Slash Ranch Hounds

Book excerpt: Some of the greatest hounds in the southwest match wits, courage, and endurance with the elusive cougar, bear, and wildcat. New Mexico and Arizona have produced some truly exceptional hounds and houndsmen over the years, and the Slash Ranch hounds were among the best. Over much of the first half of the 1900’s these hounds with Dub Evans were making a name for themselves all over the southwest. People coming from far and wide to witness them in action as well as for the chance to harvest bear and lion. The Black Range and Gila Wilderness of New Mexico where much of this book takes place, is still as wild and remote today as it was in the previous century. The bottomless labyrinths of canyons and snow-capped peaks a paradise for the sportsman. Home to such famous mountain men and frontiersmen as Ben Lilly, Nat Straw, and Montague Stevens, it is a place that can only be experienced. And what better way to experience it then to follow a pack of great hounds in pursuit? The answer is, there is none. The chase will take you places that few people have seen, and fewer still have tread. A Classic among hound books Slash Ranch hounds details much lion-lore mixed in with great stories of the chase. Much can be learned about the complex workings of the chase, as well as gaining a greater respect for the hounds and houndsmen. Without exaggeration, Evans describes his adventures with truth that can be felt through the pages. From tales of roping lions to catching stock-killing bear and cougar. This is adventure on the western frontier at its finest. So, saddle up, as this is a book for the modern houndsman as well as the armchair adventurer. This is a book to read next the campfire or fireplace, dreaming of hunts bygone and hunts still to come.