Erin’s Epic Mountain Lion Adventure

Have you ever wanted just one animal to check off your list, one that was the top priority and you had the chance to do it? I had this chance this year.A mountain lion hunt.I had gone a few times last year but was not able to harvest one.This year was my year.A few Saturday’s ago I rolled out of bed with yesterday’s makeup on 4 am .packed up my bow with my hubby and set out to meet our friend with his dogs. It seemed like a drive that took a lifetime,snow pouring out of the sky cold no wind, our friend said it would be just perfect .

The Erie feeling around us we knew it was a good lion day.We got on her tracks about 10 am . I was used to treeing one but it would always end up I wasn’t able to shoot..to young or had kittens, so hiking up the mountain to the tree I wasn’t expecting to be able to shoot, we’ll all was good and the boys gave me the go ahead,she was the largest a female would get, the boys said bow or you go home.. I had never shot a straight up shot before with my bow, but I was confident..the boys positioned me underneath the tree and said you shoot when your comfortable.. I pulled back my bow.aimed right for her chest and made a perfect shot…she flung out of the tree and ran about 30 yards went up another tree then fell. I couldn’t believe my eyes when we got up to her..this hunt meant the world to me.. I wanted this more than anything.. Now you know the feeling of wanting to share your harvest the feeling of how proud you are,,the hard work, bow practice, sharing this one wouldn’t go the way I thought it would..Most of the world was happy for me,but a lot of people were disappointed. I received negative comments about how I had makeup on,why would I kill a lion so on so forth..I wondered why I couldn’t share this hunt,the one hunt I was so proud of with others but other people could with their “lion”and not receive negative comments.

Are women held to a certain standard with hunting? Are we not allowed to wear makeup? Or look good hunting? I was a “killer” for taking down a lion. I was so shocked by the way I was treated.I wondered if other women have gone through this before? All I know is, Any hunt is a accomplishment whether you harvest something or not.You prep and plan every time you head out. The feelings and emotions you go through,no one can understand unless they have been there. So I hope if we ever see other woman or men harvest a animal even if we don’t agree we all can be positive or don’t say anything if we don’t. We all have a different “dream” hunt , this one was mine and I’m proud of it! Stay true to who you are and what you love to hunt:)