Huachuca Caller
Member
I recently got this bobcat mount back from Wellers Wildlife Studios in Tucson. I think they did a great job. The cat was taken on a hunt that took place in February 2023 just north of Tombstone.
It was the third strand of the morning. Me and my hunting partner set up along a brushy wash near a cattle tank. My buddy sat overlooking the caller and decoy with a shotgun. I took up a position about 25 yards up the wash to his right. I had rifle in 22 magnum and a shotgun.
After about 15 minutes of calling, I changed sounds and almost immediately a large bobcat came trotting down the wash. The cat stopped in front of me and starring in the direction of the caller and decoy. It was broadside to me but there was a small bush partially blocking my view of the cat. The cat was unaware of my presence. I shouldered the 22 mag and waited for the cat to move from behind the bush.
But the cat never moved. He just stood there watching the caller. There was a small gap in the bush that gave me a view of his vitals, so I aimed and took the shot. The 30 gr Vmax hit the cat and he jumped about three feet straight up in the air. The cat went down but then got up and began moving away from me to the other side of the wash. I fired the remaining four rounds in the rifle but rushed every shot due to all the sudden excitement, and none of them connected. I lost sight of the cat somewhere on the far side of the wash.
My buddy told me he saw the cat lay down and that it looked woozy like it had lost a lot of blood. We sat for a while to give the bobcat time to expire. After waiting awhile, I went across the wash with shotgun in hand. My buddy stayed put and verbally walked me into where he saw the cat go down. When I got there the cat was staring at me. It got up and started to trot off, but I hit it with some #4 buck from my shotgun and put it down.
After examining the cat, we discovered that the first bullet had hit it high in the lungs. A mortal wound but not immediately fatal. Because of this incident I’ve moved away from using rimfires for predator hunting. I also make it a point to always carry a shotgun even when I intend to hunt with a rifle.
I’m thankful to have recovered this bobcat. Losing it would have been a very bitter pill to swallow. I always wanted to have a full body mount bobcat. This mount will serve as a great reminder of this hunt and all the lessons that were learned that day.
It was the third strand of the morning. Me and my hunting partner set up along a brushy wash near a cattle tank. My buddy sat overlooking the caller and decoy with a shotgun. I took up a position about 25 yards up the wash to his right. I had rifle in 22 magnum and a shotgun.
After about 15 minutes of calling, I changed sounds and almost immediately a large bobcat came trotting down the wash. The cat stopped in front of me and starring in the direction of the caller and decoy. It was broadside to me but there was a small bush partially blocking my view of the cat. The cat was unaware of my presence. I shouldered the 22 mag and waited for the cat to move from behind the bush.
But the cat never moved. He just stood there watching the caller. There was a small gap in the bush that gave me a view of his vitals, so I aimed and took the shot. The 30 gr Vmax hit the cat and he jumped about three feet straight up in the air. The cat went down but then got up and began moving away from me to the other side of the wash. I fired the remaining four rounds in the rifle but rushed every shot due to all the sudden excitement, and none of them connected. I lost sight of the cat somewhere on the far side of the wash.
My buddy told me he saw the cat lay down and that it looked woozy like it had lost a lot of blood. We sat for a while to give the bobcat time to expire. After waiting awhile, I went across the wash with shotgun in hand. My buddy stayed put and verbally walked me into where he saw the cat go down. When I got there the cat was staring at me. It got up and started to trot off, but I hit it with some #4 buck from my shotgun and put it down.
After examining the cat, we discovered that the first bullet had hit it high in the lungs. A mortal wound but not immediately fatal. Because of this incident I’ve moved away from using rimfires for predator hunting. I also make it a point to always carry a shotgun even when I intend to hunt with a rifle.
I’m thankful to have recovered this bobcat. Losing it would have been a very bitter pill to swallow. I always wanted to have a full body mount bobcat. This mount will serve as a great reminder of this hunt and all the lessons that were learned that day.
