Spanish archer Julián Ramírez de Arellano claims to have completed a 18-year quest to hunt Africa’s “seven great” species using only a traditional bow. As reported by Infobae, the project concluded in August 2025, marking the end of a long-term goal that began in 2007.
The list of species hunted includes the lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, leopard, and crocodile. Ramírez de Arellano, who is recognized as the first archer certified by the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation for traditional archery, utilized a recurve bow without any mechanical sighting system to complete the feat.
Origins of the 18-year challenge
The pursuit began after Ramírez de Arellano won a competition organized by the “Flèche Noire” group in Madrid. The prize was a safari in Africa, where he was introduced to the concept of the “Big Five.” The hunter decided to expand the challenge by adding the hippopotamus and the crocodile to the traditional list of five iconic species.
Progress was steady in the early stages, with the archer having successfully hunted four of the seven species by August 2009. However, the timeline stretched significantly due to logistical hurdles, administrative requirements, and personal challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic. The final two species, the hippopotamus and the leopard, were successfully hunted in August 2025.
Technical requirements of traditional archery
Ramírez de Arellano relied on instinctive shooting, a method that requires the practitioner to rely on experience and the manual assessment of distance rather than mechanical aids. The bows used throughout the expeditions ranged in power from 50 to 90 pounds, depending on the specific animal being targeted.
Preparation for each hunt involved selecting arrows and points tailored to the physical characteristics of the animal, including skin thickness and bone density. Ramírez de Arellano stated that all expeditions were conducted within authorized reserves and adhered to local permitting processes.
Collaboration with local communities
The hunter emphasized that the meat from the animals was distributed to local villages and tribes in the regions where the hunts took place. According to his account, the meat from the elephant and hippopotamus was processed and shared with local populations, and the crocodile was also consumed on-site. Ramírez de Arellano noted that he returned to Spain only with the skins of the lion and the leopard for taxidermy purposes.
Official recognition of the achievement
While Ramírez de Arellano claims this as a world-first achievement for traditional archery, the record has yet to be formally validated by governing bodies. The archer plans to submit his documentation and evidence of his expeditions to the relevant hunting federations for a formal review of his performance.
