Editor’s Note: This is Part II of a series by Ed Grafton of Berry Fork Tree Farm fame. He has graciously provided this account of his hunting escapades in East After over 60 years ago. We found the story very interesting and gained his permission to share it with our readers. We thank Dr. Grafton for sharing his experiences!
My truck had two mattresses setup in back for sleeping. Most of our gear was stowed under the mattresses. There was room for the three of us to sleep and we were ready to settle in for the night.
Shortly after eating and cleaning the dishes, we heard crunching noise emanating from the direction of the nearest carcass. Byrl grabbed his spotlight to investigate. Lo and behold, there was a lion eating the remains of the hartebeest. Here we were about 75 yards away with four hind quarters hanging from tree limbs beside the truck. Additionally there were two large metal pans of fresh hartebeest meat on the back truck canopy under where we were planning to sleep. Oh yes, on the truck hood were two freshly removed hides. This seemed like a perfect recipe for disaster!
What to do now? A quick look back at the carcass three more lions were busy chowing down. There were also hyenas and wild dogs looking for a free meal. We hoped the smell of humans would Keep the scavengers at bay. Following some serious deliberation we decided to take our chances and stay in place.
We kept our weapons handy, climbed in the back of the truck and hoped to get some sleep. Almost immediately we heard rustling noise in the tall grass near the truck. Byrl grabbed his spotlight and raised the rear canopy door. About 30 yards away was a lion running in our direction.
Not knowing what to do, we grabbed pots and pans and began banging them together. This and our yelling caused the lion to stop and retreat back to the carcass. Here we were three adults frantically shouting and beating pots and pans like kids, hoping to intimidate wild hungry African lions.
All was not over. Shortly thereafter we heard noise again-louder and closer. This time three lions appeared in the spotlight beam. Once more the “pots and pans brigade” swung into action. Again the lions advance was stopped and they retreated to the carcass. Byrl comment, “If they come again I’m going to kill one.”
After some serious discussion we decided to wait them out. If they came again we would fire some warning shots, load the meat and hides, douse the fire and to return to Egerton.
Fortunately for us this was a good decision. The lions and the other scavengers never returned. We heard the calls of wild dogs and hyenas for much of the night, but none came to visit our campsite. Needless to say we spent a rather restless night.
There were no critters visible at daybreak. After breakfast we packed our gear, stowed the meat and were ready to leave for more hunting. Before departing we walked out to collect the horns from Byrl’s kill. Amazingly there was no meat or bones remaining. Everything including the head and horns were gone. We then walked over to where Joe’s kill was butchered. Again not a single bone fragment was found. No wonder one never experienced the foul odor of rotting meat on the African plains.
We then boarded the truck and headed toward Narok. Enroute Byrl bagged a zebra for the hide. Later he would have it tanned. Joe had three shots at an impala but no luck. At this location I spotted a group of yellow-necked spurfowl. I uncased my trusty shotgun and the chase was on. As I walked toward them they would flush and provide the opportunity for a “wing shot.” A relatively short walk resulted in bagging three birds.
We continued on to Narok for a visit with our West Virginia friends, Bob and Mildred Burns. Bob was part of a WVU team teaching vocational agriculture in Kenya high schools. Mildred had secured a local contract to teach chemistry at the Narok High School. We enjoyed a nice tea break and left them a bird and hind quarters of a hartebeest.
The Mau Mountains road to Egerton College appeared risky due to a foreboding sky and obvious rainstorm. We opted to return via Kijabe and Naivasha. Before leaving the hunting block Byrl bagged a Grant’s gazelle. This ended my first hunting safari, both exciting and memorable.
Preparing for
Big Game Hunt
After this first hunting safari, I decided to give African big game hunting a whirl. Later I was in Naivasha with Don Mallison, Head, Department of Forestry at Egerton College. I had time to shop for a large caliber hunting rifle. Since I had no interest in hunting for the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, cape buffalo) at Don’s recommendation I settle on a 30.06 caliber, bolt action rifle. Automatic and semi-automatic action rifles were not allowed in Kenya. Bolt action rifles were limited to three shots only.
Earlier when I passed the wildlife identification exam a resident hunting license was purchased. With this license you were entitled to hunt game birds and some small game species, e.g., rabbits. The license was $14 annually. In contrast a visitor hunting license was $140 annually or $70 for a 14-day hunting safari. Most game species required a “bag fee” for each animal harvested.
The general resident hunting license allowed the harvesting of 16 different species and several of the species permitted multiple numbers. For example three zebra, two impala, two Grant’s gazelles could be taken on this license. Some examples of bag fees follow: crocodile-$7, zebra-$7, Thomson gazelle-$2.80, impala-$2.80, coke’s hartebeest-$5.60.
Resident hunters could also purchase special licenses for some species. Some examples follow listed below.
Generally the bag fee was double the special license fee.
Some species and/or animals were totally protected in the 1960s. These restrictions follow:
a. All young animals
b. All females pregnant or with dependent young
c. Female lions and giraffes
d. All foxes and jackals
e. All birds except game birds and pests (two species)
f. Caracal, golden cat, serval cat and cheetah
g. Sable and roan antelope
h. 20 other species
i. All nesting game birds
I had been in the Narok area a few times and usually stopped to visit Bob and Mildred Burns. In October 1966 I received a letter from Bob. He wrote, “We will spend the night (at Egerton)…Get us 2# butter, 8 pints of milk, 5# good cheese, 3 dozen eggs, and 2 pints cream.” From this time on every trip through Narok we took dairy products from the college dairy to the Burns. John Clayton, Head of the Dairy Program always said I bought more dairy products than anyone on campus. He didn’t know we were supplying the Burns on my tab.