I imagine it can be found with a diligent search but I couldn't so I am posting. Is calling (as we do for predators in the USA) a viable method on Lions?

It's used in Cameroun I believe... I would be interested hear from any AR members who've done it.

HEEEEEERRRREEEEE KITTY, KITTY, KITTY!



Sorry about that!

Joking aside, I have tried it and although we scared the shit out of the local Masai, the lions pretty much ignored it when we tried it but I do know some game dept staff who used recordings to great effect from time to time.

As a prototype take a thin galvanised sheet of metal and roll it into a cone/funnel about 2 feet in diameter at the widest end. Fix it with tape or something. Trim it. The other end should be about 1 inch and here you want to sleeve a piece of garden hose which is about 30 inches in length. Melt the mouth piece of the hose and shape to form a cup for your lips.

You sort of blow and hum at the same time and it makes a deep resonating sound. Does not really sound like a Lion at close quarters but at a few hundred yards it is spot on.

The French in West Africa are expert at this and bind the cone with skin to remove the metallic sound and add a handle to support the whole affair. The hose I find just makes it easier to reproduce the sound.

Trouble with calling this way is that it is just as easy to scare off a Lion as it is to call him in. And besides we can bait and the French cannot.

Shakari's method requires you to sit over a saucer of milk and in Africa it is difficult to keep this fresh especially during the warmer months.

Andrew

I find Whiskers better than milk.

An example of a caller being held by the Masai on the right hand side.

Thanks Steve and that was I what I was trying to describe. Wonder why the Maasai would want to call Lions?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Shakari's method requires you to sit over a saucer of milk and in Africa it is difficult to keep this fresh especially during the warmer months.

Ah yes, the video that was never made in June.

The think what the OP had in mind (but maybe I'm wrong), was using an animal distress call to attract the lion.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Wonder why the Maasai would want to call Lions?

The Masai 2 to the left of the caller gave me a simi (long knife) that he swears he used to kill a lion a couple of years before.

He said he found it 'troubling' his cattle so he went at it with simi in one hand & spear in the other & he threw the simi at the lion & that killed the lion before he got to use the spear.

I've no idea if his story was true but that's how he told it & I have no reason to doubt him.

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
The think what the OP had in mind (but maybe I'm wrong), was using an animal distress call to attract the lion.

Not sure but should do under the right circumstances? However the caller I describe will reach out over a couple of kilometres and is specifically designed to call in a dominant male. I think a distress call will attract a number of lessor predators or worst case a pride which is not advisable.

a few years back we called in a problem lion that had been killing livestock by playing hyena calls on a tape recorder. we did it over a kill he had made the day before and he came running in to kick the hyenas off his kill

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Shakari's method requires you to sit over a saucer of milk and in Africa it is difficult to keep this fresh especially during the warmer months.

Ah yes, the video that was never made in June.

Nor when we baited Leopard with fish!

I saw a game call in action this fall- it had a recording of hyenas feeding and calling, and yes it brought the lions right into our laps--which was interesting as it was pitch dark---

I was told that that particular recording had been used for years calling lions

Some countries like Zambia the use of electronic callers is illegal. But I hear that this method is deadly.

If memory serves,[according to some around, I use a Zimmer Frame to crawl around the Southern Alps] was there not a certain PH who, operating in Mozambique, threw gut and content into the Kruger after cutting the fence. He had set up loud speakers through which he played a recording of a male declaring his territory, after dark. Apparently he was quite successful until Kruger staff found the cut fence.

quote:

Originally posted by Scriptus:
If memory serves,[according to some around, I use a Zimmer Frame to crawl around the Southern Alps] was there not a certain PH who, operating in Mozambique, threw gut and content into the Kruger after cutting the fence. He had set up loud speakers through which he played a recording of a male declaring his territory, after dark. Apparently he was quite successful until Kruger staff found the cut fence.

That rings a bell with me as well but I don't recall the details I'm afraid.

What cad would suggest you use a zimmer frame?

I called in two lion this year in the Bubye using a predator call that I was blowing from the back of the truck-and at night, mind you! Scary to hear them coming loping in or see them sneaking their way to the sound.

I've heard it is done in West Africa and it sounds interesting.

Kevin Roberston has a hilarious story in his latest book -- something like "It Shouldn't Have Happened" -- on calling in a lion in Botswana when he was a schoolboy. It kept me in stitches.

From a machan, I would think this technique would be VERY effective. I would also bet that if people started regularly calling lions, the practice would be made illegal with great haste.....just about as soon as people started regularly calling cats in from national parks. Frankly, I don't see a reason to call lion or leopard as baiting or even tracking works well enough. I did call in my Cheetah last year and it makes sense for this species as they will not respond to baiting.

In Boddington's DVD on lion hunting is a hunt in Namibia where a large male was called in and shot by Craig. The lion got there in no time at all. Be prepared to repel boarders!!!

Yes I was thinking of an animal distress call like we do for Bobcats and Coyotes only because that is what I am familiar with. Every now and then a curious Black bear shows up to make things interesting. Seemed like it would be an exciting way to hunt the ultimate predator (not that stalking or baiting would not be exciting)

calling grizzly is not for the faint of heart too ... for myself calling is more interesting than baiting.

i ve seen calling lions in CAR and it was impressive for sure.

My cats always seemed to be into boxes...I wonder if someone placed a large cardboard box in the middle of the bush the lions would eventually be jumping in, out and around like a house cat...

In the Chafudze Camp (Omay) last year they had a 2' diameter speaker. I asked what it was for and the Camp Manager said that it was the speaker for their electric lion caller.

He also said that it had to be big to get enough volume for the low frequencies needed for the call.

pacecars: I used my T-Rex predator call for the two lions that I called in this year in the Bubye Conservancy. I purchased it years ago from Arizona Game Calls and it's been a staple of mine on the last 5 safaris.

I recall reading about jaguar hunting in South America where a call was used. It was constructed using a 3-5 gallon metal bucket, a knotted cord was strung to the outside of the bucket thru a hole punched in the bottom. In use the bucket was held under the arm facing to the rear and the cord was pulled thru the fingers producing a low grunting. No big cats here in south Georgia so I'll have to let someone else give it a try.
Best.

Ridge Taylor used a big speaker to call Lion.

Pig squeal from a FoxPro or similar caller are deadly in attracting Lion.

I have seen guys with a 5 gallon bucket and a large hose attached to one end. Sort of a take off of the megaphone style call.

If you meant predator calls, I've found they work for a number of species from duikers & bushbuck to jackals & wild dog...... I've tried them on/with/for lion on a few occasions and have (several times) caused a walking lion to stop or turn round for a second look but have never succeeded in calling one in.

I'm not for a moment suggesting it can't be done, just that It's never worked for me.

On the boddington DVD the call was not of an animal in distress but the roar of another lion. This guy came in looking for a brawl.

Many lions are killed at bait sites like the Boddington Namibia Lion after playing a recording of a lion roaring. Old shumba hears the "dinner music" and thinks some interloper came into his territory to eat his supper. Shumba rocks up (in the shooting light) to whip the interloper and BANG. Dead lion.

Not everyone that shoots a lion in this manner fully fesses up to having done it. Some hunting areas prohibit it. Personally, it does not matter to me.

Elgin Gates and Johnny Blacklaws called lions years ago. I think it was written up as "Too many Lions" in his Hunter in Africa (?) book.