SOUTH AFRICA: Surviving A Lion Charge Lion In The Kalahari!!!

[Hunter-Habib]

I am seriously looking at a lion myself. Would my 416 remington with 400 grain partitions be a good choice? I have 4 boxes of them and they feed and eject perfectly in my Model 70 .

Best lion bullets ever to be manufactured. Hands down.

 

[Ruraldoc]

Thanks for the input. No place like this site to get the voice of experience.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Was it a single 416 partition? Where did you hit her and how quickly was it over?

Yes, one shot of a Nosler Partition . Nearly instant kill as it broke the neck as it exited. I’ve got a long winded report with the details.

Everything else I shot on that trip had similar results. For Buffalo, I would switch to an A-Frame.

 

[rinehart0050]

Great lion!! Congratulations! What a charge!

 

[Rare Breed]

I am seriously looking at a lion myself. Would my 416 remington with 400 grain partitions be a good choice? I have 4 boxes of them and they feed and eject perfectly in my Model 70 .

Absolutely!!!! You are good to go…just make the first shot count. @Hunter-Habib is my “cat coach”. Look for his expertise

 

[Rare Breed]

I also have a M70 in 375 that I shoot well and a Brno 602 in 458 Lott that I’m just getting to know. It holds 6 rounds but is not quite as smooth as the M70s. It has been worked over and is super reliable but not sure I can get off repeat shots as quickly as the smoother and lighter recoiling M70s.

My PH on my lion hunt swears by his 458 Lott…it is his stopping gun…just look at my video…enough said

 

[Rare Breed]

I might add on this years buff hunt in the Omay my PH also had as his stopping gun a 458 Lott…fortunately I made a one shot kill so no need but I have great confidence in that caliber given my two PHs used them

 

[Ruraldoc]

Thanks for the information. Congrats on a great hunt and the video of a lifetime.

Thanks so much for sharing it here with us.
For anyone that thinks that was not a ‘real’ hunt, it was evident to me that the lion was going to kill you. Not merely dead but really most sincerely dead.

That’s about as real as it gets.

 

[Houston Bill]

Awesome hunt and thanks for sharing.

Some years ago I shot my lion at 11 paces as he was about to charge but I got him before he charged so I did not get to experience the adrenaline rush you did! I bet you will never forget that feeling!

BTW...that's a great gemsbok as well!

 

[Fatback]

Great hunt and memories made. A tremendous experience with a wonderful animal to always remember it by. Thanks for taking the time to share pictures and video. Great job by all involved. What are your plans for the trophies? 3D printed skull? Replica life size mount? Great photos and video? I’m sure whatever you decide it will be great.

 

[PARA45]

Killed mine with a 375 H&H shooting Barns TSX Vortex 300 grs ammo. One shot one kill.

 

[Rare Breed]

Great hunt and memories made. A tremendous experience with a wonderful animal to always remember it by. Thanks for taking the time to share pictures and video. Great job by all involved. What are your plans for the trophies? 3D printed skull? Replica life size mount? Great photos and video? I’m sure whatever you decide it will be great.

Shortly I will share the painting of my lion. I will be making a rug from my Gemsbok and two lights from its horns

 

[PARA45]

Oooh, I'd love to see those lights.

 

[WhatIHaveSeen]

Congrats and thanks for the video. Best . J.

 

[Rare Breed]

I had two great weeks in Zim with Dalton & York! While my three friends then went home I stayed to hunt a male lion with @Africa Sun Safari in The kalahara desert. I did extensive research and decided to hunt my lion on 22,000 acres with the lion being there for four weeks prior to the hunt…no one week lion on 1,000 acres. The hunt was nothing short of outstanding!!! Justin and his team simply outdid themselves with incredible service and accomidations!!! Adrian his PH that also hunted with me was outstanding as well! The food and sites were out of this world!!! Now on to the hunt

We had tracked this male lion for some time when we finally caught his tracks and caught up to him resting in the short Jess resting. We got within 52 yards with the wind and thorn bush in our favor!!! I had my 470 NE DR on the sticks hoping he would stand up…but with the wind starting to shift and my having a clear Target I took the shot. On autopsi we found my initial shot went through his ear and through both lungs providing a dead cat…someone forgot to send the memo however telling the lion it was dead…it got up and charged me. It stopped at 20 yards as the first shot took its toll…I shot high though on my second shot. The lion then made its final charge giving us time to reload dropping him at 7 yards!!! I thought my heart would come out of my chest!!! You can hear me on the attached video thanking my PH in case I missed on my last shot!!!

I cannot recommend African Sun Safari more!!! First class PH’s and accomidations all the way!!!

View attachment 553623View attachment 553622

ttt

 

[Rare Breed]

I had two great weeks in Zim with Dalton & York! While my three friends then went home I stayed to hunt a male lion with @Africa Sun Safari in The kalahara desert. I did extensive research and decided to hunt my lion on 22,000 acres with the lion being there for four weeks prior to the hunt…no one week lion on 1,000 acres. The hunt was nothing short of outstanding!!! Justin and his team simply outdid themselves with incredible service and accomidations!!! Adrian his PH that also hunted with me was outstanding as well! The food and sites were out of this world!!! Now on to the hunt

We had tracked this male lion for some time when we finally caught his tracks and caught up to him resting in the short Jess resting. We got within 52 yards with the wind and thorn bush in our favor!!! I had my 470 NE DR on the sticks hoping he would stand up…but with the wind starting to shift and my having a clear Target I took the shot. On autopsi we found my initial shot went through his ear and through both lungs providing a dead cat…someone forgot to send the memo however telling the lion it was dead…it got up and charged me. It stopped at 20 yards as the first shot took its toll…I shot high though on my second shot. The lion then made its final charge giving us time to reload dropping him at 7 yards!!! I thought my heart would come out of my chest!!! You can hear me on the attached video thanking my PH in case I missed on my last shot!!!

I cannot recommend African Sun Safari more!!! First class PH’s and accomidations all the way!!!

View attachment 553623View attachment 553622

Several people have asked me to repost the lion charge within this post. I think it is on page three. sorry I am not better at IT

 

[DaddyFlip]

@Rare Breed amazing lion experience and video! About the final shot... the elbow in the frame; is that the PH who took the shot or someone else? I'm asking because there doesn't appear to be any recoil or report from that rifle. Also, kudos to the camera person for standing pat.

 

[Bill Thom]

wow-say what you like but being charged by a wounded lion has got to be a maximal adrenaline rush. Congrats to you on a great hunt and many thanks for sharing the details. There are all types of lion hunts and sadly not all of us are able to do a 21 day wild hunt in TZ and other top spots. kudos to you for making the best out of the current hunting environment. BTW -will you be able to import the trophy into US? -cheers

 

[Rare Breed]

@Rare Breed amazing lion experience and video! About the final shot... the elbow in the frame; is that the PH who took the shot or someone else? I'm asking because there doesn't appear to be any recoil or report from that rifle. Also, kudos to the camera person for standing pat.

Justin my lead PH had to make the final shot given while my first shot on autopsy should have killed him, it did not immediately result in his charge. My second shot went high. One of the lessons I learned was never shoot any cat lying down and practice reloading as much as you do shooting. I had no idea our second PH was filming with his Iphone...and yes he never wavered.

 

[Rare Breed]

wow-say what you like but being charged by a wounded lion has got to be a maximal adrenaline rush. Congrats to you on a great hunt and many thanks for sharing the details. There are all types of lion hunts and sadly not all of us are able to do a 21 day wild hunt in TZ and other top spots. kudos to you for making the best out of the current hunting environment. BTW -will you be able to import the trophy into US? -cheers

Unfortunately, no... however, I did take a great picture that I then had an African artist hand paint with oil on canvass that covers an entire wall in my trophy room.