We left early one morning to go for lens black wildbeast and dakotas surprise lioness.The hunt for the black wildbeast went well and we took a great one.The whole time dakota is just there for the ride having no idea what else will be happening shortly.After we are set up we break the news to him and he is kind of speechless and in shock.That is till pieter looks at him and said get your gun we have a lion to hunt.He is at that point saying ok I am ready to go.We go over the does and donts if things happen that we are not ready for.
With just a few days left to hunt for the lioness we decide to try and track her but use bait if needed for the best chance.After seeing a few tracks in the sand we decide to hang a bait and then go on.The female was one of 6 lions in the area we had to hunt.
The tracker hangs the bait wrapping the wire around a leg of meat like he thought a monster was going to take it.
The baits hung and off we go to find some tracks.We drive just looking in the bush and road watching for tracks or movement.We see other game that are there for the lions to hunt on there own.We see wildbeast,duiker,red hardbeast and giraffe plus tracks of kudu,impala plus others.
The lions are just not moving well so we decide to check the bait.The PH from the lodge walks to see if it has been hit as we get ready.We get the call on the radio it has been hit but she scared off.WE head to him to see if she will come back.Piter is sure she will as she did not get the bait all.
The wind is just going all ways and making it hard to decide which is the best way to set up.
At this point as a dad I have a hard choice.With everyonbe there for my sons safety there was just to much scent around.I decide to wait back and let him head of with just pieter and the other PH.It was killing me not being there with him but I wanted him to have the chance.
They move out of are sight which is only about 50yds.The light is going away and we are down to about the last 30 minutes to hunt.Then all of a sudden I hear the rifle go off and pieter saying shoot again.
At this point I am moving towards my son to make sure all goes right.Then I hear the gun go again and again.Then a shoot from pieters 458.
This whole time I can here the lioness grawling and making some noise that sound like she was not very happy.I get to were I can see them all with my son standing there rifle ready.I had no idea if he would run or stand his ground or what.
I have brought him up the hard way and the way I was raised so I thought he would hold his ground.
I look out about 50 yds from the group and there she layed.Dakota hit her all 3 times as well as pieter shoot.She started 75 yds away and came at them till dakotas second shoot turned her at 50 yds.
I just had to know what pieter thought and he just smiled and said he did great.Never moved and did what he was told.The other ph from the lodge was amazed as well how good this 15 year stood his grown as he did it before.
Was a great day and sad day all in one as I came to realize my boy turned into a man that day.
Everyone there was so proud of him and what he had done.
I can never thank pieter enough as with out him I could not have done or afford to spend this much on one animal.He wanted dakota to have this chance before something may happen to stop lions from being brought into the states.