BigGameHoundsmen.com

Warner and Sam Dieringer. I was told Fenn paid BIG bucks for finished hounds from Sam. Does a guy get extra credit if he makes his own hounds?

Mike Leonard wrote:25-06 I agree on Donnie. As young as he is and already highly successful and a top hand with hounds, horses and mules he will be there. He has more in common with Warner Glenn these days than one might imagine.

Yup

Hey Mike, I think Chris Todd would be on this "List"!

Desertdog, I agree So you buy made dogs and catch lions for 4 or 5 years and your on "The List" Mike leanord has also put him on the list on older thread and just dont make sense. No offense to the man as i dont know him but to me the list takes more than buying a pack of dogs and catching lions for only a handful of years. JMO

Just curious Mr. Leonard, How many times have you hunted with Donnie?

Been reading this board for a couple of years now, and figured I'd chime in on this one, only because I know Donnie personally.

The fact that Donnie paid money for a couple of finished dogs isn't a secret. The amount of money that he paid is often highly exaggerated, especially from people that don't know, but that's beside the point. Donnie's dogs don't run themselves. He has put more time and energy into those dogs than anyone that doesn't know him can even imagine. As I'm sure many of you have with your dogs. The dogs that came from Sam are no doubt excellent trainers, and the core of the pack, however, he has built a solid group of younger dogs that are catching on a regular basis... and those dogs were raised in his backyard, he trash broke them and has put the time into "making" them. He just skipped the step of starting with 1 dog and making it, then using it to make the rest...smart if you ask me.. and he will tell you that he learned from other's mistakes.

Now.. to the "list", I believe the question was asked about who's getting it done TODAY. You've all mentioned guys that are getting it done today... and it would be a tough argument for anyone not to add Donnie to that list, as a guy that's getting it done today. It's a different kind of conversation when you add names like Warner Glenn and Sam Dieringer... they've been doing it for decades (yep, Sam started really young). The best part about Donnie is he would NEVER put himself in the same catagory as those two houndsmen... but I'm pretty confident that he will continue to get it done, so it won't be too long before he is talked about, just like Warner Glenn and Sam Dieringer.

The question was who are the best dry ground lion hunters in AZ and NM not whos getting it done today. Yes there are guys who have been doing it for decades, thats why they are the best.

zipper10 wrote:Been reading this board for a couple of years now, and figured I'd chime in on this one, only because I know Donnie personally.

The fact that Donnie paid money for a couple of finished dogs isn't a secret. The amount of money that he paid is often highly exaggerated, especially from people that don't know, but that's beside the point. Donnie's dogs don't run themselves. He has put more time and energy into those dogs than anyone that doesn't know him can even imagine. As I'm sure many of you have with your dogs. The dogs that came from Sam are no doubt excellent trainers, and the core of the pack, however, he has built a solid group of younger dogs that are catching on a regular basis... and those dogs were raised in his backyard, he trash broke them and has put the time into "making" them. He just skipped the step of starting with 1 dog and making it, then using it to make the rest...smart if you ask me.. and he will tell you that he learned from other's mistakes.

Now.. to the "list", I believe the question was asked about who's getting it done TODAY. You've all mentioned guys that are getting it done today... and it would be a tough argument for anyone not to add Donnie to that list, as a guy that's getting it done today. It's a different kind of conversation when you add names like Warner Glenn and Sam Dieringer... they've been doing it for decades (yep, Sam started really young). The best part about Donnie is he would NEVER put himself in the same catagory as those two houndsmen... but I'm pretty confident that he will continue to get it done, so it won't be too long before he is talked about, just like Warner Glenn and Sam Dieringer.

I couldn't agree more. There are a lot of guys out there that bought dogs and still cant get it done. I do not know Donnie nor have I ever talked to him. But I have heard many good things and heard from reliable sources he hunts hard and gets IT DONE. It seems he hunts in some extremely tough country. And it seems like lots of other good dry ground hunters have bought finished dogs from time to time. AZDOGMAN didn't you buy a finished dog a year or two ago? If I have you confused Im sorry.

AZDOGMAN wrote:The question was who are the best dry ground lion hunters in AZ and NM not whos getting it done today.

What's the difference?? Don't you have to get it done in order to be one of the best dry ground lion hunters in AZ and NM??

"" It's a different kind of conversation when you add names like Warner Glenn and Sam Dieringer... they've been doing it for decades""

Those are your words zipper so you obviously agree there is a difference.

Lil Joe Your missing the point. Yes good hunters do buy dogs from time to time. Dogs get mucked out by a bear, swatted off a cliff by lion, hit by car. You could go from a super star to scratch in one trip.
The point was that mike and 2506 were putting someone on this list of best dryground houndsmen when he just bought dogs and got in the game a few years ago.

Please dont take this like i have something against him as i have never met him or even talked to him. Im sure he is a standup guy and a hard hunter. I owned a dog from Sam once and i can only imagine what its like to have a few of them. That i am jealous of.

AZDOGMAN wrote:""
The point was that mike and 2506 were putting someone on this list of best dryground houndsmen when he just bought dogs and got in the game a few years ago.

Please dont take this like i have something against him as i have never met him or even talked to him. Im sure he is a standup guy and a hard hunter. I owned a dog from Sam once and i can only imagine what its like to have a few of them. That i am jealous of.

AZDOGMAN how long have you been lion hunting? Should you be added to the list? That's an honest question... if you've bought made dogs in the past and you get it done, then should your name be on the "list"?? Donnie has been hunting all his life, and has been running dogs for more than 4-5 years as you stated... it's just been in the last 4-5 years that he's started a guide business and had consistent success... and with that comes publicity, which is unwanted by him, but comes with the territory...

happy hunting...

Zipper, lol Nope im not even close to that list. I was closer 5 years ago than i am now. Make a list of the hardest hunting lion hunters with wife and kids that dont catch near enough lions to make it worth the constant threat of divorce that comes with "loving your dogs more than me" and juggling kid stuff and running my company and chasin dogs and....... you get the point. Put me on that list.
Catching lions comes down to how much time u can spend in the field. I guided full time for a few years and it was good times. Lots of cats.

Im sorry this turned into an argument, not my intention. All i know is he bought dogs for lots of money in past 5 years. If he was catching lions before that i dont see why he would have bought dogs.

I guess i will contribute to the list instead of just complain who someone else put on....
Randy Epperson
Donny Randall
Travis Stodghill
Jim Bedlion
Joe Mitchell
Tim Diehl
Bud Swagel (not my favorite but the dude catches lions)
JR Murdock

A few that most dont know but they catch game and been at it for a while.

this is great, one thing i would like to clear up is the list didnt have to go in order best to less than best. The test that i am looking for the result of is ratio of humble to bragger on this subject and just how many humbles are really known out there that never bragg or blow there own horn. I saw were one fellar listed a bragger and a humble and i know they are both good dry ground lion hunters that was great. I dont know the donnie guy but if you catch lions relitivly consistant on dry ground you have earnd the BRAND regardless when or how you started. however that dosent mean you are the best or the worst. i think i can tell from what you all put with the ones you listed were they go. So far been just a little more than a few i couldnt tell were they went.My opinion doesnt matter i am gathering this info from all of you please keep it going i hope this list goes far and keeps building. remember list them as long as they catch lions on dry ground reasonably consistant when they hunt with a little info for category you can do this in a discreet sort of way we can all sort of tell mabey with out to much offense one way or another.Thanks!

Dave Carlson catches a pile of lion to.

AZDOGMAN wrote:
Im sorry this turned into an argument, not my intention. All i know is he bought dogs for lots of money in past 5 years. If he was catching lions before that i dont see why he would have bought dogs.

I guess i will contribute to the list instead of just complain who someone else put on....
Randy Epperson
Donny Randall
Travis Stodghill
Jim Bedlion
Joe Mitchell
Tim Diehl
Bud Swagel (not my favorite but the dude catches lions)
JR Murdock

A few that most dont know but they catch game and been at it for a while.

Answer to your first question: Because he could, and wanted to "better" his pack, and what better way to do it than with a Dieringer dog...

I don't know all of the guys on your list AZDOGMAN, however, I do know a couple, and have heard of a few, and we agree...