town
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What a beautiful animal. Sad but once they learn to like dog they gotta go.
Absolutely. One thing if they stick to their habitat, but this one was a dog-killer, and at that size definitely could take down and maul a human easily.
That is a good cat for sure, that pose is also the kind that makes cats look big. I have hunted lions a few times, and been around a few. I am a little skeptical of the story...If I read it right it looks like he somehow did a spot and stalk on the cat and shot it with his bow. Is this doable, yes. Likely, no. I know a few guys that have killed them hunting elk when a curious cat comes in after calling for elk. Usually young cats do this. I bumblfucked into one while mtn goat hunting one time and I was so stupefied I just stared at and it ran away in a hurry.
My theory is that he probably treed it with dogs and shot it that way. I think that is cool too, but less sexy than a bow hunt spot and stalk on a cat. Also, would probably be more chance for criticism if it was shot out of a tree. Who knows. Nice cat though regardless.
Whatcha think @BridgerMT ?
My theory is that he probably treed it with dogs and shot it that way. I think that is cool too, but less sexy than a bow hunt spot and stalk on a cat. Also, would probably be more chance for criticism if it was shot out of a tree. Who knows. Nice cat though regardless.
Whatcha think @BridgerMT ?
Only one I’ve ever seen in person was a sick adolescent that had been separated from its mother by a storm and was starving. My Rott was probably three times its size at 120 and I was armed. Cat was following us on a walk in the park and Xena wanted a piece of it but I only got a glimpse of it in my flashlight beam, looked small and scrawny. It backed off and a Park ranger found it in the morning. Died shortly after. Sad. Majestic animals, this one is frickin impressive.
This cat looks to be the size of an African lioness. Calling it in with an elk call is legit hunting in my book. Mr. Wolf has lost a little weight since he played, but that is the biggest NA mountain lion I have seen. He said he thinks its about #195; curious what the final weight is minus the lost blood volume. Lion is on the downslope so clearly taller (longer) than him.
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Just going to add this dude is no slouch with his bow:
Once the cat started going into the town to hunt it became brazen and was easier to hunt not being as human shy. A cat that likes the taste of dog can be hell on dogs if hunted that way. The picture angle and the way he is holding it makes the cat look bigger than it is. It’s a big cat none the less and taking one with a bow is impressive no matter how it was hunted.
NOPE!
100% cut a track in fresh snow and tracked it.
Dogs are illegal in CO and there are very specific rules. Fish cops check out your kill. You have to report and have inspected by Dept of Wildlife in a short time period.
Bears are the same way.
I have known more than 1 person to get a cat this way.
As to hunting them, apex predators need hunted, esp in a state like CO.
This happened less than 20 miles from my old house in the mtns and where I spent a huge portion of my 20’s running around.
See tracks and hear their screams often up there.
Look up the story of Scott Lancaster in Idaho Springs CO.
Ive seen one in Arizona south of Flagstaff. Driving early in the morning and came up over a slight rise and it was right in the middle of the road. Big one, solid black. He saw me and in one leap cleared a 6 foot bank and was gone.
From Colorado FWP:
The majority of lions harvested in Colorado are taken with the aid of hounds
Also:
8. Dogs are permitted. No more than 8 dogs are allowed per pack
Pages 3 and 4 of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations for Mountain Lion. Like I said, I am not saying it is impossible. I have cut a shitload of cat tracks and followed them on foot for a long, long way before turning a dog loose on them when you freshen it up. It is extremely rare to jump one, unless it maybe is on a kill. I am just saying the odds of stalking a cat and getting within bow range without that thing detecting you are pretty frickin low. Unless, as someone said, maybe it was some type of urban cat that had become habituated to humans and human activity. Really habituated. You can't realistically "manage" mountain lions without a hound season. Hounds enable the hunter to more accurately determine sex, and ensure you aren't plugging females with kittens all the time. If it were strictly spot and stalk or predator calling or the like people would be blasting females all the time. It's hard enough sexing them in a tree unless it is a really big Tom. If he did it great, and labrador owners will rejoice that he killed it.
That’s a nice cat I wonder if he was sick or injured ?
I would like to know the age and weight as well.
I would like to know the age and weight as well.
I saw two around 1990 near Rifle CO while deer hunting. I kept seeing them doing something at a tree. Got about 50 yards from them and they took off. Appeared to be a female and adolescent. When I got to the tree there was a dead mule deer doe and it looked like they were trying to get into a crotch in the tree 6-8’ high.
Well.
That changed since I read em last.
My mistake!!
Shoulda looked it up vs quoting history.
Surprised with the communists merging dept of wildlife and parks, that this was changed.
Dogs? I dont care.
We have A LOT of big cats in CO, esp along the front range, and they need hunted and thinned.
Lots of big cats in AZ.
This happened 5 minutes from my house:
3 mountain lions who fed on human remains killed over 'abnormal' behavior
"A mountain lion eating human remains is abnormal behavior," an Arizona wildlife official said. "Those that do are more likely to attack a human being in the future.”
www.google.com
I'm in Smithville Missouri, just north of Kansas City Missouri, and back in '19 a text went around to all the neighbors that a mountain lion was spotted in the fields back behind the houses on my side of the street. We're out in the sticks a bit, so it's not unreasonable to see some wildlife.
That's one big pussy though....I've made many trips out to colorado, and other mountain states camping with the kids, and one of my biggest fears most of the time was mountain lions, except when we went on our alaska camping trip, then it was bears.
Branden
That's one big pussy though....I've made many trips out to colorado, and other mountain states camping with the kids, and one of my biggest fears most of the time was mountain lions, except when we went on our alaska camping trip, then it was bears.
Branden
First 2 years of South Dakota’s season it was no problem to fill the quota in days without using hounds. Definitely a sign of over population. Quota for those 2 years was 120 I believe
Its fascinating the diversity within lions - how in NA they lack the sexual dimorphism ; and have the tree-climbing behavior more commonly seen in leopards of Africa. You will see lions climb trees in Africa, but outside of one region that does it regularly, its actually uncommon and usually only if a leopard left low-hanging prey or if they had to escape buffaloes. And 9/10 they don't get down too gracefully. The NA lion is almost like a cross between an African lion and leopard in those traits, and usually closer to a leopard in size.
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I’m different in thought here, I want more cats and prefer to only cull when livestock is getting attacked. Dogs? Let’em eat. The news stories will keep city fucks where they belong, in their preferred urban jungles and leave the prairies and mountains to the few of us who prefer nature with all its threats and beauties.
You are thinking of when they outlawed hounds for bears along with spring bear hunt.
Could be.
My brain is old n tired.
Seems I remember years back, when I lived in the middle of that exact area, dogs werent legal for mtn lion hunting in CO.
Wrong about it now and sure possible I got wires crossed and am just flat wrong.
Does make me wanna do the things and hunt cats next winter. In a big way.
Cool stuff.
Long time friend got a big kitty up near Kremmling. Her son helped her and they cut a track in the snow and got him.
Not as big as this tom and as long as she was tall at 5’10”.
A nurse, who hunted all seasons for elk, deer, bear, and a cat. Her husband is a great guy and their living room is cool as can be. The cat is a full mount over the bar between kitchen and living room.
@BridgerMT was the collared cat one that was trapped and relocated?
I have found a couple deer kills recently (assume cougars) after the fact after the coyotes/eagles/crows etc have moved in and cleaned up the remnants.
All the time I spent working in the woods I have only seen two, but hope to stumble onto one when I am hunting before I hang things up .
I have found a couple deer kills recently (assume cougars) after the fact after the coyotes/eagles/crows etc have moved in and cleaned up the remnants.
All the time I spent working in the woods I have only seen two, but hope to stumble onto one when I am hunting before I hang things up .
You have some gorgeous mounts.
Edit:Just looked up Colorado stats: for the 2021-2022 seasons there were 482 mountain lion kills reported, with 284 being male and 198 being female.
I understand the issue with positioning of the animal in the photo used in the news articles above and to my knowledge the only one available, but I am usually a decent judge of African lion size based on limb/paw and head size. I may have overestimated originally, but given that Wolf is 6'5" and that the animals head volume is twice Wolf's and arms as large as his padded arms, how would you guesstimate this animals weight?
Keep in mind there will always be extremes of the Bell curve in any population. This animal could have had a pituitary tumor for all we know, or it may be a trend based on local genetics and prey available.
Don't they mostly eat the un-armed and un-prepared? Like filthy hippie hikers, glampers and bicyclists?
I mean... isn't that a good reason to keep lots of big cats around ;-)
Cheers,
Sirhr
Kids and small chicks mostly.
Best thing for libs here is nature wnd the Jab.
Most of the libs follow rules about food in the tent, travel in pairs (cats like solo travellers).
Last year, carrying out a quartered deer in heavy cat country, I headed back in and found kitty tracks following my path in the snow.
I am certain they were not there that AM when I walked in….
Made me appreciate my system that keeps a side arm on my pack, then body when pack is off.
Just maybe, I can shoot it and live if attacked.
Just swap holster for a bigger gun in bear country or AK.
When I was in my 20’s I would go to Evergreen CO and go Cougar hunting.
Live band and a dance floor for bait.
The most dangerous pussy of all...When I was in my 20’s I would go to Evergreen CO and go Cougar hunting.
Live band and a dance floor for bait.
Sirhr
Lions can eat about 8 pounds of meat after the kill of a deer. The rest is cached and the lion stays in the area to return two or three times until it is totally consumed. As previously stated, this translates to an animal a week. However, at times coyotes find the cache and eat the whole animal in a night which forces the lion to find another animal. Now it is a couple deer a week and a person can see the results in a declining deer population.
160 is a doozy. 195 is absolutely insane. My friend killed a legit 180# cat in the early 2000s and everything about that cat was gigantic. Huge head, paws, shoulders, everything. I imagine most cats upwards of 120 would make short work of a person in the right scenario, but I remember getting goose bumps looking at my buddies back then.
NA lions. African male lions typically eat 50-60lbs per sitting, while guarding remaining carcass. Fascinating how the different big cats differ in their feeding behavior; with leopards typically acting like NA lions, eat some the vital organs (highest nutritional value) first, then hoist up a tree. Cheetahs on the other hand, due to their small size, eat very quickly with head-on a swivel watching out for a bigger predator, since they are usually chased off by hyenas, leopards or lions.
Nope.
Its the 30+ single ones, no kids.
Baby clock ticks.
40+ with kids at home and fat alimony checks just wanna have fun.
Became friends with a couple who were honest and said they woulda preferred to stay married and had a happy family life, but also didnt want a coke snorting husband who screwed every single chick in his office…
And of course plenty were just ho’s milking some fool for an easy life in the CO mtns.
I am sure they can. Usually mtn lions bury their kills and snack on it until a bear steals it.
Never know in AZ, might not have been a lion. I am not sure if its more or less likely than a black mountain lion.
Isn't there actually a tiger problem going on in TX due to morons buying tigers for pets and then just releasing them when they get too big?
Melanistic occurs in many species... it's the opposite of albino. Common in cats. Most 'black cats' are actually melanistic. Even kitty cats. Often if you see them in the sun, you can see their patterns in the black fur.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Don't know about that but we do seem to have a problem with large black panther females at most any Walmart. But they're protected because they have their EBT tag.
And this...is why houndsman are critical to managing lion populations. Like anything, there are a few asshats out there, but the majority of houndsman I know are excellent woodsman who have a true appreciation for the critters they hunt.
Has been. Idiots. Two incidents in 2021 (Houston, San Antonio), one in 2016 (Conroe). Why the support for Big Cat laws happened, not having strict enough enforcement of laws in states where it was permitted, then a few mishaps, and now you have a new federal law. Should have stayed at the state level . This is the law Biden just signed HR 263: https://aldf.org/project/big-cat-public-safety-act
AL, NC & WI were the states with no restrictions, most have bans, thirteen states like Texas had private ownership "with State Permits/laws followed".
Here is the bill Biden signed:
I have to say, knowing how facilities intentionally malnourish cubs for these interactions, I have to support the part of the legislation preventing paying-customer interaction with cubs, but that should have been part of each state level that allowed big cats.
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There are some reports of Jaguars in arizona, as well as one confirmed crossing back and forth over the Mexican border. The Spanish reported there being lions and leopards all the way to what is the Platte river today. The black is more common in Jaguars as its a dominant gene in them, but jaguars are less uncommon in AZ.
Sir - You are 100% correct!!. Wolf was on Tucker Carlson tonight. He had a hunting partner, and used dogs specifically to tree the cat (and discussed the use of dogs to tree these cats to sex them for conservation purposes). The cat was 8'6" and had killed 15 dogs 30 days.
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Sounds like you and I are on the same page.
This is why I have a problem with some "celebrity" hunters. I know nothing about this Wolfe guy. But leaving the dogs out of the equation is a pretty big, and deliberate omission. I have been on a few lion chases before and they can be pretty dang grueling. This guy clearly left out the dogs and did that to bring more attention to himself, which is a slight to the houndsman. I was skeptical when I read his story and he wrote "I drew my Hoyt bow and sent a blah blah brand broadhead through it" No real hunter I know does that shit unless they are some type of instagram warrior who wants a sponsorship, which baffles me because he can afford a Hoyt bow.
And to add fuel to the fire I am going to go ahead and guess the buffalo he shot with his bow that he also posted on the innerwebs was probably a game farm buffalo he walked up to with ease. Even free range buffalo here in MT are pretty frickin easy to walk up to.
Not necessarily, I am not looking for sponsorships but I routinely reference the rifle and bullet I used when I’m retelling hunting stories, as a gun guy that’s an integral part of the story.
As for the Buffalo I don’t know about his hunt specifically but I hunted one last year at the Dismal River Club and they were super skittish around people and didn’t want to be within 200 yards of you. They left the herd alone for most of the year and the only time they saw people on foot was when they were getting shot at and they knew it. When I got mine It took 7 stalks over a day and a half to get within 120 yards for a shot with my 1874 Sharps.
Coincidentally enough the guide for my bison trip actually just killed a mountain lion without dogs. Said it took him 3 years of trying before he got the opportunity to shoot one. Killed it with a 6 ARC.
