In September 2024, I was fortunate enough to be able to book an incredible Lion and Lioness hunt after a 10 day Buffalo and Sable hunt in Limpopo scheduled for May 2025. I had been dreaming of hunting a Lion since I was 10 years old but never thought I could afford it. I did a lot of research over the last couple years and discovered the Lion hunting opportunities in South Africa. I watched every video and scoured the internet for information on hunts and read a lot of opinions on the CBL hunting program. I decided I was fine with this type of hunt and method of conservation as I would never be able to hunt a wild lion as they are simply too expensive.
My Outfitter and PH was Arrie Van Niekerk with Magwegwe Safaris. He was a professional from the very start and I appreciated the time he took to speak to me multiple times after booking to answer any questions I had and make me feel good and safe about booking direct with an outfitter for this hunt.
After an exceptional 10 day Safari in Limpopo with Impisi Safaris, my expectations were high making my way back to Joberg to meet with Arrie the following day. I had the opportunity to eat at Carnivore, a restaurant that reminded me of a Brazilian steakhouse where multiple types of meat were served along with salads, sides and dessert. I enjoyed some more Zebra, Blesbok, Crocodile and Warthog here as well as another bottle of Pinotage. I slept well and Arrie met me at my hotel at 6am sharp the next morning.
We began our lengthy drive to the Lodge where we would do our hunting. The total trip was about 7 hours with a couple stops. I was used to long road trips and the conversation and scenery made the drive go quickly. We arrived at the Lodge to be greeted by the lodge manager and chef with a welcome drink. We toasted our hunt and moved my bags into my room. I had the entire lodge to myself for the duration of my hunt which was definitely different. We decided to zero rifles and go for a drive around the property and get the lay of the land. I reset zero for my 416 rem mag to 25 meters. I was a little surprised at how close we would be aiming to be for the Lion hunts.
The Property and grounds at the Afri-Sun lodge were very nice. The property is around 6000 acres of hunting area with additional breeding areas and concessions surrounding the farm. That night we managed to come across a bunch of Blesbok, opper Springbok, Giraffe, Blue and Golden Wildebeest, Kudu and Impala as well as some giant Buffalo bulls. I should have taken a Blesbok that evening but hadn't quite made up my mind on if I wanted one. My extra animal budget had also dwindled after 10 days of hunting Sable and Buffalo and taking 7 other animals.
Day 2 at Magwegwe Safaris in the Kalahari started with a basic breakfast at 7am, we would plan to be on the truck for 7:45 and looking for Lion tracks. This was a much later start than I had become used to while at Impisi. The mornings were cooler and I found myself wearing my jacket while on the truck. It felt more like a fall morning back home in Alberta than being in Africa. It wasnt long before we started seeing multiple animals, including Jackals and Springbok. I quickly learning just to try and shoot Jackal as soon as you see one. Perhaps next time for me. I also learned this lesson on a very nice Grey Duiker that I was about 1 second too slow on.
About 2 hours into our trip, one of the trackers spotted a spiral horn off in the shade of some trees. A sable bull had been killed. We knew this was a kill that had likely happened the previous night. We decided to circle back around and stalk in on foot to see if we could find a Lion on the kill. 2KMs of hiking and we were in position. We caught our first glimpse of the lioness bedded near the kill. We attempted to get into position for a shot but she was not having it and quickly moved away. Arrie knew she would try to circle back around to the kill so we patiently tracked her another couple KMs. She was not interested in settling down so we headed back to the truck to hydrate and leave her alone. We would check back on the kill site later.
We toured the block making sure she had not left the area we believed her to be in and managed to catch a glimpse of her behind some fallen trees. We moved away and then put the wind in our face to try another stalk. We got into shooting position and this time she turned and quartered away from us. I put a 400gr DGX bullet on her shoulder and she went down but quickly ran off. My backup PH, Cornell, stated we would have 2 cigarettes and then go follow the blood. That 30 minutes went very quickly with my adrenaline and excitement pretty high. We picked up the track quickly. I didnt need a tracker to follow the blood so I felt like it was a good shot. We quickly caught up to where the Lion was bedded in some tall grass, a warning by one of our trackers had us moving in a wide circle to get a better look at her and perhaps another shot. She was very much still alive and well. I was very surprised considering the good shot I had believed I made. We managed to get an angle on her laying down and I put another one into the exact spot my PH told me to. She again moved away from us into the thick brush. It was time for another cigarette. 20 minutes later we located her once again and another two quick shots one after another put her down for good. I was absolutely stunned at the size of the lioness and how tough she was. I had broken both her shoulders and planted all of my shots into vitals. I didn't feel bad after that about my shooting and had a new found respect for these animals.
Later that evening, we once again headed out to see if we could find more Lion tracks and some plains game. We had some close calls with Plains game opportunities but in the end nothing panned out. We headed back to the Lodge for a wonderful evening meal and time around the fire to tell stories. On the way back, we spotted a male Lion in the tall grass and flowers. We noted his location and headed for camp. The lion moved out of the grass and onto the trail behind us. It was an excellent experience and I was dreaming of the next days hunt that night.
Day 3 at Magwegwe safaris began like the previous day. 7am Coffee and some pastries, muffins etc and by 7:45 we were on the truck. We headed directly to the area we had seen the Lion the previous evening and picked up his trail. We started our tracking and moved into a more open area with tall grass and flowers. A grey duiker bursting from behind a tree less than 10 years from us had everyone checking their pants. Knowing there was a lion close and in the area had everyone on edge. The duiker ended up doing us a favor, the lion revealed itself a hundred yards ahead chasing the duiker. This gave us a bit of a chance to try and get the position on him for a shot. The lion decided he wasn't having it and hunkered down in the long grass and yellow flowers. He began leopard crawling towards us as we tried to get position on him. After a couple different moves and long stare downs to try and get a shot, my PH told me he had a bad feeling about this Lion and we would move back out and try again a little later. I respected him greatly for making that call. We moved out safely back to the truck and decided to go for a plains game hun and leave the Lion alone for awhile.
An hour and a half later, we picked up the lion trail where we had left him. He had moved out of the open area and into the dense thickets to bed down for the day. This gave us a perfect opportunity to sneak into where he was. We managed to get positioned within 25 meters of this giant Lion. He was impressive from nose to tail. I had a great rest on the sticks and now the waiting game and stare down began. My PH warned me that he may decided to charge and we went over where to take the shot. They assured me they would only back me up if I missed or safety called for it. They wanted me to shoot and kill my lion. The wind shifted slightly which I believe made the Lion uncomfortable, he made to get up and turned his head away from me. I let one fly with the 416 rem mag and the 400gr DGX bullet drilled him through his shoulder, lungs and spine. He dropped immediately. I quickly racked another round but my PH told me to just hold off. It wasn't long before the Lion exhaled its last breath and it was over. I was ecstatic. This was the best hunt I had ever taken part in. It took 6 men to lift the lion into the bakkie after getting it into position. It felt good to take the lion in one shot and humanely end its life. Upon return to the lodge, we enjoyed a bottle of sparkling wine and a traditional song was performed by some local tribal members at the Lodge. It was an experience I will never forget.
Later that Evening, it was decided we would go out for a tour and see about finding a Gemsbok, Springbok or Blesbok. All animals I decided I wanted to take. I was encouraged by Jan Taljaard at Impisi safaris to take a springbok and Gemsbok in the Kalahari as this was their natural habitat. I felt this was really professional of him as I could have taken either at his own Farm during my first 10 days. I decided to break out my Christensen Ridgeline in 300 Win mag with the Swarovski DS Gen 2 scope on it. The shooting distances could be a little further here and I wanted to see how the 178gr ELDX bullets performed on game.
We made our way into the areas my PH knew would contain these animals. We had not seen any Gemsbok the previous few days but my hopes were high we would find one. We knew the Springbok would be an easier proposition as we had seen large groups of these in different places.
As you know, sometimes things happen quickly. We rounded a corner and before us was a large group of Gemsbok. My PH identified one specific bull, I quickly raised the rifle as he began to run and took a quick range. I was at 93m and squeezed the trigger. The 300 win mag did its job and the Gemsbok dropped in its tracks. When we walked up on this bull, it was obvious it was a very mature example. Thick secondary growth on the horns provided some exceptional character and I could not be happier. The PH told me they had not taken a big old bull like this in quite some time. I considered myself very lucky.
My final day of Hunting with Magwegwe Safaris was eventful. We decided we would find a Springbok, Blesbok and if the opportunity came up, we would try for a Duiker and Warthog. The morning started off with spotting a really nice Warthog. He was already on the move when I managed to get the rifle on him. A quick shot in an uncomfortable position had me miss cleanly and the pig hit high gear and overdrive and was gone. I was disappointed as this tusker was a monster. We carried on for the morning and on the way back to the lodge, we decided to put a stalk on some Springbok. We quickly located a large group and identified a mature male. I was able to range him at 80m and a quick shot had him down in his tracks. We quickly set up for pictures as we didn't want to lose the classic raised frond look on the Springbok.
After a delicious lunch at the lodge, we caught an afternoon nap and ventured out for 3pm to see if we could locate a Blesbok, Warthog or Duiker. The Blesbok had completely disappeared and it wasn't looking good for awhile. We had previously seen a lone Blesbok with a group of Blue Wildebeest but they never stood around long enough for us to get into a position to shoot. As golden hour approached, we caught site of a group of Wildebeest. A good eye by Cornell caught a Blesbok amongst them. We got into position and a steady rest for the shot. I ranged the group and it was 97m. I waited for the Wildebeest to clear the reticle and settled the crosshair on the Blesbok. I squeezed the trigger and he folded in his tracks. My last African animal was in the salt.
I would highly recommend Arrie Van Niekerk and Magwegwe Safaris for Lions or Buffalo and Plains game. He knows these animals inside and out and I felt well taken care of and looked after throughout my time with him and his team.
My Outfitter and PH was Arrie Van Niekerk with Magwegwe Safaris. He was a professional from the very start and I appreciated the time he took to speak to me multiple times after booking to answer any questions I had and make me feel good and safe about booking direct with an outfitter for this hunt.
After an exceptional 10 day Safari in Limpopo with Impisi Safaris, my expectations were high making my way back to Joberg to meet with Arrie the following day. I had the opportunity to eat at Carnivore, a restaurant that reminded me of a Brazilian steakhouse where multiple types of meat were served along with salads, sides and dessert. I enjoyed some more Zebra, Blesbok, Crocodile and Warthog here as well as another bottle of Pinotage. I slept well and Arrie met me at my hotel at 6am sharp the next morning.
We began our lengthy drive to the Lodge where we would do our hunting. The total trip was about 7 hours with a couple stops. I was used to long road trips and the conversation and scenery made the drive go quickly. We arrived at the Lodge to be greeted by the lodge manager and chef with a welcome drink. We toasted our hunt and moved my bags into my room. I had the entire lodge to myself for the duration of my hunt which was definitely different. We decided to zero rifles and go for a drive around the property and get the lay of the land. I reset zero for my 416 rem mag to 25 meters. I was a little surprised at how close we would be aiming to be for the Lion hunts.
The Property and grounds at the Afri-Sun lodge were very nice. The property is around 6000 acres of hunting area with additional breeding areas and concessions surrounding the farm. That night we managed to come across a bunch of Blesbok, opper Springbok, Giraffe, Blue and Golden Wildebeest, Kudu and Impala as well as some giant Buffalo bulls. I should have taken a Blesbok that evening but hadn't quite made up my mind on if I wanted one. My extra animal budget had also dwindled after 10 days of hunting Sable and Buffalo and taking 7 other animals.
Day 2 at Magwegwe Safaris in the Kalahari started with a basic breakfast at 7am, we would plan to be on the truck for 7:45 and looking for Lion tracks. This was a much later start than I had become used to while at Impisi. The mornings were cooler and I found myself wearing my jacket while on the truck. It felt more like a fall morning back home in Alberta than being in Africa. It wasnt long before we started seeing multiple animals, including Jackals and Springbok. I quickly learning just to try and shoot Jackal as soon as you see one. Perhaps next time for me. I also learned this lesson on a very nice Grey Duiker that I was about 1 second too slow on.
About 2 hours into our trip, one of the trackers spotted a spiral horn off in the shade of some trees. A sable bull had been killed. We knew this was a kill that had likely happened the previous night. We decided to circle back around and stalk in on foot to see if we could find a Lion on the kill. 2KMs of hiking and we were in position. We caught our first glimpse of the lioness bedded near the kill. We attempted to get into position for a shot but she was not having it and quickly moved away. Arrie knew she would try to circle back around to the kill so we patiently tracked her another couple KMs. She was not interested in settling down so we headed back to the truck to hydrate and leave her alone. We would check back on the kill site later.
We toured the block making sure she had not left the area we believed her to be in and managed to catch a glimpse of her behind some fallen trees. We moved away and then put the wind in our face to try another stalk. We got into shooting position and this time she turned and quartered away from us. I put a 400gr DGX bullet on her shoulder and she went down but quickly ran off. My backup PH, Cornell, stated we would have 2 cigarettes and then go follow the blood. That 30 minutes went very quickly with my adrenaline and excitement pretty high. We picked up the track quickly. I didnt need a tracker to follow the blood so I felt like it was a good shot. We quickly caught up to where the Lion was bedded in some tall grass, a warning by one of our trackers had us moving in a wide circle to get a better look at her and perhaps another shot. She was very much still alive and well. I was very surprised considering the good shot I had believed I made. We managed to get an angle on her laying down and I put another one into the exact spot my PH told me to. She again moved away from us into the thick brush. It was time for another cigarette. 20 minutes later we located her once again and another two quick shots one after another put her down for good. I was absolutely stunned at the size of the lioness and how tough she was. I had broken both her shoulders and planted all of my shots into vitals. I didn't feel bad after that about my shooting and had a new found respect for these animals.
Later that evening, we once again headed out to see if we could find more Lion tracks and some plains game. We had some close calls with Plains game opportunities but in the end nothing panned out. We headed back to the Lodge for a wonderful evening meal and time around the fire to tell stories. On the way back, we spotted a male Lion in the tall grass and flowers. We noted his location and headed for camp. The lion moved out of the grass and onto the trail behind us. It was an excellent experience and I was dreaming of the next days hunt that night.
Day 3 at Magwegwe safaris began like the previous day. 7am Coffee and some pastries, muffins etc and by 7:45 we were on the truck. We headed directly to the area we had seen the Lion the previous evening and picked up his trail. We started our tracking and moved into a more open area with tall grass and flowers. A grey duiker bursting from behind a tree less than 10 years from us had everyone checking their pants. Knowing there was a lion close and in the area had everyone on edge. The duiker ended up doing us a favor, the lion revealed itself a hundred yards ahead chasing the duiker. This gave us a bit of a chance to try and get the position on him for a shot. The lion decided he wasn't having it and hunkered down in the long grass and yellow flowers. He began leopard crawling towards us as we tried to get position on him. After a couple different moves and long stare downs to try and get a shot, my PH told me he had a bad feeling about this Lion and we would move back out and try again a little later. I respected him greatly for making that call. We moved out safely back to the truck and decided to go for a plains game hun and leave the Lion alone for awhile.
An hour and a half later, we picked up the lion trail where we had left him. He had moved out of the open area and into the dense thickets to bed down for the day. This gave us a perfect opportunity to sneak into where he was. We managed to get positioned within 25 meters of this giant Lion. He was impressive from nose to tail. I had a great rest on the sticks and now the waiting game and stare down began. My PH warned me that he may decided to charge and we went over where to take the shot. They assured me they would only back me up if I missed or safety called for it. They wanted me to shoot and kill my lion. The wind shifted slightly which I believe made the Lion uncomfortable, he made to get up and turned his head away from me. I let one fly with the 416 rem mag and the 400gr DGX bullet drilled him through his shoulder, lungs and spine. He dropped immediately. I quickly racked another round but my PH told me to just hold off. It wasn't long before the Lion exhaled its last breath and it was over. I was ecstatic. This was the best hunt I had ever taken part in. It took 6 men to lift the lion into the bakkie after getting it into position. It felt good to take the lion in one shot and humanely end its life. Upon return to the lodge, we enjoyed a bottle of sparkling wine and a traditional song was performed by some local tribal members at the Lodge. It was an experience I will never forget.
Later that Evening, it was decided we would go out for a tour and see about finding a Gemsbok, Springbok or Blesbok. All animals I decided I wanted to take. I was encouraged by Jan Taljaard at Impisi safaris to take a springbok and Gemsbok in the Kalahari as this was their natural habitat. I felt this was really professional of him as I could have taken either at his own Farm during my first 10 days. I decided to break out my Christensen Ridgeline in 300 Win mag with the Swarovski DS Gen 2 scope on it. The shooting distances could be a little further here and I wanted to see how the 178gr ELDX bullets performed on game.
We made our way into the areas my PH knew would contain these animals. We had not seen any Gemsbok the previous few days but my hopes were high we would find one. We knew the Springbok would be an easier proposition as we had seen large groups of these in different places.
As you know, sometimes things happen quickly. We rounded a corner and before us was a large group of Gemsbok. My PH identified one specific bull, I quickly raised the rifle as he began to run and took a quick range. I was at 93m and squeezed the trigger. The 300 win mag did its job and the Gemsbok dropped in its tracks. When we walked up on this bull, it was obvious it was a very mature example. Thick secondary growth on the horns provided some exceptional character and I could not be happier. The PH told me they had not taken a big old bull like this in quite some time. I considered myself very lucky.
My final day of Hunting with Magwegwe Safaris was eventful. We decided we would find a Springbok, Blesbok and if the opportunity came up, we would try for a Duiker and Warthog. The morning started off with spotting a really nice Warthog. He was already on the move when I managed to get the rifle on him. A quick shot in an uncomfortable position had me miss cleanly and the pig hit high gear and overdrive and was gone. I was disappointed as this tusker was a monster. We carried on for the morning and on the way back to the lodge, we decided to put a stalk on some Springbok. We quickly located a large group and identified a mature male. I was able to range him at 80m and a quick shot had him down in his tracks. We quickly set up for pictures as we didn't want to lose the classic raised frond look on the Springbok.
After a delicious lunch at the lodge, we caught an afternoon nap and ventured out for 3pm to see if we could locate a Blesbok, Warthog or Duiker. The Blesbok had completely disappeared and it wasn't looking good for awhile. We had previously seen a lone Blesbok with a group of Blue Wildebeest but they never stood around long enough for us to get into a position to shoot. As golden hour approached, we caught site of a group of Wildebeest. A good eye by Cornell caught a Blesbok amongst them. We got into position and a steady rest for the shot. I ranged the group and it was 97m. I waited for the Wildebeest to clear the reticle and settled the crosshair on the Blesbok. I squeezed the trigger and he folded in his tracks. My last African animal was in the salt.
I would highly recommend Arrie Van Niekerk and Magwegwe Safaris for Lions or Buffalo and Plains game. He knows these animals inside and out and I felt well taken care of and looked after throughout my time with him and his team.
Ah, that is why you can import the lion.
