MULEPACKHUNTER

Arizona, 1913 The grizzly was a big one-maybe the biggest he'd ever tracked. And it was most certainly well fed. It had been feasting on the local cattle for going on four years, despite the best efforts of the local ranchers to kill it or drive it off. But you're dealing with Ben Lilly, now, he thought to himself. So don't get to feeling too comfortable out there, you old varmint. The bruin was wounded. He'd managed to hit it three times in three days, but the shots were all long-distance and hadn't seemed to slow it down much. And now, the man thought, the pain had made it one angry bear. His dog, tethered to his waist by a thick rope, growled deep in its throat. Suddenly, the bear charged out from the dense undergrowth just 15 feet in front of him. The man quickly swung his rifle to his shoulder, getting off two shots, one to the upper body and one to the head, before the bear was upon him. With the action now up close and personal, the man reached for his knife and plunged it deep into the bear's heart-and the fight was over. Breathing heavily, the man reached out to quiet his excited dog. Phew, he managed. That was close, wasn't it, partner? ************************* Ben Lilly was born in Alabama in 1856 and spent most of his childhood in Mississippi. When he was 12, his parents sent him to a military academy. But the regimented life of a military school was not for the free-spirited Lilly, and it wasn't long before he ran away. In fact, for much of Lilly's teenage years, his family had no idea where he was. Lilly's uncle Vernon, a wealthy landowner, eventually discovered young Ben's whereabouts while on a business trip to Memphis, Tenn. There, he found Lilly running a blacksmith shop and talked him into returning to Mississippi to work on his farm. A few years later, upon his uncle's death, Lilly inherited the property. Although Lilly worked hard at farming, he took to the life of a landowner no more than he had taken to military school-or to married life, for that matter. Lilly actually married twice and had several kids, but he preferred life in the wild, sleeping on the ground (or in trees, if need be), hunting daily and being in close contact with nature rather than people. Lilly was known for his strength and general fitness. Just 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 180 pounds, he could, nevertheless, lift and carry a 500-pound cotton bale on his back. His running skills left nothing to be desired, either. He once challenged a local athlete to a race around a baseball diamond, betting he was quicker on all fours than the other man was on two feet. Sure enough, Lilly crossed home plate a half-base ahead of his competitor. He was an honest, well-spoken man who didn't drink alcohol or coffee, didn't smoke or curse and never worked on Sundays. Whether the cows got out or he was hot on the trail of an animal, Sunday was for Bible reading-so corralling those escaped cows or bringing in the animal he treed on Saturday had to wait for Monday. Lilly was also known for having some strange ideas. Take his long beard, for instance. He claimed that as a boy, the first time he saw a clean-shaven man he was frightened and believed he was looking at a dead man walking. As a result, he vowed he'd always wear a beard so he wouldn't scare anyone into thinking he was a corpse. Then there was his need for solitude. Lilly was fond of putting an ear of corn in his pocket, grabbing his blanket and his rifle, and heading into the woods for days on end, hunting to his heart's content and leaving his family to guess when he'd return. One day, his wife pointed to a hawk perched in a nearby tree and complained that it had been getting after the chickens. Lilly picked up his rifle and headed outside, but as he raised the gun to his shoulder, the hawk took off. So did Lilly, who did not return home for more than a year. That hawk just kept flying, he said by way of explanation. Eventually, one story goes, Lilly's put-upon wife had enough of his lengthy and often unexpected absences and issued an ultimatum-something along the lines of next time you leave on a hunt, don't come back. So Lilly transferred all his property into his wife's name and left the solid walls of a home behind forever. He did, however, continue providing for his children, writing and sending money to them over the course of the next 30 years. Lilly moved on to the southwestern United States and Mexico. For a time, he tried the pig trade and logging, but he eventually settled into doing what he did best-hunting. Lilly guided Theodore Roosevelt on a hunting trip in Louisiana. As his superior hunting skills became known, he was hired to collect and send in specimens to the U.S. Biological Survey, which would later become the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These specimens helped scientists identify species that were unique to the American Southwest. Several of Lilly's contributions, including a male grizzly he killed in Arizona, remain in the collection of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Hunting was Lilly's passion. Between the ages of 50 and 70, he hunted every day of the week except Sunday. By 55, his passion had made him a well-paid professional hunter, thanks to the large predators that had become a problem for cattle ranches. In fact, a single grizzly might kill several hundred dollars' worth of cattle a year. So the Federal government began offering bounties for bears that were proven cattle killers, and wealthy ranchers often hired their own trackers. Lilly became a very busy man, indeed. Although the ranchers who hired him usually provided bed and board, Lilly preferred to set up camp nearby. His needs were few: a couple of hunting rifles, ammunition, a tin can for cooking, matches, an ax, a blanket and tarp, a couple of self-made knives (one for killing, one for skinning), a blowing horn to call his dogs and dog tethers. For food, he carried along only some dried corn or cornmeal and a little sugar, preferring not to eat while tracking. Once he made the kill, he feasted on the newly harvested animal. By the time he reached his late 70s, Lilly was forced to give up the outdoor life he loved. His final days were spent on a ranch near Silver City, N.M., where he passed away in bed at age 80. Epilogue No one really knows how many predators Ben Lilly brought down over the course of his life. Perhaps the best estimate comes from Lilly expert and author M.L. Dutch Salmon, who suggests the extraordinary hunter killed some 600 mountain lions and over 500 bears. By any standards, that's a remarkable feat!

The new revenent movie was real good too. I hope they go backward in time and show more of the lives of those early trappers. Would make a great series.

Submit to a magazine and you'll get it published

Very nice and what a beautiful place to hunt

Great story and hunt. Congrats

Awsome congrats.

175.00 and I'll ick them up? I'm in wickenburg but travel to Tempe soon

Took my healer and a 75 lb pack up the white tanks tonight and realized there was a lot of traffic in the park for a Monday. I figured out why on my way down, duh.

I need to get a digits cope set up for my spotter asap, that's bad butt.

Show off!

Hey Andrew , man I wish this would have come up 1 day sooner it would be a slam dunk. Let me know your thoughts?

Awsome, we have family there and 900 plus acres to hunt. It's amazing how many deer are there , deer hunting here is a sad comparison as far as numbers. Style on the other hand az wins hands down.

Jeez hard to complain about those. Super nice.

She'd I found during hunt.

To clarify I have never had a tag myself, I have gone on every elk hunt I could cow or bull and have managed to go every year. I have butchered elk and hauled meat just have not got to carry the tag myself. I'll be out again this year on dec cow but again not my tag, I did scout the hunt, lay salt and cameras and ride the area several time this season and we should have no problem but not the same as it being me behind the gun. I am holding out for my hunt, I don't care about bull or cow to be honest but i do care about how I picture the experience. I will be packing and way off any road and it will be rough high country. That way if I suck I stil have a great trip. Mr woody , thanks so much for your offer, I am talking over details with a couple guys who pm,d me. I will for sure let you know, 22 is where I plan to put in after I get to hunt my one archery early tag. I do glass, I have razor spotter and tripod and I'm not afraid to use them. Have bino adapter as well and a good stool. When I'm alone I tend to be grass is greener guy but on someone else's plan I can sit all day. I actually like hunting others tags better I think, a lot less pressure.

Ill be putting in for deer this year can't wait, headed near Atwood.

Dang I just got the 9th not too far back.

Crazy good year congrats

Sweet man

Thanks, I don't really have questions, I've read and absorbed podcasts hours on end. I just want to get out and experience the environment late and see how A hunt goes. I really love being out no matter what the hunt. Figured if I can hang out with guys and help for the next few years maybe I'll have a better hunt when it's time to give up on early hunt draws.

Coincidence! I don't think so. Nice work

There's is something to be said for head shots , and with an old 4x to boot, some of the best cuts of meat I've dealt with in a while. Small rack but I think he was older, I'm guessing quartered he was 55 lbs or more. Heavy bodied coues.

Don't forget to mention Dwayne shot another one the next morning and I wore out another pair of boots. Of course the first big pack of the year the animals were a little fresh going in but perfect on the way out. Also I am very proud to say myself and edge had zero pack adjustments on the way out. I still can't believe in November I was wearing my lightweight August gear all day with just a puffy vest in the am. Crazy warm it seemed. Fun fun trip even sleeping in the same tent with 2 grizzly bears.