The 5 Most Famous Hunters of All Time
Hunting is the stuff of legends.
But there’s nothing like a famous hunting story to inspire and excite you on your trip to hunting ranches.
In fact, 74% of Americans support hunting and get excited about the thrill it entails.
In this article, I’ll explain the five most famous hunters—and what puts them at the top of the list.
Let’s jump in!
Ernest Hemingway
While known as the author of classics such as The Old Man and the Sea and For Whom the Bell Tolls, Hemingway also had a larger-than-life lust for adventure.
For much of his life, Hemingway spent his winters in Key West, where he fished for giant marlins.
In the summer, he would travel to Wyoming, where he hunted game such as elk and grizzly bear.
His quest for greater and greater adventures took him on a 10-week safari in East Africa. He spent much of the time hunting man-eaters on the plains of the Serengeti.
Ishi
In 1865, settlers attacks drove the Yahi population to near extinction. By the early 1900s, Ishi was the only Yahi alive.
In 1911, locals found him foraging for meat. Professors at the University of California, Berkeley took him in as a research assistant.
His knowledge of Yahi bow and arrows allowed him to train a professor at the college, Saxton Pope—now considered the father of modern bowhunting.
Ishi’s legend remains one of the most influential figures in bowhunting, whether in nature or on hunting ranches.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, loved the thrill of the hunt.
T.R.’s greatest expedition was a nine-month safari in Africa hunting the most famous (and dangerous) animals on the continent.
He was also well-versed in the wild game of the United States, and also went on hunting expeditions near the Amazon in South America.
But Roosevelt’s biggest contribution to the sport has been his conservation. T.R. led the way to parks and sustainable hunting ranches.
Jim Corbett
Corbett was born of English-Irish parents in India. When he was 18, he took a job as a fuel inspector with the railways, hunting dangerous animals as a pastime.
As his fame grew, Jim realized that protecting tigers was as important as defending the citizens they terrorized.
In 1947, he moved from India to Kenya, where he wrote a series of books on the man-eating animals he had hunted with such great success.
He is the namesake of Corbett National Park in northern India.
Davy Crockett
Forget the tall tales of Davy Crockett. The true story of this legendary pioneer is just as astounding.
Crockett’s peers regarded him as an expert marksman. He won shooting contests on a regular basis—even as a teenager.
At a time of primitive weapons and ammunition, Crockett still managed to kill bears and mountain lions at a pace that is spectacular today.
According to his calculations, he killed 105 bears—in one year.
Becoming a Legend at hunting ranches
Hunting isn’t about quickly bagging the biggest game or getting a thrill from the pursuit.
Safaris and expeditions are the basis of many great legends, both in the United States and abroad. If you’re looking for a true taste of hunting, be sure to visit one of our hunting ranches.