With this recent post about putting lions on appendix 1, do you think they will become another animal that you wished you could hunt? I wasn't around for tiger, but I still wish I could have hunted them, but since I'm around for lion I sure would hate to miss the chance while they are still available. Do you think the lion will become one of those animals you tell your future generations about and how you should have gone for one while you could have? For those of you who have gone and gotten one, I'm envious of you.

Sevens

Personally, I have no interest in a Lion, never have, but I'd give my eye teeth for the oppertunity to hunt Tiger. I wonder if it's because I can't that makes me want to? Leopard is in the same catagory as Lion, yet I'd dearly love to get a Cheeta. If, and for others sakes I hope it doesn't happen, the Lion becomes forbotton, then I'll probably want one.

Sevens,
One of my clients gave me the October 1970 issue of SAGA magazine (anyone over 40 should remember this magazine). He had a story written about his man-eating tiger hunt titled "Striped Marauder of Bastar". After reading this story you would sell your soul to go on a tiger hunt, it was that exciting.

Will lion go the way of the tiger? IMO yes, it is just a matter of time. As an example, Botswana closing lion hunting.Will you regret not hunting lion? Definitely.

In 1998 my husband booked a lion hunt for 2000 in Zimbabwe.Cost at that time was $900 per day,15 days, $3500 trophy fee with HHK Safaris. Look at how the costs have escalated and they will only go higher.

There are some very good outfitter/booking agents that post on AR that can tell you better than I can how many years out there lion hunts are booked out.

Is a lion hunt worth the sacrifice?Absolutely. IMO saving for a lion hunt is worth giving up all the small hunts like black bear, deer etc. Years from now when no one will be hunting lions, you will be able to thrill your grandkids with tales of hunting Shumba.

Kathi

kathi@wldtravel.com

Well, I guess I have only one question know. Where can I get a lion? (Good chances and affordability would be appreciated. )

Is leopard heading the same way?



Sevens

I doubt leopard will go the same way unless another public outcry of the ignorant kind makes it happen. There must be 2 leopards in Africa for each lion AT LEAST and still they are classified as 'threatened' in many areas whilst lions are not...just shows how well-intentioned but ignorant greenies act.
Leopards also need a lot less land, they are sometimes spotted in the suburbs of cities when they come in to pick up a dog!

Hunt lion while you can. The opportunity simply won't be there, I don't believe, in the future. There is no affordable lion hunting anymore, nor will there be in the future, simply because of supply and demand.

Tanzania and Zambia likely have the best wild lions that you can hunt in Africa today. Zimbabwe is also an option, and some good specimens come out of that country, but on average trophy quality isn't as good as those other two countries. You will see photos of some superb trophy lions from South Africa, but many of these are canned. I'd be very careful about booking any lion hunt in South Africa.

I would indeed sacrifice any number of deer, pronghorn, or elk hunts in order to hunt lion. N. American hunting for those animals will be around for a long time, but lion hunting won't. In fact Africa changes so fast, and in so many ways that I'd rather concentrate on hunting as much as I can on that continent while it's still available. N. American hunting is a rip-off anyway.........

I have taken one good old male lion so far, and I hope to get one more and then call it good. Lion hunting has been the most exciting and rewarding African hunting I've experienced so far, no doubt about it.

Go while you can!

AD

Wendell Reich Has a lion hunt in Namibia that sounds nice. It is an 18 day hunt in the North west section of Namibia and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Anyone been on a hunt like this? It says it it a tracking hunt, which seems like more fun than sitting in a blind.



Sevens

I've been told that lions, though not necessarily big maned ones, a still plentiful in Ethiopia. Maybe someday that will be the destination. We can only hope. I think one lion would really round out my career.

IMO, and it is only my opinion, but I think lion hunting needs some serious regulation, not banning! Many areas where there are good populations of lion, need a ban on hunting MALES, for a few years! Then with a tight quota on the dry females. This would give the Male Lions time to get some age on them, and to spread their seed in the population.

When you get down to the nut cuttin, the female hunted by tracking is more dangerous than the male anyway. Females travel in prides when pushed, and your chances of getting a charge from a female that is unwounded, is high, and in many cases a multiple charge. The males tend to split from the females, and cubs when pushed, so are alone, or at most in pairs. I know everyone wants an MGM maned male lion, but if that brassy taste of adrinalin in your mouth when she turns to face you, and says "I've had enough"is what you are looking for, then an old Qween female is a real DG trophy, that is overlooked by many!

The leopard is in no trouble at all, except from the tree huggers ignorance. The Jaguar is an example of this paranoia. They say the Jaguar is endangered in South America, but every expidition into the rainforests finds animals that no body knew even existed. My question is, if you don't know what is in the jungles of South America, then how is it you can tell me what isn't in the jungles of South America?

The above moretorium on lion conservation should be taken into consideration before the long hairs in sandles get a foot hold on propaganda, on the lion's plight! It is in our own best interest!

I was born too late for the glorious days of tiger hunting in India but the fact is that the average tiger hunt was very different from what I have read of lion hunts in Africa or indeed, even in India in the past. Most tigers were shot from elephant back as driven game and the tracking down and hunting of a maneater was a comparatively rare affair left to experts.

Even nowadays, professional shikaris are hired very occasionally to shoot maneaters - they get paid a princely sum of Indian Rupees 250 (approx US$ 5) for it.

While liability issues may never permit this to happen because of the potential dangers of releasing dangerous animals in the wild, the ONLY country in the world where the tiger is not endangered is the USA - home to more tigers in zoos and private collections than the rest of the world put together!

My 2 cents regarding Lions and their future as a hunting target is along the lines of what one gent addressed above--management. We lost the Bengal Tiger to hunting primarily because the resource wasn't managed (of course habitat loss was a factor, too). The hunting of African Lions can be maintained, provided there is good management applied. (I know, big request). That likely will push up the already high cost because the quotas will be limited, but at least protect the resource. Better to be able to hunt some at high cost than none at any cost, as with the Tiger.

Sevens,
Although Kenya has banned hunting, I believe this article shows the probability of lion hunting becoming a thing of the past.




Lions Maul Politician's Cattle

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

May 10, 2004
Posted to the web May 10, 2004

Sospeter Muigai
Nairobi

Four lions strayed from the Nairobi National Park and attacked a herd of cattle belonging to veteran politician Mr John Keen.

The incident, that occured on Saturday morning left two cows seriously injured while five others have gone missing.

Keen was sound asleep at his Maasai Lodge hotel, where the incident took place at dawn.

The big cats allegedly gained access into a manyatta, situated next to the hotel, where a herd of about 100 cattle were held.

Security guards heard a commotion and went to check what was amiss before alerting Keen.

The politician speaking at the scene said he had to restrain the guards from shooting the predators.

"The security team was armed with four guns but I told them not to harm the lions," he said.

He said one of the guards made a daring effort by attempting to rescue the injured animals.

Mr Kamoke ole Lenangetai hit one of the lions with a club as it mauled a bull, that was left for dead.

His colleagues had to rush to the scene, where they shot several times in the air, in a bid to scare away the lions.

Keen, who termed the incident as extremely unfortunate, estimated the damage caused to the tune of Sh60,000.

He said it was high time the government took measures that will make sure that victims of such attacks are expeditiously compensated.

The politician said the Maasai community living within the park's neighbourhood were incurring big losses as a result of such incidents.

"We the Maasai's wouldn't like to kill the lions since we are aware of the role they play in tourism attraction," he said.

Kathi

When I see articles like this it reinforces my belief that lion hunting will be stopped. This article is from a Botswana newspaper.I received my World Conservation Force Bulletin yesterday, The title was "African Lion Targeted at CITES Meeting".


Thrills in lion country

Roar: Lions of the Kalahari

BOTSWANA tourism has been given another boost with the release of a Kgalagadi lion documentary, Roar: Lions of the Kalahari, in US cinemas lately.

The 40 minute movie, according to a US newspaper, the Kansas City Star, puts you right in the faces of these tawny predators without risk of bodily injury. It is sort of real-life.

The Kansas City Star writes:
Over countless months, filmmakers Tim Liversedge, a long-time resident of Botswana, and Richard Jones, staked out a remote water hole in the middle of the Kalahari Desert.

The only moisture for miles around, this muddy oasis is presided over by a 500-pound, 10 foot long male lion whose imposing size has up to now frightened away potential male challengers. The king has two lionesses - sisters but not from the same litter - and he enjoys a life of relative ease in the shade of the few scrawny, thorny trees that survive the harsh climate. The females do the hunting, and although their water holes draws vast numbers of zebras, springboks, fowls and other animals, a successful hunt is hardly a sure thing. With no cover to hide behind, the predators keep low to the ground and move slowly.

The owners of housecats will recognise gently waving tail and flexing back legs as a sign that these killers are about to leap. But it's frozen stance into a high-speed run and then leaps high to intercept a panicked antelope that has tried to go airborne, to make its escape. The kill is quick and brutal It's heart-pounding stuff.

Director Liversedge frames his film around the events of an entire year. The king mates with the older lioness and scares off an interloping male lion that has come snooping around. That young turk will return at an especially inopportune time; five cubs have been born to the king and it's the instinct of any other male lion to kill those offspring and produce his own.

Meanwhile, with the different seasons come different herds. Time passes and the king, after three years at the top, is approaching the leonine version of retirement age - whether he likes it or not.

The film, produced by National Geographic, is a feast for eye and ear. The cinematography is achingly beautiful; ravishing sunsets, shimmering heat waves, swirling dust devils that sweep across the scorched earth. Several night-time shots are jaw-dropping - actually the constellations that you see in the sky have been computer-generated. Technically it's cheating, but it looks so good one can't get too upset.

Kathi

kathi@wldtravel.com

Kathi,

Quote...

"I received my World Conservation Force Bulletin yesterday, The title was "African Lion Targeted at CITES Meeting".

Yes, That's the one I was reffering to.

Rich Elliott

Sevens:

I pray to heaven that I am wrong but I do think that the lion is on his way to extinction in Africa. The constant increasing pressure for farm land (and raising cattle) is pushing an aggressive cat towards confrontation with man. (Hunters don't wipe out animals but farmers do who are determined to protect their livestock).

In 1993 my outfitter who was regarded by the Zimbabwe Department of Parks and Game (as the title was then anyways) as their "lion man" told me that he believed that hunting of wild lions would be ended in safari districts within 20 years. Your post makes me wonder if it might not be sooner.