I've never been lion hunting or been to Africa for that matter, but I sure would like to go. I'd shoot the first one with a little hesitation. A lot would depend on the area, but I'm under the assumption to find a male lion on a hunt is good luck, so with the time limitations and not wanting to come home empty handed, I'd gladly shoot him and proudly display him in my trophy room. The biggest lion I've ever seen had a mane about the same as the one shown, his body was huge though.

Now would I shoot the second lion? You might as well put a red target on him. There is no reason I would not shoot him. If the guide says no, I'll clonk him on the head, shoot the lion, and claim he attacked right after he passed out. I wouldn't pass him on any day of the hunt.

Sevens

mbogo,
this lion-if thats what he is,took good care of himself,proper diet,pedicure and not too much in the ladies department.
He really wants to live forever in my trophy room rather than aging in disgrace and be torn apart by hyenas.

Okay, so here's the story on the first lion. Let me start by saying that there are a lot of lion in the Luangwa, we saw some most every day. Prides with cubs, hunting parties, young males, and one huge dark-maned but bait-smart male from the South Luangwa Park that crossed the river to chase off another male which we were sitting for. We watched three lionesses stalk and charge a herd of impala one night with the Surefire, unfortunately they missed. On another occasion we were stalking a warthog when he suddenly took off. We thought he got our wind somehow, but then we saw the tawny shape emerge from the grass. And we had lions in camp and at the skinning shed quite a few times.

We came upon this particular male at one of the bait sites. In all honesty, the picture is somewhat misleading, in that his mane looks fuller then it is. From the side one can see that this is a younger male. Peter Chipman (the PH and very experienced lion hunter), estimated his age at 4-5 based on the color of his nose, body size, mane, coloration and spotting - but a lion with excellent genetics and great potential. He thinks he knows the father, which is in the Park. His mane is actually "better" then the older battle-scared lion I shot, who's mane did not start until well past his ear, and who was scruffier partly due to the brushier area in which he lived (if you'd see how much hair they lose just feeding on a bait, you'd know this to be true).

But it would have been hard to pull the trigger on this lion, he was just too, dare I say, "pretty". Perfectly groomed and without a scar or care in the world. He'd just lay there and look at us. I admit that over the three days that we kept seeing him, I must have asked Peter two dozen times about him, looking for any wavering in Peter's opinion. "So, about that lion..." "Do you really think Peter that Pretty Boy was only 4-5..." Etc. Etc. I think this speaks well of Peter's long-term management philosophy as it does about the trophy potential of the Lower Lupande and Luangwa Valley in general. I have no doubt that I could have pressed the matter and shot this lion. Or, I could have gambled and waited for one of the mature park males to wonder across the boarder. But in the end, I'm happy with Scarface, and feel good knowing that Pretty Boy is still around.

Now that second lion picture, well that's a different story...

I think it all depends on who you are hunting with, and how bad you want to have a lion.

I have passed up shots on ones just this, and have shot ones with less mane, but definitely older.

Jim you are really a tease. That is the lion dreams are filled with.
Frank

Wouldn't think twice on that lion. I'd shoot him on the first day or the last! Like an old elk guide once told me, "if you'd shoot him on the last day, you better not pass him up on the first!"

I'd shoot him, and I don't care how old he is.

George

Here is another example. Would you shoot this lion, and how old do you think he is?

Jim

Jim,



Hell yes I would shoot that lion. I don't care if he is still nursing.



Regards,



Terry

He's on the edge. Looks like 5 or 6 yrs. old. I killed one almost just like him, but with a little darker mane. With the new rules in Tanzania (minimum 6 yrs. for a shooter), I am sure that I wouldn't have killed him--he's too close.

Realizing this is only one view...look like a shooter, or not?

Seriously now!

this year I saw his twin brother in West Africa, considered as a whopper in the mane department.
I think he is no young animal : no clear speckles can be seen on his belly. Neither a super-macho : his snout seems scares-free. Medium old animal, shootable if no older or long-maned lion available.
Nice (snap)shot!

Maybe on the last day of a hunt its a close call.

Good point... "YES" he is a real lion that I photographed a few weeks ago in the Lower Lupande (Zambia). And "NO", he's already eaten

I am guessing he is a relatively young male which ideally should be left...

Regards,

Pete