COUESAZ Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Well we went out for a last chance lion for 2010. We cut the track early in the morning with snow on the ground. This pack of hounds are top notch Dry ground Hounds that get the job done. So we unloaded the mules and dogs and the hunt was on. They worked this track good. When we cut the track there was a big set and a smaller set that were together at the road and then split up about 10 feet from the road and one went north and one went south. the one that went south droped off into one nasty old canyon. While the hounds went to work we got our gear loaded in the sadle bags and finished getting the mules ready to ride. This was around 6 in the morning. this can took us into some nasty country (like they do most of the time). But this Tom was a smart one for sure. He took the hounds down the side of that first canyon. gave him a chance to leap from rock crop to rock crop. He was going to make the hounds earn the chance to chase him. Then came the full circle back into the canyon right to the north of the trucks on the road. That was about a 3 mile circle. Then up and down canyon after canyon and wash after wash. Then we started to come up on some bluffs. That is When Donnie said we should be able to catch up to him in those bluffs. Sure enough, those hounds headed up over the top of a huge mountain so you know they were on to the Tom now. for them to move like that over such a big mountain they knew the had a hot track. after crossing over the mountain top they came around the back side and back to the west into those bluffs. We are sure they held him there for a few minutes. because some of the younger pups stayed in the area and thought for sure they had done there job. When we got over to the spot and Donnies two leed dogs were not there he looked at his Garmin and said That two dogs were over four hundred yards headed north and his head dog was over nine hundred yards headed north west he said they are right on that lion heals. so we gatherd the pups and pointed them in the right direction and off they went to learn some more from the lead dogs. We could see the area this Tom was taking us was not just bad country to ride mules into but it was Nasty full of cliffs and canyons that even had our mules thinking they wanted to turn around and go home. We just dropped off the huge canyon wall with the mules going down rock covered in snow and ice when Donnie yelled back to us that he could here the hounds now and we need to make it fast because they had him caught and they had a fight on there hands. When we got to the war on the ledge of the 200 foot cliff we could see this was a great Tom. But the bad thing is those gritty hounds were right on the edge of that cliff with one swipe of that powerful paw it could send one of his prized hounds off the cliff to its death. So after a few fast photos, Donnie and Devin started pulling hounds off the cat so he did not have any go over the edge. he was about three feet away and on the ledge himself. after they pulled off two hounds this cat decided he had enough of what was going on. And turned and leaped off the cliffs edge. what we did not see was about 50 feet doen the edge was a ledge and he was on it. So the dogs were let go and the skirted around the edge and like mountain goats scaled the face of the cliff to reach the cat and try to finish the fight that the cat left on top. So we all headed doen into this canyon and made our way to the bottom. Donnie and Devin started up the wall across the canyon. so they could get more Photos and video. We knew we had to take a shot soon for the saftey of the dogs because the bad situation on top and just got worse. Now there was only three dogs and a smaller space, but still about an 80 foot drop to three sides. So we had to yell at the hounds to get out of there. One of them cleared out and sat back about 10 feet. But his two top dogs did not want to let that cat set out there by its self. Well things went Western very fast at this time and now we had a dog killing fight starting up on the little ledge. We could see one of the dogs had a bad wound in its side and an ear opened up good. just at that time he reached up a grbed ahold of one of the dogs and was tearing into her good. So Donnie yelled out that someone better shoot that cat now. and right at that time Devin fired two shots from his gun and the fight was done. We did not have much time now Because the snow had started again and we had about 8 miles ride back to the trucks in some nasty canyons And we had one hound that was bleeding very bad out of her legg. so we wraped it up the best we could and loaded the Cat on my brother marks back and headed up the steep canyon to the top. Once at the top they went to work on the dog to get the blood to stop. we took a few more photos and gutted the cat. Put it on the back of one of the mules and headed out to the trucks. Thank you Donnie,Devin,and Tyler for having us along on this one. hope to do it again soon. Maybe i will have some video to post onit or they can post it for everyone to see. I know they visit this site as they are true avid Coues deer hunters and that is the main reason they hunt Lions. Wow you should see the Coues bucks on the walls at Donnies house. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Beast of a cat and awesome story! The mount will be done quite well, Scottyboy is life sizing it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Sounds like you all had a blast there Jade. Do you have any more pics to share, maybe some that are in color? Thanks Terry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 3, 2011 Super cat Jade, looks like a bunch of fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwdodge01 Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Awesome job! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kilimanjaro Report post Posted January 4, 2011 That kitty is a brute of a lion. He's gonna make a great addition to Devin's office when I get through with him. Donnie, call me and we'll get that bruin of your's figured out in no time. Great cat, guys! Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Hey Scott I am glad he is going to have you do it. Too many cat mounts are not true to the size of the cat when taken. His neck and head and those front shourlders are what I hope you can capture the most. And what do you think of that battle wound in his nose. I bet that was a war to see when he got that. I did not put two and two together when Devin said he was going to have Scott do it for him. Next time I go down I hope to see Devins trophy room. I grew up with his brother Jason and devins wife is my cousin.I am glad Devin got that split second shot off between those two hounds or it could heve been alot worse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kilimanjaro Report post Posted January 4, 2011 Small world, eh? Devin's office is starting to fill up. Go by and check it out next time you are there. Devin went to Africa wth me back in '08 (along with James Stanley) as well as a bison hunt in Montana.. All the African game as well as a MT wt were done by me in the office. This cat is going to look good in there.. Now I just need to convince him not to put it up too high so everyone can see it! Those guys know how to catch cats for sure. I'll def get my tom with Donnie and Devin right beside me when my time to hunt comes up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redman Report post Posted January 6, 2011 What an adventure...awesome story!! Redman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Non-Typical Solutions Report post Posted January 6, 2011 That is an awesome way to bring in the new year. Living down in southern New Mexico as a kid, my New Years day activities involved a trip up into the hills thinking I would call in a lion. After seeing the size of those critters now I am wondering what I was thinking. Nice job......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
