From hunting big game to chasing world records, Shawn Daily earned more than bragging rights after a recent trip to the northern cape of South Africa. The outdoorsman and alumnus of the Beta Omicron Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Northwestern State University returned to Louisiana with at least seven big game records with Safari Club International (SCI).
In May, Daily hunted a #1 roan, #1 black-faced impala, and a #2 lechwie. He also earned a #3 Kalahari Springbok, #5 copper Springbok, #10 white Springbok and #10 warthog.
“I got what is presumed to be the number one black impala, as soon as SCI recognizes the species,” he said.
These records are just the latest in an impressive collection amassed over the last 40 years. Daily already holds 13 records for top tens, including bison, northwestern whitetail, northwestern non-typical whitetail, Persian ibex, woodland caribou, Iranian red sheep, fallow deer (South America), fallow deer (France Europe), axis deer, Dall sheep, red deer (south America, and Texas non-typical whitetail.
With nearly 100 mounts to his credit, Daily is a life member of the Safari Club International, Dallas Safari Club, and Rowland Ward Africa. He also belongs to the Louisiana Chapter of SCI, the Houston Safari Club, the Acadian Chapter of SCI and the Piney Woods (East Texas) Chapter of SCI.
Safari Club International is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife conservation worldwide, according to its website.
Daily first pursued hunting as a way to spend quality time with family.
“My boys wanted to hunt and I just joined the action and stuck with it. Now we have a place in Mississippi to hunt and I spend a lot of time there, hunting deer, ducks, turkey, and varmints.”
Over the years, his adventures have taken him to several continents, with hunts in Spain, Argentina, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Great Britain, and stateside in Alaska.
One of his most memorable experiences includes being charged by a cape buffalo. “I fired the shot that finally stopped him eight long strides from where my professional hunter and I stood with nowhere to run. His gun was jammed. It all rode on the one bullet I had left in my double rifle.”
He said another harrowing adventure came in New Zealand.
“I jumped off the skid of a helicopter near the top of Mount McCook and went through the crust of snow up to my armpits!”
An avid angler, Daily has also fished in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Chile, Puerta Vallarta, Los Cabos, Alaska, and more 30 rivers in the United States and Canada.
While the challenge of the hunt, friendships, and connecting with nature keep him hunting, Daily says it’s a physical sport.
“It has caused me to try to stay in shape so I can walk long distances and climb in the mountains. Two of my latest tropics, a gold medal ibex and a #11 Gredos ibex came from the Beciete and Gredos mountain ranges in Spain.”
A testament to his skill and dedication, nearly 100 mounts, including several of his record-holding species, are on display in his Natchitoches home on the shores of Sibley Lake.
