I have something to share with you all.

[12-GAUGE]

A while back, I booked a vacation with my family to Utah. About 2 weeks before I was to go out there, I emailed Ike. I expressed an interest in meeting up with him to see his hounds in person. I've always enjoyed his photography, and have always wondered what his hounds were like in person. He replied to my email with his personal contact info, and asked that I get with him when I was in Utah.

Once there, I contacted him. He had been bear hunting with a few of his buddies who were fortunate enough to draw a tag. After several conversations via phone, Ike invited me to tag along on a hunt with him and his buddy Matt. I was very excited to say the least.

I drove a little under 2 hours to meet them in a rural town. After parking my rental car, I loaded my stuff into their truck. Both gentlemen were just that in person. Both extrememly nice guys. We discussed just about any topic you could under the sun that day. We drove about 45 minutes in the dark to a mountainous area they had to hunt. Once we pulled through the gate, they let all 10 dogs out to empty out. They did so, just as I would do with my dogs. No leashes, restraints of any kind were used on the hounds. After about 5 minutes, they would call each dog individually, and tell them to get in or get up, depending on where that particular dog was to ride for the day. His rig dogs loaded up on the top and all waited to be chained without jumping around like crazed idiots. I've hunted with a lot of other hounders, however, these two men were the only ones I've hunted with that had a handle on their dogs anywhere close to what I have on mine.

[12-GAUGE]

After that, we started to rig the dogs down a long winding mountain road. Eventually, the dogs acted as though they had a good spot picked out. Ike let the 4 best dogs off the box. Instantly, they all began to fan out and start trying to pick the track up. It took about 15-20 minutes with them going back and forth 200 yards. Eventually, all the dogs fell in behind one dog, and away they went over the ridge. We waited about 5 minutes, and then Ike let another 3 dogs out. Once they could be heard reaching the first dogs, he turned the last 3 dogs out. They normally don't hunt near that many dogs, however, they had some young dogs they were wanting to get some woods time on. It took about 35 minutes and they were treed. We drove down the road to a spot that was within 600 yards of the dogs.

Ike let me look at the Garmin, and I confirmed I was ready for the challange. I sped off towards the tree in pursuit of my first Utah bear tree. I got ahead of Ike and Matt, knowing that I would have to wait once I got closer. I did not go 200 yards before I was winded in that crazy terrain they call home. I hunt thick nasty swamps, but it is a whole different story in those steap mountains Ike hunts. I am very close to the age of Ike's son, and he was gaining on my quickly. We all met up with about 350 yards to go. They were litterally treeing on the top of the mountain. Matt and Ike could have easily went to the tree leaving me behind, but knowing that his hounds would be there for the duration, they both were kind enough to stop many times to let me catch my breath.

[12-GAUGE]

Once we got close, we could see they had a brown color-phased bear in the tree. As we arrived, they judged him no more than 170 pounds letting me know that might be giving him 30 pounds. We could easily see it was a male. Knowing that there were more mature bears around, Matt elected to let this one grow. We took plenty of pics and video, and I must tell you it was the highlight of my entire trip.

In closing, I would like to thank both men for a great time. I've been watching Ike's posts for years, and have always thought he came accross as a true houndsmen who participates in the sport for the right reasons. After meeting him in person, I know I have perceived him correctly. I would not hesitate to share a hunt with him any time down the road. He knows his hounds, and he knows the game they pursue. On a side note, Ike hunts very nice dogs. They look great, but more importantly, they were legitimate in the timber. He has a great handle on them. When we left the tree, he simply told them he was done. Time to head for the truck. He did not leash one dog. They just fell in line right behind him. That is my style. Again, many thanks to Ike and Matt.

Regards,
Joshua Farnsworth

[12-GAUGE]

[larry]

This forum is in no way any way to determine what a guy can and does do out in the mountains. The members that come across as the be all end all hound hunters and have everybody lined up for their next piece of advice or story are probably gonna look pretty foolish if they throw dogs with a guy like Ike.

[12-GAUGE]

[12-GAUGE]

[R.M.]

Good story, and pics. Thanks for sharing.

[slowandeasy]

This forum is in no way any way to determine what a guy can and does do out in the mountains. The members that come across as the be all end all hound hunters and have everybody lined up for their next piece of advice or story are probably gonna look pretty foolish if they throw dogs with a guy like Ike.

simply marvelous!!! when your right,your right!!!!!!!

[bad moon]

very good story i never doubted ike for a bit. now do not get me wrong i have seen ike sling more than his fair share of shit but usually only after it was called for. i kind of threw ike under the bus by starting the lion rigging thread and asking him to teach me more of what i still to this day believe is usefull information. i have only seen it done a few times myself but still had undoubtabley seen it done actually seen two different dogs out of two seperate breeds. it might play some part that they were trained by the same individual but none the less they can/could do it. i also know there were several he owned before these two that were that quality of strike dogs. however being short on years i regreatibley did not get oppertunitey to see to many generations in action. anyways i wanted more information and as far as i was concerned ike was one of the ones leading the way(at least in my part of the country). so i started the lion riggin post and called on ike, who i had spoken to several times prior about this issue and wanted to dig deaper with more people. little did i know ww3 would eroupt, i mean come on folks to say someone dogs can not be good enough to be a ittle better than yours is to say the american dream does not exist i mean come on progression is what has brought this country so far. i mean what if mr ford stopped with the model t. anyways i just want to say props to ike and may he be ought striken more game than me since he is n longer allowed to take the time away from real hunting to help educate us internent hunters. so cheers to ya but beware one day i will have a rig dog that is gong to blow the socks off them redbones

[BlacktailStalker]

Looks like a good day.
Odd he has leads draped all over himself though... said he hasnt taken a lead with him in years.

[bad moon]

he did mention they were starting some young ones and do believe ike stated when he first started talking about his tree leaving technique that a dog must have a few trees under his belt.

[larry]

Looks like a good day.
Odd he has leads draped all over himself though... said he hasnt taken a lead with him in years.

The kind of guy that talks shit when Ike isn't around to defend himself and totally dumps a negative on this guys first bear hunt experience, some insecurity issues maybe! Yer just as bad hijacker.

[cmogi10]

Man, I want to hunt with Ike. Those are some pretty redbones.
I arrived to this forum post-ike, but there's nothing I like more then a controversial yet knowledgeable forum character. Every board has got one. It's a shame he's gone.

But I wasn't here at the time, so what do I know.

[desertdog]

I alway's thought he was the 'real deal'. Maybe a little abrasive at times, but that's life.. I wish he was still around.