The evening times., 1898-11-21
ARIZONA LIONS.

Florence Packard. who lives in Green
back Valley, Gilla County, A T, has a
remarkable record as a hunter of noun
tain lions He has killed scores of them
and last year alone his record was thir
ty-three scalps. The mountain lions OF
Arizona are most destructive to herds of
horses and cattle. The risk of life and
difficulties attending their destruction has
caused the lions to be more numerous
than one would suppose, and If it were
not for the bounty paid by the county,
the stockmen would be short on their
cattle and horses Much of the country
surrounding Packard's ranch is made up
of irregular ranges of broken mountains.
Packard was in Globe few days since.
says a local paper, and related some of
his adventures. In the last twelve months
Mr.. Packard has brought TO Globe ne
sides thirty-three lions a few bears, wild
cats, coons and foxes He does not con-
slider it worth while to count the small
game. The dogs for this work are 4 cross
between the fox and bloodhound Usual
ly four dogs are in the pack. The two
youngest are yoked together. another is
trained as scout, whose work is 10 go
ahead and around for the scent of lion
or bear, and when the scent is found. the
oldest dog is put on the track. and TO his
credit, it is said, never fails to find the
animal. Packard says he has frequently
followed this dog over fifteen miles before
the lion was found. Up to this date sew
enty-one lion scalps are 10 the credit of
this dog. The dog is not a fast trailer,
but very careful, and, considering the
roughness of the country, the dog is re-
markable. Most of the animals are found
in the rocky cliffs but when hard pressed
seldom enter the many openings, but will
back against the bluff or rocks and fight
the dogs. The lion prefers trees, but their
scarcity affords little protection in this
locality.
1t was last August that Packard's s
methodical mode of hunting was chang
ed a little. The dogs came up to where
lion had killed deer. The dogs took
the trail, followed ii for some five miles
and ran it up a tree. This animal was
| large tom lion, whose scalp was soon
! secured. Packard started for home. but
! on the way the dogs scented another ami
| NAL and followed it for several miles
| leading to high, rocky bluff, following
| the edge for some 500 feet to where it
broke off, led down and under, and here
the dogs had the lion cornered. Packard
! COuIo not get Sl2nI OF MS game, ana mad
| to work round among the rocks. and in
doing so came up to where the dogs were.
| and faced the lion, which was just under
| a ledge of rock, although this ledge ran
| in and afforded the lion safety. The hon
no sooner saw the hunter than. with a
| mighty bound, it went over Mr.. Pack
! ards head and landed all of twenty-five
| feet below. The dogs were after him.
forcing the lion again on the bluff. where
he was surrounded and compelled to back
| toward the bluff. over which he. went,
| tail first for twenty-five feet, holding on
to the almost perpendicular sides with his
claws, until the remaining distance of
| some twenty-five feet, he had to let go,
and fell near the hole he was freed In.
| This hole did not go III very far, but ii
forked a few feet from the entrance,
where the lion was. Packard said 1t was
| nonsense to go in, the lion would see
| him first and that there was no way
that he could use his gun or knife after
crawling in, the hole being so small This
lion was abandoned until next day. but
a heavy rain came up and obliterated the
| trail This is the only lion Packard has
lost.
At another time Packard was equally
surprised His dogs had lion under a
rock some six feet high, and, believing
the best place for him was on top Of this
| rock, ne mounted. out HO SOOieI iislu iie
reached it than the lion came from under
and landed within two feet of the first
occupant. The lion had no sooner land
ed than ball from Packards gun struck
him in the neck and rolled him off.
Packard was asked If he was scared
and replied, no. but a little surprised. He
said if a man will keep cool and not lose
his head there is no danger.
Packard says a lion will eat coon an(
wildcats when very hungry. The male IL
ons generally run by themselves and arr
very vicious Female lions have beel
found that were literally cut to pieces b,
the tom lions.
The bears are the shyest of all game
Having poor eyes and good ears. the leas
noise drives them off a good ways. /
may surprise some hunters to know tina
a twenty-five rifle is used by Packar'
for killing these animals. If a heavy gul
is used the force of the shot would knocl
the animal out of trees or off rocks be
fore dead and likely cause the death o
some of the dogs. The lion is easily Kill
ed by a small ball when well aimed.