Lion hunters only: Vote for your states top lionhunter

[sourdough]

Mike L,
You are a wealth of information. Jay Bruce,Steve Mathis,Charlie Tant are all well known and were extremely good lion hunters, Gus Landergon caught hundreds of bear and was a gifted houndsman and took many lions. Two other houndsman that come to mind one that I had the pleasure to meet before his passing was the late Ray Nelson as fine a lion hunter as any. The other the late Ernie Yakie although Ernie may not have been Known as "The greatest lion hunter" he caught his share a fine houndsman.

[lionhunterdaves]

I didn't hear much about colorado accept Van Johnson. He is an extrordinary hunter/houndsmen but I would have to go wiyh Bobby and Tommy Farmer. Every dog they have is a top notch start to finish hound.

[rzhounds]

for Utah I would have to say Hal Mecham and Jeff Allen. Colorado it would have to be Bruce Nay, and Van Johnson. I dont know Bruce very well But Mecham told me he is one lethal lion hunter and has been for 35 plus years. I would just like to know a 1/8 of what all these guys mentioned in this post have forgot , they have all moved on and forgotten all I know about these hounds and hunting. Its real cool to read and here names of some of the greats around the country, if only I could of had the honor to hunt with some of those guys that are dead and gone, boy what a day of learning that would be. Great post.

[corywoody]

Idaho Past Gene Alford, Present Drex Shillings

[Mike Leonard]

You know I never did cast my vote for who I think may be on the top of the heap of lion hunters in New Mexico these days. I know I mentioned Ben at the start of this and this state has many top bare ground hunters some deceased and some still rolling.


I think it would be very hard to argue that we have a LIVING legend out there probably right now on his mule with his dogs as he has been for 60 years. He is in his 80's and still making life very difficult for the long tails. He doesn't get a lot of press but those who know him or have hunted with him will tell you MR. ORVILLE FLETCHER is for sure.



MR. LIONHUNTER!

[sourdough]

There is no doubt that Ben Lilly was a true big game hunter! From the stories people told and the writer's that wrote about him, Fact or fiction to them it's all true. To saddle up with the PAST greats or sit around a camp fire with Jack Butler, walk on a death march with Ben Lilly, and all the other LEGEND'S to see their countless brave slobber mouth potlickers pounding out an old cold lion track on some mountain side in one of our rugged western state is but a dream. Take the opportunity talk or hunt with today's "LIVING" legends you never know what you might learn! GREAT POST MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[patch]

Cap Attwood would get my vote he caught alot of lion .With out the convenience's that we have today he is my wife uncke when he moved to Lapiont UT. he helpedout alot

[houndogr]

Liontracker. Hell, who else has dogs that can trail a 14 day old lion track?

[Mike Leonard]

Bruce,

You are right old Cap is a good one and I have sure enjoyed talking to him. I was out by the horse track here one day and had a few horses and hounds loaded and he was fueling up, He came over there and said any of them dog worth a hoot? I said no not really, and he alughed and sais I would probably buy one of them! He had a camper trailer here at one of the parks during a race meet and sure did provide a lot of hound entertainment.

If you see him tell him hello from me. Probably won't remember me but just say the guy with the funny moustache and the single axle three horse trailer with the hound compartments he met at the Sun-Dial in Aztec.

Met Hollis too and the other brother that lived out by Whitewater seems like Blaine or something like that was his name. Hell of a story teller.

[patch]

mike just leting you know Cap pasted on about four years ago . But you right there was never a dull monment around him. Blaine just lives down the road from me.see you later Bruce

[Mike Leonard]

Bruce,

Thanks for letting me know. sorry to hear about Cap but he packed a lot of living into his years.

He was telling me about a strain of Plotts he had that were good cold trailers and very tuff footed. I can't remember the lines but he really liked them.


Del Cameron talks about hunting with Cap in his book Call of the Hounds.

[LCK]

I'll have to put in a good word for past lion hunter Gordon Pace in Utah. Ron Moore treed his share all around the western states as well.

[kk]

I will put my vote in for Martin Ballard from UT, He died in 2005, He was a very hard lion and bear hunter, and he taught me a lot about hunting and traing hounds.

[REM]

I knew Pat Reed and knew of Rob Donnely. I think there were a couple other people in that contest but can't remember their names.

One thing you have to remember with these guys they all hunted off of foot power and snowshoes. They could walk horses into the ground.

There are probably as good or better hunters of that era in the state of Idaho, but just haven't heard of them.

All I know is I wouldn't have liked to keep up with them in the Salmon River country they hunted. At least they didn't have wolves back then.

[Bigbear]

I would have to say old Shirley Cook hes no longer with us but he sure caught the heck out of em and got alot of guys started around here with hounds