Ladies and Gentlemen,

The following story is from the book THE HUNTING IMPERATIVE; by Richard Harland; published by Rowland Ward; ISBN 0-9584188-7-x.

"...One unusual case arose when one of teh scouts came to report he had left his colleague with a local man they had arrested for killing a buffalo. Not wanting to leave the evidence in case other people or lion or hyaenas damaged the exhibit, the second scout and the poacher camped at the carcass while I was summoned. On the long drive south towards the Mozambican border, I questioned the scout about the case, having assumed simply that teh hunter had snared a buffalo. However, it appeared that he had killed a bull using a spear only; no snare, no dogs, nobody else assisting him! I suggested to my scout that the man had a rifle or a muzzle loader which he had used, then hid it away after shooting the animal, but was told the hoel in the buffalo was made by a spear, a whole spear, and nothing but a spear.

We managed to get the Land Rover righ to the scene of the crime as I intended to collect all the meat for our people back at the station. A Heavily built African weraing tatters of khaki clothing and sandals made from car tyres, rose from under a bush to greet me. Probably twice my age, I could not help but hold him in respect, seeing the huge buffalo bull he had apparently killed gladiator-style, lying in the shadow of a tree. Tsuro and I examined the dead beast, turning it over to check for wounds. The only mark was above the shoulder where the spear had gone into the lungs..."

The hunter related how how he kills his animals.

"...There are two animals that a person can get close to: elephant and buffalo. It is very difficult to spear a kudu, nyala, impala, unless you have dogs. The problem is that buffalo's ribs overlap each other, so when I am close, I also have to find the right way to stab the animal for the spear to to go between the ribs. I found this bull lying by himself in the scrub mopane, the other two had walked on. I moved quickly. The wind was strong so he did not hear me. And his head was facing into the wind. Also, teh side on which I came was a good place to put my spear through the ribs, stabbing forwards into the lungs. After spearing him, I ran fast through the mopane bushes to a big tree where I stopped. I heard the buffalo running away. I think all three of them, so I went back and followed. Soon I found my spear on teh ground and plenty of blood. That was over there" He pointed towards a group of tampoti trees growing along a dry river bed fifty yards away.

He the told him that he had killed eight buffalo bulls and lion in this manner.

That man was quite the hunter. I don't think anyone on this site wants to try that.

I'd never convict him.

Now that is truly manly. In this one case, my hat's off to the poacher.

Yes, now that is how it is done! I need to buy Richard's books...

quote:

...A Heavily built African wearing tatters of khaki clothing and sandals made from car tyres...

Light or dark colored khaki???

That man had balls made out of solid rock.

At the Jo'berg airport a year or two ago I encountered an American hunter, a college prof, who was hunting with a spear an atlatl. The latter is a throwing device which imparts considerable veloicity using leverage. Most of you have likely seen pictures of these. He told me that a fellow prof, an engineer, had helped him with the design. Perhaps he's even on this site.

The Atlatl is an anchient speer used by Indians of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas long before they had horses in North america. The Indians hunted the grassy plains on foot, several thousand years ago. It seems the engineer who first made them was the pre history type! One of the Universities in Oklahoma has a Bison skull, found in a river, with a flint Atlatl speer head deep inside the skull, which was carbon dated to be several thousand years old. No speer thrown in the normal manner would be able to penetrate that far in that skull, even with a steel head, much less flint!

Many of the anchients were real ballsey hunters, made more bold with that Atlatl being a PUSH FEED !

Amazing story!

I'd like to hear how it went with the Lion!

Regards,
Dave

Thanks for the story. It is amazing what a little hunger can cause when it comes to boldness, bravery and creativity.

Mac,

This hunter wasn't a push feed man, he only used CRF...Chiseled Rock Flint.

Roger QSL

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
That man had balls made out of solid rock.

And I suspect a bit of desparation.

Atlatls are cool, I've seen them go right through car doors.

Pretty incredible. Now that man was a hunter - knew his prey had overlapping ribs and just where to place his spear for a fatal wound.

Definitely some balls made out of rock - the size of grapefruit.

Of course, that pales in comparison to Walter's "bare hands, bare ass" technique. For his sake I hope he doesn't try it on a cold day with Saeed photographing the event.

Follow up to the story.

Richard decided not to report him for his kill.

He killed a buffalo and went to get the rest of his village to cut it up. When he came back he found a young lion feeding on it. He scared the lion away, and went to his buffalo. The lion then came back, and was looking at him from a 10 foot overhang. He threw his spear at the lion, hitting him in the neck.

The lion tumbled down the overhang, and he swapped places with him by going up.

The lion died shortly afterwards.

One of the reasons I posted this here because some of our friends on this forum seem to think the closer one gets to a dangerous animal, the more exciting it is because of the danger factor.

Well, our resident genius here told me in no uncertain terms that is a load of coddswallop! And he can prove it too!

He said as long as one has a rifle, and knows how to use it, there is no dangeror involved whatsoever.

He proceeded to ask how many hunters are killed every year by those so called dangerous animals, against how many animals being shot.

Lacking enough intelligence to argue with a genius, I told him I agreed with him!

Saeed, great thread. Even makes old Samuel Baker and his long knife seem tame, as he had the assistance of his faithful hounds. Do the Masai still hunt lions with spears in a closing circle?
As to atlatls, I make and use them (against charging hay bales), as all of our ancestors did before someone came up with a bowstring. In fact, Montezuma's Aztec warriors gave the Spaniards quite a nasty surprise with their atlatl darts. The dart is much faster and more accurate than a spear, although the latter is best for thrusting. I suspect that professor in the airport was from Montana, where a lot of current atlatl engineering is going on using aluminum , titanium, carbon fiber, etc.
Here's a URL for much more on atlatls:
http://www.atlatls-n-more.com/

Anyone hunting a buffalo alone with a spear deserves the buffalo, poacher or not.

Its what makes the Thinking man, the most dangerous animal on earth. Here was a fellow because of need, did a little thinking and managed to collect his game. We will think twice about shooting buffalo with a 338, but here is a guy that can collect one with a sharp stick.

This sort of hunt would make a great video - or hunting TV show series. There are a slew of hunting shows (and videos) out there - most are pretty "ho hum." Anyone want to set a new trend? I'll buy the first copy.

the poor buggar took a buff w/out the help of a PH, scouts, and videographer. stick and muscle and BRAINS. and later killed a lion off his kill? a better man, he, than me. the saps that have their surviviour shows need to hire him as consultant.you who can find him, buy him a drink!

This hunter is a better hunter than most of us and he deserves our respect ,i would like to see his photo ,and to know his tribe is he a zulu or a masai,i was discusing with some international hunters that it will be good for our sport that the SCI gives some sort of recognition to the trackers and local hunters ,beside being honest with ourselves we can put this people in the side of the sportmans and perhaps they would not need to poach again ,i saw here local guides natices that at only 10 years have killed many pumas and boars with their dogs and knives .Juan

Wow! That's a story worth the telling.

Richard did the right thing!

Dude thats rambo!!!!

I can say that as a retired game warden with 26 years of service I would not of arrested that man. He and Sasha Siemel would of made good hunting buddies.
troy

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

Well, our resident genius here told me in no uncertain terms that is a load of coddswallop! And he can prove it too!

He said as long as one has a rifle, and knows how to use it, there is no dangeror involved whatsoever.

Saeed,

Perhaps your resident genius is right!

Lion Clip

I have my own thoughts as what the real reason for the loo paper is!

Regards,

Pete

quote:

Originally posted by analog_peninsula:
I'd never convict him.

Nor I

If I was the game warden, I would be strongly tempted to try to hire him. He obviously has excellent bush skills and courage. The fact that he (and the game scout) were still there when the warden showed up proves he has respect for authority.

WEll... I think I'll stick with my rifles anyway...

I guess it's easy to forget that rifle has only arrived in the last few centuries and before that hunting was a bit more dangerous.

$bob$

What ever level of technology he lacked in weaponry, he made up for with the teflon coated, stainless steel balls!

My hat's off to this fella.

Didn't Peter Capstick kill a buff or two with a spear? Think I will keep to the rifle.

Many years ago, prehaps 20 or so, I saw a short film clip taken in the 30s or 40s of a native taking an elephant with a spear. The film was only about 1 1/2 minutes long and was taken in heavy brush. The hunter was striped naked and slipped up behind and beside the beast then ran the spear into the heart from below and behind the shoulder. The film got rather wild as everyone beat a fast retreat then resumed as they tracked and found the animal dead. Sure wish I could see that again, great stuff.

Do you think this guy sat around the fire and argued with his friends whether ...

A 1500 grain blade was more effective than the more commonly used 1250 grain blade?

Or if the 1.25" diameter spear carried as much penetration as the 1.378" diameter spear?

Was he ever criticized for taking a soft bossed Buffalo?

Do you think his friends gave him grief over the tread of tire that he chose for his sandals?

Hmmm .....

Where is Mark Sullivan when you need him?
I can see him standing next to this hunter and saying, "lets let him choose how he wants to die"
This spear hunter has my respect! It would be cool to watch this guy in action.
excellent story.

A real man would of strangled them !

The man was hungry...he found food and took it. No conviction from me. A few years ago when they were blasting in downtown Nashville (for what became the First American Bldg.) a cave was discovered that originally led to the Cumberland river (which is nearby). Saber Cat and Mammoth remains were found. Embedded 3 inches deep in one of the Mammoth femurs was a flint Clovis point. I've argued for years that Paleo people had the Atl-atl. Just because Bannerstones aren't found within Paleo sites doesn't mean they didn't have them. It took us a few years to go from flint lock to cartridge rifle. LDK

Richard's book is great and this is one of my favorite stories in it. Cool stuff.

Great story. My hat is off to that man...

Muy grande cojones!!!

What a story! It sure makes one feel humble about my hunting skills. Watching a bushman track does the same thing......

Ordering the bood today!

Thanks Saeed!!!

Bob

I would not only not have arrested the guy and tried to hire him I'd have transported him and his well earned meat home.

There is no creature (edible) on earth that a human, hungry enough, will not attempt to kill and eat or to kill to provide food for his family.

And frankly the only animals man has not killed are either those he hasn't discovered yet or those that became extinct before he discovered them.

Hello Guys,

I have met and talked too Richard a couple of times at the BASA shoot in Pretoria, and thoriughly enjoys his books and talks,

I have one question though, as far as I have it the owner of Cold Steel knives has hunted a couple of buffalo with spear, and is actually booking a lion hunt with a spear for this year,

also made of titanium if you asked me