Today's Lion Hunt

[Buckshot]

I met up with my favorite hunting partner, my dad, and we set out looking for some cat tracks this morning. Didn't take long and we found some lion tracks that appeared to be from last night. Since we were just out for fun we turned everything loose, Dad's 4 Stephen's Curs, any one of which would have probably treed the lion alone, my good redbone male Rebel, and my 6-month old black and tan pup Boomer. Like a couple of rookies we started snow-shoeing after the dogs instead of trying to figure out a better way in. After several hours and several miles we crossed a road which we could have driven down and the dogs were treed about 1/2 mile on up the hill. We got to the tree and tied up the dogs. Then the lion got nervous and jumped out of the tree. Dad looked at me and said "What do you want to do?" But the tone of his voice said, "Let's lead the dogs out of here and head for the truck." I grinned at him and started turning dogs loose! They treed the lion again in about 400 yards. We tied dogs back again and again the lion jumped out. This time though it jumped over our heads and headed up the hill away from the truck. Dad and I agreed that the smart thing to do was to lead the dogs out.

We walked out about 1/2 mile and cut another lion track, and this one was headed towards the truck. Dad was giving me "the look" again, but before he could say anything I started turning dogs loose! He tried to do the smart thing but could not resist following suit so he turned dogs loose too. It worked out very well and the dogs ended up treeing this lion about 1/2 mile from where the truck was parked. We leashed up the dogs and walked back to the truck. Then we spent some time reminscing about the hunt and the many other hunts that have taken place in the 21 years that we've been hunting together. That's what's it's all about! I believe that made something like 25 lions for Dad this winter, the old SOB!

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Clint Gray
Buckshot Outfitting
http://www.angelfire.com/id/buckhunting

[This message has been edited by bcat (edited 03-17-2001).]

 

[Tobey]

Great story clint.Man I wish we had Lions up here in the north east.

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We having fun yet//Tobey

 

[Miller27]

I'm glad that you're enjoying the time with your dad. When all is said and done, you'll forget most of the game, but not time spent with people close to you. Congrat's on a great hunt!

 

[bcat]

Buckshot-Glad ya had a good time with your dad. Its always fun hunting with your dad, I enjoy hunting with my kids. If ya want to keep digging, I will keep editing your posts till it stops. If ya want to move on we can do that. We arent here to measure up each others ying yang, or to cause trouble so leave my name out of your posts if ya will and I will do the same. If ya want to play games we will play games. Again am happy ya had so much fun with your dad. bcat

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If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Boykin's Hunting Homepage
HuntAndLodge.com
www.recworld.com/boykin

 

[whitedeer]

Buckshot.....Isn't it unusual for a twice treed cat to still have the 'wind' stamina to take off uphill again?
Used to run redbones with my Dad.....Don't pass up any opportunity to continue with your Dad, even if you have to pack him back on your back. Enjoyed the story...keep them coming....Hope we are not over reacting on the editing.

 

[rthrbhntng]

Clint,
When do the black bears start coming out in your area in ID.
Good story about your dad and you. Tell him I said hi.
Steve

 

[Buckshot]

rthrbhntng,
I think the bears ought to start moving around anytime in the next 3 weeks or so.


whitedeer,
Yes, it is fairly unusual for a winded cat to run uphill. Certainly surprised me as it sailed 6 feet over my head! If we had turned the dogs loose again I think it would have been a short chase, and the cat may have turned back downhill as soon as he was out of site.


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Clint Gray
Buckshot Outfitting
http://www.angelfire.com/id/buckhunting

[This message has been edited by bcat (edited 03-17-2001).]

 

[bcat]

Buckshot-As of today I am one of the moderators of the lion and bear section. Rather than answer to one of your digging questions, I am gonna edit and delete anything you say to me out of your posts. If ya dont like it take it up with Oscar. Any comments made in this section meant to stir crap will be edited or totally deleted depending on the severity of it. If you would kindly keep my name out of your posts totally, for now I would appreciate it and Moosie would too. I am NOT gonna fight with ya so ya might as well give up Clint. If ya dont like the editing keep your digs to yourself. bcat

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If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Boykin's Hunting Homepage
HuntAndLodge.com
www.recworld.com/boykin

 

[Bear Creek Adventures]

Clint,

Great story! Where are the pics??? I always loved hunting with my dad. We had lots of great deer and elk hunts, but we have never hunted bear or lion together. My dad never owned a hound, but I sure wish he would have. I guess it's up to me to start the hound hunting tradition in my family. You guys must have lots of lion there. I have always wanted to tree a double in one day. When can I come out there??

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"The worst advice you can give a person with a sour attitude is to be himself"
[email protected]

 

[CougarGuy]

Cool story

CougarGuy

 

[bcat]

Five years ago when we still had a high lion population we treed four lions in an afternoon within 100 yards of each other. One big tom two females and a 50 pound kitten. Aparently they were sharing a deer kill a few hundred yards away. We videoed it. That is the only time we have treed multiple lions in one day except females and kittens. Never had two lions in the same tree before, except the kittens a few times. The kittens were always in different trees from the female.bcat

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If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Boykin's Hunting Homepage
HuntAndLodge.com
www.recworld.com/boykin

 

[rthrbhntng]

My wife and I hunted with Clint a couple of years ago and we walked into a roadless area and found two sets of tracks. After walking back and getting the dogs we pretty quickly treed a lion and my wife took it with her bow. Clint and I looked at a lot of tracks the next day and then decided to go back in. When we got there I think we found four more sets of new tracks, it had snowed a pretty good. We fould a set that seemed to seperate from the others up a ridge and then went back to get the dogs. The first time the lion treed I couldn't get a shot with my bow so Clint and I tried to get the lion to either move or jump but he was having none of that. Clint climbed up in the tree and with a stick swatted at the lion till he jumped out and ran. In the deep snow back and forth through a good flowing creek we went and finally caught up with the dogs, they had the lion treed again in a super thick cedar tree. No shot and up went Clint. Finally after about 3 hours we had the lion treed with an open shot and I got to harvest my first lion. It was great.
Clint, have you ever been back in that area. Seemed to be a lot of lions in there that year.
Steve

 

[Buckshot]

BCA,
I only took a couple pictures and they are still in the camera with something like 17 more pictures to shoot up before developing. I didn't even take pictures at the first and last trees because you could see so little of the cat. You can come on up anytime and we'll go exercise the dogs!

rthrbhntng,
That was a fun hunt, too bad we didn't get a video of it. Seems like at about the fourth tree your cat was getting a little tired of me climbing its trees and started calling me some really nasty names! I thought it was going to eat my lunch for a second there! No, I don't think I've been back in there since your hunt, but you're right, the cats sure were in there.


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Clint Gray
Buckshot Outfitting
http://www.angelfire.com/id/buckhunting

 

[bcat]

Do they have chase seasons for lions in Idaho? We have a few areas in Wyoming, that are open year round, or until the quota fills. Does anyone know on the chase seasons in Idaho? Can an Out of stater by a tag and hunt lions with his own dogs there? Ya can in Wyoming. bcat

------------------
If you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

Boykin's Hunting Homepage
HuntAndLodge.com
www.recworld.com/boykin