One less of. Lorna's pets. Go get the rest!
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Headed up the hill last night around midnight looking for a needle in a haystack. Figured my best chance was to get close to the horses that had been attacked last and he'd be there. Last I'd seen the ponies they were on the south face of Bodie so we dropped off the hill at Marmot Point hoping they were there and set up. Lucka placed the Foxpro caller about 100 yards down the hill as I got my thermal scope dialed in. Set quiet for a bit, said a prayer and started calling. I located the calling device, scanned the hillside and back to the center and he was there. I could see a form working up the hill but thought it was a coyote at first, but then his head came out of the buckbrush. It was big and oval and clearly a lion. Another prayer and I squeezed one off, jacked another shell in and he was standing broadside and I shot again. I'll never forget that image, he levitated 5-6 feet in the air, big tail swirling and headed downhill. Lucka and I sat quiet for a few minutes and headed down the hill. Poking around in the bush for a possibly wounded lion is always interesting..... Weren't able to find him, and while I was pretty confident of a hit well, I've missed before. A pretty *censored* hound huntress showed up at daylight and we headed up, and there he was, hadn't gone 15 feet but he was in some thick buckbrush... Loaded up and hauled his dead ass down the hill. Small to medium size tom in good shape, likely full of colt. Two hits, both lethal. So far four missing (that means dead) foals and four more torn up. No, strike that, the mares showed up near the house tonight on high alert and snorty with another one missing. It was PLR Roan Gitanna's foal who was attacked yesterday, I don't know if he succumbed to his wounds or was killed by ANOTHER lion today...... So, five dead and three torn up.... I was feeling pretty relieved before this happened but now I've got a gut feeling we still got a problem based on a lifetime of dealing with lions, hounds and foals. I hope I'm wrong.
Got a choice to make tonight. Had a permit for one lion and filled that sumbitch in three minutes last night. Feeling like my horses are still at risk. Got a call from a very lethal brother on the Rez tonight, ready to come, but what about right now tonight? Last time we were in this position we took EIGHT lions within a mile and a half of the house, and a ninth 3 miles away. WDFW says that's biologically impossible and declared Bodie Mt a "Cougar Vortex...." Has the "Vortex" tightened again around Bodie? Do I sit and wait, sacrifice another baby foal to idiotic bureaucracy?
Folks, the side X is idling, night vision is throbbing, my Bohemian wife is sharpening her dagger and we're headed up the hill... Anyone good for bail come morning?
