Mike is one of my neighbors that I have know for about 17 years.  He has hunted the area for many years and knows it better than anyone else that I know.   While turkey hunting near the same area this past year he had an encounter with a Cougar.   Having seen the Cougar and missing him, continuing with his turkey hunt in a dense and steep area, the Cougar stalked him up close and personal.  This time the Cougar the was the loser of the encounter.   I greatly appreciate the following story of his 2013 hunt, when most were complaining about the opener state wide being a mess with rain and high winds.   HOORAH FOR MIKE!

It was a windy and rainy day on this opening day of deer season 9/28/13 in the White River Hunt Unit just above Mosier Oregon.  I had decided to start out high this time and walk down hill, for the most part anyway.  I got myself into the woods just before day light and was sitting under a tree watching it rain and all I could think about is how last year the weather was the complete opposite, clear and hot.

This is going to be the year for a big one.  When I was able to see me way through the woods with about 50 to 75 feet of visibility I started my hunt working the Old Hood River-The Dallas road that has been over grown for years.  If you did not know the area would not even now what you were walking on.  I made my way out of the bigger timbers and into the scrub oak.

At this time now it was around 8:30 or 9:00 am and I am wet through my rain gear and starting to feel like this is going to be a long day trying to keep the wind in my face as it was changing directions what seemed like every 5 min.

That is when I saw some movement in the brush about 65 yards in front of me. I crouched down to where I could just see over the brush when I spotted this beauty. He was broad side looking right at me.  What was going through my mind was I was going to hit a branch, but if I waited too long he was going to be gone so I let it go.  So when I saw him hunch up I knew I had hit him. He ran about 30 yards when I heard him crash!  I could not wait to see him up close so I started walking his way rather quickly and low and be hold he fell right on the edge of one of the so called roads that I had mowed down this last spring for hikers and bike riders to use, so I was able to drive the truck right up to him, that never happens.

God is Good, All the Time!!!

Mike Witt