Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
The king of the jungle is known for his beauty and strength. For hunters who enjoy dangerous game hunting in Africa, the lion is a highly sought-after prize and is available to be hunted in many southern African countries.
When it comes to hunting lions in Africa on a game hunting safari, both the male and female are hunted and make excellent trophies. The female, smaller in size than the male is highly aggressive, more so than her handsome partner. Lions, besides their claws and teeth, are classified as soft predators. When hunting a lion, the hunter does not need to use a large caliber like a .458, a 500 Jefferey, or a double rifle. A well-placed shot from a 300-win mag or any other thirty-caliber rifle loaded with expanding bullets will do the job.
While dangerous game hunting in Africa, some hunters prefer to carry the likes of a .416 Rigby or a .458 Lott due to the increase in stopping power. In most African countries a .375 shooting three hundred grain is the minimum legal requirement. It is always advisable to check the legal requirements of your target country before booking your game hunting safari.
Always check (for your own mental well-being) that your dangerous game professional hunter is carrying a big caliber rifle for backup and that he or she knows how to use it. When it comes to lion hunting and professional hunters in Africa, obtaining references and checking on experience is suggested. Not many first-time lion hunters are experienced enough to make the kill shot on a charging lion at less than ten yards!
Hunting lions in Africa is challenging and exciting. Shot placement knowledge and correct application when firing the first shot is vital for the hunter to survive the lion hunting safari. Lions, when wounded or highly annoyed are extremely dangerous. Make the first shot count!
When we talk about hunting lions in Africa and “the best shot,” there really is no “best shot” that can be adopted in advance by the hunter. Everything is dependent on the distance between the lion and the hunter and the subsequent angles to the kill zone. A lion is not always going to give a perfect broadside or frontal opportunity. The hunter is going to have to mentally prepare and practice before the lion hunting safari and think about all the shot placement options.
Hunting a lion that is injured in thick scrub and rough terrain due to a poorly placed shot is an exceptionally dangerous business. The lion will hide, go to the ground, and come out like a locomotive at full steam when he is within killing distance. This happens within a fraction of a second!
When taking the broadside shot, the hunter is looking to hit the lion hard straight into the heart resulting in a quick and humane kill. When the lion is standing broadside, the heart will sit just behind the lion’s front leg, just above the elbow joint. If the shot is slightly left or right, the bullet will still penetrate the lion’s lungs. If the lion is moving forward i.e., slow walk, the hunter will need to adjust the point of the target to compensate for the “stretched out” leg. If the shot is slightly high, it will still penetrate the lungs and will break the lion’s shoulder. The broadside shot on a lion is one that the professional hunter will suggest is taken, if, of course, the lion so presents itself.
When on an African hunting adventure, the African cat may be facing away from you. In this instance, shot placement would be where the root of the tail joins the body. This is not a shot your professional hunter will suggest you take due to a small target and the associated risk. If the professional hunter on my game hunting safari made this recommendation, I would find a new outfitter!
When the lion is quartering towards the hunter, the lion will be facing the hunter at a slight angle. The perfect shot will be aimed at the base of the lion’s neck where it meets the shoulder. The bullet will go through into the heart and lungs of the lion and will be deadly.
This lion shot placement is not what your professional hunter will recommend as a first shot, only as a follow-up. If the lion has been wounded due to a poorly placed first shot and is facing away from you, this shot severing his spine can be taken which will cripple the lion. The bullet needs to enter the body at the rear of the spine which will be visible depending on the speed at which the lion is moving away from the hunter.
The African lion has a broad chest resulting in a large target area. This shot will be recommended by your professional hunter. A perfectly placed bullet in this position will hit the heart and lungs and will be humane and deadly. The hunter must ensure that they always know the position of the heart and lungs.
The hunter will need to aim and the junction of the neck and chest which will be below the lion’s chin.
When it comes to a frontal brain shot, this is not recommended as the lion trophy may be ruined. The brain position also constantly changes as the lion moves his head at various angles. This shot is only to be considered if the lion is charging towards you. The hunter in this life-and-death situation will have no other option.
The skull of an adult lion is quite soft, and the bullet will easily penetrate. This brain shot will need to be taken at about ten to twelve yards between the hunter and the lion.
The wounded lion can go from zero to eighty miles in a split second. The only shot that will stop the apex predator is a direct shot to the brain. The hunter will have a split second to drop onto one knee, line up the rifle, and fire for this kill shot. When it comes to shooting a wounded and charging lion for the follow-up, the placement of the hunter, professional hunter, and backup junior is critical. It is important that in this adrenaline-filled moment, killing is limited to only the hunter, not other members of the lion hunting safari due to panicked shooting.