The Hardin, Montana area, where Wagner’s Mike Frei and Dave Kotab recently made a mountain lion hunt, is just east of Billings and north of the Little Bighorn battlefield. Mike’s hunt was first, and his primary guide was Chaz Bends of Crow Country Outfitters. Weather wise, Mike was in luck as he had fresh snow but not snowing, and a light wind that would aid the dogs. They began at 6:00 A.M.

In talking with Mike about his hunt, it was all about the dogs. The dogs, Walkers and Blue Tick hounds, had to be trained to trail lions as the young dogs readily trail elk, rabbits, or whatever else is out there. From the very moment of release, the dogs are on the trail and monitored with a handheld GPS as they disappear from sight.

The guys hunted the foothills within two or three miles of Dayton, Montana. The elk winter at lower elevations, and the lions winter in the vicinity of the elk, their food source. It had been determined by trail cam that Mile’s eventual cat had already killed at least three elk calves so far this winter.

Upon cutting a likely fresh trail along the road, six dogs were released when the guides felt it was a sizeable male. From that point on, Mike and Dave were on their feet the entire time. The hunt was physically demanding as it was up and down steep canyon walls. Younger and very athletic guides preceded Mike and Dave during the chase in order to keep the cat treed if possible. At times it was necessary for them to build a small fire under a tree to keep the cat in place. Mike’s cat led the dogs on a six mile chase, and was treed three separate times before the actual kill. At one point, Mike’s lion made a forty foot leap from a tree in order to keep ahead of the relentless hounds.

Luck was with Mike on this hunt as his male lion weighed 155 pounds. He dispatched his lion with a .30-06 rifle. The full-body mount will adorn Mike’s office at Wagner’s Commercial State Bank. Mike booked a six-day hunt, but was fortunate in bagging his lion on the first day. Mike’s lion was hard-earned as a hunt three years ago was foiled by 20 degrees below zero weather and two feet of snow. Dave’s hunt followed Mike’s, but he was not as fortunate as Mike on his hunt as the snow had melted, and the dogs need snow to hold the scent. Dave will try it again in the near future when conditions are right.

I’m proud of Mike and Dave, former students of mine, but I’m a wee bit jealous as I’m no longer able to make a hunt like this as the strength and endurance required for this hunt are long gone.

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The outdoor world lost an icon in the recent passing of Judge Paul Kern. The Canada geese will miss him as he was truly their chief adversary. More important, he was a firm but fair judge and a colorful friend. As Wagner’s 7-12 school principal, truancy was my foremost problem. When all else failed, an appearance before Judge Kern solved the problem. The choice was simple. Make certain the kid goes to school, or go to jail. He said it with authority.

I’ll never forget the time we put together a foursome at the Randall Hills Golf Club. We formed into two teams and agreed after much friendly dickering to play for a quarter a stroke. But Paul was a rascal, and I knew something further was coming. When all was finally agreed upon, the judge announced that since he had turned 65 and was now a senior citizen, his teeing off from the closer red tee boxes was standard procedure. The bickering started all over again, but the judge got his way. I’ll miss his presence.

See you next week.