African Outfitter is an independent bimonthly publication promoting
fair hunting and ethical business practices within the hunting industry.
From a hunting perspective, the preservation of biodiversity on the
African continent is the first and foremost priority. The emphasis
is however also on the sustainable utilisation of wildlife.
Kalahari lions - by Bob Rokos
I have been fortunate to hunt the southern Kalahari for over three decades. Taking some very impressive trophies, I am convinced that some of the finest looking lions come from the Kalahari. Their skull measurements may not be as large as other lions on the continent, but they are still some of the most beautiful lions to be found anywhere. Unfortunately, due to mismanagement by a safari company, the Kalahari was closed to all hunting from the early 1990's to 2002. Botswana also had a restriction/ban on lion hunting for five years, ending in 2005.
In 2004 the Department of Wildlife and National Parks announced the opening of limited lion hunting for 2005 in all professional hunting concessions. At that time, I had been working with a community in the Kalahari with the hunting of desert leopard and plains game when the news broke that lions would be put back on the quota for 2005. I took no time in informing the Community Resource Committee of the Community Trust of the opening of lion hunting and that this could financially benefit the respective communities. In addition, I wanted to be a part of it. Having tendered for a joint venture partnership with the Trust, a lion quota was awarded to us.
This area is very special to me. I first visited it in 1972 with the late Peter Becker (as an apprentice hunter) and was overwhelmed by its remoteness, beauty and the abundance of wildlife. I had hunted the area out of "Jackie's Pan Camp" (the old area 14#) from 1978 to the late 1980's. During this time my customers took some good desert trophies. One hunt that stands out in my mind was with Al Warren from Detroit MI., USA. Al was the vice-president of a large motor company and a keen big game hunter with several African safaris under his belt. Al's wish was to take a black-maned lion from the Kalahari.
I met Al in Detroit, December of 1987, through a sports writer from one of the major newspapers of that city. Al had hunted South Africa and Zimbabwe but not the desert areas of Botswana. Over dinner the main topic of the evening was black-maned lions. During the course of the meal we set out the plan of finding this lion. After dinner, Al was on for a lion hunt out of Jackie's Pan in Botswana the following year.
With 10 days remaining there was still enough time to secure the lion of Al's dreams. The hunt was to be conducted in the pure classic manner, in other words, tracking the lion on foot. The following morning we cut a large male lion track. Thanks to our skilled Bushman (San) trackers we were rather quickly in hot pursuit of the lion male.
As we closed in on the lion it disappeared into a small clump of thorn bushes. As Al and I approached, the lion reappeared, moving forward very cautiously. We both knew that this was the lion Al had been dreaming about. Without encouragement he took the first shot, which was far too low on the shoulder. At the shot the lion reacted with tremendous roaring and disappeared behind some brush. Given this situation, my trackers Thipa and Knife and I set off to finish the job with Al having no desire to stay behind.
As Thipa pointed to some thick black-hook thorn bush, I immediately knew the lion was ready to make its stand. At about 25 metres the lion started to roar continuously. I then had the trackers throw sticks at the bush where it was hiding. The roaring intensified to an unbelievable point and then the big cat charged. I had Al to my right and the trackers behind me. I had told Al to hold his first shot until the lion was clear of the bush and then to shoot him straight under the chin. The lion made straight for us without any hesitation. At 15 metres Al fired his big .460, turning the lion to the right. I was yelling to Al to take the shot at the lion's shoulders. I heard the bolt on his Weatherby opening, but no shot was fired. By this time the lion ran behind an anthill. Al's gun had jammed but with a lot of swearing and fiddling with the bolt he managed to feed a fresh cartridge. Without a word of warning Knife ran to the top of the anthill, presumably to see where the lion had disappeared to. Immediately after this a thundering roar filled the air, followed by a low moan from Knife. I ran to the anthill, only to see Knife being pinned down by the big cat! Without hesitation I shot the lion in the mid-chest with my .470, which rolled him over. I then shot the beast again with the left barrel straight through the chest as it lay on its side.
The whole event only took a few seconds and within a radius of around 15 metres. Al, at my side now, put a final shot into the magnificent cat. After we had washed Knife down, his wounds looked superficial. It seemed that most of the blood came from the lion. We cleaned out the wounds with whiskey, using about half a bottle; the rest went down Knife's throat. Knife swore that it was nothing and that "no lion could get the better of him". Later that evening, I heard him complaining to his brother about the pain. Early the next morning I called in an aeroplane, which landed on a nearby pan that we had used on previous occasions as an airstrip. Knife flew off to the hospital in Gaberone. Prior to being airlifted, Knife was telling me that he was as "right as rain" and needed no "Sepatela" (hospital). I later learned that Knife had a dislocated shoulder, cracked collarbone and required 25 stitches. It has always amazed me as to the strength and spirit of the San people of the Kalahari. Many books have been written about the San, all worth reading. In short, they are truly unique people.
Botswana has a lot to offer – the Okavango, Chobe and the Kalahari, with the Okavango and Chobe being the most desired destinations. Botswana's southern Kalahari also offers unique experiences, not only with regard to hunting but also with regard to photographic excursions.