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The initial and if I recall correctly wounding shot was quartering through the right flank just ahead of the rear hip, the lion moved slightly on the shot being taken hence a possible head on ( frontal chest?) shot entered just ahead of the right hip was lost.

A second shot at that time went over the top as the lion momentarily only went down, but just as quick picked itself up.

The rifles used by both client and PH were .375 H&H magazine rifles not doubles, this was back in 1991 before the popular resurgence of interest in doubles rifles.

Ammo used by both parties involved on the shooting was Winchester silvertip 300 grain soft nosed, a round well up to the job and one popular at that time.

On only 3 legs that thing hit top gear with no warning whatsoever and with bounds causing a scattering of the trackers, the PH taking the first shot irrespective of the client's wishes, this shot is believed to have hit the lower jaw and caused massive facial damage but it did not stop the animal, the second shot from the client went in the left nasal cavity just as the lion raised its head prior to a final leap now at a distance of only 10 yards or so, certainly no more. The shot took out the left lower brain and in all probability killed the lion on its feet but the momentum caused it to contiinue and dead in the air it landed between 5 -7 feet ahead of the PH and very unnerved client.

The time frame was incredibly short, quicker in fact than it will take to read this account, I seriously doubt that one person would have had time to fire 2 shots from a single magazine rifle during the charge itself.

looking back and having recounted the story a "few times" I consider a double 450/400 to be the ideal medicine in such a situation. Larger a calibre could well have been a disadvantage with recovery time, certainly over .470 would have slowed things down, possibly fatally so.

The lion took in total 3 shots, only 1 of which killed it, the one to the flank was unfortunate, clearly badly placed, but we all miss at times and sometimes for no obvious reason, I don't know what the sight picture was at the time the trigger was pulled. The second shot to the low jaw had no noticeable effect, save possibly to annoy him more.

Had the third shot not succeeded then a mauling of some sort would undoubteldy have ensued.

The incident took plac ein Zambia in the Mumbwa West GMA concession of the kafue N.P.

I suppose the moral here is to get things right first time, but from time to time for all of us the wheel sometimes falls off!!

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