This is from the excellent book; A GUIDING SON, by JOHN OSBORNE.

They were following a wounded lion.

"...I am still not exactly sure, but in a moment of insanity, I passed my rifle to my gun bearer, and took over the Browning Automatic shotgun. It was loaded SSG,3A,SSG,3A,SSG, which in my opinion, is an awesome close range combination. I advances towards a protruding termite mound, which, judging from the sound from the deep throated growling, was probably between the lion and ourselvs. The bearers and trackers, self peresrvation always to the fore, could sense imminent danger and did not require a second instruction to take cover.

I knew they had a thorough survey of all suitable high level structures, and were certainly not going to rely on the accuracy of our weapons, under such adverse conditions.

Bob and I approached the termite mound extremely cautiously. Once again, I had the safety catch off, finger on the trigger, ready. The lion was still growling. A sound so menacing, I could feel the hairs at the back of my neck begin to prickle. The leaves seem to vibrate and rustle and the grass to tremble, in response to each deep throated rumble. I put my hand over the mound, and there it was. Without an instant's hesitation, the wounded animal sprang towards us. I took it in the face from what could not have been more than ten yards, and again before it could turtn away. It spun around growling a throaty ferocious roar, with enough volume to seeminglyu straighten my tracker's hair, while its paws were outstretched, looking for something to grab and chew on. I emptied five rounds into the lion's head and my gun was empty. No matter how hard, or frantically I pulled the trigger, there was no doubt the magazine was on E. My five head shots, had done little but infioriate the already bad tempered cat, whose massive paws were flying around in a cloud of dust, much like teh rotors on a helicopter.

The outcome would have been a bit different if Bob had not been there as back-up. He killed the cat with a single shot from his .458 heavy caliber rifle. We were all somewhat shaken by the experience, but the action was over.

Later when we checked the liuons skull, we discovered not a single pellet had penetrated the animal's brain."

Gulp! Good read.
- mike

Well, that answers THAT question!

oups!! I have a video showing a PH approaching and killing a wounded lion. I thought it made sense in high grass, but reading this makes you think, doesnt it?

Awesome - says it all!!

missing part from earlier reply:
That is: approaching and killing the lion with a shotgun,

How come?. Reading Burger´s Kill or be killed, or Pease´s The book of the lion, accounts of an era when there were far more lions killed with shotguns, one can see that these famous hunters of the past felt pretty safe armed with a scattergun inside 10 yards. I wonder if the SSG pellets changed in the last century or if the shots were misplaced

when it comes to buckshot I have no faith whatsoever. a few years ago I examined a shotgun stock that a criminal was holding when shot by the police with their shotgun. the buckshot penetrated the walnut stock less then 1/4", that at a distance of about 20 feet.

Many of the shotguns used on lion by the old guys of the day, were not loaded with buck shot, but were loaded with single ball, or bullet, and most were Explora, or other type of rifleing, acentually makeing them 8, 10, and 12 bore double rifles. Buckshot is the bane of the gamefields, even for whitetail, IMO.

I remember Capstick writing about going in after Leopard with a shotgun but I've never heard of anyone suggesting a 12 gauge on a lion, no matter what it was loaded with. Sounds like reason for part of the East African professional hunters association motto, nec temeritas.

I have seen several Lion killed with buckshot - all unsuspecting animals shot by tribesmen who were defending their goats/cattle. I have seen a few PH's badly scratched. Bill Bedford (Ingwe Safais) is perhaps the best know Zim example (Wounded lioness took a left & right in the face and throat of OOO buck and Bob W-C put five rounds of OO buck (3 inch) into her lung area. And then she gave Bill a hiding.) but there have been others. The difference is between charging and taken by surprise. 4 Years back a good PH in Chirisa failed to stop a charging lion with a .458 (A squared lion load). The bullet blew appart on the chest Muscles as I found out when it was skinned.

I have seen copper plated OO buck bounce off a leopards Skull and a lion's is much thicker. Brian Marsh (in Magnum magazine) did an excelent write up on this a few years back - nickudu perhaps you could post it?

Mr. Marsh did not wish to have his articles posted @ AR, which was of course respected.

"Buck-Shot and Charging Cats" was the article and I have it.

That lion kinda sounds like my wife the last time I pissed her off!

It should have read "I passed my marlin 45/70 loaded with a slow moving cast lead bullet in exchange for the shot gun"

quote:

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Originally posted by PC:
It should have read "I passed my marlin 45/70 loaded with a slow moving cast lead bullet in exchange for the shot gun"

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Why would anyone be stupid enough to do something like that !!

We had a PH try it on a wounded lion in the Danakil back in January of 1984. Luckily Nassos had joined the group that morning. The Model 12 with 00 Buck only infuriated the cat which was doing a real number on the PH's arm when Nassos crammed his .375 H&H into lion's mouth and past the arm and proceeded to end the matter with a 270 grain soft nose out the back of the cat's head.
Rich Elliott

Thanks for posting this Saeed. I picked the book up while in Dallas and talked with his son who was working the booth. What I have read so far is very well done.
Frank

Saeed,
I see the similarities to a Boffel Smiff adventure. I gotta get that book, thanks.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ganyana:
4 Years back a good PH in Chirisa failed to stop a charging lion with a .458 (A squared lion load). The bullet blew appart on the chest Muscles as I found out when it was skinned.

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Ganyana

A few years back a friend had the same experiance with a 577 Lion Load. At 10 feet the bullet ran around the jaw and out the neck. The Lion turned and was latter finished with a 450 Lott.

The loads in the box only had 20 grains of powder in them.

I remember an old 'has-been' gun editor in Australia recommending just that for lion follow-up. A shotgun loaded with buck shot. BTW he has never hunted lion himself.

PS Saeed with your permission may I use that quotation. I raised a thread on the same comments by the gun editor a year or more ago?