dave roped a lion.

i wasnt along when this happened, but i was close and this is the way dave told it to me.

      dave and liz was on the way in to the house after dark one nite,the moon was the only lite.  dave always rode with his rope  tied hard and faST, WITH A LOOP IN HIS HAND THAT HE SLAPPED HIS CHAP LEG WITH AS HE RODE.  they were followen a trail in the santa maria river bottom that wound through a cottonwood sapling thicket. dave said it had been a tough day, a long day, and he was anxious to get home.  just as he came around a bend in the thicket a dark form jumped out in front of him. out of reflexes dave through that loop at the scurring form and the rope drew up tight on a lion!! now a roped lion has to be one of the most animated things alive!! liz told me later that lion tore up half the cottonwood saplings  in the river bottom. finally mr. lion wrapped himself up in a big tree. all this time dave had his hands full keeping his horse from stampeding down the river !!  when the lion got wrapped up good enough to get near liz got of her horse and clubed the lion so dave could get  loose.
     next day after skinnin the lion dave took off for wickenburg, he headed straight to the la cabana bar where he held forth all day long  on his favorite bar stool telling anyone who would listen how he roped a lion!! now not just anyone can rope a lion , so dave was pretty proud.
   two days later at the ranch a convoy of trucks and cars wound their way down the road to the ranch. fish and game park ranger county deputys  and a blm agent. when dave met them in the yard they arrested him and liz for killen the lion without a 2 doller lion tag!! before the deal was over they had to pay over 1200 dollars in fines each and didnt even get to keep the hide!!but dave said it was worth it so he could tell everyone how he roped a lion!! i dont think liz was as enthused!!!