Harry Selby (hunter)
Encyclopedia
Harry Selby is a South African white hunter who made a name for himself in Kenya
and then in Bechuanaland. Selby honed his hunting skills early in life while working for the Safariland
safari
company and under the tutelage of legendary hunter Philip Percival
. During his time with Ker and Downey Safaris Ltd., he also met and befriended Robert Ruark
, whose subsequent writings about Selby made Selby famous around the world.
, Harry was very young when his family moved to Kenya
. Harry’s parents had acquired 40,000 acres of prime ranch land – with a view of Mount Kenya
- where they grazed cattle. The land was also home to big game, and as a child Harry was surrounded by herds of zebra
, eland
and impala
. From time to time groups of buffalo
and elephant
passed through the property, and occasionally lions or leopard
. The presence of the big cats would spark a hunt in order to protect the livestock, and at the age of just eight years old Harry was entrusted with his own single-shot .22 rifle.
Harry's early pursuits kept the family's larder stocked with guinea fowl, francolin
and gazelle
and it was during these times that Harry perfected his gun handling skills. He became familiar with dangerous game while hunting smaller game on the slopes of Mount Kenya
. Harry hunted with experienced local trackers; expert hunters in their own right who would pursue even the largest game with bow and arrow.
, a veteran East African white hunter. However, it was not long before Percival realized that Harry’s personable nature and considerable big game experience would be invaluable on safari. Percival took Selby on as his apprentice, and by the time Harry turned 22 he was already well on his way to becoming one of Africa’s most respected professional hunters.
was an American newspaper columnist who flew to Africa to fulfil a lifelong dream to go on safari. He was so enthralled that he wrote a book called Horn of the Hunter which became one of the most widely-read books ever written about safari life. It also put Harry's name in the history books, and created a demand to hunt with Harry so great that he was fully booked up to four years in advance.
In 1955 Ruark wrote a subsequent book called Something of Value
, a fictional novel influenced by Harry's colonial Kenyan childhood and his Professional Hunter exploits. The attention placed great pressure on Harry, who later commented that creating his reputation was easy – maintaining it for 40 years was the hard part.
The company leased a vast 12,000 km² concession on the northwest edge of Botswana
, near Chobe National Park
. The principal landmark of the area is the River Khwai, and Harry could not resist building a bridge over it just a couple of years later. In 1970, fuelled by the burgeoning interest in East African photo safaris, Harry built Khwai River Lodge, the first photographic lodge in Botswana
to cater to overseas photo safari tourism.
By 1994 Harry had marked his half century in the business, an unprecedented accomplishment. However, in 1997, after completing his 53rd safari season, he throttled back from the demands of full-season hunting, and finally retired from professional hunting in 2000 at the age of 75.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and then in Bechuanaland. Selby honed his hunting skills early in life while working for the Safariland
Safariland
Safariland, LLC is a division of BAE Systems, Inc. a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based defense and aerospace company BAE Systems PLC. It is a major designer and manufacturer of equipment for sporting, military, law enforcement, investigation and public safety personnel.-History:The company was...
safari
Safari
A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
company and under the tutelage of legendary hunter Philip Percival
Philip Percival
Philip Hope Percival was a renowned white hunter and early safari guide in colonial Kenya. During his career he guided Teddy Roosevelt, Baron Rothschild, and Ernest Hemingway on African hunts. In fact, Hemingway modeled the fictional hunter Robert Wilson, in his story "“The Short Happy Life of...
. During his time with Ker and Downey Safaris Ltd., he also met and befriended Robert Ruark
Robert Ruark
Robert Ruark was an American author and syndicated columnist.- Early life :...
, whose subsequent writings about Selby made Selby famous around the world.
Early life
Born in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Harry was very young when his family moved to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Harry’s parents had acquired 40,000 acres of prime ranch land – with a view of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
- where they grazed cattle. The land was also home to big game, and as a child Harry was surrounded by herds of zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
, eland
Taurotragus
Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland...
and impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
. From time to time groups of buffalo
African Buffalo
The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...
and elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
passed through the property, and occasionally lions or leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
. The presence of the big cats would spark a hunt in order to protect the livestock, and at the age of just eight years old Harry was entrusted with his own single-shot .22 rifle.
Harry's early pursuits kept the family's larder stocked with guinea fowl, francolin
Francolin
Francolins are birds that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera , although some of the major taxonomic listing sources have yet to divide them. They are members of the pheasant family, Phasianidae...
and gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
and it was during these times that Harry perfected his gun handling skills. He became familiar with dangerous game while hunting smaller game on the slopes of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
. Harry hunted with experienced local trackers; expert hunters in their own right who would pursue even the largest game with bow and arrow.
Hunting career
Harry’s career as a hunter emerged out of a job as a field mechanic for Philip PercivalPhilip Percival
Philip Hope Percival was a renowned white hunter and early safari guide in colonial Kenya. During his career he guided Teddy Roosevelt, Baron Rothschild, and Ernest Hemingway on African hunts. In fact, Hemingway modeled the fictional hunter Robert Wilson, in his story "“The Short Happy Life of...
, a veteran East African white hunter. However, it was not long before Percival realized that Harry’s personable nature and considerable big game experience would be invaluable on safari. Percival took Selby on as his apprentice, and by the time Harry turned 22 he was already well on his way to becoming one of Africa’s most respected professional hunters.
Robert Ruark
In 1949, when Harry was just 24, he joined Ker & Downey Safaris. Two years later he was teamed with a guest who was to change his life. Robert RuarkRobert Ruark
Robert Ruark was an American author and syndicated columnist.- Early life :...
was an American newspaper columnist who flew to Africa to fulfil a lifelong dream to go on safari. He was so enthralled that he wrote a book called Horn of the Hunter which became one of the most widely-read books ever written about safari life. It also put Harry's name in the history books, and created a demand to hunt with Harry so great that he was fully booked up to four years in advance.
In 1955 Ruark wrote a subsequent book called Something of Value
Something of Value
Something Of Value is a 1957 drama directed by Richard Brooks and starring Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter and Sidney Poitier.-Plot:The movie, based on the book of the same name by Robert Ruark, portrays the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. It shows the colonial and native African conflict caused by colonialism...
, a fictional novel influenced by Harry's colonial Kenyan childhood and his Professional Hunter exploits. The attention placed great pressure on Harry, who later commented that creating his reputation was easy – maintaining it for 40 years was the hard part.
Moving to Bechuanaland
By 1962 the future of hunting in Kenya was looking uncertain. Harry had been offered a directorship in what became Ker, Downey & Selby Safaris, and agreed to open a new venture in Bechuanaland. Harry had recognised the area’s tremendous potential and in 1963 he, his wife and two children moved to Maun to begin a new chapter in their lives.The company leased a vast 12,000 km² concession on the northwest edge of Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, near Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park, in northwest Botswana, has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa. By size, it is the third largest park of the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park, and is the most diverse...
. The principal landmark of the area is the River Khwai, and Harry could not resist building a bridge over it just a couple of years later. In 1970, fuelled by the burgeoning interest in East African photo safaris, Harry built Khwai River Lodge, the first photographic lodge in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
to cater to overseas photo safari tourism.
By 1994 Harry had marked his half century in the business, an unprecedented accomplishment. However, in 1997, after completing his 53rd safari season, he throttled back from the demands of full-season hunting, and finally retired from professional hunting in 2000 at the age of 75.