Good to see the 2012 HAC is underway.
I always go into a new year with high expectations for what the year is going to bring when it comes to our family outdoor adventures. With how the winter has progessed thus far, I expect great things for 2012. I have already been able to acheive a goal of mine. I have always wanted to shoot a lynx but have never really spent any great amount of time hunting them. I have purchased a lynx tag several times over the years but at $7, it's not like it hurts when you don't cut a tag. Last winter I worked for several months in an area that held a lot of lynx. Some days I'd see 3 or 4 on the way to and from work. It was after the season had closed and these cats were pretty dang bold. I packed my camera hoping to take some good pics of them, but it always seemed whenever I'd have the camera, they would dart for the thick stuff and would never give me a good photo opportunity. When I wouldn't bring the camera, they seemed to sit there and pose in the sunshine and let me get really close. So this year, when I found out I'd be working in the same general area again, I set a couple goals. 1. To harvest a lynx and 2. To capture some live pics of lynx.
The season started in Nov and I packed the .22 to work with me many days. Before Christmas I saw a few lynx but they all darted fast with no shot opportunity. Then one day in early January I encountered a casual one at last light and of course, that was a day I didn't bring the rifle. I had the camera though and was able to capture this fuzzy image.
Although not a good image, it was a start. I packed the rifle for several days afterwards but didn't get a look at that one again. Then one day in mid Jan I didn't pack the rifle and I had this lynx run across the road and then come to a stop and sit and stare into the treeline. I assume it was focused on a snowshoe hare that must have been holed up in that brush. It was just barely shooting light and I was kicking myself for not having the rifle. In the lowlight I was able to capture this photo with the flash on. The lynx remained focused on whatever was in the brush and wouldn't look my way even when it was hit by a snowball. While the image was better, it still was not great. But things were looking up.
The rifle was riding with me again and 2 days later, on the way home from work, I was able to see that same lynx again and it provided me a good shot opportunity. One shot from my ol' .22 and I harvested my first lynx.
With my tag cut now I had the rest of the winter to try to capture some better photos. Here are some pics I've taken thus far.
I always go into a new year with high expectations for what the year is going to bring when it comes to our family outdoor adventures. With how the winter has progessed thus far, I expect great things for 2012. I have already been able to acheive a goal of mine. I have always wanted to shoot a lynx but have never really spent any great amount of time hunting them. I have purchased a lynx tag several times over the years but at $7, it's not like it hurts when you don't cut a tag. Last winter I worked for several months in an area that held a lot of lynx. Some days I'd see 3 or 4 on the way to and from work. It was after the season had closed and these cats were pretty dang bold. I packed my camera hoping to take some good pics of them, but it always seemed whenever I'd have the camera, they would dart for the thick stuff and would never give me a good photo opportunity. When I wouldn't bring the camera, they seemed to sit there and pose in the sunshine and let me get really close. So this year, when I found out I'd be working in the same general area again, I set a couple goals. 1. To harvest a lynx and 2. To capture some live pics of lynx.
The season started in Nov and I packed the .22 to work with me many days. Before Christmas I saw a few lynx but they all darted fast with no shot opportunity. Then one day in early January I encountered a casual one at last light and of course, that was a day I didn't bring the rifle. I had the camera though and was able to capture this fuzzy image.
Although not a good image, it was a start. I packed the rifle for several days afterwards but didn't get a look at that one again. Then one day in mid Jan I didn't pack the rifle and I had this lynx run across the road and then come to a stop and sit and stare into the treeline. I assume it was focused on a snowshoe hare that must have been holed up in that brush. It was just barely shooting light and I was kicking myself for not having the rifle. In the lowlight I was able to capture this photo with the flash on. The lynx remained focused on whatever was in the brush and wouldn't look my way even when it was hit by a snowball. While the image was better, it still was not great. But things were looking up.
The rifle was riding with me again and 2 days later, on the way home from work, I was able to see that same lynx again and it provided me a good shot opportunity. One shot from my ol' .22 and I harvested my first lynx.
With my tag cut now I had the rest of the winter to try to capture some better photos. Here are some pics I've taken thus far.