Is it legal?
Is it appropriate/ethical?
If so, under what conditions?

The only animal I wanted to take in Africa was a Lioness. The moratorium came along in Matabeleland and I will now probably never have that opportunity. To ME the Lioness epiotomizes all the successful predator can be. I find the female Lion to be much prettier and more impressive than the male. I have seen some absolutely remarkable MGM lions in the Matetsi but none to compare with any of the females I have seen there. As to the legality I believe most countries that hunt them have a quota for Lioness as far as the ethics that is up to the individual I would think. I personally find nothing wrong with it.

The only problem I see in hunting a lioness is whether or not she has nursling cubs back somewhere. How can you tell a nursing from non-nursing female lion?

465H&H

The nurseing lioness is easy to spot, by simply looking at here belly! If she is nurseing, the milk sacs will be visable for quite a distance!

There in nothing unethical about hunting the lioness, in fact, it is a good conservation move! One female taken out of a pride causes no real impact on the pride, as does the takeing of the Alpha male! The alpha male taken, will open the pride to a batchlor male to take over the pride, and as soon as he does will kill all the cubs, causeing most of the females to go into estrus, so he can put his own genes on the ground!

Addtionally, hunting the female by tracking the pride is more dangerous than the male. When pushed the males will split form the pride, but the females will stay together, so that when you pop a female, you may get a multiple charge from her sisters, who will usually try to protect her when she goes down! Here is where you get to practice what you preach about stopping a fast moveing lion, multiplied by four or five!

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
There in nothing unethical about hunting the lioness, in fact, it is a good conservation move! One female taken out of a pride causes no real impact on the pride, as does the takeing of the Alpha male! The alpha male taken, will open the pride to a batchlor male to take over the pride, and as soon as he does will kill all the cubs, causeing most of the females to go into estrus, so he can put his own genes on the ground!

That is why one should never shoot a male from a pride with dependant young. Young males of up to a yr old will be either killed or chased form the pride where only a fraction will survive the wilds on their own.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
That is why one should never shoot a male from a pride with dependant young. Young males of up to a yr old will be either killed or chased form the pride where only a fraction will survive the wilds on their own.

I'm really glad to see this comment. I wonder how often PH's (BwanaMitch aside) adhere to it.

mike

I was pleasantly surprised that both my Game Scout and PH were supporting this position on shooting females.

My lioness was an old lady, evicted from her pride because she couldn't hunt keep up her end of the work load. This is a problem for surrounding species (cattle and man). Lionesses will resort to hunting things they can catch by themselfes that are slower than plains game. Cattle and sometimes man is a good target for them. That is when they become a problem animal and need to be hunted. I can tell you a story I was told about a lady in a "lion proof" enclosed compound who was attacked and dragged to the fence, eaten and left for her companions to find. The lioness escaped back through the fence gate.

I agree with the others, I would not hesitate to hunt an old lioness if offered the chance in "wild" Africa... Zim, Tanz, Bots, Zambia, etc.! The only thing missing in the hunt would be the mane! Otherwise I am sure it would prove every bit as exciting and challenging as hunting any lion. Good luck and I hope Buzz rustles up a permit for you, David!

Russell,
You are ready my mind! I am just afraid of getting too ambitious with my wish list. Already have buffalo, sable, eland and zebra on the menu. So little time (12 days), so many animals!