Hunting Lion
In some countries lion are hunted with baiting, with the hunter lying in ambush from a constructed blind about 30-50 meters away. This is sometimes the case in Zimbabwe, but in South Africa we believe in hunting lions on foot. Most areas in South Africa are fenced between 2000 and 20 000ha where hunting on foot is fair to the lion and provides the hunter a much more authentic hunting experience. Hunting lions in Africa in a fenced area provides the hunter a choice of potential trophies, all priced according to it size, age, color and size of the mane.
Most likely areas where you will hunt:
North West Province - Kalahari
Shot Placement when hunting Lion:
Quick Facts
Shoulder Height Male: 1.2m
Shoulder Height Female: 1m
Mass Male: 150 to 225kg
Mass Female: 110 to 152kg
Gestation Period: 110 days
Number of young: 1
Identification Pointers:
Large size with uniform tawny color and dark-tipped tale. Males has long mane, light brown to dark brown to black.
Description:
Largest of the African cats and adult males and females are easy to tell apart. Body color ranges from reddish-grey to pale tawny with lighter underparts. Although faint spots are present on the sides of cubs, it usually disappear by adulthood. Tail is short-haired and same color as rest of the body. The tip of the tail is dark. Only the adult male carries a mane of long hair, extending from the sides of its face onto the neck, shoulders and down the chest. Mane color ranges from pale tawny to black.
Distribution:
Lion in largely restricted in conservation areas. Lions once occurred widely in parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East and throughout Africa. They now have a patchy distribution in Africa and are only found south of the Sahara, excluding equatorial forest.
Habitat:
Lion has a very wide habitat tolerance, from desert fringe to woodland or open savannah, but is absent in equatorial forests.
Food:
Although lion is mainly a hunter of medium- to large-sized mammals, it will take anything from as little as mice to as large as young elephant. It also scavenges and often chases leopard and lion from their kills.
Reproduction:
No fixed breeding season. One to four cubs, occasionally six.
General:
Hunting lion in Africa can be dangerous. In normal circumstances, unless provoked, lions will rarely attack humans, but is useful to know the warning signs. Typically an angry lion will drop into a crouch, flatten its ears an give vent to growls and grunts, meanwhile flicking its tail-tip rapidly side to side. Just prior to a charge the tail is usually jerked up and down. But. hunting lions in Africa is a different story.