Predators, Hounds, and a Life on the Track with Dan Lay

On this episode of Talk is Sheep, Hana sits down in 150 Mile House, British Columbia, with legendary predator control specialist, houndsman, trapper, and wildlife management professional Dan Lay.

Dan brings a remarkable and hard-earned story to the podcast. Raised in a predator control family, he grew up around hounds, traplines, cougar complaints, livestock conflicts, and the realities of human-wildlife interaction in British Columbia. Over the course of his career, Dan has worked on grizzly, wolf, and cougar studies, responded to some of the most serious predator conflict files in the province, and built a line of working hounds known for their grit, intelligence, and ability to perform when the pressure is at its highest.

This first episode begins with Dan’s early life, his struggles in school, his introduction to hounds, and the path that led him into government predator control work at a young age. From there, Hana and Dan dive into early cougar complaints on Vancouver Island, the politics of predator management, the pressure of responding to livestock and human safety concerns, and the deep trust required between a houndsman and his dogs.

Dan also shares powerful stories from the field, including the role his dogs played in serious cougar conflict situations, the importance of genetics and instinct in working hounds, and the story of his first dog, Mike, and his first cougar hunt as a teenager.

This is the first episode in what will become a multi-part series with Dan Lay. Future conversations will explore hound lineage, cougar behaviour, wolf trapping, grizzly work, predator-prey relationships, conservation, and the lessons learned from a lifetime spent working in wild places.

This is a raw, honest, and deeply educational conversation about predators, working dogs, wildlife conflict, and the responsibility that comes with managing animals at the intersection of conservation, public safety, and rural life.

Presented by: @sitkagear

Supported by:

@yeti

@zeisshunting

@frontiersmengear

@onxhunt

@stoneglacier

@wild_tv

@schnee_hunt

@precision.optics

@gunwerks