BigGameHoundsmen.com

Now this can be fun and doesn't have to be critical and this doesn't have to be about right now this can go back as far as we have records. Remember times, and technology and even the way we get around today may dictate numbers of lions treed but what my question is about in your mind , and from what you know who is the top mountain lion hunter you know of. Past or present.

I will cast my vote first:
Althought the State of New Mexico may be the most historic or share the most historic mountain lion titles with Arizona my vote goes to the one and only Ben Lilly. The man that spent the greatest part of his mountain lion hunting career in the State of New Mexico.

Now it's you turn.....?

Did not know ben lilly personally, just read about him.
But from our state of idaho ,Snap Palmer.
He hunted lions here in Lemhi county year round dry ground , snow sleet or rain.
When we had a bounty on them.
Then he went south to arisona, or New Mexico?
He moved back to Salmon to die.

I am not sure I can vote with a clear conscience. The criteria weren't clear. Is single mindedness the winning trait? or most lions caught? or made the most from hunting lions. had the biggest name. learned the most from it, caught the toughest cats or maybe hunted in the most demanding terrain.enjoyed the pursuit the most, bred or trained the best lion hounds. there are these and so many more aspects to lion hunting I personally will vote to keep my mouth shut and enjoy what everyone else has to say. I'd hazard a guess it's a past hunter as modern man let wives and money interrupt with hunting far to much!

My vote for Idaho has to go to Pat Reed and Rob Donley. Those two men were real lion hunters in the toughest conditions, and have probably accounted for more lions between the two of them than all other Idaho lion hunters combined. Rob also was the winner of the only cougar derbys held in Idaho and Pat was second place in those years.
Rigdogs

My vote goes to the Lee brothers..."Home of the true dry ground lion/onza hunters"

Bill Watt...

California: Dept. of Fish and Game!

Does this vote include barn Lion,s?LOL

Here in Montana Arlee Burke or Walt Earl for old school and Scott Olsen for the new.......

My vote for Wyo. would have to be Doug Blevins. He lived on a ranch next to ours and was always gone chasing lions with his horses and dogs. Don't think he was ever married and worked in the oil patch to buy gas and food for himself and the dogs. He was diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager and didn't want to go through life worrying about testing himself all the time and sticking himself with needles. It caught up with him fast as he is in his early fifties has no legs, is blind, can only use one arm, and lives with a fulltime nurse. A more possitive, great guy you'll never meet. Iv'e never heard him whine or complane about anything ( which I think about everytime I start whining about crap that doesn't amount to a hill of beens. ) He loves to set in his chair and talk dogs and lions and grills me about every hunt and what me or the dogs did wrong which is usually plenty. A great guy, and great friend that treed a truckload of cats and always had some good hounds.

I have to agree on Ben Lilly . howerver I did not know him, not very many people still living did. this is a very difficult ?? right now I think Sam Derringer would be right up towards the top. the late Sewell Godwin Corwin Estes [retiered.] The list just goes on and on On any given day any one could be the best. being well known dose not always make a person the best.

DLG

AZ27

You said a mouthful there, and those were two mighty good picks.


Heard Sam Derringer tell a fellow awhile back. Dang I wish I was a better lion hunter. And this was right after he caught a female lion in some dirty nasty hot weather and country. The other guy looked at him and said. Well Sam you are catching lions arne't you? Sam nodded and said yea I catch em ok but dog gone it it seems like it is allways 1:30 or 2 O;clock in the afternoon before I get them caught and I sure would like to catch them earlier cuz I got a lot of places to get over to and hunt.


LOL! this is a true story....

I knew a couple outfits that caught a ton of cats in Oregon when I was a whole lot younger The Williams boys over in the coast range and Bill Davenport who lived in the wallamitt valley These guys never had to wait for snow.they just went huntin and seamed to know where to start a cat,
Bill

Jr Williams (retired)..NM

Mike,

I've heard Sam say similar things. He's probably one the most humble people I know. Not just as a hunter either. Riding with Sam is as close as I'll ever get to riding with the legendary lion hunters, like the Lees, Bee Adkins or Ben Lilly. My vote is for any of the above mentioned men.