Benin Safari

12 December 2010, 01:52

Dave Anderson

In the early 1990s my friend Nick Alexakos, who by the way is president of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) along with his father did a do-it-yourself hunt in Benin.

Nick's father T.N. Alexakos had a long and interesting article on the hunt ("To Benin and Back") in the February 1993 issue of GUNS Magazine. I can't find the article online but it can be purchased at: http://www.gunsmagazine.com/GNArticles93.html

I'm sure much of the information is out of date by now but I suspect you would find it interesting. The article says they were the first two Americans to hunt Benin since hunting was reopened.

I was a bit surprised when Nick told me they were able to bring along his Glock 19 in addition to his .375 rifle and Rem. 1100 shotgun, and his dad's .416 Rigby. Don't know if handguns or semiautos are still permitted.

Nick told me how while returning to camp they encountered a tourist bus on the road, with the tourists taking photos of a troop of baboons. The guide they had hired urged Nick to shoot a baboon. When Nick pointed out he didn't want to offend the tourists by ruining their photo op the guide told him, oh, they would like to shoot baboons if they could, they just can't afford rifles.

Nick never did shoot a baboon but they got hartebeest, buffalo and some other trophies and had a wonderful time.

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.