Ben Lilly

[Shotgun Steve]

Ben Lilly was born in 1856 Alabama to devoutly religious parents. He ran away at a young age, moving to Louisiana to try his hand at blacksmithing. He didn't stick with the career for long, but he did learn how to make his own large game metal traps. While in Louisiana he killed a bear with a knife, (that's right, a knife) and discovered a life long passion for hunting. He became a full time hunter, selling bear meat along with wild honey.

Lilly was not a tall man, he was only 5'8 but he weighed 180 pounds and was known for his incredible strength. He specialized in killing bears and cougars that were notoriously menacing to humans. In 1908 he went into Mexico after a group of bears that had been terrorizing locals. He tracked down four grizzlies with only the help of a few hounds and killed them all singlehandedly. He of course brought their skins back.

He moved back into New Mexico in 1911 and was hired by the government to get rid of troublesome predators. Lilly held the personal belief that he should rid the content of all bears and cougars, which he considered "malefic creatures" and was obsessed with their extermination.

Shotgun Steve quote: wikipedia is a liberal..peta picking site!!!

Here is a wikipedia quote:

He was no doubt, one of the most destructive individuals that contributed to the reduction of North-American apex predators to the brink of extinction, an undeniably condemning act by modern standards of both ethical hunting and wildlife conservation. The numbers of animals killed by Ben Lilly in his exploits is subject to sufficient contradiction but it is estimated that he successfully hunted between 600 and 1000 mountain lions in his lifetime."

Ben Lilly isn't just a folk hero because of how many predators he killed, but for the way he killed them. He was known to engage both bears and cougars in hand to hand combat with nothing more than a custom bowie knife he called "The Lilly Knife."

[Tjackstephens]

Ben Lilly, Quite a hunter by anyone's out look. Was a great dog trainer and always had the best. The young unbroken dogs(untrained) he would tie around his waist with a rope. Making sure that dog did not run unwanted game. He could endure the hunt as well at the dogs. When on the chase, he would only stop when the dogs did and make camp where ever that was. He was tough and lived mainly in the outdoors. Would have liked to have met him. Think he prefered to be by himself though.Tj

[US Scout]

...He was known to engage both bears and cougars in hand to hand combat with nothing more than a custom bowie knife he called "The Lilly Knife."

Some years ago I met a Marine who was covered in scars.  When asked how he'd come by them, he told us that he hunted deer with a knife.  He'd bulldog them down and occasionally got gored or kicked by the bucks before they went under. 

I can't even imagine deliberately taking on a cougar or bear with a knife...

[Tjackstephens]

Seen pictures of Ben Lilly with a very good rifle. Don't think he was crazy. I've killed black bear on the ground fighting my dogs. It's just not the time or place to use a knife, unless that's all you have. Most of the time a hunter is better prepared than that. Tj

[Stillwater]

Lilly's beard sure fits the definition of scraggly perfectly...

Bill

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here's a book;

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/278875.Ben_Lilly_s_Tales_of_Bears_Lions_and_Hounds

I can't find the reference, but didn't Larry McMurtry have Ol' Ben killed off?

[Tjackstephens]

It was Ben's dogs that the man burner killed, not Ben. Ben played by Buck Taylor left to go get him some more dogs. Sad to say but Ben died in an old folks home. Tj

[Texas Lawdog]

I told Buck that he did a good job on his characterization of Ben Lilly. I'm sorta partial though, I think he always does a good job on his characters.

[litl rooster]

Here's a book;

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/278875.Ben_Lilly_s_Tales_of_Bears_Lions_and_Hounds

I can't find the reference, but didn't Larry McMurtry have Ol' Ben killed off?

The snake that couldn't see killed his dogs



Liberal peta pickin' site!

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy Pards
Ben was a very interesting individual . He was a hunter out of this world . When he died they shaved off his whiskers and his children had never seen him clean shaven until his death . He never hunted on Sunday , but if he found their track on Monday they were in trouble .

[Tjackstephens]

My Dad had talked about Ben Lilly and most of all about Ben's dogs. Years later one of the Outdoors Sport magazines did some articles on the most famious Bear Hunters of the USA. A very good article on Ben Lilly. Also Davy Crockett and Teddy Roosevelt. Ben was even a guide for Teddy one time. Don't think they got along though. Tj