Driftless again...and a story

[Justin H 0]

Spent another day in the driftless, and even though the fishing wasn't all that great for the most part, it was still quite an interesting day. Started the day off at my favorite stream, and I caught a few browns on some soft hackles. The springs were running less from lack of rain, so the water was getting warm and the fish were uncooperative. Lots of "bumps" and very few takes. I chose not to photograph the fish because I wanted to get them back in the water, but I got some other pictures still.

Big (4-5 inches long) millipede spotted on the way in:

Most of today's fish came from this pool.

I was working my way downstream and came to the last bend when I spotted a deer carcass on the bank. It was a couple days old, and had been completely torn up. From what was left I could see that it was an adolescent deer, one of this year's fawns moving into adulthood, and based on the trampled grass around it, it had been killed by some sort of large predator. I couldn't imagine what had killed it, since we have few large predators in Iowa...but there have been an increase in mountain lion sightings here recently, and this remote area is the sort of place they like. Rare, but possible.

With that in mind, I began working my way back upstream and stopped at the cliff pool for my second breakfast and a photo. Now here is the interesting bit, and I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't heard it with my own ears...unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to record so I have no evidence. But, while I was eating I heard a deep, rumbling growling from the top of this cliff, followed by something moving through the bushes up there and snapping twigs. There was a scuffle, some hissing and snarling, and finally the very distinctive "rrreeeyyooowww" that mountain lions are known for. It sounded like it was in some sort of fight.  Believe what you wish, but I think there was a mountain lion in that canyon with me today... I kept fishing, but soon left to go to another spot.

The trail out:

 

Stream number two wasn't great either. The water was cold but the DNR was doing some work with a noisy old, steel-tracked skid loader, and the fish were disturbed by all the activity. I only caught one photo-shy brown. I think they are making a way down the steep banks so they can mow path along the downstream half of the stream. Less bushwacking for me!

 

Last but not least comes stream number three. It is one of those streams that the DNR stocks with rainbows and brookies during the cool months, but during the heat of summer when the stocking trucks don't come it is quiet, isolated, and full of smallmouth bass. So I gave it a go.

First of many, many creek chubs:

Caught a few rainbows that were left over from stocking:

But the highlight of the day were the smallies. Most were fairly small, yet feisty, and then I caught a really nice one.

The cows always get the best stretches of water 😄

[mikechell 0]

Interesting report, Justin.  Great pictures.  Sucks that the pastures are fenced like that to also keep anglers out of the waterway.

We get those big millipedes all the time here.  Wife hates them, I think they're neat.  Ants completely hollow them out and we often find empty shells.  (Not sheds, although we find them, too.)

Glad the big cat was full of deer.  Otherwise, that close, you might've become another statistic of Puma attacks.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

Nice fish and story. An overall very memorable day. 

[Sandan 0]

very nice

[Mark Knapp 0]

Wow. What a story. Glad you weren't cat food.

[Justin H 0]

Thanks all, mountain lions are pretty timid and shy as far as I know, but it was still unnerving. I count myself lucky that I may have had an encounter with one, most people never get the chance. I will think twice next time I walk on a deer trail though. 😄

4 hours ago, mikechell said:

Sucks that the pastures are fenced like that to also keep anglers out of the waterway

Some private water in Iowa, including that section, are actually open for the public to fish through an easement. There is a stile to get over the fence up on the bank, and it can be quite nice fishing in pastureland as long as the cows haven't muddied it. There used to be more access like that, but unfortunately some people abuse the privilege of fishing private water, so the landowners deny public access.

[DFoster 0]

I have no trouble believing there was a Mountain Lion nearby.  People have seen and reported them for years here in Central/Western Mass only to be scoffed at by the state wildlife biologist office.  .

Then this happened,

My wife and I were meeting after work for a drink at a local watering hole in here in Central Mass.  Our local area isn't exactly Montana but most travelers to Boston and Cape Cod would be surprised at how rural the majority of the state is. The place is located next to a small lake with 17 acres of undeveloped land in the back.  It was after dark and I got there first, when my wife came through the door her and another lady they said they had seen a mountain lion walking through the parking lot which is lit.  After those of us at the bar finished laughing we walked out side to check it out but much like Sasquatch it had vanished.   However the next day the news reported a mountain lion was hit and killed on a highway just over the border in Connecticut roughly 7 miles from where the bar is located.  Same one?  Probably.  I remember reading a follow up in the paper that Connecticut wildlife management reported it was a male that had previously been DNA tagged in South Dakota.  That's a long walk my friends!

There is a simple lesson for me in this,  If my wife tells me there's a Sasquatch in the parking lot I'm going to get off the damn bar stool!

[Steeldrifter 0]

Really cool pictures that had to be a very enjoyable time. Far as the mountain lion, I personally feel there are more of them in many states than people realize. Here in Michigan just about 6-7 yrs ago there was a report on the DNR website about a small deer carcass that was found about 15ft up in a tree. I dunno what else other than a big cat would be able to take a somewhat heavy animal carcass up a tree 🤨 Definitely makes you aware of your surrounds when hiking through the woods alone.

[Poopdeck 0]

We have no mountain lions in SE PA but what we have had in the last 10 years is an explosion of coyotes. They hunt in packs and are quite vocal when it comes to a kill. As small as they are they eat the crap out of the deer, especially the young ones. They share their kills so what remains often looks like the work of a single large predator. We don't have large predators so I have no base of comparison for that. Heres a good site that may help in your investigation. 

https://mountainlion.org/featurearticleguestphiljohnstonforensics.php

[Justin H 0]

Thanks for sharing that link Poopdeck, it is very interesting and gives me a lot to think about. I didn't get too close to the carcass because it reeked, so it is hard to say for sure--perhaps I will check again after it has decayed further and see if there are any remaining signs. We have a lot of coyotes around here as well, so that is certainly a possibility, and if it wasn't for the noise I heard I would say you're probably right. Coyotes make a lot of strange and unnerving noises, but I have never heard one make a noise like that.

I agree with what others have said about there probably being more mountain lions around than most people think. Most creatures can go unseen in the woods if they wish, and considering that lions like to roam, spotting one is like hitting a moving target in the dark.

[xterrabill 0]

up in the chequamegon over 10 years ago we spotted fresh cougar tracks, nobody believed us, the heel of the print will have 3 lobes at the bottom, the print was 4 inch wide, no claws will show, that's was no bobcat, seen plenty of those, a week later someone snapped a photo of the cougar and it was in the paper.

they are around imo

[dflanagan 0]

Nice report. Gotta make it up to the driftless some day.