Day 3, Thursday, 8/1. Got out at 7:00. Driving and dragging brush along the fence line, suddenly we see the lion hiding in heavy bushes not 10 feet from us as we turn the corner! Driving another 50 yards, we stop and all climb out readying for the hunt! Cautiously we moved toward the corner with Seun dragging me along in the front. Suddenly there he was and before I could finish getting my rifle up, he was gone! We watched his rear as he disappeared into the brush! We walked his tracks zigzagging and circling back occasionally until near noon spotting him on and off, but no chance for a shot! We had walked crossing several blocks. Loaded up and back to the lodge for lunch and a much needed nap!
Up and back out at 3:00. Drug some roads smoothing them out to watch for sign. Stopped near a heavily treed and shaded area. Began our walk. Just entered the treed area when Seun stops the entourage and signals me to quickly come forward. There he is! His massive figure with bushes between us! Seun says to shoot just to the left of the heaviest limb. Not much room to clear at maybe 20 yards away! I try to squeeze the slot between the limbs and left of the biggest...BOOM! The lion let’s out a fearsome roar and takes off to our left! Now the real excitement begins!
Oh so cautiously we slowly move ahead following Seun, William and Johan. Tense moments pass! Twenty yards we move. Then thirty yards. And forty yards...all with minimal blood sign! Suddenly Seun tensely backs up and signals me to step up to him! He points to the “King of the jungle” crouching in the bushes watching the opposite direction from us. Seun quietly says shoot him in the shoulder...BOOM! Again the lion comes to life! I slam another cartridge into the chamber of the 375 H&H as he comes up facing us...BOOM! Into the center of his chest I fire again! He goes limp with a minimal growl. We wait. Seconds seem like hours when we see a final deep exhale. The huge handsome male lion is done. I am exhausted!
Many photos are taken. The skinners are radioed where to meet us. After they take the lion we are off for the start of the lioness hunt for both Toby and myself. Again dragging the roads where they believe another lion and 3 lionesses might have moved. We found fresh sign, but the light again was fading, so we headed back to the lodge. We unloaded and went to the skinning area with a celebratory drink to watch the skinning of an amazingly huge muscular animal! I retrieved two of the bullets. Seun indicated we would have lion for dinner in two to three days after marinating in coke it to help tenderize it.
I size comparison. Estimated at over 400lbs!
These could do some serious damage!
Hauling him into a sunny spot for pictures.
One handsome blond beast IMO!
Two of the three 235 grain .375 Barnes TSX were recovered. They mushroomed to perfection. I believe the first shot was deflected by the bush causing it to hit too far back. But the lion was too hurt to go far. I am now thinking that since every opportunity I had would have been shooting through brush that a 300 or even 350 grain soft point bullet would have been a better choice. My main reason is because they shouldn’t deflect as much as the stubby 235 grain. Although they probably wouldn’t have dumped as much energy inside due to complete pass through.
The final end to a very exciting and successful day was a glass of red wine, dinner, a much needed shower, a little writing time and a very comfortable bed.
Up and back out at 3:00. Drug some roads smoothing them out to watch for sign. Stopped near a heavily treed and shaded area. Began our walk. Just entered the treed area when Seun stops the entourage and signals me to quickly come forward. There he is! His massive figure with bushes between us! Seun says to shoot just to the left of the heaviest limb. Not much room to clear at maybe 20 yards away! I try to squeeze the slot between the limbs and left of the biggest...BOOM! The lion let’s out a fearsome roar and takes off to our left! Now the real excitement begins!
Oh so cautiously we slowly move ahead following Seun, William and Johan. Tense moments pass! Twenty yards we move. Then thirty yards. And forty yards...all with minimal blood sign! Suddenly Seun tensely backs up and signals me to step up to him! He points to the “King of the jungle” crouching in the bushes watching the opposite direction from us. Seun quietly says shoot him in the shoulder...BOOM! Again the lion comes to life! I slam another cartridge into the chamber of the 375 H&H as he comes up facing us...BOOM! Into the center of his chest I fire again! He goes limp with a minimal growl. We wait. Seconds seem like hours when we see a final deep exhale. The huge handsome male lion is done. I am exhausted!
Many photos are taken. The skinners are radioed where to meet us. After they take the lion we are off for the start of the lioness hunt for both Toby and myself. Again dragging the roads where they believe another lion and 3 lionesses might have moved. We found fresh sign, but the light again was fading, so we headed back to the lodge. We unloaded and went to the skinning area with a celebratory drink to watch the skinning of an amazingly huge muscular animal! I retrieved two of the bullets. Seun indicated we would have lion for dinner in two to three days after marinating in coke it to help tenderize it.
I size comparison. Estimated at over 400lbs!
These could do some serious damage!
Hauling him into a sunny spot for pictures.
One handsome blond beast IMO!
Two of the three 235 grain .375 Barnes TSX were recovered. They mushroomed to perfection. I believe the first shot was deflected by the bush causing it to hit too far back. But the lion was too hurt to go far. I am now thinking that since every opportunity I had would have been shooting through brush that a 300 or even 350 grain soft point bullet would have been a better choice. My main reason is because they shouldn’t deflect as much as the stubby 235 grain. Although they probably wouldn’t have dumped as much energy inside due to complete pass through.
The final end to a very exciting and successful day was a glass of red wine, dinner, a much needed shower, a little writing time and a very comfortable bed.
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