Just a Tad...

MECHAM FAMILY TREED

I feel very blessed in this life, and I am so grateful to god that I live where I get in the outdoors and hunt almost everyday and anytime I want. I can walk out any of my doors and get a breath of clean air, hear the birds singing, and watch the cotton tails and an occasional muley grazing on our lawn.. Awww ..then all hell breaks loose as our pack of hounds also spot them. The hounds..our passion! 

I was told to write about something I love, the first thing that came to mind was Hunting with our hounds. Our hounds are their own legend, almost 70 years and 4 generations in the making. They have been bred to track Mountain Lion, bear and bobcats, in all conditions, in snow or on dry land. They are cold nosed hunting machines, but they are also our companions, part of our family’s and we love them.

Grandpa Elmo Bushnell got the first hounds in the late 1940’s. It all started with 2 Black/Tans named Slim and Bess. As his pack of dogs grew so did his love for hunting with them. He lived in Henrieville, Utah and his daily hunting became a way of life for his family. He caught many lions in his years of hunting and bred many good dogs.

In 1956 Elmo’s daughter Koye, started dating a handsome young man by the name of Stan Mecham, from Tropic, Utah. Stan also had 2 hounds and the bug, and by the time they were married in 1957 Stan had bought 2 more Black/Tans from Jack Butler. These hounds were registered on one side and pack bred on the other. This union was not only was the beginning of a new family, but the beginning of the “Mecham Line” Hounds. Over the following years Elmo and Stan bought, bred, and sold dogs. They both hunted every day and became well know as great Lion Hunters and Houndsmen. They had the privilege to hunt and learn from the best Lion Hunters in the country such as: Jack Butler, Burt Emmett, Monte Willis. And Sears Willis.

At one point Stan had 53 hounds he was hunting!

Elmo passed away in 1985, Stan is 76 now and still saddles his horse and goes hunting every day. Although he has trimmed the numbers, He still has a big pack of hounds and raises and sells pups. 
I asked Stan what his all-time favorite hunt was, “One in Escalante that I had been killing livestock He was the biggest Tom I have every seen”. This was in July,1967. No measurements were taken but it was the same size as a skinned out steer. When I asked him what his 4 all- time favorite dogs were, he named 9..Jack, Tant, Lady 1, Lady11, Kite, Moke, Arkey, and Topper. His favorite Color is Walker, with a little bloodhound and blue tick mixed in. He likes Walkers because they are fast, Blood Hounds for their nose and voice and blue ticks because he thinks they are “goodlooking”.

I am married to Stan’s 1st son Clint. He and his brother Mclain are both great Houndsman and Lion Hunters. They both raise dogs and both keep the Mecham Line alive and growing.. Stan likes Walkers, Clint likes the Red ticks and Mclain likes Bluetick. All so different, but yet the same.
There is nothing like seeing these 3 men run their dogs together on a track! It is the finest parade of hounds you will ever see. The following picture shows Mclain, Stan, Hunter and Clint Mecham. Hunter is the 4th generation.

  

Happy Hunting, until we meet at the tree…

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It's Real, I am Going to Alaska!

Wow, it's real to me now! I am going to Alaska to hunt Brown Bear! It is so real, I didn't sleep all night last night because I was playing out different scenerio's of seeing a VW bus disguised as a bear, rolling down a hill.  How far would  be? Will my shot be excact? How many shots will it take? they are all unknows to me. I wish I could put how excited and grateful I am into words.
Have I mentioned how wonderful my Outfitter is? Bill Stevenson form Alaska Outfitters, he is awesome! My husband and I have become fast friends and fans! I can't wait to go spend real time with him, in his own countryside.
October seems so far away, but I know, it will be over before I know it! My guide Rebbeca Francis, and her husband Lee have also become great lifetime friends, and I know we will have so much fun!
I have began hiking to get into shape, straight up and straght down, my thighs are so sore right now want to cry, but I have to stay motivated for the terrain in Alaska. I am trying to work up to ten miles without a break, it could take me all summer! I normally hike alot but I take my time looking down for tracks or interesting rocks. Yea, I'm a rock hound, I will haul anything, any size, home for my collection! For this hunt, I must keep my eye on the prize, and be able to do some hardcore hiking and hunting!
Tom Opre, the producer of Eye of the Hunter, and the founder of The Extreme Huntress Contest, will be flying in tomorrow to do a dry land Mountain Lion Hunt with us. Rebecca Francis, Co-host of Eye of the Hunter,  the 2010 Extreme Huntress winner, and her husband Lee, will also arrive tomorrow! It is going to be a great week! If all goes well, we will be able to get some great footage of our Hounds, doing what they do best, and score a great Mountain Lion for Tom and the show!

The beginning..

It's the middle of March and the shock of winning the title of Extreme Huntress 2013, is just starting to wear off. I am so honored, what a great experience! I worked hard to win the contest, but the payoff has been so much more than I ever dreamed of. Thank you, Tahoe Films and Tom Opre for giving me this chance to promote women hunting,  and  keeping our hunting heritage alive!

Through the contest, I have made some lifetime friends, many of whom I look forward to hunting with. It is great to meet other women who have the passion for hunting I do. I am amazed at how many women hunters there are! 

I won the Hunt of a lifetime, Brown Bear in Alaska! Thank you Bill Stevenson owner of Alaska Outfitters for hosting me on my hunt. My hunt is in October of this year, and I am so excited to go, this hunt is my biggest dream!

I was awarded a beautiful trophy at SCI in Reno, by Tom Opre who is the Host of Eye of the Hunter on NBC sports. He and his wife Livvy are such great people, I look forward to hunting with them in the future. What an amazing experience. I met and took photo's with Stephanie Wottrich and Debbie Thames,  who were finalist in the contest. Both are great women and treasured friends.   I also met Rebecca Francis, the first winner of Extreme Huntress contest and her wonderful husband Lee. My husband Clint and I became fast friends with them. Rebecca  is going to be my guide in Alaska and I am so excited to hunt with her, we will have a wonderful time making memories!

I am starting to prepare for the tuff terrain of my Alaskan adventure, I must be in tip top shape, I have quit drinking Diet Coke! I have drunk it every day since I was in High School. I am totally dedicated to my hunt and being physically fit.

I am starting to get some of the gear that I won with my title. Thank you Kenetrek Boots, I love them, they are like walking on a cloud! Tom just ordered my new gun, a Ruger 375 that will have a Aimpoint sight. I can't wait to shoot it. Sitka is going to completely outfit me from head to toe, they have such an amazing product, I can't wait to wear it.

This is my first attempt at a blog. I plan on doing many more as my hunt becomes nearer, Hopefully, I won't bore ya'll into tears!

Until next time..let the adventures begin!