I have long wanted to hunt mt lion again but like many folks here I kinda got hooked on Africa and put this hunt off for years. Finally decided that I better do it while I could still climb a mountain so I booked this hunt through Scott Steinkruger of Hunting Consultants Unlimited.

My grandfather hunted with hounds in California and I hunted with him every weekend. When I was just a year away from being old enough to shoot my own lion California closed lion season forever.

This hunt took place in NE New Mexico on various ranches. I love this area of the country and had a great time even though it never got above freezing until the last day. I think I climbed every mesa and mountain between Tucumcari and Raton.

We caught a couple of females early in the trip but these guys don't shoot females. The big toms eluded us as the tracks we found were always a couple of days old. Finally on the sixth day we found a big track fresh enough for the hounds to trail and caught a big male.

The shooting of treed game is anti-climatic but the hunt itself was fabulous, and I am very pleased to have taken this big cat. I could do this hunt every year and never feel the urge to shoot another, but I would sure like to follow the dogs through this country again.

My camera didn't like the cold either and I am thankful that houndsman Ron Rigoli took some photos and sent to me or all I would have had was some fuzzy cell phone pics. The cat weighed 180 and after the skin was off but not streched he was 8 feet 5 inches from the tip of nose to the tip of his tail. I hope to have the skin handed off to Jerry Huffaker in the next couple of weeks for a full body mount. Thanks for looking, Jim

Great cat! Congratulations.

Now that looks like more fun than a fellow ought to have with his clothes on.

Great stuff.

Best
GWB

I'll be in Idaho on Jan 24th for the same quest. Snow is on the ground, so it's tracking time!

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'll be in Idaho on Jan 24th for the same quest. Snow is on the ground, so it's tracking time!

Maybe not Moutain lions, but you'll get the idee.

Knock him out John...........



Best,

GWB

Beibs, I hope you enjoy your hunt as much as I did. One of the best hunts in North America in my opinion. Good luck.

Gdub, you have to keep your clothes on because it's so damn cold!

quote:

Originally posted by JA:
Beibs, I hope you enjoy your hunt as much as I did. One of the best hunts in North America in my opinion. Good luck.

Gdub, you have to keep your clothes on because it's so damn cold!

I hunted in Jardine Montana, the last week of November '08. It got up to 71 degrees F the next to last day I was there. Needless to say, the elk didn't co-operate. I came out of my cabin in nothin but my tighty-whitey briefs. My cabin was on the top of a knoll above the horse pens. The outfitter sez "what the hell you doin', you're scarin' the horses. I guess they'd never seen a short fat bald "paleface" in his birthday suit. I told him, hell, I just heard it was 45 degrees in Miami Florida today. I decided to come out and get a sun tan. So, ya' never know..........

Best

GWB

Congrats, Nice tom. One hunt I have yet to do. I will one day.

Congrats - that's a dude!

Lovely cat, congratulations!

JA,

Congrats on a great hunt and getting a really nice lion!! I agree, it is truly something to watch good dogs at work.

Jerry will do a great job for you. I will look forward to seeing the mount!

Bob

Thank you gentleman, the blisters are healed and I'm ready to go again.

Congratulations! Is that an aieredale in the background? I used to chase with one. He feared nothing.

Well done! Can't wait for that hunt myself....

A hunt that i will do next year for sure.
Well done!

shawnmc, no just a fuzzy picture of a hound. Drove down to Abilene yesterday and dropped the hide off with Jerry Huffaker. Jerry and his wife are super nice folks. My only problem is I am having a heck of a time trying to decide exactly what pose I want him mounted in.