Just finished reading Along the Hunter's Path by Kai-Uwe Denker, great read. This book expresses the ethics and passion of a true sportsman and could even to nonhunters evoke understanding of why we cherish the hunt.
Some of Sir Samuel Baker's writings are online at the University of Pennsylvania...well worth a read.
They don't make men like Sir Samuel any more.
Do you have a link for that? I'd love to check it out.
Do you have a link for that? I'd love to check it out.
You bet.
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Baker%2c%20Samuel%20White%2c%20Sir%2c%201821-1893
Read The Rifle and the Hound in Ceylon first. The language may be a bit rough for the Politically Correct, just have to deal with it.
Personally I love Boddington's white book (Safari Rifles) and Mellons book as well.
Dober
"Pondoro" by John Taylor isn't a bad read.
White Hunters by Brian Herne is a real interesting read....
For vintage Africana " Bell of Africa" by W.D.M. Bell is a fave....
Ingwe
"Months of the Sun" Ian Nyshens
All of J. A. Hunters works
All of WDM Bell's works
I read "Horn of the Hunter" by Robert Ruark pretty often. It has to be on the short list of African hunting books.
Peter Capstick's Death in the Long Grass is the book that sparked my interest in African hunting. Have read many other good ones by Ruark, Hunter, Boddington, etc..
Mike
I have an extensive collection of older African hunting books. My favorites are some of the newer ones; Horn of the Hunter, most things by Peter Capstick and some of Boddington's stuff.
Add "African Rifles and Cartridges" by John "Pondoro" Taylor
I'll second my friend Hatari's posts but to me Capstick's Death In The Long Grass is the signature book for me. jorge
All the books listed here are very good, though I must note that Boddington has an updated version of SAFARI RIFLES out.
My vote for the best recent book on African hunting is John Kingsley-Heath's HUNTING THE DANGEROUS GAME OF AFRICA. JKH was a professional hunter in Africa from the heyday of Kenya in the 1950's, and was also one of the primary hunters to open up Botswana. (He is still alive, by the way.) He not only PH'd professionally for several decades, in places that are now legendary, but he hunted in several other countries on his own where big game hunting is just about gone now, including Ethiopia. In addition he guided peole like Jack O'Connor, John Wootters and Bob Chatfield-Taylor, the inventor of the .416 Taylor.
The book is large format and several hundred pages long, with tons of photos. It's expensive (even when new it was around $100) and is somewhat hard to find, but it is well worth the money and search.
All the books listed here are very good, though I must note that Boddington has an updated version of SAFARI RIFLES out.
My vote for the best recent book on African hunting is John Kingsley-Heath's HUNTING THE DANGEROUS GAME OF AFRICA. JKH was a professional hunter in Africa from the heyday of Kenya in the 1950's, and was also one of the primary hunters to open up Botswana. (He is still alive, by the way.) He not only PH'd professionally for several decades, in places that are now legendary, but he hunted in several other countries on his own where big game hunting is just about gone now, including Ethiopia. In addition he guided peole like Jack O'Connor, John Wootters and Bob Chatfield-Taylor, the inventor of the .416 Taylor.
The book is large format and several hundred pages long, with tons of photos. It's expensive (even when new it was around $100) and is somewhat hard to find, but it is well worth the money and search.
+1
I found this book the last time this topic came up. Absolutely stunning book on Africa hunting and adventure.
ddj
The trifecta of African classics that belong in every hunting library:
Horn of the Hunter by Ruark
Maneaters of the Tsavo by Patterson
African Game Trails by Teddy Roosevelt
Mule Deer - I second your choice of John Kingsley-Heath's book. I held off buying it for years because of the cost. Now that I have it, I'd say its worth every penny I paid for it.
Pretty good, isn't it? I also own and have read every other book mentioned so far on the thread, plus probably 100 others on African hunting, including other "big" books like Bartle Bull's SAFARI and Peter Beard's THE END OF THE GAME. I also hesitate to say anything is "best," but JKH's is right up there among the finest. Part of it is the long era it covers, which JKH knows so well, and he is also a damn fine writer.
JB/Anyone: Does anyone know where to chase down a copy of JKH's book?
I would do a web search. I bought mine new in a bookstore several years ago, but have never seen another copy since.
Anyone read Robin Hurt's Hunting the Big Five?
Man Eaters of the Tsavo
Death in the Long Grass
Horn of the Hunter
African Rifles and Cartridges
Wandering of an Elephant Hunter
The Perfect Shot (more educational)
Safari Rifles II
Green Hills of Africa
African Hunter II (more educational)
All of these are in my library and I think are well worth the read
JB/Anyone: Does anyone know where to chase down a copy of JKH's book?
Bob in NH - There are three available at:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...NGEROUS+GAME+OF+AFRICA&x=49&y=11
pretty much everything on phoenixdawg's list i'll second.
Lou Hallamore's In the Salt
MEMORIES OF AN AFRICAN HUNTER...Denis Lyell
MEMORIES OF AN AFRICAN HUNTER...Terry Irwin (same title)
THE ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER...James Sutherland
THE BOOK OF THE LION...Sir Alfred E. Pease
BIG GAME HUNTING IN NORTHERN RHODESIA...Owen Letcher
HORNED DEATH...John Burger
A GAME RANGER'S NOTE BOOK...A. Blaney Percival
THE WANDERINGS OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER...W.D.M.Bell
HUNTING THE AFRICAN LION
HUNTING THE AFRICAN LEOPARD
HUNTING THE AFRICAN BUFFALO
HUNTING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT...African Hunting Heritage Books by Amwell Press. Jim Rikhoff
Out in the Midday Shade by William York. Really enjoy it, I have read it 3 times.
Not a hunting book, but a great read:
"The Man Who Presumed, A Biography of Henry M. Stanley", Bryon Farwell
Two more on my "to read" list that were recommended to me are:
"Stanley", Tim Jeal
"Traversa", Fran Sandham
I wouldn't call it the best, but if you want a deep drink of hunting history, read Brian Herne's "White Hunters."
If you want a visual experience get a copy of:
African Hunter by James Mellon.
Dino
Capstick trumps them all!
Just don't confuse it with fact.
Add "African Rifles and Cartridges" by John "Pondoro" Taylor
+1
Not Africa, but James Corbett's books about India are a must for anyone interested in DG hunting.
Ok, it may have been partly fiction, and I really don't care. I bought Peter Capstick's "Death in the Long Grass", over 25 yrs ago, and it inspired me to want to hunt Africa. Which I did in July, 2008. May never get to go again, but he got me there, once. For that, I thank the man.
maddog
Just finished reading Along the Hunter's Path by Kai-Uwe Denker, great read. This book expresses the ethics and passion of a true sportsman and could even to nonhunters evoke understanding of why we cherish the hunt.
Sorry for the necro-post, but I didn't see a point in starting a new one. I have to say that I am very pleased with Kai-Uwe Denker's book and I highly recommend it. He has a specific style that I really enjoy and his passion for hunting is very obvious.
I know Tony Sanchez Arino. A good man. He got me to hunt elephant. His books are good. And I also like Capstick's Death in the Long Grass. Yeah, a corny drunk, but it got me to go to Africa. Horn of the Hunter is I feel one of my all time favorite books ever.
White Hunters by Brian Herne is a real interesting read....
Ingwe
This is one of the best, if you want to know about the lives of the hunters themselves.
Horn of the Hunter and Death in the Long Grass
Horn of the Hunter, hands down.
Augusts in Africa by Thomas McIntyre is a recent addition to the genre which I found to be very good. Best? Can't say, there are a lot that I haven't read. But it is quite good.