Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Thinking about lions...

Ingwe, do you remember those two orphan cubs of Jochen Heine that grew up to two large black maned males with the wild, piercing yellow eyes? They were in an enclosure, but they weren’t pets or tamed in any way. They would tune up about midnight and being only a hundred yards from the clients hut, the hair on your neck would stand up. They must have been 400+ lbs each.

I agree about grizzly’s and lions. When in their sphere of influence you can begin to feel skittish like you can imagine their game does, if game animals actually feel skittish.

Truly impressive beasts.

The USA is still importing lions from Zimbabwe.

Yeah, don't forget the tip. lol
I truly wish you all the best, on finding yourself a cat.

When I was in Cameroon I had a chance to go after lion. It would have been an add on trophy fee/permit of about $5K back then. I could not bring it back into the states and for that reason I passed on it. If I had it to do over again I'd probably go for it. But I was a lot younger then and costs were nowhere near what they are now for that sort of thing. Hind sight don't ya know.

Killed my lion in Zimbabwe in 2012 (Matetsi Unit 3). He weighed 440 lbs and was 10'6" nose to tail. Intense hunt, harrowing follow-up. Used a Dakota 76 African in .416 Rigby and a 400 grain Swift A-Frame (as loaded by Norma). Kreighoff .470 on the follow-up. No issues in importing him into the US. He now resides in my study and whenever I look at him, I relive the memories of that hunt.

I was in my early 60's then and in very good physical condition. Couldn't do it today, as my knees have become too arthritic to do much walking.

Exclusive of air fare, the hunt cost me around $70K, plus tips. Booked 28 days and shot him on the 4th or 5th day. One of life's great experiences and well worth it.

Outfitter was HHK Safaris and the PH was Anthony Crick. Both were first rate in all respects.

As time passes, you only get older and the hunts get more expensive. There's an old auto racing saying to the effect of "if you're ever gonna stand on it, stand on it now. The longer you wait, the slower you get".

My Zambia hunt this year (hippo/croc/buff with a bow) went pear shaped logistically here and abroad so I cancelled and just booked a SA lion/buff bow hunt in September. I have absolutely no interest in spending another $100k on a free range lion when I already have one stateside.

Don’t care that it’s not free range. Been there, done that. Spot & stalk DG with a bow is as good as it gets.

Now hunting leopard with a bow is gonna be a challenge. Ele not so much.

Here you go, Doc.

las... was he napping when ya blasted him?!?

Shot him with my camera in Ngorogoro Caldera. Lotsa lions in Tanzania if your guide knows where to look. It's frowned on to kill them in those places tho.

That's a helluva lion.

Sango is the best place I've ever hunted in Africa by a long-shot.

Never did lion but hunted buffalo, leopard, ele, sable and all plainsgame there multiple times.

Would love to go back some day but not sure it's in the cards.

Can anyone tell me whether you pay a lot less for a female lion? If the female does more of the hunting than the male, and if they are more ferocious (not clear on this point), then I'd rather shoot a female. A mane is neither here nor there for me, notwithstanding that they do look nice. Must be free-range, non-export is ok if it's less expensive. Thanks for any information.

I recommend you contact John Sharp. I don't know if he still offers, but in the past he did lioness hunts. Bait and then in morning look at tracks and then follow until you find them. More exciting than sitting over stinky bait.

Yes, I only want a tracking hunt (in lieu of spot and stalk). Zim. would suit me. I would just like to know the answers before I contact the outfitter (so that I don't sound too dumb), and leave the more specific questions to the outfitter. Thanks for that suggestion.

No idea if offered anymore, and if so likely non-exportable. Would definitely be cheaper. Seriously, touch base with John.

Nyalubwe

You got that right about Leo. Had lions scare the pants off of me a couple of times. One time, at dusk I was sighting on a cape buffao in Tanzania. As I was about to cut loose on the shot, 2 lions, not 25 yards away roared and sprung after the buff I was centered on and his mates. Obviously they all went di di mau to GTF out of there. Me included.

Another time, again in Tanzania, went to check the lion bait about 10:00 in the morning. Snuck through the riverine thicket along the sandy river bed, and slinked up into a clearing maybe 50 yards in diameter. The zebra haunch hanging from a big baobab tree had been fed on the previous night. Tracks, mane hair, craw marks on the trunk all showed some big cats had fed. As we causally admired the scene, 2 big maned lions awoke from their nap in the thicket not 30 yards from us. They were shocked to see us and roared to loud enough to shake your soul. Standing unarmed, our collective party went pale and damned near laid golden eggs as the pair ran across the clearing past us, away from the river!

Thrilling, but not cardiologist approved. Had that been near dusk, they very likely would have been much more aggressive.

Come talk with John Sharp at DSC Booth 4343 or SCI Booth 553.

If I make it back it will be for a tracking Lion hunt with John.

Me too, and an 80LB Elephant, would do both on the same Safari, good luck Doc ; ]

It is nice to hear the stories of people who shot their lion but you don't hear of the ones who did not shoot one and lost their money.
Hunting lion is a big gamble.Also I think it would be much less exciting now to hunt a lion than it was in the 90's and before because things are less wild.

Swiftshot, there is a lot of overselling done even by "well known" PHs. If you're a late season hunter, you might find yourself walking in circles as unbeknownst to you all the permits are taken. You then get the "sorry we didn't connect, I'll give you a discount next year so come back".

It's a game.

When I went to Vegas for vacation I passed by the casino during a poker tournament and saw all the players from all walks of life sitting at the tables gambling and I thought to myself "that was me during the years I was active in the African hunting scene".