« Chris Blankenship scores on a great piebald eight-pointer | Bobby Hogan and Tony Kelly with a Botetourt double »
Mike Perdue told his 6-year-old son, Cody, that he could have the .243 rifle he's holding here if Cody shot a deer with it.
Cody didn't get a deer, but he did get this big bobcat, and his dad figured it qualified.
Mike Perdue didn't include information about where they were hunting. Perdue also sent in a shot of a tremendous buck but I'm waiting for additional information before I publish that photo.
While growing up in rural Southern Oregon, Mark Taylor developed a passion for the outdoors while he and his younger brother tagged along with their father on fishing, hunting and camping adventures.
Graduating from Northwestern University in 1988, Taylor spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy based in Norfolk before moving into journalism.
After five years writing about the military for a Norfolk-based publishing company, he became the outdoors editor at The Roanoke Times in 1998. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and twin daughters.
Congrats Cody on a fine bobcat, I've been hunting for 27 years and have taken a lot of different animals but never a bobcat. Be proud of your bobcat and be happy that your Dad takes you hunting and creating life long memories!
Comment by Jason — November 23, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
Mike Perdue just sent me an e-mail with more details on the bobcat hunt. Here's what he wrote:
"As far as the bobcat, Cody got it right behind my house up here on Bent Mountain in Roanoke County.
I had taken a nice 5 point earlier that morning and wanted to try to get Cody a deer. As we were riding the atv up over the hill he commented that he really like the rifle and he wanted one. I told him that I had owned that rifle for a long time, and had killed allot of deer with it, and killed 2 antelope in New Mexico in 1993. I told him that I would let him earn the rifle by taking a deer with it.
Once we reached the deer stand and got comfortable, we waited and watched for about an hour when i saw the cat a couple hundred yards away. I told him what I was looking at through the binoculars, and the first thing he said was - don't let it get me! I just laughed and said don't worry- I wont.
The cat turned and went back into the brush, and I figured that would be last I would see of it. I did take note of where it was heading, because I like to trap for bobcats, and I have caught them in the area in the past.
About another hour went by, and I caught movement directly across the ravine from us, and sure enough- it was the cat! Cody set up the shooting sticks and I laid the rifle in them, and he started trying to find it in the scope.
The cat walked out into the open field and just stood there. I was trying to help line the rifle up from behind him ( he was sitting in front of me ). I kept asking if he could see it. He repeatedly said no. This went on for about a minute. Then the cat turned and started walking toward us.
I could tell he could see us, but wasn't sure what he was looking at. Then the cat just sat down! Cody then told me his hat was in the way. I slowly reached up and pulled his hat off. He started getting aggravated and told me to shoot the cat. I said there was no way I was going to. I would have let the cat go before I would have shot it! I looked down at Cody and noticed that he was not in a good shooting position at all. I slowly grabbed his jacket collar and pulled him up straighter. Then adjusted the shooting sticks with my feet, figuring this cat would bolt at any second.
While I was moving the sticks, Cody said- I SAW IT ! Then he told me that when the sticks were up more is when he saw it. So I raised them up again, and finally he got the cat in the scope. I told him to place the crosshairs directly on the cats chest and hold them steady, then squeeze.
I kept repeating this, Squeeze......... Squeeze..........Squeeze........ hold them steady and Squeeze......... squeeze.......... this must have been going on for 30 seconds ( it seemed like an hour ). Finally he shot. The cat dropped! I don't know who more excited- him or me!"
Comment by Mark Taylor — November 23, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Man what a great picture and story! Sitting with Gary in the blinds and shooting houses hunting, I really can relate. I coach him and I get so nervous and excited. Mike what a wonderful feeling when it all came together and you were there with him. It's something neither one of you will forget. Great job Cody! This is a beautiful cat. Best of luck the rest of the season.
Comment by Donna & Gary Justus — November 23, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
Awesome job Cody. Enjoy your hunts because the memories will last you a life time Cody.
Comment by Tim Worrell — November 23, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
Congratulations Cody and thanks Mike for sharing that great story.
Comment by Dewey Knight — November 23, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
BRAVO ZULU CODY!!!
Comment by Static Lines — November 23, 2009 @ 9:10 pm
All right Cody!!!
Sure is a great story and a nice bobcat as well. Stick with it buddy and a deer is in the forecast for sure. Can't wait to see it on here. Congradulations Cody and Mike.
Comment by J.R. — November 24, 2009 @ 4:59 am