Trips Booked!

[BizCT]

Shotgun. 10 day forecast shows no snow, sucks. I will be calling the outfitter xmas day to find out if I should be flying out the next day or not.

[BizCT]

Just booked a Mountain Lion Hunt, "Tom Hunt Package" with Wade Eckel in Arizona, http://www.killerlionhunts.com/. Have heard only great things about this guy!

My December Minnesota Bobcat Hunt got cancelled due to lack of snow, so I decided to take my flight voucher and go to Arizona for a dry-ground Mt. Lion hunt. My Dad got one about 15 years ago in Colorado and said it was an intense hunt, once in a lifetime type experience. I expect this to be the same as you can tell from the videos on Wade's website. I'll be going late February, and then a month later going to Ontario, Canada for a wolf hunt. Also in 2012 I'll be going to Wyoming the first week of October for a Mule Deer/Antelope combo hunt, back to Pennsylvania with the crossbow for whitetail, and then hopefully to Minnesota for the Bobcat Hunt that got postponed.

Should be an awesome 2012.

[BizCT]

Leaving in less than 3 weeks to go to Arizona..... this video gets me pumped >

It was taken by the guy I will be hunting with.

[Paula]

oh my god ...holy. they aren't afraid at all of that cat. can't wait to hear your story when you get back

Edited February 2, 2012 by paula

[Geno C]

wow those dogs were right on the cliff and they were so close to that mt lion. one strike to the face of one of those dogs could have been bad... my buddy went on a mt lion hunt last year and shot a big one and had it fully body mounted on a big rock setup. it came out beautiful! to bad it sits on his basement lol, the wife would kill him if it was anywhere else. if that was me that thing would be right in my living room lol

[BizCT]

When my Dad got his mountain lion about 15 years ago in Colorado, the Mt. Lion was in a rock cave and the dogs got too close....the guide told my dad to shoot the lion as soon as he pulled his last 2 dogs away from the mt. lion. My Dad shot the lion at point blank range. Unfortunately, for the guide the lion clawed the guides arm down to the bone as he pulled his dogs away. The guide wrapped his arm with t-shirts, got the lion of the mountain, etc....then went to the hospital for 80+ stitches.

[Doewhacker]

I wonder if the dogs ever get a mouth full of those kitty's?

If anyone wants to see dogs used to hunt boars click the link for pictures, these are Deutch Drahthaars, the strict breeding version of the German Wirehaired Pointer.

http://drahthaar.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=208&page=1

[Paula]

The prices don't look that bad, without any comparisons. never looked into a hunt like this

[BizCT]

Yea, not bad at all........I chose the Tom Hunt for $3K. Hopefully I get one. To me its a once in a lifetime type of hunt, in that I would never go for a 2nd one once I got one and have a full body mount done.

Also this is a dry ground hunt, which isn't as common as most other mt. lions hunts which are conducted only with snow on the ground.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Biz-R-OWorld

[Paula]

I can't figure out what do do for my vacation next year, Nebraska area or Oklahoma for a bike ride next year. Maybe its going to be a hunt instead, i can ride there

[steve863]

I wonder if the dogs ever get a mouth full of those kitty's?

If anyone wants to see dogs used to hunt boars click the link for pictures, these are Deutch Drahthaars, the strict breeding version of the German Wirehaired Pointer.

http://drahthaar.pro...read=208&page=1

Now that would be more appealing to me! At least you get some tasty pork chops out of it if successful.

[Doewhacker]

I'm not sure how I would do on a adventure hunt like a ML or a mean old hog, at any rate I like dogs that can do this type of thing so I might actually like it I guess.

[BizCT]

My Minnesota Bobcat Hunt was cancelled in December (lack of snow), but I am going next year (if they get snow lol)....anyway, if I am lucky enough to get a mt. lion, and then a bobcat both in 2012, all I will need is a Lynx for the "North American Cat Slam!"

[BizCT]

Leaving for Arizona Sunday....hopefully will come back with some pics of a nice a Tom!

[Skillet]

Good luck. Be safe.

[BizCT]

Well my bad luck continues….after my Minnesota Bobcat Hunt in December was cancelled due to a lack of snow; I booked a dry ground Mountain Lion hunt in Southern Arizona. Long story short, I came home empty handed……..FOR NOW.

Day 1 = In the afternoon, we decided to try for a 5 ½ - 6 year old (130-150lbs) Tom that would have made the Arizona state record books (14” skull minimum). After a very tough 10-12 miles on foot (4K-9K elevation), we ran out of light before catching up to the big Tom. Track probably was 2 nights old and not 1 night old. Therefore, this lion was much farther away than we initially thought.

Days 2 & 3 = Didn’t find any fresh tom tracks, only older tracks or fresh female tracks, which I decided to pass on. I really wanted a mature 3+ year old Tom.

Day 4 = I decided to go after a Tom that was approx 3 years old and approx 95-105 lbs. We followed the tracks all day long, but came up empty handed. He had zigzagged with a female and a young female whose tracks were also fresh, making it tough on the dogs to follow the correct path.

Day 5 = We cut off this 3 year old Tom, 8 miles away, and set out for a last minute try. Once again, we just ran out of daylight.

All in all, it was a great experience. We hunted some tough terrain at high elevations (thin air). I strongly recommend Wade Eckel at KillerLionHunts.com. He runs 90% success rates on 5 day hunts, and never had anybody go longer than 8 days before getting one. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay longer, although I was invited. I will be heading back in October to get my Lion! Instead of taking a smaller tom or female, I decided I would come back for my Tom.

I chose a dry ground hunt as opposed to a snow hunt and I’m glad I did. It was awesome. I saw tons of Coues deer, a few Kudamundi, bunch of Jackrabbits and Cottontails, some Javelina, few Merriam turkeys, and luckily no snakes. Wade is amazing at what he does. He has been hunting the southern Arizona mountains/ranches for a long time, and knows their travel routes, etc. I had same bad luck, but can’t wait to go back in a few months and get my lion. I am extremely confident in Wade and his operation. We covered an area of 80x60 miles, by Truck, ATV, and foot. His dogs are top-notch. His lodge is awesome in the middle of the desert. His wife is the hostess/cook and you actually eat breakfast and dinner with his daughters, etc. It’s really a great family operation.

[Paula]

sorry you didn't get anything, sounds like a good time

[Red]

sounds like a nice vacation

[BizCT]

Yea it was a great experience. I have a lot of confidence I will be successful, when I go back in October.

[BizCT]

Pics attached....although, they dont do it any justice....the videos I have are insane.

[Paula]

love the lion

[Pygmy]

Nice pictures, Biz-R -O....Thanks for sharing..Looks like a nice place..

Tough luck on the lack of snow..Those kittcat hunts are incrementally tougher without snow.

I have a buddy who has been on two, both with reputable outfitters, and he came up blank both times..No snow..

[BizCT]

Snow was only needed in Minnesota for bobcat hunt....it got postponed till next December....the Arizona hunt is only dry ground....the guide, Wade does not run his dogs in snow....dry ground only.

[Pygmy]

10-4...My buddy was hunting Idaho...

Looks like you had a nice hunt anyway..Hey, that's huntin"...

[nyazhunter]

BIZ , Where were you in Southern AZ. It is awesome country.

Jim