IN the late 1970s there were hardly any safari operators in South Africa and I managed to acquire some hunting rights on farms in the Hoedspruit/Timbavati area, adjoining Kruger Park. It was a little ‘tame’ compared to the huge, wide open concessions where I had been operating in Rhodesia and Botswana. However, there were some lion, buffalo, leopard, large and small antelope to be found, and the area became quite popular. In those days, lion and leopard were considered vermin and they could be shot without a licence, any time, day or night.
Not all lion hunts end in success, and some are memorable or interesting, and occasionally amusing. I don’t normally make fun of, or criticise, my paying clients, but the following two stories are worth relating.
I was on a lion hunt with two Californian clients on a farm near Timbavati. Joe hunted with me, and Charlie was guided by my friend, Jeff Rann. We had been hunting for a
