sixshot
Buckeye
Frankie, I shot this lion in 1977 or 78, we had jumped him off of a muley buck he had killed, the dogs ran him a short distance & he treed on top of a broken cedar tree, it was short enough they could almost reach him, he bailed out, had a short fight (blood in the snow) & took off up into the most rugged country he could find.
We were on snow shoes, my buddy was able to walk on top of the snow, me, being heavier kept breaking through & sinking in the deep snow. Twice more the dogs treed him but he was gone when we arrived, it took 11 hours to finish the job. When we first arrived both of us went up a tree on each side of him, he about went nuts, one of us had to go down & build a fire while the other stayed in the tree & took pictures.
It was very cold, maybe around zero, I was wearing a wool shirt & a down vest, I was sweating & the sweat would drip off my face & freeze on the front of my vest, my buddies beard was frozen solid. We took pictures for about an hour, checked the dogs feet, had a little snack & I went back up the tree about 40 feet & rested my 8 3/8's model 27 S&W (nickel) on a limb & told myself to bust him right behind the shoulder, the distance was about 5 feet. My load was 13.5 grs of 2400 & the Keith bullet in 38 special cases.
I had intended to shoot him & then give him a second shot double action but at the first shot he bailed out of the tree & hit the ground before I could even first a fast second shot. Everything seemed in slow motion, he made one huge leap & crumpled in mid air.
After I calmed down I realized how dumb I had been to get so close, they are lightning quick & he could have ripped my lips off before I could have even blinked! Maybe my most memorable hunt ever.
Here he is mounted about my desk at about the same distance I shot him.
Dick
We were on snow shoes, my buddy was able to walk on top of the snow, me, being heavier kept breaking through & sinking in the deep snow. Twice more the dogs treed him but he was gone when we arrived, it took 11 hours to finish the job. When we first arrived both of us went up a tree on each side of him, he about went nuts, one of us had to go down & build a fire while the other stayed in the tree & took pictures.
It was very cold, maybe around zero, I was wearing a wool shirt & a down vest, I was sweating & the sweat would drip off my face & freeze on the front of my vest, my buddies beard was frozen solid. We took pictures for about an hour, checked the dogs feet, had a little snack & I went back up the tree about 40 feet & rested my 8 3/8's model 27 S&W (nickel) on a limb & told myself to bust him right behind the shoulder, the distance was about 5 feet. My load was 13.5 grs of 2400 & the Keith bullet in 38 special cases.
I had intended to shoot him & then give him a second shot double action but at the first shot he bailed out of the tree & hit the ground before I could even first a fast second shot. Everything seemed in slow motion, he made one huge leap & crumpled in mid air.
After I calmed down I realized how dumb I had been to get so close, they are lightning quick & he could have ripped my lips off before I could have even blinked! Maybe my most memorable hunt ever.
Here he is mounted about my desk at about the same distance I shot him.
Dick
