OT-Lion hunting with spear and shield

[getitdone1]

The East African Maasai warriors hunt lions with nothing more than a spear and a shield. Sometimes they hunt alone but I believe now they usually hunt in groups. Still, with only spears and shields.

I see lion hunting as a little scary even with a gun and PH near by but to do it with only a spear and shield--that's pretty amazing!

Are the Maasai the only tribe that does this?

For centuries cattle have been a major source of income and food for the Maasai and the lion a major threat to this income and food. So it's a pretty big event when a warrior or warriors kill a lion.

I've just been reading about this on the internet although I read about it years ago.

Reminds me of the old saying: "Separate the men from the boys!"

Some get mauled or killed and they know this before the hunt.

Don

[Cliff]

I remember reading of this and seeing some film as well. It is considered a rite of passage for a young Masai warrior to hunt down and kill a lion. There is a lot of fuss being made by different groups claiming the lions are becoming endangered and they are looking or trying to stop this.
The idea of not allowing this rite of passage is not popular with the Masai so there is a lot of heated discussion. Other than this I know little if anything about the procedure,
They do group hunt but one warrior is selected to do the initial strike or kill, the others act as his back up. Kind of hairy situation I would imagine.

[gcs]

Makes getting your Drivers license look kinda tame eh?

[Leverluver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe3syWtsMGs&NR=1

This is from a lame old movie but the hunting clip is real.

Couldn't find the one I saw many decades ago. It may not be in existance anymore as it was real grainy in the 60s. It showed a single young masai killing a lion. It was a huge male and the "kid" nailed him right between the eyes with the spear. That'd make some boy scout badge

[J Miller]

Lion hunting with spear and shield

Well, I can't say exactly why the Masai do it, other than predator control and rite of passage, which has been mentioned.
But I can say this; it seems like a real good cure for constipation.

Joe

[Ysabel Kid]

But I can say this; it seems like a real good cure for constipation.

Joe

[kimwcook]

I think I'd have to fast for a couple of days before I went for my test. Some of the African rites to adulthood take more courage than I think I have. Going out into the bush hunting a lion, male or female, with nothing more than a spear and shield is beyond my comprehension. I salute those that have gone through the rite.

[Combat Diver]

I remember seeing them in Kenya in 86' and 98' as we would be out patrolling with the Kenyans during joint exercises. They had there hair dyed red. Bought home some of those spears from the first trip and not very strong steel. Did see this lioness at 25m, only had my M9 Beretta on at the time.




CD

[Aussie Chris]

Now that is what I call real hunting.

I've always admired the American Indians for this sort of thing.

Hunting grizz, cougar and the like before the firearm came to be with an oldschool bow and arrow, now that is hunting.

Chris

[lozen]

A little off topic, but I'm rereading Tigero! by Sasha Siemel. He hunted Jaguars with a spear in the Matto Grosso of Brazil. He used dogs. His wife wrote a good book too. Jungle Wife