Diary of a Houndsman: Staying away from the deer hunters 10-25-20/10-29-20

 Dear Ben,

10/25/21

So many deer hunters up in the better country I had to come out in this windy desert. I really don't mind that much.. it is remote out here and I like that ... and lions do pass through from time to time .. I've trailed them and caught 2 out here. 

I brought the terrorists today... Booger, Al, Uno, Timmy, Rusty, Hawk, Dan and the pup (a new dog out of different blood lines).. I'm riding Agnes and packing Ruth... Ruth was being a little jumpy and fresh to start with but ended up hanging on the end of the lead rope by the time we got back to the truck.

We went on through a saddle and those hounds started trailing ... it didn't look right but I let them go for a while. I knew by the way they were traveling and where they were going I was going to be able to find a track at some point. Sure enough I got to spot and found a big old buck track ... they were trailing a mule deer buck lol.. I did scold them for that and they knew it wasn't something they weren't supposed to be trailing.

So I circles around the mountain and headed back to the truck .. wind sand and trashy hounds .. it was a good day lol ...

10/29/21

Still Staying away from deer hunters I went to a little mountain range West of where I was before. This is desert big horn sheep range. There is a lot of game in this little range but I have never caught a lion here and I have only trailed here a couple of times. I took the terrorists again because I taken ladies out the day before and ran a scent drag with them .. (I didn't film it).

Riding Agnes and packing Ruth again ... 

We got up there and there was a plane flying around and a helicopter. I believe they were counting bighorn sheep. Bad filming day due to my batteries taking a crap on my gopro .. I did see a big old mule deer buck jump up and the hounds didn't even offer to chase him .. guess they remembered last time lol.

We did have a good coyote race when were almost back to the truck .. Al is the one that really ran him the rest didn't go far.. they got some electricity for that one. 

I kinda got back early and decided I would try to call in a coyote .. but nothing came it .. oh well .. 

Thanks Ben and I will leave you with another quote:

“How does it help…to make troubles heavier by bemoaning them?” – Seneca 

Brett Vaughn

"Born 100 Years Too late"

Diary of a Houndsman: Why? ... 10-30-20

 

Dear Ben, 

This morning I headed West of the house to a place where I had cut lion tracks many times. I park kind of in a in between place that allows me to check the sandy arroy for tracks and if there is one I can at least know which direction to go. Funny thing is every track I have ever cut here is going to the East? What do you think of that? Do lions only travel one direction in a certain area? Of well live and learn.

Brought all the Ladies again .. Pea, Jazz, Sheila, Sissy, Iris, Clara and of course Fat Lori lol she is losing some weight. 

I didn't bring a pack mule today .. seems like neither Jet or Ruth can handle the rocks bare footed like Agnes can. They were both pretty sore footed so I left them at the house.  I have a call into my farrier so hopefully soon he will be out to put some shoes on. I could do it if I have to but I sure don't mind paying someone else to do it.

No tracks in the arroy so I headed west to check a game camera I had up. Hounds opened up below a little hairy cedar tree. Again I think it was a bobcat so they didn't go that far... I got up to where my camera was suppose to be and ate some steak and fried cabbage .. what a good way to eat while your out and about. Here is a tip.. wrap your steak in aluminum foil and either you can make a little fire to heat it up or in this case I just use my jet boil zip ... stick a stick in the steak and just hold it over the fire .. don't take long and it's hot. I also carry these little thermoses that keep everything warm. Real good to use just for day trips so you can have a hot lunch... here is a link:  https://www.amazon.com/shop/born100yearstoolate?listId=13LVUKV6XQYCT&ref=cm_sw_em_r_inf_list_own_born100yearstoolate_dp_1tms4b7qIc64W

I had set this game camera up at a Tanoka (not sure if thats how you spell it or if that is even what it is called) .. its a pool of water. Typically a great place to have a game camera to see what is moving around especially in the desert. I knew I had left it too long... should of took it down before the hunting seasons started .. so it was gone someone had stolen it. I just don't understand why someone takes something that is not theirs  .. just not raised right I guess.

Later on I met a group of old men looking for petroglyphs or so they said .. looked more like treasure hunters to me ... anyway they sure looked like they were having a good time ... smoking cigars and drinking beer..  said they were going to camp out tonight under the stars. You know I always like to see people getting out like that and having adventures .. makes me smile. 

I got back to the truck and trailer and got everything watered ... loaded up and headed home..no sign of a lion but I did have a good day ... anytime I can get out with the hounds on a mule is a good day...

Thank you Ben 

Sincerely, 

Brett Vaughn

"Born 100 Years Too Late"

Here is quote from Seneca 

“No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to cheerfully put to good use what they do have.” 

Diary of a Houndsman: Cutting For Sign 10-23-20

10/23/20

 Dear Ben,

Had to leave an old friend behind today, I did love that old truck .. bought it new in 2002 and put over 300,000 miles on it we went a lot of places. But after that many miles and the transmission going out in it (for the 3rd time) I just can't see spending the money to get it fixed. Have you ever became attached to and inanimate object? 

Today I am riding Big Agnes and packing Jet Johnson .. trying to get into the habit of taking a pack animal.. as far as hounds I'm taking the Ladies ... Pea, Sissy, Jazz, Clara, Iris,Sheila and of course Fat Lori lol.. not sure what I'm going to do with that hound.

I'm heading out to a place close to home again. Traveling any further into better country just doesn't seem possible at this time. Work, family and elk and deer hunters keep me closer to the house. I'm not complaining I do get to get out, and there are lions out here from time to time. 

On this trip I was just trying to cut through the country and see if I could find any sign of a lion being in here. First thing coming out of the big canyon Pea started trailing .. the others joined in but they didn't go far... I believe that when they do this we are either trailing a bobcat or a fox .. hard to get either one caught in this country but I rarely scold the hounds for it. 

We dropped down into this rough canyon .. the hounds were getting some scent ..not enough to really open up and bark on it but flagging (tail wags) .. and sorry I didn't film much of it .. we went on down the canyon and got into a pretty rough spot .. I don't take any chances being that I am by myself and I always say don't be too proud get off and lead .. it only takes one mistake and on this slick rock it can happen before you know it. There was a pool of water in the bottom of this canyon .. dogs all got a drink and then started trailing out .. again my gopro wasn't working right and I didn't film it .. sorry. Anyway they hit a little ole game trail and went around into the next canyon and through a fence. Most of the fences in this country are in pretty bad shape so I followed the fence on up for a while and sure enough found a place where it was down. I stepped Agnes and Jet across it and got over to the hounds and they were all balled up not being able to move the track. It sure got hot early so I got my water bags off of Jet and gave them all another drink of water. We weren't too far from where I think a lion that I was trailing last year spent some time in a cave hole so I decided just call the hounds on and go over and check it out. It wasn't that far of a ride but when we got there we couldn't find any sign that a lion had been in there. 

From there we turned down and rode over to where those ponds were that I had seen from on top. Got the dogs watered again and then made the long ride back to the truck.

I'm always thinking on the ride back how nice it would be just to set up a camp and stay right there ... 

Maybe one of these days. 

Thank you Ben and until next time I will leave you with a meditation from Marcus Aurelius....   

“Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what’s left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love the hand that fate deals you and play it as your own, for what could be more fitting?” – 

Brett Vaughn

"Born 100 Years Too late"

Diary of a houndsman: I can't believe it ! 10-16-20/10-22-20

10-16-20

 Dear Ben,

I hope everything is going well with you. As promised here is a hunt report.

I tried to get an early start this morning.. got my new morals or feed bags .. makes it easy I can feed the mules while I'm getting them saddled up. I'm taking Big Agnes to ride and old Jet Johnson to pack. I'm trying to get ready for more packing later on in the year when I can stay out longer. Because my dog box isn't done yet I loaded up the ladies in the tack compartment of my trailer. 

I'm headed out to my usual place to hunt thats close to the house. For some reason my batteries were dead on my gopro so I had to use my iphone. We rode up and over and came to a place where 2 canyons run together. Real good place to start a lion but I just didn't like how the dogs started it... I let them go but they didn't go far...I'm sure it was a fox ..maybe a bobcat.  

I topped out poured me some coffee ate some lunch ..(steak heated up over my jetboil) I let the mules graze I don't hobble them or tie them .. they won't leave.

I brought all the ladies today .. Iris, Sissy, Pea, Jazz, Shiela, Lori and Clara... I got a few barks here and there ..not much that would indicate a lion had been here. 

 I decided to come off the end of the mountain .. maybe not the best idea .. I finally found a crack off of the rim and lead the mules down. 

Got back to the truck .. all the hounds were hot and tired .. 

Tomorrow I will be off to see my grandkids for a week .. 

Until the next hunt,

Sincerely Brett  

10-22-20

Dear Ben,

You won't believe this but the morning I was to leave to go see my Daughter, Son in law and Grandkids I got a phone call from the rancher on the other side of the mountain. He had 2 fresh lion tracks coming through his yard from this morning. If it would of been any other day I would of loaded up and headed over there but my wife didn't even like me asking lol.

After I got back I had a lot of things to take care of as you can imagine but I did manage to get the terrorists (male dogs) out for just a bit and check a really good travel route. Again I rode Big Agnes and Packed ole Jet. I was a short day and pretty hot. Not a track or a bark so I guess those lions didn't come through here.

Not much to tell, Until next time here is a quote from Epictetus

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” 

Sincerely Brett  

"Born 100 Years Too Late"

The Ladies

Warriors of El Gato interview. Ollie Barney Lion Hunter

Warriors of El Gato the Lion .. Interviews with Mountain Lion Hunters