Hunting the hunter

[doug1937]

Please help me name this story:

This story is about hunting and being hunted. People are transported to a wild planet for safari-style hunts (or something like that). Some of the people transported there might be criminals, I'm not sure. But the twist in the story is that firepower becomes a liability instead of an asset. The guy with the biggest, deadliest gun becomes the target of the other hunters, all of whom want to kill the guy and take the gun for themselves. The protagonist gets around this problem by deliberatingly choosing weapons for his safari expedition that AREN'T the strongest, even though he had the option to take weapons that outclassed everything carried on safari by others.

I read the story in the 1970s so it's not anywhere close to being new.

I'm thinking one of the big names wrote this story, like Heinlein or someone. Anyone recognize this?

Thanks!

 

[Ian Whates]

Hi Doug, Welcome to Chronicles.

Hmm... this is one of those annoying things that rings a bell but I can't quite put my finger on. Robert Sheckley's The 10th Victim sprung instantly to mind, but I don't think it's that...

I'll see if I can remember what I'm trying to dredge up from the dark recesses of memory, but I'm sure someone on the board will identify it for you.

Good luck!

 

[Pyan]

Don't think it's a Heinlein - the only one of his that comes to mind is Tunnel in the Sky, and the details aren't quite right.

 

[doug1937]

Wow, you guys are great. It's Tunnel in the Sky, definitely...I could tell merely by skimming the first page or two. Thanks, this should be fun re-reading it.