IMHO, they are the most fearsome of all creatures on earth.

As Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, they are:

- The maned masters of the wilderness.

- The grim lords of slaughter.

Or in more cliched terms, truly the King of Beasts.

Without any doubt, with none whatsoever, my peak hunting experiences have come when hunting the African lion.

Magnificent beasts.

Of course, I have tracked them, and not shot them off baits.

They would never take our baits, or I would gladly have sniped them.

But both of mine have come spotted and stalked, and, sad to say, after having been wounded and followed.

But followed and killed, and in one case, in the midst of a fierce and final charge.

And many others were tracked, and followed, but not found. They were no less challenging.

All I can say now, because it is late here, and I am tired, is that I am lucky my skills were sufficient to kill the two I shot, and that my heart was a strong enough muscle!

These many years later, I find my adrenaline still pumping, just with the memories.

And I have also killed elephant.

Maybe a close tie, but I think still, after due consideration, in a near second place.

I'm going back looking for my first lion in 2023. Have hunted them twice before. I've baited them, and I've tracked them. I agree that there is something special about a lion. The trick is finding one old enough and being sure, especially when tracking when you don't have much time to evaluate. Let one walk in 2015 because he was "probably" over six, but couldn't be sure. Last year, a great lion showed up on our baits the morning after I flew out and the next hunter shot him on his first day.

Hopefully the third time will be the charm.

Mike:

There's nothing like reliving the thrills.

Congrats on that part. And not getting chewed too.

George

I have shot a few, some on baits, some on foot.

Luckily, I have never wounded one.

The ones that ran into the bush expired soon after.

Had one attack our hide, in total darkness.

His claws cut strips in our hide, missing Roy's back by inches.

Talk about being armed and totally helpless!

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
IMHO, they are the most fearsome of all creatures on earth.

As Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, they are:

- The maned masters of the wilderness.

- The grim lords of slaughter.

Or in more cliched terms, truly the King of Beasts.

Without any doubt, with none whatsoever, my peak hunting experiences have come when hunting the African lion.

Magnificent beasts.

Of course, I have tracked them, and not shot them off baits.

They would never take our baits, or I would gladly have sniped them.

But both of mine have come spotted and stalked, and, sad to say, after having been wounded and followed.

But followed and killed, and in one case, in the midst of a fierce and final charge.

And many others were tracked, and followed, but not found. They were no less challenging.

All I can say now, because it is late here, and I am tired, is that I am lucky my skills were sufficient to kill the two I shot, and that my heart was a strong enough muscle!

These many years later, I find my adrenaline still pumping, just with the memories.

And I have also killed elephant.

Maybe a close tie, but I think still, after due consideration, in a near second place.

Great post.

My one (and only) Lion came after a blown late evening shot from a Machan. The heavy down angle made me aim incorrectly and the bullet passed through the Lions formidable mane and grazed his chest, hitting him squarely, in the right rear foot.

We followed a few specks of blood, long into the night. Probably one of the most intense situations I've ever lived.

Giving up till morning, many of you know that feeling. In the morning, no sign was found. The entire Safari team walked a few yards apart, just looking and hoping.

To make a long story short, we killed the Lion in a hail of gunfire at a measured 12 feet in his furious charge.

While sitting with the dead beast, waiting on the truck, the incredible killing machine these things are, struck me. The Lion has no peer for ferocity, Muscularity, claws, canines. God's perfect creation.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
IMHO, they are the most fearsome of all creatures on earth.

As Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, they are:

- The maned masters of the wilderness.

- The grim lords of slaughter.

Or in more cliched terms, truly the King of Beasts.

Without any doubt, with none whatsoever, my peak hunting experiences have come when hunting the African lion.

Magnificent beasts.

Of course, I have tracked them, and not shot them off baits.

They would never take our baits, or I would gladly have sniped them.

But both of mine have come spotted and stalked, and, sad to say, after having been wounded and followed.

But followed and killed, and in one case, in the midst of a fierce and final charge.

And many others were tracked, and followed, but not found. They were no less challenging.

All I can say now, because it is late here, and I am tired, is that I am lucky my skills were sufficient to kill the two I shot, and that my heart was a strong enough muscle!

These many years later, I find my adrenaline still pumping, just with the memories.

And I have also killed elephant.

Maybe a close tie, but I think still, after due consideration, in a near second place.

Great post.

My one (and only) Lion came after a blown late evening shot from a Machan. The heavy down angle made me aim incorrectly and the bullet passed through the Lions formidable mane and grazed his chest, hitting him squarely, in the right rear foot.

We followed a few specks of blood, long into the night. Probably one of the most intense situations I've ever lived.

Giving up till morning, many of you know that feeling. In the morning, no sign was found. The entire Safari team walked a few yards apart, just looking and hoping.

To make a long story short, we killed the Lion in a hail of gunfire at a measured 12 feet in his furious charge.

While sitting with the dead beast, waiting on the truck, the incredible killing machine these things are, struck me. The Lion has no peer for ferocity, Muscularity, claws, canines. God's perfect creation.

Well written

I must have followed lions for hundreds of kilometers, and ended up empty.

We were hunting in Westwood, Zimbabwe, right on the Zambezi River.

Driving out one morning, we came across the tracks of a herd of buffalo, being chased by some lions.

We left them and went off hunting.

Returned a couple of hours later, and followed them.

They must have failed in they chase, as we found a lion and a lioness lying under a tree 30 yards away.

We had both male and female of quota.

I shot the mail, and he dropped.

The female came charging at us, but stopped short.

I fired a shot at her, and she started jumping up and down, I fired another shot and that was the end of it.

We had a friend waiting by the truck.

He came over, looked at the two lions, and said "I heard three shots. Where is the third one?"

Everyone should hunt an African lion properly at least once in their life.

Mike,
I have been hunted by lions and hunted lions. I survived both events, a bit shaken (not stirred), but survived.

Episode 1

2005 - Dande North with Dean Kendall. We are on our first DG hunt with my teenage sons. There was a PH, a hunter and film guy hunting lions in the same area, but away from us. Dean knew the other PH. They spent 18 days baiting and tracking. No luck. We were nearing the end of our safari and saw their trucks parked along a road we did not expect to see them. We backed out slowly, parked, then slowly walked to their vehicle at dusk. They walked out from a blind saying they had seen lioness's but no males. We talked and they drove off. We started the hike back to our truck. Dean looks down and says, "Hey, Ross, you and boys need to chamber up a round please". I asked why. He said, "Look", pointing at the our tracks hiking in. On top of our tracks were three sets of lioness's tracks following us as we hiked down the road. My sons thought this was cool, but I was a bit nervous as I have a very healthy respect for any cat. Dean whistled and had the trackers talk a lot. We never saw them but I believe they saw us.

Episode 2

2011 or so in Namibia with Jamy Traut. I booked a tracking lion hunt with Jamy in the Kalahari. He had one tag. He and our flock drove to the area which had been a game capture area in a 120,000 acre paddock. Lions had gotten in and had a buffet on the gemsbok, eland, etc, that lived there. It was a dilapidated high fence, actually a double fence about 12' high. Jamy said the lions got in and the place fell into disrepair.

We arrived, got out to stretch our legs and Jamy spotted lion tracks on the road and fresh piss. We followed and he decided they were young. A little while later we spotted two males stalking something about a mile or so from where we were. We went looking for them but lost them. Over the next three days we spotted groups and a couple of males. We shot gemsbok for baits, staked them down and came back in the morning to find a few pieces. We tracked from there in the dunes. On day 4, we tracked one male and actually bumped into a second at 100 yards. He was sleeping on top of a dune. We set up for the shot when he stood up. Jamy said to shoot when he stands up. I said ok. The lion stood up to stretch and I froze. It was much bigger and close than I thought.

The lion laid down. A female then walks around the dune and laid down directly across from us. We were totally exposes in the sand and grass. She spotted us, then wiggles around to flatten to the ground. At this point Jamy says, "We are screwed, she is about to come!". And she did. When she moved, she "huffed" and the male jumped straight up, spun and started toward us. He was not looking at us but she was. When he started down the dune, I fired, hitting him in the chest. He grunted, spun around and came on. This time right at us. She stopped, looked at him and disappeared from our sight in the bottom of the dune.

He appeared again at 40 yards where Jamy and I bought shot him again, both hitting him. He dropped and started flopping. We immediately turn to look for the female. We do not see her. Actually, we never see her again. She disappeared.

The male gets up again and Jamy and I both shoot again, one of us hitting him in the neck and down he goes. For good.

We back out, literally, still looking for the female. As we back of the dune, we look up and see another mature male standing where we had been shooting. He was looking at us and at the dead lion. Jamy said, "Don't shoot that one, I one have one permit." I am not terribly concerned about the permit status. That male then walks away over the hill out of our sight.

The Recovery

We call for the truck. We tell the story and my wife is less than impressed. We then drive around the dune to where the dead lion lay. When we get there and get out of the truck, 7 additional lions raise up out of the grass - think "Wack A Mole" and you get the picture. We ease back into the small truck - 6 of us and ponder. We honk, yell and fire shots. The lions just stand there. We drove at them. They then came at the truck. At this point Jamy got concerned over the lions biting the tires or whatever. We backed out very fast and the lions stopped, went back to the dead one.

We waited an hour then tried agian. The posse had moved off a bit and we quickly loaded the 450 lb male in the truck. The male we had seen earlier then came back. He stopped, looked us over and then wandered off.

That is enough lion hunting for me.

I was in Mozambique ten years ago and had my cousin with me who was new to hunting. We went in after a herd of buffalo and he decided to stay in the truck. I remember to this day telling him to stay in the buggy. It was hot in the truck so he took a nap in his hammock that he hung in-between two trees. When we got back the boys found fresh lion tracks five feet from where he was sleeping. That would not have been a good conservation to have with my Aunt.

At Chete, we stopped the truck and walked, unarmed, to a waterhole about 200 yards away.

As we got close the water, we found lion tracks with young ones.

They peed, and the pee looked very fresh!

We made a hasty retreat back to the truck.

I've been lucky enough to take two lions. To me a lion hunt is the ultimate safari. Nothing quite equals the total experience even on an unsuccessful hunt.

Mark

Excellent stories! Reinforcing my theme. African lions are nothing short of terrifying.

Saeed, is there a way that I can post my most terrifying story? It is somewhat long. I have it in .pdf.

It is the story of my Namibian problem lion. A great, park-boundary-breaking, cattle-killing, full-maned, King of his pride. With a twin brother as co-King.

Not kidding.

Not exaggerating.

It involves San bushmen, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, one of the best PHs that I have ever known, and the unavoidable, but fascinating, use of an airplane, a fly camp and a radio collar.

And many related and unpredictable and harrowing twists, trips and turns.

With all due modesty, and much is due, I think it is at least an interesting story and a good read, and it is one that I have never told.

Speaking for me, I'd love to hear Mike's story.

Lions are awe inspiring. A full blown roar will stop you in your tracks and even their moans at night will give you pause. Can't remember who said it, but those grunts and moans sound like "it's mine." They can be ghosts when you are hunting them or as arrogant as can be when you are not.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Excellent stories! Reinforcing my theme. African lions are nothing short of terrifying.

Saeed, is there a way that I can post my most terrifying story? It is somewhat long. I have it in .pdf.

It is the story of my Namibian problem lion. A great, park-boundary-breaking, cattle-killing, full-maned, King of his pride. With a twin brother as co-King.

Not kidding.

Not exaggerating.

It involves San bushmen, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, one of the best PHs that I have ever known, and the unavoidable, but fascinating, use of an airplane, a fly camp and a radio collar.

And many related and unpredictable and harrowing twists, trips and turns.

With all due modesty, and much is due, I think it is at least an interesting story and a good read, and it is one that I have never told.

By all means…please let us read it.

Plese post it!!!! Open pdf copy and paste in AR. Inwould love to read it!

We need to read this!

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Excellent stories! Reinforcing my theme. African lions are nothing short of terrifying.

Saeed, is there a way that I can post my most terrifying story? It is somewhat long. I have it in .pdf.

It is the story of my Namibian problem lion. A great, park-boundary-breaking, cattle-killing, full-maned, King of his pride. With a twin brother as co-King.

Not kidding.

Not exaggerating.

It involves San bushmen, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, one of the best PHs that I have ever known, and the unavoidable, but fascinating, use of an airplane, a fly camp and a radio collar.

And many related and unpredictable and harrowing twists, trips and turns.

With all due modesty, and much is due, I think it is at least an interesting story and a good read, and it is one that I have never told.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Excellent stories! Reinforcing my theme. African lions are nothing short of terrifying.

Saeed, is there a way that I can post my most terrifying story? It is somewhat long. I have it in .pdf.

It is the story of my Namibian problem lion. A great, park-boundary-breaking, cattle-killing, full-maned, King of his pride. With a twin brother as co-King.

Not kidding.

Not exaggerating.

It involves San bushmen, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, one of the best PHs that I have ever known, and the unavoidable, but fascinating, use of an airplane, a fly camp and a radio collar.

And many related and unpredictable and harrowing twists, trips and turns.

With all due modesty, and much is due, I think it is at least an interesting story and a good read, and it is one that I have never told.

Mike,

I think you open the pdf file in one window, then copy and paste it on here.

It should work.

I’ll second that request. I too would like to hear Mike’s Lion story. Or anybody’s for that matter!

I’ve taken only one Lion which was in Zim about (15) years ago. I shot him on bait on a river bed with my 375H&H, 300 gr. TBBC. It was a shooting down situation from an elevated bank. He was in a dog sitting position and I began the slow trigger squeeze. He was looking up at the bait which was hanging above his head. The rifle had not fired yet, when he his muscles and skin began to ‘crawl’ as he prepared to leap up to grab the bait. That made me press the trigger a little faster, and the shot flew.

He took off running across the sandy riverbed to the opposite bank. I had only a second to shoot again before he made it to the bush of the river side. I shot and he tumbled. I patted myself on the back upon making a brilliant shot. We climbed down off the bank to the riverbed below slowly approaching the still Lion. My PH threw a large log/branch at the Lion as we approached closely with no reaction. The Lion was dead. My first shot was the killing shot, through the heart. The second ‘brilliant’ shot was in his back foot. My ego was bruised as I realized the Lion had simply died from the first heart shot as he ran across the sand of the dry riverbed. I came to realize my offhand shooting at a racing Lion needed some serious work! Actually, my shooting at any running animal is not admirable I’m afraid.

I’ve hunted Lion two more times since then. No luck seeing them on the second effort and only young males on my third attempt, certainly under age six. I guess I was spoiled getting a Lion on my first try. I figured I’d be successful on each hunt thereafter, only to discover the true reality of hunting vs. getting!

I seem to like the combination of rush/fear of Lion hunting. It is so exciting, and yet ‘scary’ enough for me. I am not a brave man, but I seem addicted to this hunting. I hope to hunt Lion again until I am successful in finding the Lion of my dreams.

But Lion hunting is expensive, and I am a retired school teacher, so my funds are not inexhaustible. I keep my fingers crossed for the future, and realize that if it’s meant to be, it will happen, and if it’s not, then perhaps God is trying to tell me something…or looking over me!

Good luck to all of you fortunate enough to be hunting Africa this year. I am hunting South Africa this summer for the small cats. I’ll return to the big cats when my bank balance is generous enough once again…

Some one once asked me what was my favourite animal to hunt over my life time. My nephew quickly said, 'His big horn!'

Ha! Not even in the top 5. And that was one of the great exoeriences of my hunting life, for sure.

If I could only hunt one more animal - it would be a lion. To me, it was like carrying nitro glycerine. Everything would probably be o.k.

I have sat, half frozen, in a little mostly grass blind, open back, and had lions roaring so close it sounded like the ground was shaking.

For those who sneer at baiting lions - sheesh!

I am a retired school teacher, too. It would be nice to hunt them one more time. I wouldn't bet against me.

For forty I have been hunting lion every safari.

Sadly I was not successful on all of them.

I’m also in the boat that the lion is an apex hunt. I have no real need to keep hunting them, but they keep drawing me back…

I’ve hunted them 6 times now, and keep trying to find the money to do it again…

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Excellent stories! Reinforcing my theme. African lions are nothing short of terrifying.

Saeed, is there a way that I can post my most terrifying story? It is somewhat long. I have it in .pdf.

It is the story of my Namibian problem lion. A great, park-boundary-breaking, cattle-killing, full-maned, King of his pride. With a twin brother as co-King.

Not kidding.

Not exaggerating.

It involves San bushmen, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, one of the best PHs that I have ever known, and the unavoidable, but fascinating, use of an airplane, a fly camp and a radio collar.

And many related and unpredictable and harrowing twists, trips and turns.

With all due modesty, and much is due, I think it is at least an interesting story and a good read, and it is one that I have never told.

Mike,

I think you open the pdf file in one window, then copy and paste it on here.

It should work.

Thanks, Saeed. But it's too long and has embedded photographs in it.

I think I need to put it on a website and post a link to it, bearing in mind that I have no idea how to do that, and am way over my head here.

Michael, I remember that Lion. What an incredible beast he was. The story wasn’t too shabby either.

We had a bait in a valley in Matetsi, Zimbabwe.

We approached downwind from a top of a hill, as the bait was below.

We could hear lions at the bait.

It was a whole pride. Lionesses and cups.

We stayed just out of sight.

The to- of the hill couldn’t have been more than t yards away from us.

Suddenly we heard something.

And in looking we came face to face with a lioness!

She took off back where she came from!

If she had meant us any harm we wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.