Speaking of Lions, and their potential age - this is the Lion (pictured below) I am hoping to catch up with this July in the Lake Rukwa Game Reserve. This pic was taken in July 2013 in this same area. I think in this pic, he's 5-6 yrs of age. If accurate, that should put him at 6-7 yrs old this coming July.

There's another big black maned Lion that was again seen 3 days ago by one of the poaching patrols - but no pics of him.

Looks nice, good luck.

I think as a hunter the thrill of a hunt is in the hunt itself, not in the body count. If lion hunting in Tanzania is his passion then great, hunt them.

My biggest passion in life is to hunt warthogs. I have yet to hunt one for myself.

I would do the same as Aaron if I so desired. There is quota and there is the desire and the means...equals a man's passion.


Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I would do the same as Aaron if I so desired. There is quota and there is the desire and the means...equals a man's passion.


Dutch

You know what fellas you are right. To each his own. To me, killing that many Lions is too much but for Aaron it's not. We are all hunters who are passionate in our beliefs and in what we do, so I will judge no one.

I am going to delete my reply.

He is a beauty,go get him man!
By the way, what company/PH are you hunting with?

Lovely cat - hope you have a great hunt this summer!

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I would do the same as Aaron if I so desired. There is quota and there is the desire and the means...equals a man's passion.


Dutch

You know what fellas you are right. To each his own. To me, killing that many Lions is too much but for Aaron it's not. We are all hunters who are passionate in our beliefs and in what we do, so I will judge no one.

I am going to delete my reply.

Leopard Track - I didn't see your original reply, but it doesn't matter really - thanks for the amendment.

To me its no different than Saeed shooting 50 plus buffalo, or the many on here who like to hunt multiple elephants, or like many of my clients here in Colorado who keep coming back year after year to hunt the whitetail deer. Its their passion, its what they want to do - and for me, hunting cats is what I love to do. I hope to keep doing it for years to come - but one just never knows??

Thank you sir!!

quote:

Originally posted by ManuelM:
He is a beauty,go get him man!
By the way, what company/PH are you hunting with?

Greenleaf/Ryan Shallom

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I would do the same as Aaron if I so desired. There is quota and there is the desire and the means...equals a man's passion.


Dutch

You know what fellas you are right. To each his own. To me, killing that many Lions is too much but for Aaron it's not. We are all hunters who are passionate in our beliefs and in what we do, so I will judge no one.

I am going to delete my reply.

Leopard Track - I didn't see your original reply, but it doesn't matter really - thanks for the amendment.

To me its no different than Saeed shooting 50 plus buffalo, or the many on here who like to hunt multiple elephants, or like many of my clients here in Colorado who keep coming back year after year to hunt the whitetail deer. Its their passion, its what they want to do - and for me, hunting cats is what I love to do. I hope to keep doing it for years to come - but one just never knows??

Thank you sir!!

I deleted my original reply but in short...you just answered it! My question was "Aaron why so many Lion?"

Again "Good Luck" and hope that you catch up with that big black Mane Lion!

I will be dead impressed if you find this Lion again. If he is a nomad he will have no territory as such.

So what was the age of Amber's Lion?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I will be dead impressed if you find this Lion again. If he is a nomad he will have no territory as such.

So what was the age of Amber's Lion?

Not all lone males are nomads, not at all! But true, getting him is not guaranteed by any means - but lions as you know do often times like/have specific territories they frequent. I think getting him is a decent chance, but not guaranteed. Regardless, its nice to have something to hope for.


I was told her lion was 5+??? Frankly, I really have a hard time believing that one? Even more interesting is this, I sent the pics of her lion to a bunch of scientists / lion people / even a Kruger Park ranger, with experience all across Africa. Interestingly enough, the age estimates ranged from 2.5 - 8 yrs old, and literally everywhere in between. Also of particular interest was, it seemed that folks who were more accustom to seeing lions with big manes (from one specific place) aged him younger than did those that had more experience in various areas around Africa. The Kruger Park ranger aged was the one that estimated the lion at 2.5 yrs old.

Just some interesting info!

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I would do the same as Aaron if I so desired. There is quota and there is the desire and the means...equals a man's passion.


Dutch

You know what fellas you are right. To each his own. To me, killing that many Lions is too much but for Aaron it's not. We are all hunters who are passionate in our beliefs and in what we do, so I will judge no one.

I am going to delete my reply.

Leopard Track - I didn't see your original reply, but it doesn't matter really - thanks for the amendment.

To me its no different than Saeed shooting 50 plus buffalo, or the many on here who like to hunt multiple elephants, or like many of my clients here in Colorado who keep coming back year after year to hunt the whitetail deer. Its their passion, its what they want to do - and for me, hunting cats is what I love to do. I hope to keep doing it for years to come - but one just never knows??

Thank you sir!!

I deleted my original reply but in short...you just answered it! My question was "Aaron why so many Lion?"

Again "Good Luck" and hope that you catch up with that big black Mane Lion!

Its a fair question, and I take no offense at all.

For me, the answer is simple. In my mind, the Africa Lion is the single most incredible wild creature on Planet Earth!! I've never seen an animal that can be so keen, so shy, but at the same time so very bold! If he doesn't want to be seen, he never will be. But when he feels comfortable, when he believes he is the "King", nothing phases him - nothing at all.

I've never heard a more incredible, bone rattling sound, soul grabbing sound - as the deep guttural roan of the male lion. Especially at a mere 4 feet away - and yes, I have been that close to one when he let loose! Its truly an awesome experience, one that I have never been able to replicate anywhere else in the wild.

But hey, that's JMO.

More Lions from the same area - with the exception of first pic (lion on the left) he was photographed in the adjacent Katavi Nat Park. The lion on the right, is the same lion as above - just a slightly different angle. The rest of them are from the same hunting block - in 2013.



These are 2 different males!!

Nice pics Aaron.

Seems to me that the aging issue has been hashed to death. Bottom line is that TZ, Zim and Niassa have adopted conservative lion harvest regs.

I think the discussion should NOW move towards DOCUMENTING lion increases in the areas regs have been implemented. One would think that lion population increases..especially younger males..should be evident soon, if not already. Photos such as Aaron has provided,accounts of returning hunters and safari operators will go
a long way towards proving the new regs are working. This data is what we need to show the government agencies and anti's in particular in order to sway opinions regarding the continuation of lion hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Safari2:
Nice pics Aaron.

Seems to me that the aging issue has been hashed to death. Bottom line is that TZ, Zim and Niassa have adopted conservative lion harvest regs.

I think the discussion should NOW move towards DOCUMENTING lion increases in the areas regs have been implemented. One would think that lion population increases..especially younger males..should be evident soon, if not already. Photos such as Aaron has provided,accounts of returning hunters and safari operators will go
a long way towards proving the new regs are working. This data is what we need to show the government agencies and anti's in particular in order to sway opinions regarding the continuation of lion hunting.

Safari2,