Lion hunters only: Vote for your states top lionhunter

[Mike Leonard]

Have to agree Ike old Hal is a top hunter for sure. I met Hal over 30 years ago and he was already a very accomplished big game houndsman and ahound man. Labrum I never met He was probably a little young at that time to be running much, but the Labrum name was well known in the basin.



I got a kick out of what you said about the pickup bed and the dogs.

I remember many years back my wife accompanied me on a lion hunt with Jeff Allen near Kanab. We loaded dark thirty in the morning and had to run to the Texaco for diesel. Well the lights were on and Jeff was inside buying the fuels and stashing one of his old letterman jackets full of candybars, and peanuts and such the typical Hal Meacham lion hunter's buffet. LOL! Well this bif old yellow housecat bails out of the dumpster and saunters across the parking lot. Well there was about ten hounds in the back of that beat up blue and white Ford pickup, and a bunch of them were top lion getters including the famous Hank. Not a one of them raised any fuss or tried to bail after that cat. My wife said WOW! isn't that something? I said yep that's something as Jeff walked back to the truck all hounds sank into the bed so only eyes like those of a gator in the swamp looked over.

Schoolin! is what the old timers called it. LOL!

[tntoutfitting]

.....from my little frozen overlooked corner of the world I vote Johnny Cassidy, been there done that and still doin' it! His licence plate says it all, "TREE EM" !

I remember first meeting him as a kid when I was just getting wound up with hounds, he was an old dude then but left me with an impression, he's an even older dude now and still leaves an impression....

.....honorable mentions to the Simpson clan, several notable houndsmen among them, Frank also raised some fine dogs.

......Brent Sinclair still fills his boots each winter and will for a good many seasons to come following his B & T's and wearing his trademark black cowboy hat.

[Yaak attack]

I gotta agree with you on John Cassidy. I'm heading up tomorrow to take his leopard to him. I always enjoy just hanging out and looking at old pics and hearing the tales.

[bluedog4]

Funny you guys say that and neither of you guys hunt anywhere near him, I think all of us that live near him would disagree. Careful!

[Yaak attack]

What part would you disagree with and why?

[tntoutfitting]

Funny you guys say that and neither of you guys hunt anywhere near him, I think all of us that live near him would disagree. Careful!

Didnt say he wasnt controversial, heck didnt say me, you or others had to like him, just saying he's noteworthy of getting it done in all conditions that our season brings and like Old Man Winter, that boy has been around a good while.

I hunt from Waterton to Willmore depending on snow conditions and available male quotas, so I'd say I hunt near John, and everyone else too.

[Plotts]

Kevin Allred from Burley, Idaho.

Worked a lion study for Idaho State University for 18 years which gave him access to 10 months a year to hunt lions. Good hunter, good evaluator of dogs and people.

[bluedog4]

The part where there is a big cat track involved and all the RULES and ETHICS goes out the window. Why are fish and wildlife investigating every Lion he harvests for his clients?
Don't get me wrong gentlemen I like the man as a person and he can train, breed and raise great dogs I just don't think he should ever be mentioned as a top lionhunter because of his shady cheating ways. Now lets drop the John talk because I really don't want to be forced to post a list.

[houndogger]

Well I guess Jimmy Dewar should be mentioned for around here. Had 800 plus cats to his credit when he died. I have been told by a couple of oldtimers though that George Holcomb was a better lion hunter though. He never worked for the government and never got all the hot calls. Just a dirt hunter that could read lion sign and pattern and put up a cat when it was around.

[az_gogetem]

The goswicks, the glenns, Jim Bedlion, Jerrod Nichols, Steve Smith/Larry Hendrix Sam Derringer. I'm sure i'm forgetting someone but o well.

[onalimb]

I'll second Kevin Allred, and his partner Kevin Hall who worked with him and is still at it in Idaho. Both started out in the Salmon River country with Doc Smith. Hall's BluffCreek Toto is still a legend in this state for the shear number of lions caught by one dog.

Jack Shubert, "Washington State Outfitters" has forgot more about catching Lions than most will ever know.

[Big Horn Posse]

I am just pleased that the person that posted this topic used the term "lionhunter" instead of "houndsMAN" As for the best in Wyoming, I would say Brent Switzer is one of the best around. Taught me a lot and I was lucky enough to have some of his Redbone blood to start my line of dogs. I will always be greatful to him and the times we hunted together. Even when he did bury the wheeler in a snow drift!

[BEAR HUNTER]

What about Steve Mathis or Charlie Tant out here in Ca. They are both dead and I didn't know either of them but Steve writes a pretty good book ]:}. Heard people really talk up those Mathis bred lion dogs all though noone seems to mention them anymore. Never seen one and don't know. Had a walker dog that was supposed to have some Charlie Tant blood in him. I was to young to know much about hound hunting and didn't really know how to start him so sold him. Dont know how he turned out.

[Mike Leonard]

Steve and Charlie were both faboulus hunters and had great dogs.

Not a lot of the blood left but some have hung to it.

Remember J-Bruce ( Cougar Killer) super hunter!

Gus Landergon famous bear hunter from Humboldt area was also tough on lions.

[BEAR HUNTER]

never heard of Jay or Bruce. Give us a little more. I'm just a youngster so the only way I get to hear about the legends is from older hunters I question whenever I find one that will sit and talk. I hear you can still find some of Steve Mathis's and Charlie's hunting camps out in the hills there in Central California.