Posted: 2/25/2010 3:52:28 PM EDT
|
With 2 other buddies and I we drove out from Trout Lake today around 8 am. He had found 5 cougar kills 2 of which were partially buried. We ended up at the Bottom of the Klickitat Gorge about halfway betweet the Columbia River and Mr Adams. We were on DNR Land and I asked if I could bring an AR just in case, plus I wanted to see how much of a bitch it would be to lug it around if I ever needed to Bug out.
They both had pistols, I had my 16in Noveske with a KAC URX rail and alot of "goodies" hanging off it. I run the MAgpul MS2 Sling and clipped into double point mode for the hike/climb and we set out up the side of the canyon. we hike probably only about 7 miles total, but it was extremely rough country and was impressed at 1. How light the Rifle really was. 2. the comfort of the sling on a hump like that. We saw around 30 mule deer on or assent up the canyon, so I think the local cougar population has a great food source availiable and lots of ground squirells on top of that. Coyotes and Bald Eagle everywhere....Truely beautiful country. I really need to buy a few acres some day. Anyways we made our way out on the bareside of a ridge and had a quick lunch of hardboiled eggs and H2O. reconed around for another 30 minutes or so and hiked back to the truck. We didn't see any cougars today but I had a feeling we were being watched probably the whole time by at least one. Lots of Deer and Elk sign, lots of Coyote shit and Bear shit aswell. Wildlife seems to be thriving in the Canyon with no problems. A wonderful day, gonna have to do it agian sometime. |
|
Quoted:
Where's the pics!  Here it is Aimpoint M2 KAC rifle length URX rail with integrated front sight Larue optic mount Magpul...CTR,XTM's,AFG,MBUS,MS2 sling, Pmag, MOE grip, BAD Lever, Enhanced Trigger Guard Surefire E2D with scout light head with Larue Mount Gas Buster Charging Handle. LMT Ambi safety Noveske Upper, Lower and Barrel. 
Iphone pic is all I can get at this point. sorry. I'm in the Gorge if anybody want to shoot sometime. |
|
Quoted:
With 2 other buddies and I we drove out from Trout Lake today around 8 am. He had found 5 cougar kills 2 of which were partially buried. We ended up at the Bottom of the Klickitat Gorge about halfway betweet the Columbia River and Mr Adams. We saw around 30 mule deer 
You sure those were mulies. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
With 2 other buddies and I we drove out from Trout Lake today around 8 am. He had found 5 cougar kills 2 of which were partially buried. We ended up at the Bottom of the Klickitat Gorge about halfway betweet the Columbia River and Mr Adams. We saw around 30 mule deer
You sure those were mulies. Unless they were black tails.....I am almost certain they were mulies, plus both my buddies said they were mulies. I low crawled to within 50 yards of them and got an excellent look at them. |
|
Quoted:
Westside= blacktails, eastside=mule deer. They are the same species anyway and the subspecific status is contested. OP was on the east side but close enough that he could be looking at intergrades (if the subspecies is valid). 
Very different animals. He was on the westside according to WDFW. |
Klickitat Canyon guys....I am new to the area and dont really know what the geographic cutoff is...I am a whitetail guy sorry. But they sure did look like mulies to me. If anybody wants to go I'll be glad to take you up there...bring some good optics and we can glass the area 
|
|
Quoted:
Klickitat Canyon guys....I am new to the area and dont really know what the geographic cutoff is...I am a whitetail guy sorry. But they sure did look like mulies to me. If anybody wants to go I'll be glad to take you up there...bring some good optics and we can glass the area I'm really late to this party, but those deer where likely Columbia Black Tailed Deer. http://www.blacktailcountry.com/html/blkpage.htm Not Mule Deer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule_deer If I see a black tail, and almost ridiculous sized ears, it's a muley. Otherwise, it's likely a Columbian Black Tail. The two species share a lot of territory. |