By Dave Fulson • Nov 15, 2025

But there is one particular voice that symbolizes true, wild Africa, and it belongs to Fisi, or M'beri, depending on where you happen to be standing- the spotted hyena.

A hyena has an astonishing menu of vocalization at its command. There are calls alerting the clan to the presence of a predator, and calls used to locate other members of the clan when separated. They make other vocalizations used in attempts to dominate or submit to members of their clan. Other calls are used for summoning their young, or to assemble for the hunt. For some reason, perhaps just to aggravate him, hyenas can make a near-perfect, although at reduced volume, rendition of a lion roar. But my all-time favorite is the iconic "whoooooop, whoooooop" they make in the dark of night just to tell you he's out there. Man, I love that sound!

Most people think of the hyena as a skulking coward, the eater of rotting flesh he either finds or steals. The latter is certainly true, but I know him too well to call him a coward. In countless instances since the beginning of time, the death of old lions, his eternal enemy, is often the result of a mob of hyenas discovering a crippled or aged lion, alone and vulnerable. In classic gang warfare style, old hatreds surface, the numbers favor one side, and a final, bloody, and grim assault leaves the hyena with a vanquished foe, and once tempers have cooled, a meal.

The hyena can be a bully, especially with a clan backing up its bravado, but it will run, shrieking and gibbering when challenged by wild dogs, leopards, or especially lions. It is above all else, a survivor. They keep the savannah clean and possess the ability to crack bones, including the leg bones of elephants, making them a perfect processor of meat, hide, horns, and hooves. The specialized gastric system also allows for the digestion of anything I can get past his throat and into its stomach.

African myth and folklore paint’s the hyena as an earthly harbinger of death. Some hyena are said to be the personal property of witches and will kill or maim as commanded on a contract basis between the witch and her clients. The rest of the world has werewolves, but Africa, even today, finds a large part of the remote, rural populace firm in their belief that an influential witch can transform hyenas into human form to commit murders, then turn them back into regular four-legged hyenas once their evil work is accomplished, leaving them free to scamper back into the bush until called on again. Laugh if you will, but the old-timers who truly understand bush Africans do not doubt their beliefs, even if they do not share them.

Ok, while this is not a graduate study on the species, I provide these facts in order to introduce the question "Is the hyena a legitimate sporting animal?" I'll answer my own question with a resounding yes!

First, hyenas are incredibly intelligent creatures. There are recorded instances of life spans of up to 25 years, although in the wild, it would probably be shorter on average. They learn from their mistakes and rarely make the same one twice. There are basically two methods to take a hyena on safari–baiting, and chance encounter. I have taken them both ways and filmed many more with each technique. If legal, they will also enthusiastically respond to a varmint call. But, if you really want one, I will put my money on a serious baiting plan.

One thing for certain, hyenas are not picky about bait. Hang it up, and they will show up. To increase your odds, once a bait has been hung where the animal must stand on his back feet to feed, make sure your team leaves a scent drag consisting of a revolting mix of intestines and water from various points, but all coming back to the bait tree.

Hyenas are great travelers, and most cover a large area in search of food. Its nose is better than a blue-ribbon bird dog's, and if it crosses your scent drag, he will follow it to your bait.

If your PH knows his business, a clear path allowing for a silent pre-dawn approach has already been laid, and the trail marked with toilet paper so you can approach without a light. At the end of your walk will be a well-concealed blind with a shooting rest of some kind, a small peephole for the PH, one for your rifle, and two quiet chairs. Any sound getting set up will send your prey on its way, game over. I have waited out many, many cold mornings mentally willing shooting light to appear while I listened to one or more hyenas crunching bones. I have also seen shooting light reveal all manner of animals, including lion, leopard, honey badgers, and vultures eating my bait. Meat is very popular in Africa!

Hyenas make a very interesting mount, by the way. The black spots over his tawny, brownish gold coat is a unique and attractive life-size mount, or even a flat rug addition to any collection. In my trophy room is an exceptionally large specimen I took over the remains of an elephant I had shot a few days before. The Wildlife Gallery Taxidermy gang created a really cool full body mount, and it is funny how many guests in our home zero in on that mount. The usual comment again is "man, I did not realize they were that big!"

Certainly, few safaris start with a hyena at the top of their hunt wish list, but I have yet to see a client who has properly hunted them that did not appreciate the challenge in the end.

I have said for years, it is not inches on a tape, or some meaningless score in a record book, that remain with me after a safari. It is the memories, including the land, the people, the sights, and yes, the sounds of safari.

And the magic of the African night would, for this hunter, be irreparably diminished without the haunting calls of ‘old Fisi’ as he assures you that he is out there in the dark, watching, and waiting. He is truly the sound of wild Africa.