Big Game Shooting in Africa

Big Game Shooting in Africa is a classic anthology in the Lonsdale Library (Vol. XIV), edited by Major H. C. Maydon. This substantial volume, about 445 pages long, compiles vivid first-hand accounts by a remarkable roster of early 20th-century hunters, explorers and naturalists. Contributors include not only Maydon himself, but also distinguished figures such as H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester, Captain G. Blaine, Major P.H.G. Powell-Cotton, Colonel J.L.F. Tweedie, and many others.

The book covers a broad spectrum of topics related to big-game hunting in Africa: from essential advice on gear (rifles, camp equipment) and stalking techniques, to skinning, preserving trophies, medical first aid, and navigating the languages and laws of African game reserves. Alongside practical guidance, the contributors provide richly detailed narratives of their expeditions — encounters with elephants, lions, rhinos and other game, the daily challenges of life in remote wilderness, and the personal reflections born from time in the bush.

Illustrated with approximately 140–150 black-and-white photographs and supplemented by a full-page distribution map on the endpapers, Big Game Shooting in Africa offers both visual appeal and a strong factual grounding. It remains a highly regarded reference for historians of sport, big-game hunting enthusiasts, and collectors of Africana. Its legacy stems from combining technical hunting knowledge with the romantic spirit of African safaris during the colonial era.