J.A. Hunter in his prime.
No man ever lived up to his surname as thoroughly as John Alexander Hunter. The Scotsman was a member of the elite fraternity of hunters who pioneered British East Africa.
J.A. Hunter was a professional hunter for 50 years — a safari guide and a government contract game control agent, tasked with clearing game from areas that were to be opened up for settlement. In this role, he hunted hard from 1908 through the 1950s, killing some 1,400 elephants, and untold numbers of rhinoceros and lion.
J.A. Hunter was among the most capable and experienced hunters of elephant.
Such profligate killing just feels bad to us now, but it was a different time, and Africa’s game lands seemed inexhaustible. Yet, even in his own day, it became apparent that this wasn’t so, and Hunter, like many of the bold and honorable men of his trade, became an advocate of conservation as the impact of civilization became increasingly clear.
J.A. wrote several books, the most famous being his autobiography, titled simply Hunter. It’s a fine read, a bestseller in 1952 — a classic African hunter’s memoir. He had a dry sense of humor and it comes across well in his work. Hunter was a friend of Denys Finch-Hatton, immortalized in Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa. He was the first on the scene of Finch-Hatton’s fatal plane crash.
Like Frederick Courteney Selous a couple of generations before, Hunter grew up fascinated with forest, stream and field, and was absolutely incapable of being broken to plough or office. His father was a farmer, but J.A. showed little interest in anything other than fishing and hunting, spending most of his time in the glens of his native Scotland.
Well, there was one other thing.
“When I was 18, I got in a serious scrape,” he recalled. “The lasses in that part of Scotland had changed little since the days of Robbie Burns, and were not miserly with their favors. I had my share of good times, but, although I fancied myself a man of experience, I was still only a lad and I fell deeply in love with an older woman.”
The busybody local minister remonstrated against this relationship, promising hell and damnation, and badly embarrassing young John Alexander’s family. They happened upon the one thing that could turn J.A. Hunter’s head and heart away from a paramour: They proposed to ship him off to relatives in British East Africa.
There were lions in Africa, and elephants and rhinoceros. That was the land for me. I was ready to leave that night and so I told my father.
As my father left the room, he hesitated moment at the door. “Son, you may take the Purdey,” he said. Then I knew that he had forgiven all my sins.
So, in the year 1908, armed with Purdey shotgun and an old Boer War Mauser rifle, J.A. Hunter set out for East Africa, which would be the land for him for the next 50-plus years.
He married Hilda Bunbury in 1918, and she seems to have kept the dog on the porch pretty effectively. They had six children. His grandson Alex Hunter would also become a professional hunter.
Hunter led the Livermore expedition into the interior of East Africa, which opened up the Ngorongoro Crater to European hunters. He guided everyone from titled nobles to captains of industry on safari. He took all manner of extremely dangerous game control assignments. In 1958, he built the Hunters Lodge hotel in Makindu, Kenya. He died there in 1963, after a life lived in full.
Professional safari guide…
“Hunter” is a classic.
If you were going to choose a man’s shoes to step into, you could do worse than to live the life of J.A. Hunter.
J.A. Hunter was in a class with legendary hunters like Philip Percival and Harry Selby, but he didn’t have a Hemingway or a Robert Ruark to make him famous in print. Which is a blessing, for he gave us damn fine books of his own.
My brother recently sent up his fine Safari Press edition of Hunter, which I am to put in the hands of Craig Rullman. I suggest you all track down a copy and venture out on safari with one of the great ones.
J.A. Hunter lived large.
Matthew says
A famous hunter named Hunter is not as odd as a politician who sends dick picks of himself named Wiener.
We seem to live in a really weird world.
JimC says
The Daily Show piece where The Angel of Journalism (Tom Brokaw) sits on Jon Stewart’s shoulder urging him to rise above the Weiner story while the The Devil (Don Rickles) sits on the other shouting, “It’s a story about a guy named Weiner’s Weiner! Weiner’s Weiner! Weiner’s Weiner!” made me laugh so hard I was crying.
Tommy says
LOL
Thom Eley says
Between my 5th and 6th grade year, I cut my 5th grade teachers lawn. She lived almost next door. Not a good thing for your parents to be friends with you teacher. Anyway one day she came out with a book and said, “don’t stop reading because it is summer. Here is a book you’ll like, read it.” Well it was Hunter by J.A. Hunter. I’ve read it 20 or more times and still have the copy my teacher gave me. My favorite part was when he talked about the .600 nitro express with a 900 grain bullet. Damn, that would take a deer down. I actually held one here in Anchorage and they want $54,000 for it. It exceed my credit limit on VISA! He is a great writer. A great chapter is what is the most dangerous game in Africa. His choice is surprising.
JimC says
Yep — it’s one of “those” books. The right kinda boy will read the covers right off.
Hillbilly Nick says
Damned fine book Hunter is! Reckon it’s about time to read it again. Sometimes even I get lucky, bought my copy at a yard sale for .50 cents!
JimC says
That’s a nice find.
john roberts says
My favorite Hunter is still Hunter S. Thompson!
Finn says
When I was a boy there were not many african hunting books translated in Finnish except Hunter. I have read it at least half dozen times…. always good reading !
deuce says
Jim, you should check out the bio and fiction of Gordon MacCreagh, born in Indiana to Scottish anthropologist parents. Big-game hunter, pulp writer and a seeker of the Ark of the Covenant. Indiana MacCreagh!
http://freeread.com.au/@rglibrary/GordonMacCreagh/GordonMacCreagh.html
JimC says
Will do and Thx!
R HEATHER says
It is by no means certain that MacCreagh was born in Indiana. After extensive research, it seems more likely that he was born and raised in Scotland. His early life is full of mystery and enigmas. My recently published biography of MacCreagh, ‘Indiana MacCreagh’ (available on Amazon) tries to set the record straight while describing his amazing, adventurous life.
Roderick Heather
John C. says
The copy that I sent up is one that I found in a used bookstore a while back. The copy I had as a kid was a first edition, and I read the cover off of it, literally. Hunter was a pretty darn good writer for someone who preferred to ditch school in favor of wandering the glens. Plus, at one point, his teacher started cuffing him upside the head (his favorite form of discipline), for ditching school, so Hunter took his slate, and brained the teacher with it.
Hunter, and The Frontiersman were two of the top five books that I read as a kid.
John C.
JimC says
And look where passing them along has got us…
Lane Batot says
I have a coupla of his books, and intend to get a third one of these days! Love them–old Africana at it’s best, but dang, they are usually EXORBITANT!
JimC says
True — especially the Safari Press editions.
Lane Batot says
Which is PERZACKLY the editions I have! REALLY NICE copies, though–and really well put together books–the kind that would hold up on safari!
Fernando Quevedo says
John Hunter in my opinion is the best African safari writer, I read the book Hunter when I was nine and have reread it uncountable times since then. Fortunatelly I have the chance to visit many places described by Hunter in his books. At the same time, Jim Corbett is my preferred Indian hunter, his books about maneating tigers and leopards are the best! Cheers
JimC says
Love JA Hunter. Concur strongly on both counts.