trunctj
New member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2010
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 46
- Media
- 4
- Member of
- FNAWS, NRA
- Hunted
- U.S., Canada, Sweden, England, South Africa
I hunted with DeKlerk Safaris the last week of October this year, and managed to take a beautiful dark maned lion with my bow. I can't express in words what the hunt felt like- a description of the events merely documents what transpired. I will say that tracking a lion on foot and stalking to within 30 yards creates an instinctive response of "I shouldn't be doing this!". I hadn't experienced this feeling since 2009 when I was bow hunting brown bears on the coast of Alaska. Before I describe the events of the hunt, I'd like to let all reading this know how highly I think of DeKlerk Safaris. Everyone involved was professional, knowledgable, friendly, and comitted to making my hunt a success. Their facilities and equipment are first rate. The PH's could not have been better. Family and associates there made my stay most enjoyable. Now, the hunt-
After spotting a set of large lion tracks which had crossed the sandy road we were traveling down, we (two trackers, two PH's, and me) set off on foot into the dry plains of the Kalahari area in north western South Africa (~11 miles south of Botswana). We followed tracks for an hour, and spotted him walking directly into the wind as he was out hunting his own prey. He sprinted off in an unsuccessful attempt at a lone blesbok. We picked up his tracks again and followed for another hour before my PH (Frickie) spotted him (nearly invisible) lying underneath an acacia about 60 yards away. The wind was blowing strong towards us and it kept our scent and sound away as we made a stalk to close the distance. I would have shot at 50 yards, but it wasn't possible to see the position of the lion's body as the tall tawny grass matched that of the lion's body. We got to within 30 yards when the lion sensed that something was wrong. He got up and was facing 7/8 angling away. I placed an arrow far back (just in front of the hind leg) hoping to angle it forward thru the vitals. The shot looked low, and the cat's behavior of simply running off 20 yards and laying down unconcerned, had me wondering if I had missed. He had not yet looked back at us and was unaware of our presence. We stalked up to within 40 yards, and as we did I saw my first arrow (with a Lumenock glowing) covered in blood. The first shot was a complete pass thru. From where we stood, the lion's breathing sounded labored. Again, I had difficulty determining the position of his body as the tall grass hindered a clear view. Frickie whispered to me the distance and to shoot just to the right of the black hair of the mane. I did. I don't know if it was the wind, my aim, or my PH's instruction, but the arrow hit a shoulder bone. The cat jumped, spun around, and with a snarl bit off the arrow that bit him. He now knew something was up, and he hunkered down low looking out in to the surroundings for the threat. I immediately shot another arrow into him, not being able to see where his vitals were. The arrow hit, and the cat ran off only to lie down another 30 or so yards away. We watched him for a minute, and saw his paunch move slightly as he took a breath. With rifles raised, my two PH's and I closed to 30 yards again. I drew another arrow back and as I did the elastic tube that aligns my peep sight broke! I anchored the string to my chin, and released the shot without the benefit of the peep. The arrow went high. I hurriedly re-attached the remaining tubing to my peep and shot another arrow, this time into his heart. The cat ran off a scant 20 yards and collapsed. What an exciting hunt, and what a beautiful animal.
After spotting a set of large lion tracks which had crossed the sandy road we were traveling down, we (two trackers, two PH's, and me) set off on foot into the dry plains of the Kalahari area in north western South Africa (~11 miles south of Botswana). We followed tracks for an hour, and spotted him walking directly into the wind as he was out hunting his own prey. He sprinted off in an unsuccessful attempt at a lone blesbok. We picked up his tracks again and followed for another hour before my PH (Frickie) spotted him (nearly invisible) lying underneath an acacia about 60 yards away. The wind was blowing strong towards us and it kept our scent and sound away as we made a stalk to close the distance. I would have shot at 50 yards, but it wasn't possible to see the position of the lion's body as the tall tawny grass matched that of the lion's body. We got to within 30 yards when the lion sensed that something was wrong. He got up and was facing 7/8 angling away. I placed an arrow far back (just in front of the hind leg) hoping to angle it forward thru the vitals. The shot looked low, and the cat's behavior of simply running off 20 yards and laying down unconcerned, had me wondering if I had missed. He had not yet looked back at us and was unaware of our presence. We stalked up to within 40 yards, and as we did I saw my first arrow (with a Lumenock glowing) covered in blood. The first shot was a complete pass thru. From where we stood, the lion's breathing sounded labored. Again, I had difficulty determining the position of his body as the tall grass hindered a clear view. Frickie whispered to me the distance and to shoot just to the right of the black hair of the mane. I did. I don't know if it was the wind, my aim, or my PH's instruction, but the arrow hit a shoulder bone. The cat jumped, spun around, and with a snarl bit off the arrow that bit him. He now knew something was up, and he hunkered down low looking out in to the surroundings for the threat. I immediately shot another arrow into him, not being able to see where his vitals were. The arrow hit, and the cat ran off only to lie down another 30 or so yards away. We watched him for a minute, and saw his paunch move slightly as he took a breath. With rifles raised, my two PH's and I closed to 30 yards again. I drew another arrow back and as I did the elastic tube that aligns my peep sight broke! I anchored the string to my chin, and released the shot without the benefit of the peep. The arrow went high. I hurriedly re-attached the remaining tubing to my peep and shot another arrow, this time into his heart. The cat ran off a scant 20 yards and collapsed. What an exciting hunt, and what a beautiful animal.
