Cuban...

Here's the story......I just got my hounds this year so I am still learning quite a bit about this....I had been out over 15 different days and I could never find a track...I ran bobcats a few times but never caught anything... I finally found an area on dry ground that I saw tracks....I went there several times but the dogs could never smell anything, each time I went I would find new tracks... so I kept going back....I got persistant one week and checked that area 5 days in a row...I started to find fresh crap and new tracks almost everyday...no scrapes...still the dogs could never smell any scent...It was a Sunday and I talked my wife into going with me...I told her I was just looking for sign and I did not plan on hunting...of course I had the dogs and was ready to go!! Finally the dogs got some scent and took off... It was a fairly short race, less than an hour...when I got close to the dogs I climbed out of the wash that I was in, and could see the lion bayed up on a high point, the dogs were below him and I could not see them... Anyhow, being a rookie at this I got close and shot the tom kind of quickly, I wish I got closer so I could see the dogs working him....he was a good lion and I was damn proud of the dogs....Oh, as all this happened my wife was in the truck for about 2 1/2 hours before I got back to her to tell her what was going on...I'm still paying for this today....actually she was pretty cool about the whole deal, but doesn't plan to go "looking for sign" with me anytime soon....I talked to an experienced houndsman and he thinks the lion had a kill nearby and thats why the lion didn't run too far....I guess they crap alot when they are on a fresh kill...that explains the fresh crap I saw with no scrapes?... Anyhow, finding tracks is not the easiest thing to do. I respect those guys that know where to look and can find tracks on a somewhat regular basis...hope that story wasn't too long...If you have never hunted behind hounds do it now....hire a guide....if you like that, watch out you may be like me and get your own dogs.

cuban
 
Cuban,

Way to go bro! Anytime you can tree or bay a lion the first year you hunt with your own dogs, you have done something, especially in that dry country that you have been hunting! Nice going!
 
Congrats on the lion and thanks for the story
 
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