This is why I love walkers on lion. Picture says it all.

[Thumper007]

As they say a picture says a thousand words. Hence when I am trying to make a pack that covers ground in snow I go with walker. Dry ground I will stick with a mix for my best strike dogs. Even though I been making and breaking coon, lion, bear and even deer hounds 40 odd years I learn with each new hound. For snow and high altitude walkers do well. Dry ground bear and lion is a different story. But you tell me two hounds men that agree then that would be a first

 

[Thumper007]

That fat old boy ran forever and would never tree. To give you an idea that is an 85 pound walker. That Tom was 190. Sheep killing cat that had to go. That came from the video. Finished him off with the .45 LC as he was not going to tree I was 12 mikes from the rig and had about 40 minutes of light. Had 5 hounds and 2 client drop out but Doc stayed the day and it was just luck that it tried a cut back and met us in the rocks. No choice but to tag it. I was not going to spend the night or leave him. At one point I was thinking got to be on an elk but knew better but kept second guessing as after a 8 hour race down to 1 of 6 hounds and 2 client head back to the truck was glad to finally get this one. Actually that cape is still in the freezer. Need to get one more wolf to do the mount I want. Two wolves fighting him over a kill will be a mount that will get folks attention. Got one big grey wolf so hoping next trip to Canada will get another big body wolf to do what I want as after a bit full mounts and rugs get old.

 

[KB_]

Showed my hound this picture. This is what she did.

 

[MTLabrador]

That cat looks like he’s been hitting the juice...

 

[wtrfwlhunter]

that’s badass! Hounds and mountain lion hunting is fascinating to me.

 

[brownbear932008]

Wow that's awesome someday I really wanna do that.

 

[Thumper007]

I guess as a 4th generation hounds man, it is deep in my blood. I can remember my grandpa taking me to the tree on his back. Been blessed to hunt places that as a kid I only read and dreamed about for some of the worlds greatest big game. That said, even with the rush of facing down a Cape buffalo that is having a bad day, finally getting in bow range of a 370 bull elk or getting the right angle on a full curl ram. Nothing gets my heart pumping like hearing a hard tree bark after cutting on a big Tom track at day break. Something about hunting hounds that just new gets old or does not get me excited.

 

[Desk Pop]

I guess as a 4th generation hounds man, it is deep in my blood. I can remember my grandpa taking me to the tree on his back. Been blessed to hunt places that as a kid I only read and dreamed about for some of the worlds greatest big game. That said, even with the rush of facing down a Cape buffalo that is having a bad day, finally getting in bow range of a 370 bull elk or getting the right angle on a full curl ram. Nothing gets my heart pumping like hearing a hard tree bark after cutting on a big Tom track at day break. Something about hunting hounds that just new gets old or does not get me excited. View attachment 139311View attachment 139311

Right on. I am a houndsman and agree. Never faced a full curl ram or a 370 elk, but have faced a Cape Buff...still love the hound hunting for lion! Nothing like it. Great photo. I owned a Walker for my first hound and currently have one little female in my pack that is doing really well.

 

[stew]

Did you actually put him on a scale and weigh him or 190 is your guess.

 

[Khunter]

Very cool. Thx for sharing. I was blessed to have a couple houdsmen help on my UT bear hunt last spring. Man are they proud of their bears in UT, took 10 bonus points to be assured that tag.

Amazing to see the dogs and houndsmen do their work. i could not keep up with the houndsmen. Y’all are TOUGH. But did catch up when the bear was treed. 5 mile run. Bear tore up one of the plotts along the way. Nasty infection ensued.

Somehow cable on bow came off during the chase so ended up using a pistol borrowed from one of the houndsmen.

 

[stew]

khunter beautiful colored bear, congrats.

 

[Pagosa]

Good looking hounds. I’ve have one walker I got in Oregon and she is silent until she bays or can see the game in the tree. Very fast on track, but has no interest in treeing. Once something is treed she goes to find another track, unless she can visually see it. Mostly a running walker trait. I have a Leopard Hound that is slower, but great at locating and keeping a track moving, and has never lied. He will stick with a treed animal. So using them as a team accomplishes treeing game. If I just had the traits of both dogs into one hound I would be set. They just need to be hunted more.

 

[Thumper007]

That is a nice looking bear. Yup hunting hounds is not an easy task. Especially on lion as if you don’t get to the tree, it will jump and off you go again and again. Just gets into the blood. Hardest time of my life was when I first moved overseas and had to cut my pack loose. At least when I moved back and stated working month on month off I was able to get some of the hounds off my old bloodlines back to build a pack. The 7 years ago moved back overseas but kept my top 3 hounds. Cuz works them year round and I get a few weeks but looking at retirement in a few more years and will be back into it. Probably get back in the competition hunts and carry a few clients but truth is I hunt with friends and to hunt my hounds with or without a client does not really matter. Rather take someone and put them on a lion or bear as I love the chase. To shoot one is the anti climatic part. But if it is a monster I don’t mind putting a 45 LC in him. also love to see a kid or first time hound hunter get one. I have not met many that had a great hunt that was not hooked. Only exceptions were a few that it was just too physical on that were done. I had one guy that ran marathons and was in what seemed like super shape fall out 3/4 the way. Hell of a big difference running a marathon at low elevation on flat land as compared to keeping up with a pack in nasty country over the 9000 foot mark. And yes I am a hounds man but can make the statement as I have ran a marathon or two a long with 3 Spartan races and a tough mudder...... wife made me do it.

 

[Hem]

Great pics. That cat picture is cool.
Not my thing but I did go on one cat hunt in the Gallatin Canyon years ago during my prime. I found a missing hound by chance belonging to a local Houndsman. He offered a day hunt as thanks.All day long chasing a lion in knee deep snow....never been so exhausted. Never did catch up with the lion.

 

[Thumper007]

Yup that is the way it goes. Seen time I gave trees less than a mile easy walk from the rig other days that took me more miles and over more mountains than I cared to recall and then the few that went all day only to tree a few hundred yards from the rig. Those are the days you say hell I could have stayed at the truck and got him. That rarely does but has happened. The good part is it is not suck a long haul back. Before the laws changed had one client on call. Trees a monster Tom and sent my bud back to call him out. Client flew out the next day, was picked up at airport, came to the trail head rode the horse in and shot the Tom. I spent two full days and a night to get this guy his Tom. But thinking back he might as well bought a cape off the net and hade it mounted as he missed 90% and the best part of a hunt. Later found the guy had been on 5 hunts. Edited and could never mak it to the tree or the outfitter passed on a female or young Tom. Guess if it was easy everyone would do it.

 

[Thumper007]

Outside of Wyoming the toughest hunt was one I did out of Lewiston Idaho. Was not used to seeing so many wolf tracks. Then when we cut that was some nasty territory. Almost as tough as bear hunting with hounds in North Carolina. No altitude problems but those were some steep ridges that took its toll. Not for everyone but you want to get into shape for a sheep or goat hunt ? Go mountain lion hunting for a mount before and you will really impress any sheep or goat guide.

 

[Thumper007]

Did you actually put him on a scale and weigh him or 190 is your guess.

No but from the weight of the cape and known weights I say 190 on the conservative side. As on the Democratic side it would be 59 pounds
Seriously After 25 years of running, treeing and getting clients on lion, plus knowing the weight of my hounds give it easy 190 +. Sorta like aging live deer or getting an idea of the score on an elk you sorta develop an eye for it over the years. I have seen only a few over 200 and many in the 160 to 180 range looking it that I would say easy 190 but not 200.

 

[Thumper007]

No but from the weight of the cape and known weights I say 190 on the conservative side. As on the Democratic side it would be 59 pounds
Seriously After 25 years of running, treeing and getting clients on lion, plus knowing the weight of my hounds give it easy 190 +. Sorta like aging live deer or getting an idea of the score on an elk you sorta develop an eye for it over the years. I have seen only a few over 200 and many in the 160 to 180 range looking it that I would say easy 190 but not 200.

I can’t recall hiking but a few lions out whole and that was because we were close to the rig. Generally skin them out at the tree and cut the back straps out as they are good eating. Don’t tirn up your nose.... have you ever are Chinese food??? There ya go.