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Injured big-game hunter takes aim at bullet manufacturers
Howie Padilla, Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 16, 2003
When a professional big-game hunter on safari in Africa shot a charging lion from about 30 yards away, he expected that the cat would die, or at least be stopped.
Instead, the lion mauled the marksman.
It wasn't bad aim, but bad bullets that allowed the lion to take Rolf Rohwer temporarily out of the hunting game, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday against the bullet manufacturers, one of which is the Federal Cartridge Co. of Anoka.
Rohwer, of Scotland, is a wildlife biologist who has more than 30 years of African hunting and wildlife management experience, according to his Web site. He suffered permanent damage to his legs, arm and back, said his attorney, Louis Franecke. Rohwer was trying a new type of ammunition on Aug. 11, 2000, the day of the attack, he said.
"We think the company makes good ammunition, but not all of it is good for every application," Franecke said from his office in San Rafael, Calif. "Therein lies the problem. This bullet is not suitable for all big game."
Although the bullet might be good for hunting the majority of big game animals -- including rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo and hippopotamus -- the lion's thin skin allowed the bullet to pass through with minimal damage, he said. On a thicker-skinned animal, the bullet -- a .458 Winchester Magnum, 500 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw -- would expand, killing the animal quickly, according to the suit.
A lion shot with the bullet is still a dangerous and "harmful beast capable of causing severe personal injuries to human for a substantial period of time," the suit said.
Officials at Federal Cartridge hadn't seen the suit and were unable to comment on it, said Rod Bitz, spokesman for Alliant Techsystems Inc., Federal's parent company. The other company named is Trophy Bonded Bullets Inc. of Houston, according to the suit.
"This bullet is not suitable for killing a charging lion," Franecke said. "It's suitable for killing a lion over a period of time."
Before the lion reached Rohwer, who has since returned to hunting, he shot it a second time, Franecke said.
"The lion died basically while chewing on my client."
Howie Padilla is at hpadilla@startribune.com.
Howie Padilla, Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 16, 2003
When a professional big-game hunter on safari in Africa shot a charging lion from about 30 yards away, he expected that the cat would die, or at least be stopped.
Instead, the lion mauled the marksman.
It wasn't bad aim, but bad bullets that allowed the lion to take Rolf Rohwer temporarily out of the hunting game, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday against the bullet manufacturers, one of which is the Federal Cartridge Co. of Anoka.
Rohwer, of Scotland, is a wildlife biologist who has more than 30 years of African hunting and wildlife management experience, according to his Web site. He suffered permanent damage to his legs, arm and back, said his attorney, Louis Franecke. Rohwer was trying a new type of ammunition on Aug. 11, 2000, the day of the attack, he said.
"We think the company makes good ammunition, but not all of it is good for every application," Franecke said from his office in San Rafael, Calif. "Therein lies the problem. This bullet is not suitable for all big game."
Although the bullet might be good for hunting the majority of big game animals -- including rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo and hippopotamus -- the lion's thin skin allowed the bullet to pass through with minimal damage, he said. On a thicker-skinned animal, the bullet -- a .458 Winchester Magnum, 500 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw -- would expand, killing the animal quickly, according to the suit.
A lion shot with the bullet is still a dangerous and "harmful beast capable of causing severe personal injuries to human for a substantial period of time," the suit said.
Officials at Federal Cartridge hadn't seen the suit and were unable to comment on it, said Rod Bitz, spokesman for Alliant Techsystems Inc., Federal's parent company. The other company named is Trophy Bonded Bullets Inc. of Houston, according to the suit.
"This bullet is not suitable for killing a charging lion," Franecke said. "It's suitable for killing a lion over a period of time."
Before the lion reached Rohwer, who has since returned to hunting, he shot it a second time, Franecke said.
"The lion died basically while chewing on my client."
Howie Padilla is at hpadilla@startribune.com.
