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I just was curious what's everyone's opinion on running lions with just one dog is it to dangerous or are there plenty of people that do it?

Have not done it on purpose but I have had one dog end up on them by itself many Times . I like running 2 to 3 on a lion .

I was just worrying because I'm moving into town and I have two get rid of the two hounds I have now but I'd like to get one in the future I just don't want to have to get more than one if I don't have to

Unless they have been dogged a bunch and your not in an area with out trees you should be just fine. Andy

Sure there's been a lot of Mountain lion treed by one hound. But it's just a matter of time till you get into a bad situation with a Mountain lion that your hound will not be able to handle by himself and will need help. I also think that three hounds or more is better then one for safety reasons. My Sky hound was grabbed by a big Tom this year that meant business and only was saved by his pack buddies. This Tom would not tree and preferred to fight on the ground. On this particular lion one hound would've been in trouble.

I lost one this season to a lion. Treed it by herself. Lion killed her and ate lungs before I got there. Long story. She was a climber and had been knocked out of the trees a lot. Too gritty I think. I do like to let them tree one all by themselves though. One dog is easier to go with buddies.

So even if I had two hounds it would probably make a huge difference than just running one?

If your 2 dogs are same speed and ability and stay tight to each other and bark a lot at the tree or bay up you will probably be ok, but still can go bad. One dog gets blown out or hung up or tired and lion has been educated and other dog weakens on bay or tree and lion has time to look things over he may come down kill that one and then kill the other one when it shows up. Once he is down and has put the kill on a dog and is jazzed up in kill mode you might muck out a bunch of them.

Lions in open pursuit areas that get run a bunch and let go can get bad quick. Those that have killed ranch dogs or dogs in around areas where urban deer and prey abound will learn that most dogs are pretty easy marks.

3 good dogs is a good number and 4 may be a little better. I generally run 5 but I usually have a young dog or two in training.

I know of 3 guys with 2 and 3 dog packs that lost them all to bayed lion. One lion had decided he'd been darted and tagged enough.
Hunting is never safe.You can have the best dogs in the world one day and be starting from scratch the next !

I have only 1 hound in the past. Treed quite a few lions by himself. Usually went with buddies so had a pack. If that's all you can have, do it. Tough, but expect trouble someday. I always thought only happens to others. Not easy even if you suspect it will happen . Bluedog of is right about starting over.

Ethan, I would be surprised if there is any one on this board right now that could stay with you on a hundred yard dash or a two mile run. You are coming in to your physical prime. (And by the way, I hope you play college ball. You will have the rest of your life to enjoy hounds). But if you can only have one hound, then you just work within your boundaries.

Hunting large predators is dangerous. There are people who hunt grizzly with a home made long bow; those who hunt Cape buffalo with a spear; and those who hunt lion and bear with dogs. I wish I knew how many lion and bear have been treed by a single dog over the last hundred years. I wonder if it is less than the number of dogs who were hunting in packs of dogs and yet were killed by these two predators. It is a dangerous sport.

If you want to tree a lion and your situation dictates a single dog; have your boots tied, and your day pack and fire arm on you when you turn the dog loose on a track, and stay with it as best you can. Run when the way is clear. If you are not where the action is, you will be there within minutes.

If any one can do it you can.

Figure out ways to practice your shooting ahead of time with elevated heart rate and adrenalin pumping.

I've watched a lot of dogs get pulled in and have to be saved. I had one a couple years ago that was determined to get a dog and I don't think three dogs would have been enough. On another note it can be harder in some terrain for one or two dogs to pen down a lion or bear. The most agile dog can't keep up in the real nasty stuff.

I hunt mostly timbered area, and our lions pretty much always tree and virtually never bay up. Most dogs that get killed by lions in my area are tight mouthed. So if you run a single dog you should make sure it is very mouthy. I sometimes wonder on lions bayed up, if more dogs get each other amped up and they get too gritty, a single dog may be better on a true bayup??

I think it is better to hunt more than one but I am with David on this one, if one is all you can have than I would hunt just one rather than not hunt, the odds that it will get killed are probably pretty low.

The worst I've seen dogs tore up is when there's a bunch of dogs and a lion on the ground. Usually one or two dogs that aren't scared to put teeth in it and the rest are cheerleaders and when the cat goes after the good dog all the cheerleaders block it's escape and the cat catches it. Sometimes more is less.

Same theory holds true for bear as well Kevin.