LIBERIA: Liberia 2022 Hunt Report

[Hank2211]

Sounds like a miserable hunt and no animals makes it very rough

The hunt actually wasn't miserable. There was the odd night walking in the jungle in pouring rain when I wondered whether I was a complete idiot, but overall, I actually enjoyed the camp and the jungle. You have got to look at hunts like this as an adventure . . .

My problem was with the method of hunting, the impact on female animals and the lack of game. Since I'm not a duiker collector, I wasn't as disappointed as I would have been, had this been, for example, a hunt for a bongo I needed to complete the spiral horns (which I got in the Cameroon jungle).

What kind of success did previous hunters have in area?

As it turned out, and unknown to us, this was a new area - as I noted, the camp was new. The area had moved because of logging operations (we were told). So I can't say what others found in th way of game, but I think not much. In pervious hunts, in other areas, I was told you could expect three to four duikers over 10 days if you hunted hard.

It is very likely the outfitter has other jobs and not deriving his income solely on hunting. If that is the case, he can survive indefinitely. It certainly sounded like a new hunting area since the camp was still being built, but it doesn't seem like it is a good location with the active farming and people living too close to it.

I think you're right about this, and of course, it was a new area and - this is just my view - it wasn't large enough, there were too many people living too close to it (we could hear music playing as we were hunting at night), and people were farming it actively.

I've hunted areas where there were lots of people - mountain nyala and lesser kudu in Ethiopia for example, but there, the people are there for a different reason and the animals are left alone, or have gotten used to the presence of people. You still don't see mountain nyala if the people are around, but they don't leave the area, but rather come out of dense brush when the people leave. I think that's a difference here - I think the local people are happy to eat duikers if they have the chance.

Let's not forget that ebola is a zoonotic virus and eating things like bats and primates, as well as potentially other forest animals, led to the outbreaks in West Africa not too many years ago. People are actively utilizing the forest for food . . . as you might expect.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Fun report to read, thank you sir!

 

[Stetsonham]

This was a great read! Thank you for posting

 

[buck wild]

Oh man- hard pass on this one! Thanks for doing the legwork though

 

[Ragman]

Wow! I do love me a @Hank2211 hunt report...It's one of the annual highlights on AH for me! That was some adventure. Just wish you fellas could have gotten you two main duikers. Several years ago after watching Shockey and a few others hunting the jungles of Africa I had known right away that it was likely not for me with the heat, humidity, bugs and claustrophia inducing jungle, but I'm sure glad others welcome the challenge. It's a fascinating environment. Thank you for writing it up!

 

[Tanner Lee]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. I really enjoyed reading it today.

I never thought of Liberia as a possible hunting destination before. Though I never think of west Africa when talking about hunting in Africa.

I really appreciate your honest review of your experience and what the Liberian government needs to do to become a hunting destination. I think there is great opportunity in Liberia based on what you shared but it will be a long road.

I have never really wanted to go on a jungle hunt before but after reading your story I think I would like to try the experience.

Thanks again for sharing.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The hunt actually wasn't miserable. There was the odd night walking in the jungle in pouring rain when I wondered whether I was a complete idiot, but overall, I actually enjoyed the camp and the jungle. You have got to look at hunts like this as an adventure . . .
......

That is the only way to look at it. You knew you were not heading into a bed of roses. Congratulations on chalking up a brand new adventure.
I appreciate the tale.

 

[Scott CWO]

Thanks for the informative report. The palm civet is certainly a great trophy so congrats on that success. Jungle hunts are certainly a challenge and have to be approached with the proper attitude, which you certainly know and possess. Thanks for taking us along! Good luck on your next adventure.

 

[Aaron N]

Great write up as always! At the very least, you have stories that very few can tell.

You’ve hunted the jungle before, how would a duiker be hunted in Cameroon, or CAR, and why would the same methods not be employed in Liberia?

 

[Hank2211]

Great write up as always! At the very least, you have stories that very few can tell.

You’ve hunted the jungle before, how would a duiker be hunted in Cameroon, or CAR, and why would the same methods not be employed in Liberia?

Aaron, I'm the farthest thing from an expert in jungle hunting . . . and I've never hunted CAR, but I'll give you a few thoughts.

In Cameroon, there are no paths through the jungle, other than game trails, and they tend to be difficult for normal height people to walk through without a machete or garden clippers. You typically bushwhack your way through when you're tracking bongo, elephant or buffalo . . . but I think the work would be out of proportion to the prize for duiker, especially since they aren't very easy to track. So walking and spotting isn't a very effective hunting method for duiker in Cameroon.

So, again in Cameroon, you find a good location, often at the base of a big tree, everyone sits, and the Baka (pygmy) trackers begin calling.

This isn't always successful, but where there's a reasonable density of game, you can often get a duiker to come to the call. It requires patience and a willingness to sit still for an extended period of time (in hot, humid and still air).

Alternatively, in Cameroon, you can come across a duiker while tracking something bigger and take a shot of opportunity.

I think the calling method isn't much used in Liberia - and this is just inference and supposition - because there isn't enough game density, so you can call for a long time, but if nothing is around to hear the calling, it's a waste of time (if a tree falls in the forest . . !). It can work if an animal happens to be in the area, but that would be a low percentage situation if the density is low. And we judged the density to be low not only because we never saw anything but because we also never saw tracks or scat.

We did try calling in Liberia, but the guides (I don't call them trackers because no tracking is done there) typically call for a minute or two and if there is no response, they move on. We all wondered a bit about this, but I think that rather than a lack of patience, this is evidence that the guides quickly determine that there are no duiker in the vicinity so no point in further calling.

There are people like PH Guav Johnson (who I've hunted for bongo and LDE with) who are experts and who could give an informed opinion on this (I did get his views on my odds of success in Liberia and he wasn't far off the mark!). And I'm sure there are others on this site who have the experience to provide a more fulsome answer to your question.

 

[Hank2211]

One last picture. Note the footwear in the lower left quadrant of the picture. For all of you who laughed at my Crocs in Cameroon, I bought another pair!

I still don't have an endorsement contract with Crocs though. Maybe an overshot on their part?

Or maybe need an agent.

 

[Blakefmd]

I lived in Liberia in the 70’s as a teenager and hunted every chance I had. Mostly in Lofa county. Your report brought back many wonderful memories and gave me a lot of laughs. Thanks!

 

[mark-hunter]

For all of you who laughed at my Crocs in Cameroon, I bought another pair!

I remember your "crocs" report.
In 2018, on my 2nd safari, my hunting boots (relatively new) have fallen apart.

I had two back ups:
1. Crocs
2. Duct tape

Also, I discovered that travelling in crocs on international flights is most comfortable. So I do it all the time.

 

[AB2506]

Thanks Hank for a great report.

 

[Rickmt]

Thanx for the best report ever on what I would call the worst trip I can imagine. My sense of adventure is just not there. Different strokes for different folks.
Best written report I have had the pleasure to read . Thanx again!

 

[RTG]

Thank you so much for sharing this great adventure with us. Love the history and pictures. Next best thing to being there… or maybe better than being there.

 

[Masai]

This reminds me A LOT to my experience in Gabon.
Thank you very much for taking the time for this report.

 

[Hank2211]

This reminds me A LOT to my experience in Gabon.
Thank you very much for taking the time for this report.

You’re welcome. But I would love to hear about hunting in Gabon . . . Didn’t know it was open, but thought they were trying to open it.

I wouldn’t mind going somewhere untested . . . Provided I knew that in advance!

 

[mark-hunter]

But I would love to hear about hunting in Gabon

I have a friend who was expat for shipping company, working in Gabon. He is also a fresh but passionate hunter.

Of course, last year I asked him to check options for hunting in Gabon, but he told me impossible and too dangerous.

But I will take this with some reserve: he does not have much hunting experience, he has zero experience hunting in Africa, probably does not understand African outfitter system of operation, and probably does not know what and where to ask.
Gabon is former French colony, most probably they will have chasse libre option. He did not check this option either.

On the other hand, him being in the country for a year or two, and getting zero local information does have some gravity.

 

[Hank2211]

While we were in Liberia my hunting partner was told that an outfitter was looking to set up an exploratory hunt in Gabon, but there were no real details.

If anyone knows anything, I’d be glad to hear it. I have some interest in camping out in an ‘untamed’ jungle to see what can be found there, and there aren’t many (any?) of those places left in Africa.