Damn, old enough to shoot. I would guess 4 to 5 yrs old.........................JJ

I'm the less experienced person in the world to give an opinion but I will do a paralelism between lions and deers and pigs.

The last two needs at least 5 years to start to look as trophy animals (from my modest point of view), so I would guess that lion is at least 6 years....(excuse me about giving an opinion in something I know so little).

L

Nose is pretty dark, but somebody mentioned this sign of age was only valid in TZ populations (as opposed to further south)??

- mike

5-6 years old, I suspect.

AD

4 years old...

Mike

Bwanamich,
Do you know how old is he?
L

The lion is still alive so no I don't know how old he is....but I have my opinion....just want to hear some others before stating mine.

All I know is I'd shoot him! His nose is BLACK, and his mane is not MGM, but I suspect he lives in some heavy bush is the reason. I'd judge him at around 5 yrs.

I have no idea how old he is, but he has no scars that I can see, and his elbows look like they have calloused from lying on hard ground (or concrete floor?). Is this a wild animal?

Mac, his nose looks pink to me.

Brent

Bwana,
I said that deers and pigs needs at least five years to become a good trophy, obviously this will depend of each specie, a red stag will need at least 7 years to be in his best moment . So I was wondering if with the african antelopes is similar. Sorry to hijack your thread but maybe you know how much years needs a kudu or a warthog to become a nice trophy??

We can start a new thread about this so we don't spoil the "lion thread" if you want. I'm really interested in learning to calculate age of african animals.

Thanks

L

What I find interesting so far is that despite reading all the recent articles on lion hunting that propagate placing an age restriction on huntable males of 6 years and over, most of you age this one at under 6 but still state you would have shot him

I would say he is 5 years, 8 months and 17 days old.

Seriously, he looks to be between 5 and 6, closer to 6 than 5, although he could be over 6.

In any case, I shot one just like him in the Selous two years ago. Wouldn't be allowed to shoot him these days, because he was too close to call.

This is just an amateur guess but I think it is a young adult male. Maybe 3 to 4 years of age. I base that on the canines appearing to be pointed not broken and not having a parralel thickening near the gum line. At least that wotks on mt. lions. His head doesn't have that nose blocky look of a full mature male. IMHO!

465H&H

I have no experience at this, but am trying to learn. I would would say he is at 6 years old and legal in Tanzania. Although he looks youthful, my guess is based on the lack of leg spots and his having a black nose. However, as he was photographed on a bait and not shot, I assume I'm wrong and the PH thought him to be 5 years old.

5 1/2 years old based on the size of his nut sack.

That lion still has those Mickey Mouse ears that show prominently above his head. That would be my first clue the lion might not be a shooter in Tanzania. It seems the mane fills in between the ears last. I can only imagine that he will be a very beautiful lion in a couple of years. I also am pretty sure if he had hit a bait in Zim or Zambia he would be a rug now.
We turned down a couple like that one in Tanzania in '03 and it really did not break my heart. Hanging the baits, building the blind, the science that goes into lion hunting and then having them actually come is quite a reward in itself.

Regards,

Mark

This lion is not a shooter in Tanzania. I think Mark has this down pat. The lion is 4-5 years old. I have voiced concerns about aging lions who are old enough but are not MGM quality. I believe all of the Kizigo lions in the TGT lions passed up were lions I had on bait on my safari in Kizigo. Lion was my main animal and I will always believe that two of the lions were old enough to shoot. When age becomes the criteria, and a PH doesn't want to lose his job, then any lion that is not an MGM is "too young". This lion, however, is young enough in my opinion to grow and get better so he should be passed.

Speaking of "MGM quality", I've heard more than one PH chuckle at that description (I've used it myself) saying that in fact the lion they used was not a trophy lion by most standards, contrary to popular opinion.

4-5 years old. Not quite ready to be taken yet. Give him a year or two.

quote:

Originally posted by Spring:
Speaking of "MGM quality", I've heard more than one PH chuckle at that description (I've used it myself) saying that in fact the lion they used was not a trophy lion by most standards, contrary to popular opinion.

He's clearly a youngster. Old enough to have lost all his spots, but he hasn't taken any licks yet. He has to fill in on top, but he may never get the serious MGM look. He looks just like a younger version of the lion I killed in Tanzania - thick dark mane on the chest, but not too much on the shoulders and back. My guess is he's four.

Compare the lion below to "the MGM lion."

quote:

Originally posted by Spring:
Compare the lion below to "the MGM lion."

That one will do quite nicely.

If I could have taken a rifle into the Ngorongoro Crater, I would have brought him home to you, Charles....

quote:

Originally posted by Spring:
If I could have taken a rifle into the Ngorongoro Crater, I would have brought him home to you, Charles....

I think you mean he would be mounted life-size in your home...

I forgot to mention -- it is a great picture.

All I can bring are questions:

I have heard that there are regional variations in the color and thickness of mature manes. Is that true? Anybody want to fill in details as to which countries tend to show lions with larger and darker manes?

Dan

I'm going to buck the trend here an place my chip on 3 possibly 4 yrs old tops.
As far as nose color it is my understanding that the cats internal tempature is the true definition of color, though age will contribute to it to a degree.
I do not notice facial scars nor torn ears to show any tests of dominance.
Where legal I'd love to slip a 140 gr Broadhead into his ribcage!
"Cats"

Vic,

That Crater lion fits evrybody's picture. One of that quality almost takes your breath away.

Regards,

Mark

My age guess is four years old. No hair on the elbows, no battle scars, and the mane is not as heavy as it will be at ages 6-8

That crater lion has 8/9 or more years...
I love to guess...
L

Just a guess. 3 years?

The crater lion is beautiful!

Where exactly is the Ngorongoro Crater located ?

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
The crater lion is beautiful!

Where exactly is the Ngorongoro Crater located ?

Tanzania:

Charles,
Thank you very much for the map. Now how do we get that lion to visit Selous?

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
Charles,
Thank you very much for the map. Now how do we get that lion to visit Selous?

Buy him a train ticket?

A little more info on Ngorongoro Crater lions:

http://www.lionresearch.org/main.html

This group got some play for research on the role of mane color and size in social structure, etc. http://www.lionresearch.org/current_docs/lion_mane.html

My recollection that there is a geographical distribution to lion manes (don't remember where I ran into that) seems right; west Africa, particularly in Burkina-Faso, shows short-maned male lions: http://www.african-hunter.com/hunting_in_burkina_faso.htm

It is a preserve (non hunting), but there are folks who run photo "safaris" there.

Dan

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he is over 7 years old maybe even over 8. I have emailed the picture to Craig Packer and Petri Viljoen for their comments. If I get a reply, I will report back.

My guesstimate would be 5-6 yrs. old. He's got way too narrow of space between his ears and shows no mane on top either. He'd be a great trophy in a couple or three years if somebody doesn't shoot him before then.