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Ive had a few encounters with lions that were unexpected. I hunt predators on the regular including lion ,bear,coyote,bobcat,badger,.One afternoon I got set up to call coyote mainly but bobcat is always a possibility where we go. In S.W. Colorado there is a lot of piñon,scrub oak and lots of small canyons. I set my call and decoy about 60 yards out in a small clearing of scrub oak ,kind of closer to the other side of the clearing. About 20 minutes in a good sized bobcat came to the edge of the clearing and was staring down my decoy ,trying to decide if it's real.After a couple more minutes he started across the opening b lining straight for the decoy, when he realized it was a fake he ran right at me . I moved my gun to see if I could line something up ,he froze.I have in my scope at 25-30 yards ,about to pull the trigger ,and he starts raising his head almost like he was trying to see around me.Ive never seen this behavior before so I watched.Still in my scope , he is now really looking my direction, squats down and runs the way he came in.So now I'm getting curious wondering if there is something behind me.Im thinking coyote,maybe a bigger bobcat so I slowly turn to look.im not exactly sure how close he was when the bobcat was in the field ,but when I turned it spooked him and he ran down into the small canyon behind me .He was about 25 yards behind me.
If it wasn't for the bobcat acting weird I probably would have never seen him.
Second story is a little scarier ,but I'm still convinced that they don't want anything to do with people.
I'm elk hunting in a logging area where you can see 70 yards into the trees on both sides of the closed logging road.There is timber stacked up next to the road in piles ,a perfect place for me to sit and watch.Im sitting on the pile farthest to my left ,with 2 more piles to my right. As I'm watching for a couple hours with nothing going on, I see a flash to my immediate right .I look and a lion is at the bottom of the pile to my right and walking my way.I stay still hoping he will just go by,but he walks right to the bottom of the timber I'm on and freezes. I know he just smelled me ,and he's about 10 yards from me. I turn my gun on him and he just stares at me with those big yellow eyes.
At this point I start talking to him, telling him I don't want to shoot you but I will. We stared at each other for probably a minute or so.I could here him growling ,kind of like a housecat before they go at it with another cat. Then just as fast as it showed up it ran across the road. I had been watching this cat so intently ,I didn't see she had 2 Cubs with her that were across the road from me.When they caught up to her she immediately took off in their direction and all 3 ran away. At the time I was scared sh*tless.But after it was over ,I thought it was about the most exciting and cool experience I've ever had while hunting.
If it wasn't for the bobcat acting weird I probably would have never seen him.
Second story is a little scarier ,but I'm still convinced that they don't want anything to do with people.
I'm elk hunting in a logging area where you can see 70 yards into the trees on both sides of the closed logging road.There is timber stacked up next to the road in piles ,a perfect place for me to sit and watch.Im sitting on the pile farthest to my left ,with 2 more piles to my right. As I'm watching for a couple hours with nothing going on, I see a flash to my immediate right .I look and a lion is at the bottom of the pile to my right and walking my way.I stay still hoping he will just go by,but he walks right to the bottom of the timber I'm on and freezes. I know he just smelled me ,and he's about 10 yards from me. I turn my gun on him and he just stares at me with those big yellow eyes.
At this point I start talking to him, telling him I don't want to shoot you but I will. We stared at each other for probably a minute or so.I could here him growling ,kind of like a housecat before they go at it with another cat. Then just as fast as it showed up it ran across the road. I had been watching this cat so intently ,I didn't see she had 2 Cubs with her that were across the road from me.When they caught up to her she immediately took off in their direction and all 3 ran away. At the time I was scared sh*tless.But after it was over ,I thought it was about the most exciting and cool experience I've ever had while hunting.