Well not exactly a Chrstmas story, but for some reason I always think about him during this time of the year!

When we used to get two lions on quota in Burkina a few years ago, they were very much in demand as our success rate was pretty close to 100% and normally booked out atleast a year in advance.

I got a call sometime in October from what sounded like an elderly gentleman asking if we had a lion hunt available for the following year. I said I was sorry but we were sold out. We had a good conversation about the lion hunting in Burkina and he told me that he had shot quite a few lions all over Africa but was really keen to shoot one in West Africa and that it would be his last lion. From our conversation I could make out he knew what he was talking about and in closing told him to give me his email so if a canceallation came up I would contact him. He said he had no email but would write me a letter!! In this day and age who writes letters! But I gave him my address and forgot about it. A week or so later a very nice hand written letter came in the post from John reminding me of our conversation and to keep him in mind if something came up.

I filed the letter away and forgot about it. A couple of months later in December of that year, another client who had booked one of the two lions for the following season called me to say that he could not go as something had come up, but would like to postpone to the following year. I said as long as I could find someone to fill his spot that would be totally fine. To find someone who wants to go Lion hunting in a month's time is not an easy task! I suddenly remembered John and his letter. Luckily I was able to find it amongst my clutter and called him up. I explained what had happened and he asked me for all the details of the hunt and he said to give him an hour or so to think about it. A little later the phone rang and it was John again to say that he had decided to do the hunt.

I again asked him for an email address so I could send him the Hunt Contract and he reminded me that he did not have one, but would give me a fax number in some business office to fax him the contract! I did this with my bank details and he signed and sent the contract back by the end of the day and the next day wired the funds to my bank.

He landed up in BF with an old 375 and at the range I think a mount broke loose so they tied it up with cycle tube rubber! The following day he shot a buffalo and they began hunting lion in earnest. There used to be a small one room cabin at one far end of the concession which was used by the anti poaching staff and they went to sleep there for a few nights, as there was a big lion known to be in the area.

The first night they heard the lion roaring but by day break he crossed over and moved off in to the park. As Tony a lebanese camp mgr. we had at the time told me the bull sheeter lion ran away in fright As no baiting is allowed in W.Africa, all hunts are done by patterning the movemnent of the lion and tracking them. For some reason calling was never used in BF or Benin but used quite a bit in Cameroon.

They decided to camp over a second night and the next night again heard the lion, which continued calling up until day break. John, Ishmael the PH and team got in to the truck and headed in the direction at day break and ran in to fresh tracks. A short tracking job later as the sun was coming up John shot a truly magnificent BF lion. Old, scars, big mane everything and more.

On his return home John called me to say that he was thrilled to have taken such a beautiful lion and was really happy. We talked about some other hunts and the shipping arrangements for his trophies and hung up. That August his lion was imported and that might have been the last call I had with him.

As he had asked me about some other hunts I tried calling him a few times but my calls went unanswered!

The next year quite by chance I ran in to another agent who also knew John and he asked me if I had heard about John! He told me that they had found John dead in the deer woods with a note......evidently his personal demons had got the better of him. I was truly happy that I was able to fulfill what must have been his last big desire. Sometimes it all works out!

RIP, John. You Sir were a fine gentleman of the old school.

Arjun Reddy
Hunters Networks LLC
30 Ivy Hill Road
Brewster, NY 10509
Tel: +1 845 259 3628

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Thanks for that Arjun, very touching story

Great story! From the backstory to the old 375 tied up with inner tube and the tragic ending. Tell me you have a pic of the lion to go with it?

Hurrumph Wyoming…hurrumph

Wonderful heart felt story Arjun.

As some of you have asked I decided to post a pic of the lion. Out of respect I have hidden the identity of the hunter. PLEASE for once if you don't have anything nice to say keep your thoughts to yourself. This is really not a debate about anything other than a story that I thought I would share.

Thanks,
Arjun

Arjun,

That's a great story. Once in awhile we are blessed to have the privilege to be part of making someone's dream come true.

Happy New Year!

Mark

Outstanding story and thanks for the pic as well.

Superb!! Thank you Arjun

Great story Arjun.

Very moving story, for any season. And well told.

The photograph seals the deal. I love the inner tube scope mount!

May God bless the old man.

Thanks for the story Arjun.

That's a really nice lion. Thanks for posting the story.

Great story, thanks for sharing.

Wow, what a story. Thank you

X2!

Thank you for sharing, touching.

I almost didn’t bother reading your story, Arjun. I’m glad I did. Nice way to remember the fellow, nice lion, love the way the scope is ties onto the rifle with inner tube. Too bad his life ended like it did, but dying in a favorite place a man loves beats the hell out of passing in a hospital.

Great story Arjun

Such a both happy and sad story at the same time. Sounds like he lived a full life. Thanks for sharing.

Wonderful West African Lion. It's a shame he couldn't defeat his demons. We all have them and for many it's day to day. But a great story and a great lion.

Very touching this story...thanks for posting Arjun..

Interesting all the way around. Great photo to tie it in.

Great story. IMO nothing beats a BF lion hunt

Wonderful story. Thank you so much for sharing.

Love the front mount fix!