Ashbrook completes African hunting grand slam
Howard Ashbrook carries a leopard that he shot to complete the African Grand Slam. Ashbrook has bagged an African elephant, Cape buffalo, African lion, leopard and rhinoceros. The Big 5 are considered the five most dangerous creatures to hunt on foot in Africa.
Howard Ashbrook with a Cape buffalo, considered the most dangerous animal in the world.
Howard Ashbrook with an African elephant, part of the Big 5 and African Grand Slam.
From the first day he could hold a gun, Howard Ashbrook started thinking about hunting.
“Even when I was young, I wanted to hunt Africa,” Ashbrook said. “My dad and grandfather were hunters. They showed me so many things.”
Ashbrook has since shown the way for plenty of hunters. He has led the way.
“I think hunting, or the need to hunt, is in your blood,” said Ashbrook, who grew up in East Finley and later moved to Claysville.
While hunting the Big 5 and gaining an African Grand Slam was not part of his initial goals, the more Ashbrook hunted Africa, the more realistic it became.
Ashbrook completed the African Grand Slam, a rare accomplishment and rarer for local hunters, in July.
The term “Big 5” was originated in the 19th century by big game hunters who listed African elephant, Cape buffalo, African lion, leopard and rhinoceros as the five most dangerous creatures to hunt on foot in Africa. Hunters agree that the Big 5 are the most exciting and interesting big game hunting in southern Africa.
The African Hunting Grand Slam is to shoot all five.
He killed a Cape buffalo first and followed with a lion. He darted a rhino and killed an elephant before getting the leopard.
Ashbrook’s first three African hunting trips came 10 years apart – 1997, 2007 and 2017.
“The Cape buffalo is the most dangerous animal in the world,” Ashbrook said. “After my first trip, I never thought I’d go back. I got a lion hunting permit and so I went back.”
Ashbrook has been to Africa five times.
“Hunting in Africa is not like anything else,” he said. “You need to get permits. It’s such a big part of their economy.”
John Taylor, author of “Big Game and Big Game Rifles” said, “clearly that when speaking of big game hunting on the African continent, we are speaking of hunting dangerous game.”
The Big 5 can quickly and decisively turn the tables on the hunter. “The resulting rush of adrenalin is the very essence of that which brings so many hunters to Africa.”
Africa’s Big 5 are hunted in semi-open scrub country, except for the open plains of the Free State and much of east Africa.
According to various reports, with the help of a competent Professional Hunter and a good stalk, most shots can be taken within 100 to 200 yards. The heavy, thick-skinned members of the Big 5 are often taken at much closer ranges.
“It’s much tougher to put these trips together because it’s tougher to get approvals to take guns places. It makes it much more difficult,” Ashbrook said. “I never dreamed of going there that many times.”
Ashbrook said he used a dart to put the Rhino out and did so only because if he killed one it would cost $30,000.
He said leopards are hunted either early in the morning or at dusk.
“They are nocturnal and they are smart,” Ashbrook said. “Getting all five was not in my mind at first. Once I killed the lion, I thought maybe I could do it.”
Ashbrook was able to finish the African hunting grand slam in 25 years.
“I was attracted to and was drawn to the lifestyle,” Ashbrook said.
A member or multiple members of Ashbrook’s family have accompanied him on African trips. He plans to hunt with his grandson in Alaska in the future.
“To be with people, the togetherness is what is special about these hunts,” Ashbrook said.
He added that he has also hunted in Wyoming, Mexico, New Mexico, Ontario, Newfoundland, Scotland, Ireland and Germany, among other places.
Many countries of southern Africa specify the use of a rifle of at least .375 caliber or greater when hunting the Big Five.
Except for the big cats, quality, controlled expansion bullets or solids are a must. For the soft-skinned cats, rapid expanding bullets are a better choice.
The peak safari season runs from July to October across Africa, coinciding with the continent’s cool, dry winter,” Ashbrook explained.
The reasons why it is easier to hunt during that time span are: lack of rain, which means the vegetation dries up and thins out, literally making it easier to see a rhino or buffalo compared with the long, dense grass and heavy foliage of summer. It specifically applies to leopards, which spend much of their time in trees in winter, which have fewer leaves, making them easier to see.
In addition, the lack of rain also means ponds, streams, puddles and smaller water courses dry up, forcing animals to congregate around the remaining large lakes and rivers. This is particularly true of herds of buffalo and elephant.
“This is not easy,” Ashbrook said. “A lot goes into this.
“A guy once asked me how I could afford these trips. I ask him if a truck in a parking lot was his. He said it was. I said these trips (to Africa) are like buying a new car. It’s an investment into enjoying ourselves and memories that last a lifetime.
“I drive a 12-year-old vehicle and I plan on driving it a few more years. Some people aren’t willing to do that.”
In addition to being a great hunter, Ashbrook is a high-level rifle coach at McGuffey High School. He has coached eight individual state champions at McGuffey.
Ashbrook earned a degree at Pitt and has enjoyed a long career at McGuffey in support services.
Under Ashbrook, who started McGuffey’s rifle team in 1977, the Highlanders have won three state championships and had six individual state champions – including his youngest daughter, Rebekah Ashbrook Dinsmore. She won that title with a state record of 399-34x in 2008.
McGuffey has had 10 shooters attend Division I schools for rifle.
Ashbrook, who has coached 32 years at the school – having stepped away for a few years and then returning.
Rifle is not sanctioned by the PIAA, although the WPIAL still maintains a championship for teams and individuals and sets the regular-season schedule.
In lieu of a PIAA title match, a state-level competition was run by Ashbrook at the Frazier-Simplex range in Washington. The state was divided in to three sections (East, Central and West). Results, now done by electronic scoring, are put together and the state champion and state team champions are then declared.
Ashbrook said the western section was held at the Dormont-M. Lebanon Sportsman’s Club.
“Howard just tells me what he needs and handles everything else from A to Z,” said Highlanders’ athletic director Ed Dalton. “Howard works with the younger kids and he comes so well endorsed. His background and fact that a lot of these kids’ parents shot for him on varsity makes it a good situation. He’s a shining star.”
Said Ashbrook, “It’s important to teach safety and give our kids the opportunity to learn the right way to work with guns. Also, the programs help to teach about calming one’s nerves and to promote mental and physical condition. It also provides opportunity for scholarships because of the number of collegiate programs.”