BigGameHoundsmen.com

Thorns, roads, lack of water, bruised soles, other then that it's about the same. you need transport if you don't live in lion country but your hounds and quads would need it any way. I have to agree with everyone else a lion hunting horse needs to be dead calm and know whats going on. sometimes there's just one hair raising spot between you and your hounds and lion. I like to know the most likely way my horse will react when faced with it. the truth is it's not the wild west and horses aren't scarce so riding anything less then suitable is the riders choice. working with a green horse can be real fun in the right circumstance's. in the bluff's and cactus with loose rocks and a spitting lion surrounded by bawling hounds is a real trial by fire and damn few green mounts trust you enough to choose to ignore the excitement. I put lion scent on my hay racks and carry live trainers on horse back before starting to mess with lions. if you had a few thousand miles on a horse and knew it inside and out you could probably read it well enough to safely go on a lion hunt with out these little exercises but few people put that time in .

I agree with everyone else that prefers to hunt the traditional way. Never had any problems other than getting double barreled when I was throwing a bobcat over the wood. O well those are the kinds of things that keep you sharp.

I hunt alone about 95% of the time. For me, it's not about what might go bad, it's about what the dogs might pull off that particular day. I have always been an adrenaline junkie. A close call now and then, a dissagreement with my mount, a lion that would like to get on me, the list goes on and on. I was very serious when I talked about that helmet. For crying out loud, when I was just hunting those little bitty 'ole coons, I dang near drowned in the Verde River south east of Phoenix. Hell, if you're concerned about the possabilities of some torn hide, broken bones, or you're afraid to stand before your Maker, don't hang out in the woods with a bunch of stinking hounds.

? The question wasn't about being afraid its about learning from other peoples mistakes and try not to get into a bad situation.

Bear Hunter,
I'm not directing my post at you, or any one person in particular. Sometimes I just get tired of the "don't get a boo boo" mentality that we live in. We have all known people that got hurt or died that weren't doing anything exciting at the time. I believe that when it's your turn, you can't escape. About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, lung cancer, and cardio myopathy (the left half of my heart was only pumping 15%). One Sunday morning EVERY PERSON that was in the church that I go to layed hands on me and prayed over me. The lung cancer and congestive heart failure went away...period. The cardio myopathy got a little better - pumping 30%. I am supposed to pass out from time to time - I don't (except every night when it's past my bed time). My wife was concerned about me hunting alone, (you know that things can happen when you're by yourself) so I quit going alone. Well, I haven't ever found the right person to hunt with every time that I decide it's time to go, so I just about stopped hunting. My dogs and I paid the price. I just about ran out of dogs that could get the job done, and I put on too much weight. This year I bought a bunch of dogs (not very cheap) and I have started working on getting a little thinner again. So forgive me for being a little touchy about "the dangers". Like I said, life is short.

On a different note, where does a guy get one of those "bomb proof" rides? I always had to make mine. For me, that was part of the fun , with a big reward of having made one from scratch. Sure there were the times when a bomb would go off, but going back to that adrenaline stuff, that was part of the fun! I have always made them in the country that I use them in also, so I don't know any other way.

I hear you benny. Didnt take offense or get my feelings hurt at all. I've had hands layed on me or my family many atime in our good old country pentecostal church. Prayer works and God is good.
Like you I've had to make my horses. Thats pretty much how I've been doing for a living the last couple of years, fixing peoples problem horses. I will take a horse and get him to where I need him to be then use him to start colts etc. Then I get broke and have to sell him off and start over. Guess I need a job then wouldnt have to worry about it
Have a lot of country that is huntable by foot or horseback. I'm getting older now and my knees are starting to hurt and grind a little more so like the idea of hunting off horseback. Thanks all for the answers.