Lion, Bongo, Zebra and more...MORE NEW PICS...Enjoy!!

I keep looking at that lion... By far, my favorite thread because I live vicariously through some of you lucky folks! Thanks again for posting c-fbmi!!!

Cheers
Jay
 
This is at least the second time that I've seen you mention the penguin thing. Is that legit, or am I missing an inside joke?:confused:

In any case, congrats on another amazing hunt!
 
So all u r missing is te rhino for the traditional big 5? I've read in some parts they are back on license. I'm sure the expense would be enormous but how many folks can say they've taken the real big 5. Congrats. Majority of the pix won't show up on my bb so I'm going to use a pc to view them all. What kind of python was that? It was gorgeous
 
This is at least the second time that I've seen you mention the penguin thing. Is that legit, or am I missing an inside joke?



little of both, I started a thread last year about it and I think it went over 100 pgs, quite funny actually.
 
Just received my photos from the PH so here is the mountain reedbuck and a couple that are better than mine.

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This gives a much better impression of the size of these beasts !!!

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For those who are interested, the lion hunt was drive and find tracks determine that they belong to a big male and then follow up. We hit the tracks about 9:00 am and followed for less than an hour when we saw him sitting in the shade of an acacia tree out of the heat and sun. He darted off to another bush maybe 400 yds, we followed and bumped him again and he darted off another 300 yds. As we approached this last time he did not bail he just crouched down. The PH told me to keep my rifle at my shoulder and we slowly worked up to about 40 yds. You could see him looking around the side of the small bush and his tail was up and flicking around so I knew he wouldn't spook another time and it was down to the nitty gritty. The PH asked me if I could see his shoulder, which I could not, so he told me to just wait until he moved and we could get a shoulder shot. I just gave him a dirty look and promptly shot him in the face. Startled the sh!t out of the PH as he was looking down his rifle sights waiting for the lion to come. He absolutely sceamed at me "where in hell did you shoot him" to which I smiled and raised my index finger and placed it between my eyes, "right about here". The trackers were slapping me on the back and laughing and singing (I think), Ph was a little choked as they REALLY do not like head shots. We then separated about 30 yds apart and worked up to him slowly, working around behind and then closing in. I stood about 5 yds off with my rifle trained on his shoulder while the PH moved in and touched his eyeball with his rifle muzzle. He was stone dead.

This is not a high fence hunt, but he is surrounded on three sides by high fence neighbors. The back of his property is defined by the Limpopo river and Botswana border which is fenced but only about 6 feet high. All the lions he gets come out of Botswana, cross the river and then his is the only property they can access from the SA side of the river.
He is supposed to have 50,000 acres and some 2000 head of cattle. He says he sees almost no female lions but figures he has up to 5 males on his property at any given time, it is quite a unique set up. Of course as a cattle rancher he hates lions and has been threatening to high fence the river side of his property just to keep the lions out but I think he makes more from the lions than the cattle so......I doubt he'll do it.
He has lion spotters out all the time so he knows where they are pretty much, or at least what section they may be in. When it's not hunting season or he has no hunters coming out he live traps them and returns them to Botswana. This is the "party line" anyway. Probably sells them to his neighbors.
It was all great fun regardless and I got a super good lion. He was concerned though because his spotters had seen a huge maneless lion in that area as well and asked me if I might be interested....NOT....so I think they went out looking to shoot ...er I mean trap...him that afternoon, cause they were in an awful hurry for us to leave. His skinners had the hide off and salted in the time it took us to have brunch.
 
Personal question, Douglas -- what's your line of work?



Trophy question: Are you keeping all the heads, or are some of them just going to be pelts?



I own a couple businesses and I'm a JM constuction electrician, JM industrial electrician, JM electrical mechanic and commercial pilot.

All will be mounted, life mount on lion and Yellow back duiker, pedestal mount for the 2 giraffe and one zebra and shoulder mount for the rest except 2nd zebra a rug along with the giraffe hides

And to brybenn.......that is a Gabon viper, it would have been photo'd with me holding it, if it was a python. This guy is seriously venemous and deadly so no holding for me.
 
Great story. A tracked and killed lion at close range is one of highest levels of hunting adventure imaginable. A story that will outlast you for sure. Again, congrats on the ultimate adventure!
I especially like how you told the ph's reaction to your "premature" head shot. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.
 
Great pix and great story thanks for sharing.

What are all those black things piled up for sale at the market?

Who was the PH/Outfitter in RSA?

JJ
 
Doug have you ever done the alaskan brown bear thing,rolling with gary king,or is that just too much of the back 40 option for you ?
 
Congradulations Doug on a very successful trip. It was good thing "back40sniper" and I got that Remington 375 sighted in properly for you so you could bean that lion.!!!! Welcome home, always a pleasure to hear of your adventures.
 
Great pix and great story thanks for sharing.

What are all those black things piled up for sale at the market?

Who was the PH/Outfitter in RSA?
JJ

Those black things are mopani worms and are supposedly quite a treat,...........not for me I'm afraid!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry but I can't identify the outfitter as I hear he has lost the area, I may have more on this in the near future.
 
Doug have you ever done the alaskan brown bear thing,rolling with gary king,or is that just too much of the back 40 option for you ?

Hey hamhock, not sure what you are asking about the back 40 thing, but no I haven't done the coastal grizzly thing cause bears aren't really my thing. Too many years around them maybe, and just don't see them as a trophy. A couple other reasons I won't get into here.
 
Thanks much Pete and Mike I appreciate the sentiments!! And just for the record I never let either one of you touch my .375, Pete or Charlie. So nice try!!!!!!!!! Actually Pete you did shoot my .375 but not at the range as I recall. Enough said.

Bryben; The giraffe heads and necks will be pedestal mounted and the rest will be rugged. The pedestal mounts are about 8' high and will sit at either end of my bar in my trophy room.
 
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