A 2021

Vol 27.1 / 27.2

Hunting the great continent of Africa

Fall/Winter 2021

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Published quarterly, a quality journal presenting all aspects of hunting available in Africa.

The traditions and tales, the professional hunters of today, and the legends of yesteryear.

Reporting on the places to go, the sport available and all the equipment to use.

Examining the challenges of managing wildlife as a sustainable resource and the relationship between Africa’s game and its people.

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

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CONTENTS

Richard Lendrum richard@africanhuntinggazette.com

Managing Editor

Editorial

7

Design & Layout

News & Letters Fan Mail By Earl Garcia

9

Advertising Enquiries:

John Ledger’s African conservation column South Africa Proposes Far-reaching Policy Position on Wildlife

10

Focus on an Animal Thomson’s gazelle from “Game Animals of the World”

By Chris and Mathilde Stuart

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Esther Sibanda esther@africanhuntinggazette.com Heinz Bawa

Richard Lendrum richard@africanhuntinggazette.com

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Africa

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Published by:

African Hunting Gazette USA LLC. 36N Idaho St, Ste #1, Dillon, Montana, 59725

Owners: Brad Voyles and Richard Lendrum Printed by Africa – Typo Colour Printing Specialists © Copyright. All copyright for material appearing in this magazine belongs to African Hunting Gazette USA LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers.

On the hunt: Day 8 Dagga Boy By Al Banes To Hunt a Lesser Kudu – Follow a Poacher! By Geoff Wainwright A Croc on the Bank is Worth Two in the River… By Ricardo Leone A Most Dangerous Game By Roger Wiltz Ethiopia Part I By Merle Sampson A Case of Rattled Nerves By Chris Chimits Four-Bore Bulls By Cal Pappas My Personel Dream Work By Joseph Crawford Hunting with the Ellements… Fathers and Sons -Two Safaris Twenty Years Apart By Conrad Miller

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Highly strung AN ANCIENT KUDU with Bow and Arrow By Frank Berbuir

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Taken on the Wing Wingshooting in Africa’s Hunting Literature By Ken Bailey

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• Archery Only since 1986 • One Hunt Per Month Exclusively During the Dark of the Moon • Wildlife Only Habitat Since 1982 • Over 335 Top 25 Placings • USA Office

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Directory of Advertisers African Oasis ................................................... 96 Frank J. Zitz & Company Inc. ........................ 112 Afton Safari Lodge ............................... 8 & OBC AHG – Life Membership ................................ IBC AHG – Shipping .......................................... 4 & 6 AHG – Subscriptions ...................................... 102 Bobby Hansen Safaris ...................................... 40 Bull’s Eye Taxidermy ........................................ 91 Bushmen Safaris ................................................ 3 Craig Boddington ............................................. 82 Dallas Safari Club ............................................. 30 Darren K Moore ............................................... 43

Hunter Profile Archie Landals

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Rifles in Africa Rigby Land Rover By Stephanie Abbot

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On Shooting and Hunting Notes on Reloading Dangerous Game Cartridges By François van Emmenes

104

Terry Wieland On Ammo BUFFALO GUNS

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A Hunter Speaks Out The Effect of Recoil By Wayne van Zwoll

108

From the Desk of Hunter Proud Foundation The Zambezi /Tambara Conservancy, Mozambique By Zig Mackintosh

114

African Dawn An African Dawn has broken

119

Terry Wieland’s One for the road A TALE OF THREE BUFFALO

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Discount African Hunts .................................... 67 Drums of the Morning .................................... 45 Eland Safaris .................................................... 34 Eastern Cape Bowhunting ............................... 24 EuroOptic ................................................ 29 & 64 Hornady Companies ........................................ 61 Jofie Lamprecht Safaris ................................... 68 KarooTaxidermy .............................................. 100 Krieghoff ......................................................... 58 Kwalata Safaris ................................................. 85 Limpopo Safaris .............................................. 74 Madubula Safaris ............................................. 13 Mashambanzou Safaris .................................... 79 Monterra Safaris ........................................... 8 & 9 Ndumo Hunting Safaris ................................... 23 Nightforce Optics ............................................. 5 Quality Hunting Safaris ................................... 36 Rigby ............................................................... 28 Rovos Rail ........................................................ 44 Royal Karoo Safaris ......................................... 66 Safari Club International ................................. 15 SB Hunting Safaris .......................................... 25 Shamwari Safaris ............................................. 20 Spear Safaris .................................................... 89 Strang Middleton Safaris ................................. 57 Stormberg Elangeni Safaris ..................... 46 & 47 Taxidermy Africa .............................................. 69 The Double Gun Journal ................................. 93 The Raw Outdoors .......................................... 95 Trijicon ............................................................ 41 Wayne Grant Safaris ......................................... 92 Westley Richards ........................................ IFC & 1

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Editorial

Deposit. Time. And Patience.

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s we move toward year-end, plans are in full swing for future bookings, so let’s just clarify the definition of a deposit. According to the dictionary, • it is a sum of money paid into a bank or building society account or • a sum payable as a first instalment on the purchase of something, or as a pledge for a contract, the balance being payable later.

When a deposit for your hunt has been paid, whether by check or by wiring the funds (as is more usual now), this is the formal commitment between the parties for a hunt at some specific date.

In both definitions, what’s not mentioned is a refundable deposit and I can find no reference to that.

Nobody wants to lose money, so that is a given. And you cannot book a plane seat, theater ticket, seat at a football game, without paying the full cost at the time.

Some hotels and restaurants seem to have a more flexible policy in their booking management, though I wonder for how long. When it comes to booking a hunt, there is generally only a limited number of hunting slots in a year. If you book one, you have technically committed yourself, otherwise why pay the deposit? But what

if you genuinely cannot make it for health reasons, personal commitments or, heaven forbid I even mention those five letters – COVID. Then what? It is a minefield.

To hunt Africa, hunters have to travel. It is part of the experience. That said, it will never be as easy as it was BC (before Covid).

There must be more understanding from both sides now. On one hand, the hunters need to understand the outfitters’ logistics in preparing to host them in the middle of the African bush, only to be let down at the last minute. The outfitter is unlikely to be able to re-sell that slot at short notice, and all the incurred preparation costs still need to be covered.

By the same token, outfitters need to understand the hurdles hunters are jumping over to get to Africa. And sometimes, a lot of things go wrong. Just recently - and I did not make this up - a client was bringing his son-in-law and two grandsons on safari.

He misplaced his passport, so the three left ahead of him while he scrambled to find it. He intended to follow a day later, on the same scheduled United flight. But bad weather while getting to New York meant he missed the connection, so he had to wait for the second day’s United flight. That was cancelled (while he was on the plane ready to take off!). On Day 3 he flew to Atlanta

for the Delta flight, finally making it to South Africa – however with no luggage and no gun, which only arrived the next day. He was not too fazed about his clothes and rifle which we collected for him and stored at Afton. He was able to borrow his outfitter’s rifle, but charter flights, tickets, additional Covid tests - you name it – all had to shift, some at additional cost. That, ladies and gents, is the safari business today.

So when you think of paying or asking for that deposit – try factor in many more variables. Dig a little deeper on the tolerance and give yourself time – because nowadays, I suspect this is going to become the norm.

Other than that, the safari experience everywhere is by all accounts just as fabulous as previously. And now, If you’re uncertain who to hunt with next – skip to the section profiling the African Dawn outfitters. If you need a gun permit, meet and greet, accommodation, in fact, any assistance coming in and out of Jo’burg, Afton is where you’ll find us. And if you need trophies shipped home, AHG Shipping is our business to save you money.

Regards, Richard Lendrum – richard@africanhuntinggazette.com www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Gun permits • Meet & greet • Accommodation

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News and Letters

G

reetings! I recently subscribed to AHG. What incredible value! I had obtained previous copies during my travels and always enjoyed the magazine and realized it is a world-class publication; beautifully laid out with excellent stories, articles and phenomenal photos.

Upon subscribing, I received a “welcome package” and I was taken aback by the old-world tradition of excellence. A rare example of getting more than you paid for. An absolute class act in a world where there are few.

I encourage those who are hesitant or reluctant, to subscribe, and by doing so, get the pleasure of visiting Africa in all her glory with the turning of every glossy page.

In addition, AHG satisfies the digital world as well, but there is something nostalgic about holding a hard copy in hand reflecting about past trips or dreaming of future ones.

So reward yourself or give a gift subscription. You won’t be sorry.

Thanks AHG, keep up the great work!

Regards, Earl Garcia Montana, USA

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SOUTH AFRICA Proposes Far-reaching Policy Position on Wildlife

By Dr John Ledger

The Wildlife Game The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has invited comments on its draft Policy Position regarding the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhino. This Policy Position was built around the outcomes of the deliberations of a 'High Level Panel' of consultants from various sectors, but has been extended beyond the HLP ideas into a national policy proposal with wide implications for the whole wildlife sector in South Africa.

T

he invitation was published in the South African Government Gazette No 44776 dated 28 June 2021, and allowed comment for 30 days from the date of publication. That deadline has passed at the time of writing this column, so it will be interesting to learn what comments have been received. The HLP itself was divided on certain matters, and some of the most controversial and challenging issues such as hunting of captive-bred lions, the semi-domestication and captive breeding of rhinos, and the trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn, remain contentious and divisive. It is debatable whether a government Policy Position alone can change such longstanding conundrums. However, it is encouraging that the Policy Position is positive in respect of hunting generally, so overall this should be welcomed by the hunting community.

Let's begin by looking at the issues identified for the attention of the HLP. These were (a) the captive holding and breeding of lion and rhino; (b) hunting of captive-bred lions; (c) trade in captive lion parts and derivatives; (d) unsustainable practices in hunting of leopard; (e) feasibility of legal international trade in rhino horn and elephant ivory for commercial purposes; (f ) ineffective and inefficient legislation and implementation, resulting from duplicated and conflicting legal requirements; (g) ineffective and inefficient management of State Protected Areas; (h) non-optimisation of the full potential of a vibrant Biodiversity Economy; (i) inadequate access and benefit-sharing to communities; and (j) untransformed wildlife sector.

This is a detailed, 47-page document, so let's look at just a few of the proposed interventions articulated in its pages:

Management Policy Interventions

• Put an immediate halt to the domestication of lions and the commercial exploitation of captive lions, and establish a process to close captive lion facilities.

• Reverse the domestication and intensification of management of rhino.

• Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of leopard.

Most ethical hunters will approve the intention of trying to stop the practice of 'canned lion' hunting, but on the other hand a number of landowners have created work opportunities and economic benefit from these activities, and will probably not give them up without a fight. Then there is the prospect of many lions having to be killed as a consequence of government's policy interventions. While their deaths will be described as 'being euthanased', this is likely to create emotional debate. In the case of rhino, the intensive management being conducted by some landowners is largely because the animals are at grave risk of being killed by poachers if they are allowed to range more widely. And because government will not countenance a review of legal sale of rhino horns, the only trade that will thrive is the illegal trade. Not a smart outcome, as far as I am concerned.

Trade Related Policy Interventions

• South Africa will not submit an ivory trade proposal to CITES as long as current specified circumstances prevail.

• South Africa will not propose or support amendments to the CITES appendices relating to South African rhino species.

• Prevent the export of live specimens of the five iconic species outside of their range states, or into captivity in other countries, www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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The Wildlife Game • Explore potential benefit of disposal of elephant ivory and rhino horn stockpiles and to put in place the Commission of Enquiry recommendations on rhino horn trade.

I have serious reservations about these trade policy interventions. They create a policy chasm between South Africa and other SADC states – which are totally opposed to the CITES bans on the legal sale of ivory and rhino horn. For rural communities to benefit from wildlife conservation and management, it is reprehensible to prevent valuable wildlife products from being legally traded between willing buyers and sellers. South Africa should stand united with SADC states in facilitating a legal market for wildlife products from sustainably managed populations. I will make further comments on point four above, because it has some very unpalatable undertones.

South Africa should take care not to be seen to be aligned in any way with the animal-

rights lobby that has infiltrated CITES and is vehemently opposed to hunting or the legal trade in wildlife products.

Conservation Policy Interventions

• Develop an overarching national policy on biodiversity and sustainable use.

• Enhance the conservation of iconic species, through increased wildness, naturalness and wellbeing of fauna.

• Adopt a One Welfare approach to wildlife wellbeing.

• Reposition South Africa as a destination of choice for the legal, humane, regulated and responsible hunting of the five iconic species.

• Reconceptualize the role of state and other protected areas for conservation scaling and as a socio-economic catalyst.

Point four on hunting is obviously a welcome intervention from the hunting community's perspective. The use of the words 'iconic

species' is imprecise terminology. Surely 'iconic species' in South Africa are not restricted to the mammals dealt with here?

In my view, the Cape Vulture is certainly an 'iconic species', as are many other birds.

As an aside, many of these 'iconic birds' are being killed by wind turbines that are given environmental approvals by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Conservation Transformation Interventions

• Restore a transformative African approach to conservation and sustainable use, consistent with Ubuntu.

• Enhance sustainable use of iconic species, especially leveraging responsible eco-tourism and its benefit flows.

• Promote and enhance human-wildlife co-existence, while empowering and capacitating people living with or near wildlife.

The first point will probably puzzle some readers – I am one of them. If South Africa wants a 'transformative African approach to conservation and sustainable use', why is it alienating our fellow Africans in SADC by not supporting their calls for a New African Deal regarding trade in wildlife products, and their pleas to the UK and the USA not to ban the import of trophies into their countries from Africa?

Conservation Capacity Interventions

• Targeted capacity development for key components of the wildlife sector.

• Improve the evidence-base for best practice within the wildlife sector.

These are clearly useful interventions.

This statement of intent is also a positive one: "The role and contribution of the private sector to conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity are recognised and acknowledged, and the potential enhancement of these contributions identified. Importantly, communities living with wildlife are placed at the centre of the thinking, with a focus on enhancing human-wildlife co-existence, and mechanisms for leveraging their economic, social and cultural benefits through transformative approaches to access and benefit-sharing. Finally, the outcomes will result in both protection and enhancement of South Africa's international reputation, repositioning the country as an even more

First hunt after the COVID-19 pandemic forced Africa to shut down!

Hard work pays off. This certainly applied to our first safari since COVID-19 forced Africa to go on lockdown.

Chris, with PH and outfitter John Abraham, spent a total of thirty six days in pursuit of a trophy elephant bull. After many miles, sweat, and dedication it all came together, and Chris was able to put his hands on an exceptional old elephant bull.

The taking of this elephant bull plays a vital role in conservation and it brings life to the local community as a much-needed source of food and income.

The experiences and memories made on safaris like this are the kind that stay with you forever, the kind that very few get to encounter in their lifetime.

Congratulations to Chris, and here’s to another Classic African Safari without Compromise.

S A F A R I S 817 899 5949 John 817 235 9449 Lauri + 27 82 411 9127 VLam safaris @ madubuLa . com www . madubuLa . com

competitive destination of choice for ecotourism and responsible hunting."

With regard to trade in ivory and rhino horn, the document is very defensive in deferring to CITES and saying that the latter is not likely to change its stance in the near future and that South Africa is not in a strong position to oppose this. This is a weak defence and I would expect South Africa to show more backbone and solidarity with its SADC neighbours in seeking to challenge the CITES position on trade in wildlife products.

The South African policy view on ivory and rhino horn stockpiles is discussed here: "South Africa has substantial stockpiles of rhino horn and ivory which have been obtained through rhino dehorning for protection, natural mortality, and collection from the field or confiscation from poachers. The costs of maintaining these stocks are substantial, with ongoing risks of horns and ivory ending up in the illegal trade. Communities have identified the positive impact of sales of stockpiles, and there is global interest from NGOs and philanthropists willing to buy stockpiled horn and ivory in order to then have them destroyed; however, such an approach, which has been repeatedly rejected by other SADC countries, is highly controversial and raises significant concerns."

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As stated above, I believe South Africa is letting down the SADC sustainable utilization team by not coming through with strong support for a legal trade in wildlife products. To shed crocodile tears about stockpiled product coming onto the illegal market, when there is NO LEGAL MARKET is the height of hypocrisy. The burning of ivory and rhino horns by Kenya and other countries, funded by anti-use NGOs and governments, was a despicable and senseless act. More elephants and rhinos would simply be killed to replace the destroyed wildlife products, because those much-reported cremations did not harm the illegal markets in the slightest, nor affect the demand for valued wildlife products by those who are willing to pay good money to obtain them. Surely it is axiomatic that if there are no legal markets for products that people want, only illegal markets will thrive?

There is no doubt that this document is an important piece of work, and one that deserves critical input. "..(it) will be reviewed within ten years after publication.

This will provide for sufficient time for the policy objectives to have the intended effect on the outcomes".

"This Policy Position sets out policy objectives and outcomes towards achieving secured, restored and rewilded natural landscapes with thriving populations of lion, elephant, rhino and leopard,

as indicators for a vibrant, responsible, inclusive, transformed and sustainable wildlife sector."

These are lofty goals indeed, and given the fraught social, economic and political situation that South Africa finds itself in during the second half of 2021, it will require a massive and coordinated effort by all concerned to achieve even a few or more of the objectives and outcomes.

Government will not be able to do this purely through legislation. Issues of land ownership are already a source of conflict and suspicion, with Government seemingly working towards legislation that will allow 'expropriation without compensation'. South Africa's burgeoning population and stagnant economy, coupled with unworkable labour laws and restrictive and discriminatory practices in hiring employees, has resulted in massive unemployment, especially among the youth, an explosive formula for civil unrest.

Readers can access the full PDF at http://www.gpwonline.co.za/

Dr John Ledger is an independent consultant and writer on energy and environmental issues, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

John.Ledger@wol.co.za

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Focus on an Animal

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Thomson’s gazelle

By Chris and Mathilde Stuart Based on Chris and Mathilde Stuart’s book, "Game Animals of the World," published by African Hunting Gazette, here’s everything hunters need to know about the Thomson’s gazelle

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English: Thompson’s gazelle Latin: Eudorcas thomsoni German: Thomson-Gazelle French: Gazelle de Thomson Spanish: Gacela de Thomson MEASUREMENTS Total length: 1 – 1.38 m (3.3‘– 4.5‘) Tail: 20 – 28 cm (7.9” – 11”) Shoulder Height: 55 – 65 cm (1.8‘– 2.1‘) Weight: 15 – 25 kg (33 – 55 lb) (rarely more than 28 kg (62 lb))

DESCRIPTION A small gazelle that is one of the most abundant in Africa and commonly called “Tommy” within its range. Upperparts are pale yellowish-fawn to reddish-fawn, with a distinct, broad black lateral stripe clearly separating the clean white underparts. There is a clear broad white ring around the eye, and the short, constantly flicking tail is covered with black hair. The ram carries the long, close-growing, horns that are strongly ringed.

They widen towards the tip and usually curve slightly inward. The ewe carries short, slender and often deformed horns. The race known as the mongalla (E. t. albonotata) has the white of the eye ring extending to the forehead, a white forehead patch and horns that turn more sharply inwards. Otherwise easily recognisable as Thomson’s, the mongalla was recently recognized as a full species.

DISTRIBUTION Thomson’s straddles the Tanzanian/Kenyan border, mainly within the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem, with the mongalla race centered on the Boma Plateau of South Sudan and adjoining Ethiopia. Huntable in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

HABITATS Open grassland savanna.

BEHAVIOR In herds of up to 60 animals accompanied by a single adult ram and led by an old ewe.

However these groups are unstable and there is much migration to and fro. Rams are territorial during the peak rut, but at other times large numbers, into the thousands, feed and move together. In the rut ram territories vary from 100 – 300 m (110 - 330 yards) in radius and he attempts to mate with any receptive ewe that comes within his boundary.

Rams will fight viciously to defend their territories. When alarmed both sexes jump in the air with stiff-legged gait (also called stotting) and flair the white rump hairs.

Thomson’s Gazelle

Thomson’s gazelle E. t. thomsonii Mongalla gazelle E.t. albonotata

BREEDING Mating season: Most births are in January/ February after rains, with females having second young in July Gestation: 188 days Number of young: 1 Birth weight: 2.2 – 3 kg (4.9 – 6.6 lb) Sexual maturity: 12 months. Females conceive from 152 – 720 days of age.

CONSERVATION STANDING FOOD Despite its very limited distribution, this is one Grazers that require regular access to water. of Africa’s most abundant gazelles, with about one million animals of which about one-third RIFLES AND AMMUNITION make up the mongalla race. Numbers have Suggested Caliber: .224 - .257. increased dramatically in Serengeti in parallel Bullet: Expanding bullet. with the increase in wildebeest numbers that Sights: Medium-range variable scope. increase in areas of short grass. The mongalla Hunting Conditions: Expect medium-range population in Sudan is in part largely non- shots in open country. migratory, but those in the Jonglei Canal area and on the Boma Plateau undergo seasonal migrations. These movements are on to the floodplains in the dry season, retreating to higher-lying ground as Shot placement river waters rise during the rains. The status of the mongalla population in the adjacent Omo National Park of Ethiopia is currently not known, but in the late 1990s it was said to be absent there. Numbers have decreased in Kenya outside the Mara ecosystem, as well as in Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Ironically, this latter decline resulted from removal of Maasai cattle, and thus a reduction in short grass, which Thomson’s requires. Between 1978 and 2005 the Thomson's gazelle population crashed by an estimated 60% over much of its range, even within conservation areas. Various reasons have been given for this decline, some man-made, others natural.

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Day 8 Dagga Boy

By Al Banes My August 2011 Zim journal reads, “Humani Ranch, Southeastern Zimbabwe, Save River Valley on the Turgwe River.”

Seven days without a shot opportunity on Cape buffalo, and you start to think the odds are against you, that this is not your time…

On the hunt

Z

im PH, Butch Coaton, and I had worked together on some solid plans this trip to take nyati on Roger Whittall’s, Humani Ranch in southeast Zimbabwe, with me carrying my Sako 85L in .375HH mag with a Trijicon 1-4X. However, taking some plains game was enough.

On Day 8, we planned to check the tracks of the “Magnificent 7”, as I thought of them, an elusive group of old bulls we had been pursuing all week. Instead, we went south on Humani after picking up Jaie, a young, hot-shot tracker, Mazondi, Butch’s tried and true man, and Absalom, the more senior tracker, who had spotted a tuskless elephant for me two years ago, in Zim’s northern Dande province. Off we went at 5:45 a.m. and by 6:10 a.m. we were in the field having crossed tracks of five Dagga Boys.

We stopped the truck, readied our kits and checked our weapons. I routinely put four rounds in the .375 (holds 4+1), usually a Barnes Triple-Shock soft on top of three 300-grain Hornady monolithic solids. I had taken two other buffs, a cow

Al Banes Hillsborough, NC (left) with Butch Coaton PH Harare, Zimbabwe (right) with a 1600 lb, adversarial, Cape buffalo that ambushed us from 9 meters. Eight shots in six seconds ended the altercation, but it was an eternity that we both relived for weeks, when the sun went down.

Zambia ‘The Real Africa’ Steven & Lucy Rufus: +26 09 7827 0832 / + 26 09 7666 4090 shamwarisafaris@gmail.com / www.shamwarihuntingsafaris.com 20

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and an old bull with single shots. The terrain sometimes only permitted a few yards visibility to several hundred yards. It was a toss-up as to what power to pick on the Trijicon. I chose 2X because I expected a close-up and personal shot. I got my wish!

We tracked these buffs for about two hours. We had hit warm-to-the-fingerstick spoor within 20 minutes. I carried my rifle at the ready, like a bird gun. We tracked, found more spoor, tracked, and watched the woods and the wind. We were in and out of thick, thorny acacia and grass, and then in rocky kopjes, with some depressions and elevations, then in more open areas. The buffs moved in a counterclockwise circle and I knew they were on to us when we started the second huge circle of a few hundred yards right over our own tracks! They weren’t running, or grazing. They were leading us on!

More spoor, wind with us, then against us. Several times the trackers stopped and saw something… No, nothing. Then right at the two-hour mark, Butch glassed a huge, deep curled monster buff about 180 yards off at the edge of an acacia stand, really thick stuff with jesse tangle as well.

I got my Leica up and quickly saw what he was talking about - a huge rump, a quick glance, and gone.

We hustled parallel to the acacia stand from several hundred yards off, moving downwind. After a proper distance, we slowed, then crept and crawled toward our quarry. Butch glassed the acacia, dense and gray, and there was a Dagga Boy, 7080 yards off. Not the monster, but he was facing us, chest forward, head up. It was a difficult sight picture: a dark spot with a lighter, top horn. We crouched. The sky was gray, given a second day of cloudy drizzle. No standing, as we would bugger the ambush.

Butch, on hands and knees, but glassing towards the buff, asked slowly, “Do you see him?”

I peered through the Trijicon, and “Yes,” I said, “the dark spot, yes!”

“Put the barrel on my shoulder,” Butch whispered hoarsely.

“OK.” I slowly moved the .375 barrel up to his left shoulder, trying to get a sight picture on the buff at the edge of the acacia stand. In the shadows, other dark spots were about, making me doubt that I was aiming at the right spot through the grass beneath his chin. Now I could see the buff ’s horn, his head up, as he peered in our direction. I had to assume he was

They “made” us! The “Magnificent Seven” Cape buffalo on the sandy bottom of the Turgwe River near the Humani ranch in the Save River basin southeast of Harare, Zimbabwe, August 2011. facing us directly.

Butch whispered hoarsely, “Do you have solids?”

“Yes,” I said, for the second time.

“Put one directly in his chest, not too high! Can you see his chin?”

“Not really,” I thought, then, “Yes, I see it!”

“Now, down a bit.”

I put the green dot on the buff ’s mouth, took it down half-way in the phantom chest, let out a half-breath and squeezed the trigger. His head went down at the shot, the trackers said. I was still coming off the recoil. He headed off to the left, back over our tracks. He was really moving.

We raced to the spot where he had stood.

“Did you hit him!?” Butch shouted, “Were you far enough down?”

“Yes!” I was speaking to Butch’s back while clutching my bouncing binos to my vest as we slowed to the target spot. “I was halfway again down the black that I could see!”

We inspected the area that minutes before had been the buff. No blood, no hair, no evidence that he had been hit at all! Hmmmm? Momentary doubt.

The trackers returned after a quick reconnaissance of the get-away and reported that he had gone off to the left with two others that had boiled out of the acacia. We picked up tracks, but no blood.

The buff had stopped running after 100

Butch Coaton PH and Shona trackers, Absalom, Mazundi and Jai (L-R) on spoor on Humani Ranch, Zimbabwe. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

21

The San people rock wall off at our left and behind the kopje to our right lay our bull, in ambush (Larry Norton original pen and ink art. Scene 1). Later, Jai inspecting the bushman settlement atop a 30 meter high rock kopje.

The charging bull at 9 meters! (Larry Norton original pen and ink art. Scene 2 ).

22

www.africanhuntinggazette.com

yards. He was walking. ”Are you sure you hit him?” Butch queried. ”Yes, I am sure!”

Then I saw bright, red, foamy blood about every yard. The shot would be lethal, but this Dagga Boy was not ready to go and, as it turned out, he wanted to take us with him!

We came up to a termite mound about 10 feet high. Butch turned to me with a smile. ”Rrrright, let’s stop here a bit and let him lie up.”

As we waited, Absalom selected a shaft of yellow grass and carefully inserted it into a tunnel in the side of the termite mound. He let the grass rest, then slowly withdrew it. At the end of the shaft, was a bright, red-bodied, termite with pincers firmly embedded. He carefully picked the termite off by the body, put the pincers between his teeth then bit down, spitting out the pincers and crunching on the termite. He repeated the process, happily consuming the succulent insects.

We waited at least 30 minutes for the buff to stiffen up, then started back on the wounded beast’s tracks, and there he was, this impossibly huge figure broadside to us, about 100-120 yards ahead amidst clumps of blackish rock. The buff steadied and ran. I fired a solid, Butch fired his .458 Winchester, then ran and fired again.

The solid pinging off a distant rock made a sound like a ricochet from the “Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Butch turned to me. “We are going to have a problem with this one!”

As we would learn later, no new hits were in the animal, and we knew he was likely making a plan to ambush us. We carried on for 400-500 yards when we bumped a pair of black rhino and calves! We gave them a wide berth, but Jaie started to head towards them, and they picked up our scent.

Butch angrily motioned Jaie to come with us. We stalked another 20 yards around the left of a kopje that was three yards high, 40 yards long and about 12 yards wide. Farther off to the left, about a kilometer away, was a much higher kopje, perhaps 30 yards, and we could just make out an ancient dry-stone wall of granite rocks. The trackers pointed to it, and Jaie said that his father had told him it was built by the Bushmen - San people, I surmised. The area was known as Zamara or Zamora, thousands of years old.

So there we were, with black rhino 60 seconds ago on our right, the rock

On the hunt

Four meters and closing! (Larry Norton original pen and ink art.

Scene 3).

We jumped aside and fired again! (Larry Norton original art, scene 4).

formation on our left. Two distractions we did not need. Then, just to the right from the rocks, and nine yards away out of sight in the kopje dividing us from four rhino, was the wounded bull. Shot through the chest from 70 yards, his right lung bleeding, and the solid lodged in his grass-filled gut, this bull had saved plenty for us.

I was still thinking of San people and the stacked stones when, for an instant, I thought that Jaie had snapped a jesse branch.

But no! It was this horned, black, contorted thing, rising from its haunches, front hooves impossibly high, at the level of those massive horns. Silence, but for the sliding rocks and cracking branches.

Butch’s .458 exploded to my left, and I instantly snap-shot my .375. Both shots hit the buff ’s swinging head.

He was above us, leaping over the rock wall. My solid hit just over his right eye, a centimeter into his boss. Butch fired again into the mouth. “Boss in the way,” I thought, firing through the right ear pinna and down the neck, trying for a spine shot, he was so close. This was an ugly, deadly, moving target, now at three or four yards and closing.

Second shot, short shuck. Time slowed down. “Huh, a jam!” I thought as I cleared and slammed home the bolt, firing from my waist at the buff ’s head! Butch fired a third shot as he moved in a nimble dance just to the left. I side-stepped as well and fired into the neck again, hoping for a spine break. The animal kept coming, hung in the jesse in the second rock barrier.

Butch’s fourth shot struck home and the buffalo fell in the open space where we had been standing seconds before. I finished off a fourth at his head, reloaded and put one down his spine. All this happened in about six seconds.

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On the hunt I let out a huge “Yee Haaw!” having survived a raging bull onslaught. All the trackers pranced and jabbered excitedly in Shona, retelling each other what had just happened.

Butch and company trekked back to retrieve the Cruiser. I lay down, alone, at the kopje ambush with our buffalo where, moments before, he had been. It was an hour before the vehicle arrived.

We loaded up and went to camp where we told and retold the story. But I relived the day’s events that night in my dreams – terrible - and thankful that this Dagga Boy did not get us.

He wanted to, and it was close!

Albert J. Banes PhD is a Professor Emeritus in Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University in Chapel Hill and Raleigh, NC and President of Flexcell International Corporation, a biotech company in Burlington, NC. Butch Coaton PH is a professional hunter of 35 years from Harare, Zimbabwe. He hunts throughout Africa. See Butch’s website at butchcoatonsafaris.com. Pen and ink art by lifelong Zim wildlife artist, Larry Norton of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (larrynorton.co.za).

The Sako 85L Kodiak rifle and 1-4X Trijicon scope-a great combination, from this author’s standpoint. The action was smooth and tight, balance was just right, the barrel length great for quick point and shoot, on or off sticks. The Trijicon’s green dot left no uncertainty as to where your bullet was headed. Both the .458 (solid below) and .375 Barnes bullets retained mass.

An arduous hunt, uncertainty, the camaraderie of the hunters and professionalism of the entire crew. Thank you Butch and trackers and Thank you Africa.

To Hunt a

LESSER KUDU – Follow a Poacher!

By Geoff Wainwright

On the hunt Real Africa starts north of the Zambezi where game ranches are in limited numbers, unlike in South Africa where wildlife is protected behind fences by private owners. In the vast open areas of Zambia and Tanzania game roams free and is poached by poverty-cursed villagers. The game departments are poorly financed and understaffed, and anti-poaching plays an essential role in trophy hunting and conservation.

I had joined the ranks of the Honorary Wildlife rangers in Zambia as a professional hunter and worked in the Kafue and Luangwa areas. There was rampant poaching there and we arrested the suspects. However, while on our annual biltong hunts in the GMAs (game management areas) we were prohibited from hunting without police trained in wildlife management.

T

hen, because of corruption in the game department, I crossed the border, continued to hunt clients, and put my anti-poaching skills into practice in Tanzania. While in Masailand I was guiding a German named Thomas Straff, and one night after a day’s hunt for lesser kudu we were relaxing at the campfire. My waiters were about to give Thomas a jar of honey for his wife in Germany when their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the distant thud of a fired muzzleloader. They looked at us and simultaneously cursed – Majanjile! – Poachers! …

We were in dry semi-desert country with thorn thickets that in places arched overhead. We were hunting for a recordbook lesser kudu. Our hunting block was declared out of bounds to villagers by the game department because of the poaching, and the scouts were given an incentive: for each poacher arrested and successfully prosecuted, the scouts were paid a handsome bonus. Yet each day in the early morning, my tracker on the back of my vehicle would point to fresh bicycle tracks made during the night on what we loosely called the main road.

This particular day, my game guard Oboto and the crew jumped down to read the signs. Our suspect had carried a heavy load on his bicycle carrier. He had turned off the main track and carried on riding between thickets. We followed his bicycle track at a snail’s pace, drove over low bushes, and squeezed through and around haystack-high thorny scrub while still on

the lookout for a kudu, occasionally seeing fresh kudu tracks and droppings.

Suddenly, at two hundred meters we stopped as a group of kudu began to cross over an open space. Thomas rested his rifle rested on the shooting sticks. We waited as the females showed, followed by the some young males. We passed on them, and pressed on, never deviating from the cyclist’s tracks, often spotting dik-diks scurrying out of sight. Thorn thickets scratched up against the Land Cruiser's sides with a screeching sound.

Suddenly Oboto's head appeared at my window, and he told me to stop. He asked for my binoculars and climbed onto the roof. For a few tense moments nobody spoke. My glasses were shared between my crew. Then the silence was broken by their excited repeated whispering of “Indio!”

(Yes! Yes! in Swahili.)

I got out of the cab, joined the men and focused my binoculars. Three hundred meters away was an ancient baobab, and high up in the fork between the bulbous branches a man in a cloud of smoke was busy raiding a beehive. We left the truck, our rifles slung over our backs, and quietly stalked and got to within a hundred meters of the tree. Aware there could be other men, we checked the surrounds - nothing.

His bicycle was leaning against the tree trunk, a plastic container strapped on the carrier. The man remained oblivious to our presence, but angry bees buzzing around our heads decided us to back away and took cover behind some high bushes.

We watched, as with a rope he lowered www.africanhuntinggazette.com

27

a basket of honeycomb to the ground.

Hand over foot, he used hard wooden pegs knocked into the soft bark, and clambered down, his arms flailing about swatting stinging bees. We sneaked up behind him, and Oboto shouted and pointed his .458. The frightened poacher staggered backwards and fell on his back.

He was in his sixties, dressed in tattered overalls, an African axe hooked over one shoulder. His eyes were bloodshot. We kept our distance as Oboto started to question him and pointed to his bicycle. Fearfully the poacher admitted his container was filled with water. We took him into custody and put his honey, bicycle and container on board my vehicle. We left the baobab and reached our camp at twilight.

Our captive, fit for his age, jumped down, his face swollen from the bee stings, eyes just slits. He greeted my amused staff with a smile and offered them some honey. In the truck’s headlights Oboto broke a comb into pieces, and flicked off any bees still stunned by the poacher’s smoke.

Thomas and I showered away the day’s dust and fatigue, leaving the camp staff to suck the liquid gold and chew and spit out the wax. And it was there by the fire, the honey jar next to Thomas’s beer, when we heard muzzleloader shot. Within minutes Oboto hurried out of the dark into our firelight, holding his .458 Bruno, and spoke urgently in Swahili. I apologized to Thomas, and we left him in the care of my waiters.

We got into the truck, with the honey collector between my skinner and tracker holding on in the back. I smiled inwardly - my staff had named him Puffy because of his swollen face. Our headlights switched off, we made good speed over the white ribbons of tyre ruts as Puffy, a Masai by tribe, gave directions to Oboto. He said to turn off our main track into unfamiliar territory. We slowed to a snail’s pace and wound our way through stands of scratchy thorn trees, and on high ground I cut the motor.

Puffy pointed to an orange glow in a dark sea of endless thicket. Oboto questioned him, and he admitted that the water on his bicycle was for the indicated group of poachers. Their camp was on the bank of a dry riverbed and their underground water supply had finally dried up. Puffy agreed to guide us to their whereabouts in daylight.

On our return to camp we flushed a pennant-winged nightjar. With its two wing feathers much longer than its dark body, it fluttered daintily against the grey

night sky, only to land again. Thomas welcomed us back at camp, and after a pleasant evening together we retired for the night.

With the rays of early morning sunlight on the horizon we left camp, Puffy

crammed in the cab between Thomas and me. An hour later we drove down a steep bank onto the riverbed littered with elephant dung. Twice we passed easy-toshoot non-trophy kudu bulls. Our route upstream was blocked by flood debris, so

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On the hunt we cleared a way through and continued.

By mid-morning ribs of rock were scraping the chassis of the Land Cruiser.

Then a spiral of smoke above a bend in the track indicated the poachers’ camp a short distance away. We came to stop.

Puffy whispered to Oboto, using hand movements to illustrate which path to take. I quietly I drove up onto the bank and hid the truck in riverside foliage, and with leafy branches we swept away the truck’s tracks. We left Puffy handcuffed to the bull-bars and threatened him shoot him if he betrayed our presence to his accomplices.

Oboto took the lead, and Thomas’s back-up rifle .30- 06 was proudly carried by our tracker, the shooting sticks by the skinner. We soon found the poachers’ worn footpath used to transport bush meat on bicycles to distant markets. Careful not to leave our boot tracks, we kept it in sight and followed its twists and turns, every so often stopping to glass ahead.

The poachers were already hunting in the vicinity as we heard the distant dull thuds of their muzzleloaders.

Mindful of Puffy's advice to be cautious, we walked round a tight thicket corner and suddenly ahead of us was exposed to the silent poacher’s camp.

There were thatched cone-shaped huts covered in dried branches and the smell of smoked meat on the drying racks. Next to four bicycles on the ground were fireblackened hearth stones. Thomas pointed out lesser kudu horns wedged in a fork of a tree. Like thieves we sneaked from hut to hut, peering through the low doorways. In the dim light were four mattresses made from grass, the soiled blankets strewn about, smelling of sweaty bodies. A dog suddenly started to bark in the distance, the barking growing louder by the minute.

We made a snap decision to leave.

Oboto snatched up a wildebeest tail and swept away our tracks. Our party hurried out of camp to the closest thicket, and on hands and knees we burrowed inside to hide. We had a view over the camp, and to our back was the dry riverbed. The dog suddenly appeared between the huts and vanished from sight. We heard the sound of voices, and two men out of the expected four came into view pushing a bicycle, a kudu draped over the carrier. At the sight of the impressive horns that would be left to rot with the others, Thomas muttered in German to himself, and shook his head dolefully. He then turned his attention to the river and tapped me on the shoulder. I

raised my glasses in the direction he was looking to see a kudu bull standing in the shade of the river bank, its head crowned with exceptional horns. Thomas and I sneaked away from our crew and followed the river bank. It was an easy shot from the shooting sticks to the opposite side, a soft point .375 heart shot. The kudu collapsed onto the sand.

Oboto cursed us, imagining his bonus money gone as he thought the two poachers in the camp would have bolted at the shot. However, they must have assumed it came from one of their accomplices, because they took no notice and remained in their camp.

We sneaked back and waited for the other henchmen to return. When they arrived they just left their muzzleloaders leaning up against a tree out of their reach. The element of surprise was in our favour, and we arrested them at gunpoint. We had to release Puffy on the grounds of no evidence - my sweet-toothed staff had eaten all the honey.

Thomas’s kudu hunt was finally over, and my hunter and I left Masailand to hunt a sitatunga.

But I sometimes wonder if Oboto ever got paid his bonus for arresting the poachers.

Geoff was born in Que Que (now Kwe Kwe) in 1945, and educated in Kitwe and Mufulira in what was Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, and he worked in school holidays in his father’s gun shop. His father gave him a BSA 7x50.7 and at age 25 he joined Zambia Safaris and graduated to a .375 H&H. He became an Honorary Wild Life Ranger and moved to Tanzania and joined Wengert Windrose Safaris. He has worked for numerous outfits and hunted in South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Congo. Geoff still does the occasional hunt and is author of a book “Hunting for Trouble". www.africanhuntinggazette.com

31

On the hunt

By Ricardo Leone It was good to be back in the lower Lupande, Luangwa River Valley in Zambia. It had been four years since we were in this camp with Peter Chipman of Kwalata Safaris – we now called Peter “Bwana”. In some ways nothing had changed, in others it was completely different. In the three years inbetween, Zambia was closed to hunting and the concession suffered – to be clear, the animals had suffered dearly. The poachers and villagers ran amuck – the elephants best told the story with their unstable and dangerous behavior – not the way we remember them from 2012. My son, Mac, joined me for the second straight year – this year was meant to be a life-changing trip for him – his first Cape buffalo. I had a few species on my wish list for this trip myself - other than another buffalo of course – one of which was a Nile crocodile.

W

hile I am not a huge fan of baiting game, croc baiting is slightly different. Here, the idea is to fill their bellies so that all they want to do is sun themselves while digesting. Crocs have a highly developed sensory system and they can feel the slightest footstep coming at great distances. Thus, the baiting process is simply to dull their senses as they sleep off a big meal, though the hunter has no idea where they may sun themselves.

Two days prior I had shot a hippo, and although we had to give a hindquarter to one of the local village officials who got wind of our trophy and decided to levy a tax on us the very evening of the hunt, we still had plenty of hippo meat to use for bait. Bwana had

his crew set the bait in the Luangwa in two specific places – one near camp, and the other down a winding road lined with trees and brush next to the Luangwa several miles from camp. (We called it Ele Alley!) This road was notorious for bushbuck and elephants moving to and from the river, making it rather dangerous for us driving in the Land Cruiser – not fun! In fact, the very afternoon we shot our hippo, we had a problem.

While driving down the road casually looking for bushbuck, we saw a herd of elephant coming up from the river to our right. We decided to drive quickly to stay ahead of them. However we did not realize that the herd had been split, and we managed to drive straight into the back of the leading www.africanhuntinggazette.com

33

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On the hunt herd. To complicate things, the last elephant there was a mother with a baby, and she was not happy to see us – not at all. Now we had a real situation to deal with.

What made matters worse was our PH, Adam Buski, who normally drove his own Land Cruiser, was sitting on the back bench with Mac and me, and unfortunately Adam had left his gun in the cab of the vehicle. He asked me for my gun and then the standoff between the disgruntled mother and us began. She made the first move – raising her ears, trumpeting, shaking her head and flapping her ears, ready for a mock charge.

Adam was barking instructions to the guide: “Rev the engine, rock the vehicle, mock charge at the elephant and make noise!”

Of course while the guide was revving the engine and attempting to rock the vehicle, he stalled it. Adam lifted my Griffin & Howe .375 H&H Mag rifle and pointed it directly at her head, muttering, “Don’t make me do it, don’t make do it…

“Just turn around and go,” he urged the mother elephant, “I do not want to be doing paper work all day tomorrow.” As the guide revved the engine all I could think was, “Why have I put my 26-year-old son’s life in danger – this was not going to end well. Luckily, without any more drama the mother turned around with one more snort of her trunk and walked off to catch up with the front part of the herd. With no time to spare we had to hastily drive down the road as the second half of the herd was just about to overtake us. I was just praying that the guide would not stall the vehicle again. Needless to say, I did not like anything to do with elephants or alleys.

Ok, now back to crocs…

Once the bait was in the river, we had to check it periodically to see if any crocs had been feeding or were sleeping off their feast nearby. The next day, we had to check the bait down that alley – something I was not really keen to do for the obvious reasons.

It was just before 8 a.m. and as we were winding our way down, not more than 30 yards away we saw a really nice male bushbuck to our left. I grabbed my Griffin & Howe .300 Win Mag and swung it in one motion, placing my elbow on my knee to stabilize the rifle and shot – the Bushbuck flipped forward doing a full summersault; I never saw anything like it. We stopped for pictures and proceeded to see the bait. The bait was down a path off the road tied to a tree that lent over the river. Unsurprisingly, no signs of a croc with the shot fired and

Two precision shots. all the commotion we were making with photos and talking. The Land Cruiser itself does not always frighten animals away as the animals become accustomed to the game drive vehicles.

The next morning Adam wanted to check the bait again. A glutton for punishment, I agreed and off we went again, the same way. The plan was to drop Adam, Mac and me off just before the path to the bait and keep driving to avoid stop/ start noises that could spook a croc. As the Land Cruiser drove away, the three of us quietly walked down the road onto the path to the bait, and there, lying motionless under the bait tree facing away from us, was a monster croc! Adam turned to remind us - NO noise!

All we could see was the back of the croc, its head and tail below the bank.

Its back was really wide. I had no shot at any vitals, so we needed to quietly make our way around the tree to see if we could make a shot. This was mission impossible – while the croc’s senses may have been dulled from the hippo feast, the animal was not in a comma. As we walked off the path onto leaves, the croc crashed into the water. It

“Don’t make me do it, don’t make do it…

was enormous. Adam said it could have been anywhere from 14 to 16 feet – huge by any standard, specifically in this region where a 12 foot croc is considered a respectable trophy.

We walked back to meet the Land Cruiser to finish our drive down the road that looped away from the river back to the main road. It was just after noon and we decided to make our way back to camp. On the way to the main road, we saw a waterbuck in one of the drying mudflats, and the tracker signaled our driver to reverse. Now it was Mac’s turn.

He grabbed the .300 Win Mag, not his preferred rifle. The waterbuck ranged at 94 yards. Adam saw that the waterbuck, having seen our Land Cruiser, was on alert and told Mac to quietly exit the vehicle and position himself.

Mac steadied himself and with one perfect shot, he had his trophy. Though no crocs – we still had a productive morning and headed back to camp for lunch. We were equally happy for the waterbuck and to be leaving that alley.

Back at camp we shared the stories of the enormous croc and of Mac’s waterbuck success. We started our usual pre-lunch routine: shed shoes, get a cold drink and take in the sights the river offered. The wide expanse on the other side of the Luangwa was

Now it was Mac’s turn. He grabbed the .300 Win Mag, not his preferred rifle.

www.africanhuntinggazette.com

35

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On the hunt a game reserve, spectacular for photography.

The expanse on the opposite side of the river was considerable and the views were spectacular. The sandy bank gradually merged into the river – we could see much wildlife drinking on the bank. After lunch it was time to just relax. Our other hunting partner, Manno, would usually say, “Time to get horizontal,” and he would disappear for his nap. As we would not leave for the afternoon game drive till about 3.30, we would have a nice long break – or in Manno’s case a long nap. Mac and I would have a cigar and chat.

Later, as we were relaxing, Mac looked out onto one of the sandbars in front of the camp and spotted a large croc. While it was facing towards camp, we could see its width and get a sense of the length. Mac asked Bwana if it was a shooter.

“Yah, yah, go get your PH.” Mac ran to find Adam and I ran to get my gun, the Griffin & Howe .300Win Mag. Adam came with sticks in hand. Unlike in the bush, we did not have a guide; no scout, no vehicle and there was no classic stalk to make. As the croc was sunning itself, we had time to make a plan. It was facing the camp with his head turned slightly to our right towards a group of trees at the corner of the camp.

Adam pointed to the trees.

“Let’s walk there quietly and have a good look.” I already had my range-finding binos around my neck and Adam brought his binos – we both glassed. I ranged the distance at 96 yards and Adam checked the lengthof the croc – a good 12 footer – respectable. While not the size of the one we saw earlier that day, “A bird in hand is better that two in bush,” especially if the bush were the alley.

Adam set the sticks and told me to give it one in between his eyes. My Griffin & Howe .300 Win Mag can be surgical at 96 yards assuming no user error. I could take my time and just breathe slowly and squeeze the trigger. The noise from the shot was deafening - while I thought I had brought everything, I forgot my ear plugs, and the noise was amplified within the camp, ricocheting off the thatch fence and tents – the closest of which was Manno’s tent in which he was napping. In fact, I was about six feet from Manno’s tent in the shade from the trees I was shooting under.

The shot was perfect – right in between

Twelve foot Nile crocodile with Griffin & Howe .300 Win Mag. the eyes. The croc opened its mouth wide and moved its head from side to side. When it closed its mouth, Adam said, “Give him another – same spot.” I did not hesitate – I was still on the sticks and watching the croc’s every move in my scope. The second shot was also perfect – now my ears were ringing.

The croc was motionless. I looked at Adam thinking he would start to congratulate me.

Instead he instructed me to give the croc one more shot, this time into the engine room. For the first time in five African hunting safaris – I almost questioned the PH. I guess Adam could read my body language.

“We do not want that croc to make a lastditch effort to flee into the water, as we will never see it again.” What the PH says, goes: I took a third shot which made the same thundering noise as the first two. The croc remained motionless – now my ears were really ringing.

At this point – Manno abruptly appeared from his tent with his Rigby .416 in hand looking as if the camp was under siege and he needed to protect himself. While ready

I ranged the distance at 96 yards and Adam checked the lengthof the croc – a good 12 footer – respectable.

for battle, he was only wearing swim trunks.

“Manno – puts some clothes on,” I said.

“I DID!” We told Manno he could put down his gun, we were just shooting a croc, and pointed to the croc lying on the sandbar.

In Manno’s defense, the previous few nights we had been woken by the cacophony of elephants creating a ruckus just outside the camp, and Manno was convinced they had broken through the thatch fence surrounding the camp and that we were shooting at elephants to protect ourselves.

Once the confusion was sorted out, we all celebrated.

Then Bwana called the camp crew together to retrieve the croc. Three members of the crew rolled up their pants and with rope and a long pole to scare off other crocs, they went out to the sandbar to get our trophy.

They dragged it up a steep embankment where there was a picturesque spot for the obligatory photos. This photo session was unique – a bit surreal. We were in camp, but it did not feel very safari-like. It was more like a beach party – the entire camp joined in. Manno was still in beach attire, and both Mac and I were wearing our flip flops.

Everyone was happy.

I had my croc, and Mac and I were equally happy that we did not have to return to “Ele Alley” for the rest of the trip. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

37

A Most DANGEROUS GAME

By Roger Wiltz Over the years, I’ve read volumes on the subject of dangerous game. It’s not necessarily about things that bite. Cow elephant hunts are often mentioned, but the guy who gets the most press is the African Cape buffalo. Given the chance, he’ll charge, and he’ll stomp on you until you’re nothing but a big greasy spot of mud.

M

y good friend Paul Muth, a Mitchell SD hunter, began his ten day Mozambique Cape buffalo hunt on 2 October 2019. It was springtime in Africa, and the daytime temperatures exceeded 100 degrees F. If he had it to do over, he would have gone in July when the winter temperatures would have been in the 80s. They walked eight to ten miles a day, an exercise that taxed Paul to the max.

The four-day trip to hunting camp began with a flight from Sioux Falls to Atlanta.

The flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa was followed by a short flight to Phalaborwa, Limpopo - South Africa’s northernmost province. From there it was 12 hours in a Toyota Land Cruiser over sometimes rough dirt trails.

Paul hunted from dark to dark, beginning at 4.30 a.m. and ending at 7.00 p.m. The five-man crew included Paul, two PHs, and two trackers. Paul’s outfitter, Albert Alberts of Alberts Lowveld Safaris, had been recommended to him by a friend who had made 22 safaris with Alberts. The Alberts camp also employed ten anti-poachers and

A small group of Cape buffalo..

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On the hunt

Paul Muth and carcass.

Albert and Paul discussing the pros of buffalo meat.

The camp garden.

The thatched dining room 42

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Inside the camp dining room.

a number of cooks, housekeepers, and skinners.

The Alberts hunting concession included 70,000 acres of unfenced Mozambique veld.

A day’s hunt would typically begin in the Land Cruiser with the trackers looking for buffalo tracks that crossed the road. By towing a small tree that obliterated older tracks, they knew if tracks were fresh. The trackers were experts in determining whether or not a track was worth following on foot, and many stalks ended in frustration when the buffalo detected human scent because of a change in wind direction. It usually took five to six hours to get on the buffalo, and heavy thorn brush often limited visibility to small openings.

The game plan was to put a respectable bull on the ground, and then spend the remainder of the hunt looking for a superior bull if time permitted. Other game animals were often sighted, but Paul remained focused on buffalo. However, he did take an exceptional warthog at hunt’s end.

Paul carried a bolt-action rifle in the .375 H&H Magnum caliber, the minimum round permitted for hunting African Cape buffalo. His bullets were 300-grain soft points. The PHs carried heavier guns for backup work. When I asked Paul if they had seen any elephants, he asked me if I had seen any cows on my way to Mitchell.

The first buff came on Day 7 with a 28 yard shot from a kneeling off-hand position. Paul anchored the excellent bull with follow-up shots, and no backup shots were fired by either PH. It was a very old bull with 36 inch horns and a deep curl.

Though well satisfied, Paul had three days

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Paul Muth with the second buffalo.

to find an even better trophy – a tough assignment at best.

An even better bull provided a lifethreatening confrontation on day nine.

In spite of Paul’s well-placed shot over shooting sticks, the bull didn’t go down.

Fortunately the bull didn’t immediately detect the source of the shot, but he did after Paul’s errant second shot hit him in the foot. The bull now went into a full charge and took Paul’s third shot into the brisket at 25 yards. That shot turned him, and Paul was able to put him down with a fourth shot. His fifth shot was followed by the bull’s loud, ominous death bellow.

The big guy’s horns measured more than 42 inches from tip to tip.

When Paul asked the PHs how long they would have waited for him to fire during the charge, they replied it would have come in another half-second.

The Land Rovers were equipped to load the bulls whole, without field dressing, and no meat, not even the intestines, were wasted. As you read this, Paul’s three trophies are being processed in Africa as shoulder mounts. Africa’s renewable resource hunting industry provides many jobs as well as feeding many hungry people.

Cape buffalo.

Will Paul go back? He’s already thinking crocodile, honey badger, and another Cape buffalo.

Roger Wiltz 200 Elm Ave. S.E. Wagner, SD 57380 Ph: 605384-3794 Cell: 608-333-8899 Email: rwiltz@charles-mix.com

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Hunting Africa

By Merle Sampson My first trip to Ethiopia was in March of 2012 to hunt the mountain nyala and Menelik’s bushbuck. No other animals were available on license.

I wasn’t concerned, as I had read about and talked to many people about the difficulty of success for the mountain nyala, and that it could take the full two weeks. On top of that I learned that a hunter was now returning to the US without his mountain nyala after two weeks of a difficult hunt just south of where I would be hunting.

Merle and Siszy Rademeyer’s Menelik’s bushbuck at 10000’.

I

arrived in Addis Ababa late in the evening after leaving Minneapolis for Amsterdam the previous afternoon; then a nonstop from there to Addis Ababa.

I was met at the airport by Fred Rademeyer, my friend and PH from several other African safaris in East and Southern Africa.

We headed into the city which by then was quite quiet, and arrived at the Jerusalem Hotel. After passing through metal detectors, somewhat recently installed because of terror groups operating in Africa, I managed to get some much-needed sleep.

Early the next morning Fred and I were joined by Siszy who was to be our Ethiopian guide and hunter, as well as the local outfitter. After getting into his Land Cruiser, we headed south to the Bale Mountains. Leaving the smog behind we wound our way down from the city’s 8000 feet elevation to the town of Nazareth (notice the connections to Israel), then Assela where we had lunch. From there we left civilization on rutted roads through villages and then to base camp again up at 8500’ above sea level, around 4 p.m. that afternoon.

Early the next day we were greeted by 50

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our transport – a group of donkeys along with the required regional and national Game Scouts. Off we went for the fivehour journey, climbing the mountain to the next 11,000’ level where our main camp was located. Along the way, sometimes walking, sometimes riding, we encountered many natives in this country of 90 million people. They were traversing the trails that have been used for over 1000 years, going from village to village. Virtually all the men we encountered were carrying 10’ bamboo spears which we were told was their protection against the many hyenas in the area.

We reached the camp about 1 p.m. and after getting organized headed out to do some glassing for the secretive mountain nyala. We glassed until dark, moving around the top of the crater, and saw one cow. The vegetation was difficult to comprehend the type, color and size. Many plant species existed only in this area of the world.

At daybreak the next morning we heard word from a local native that a fresh bull track had been spotted about 4 p.m. that morning several miles west of us, and it was feeding in an easterly direction towards us.

We hurriedly assembled our gear and began the climb from our primitive camp towards the top of the crater. Fred, Siszy and I were lying low behind a rocky outcrop, glassing a 180˚area from west to east. After an hour or so Siszy spotted the ivory tips of his lyreshaped horns behind a group of eurphobiatype cactus. Fred was able to see him as well, but because I was to the left of Fred and Siszy, lying prone, I could only see the cacti, and the distance was about 180 yards.

Afraid that if I moved to see him, the bull might detect the motion and head off. He was about 30 yards from the top of the crater, and if he reversed and went over the top we would never see him again.

It became a waiting game. After about 20 minutes of lying motionless, “He’s moving,” said Siszy. I instantly saw this massive animal as he was loping in a quartering direction towards us. Fred said to shoot, but he and Siszy were to my right, I had to get above them to have a safe shot.

I was trying to position my rifle and body to turn towards the right, and now the nyala was about 40 yards 90˚ to my right and moving fast. I steadied the gun and fired, and instantly heard the thump of the

On the hunt

Villagers and regional and national game scouts with Merle and Fred at Mt Nyala. bullet hitting the animal. He stumbled a few yards and then fell dead about 15 feet into a clump of bushes that broke his fall.

Fred and Siszy jumped around hollering congratulations, and I stumbled, falling several times in the rocky, sloping terrain to see my prize. He was massive. Upon further examination we saw that his right front hoof was severely deformed, probably broken many years ago. Siszy said he was very, very old and would probably not have lived through another season. His end as a fine trophy was much better than being too weak to fend off hyenas and subsequently being eaten alive.

We then were able to locate some locals who cut a stout pole and tied the animal to it and took it down the mountainside 700 -800 feet to the crater floor, and the mile-and-a-half back to main camp. The skinners got busy for a full body mount and the labourers were given generous portions of nyama (meat) for their assistance. I have come to learn that word nyama was the universal word for meat throughout southern Africa.

While it was now only 1 p.m. we nevertheless began preparations for leaving

camp in the morning to return to the base camp, while the skinners were carefully preparing the trophy for subsequent deposit to the taxidermist in Addis Ababa After a chilly evening with the temperature dipping to the high 30’s (Fahrenheit) we were up at first light for the return trip down the mountain with our donkeys.

After travelling about an hour and descending to around 10000 feet elevation, Siszy said we should detour off the main path as we were approaching Menelik bushbuck habitat. We had only gone 400 -500 yards when we spotted a female bushbuck who barked at us and ran off. About a half hour later one of the locals saw movement several hundred yards in front of us. Everyone froze, and Fred spotted a fine male Menelik bushbuck feeding away from us. Fred, Siszy and I carefully crawled to within 150 yards, and using a fallen log as a steady rest, took aim and felled the animal with a clean shot.

In less than 24 hours I had taken two of Ethiopia’s rare and treasured trophy animals in the Bale Mountains of central Ethiopia.

As we were skinning the animal two elderly men in their flowing white - albeit dingy -

robes appeared out of nowhere and politely asked for some nyama. We graciously gave them some meat and finished prepping the animal for our trip down the mountain.

Since the bushbuck weighed only 20% of the nyala (120 pounds vs. 500+), the work was quick.

About mid-afternoon we arrived at the staging camp and once again offloaded the donkeys. We planned to stay there and depart first thing in the morning, as driving in Ethiopia’s rural areas at night is extremely dangerous with people, donkeys, cattle, etc., on and around the narrow potholed roads.

After checking in with the local wildlife officials in Dodoma, we were on our fivehour journey back to Addis Ababa.

Safely back in Addis Ababa, I had a decision to make: Do I head home eight days early, or take some time to explore the wonders of this ancient and historic land. I chose the latter, and Siszy, through a travel agent friend, arranged for me to fly to the ancient city of Axum, in the north, close to the Eritrea border. Axum is famous for several important reasons. First, it is the birthplace of Christianity in Africa in 400 www.africanhuntinggazette.com

51

On the hunt

Merle and Siszy Rademeyer’s Menelik’s bushbuck at 10000’.

AD. Second, St. Mary’s church with its chapel is reputed to be the resting site of the Arc of the Covenant and Trinity, the home of the Queen of Sheba and her royal palace.

Legend has it that several thousand years ago she travelled to Jerusalem, met King Solomon and together brought forth a son, Menelik I, the first emperor of Ethiopia, and also King Solomon sent some Jewish holy men back to Ethiopia with the Queen, and that was the start of the Falasha Jewish Sect in Ethiopia.

Getting on Ethiopian Airlines again, I made the short flight to Lalibela, the city of 12 stone churches, curved from the top down in the 13th century. This work was commissioned by Emperor Lalibela who reportedly hired Knights Templars from England to oversee this engineering marvel. The top of St George’s church has an even cross on it, the symbol for the Knights Templar as well, as opposed to the cross familiar to most Christians. This engagement of the Knights was possible as they were supposedly in the area on their search for the Arc of the Covenant.

From Lalibela I once again flew Ethiopian Airlines, this time to Gondar the ancient city close to the Sudan border. Gondar is 52

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Departing base camp for the Bale mountains at 8500’.

On the hunt famous for its European-style castles which are the only ones in Africa. These were built for the royalty 400 – 500 years ago and were all famous for various historical reasons. Gondar was also the second home for the Emperor and is the site of extensive Christian religious ceremonies every January. While there I also visited an ancient church, the only one still standing of 44 that were destroyed by the Muslim terrorists from Sudan in the 1800s. The story goes that the priests in this church were beekeepers, and when the Muslims tried to attack, the bees were released and drove these attackers away, thus sparing the church.

From Gondar, my next and last city visit was Bahir Dar, place of Lake Tana and the source of the famous Blue Nile River.

The lake is also the site of many famous monasteries of which I visited several. The Blue Nile leaves Lake Tana and winds its way west, southwest where it joins the White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan, and from there flows north into and through Egypt.

A short plane ride back to Addis Ababa, and then the reverse route home to Minneapolis via Amsterdam. I was very pleased with a successful hunt and cultural experience, and made a promise to myself to return some day, which would be 2018 – but that is for another story.

Looking down on St George’s church, Lalibela Ethiopia, carved from the surface downward in 1200 AD. The cross is the same as that of the Knights Templars who some believe “oversaw” the project for Emperor Lalibela.

Natives carrying nyala meat down the mountain on poles.

PH Fred Rademeyer climbing the Bale mountains on an Ethiopian pony.

Merle and guard with AK 47 outside the chapel at St Mary’s church, Axune, where the Arc of the Covenant is supposedly stored. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

53

By Chris Chimits The tracker raised his arm, and we stopped. He had seen big, deep tracks cutting across the red dirt road, and with fresh sign from a Cape buffalo, he immediately focused on tracking the animal through the thick vegetation.

We followed closely behind. The veld looked very different from what I’m used to, as we were hunting in January, the middle of the South African summer. The verdant blackthorn bushes were dense, so stalking would be easier, but shooting lanes would be difficult. Unlike when hunting in the winter months, the temperature and humidity was also higher.

The first big bull we saw on Day 1 with his harem.

W

e had been slowly tracking for almost two and a half hours when we finally found the bull lying down in thick green foliage. I hadn’t quite gotten on the sticks when he stood up and stared me down. I flipped the safety off on the .416 Rigby and focused on his left shoulder. The bull was quartering towards me at roughly a 45 degree angle and, with inexplicable lack of foresight, I failed to adjust for the quartering angle and sent the big 400-grain Barnes TSX bullet into his shoulder at the back of his front leg instead of moving it more towards his chest. The black form disappeared from sight into the thick foliage, and all I could hear were his hooves pounding the red dirt and my own heartbeat drumming in sync!

As bad as that was, I had no idea what kind of stress lay ahead of me, but I did know that I had a case of rattled nerves.

My first encounter with a Cape buffalo was much earlier in life. I had just gotten my very first job mowing a lady neighbor’s lawns, and started my weekly effort. As I mowed around to her side of the yard, I came face to face with a huge black animal that was mounted on the side of her garage under the carport. It stared down at me like it hated me, and even though I knew I was safe from any harm, the visage terrified 56

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me. After finishing her lawns, I asked her about the big mean-looking animal, and she told me it was a Cape buffalo from Africa. “Someday, maybe you will hunt one,” she said. The seed was planted, but five decades would pass before I faced one in the flesh.

I had hunted several times in South Africa and each time, I went after plains game. I finally made the decision to hunt buffalo and told my friend and owner of Mabula Pro Safaris, Christo Gomes, that I’d like to give it a try. We made arrangements to come in September of 2020, but Covid-19 shut the country down from March to mid-November, so we had to put the hunt on pause. Christo called me at the end of November and said their country had opened up for international travel, so we quickly arranged to hunt from the first week of 2021.

We went out in the afternoon of our first day there and saw many spectacular buffalo including one massive bull running with a dozen cows and several calves.

Christo said it would be difficult to get close to him with so many animals around him. Also, their preference at Mabula Pro Safaris is to hunt older, solitary bulls that have been driven out of the herd. We kept looking. By the end of the day just before

dusk, we stumbled onto another big old bull that was alone. Christo said it was at least 45 inches. That evening at the lodge, I questioned him and my PH, Fransua Stoltz about the two bulls. Both men liked the second bull better, so we made a plan to go after that one.

In January, the sun comes up very early, so we were in the field at 5:30 a.m. looking for the second buffalo, but could not find him right away. The tracker, Admire cut his tracks leading out from the spot where we had found him the night before, and we started off slowly. After four and a half miles, we caught two glimpses of him, but did not get any shooting alleys to open up. The temperature was a sweltering 95 degrees, so we elected to go back to the lodge, eat, cool off and rest before going back out in the afternoon.

By 3:30, we were at the bakkie ready to go. After a couple more hours on the tracks, we finally saw him and snuck into a good shooting position. The big bull was lying down in the shade of dense bushes and trees. When he spotted us, he stared for a moment, and then stood, watching us intently. I swung the crosshairs onto his left front shoulder and squeezed. We heard the bullet hit his body and saw him jump, wheel away and take

On the hunt off. Fransua quickly grabbed the sticks and moved back towards the dirt path we had taken earlier. He thought the buff would cross the road shortly and he was right. I was on the sticks again and ready to shoot when the bull ran across the path. I put another shot low in his shoulder, and he disappeared into the veld. I didn’t even notice the fierce recoil or sound of the Rigby that was so apparent when sighting it in!

I have read enough stories on hunting African buffalo to know that going after a wounded bull in thick bush is one of the most dangerous situations a guy can find himself in. And I had done this to myself, my PH and his tracker. We went into the bush and slowly followed the tracks, guns at the ready. This continued until it started getting dark. My nerves were shot! Fransua suggested that we quit and come back early in the morning to resume the tracking, and I gratefully agreed. My emotions were running at top speed, thinking about getting charged or not being able to find the animal. He assured me that we would find the bull, as Admire

From left: Tammie, me, Christo Gomes and Fransua Stoltz down in the front.

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On the hunt had tracking skills beyond comprehension, but I still felt very upset about wounding it.

After a long, sleepless night, I was ready before daylight. I felt tense and nervous thinking about the mess I had made, and was assuming the worst.

We got right back on the tracks and went for two and a half hours. I would jump at any little sound, thinking about the wounded bull bearing down on us through the thick undergrowth.

During the slow, tedious process, Fransua whispered that the bull’s right rear leg was failing because his hoof was splaying outwards, and the track was not as deep as the left rear track was. I could sense that Fransua was becoming increasingly tense as we got closer, and noticed that he was carrying his rifle up high at the ready position. I did the same. At this point, we picked up the unmistakable but pungent aroma of buffalo, and my heart really started pounding.

Admire had gotten out ahead of us and was out of sight, but quickly moved back to within view with a huge grin on his face and his arm up in the air gesturing for us to come! He spoke quickly to Fransua in his native language, so I had no idea what he had seen, but I did like the big smile.

Fransua turned to me with the same look on his face. “Your big bull is just up ahead… and he’s dead!”

To say I was relieved was a massive understatement! My heart felt so light, I jumped up in the air towards him and grabbed him on the way down! Same with Admire. I grabbed and hugged him too! We went and verified that the bull was indeed dead, and settled down to take some pictures. Christo came out after we radioed him and brought a bottle of South African sparkling wine and several champagne glasses. We were drinking by 8:00 am! In my defense, it was 10:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve back home in Reno, Nevada, so I didn’t feel bad at all. In fact, I was jubilant!

The rest of the hunt had a very different vibe to it. I was back on plains game and did not feel the same pressure as I did with the Cape buffalo. We bumped into a spectacular 30” golden wildebeest, and, “Those big wide ones don’t come along all that often,” whispered Fransua. That was all the coercion it took, and we were stalking him down to an 85 yard shot. He was in a tight group with two other bulls, so I had to be careful not to hit either of them. I noticed that my normal shooting

Together with my wife and the awesome bull. skill and mindset had returned without the rattled nerves that I had experienced on the buffalo hunt.

Christo wanted to leave the Mabula lodge in the Limpopo the next morning and take us to the Mankwe lodge in the Kalahari as the animals there were also in awesome condition and quite relaxed with no hunting pressure on them for more

than a year due to the Covid shutdown.

We traveled for ten hours and got to the desert which was absolutely spectacular from all the rain. The camel thorn trees and blackthorn bushes were in full leaf and looked beautiful. All the pans were covered with bright green grass. My good friend and spectacular PH, Gerrie Vorster was able to join us there and guide me

The red hartebeest in the middle of a big pan with Tammie and me. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

59

A typical Kalahari sunset on our last day there.

From left: Our tracker Admire, Martin Muller of African Sun Productions, me, my wife Tammie (behind Gerrie) and Gerrie Vorster in the middle of his yodeling lesson.

The roan was totally relaxed until he realized our intentions.

throughout the Kalahari part of the safari.

I have hunted with him several times on previous safaris and he stays with us in Reno, Nevada during the SCI shows there.

During one of the slower moments at the Kalahari, he felt compelled, for some unknown reason, to teach us all how to yodel! I was afraid it would scare all the animals away and damage everyone’s ears, but we survived the lesson and gave him the crap he deserved when we got back to the lodge where we enjoyed that kind of fun and banter every evening!

The first animal we got was a massive old solitary blue wildebeest bull with horns

that looked like a buffalo’s! I had never seen such heavy horns that were also really wide, so we put an effective sneak on him and got him down with a 60-yard poke.

I had gotten an impala on my very first safari a dozen years ago, but it was a modest one at best, so I had told Christo I would like to find a really nice one if possible. He laughed. “There are many impala in the Kalahari that will make your mouth drop!” He certainly wasn’t joking either. After a very interesting and clever stalk Gerrie put together that got us unnoticed to within 180 yards of a big bunch of impala, I took a shot at an

Our place at the Mankwe Lodge where we had to tough it out each day 60

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awesome 27” buck and he piled up behind a thick blackthorn bush.

I was really excited to see what a beauty he was, but we rushed through the pictures as the temperature was over 100 degrees and the sand he fell in felt like 200 degrees. During the hunt we had seen a beautiful roan antelope, and showed Christo pictures of it that night at dinner.

He told us that he thought that the animal would be a 30 incher. I had not planned on hunting a roan, but I didn’t have one, and that I couldn’t resist it. (My wife thought my resistance was waning badly, so I told her I thought I was coming down with Covid, but she wasn’t having it!)

We spotted the roan with binoculars and started after him, but I’m certain that this cagey bull somehow knew we were no longer just looking at him, but had developed malignant intentions. He took off repeatedly every time we got anywhere close to him. After several stalks, we finally caught him facing us, and Gerrie urgently whispered “Shoot!” I took a quick 130yard attempt at him and hit him solidly in the chest. Tracking him was so easy because of where I hit him, that I could have followed him without Admire’s help There was a hunting property about 30 miles from the Mankwe lodge. No one had hunted it for several years, and the lodge was closed, but Christo had seen a lot of good red hartebeest there. I like their peculiar look and said I wanted to go after one if possible. With Christo, everything is possible! The next morning we were on the road after he had made arrangements with the owner. Christo was correct there were lots of hartebeest, but they were skittish and alert. Gerrie finally got me an opportunity at 275 yards, and I shot at a nice bull that was moving at a pretty good pace. We thought I’d missed him as the bullet went right through the body and saw it hit the ground beyond him. As it turned out, it went through the center of his heart and split it in two!

This trip was easily my favorite safari despite the Covid-19 restrictions at the airports, and it was all the more enjoyable for being able to share a spectacular hunting experience with my wife and good friends at Mabula Pro Safaris. I am planning on returning this coming September with several other friends from Reno, but only after I get that big 46” buffalo mounted with the same fierce look as I saw on the neighbor’s buffalo so many years ago, when my nerves got rattled the first time!

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By Cal Pappas Basie and Angela Kuhn’s Haakdoorn Safaris has become for me the ideal place to hunt Cape buffalo. While the ranch abounds in plains game it is the buffalo that turns one’s head.

On the hunt

The author’s first buffalo in the day’s waning light. With a massive boss and a width of 42½ inches, the buffalo is nearly as big is the 4-bore Rodda.

H

aakdoorn Safaris is a ranch about an hour’s drive north of Thabazimbi, South Africa. It is a huge property. The perimeter fence is 57 kilometers! A small portion of the ranch is set aside for breeding buffalo, and hunting is not allowed there. The vast majority of the ranch is not divided into paddocks, and herds of buffalo, impala, hartebeest, waterbuck, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, sable, roan, bushbuck, eland, nyala, giraffe, and kudu run free and are born, live, breed, and die on the property.

Warthogs are everywhere. Bird-watching is second to none. Leopards live on the ranch but, of course, are illegal to hunt.

My first hunt was there in 2018 for my first hunt together with PH Mark Sullivan who I have known for 20 years. In 2019 I hunted with Johan Biewenga, the ranch manager and resident PH. The hunting world was paralyzed in 2020 by COVID but in 2021 I returned to hunt Haakdoorn with Basie guiding me for buffalo.

I took a wonderful 43” buffalo with average bosses. My first shots with my beloved John Wilkes .600 double were high as I took too much bead in the back sight’s V for a quick shot. Later in the day the bull dropped instantly when I took the time to aim properly. 2019 saw a 39” buffalo fall as well as an impala, two warthogs, bushbuck, and an immense 26”hartebeest. I used a .450-400 Harrison and Hussey boxlock ejector that belonged to the big game hunter and cricket champion Douglas Jardine; he owned the rifle from 1933 until his death in 1958.

My buffalo was down with a quick left

and right and all plains game here (and 11 more in Botswana the following week) fell to one shot. The hartebeest was killed at 219 yards which is my longest shot with a double.

COVID ended my hunting hopes for 2020 but all was open in 2021 for my twenty-second hunting trip to Africa.

Double rifles are the love of my life, and I try to bring a different one on my hunting ventures, so this time I brought a 4-bore double rifle by RB Rodda. Made in 1885 and weighing 23 pounds (24 when loaded!)

I felt it proper to return this monstrous antique to the hunting fields once again.

Twenty rounds of ammunition balanced the scales at the airline limit of 11 pounds (5 kg).

My load for the Rodda was 120 grains of Blue Dot shotgun powder, a ⅛” over powder wad set to 100 pounds of pressure, several foam or felt spacer wads, topped with a 1400-grain round ball sized to .970” and held securely with a light crimp.

Muzzle velocity averaged 1655 fps with a muzzle energy of 8516 ft.lbs. and John Taylor KO (knock out) value of 321.

I fired well over 100 shots on a rest at my front yard shooting range at 50 yards at my home in Alaska. Six shot strings averaged four inches and I was confident I could hit the kill zone on a buffalo at that distance.

After a quick and effortless pass through passport control my checked bag was first on the carousel. Johan Nel met me and we left for the 3½ hour drive to the ranch.

The next day Basie greeted me and we spent the day driving the ranch looking at www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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several varieties of game. Having had 21 hunting trips in Africa I was not looking for any more plains game and a 4-bore is not a plains game rifle. The center of Basie’s ranch is a huge flat plain of perhaps eight square miles of two-foot-high dead grass. We glassed but saw few buffalo just horn tips and bosses - they were lying down in the midday heat.

In the next morning’s coolness before the sun warmed the land, I was able to see several groups of buffalo in the vast plain and also in the bush and woods surrounding the plain. With the wind in our favor, Basie and I began several stalks that all ended in frustration. If the buffalo did not notice us, it was wildebeest, gemsbok, hartebeest that did, and when they ran they spooked the buffalo. But I did notice one bull with an absolutely huge boss, about 40 inches. We decided to try to spot him the next day.

The next day we glassed from several vantage points and in the afternoon finally spotted the bull in a different group with both bulls and cows. It would be impossible to stalk him in the open Cal’s second buffalo taken with the Rodda 4. With Johan Nel, PH for Haakdoorn Safaris. without any trees to hide our movements.

The small herd was slowly moving in a consistent direction towards a waterhole in some trees. We left our vehicle and moved to the grass in the area we guessed they would eventually walk to.

Towards day’s end they were approaching shooting distance. We waited a few hours, watching and glassing. Hartebeest and gemsbok came into us from different directions, saw us, but thankfully walked away rather than break into a full run.

Wildebeest that came our way did run but as they run at anything, anytime, it didn’t seem to matter.

As the sun was rapidly approaching the horizon the buffalo were there and I could plainly see the targeted bull - he was close. The only problem was waiting for him to present a shot. I wanted a sideon shot and didn’t want another buffalo directly behind my bull in case of a passthrough shot. (Eleven years prior I shot two bison in South Dakota with a Robert Hughes 4-bore and the spherical balls passed through both bulls). At 60 yards the Rodda was on sticks as I waited for the best time to shoot. Then, when I was ready to shoot, we were noticed! Time stood still as first one, then another, then all stopped grazing to stare at us.

After what seemed like an eternity, some cows and young ones broke and ran to our left. The bulls followed suit and I

On the hunt thought, “Damn, will I ever get this close again?” But as the bulls slowed, my bull turned and was quartering on to me at 50+ yards. I aimed at the bull’s shoulder and I shot high and to the right. At the shot, all the buffalo ran as did my bull.

But, he was hit and hit hard as he did not run with the others. We could plainly see a lump protruding from the bull’s back right side as he turned to run. The ball had hit just behind the left shoulder and passed through several feet of soft tissue and came to a stop just ahead of the rear right leg.

He was on the run now and so were we.

When he stopped we were able to get a second shot at 80 yards hit him in the same place and we found out later a second ball was near the first one on his back right side.

He was moving but slowing down and two more shots were “Hail Mary” shots that hit him but not fatally. We approached, Basie with his stunning Westley Richards .577 at the ready as was my 4-bore, and I put the last shot between his shoulders through his spine.

At close examination Basie was as amazed as I was. Final measurement was a width of 42½” and his bosses measured 17” on the right and 18” on the left. Not the widest horn spread I have shot but the best overall and by far the largest boss!

We returned to camp after last light, a hot shower and dinner, then early to bed.

Hunting was done, or so I thought.

What to do the next day? Well, as I had my buffalo down (and what a buffalo it was!) Basie offered me an impala or warthog at no charge. Great! I could not see me walking with the 4-bore all day in the bush and I doubt I could make a quick snap shot with a 24-pound rifle. The range limitations were also a factor. We decided on a quick blind under a tree with a few branches in place to conceal our presence as well as provide a rifle rest. As the bush was open I could view a couple of hundred yards to spot game. The hours passed easily in the shade of the tree, sitting on folding chairs with a cooler box close by.

Two trophy impala in the 26 to 28-inch range were seen as were several warthogs coming to a nearby pan to drink, as well as kudu and a waterbuck, all of which were out of range. Giraffe wandered close by within shooting distance of the big rifle but not on the docket for this hunt.

After several hours and realizing the odds were not in my favor, Basie called for the Land Cruiser to come to pick us up. We loaded the cooler box, the chairs and my rifle in and climbed aboard. Sitting there

The huge buffalo’s skull on Johan Nel’s vehicle showing the boss and the thickness of the horns. discussing the futility of the day, Basie’s PH, Johan Nel, quietly said, “Shhhhhh” and pointed. A roan bull was making his way through the bush, angling in our direction. Basie looked at me and whispered he was an excellent bull and to take him if I was confident of the shot but that he was not a free one as was the impala or warthog offer.

We three were all very still as I slowly moved the 4-bore into position. The roan changed direction a bit as he noticed us but did not quickly run off. We were all in the vehicle but the vehicle was not moving and was also behind the blind and the tree.

Now the bull was walking to our left and moving away. He was still in motion when I touched off the left barrel. Again I hit to the right behind the shoulder (perhaps because he was moving to my left) and a bit high. The bull jumped and kicked, ran a very short distance and collapsed from massive blood loss from the entrance and exit holes and out of his nose and mouth.

As with the buffalo, there was little meat damage as would have occurred from a high velocity expanding bullet. Rather, just a one-inch hole from a heavy spherical ball at moderate velocity.

The range was 55 meters or about 60 yards. Better than we thought at first, the roan was an excellent trophy at 28¼” with a base circumference of 9¼ inches.

Shot from a vehicle, yes, but not spotted from a vehicle and also the vehicle was not moving. It’s your judgement call. While the recoil from the 4-bore is significant I can tolerate it well and not flinch. But when Basie told me the trophy fee on the roan bull I was set back more than from the recoil of the 4-bore!

A day of reminiscing about the hunt and talking of further hunts followed, game viewing at hides at waterholes, and at lunch Basie said casually, “Cal, you have ammunition remaining and some time on the ranch, let’s have a go at another buffalo.” Still shell-shocked from the roan’s trophy fee and perhaps not thinking clearly from the recoil of the Rodda 4 slamming my brain within my skull cavity, I agreed. (I could also sell my insulin to help cover the trophy fee).

We spotted buffalo, but the day was getting on so we returned the next day— my last on the ranch this year. Having a bull of a lifetime already down the pressure was off. We spotted a pair of bulls perhaps two kilometers away lying in the open, their horns just above the level of the grass. If I shot another bull that would be wonderful and if I didn’t I would have some money to come home with. We began to stalk with the wind in our favor to get a closer look at the headgear. Closing the distance to less than half of when we first spotted them, www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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On the hunt

Cal’s missing skulls from his 2019 hunt at Haakdoorn and Jaco Viser’s NKWE Safaris in Botswana. With Cliff Williamson, owner of Savuti. we could see their horns clearly though our binoculars. Both bulls were in the trophy class with the wider one being soft in the boss. The other was an old bull, narrower but with a solid boss. Nothing, however, to compare with my first bull.

Basie, Johan, and I moved in, all in a line one behind the other to keep the buffalo from seeing too much of us. We walked up to the last half kilometer in the

general direction of the pair but moving a line behind a small bushy tree to conceal our movement. As we approached the tree we stopped and glassed. The older bull on the right swung his head in our direction as his companion got up. Johan set up the shooting sticks ahead of the bush and as I leveled my rifle’s sights on the old bull, he stood. As they could run at any moment I put the fine bead in the rear sight’s

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shallow V on bull’s chest and pressed the rear trigger. A solid hit it was, and the bull jumped and staggered backward. A second shot dropped him instantly. The first shot was ranged at 85 yards and the second at 95. Not a great bull but 37 inches wide with a nice solid boss.

The day was done as was the hunting.

The sun was going down as rapidly as my bank account when we stopped at the camp’s rifle range and all present had a go with the Rodda. They burned up what remained of my ammunition, giving them the experience of shooting a rare and massive vintage double rifle in the largest of the shoulder-held sporting rifle calibers.

It was sad to say goodbye to Basie and his family as they have become good friends and it would be another year until I saw them again. It is planned for Basie and his family to visit me in Alaska in 2023.

The next morning Johan drove me two hours south to Langkloof Game Farm toI spend four days with friends there who managed the property. Johan and Joey Biewenga are also good friends and I had saved a few rounds from the Rodda so Johan could have a go at his target range. Johan and I spent my final day in Pretoria at Safari and Outdoor, showing the Rodda to interested employees and

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On the hunt

They always bring home something from Africa to decorate his Alaska log home. This year the Selous model from Courtney and a rifle rack from Uvami Gun Accessories are safely in place.

customers, and buying a pair of my favorite footwear: Courteney Boots’ Selous model. I also ordered a magnificent rifle rack from Uvami Gun Accessories. I saw Johan’s rack three years ago at Basie’s ranch and wanted one ever since. Now, that I was about out of money I was able to spend my last dollars on a 5-gun rack made from African teak wood.

The craftsmanship is 100% and it was made to my desires. The owners or Uvami are superb craftsman in wood and leather. I would encourage fellow hunters to order one when on safari and collect it on the way to Tambo airport as the shop is only 15 minutes away. Even with the extra bag fee the total cost is well under half of what similar racks sell for when imported to the states. Look at the photo and judge for yourself. My rack will be used several times a week in Alaska when mates come to my home range to shoot double rifles as well as clays with shotguns. Plus, like my Courtneys, it is yet another piece of Africa I can bring home. (My visit to Zimbabwe was cancelled because of COVID.)

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I would like to give a positive thumbs-up to Cliff Williamson of Savuti Taxidermy in Johannesburg. I visited Savuti on my departure from SA as Cliff had completed my 16 trophies from my 2019 hunts in SA and Botswana. It was difficult and time consuming to get the skulls from Botswana.

Cluster you-know-what is more like it. The agent for my hunter in Botswana, kept the trophies for over a year and said nothing.

When they were finally delivered he did not bring my best eland skull. A year later the missing eland was delivered but all of my flat skins were not. While I would hunt in Botswana in a minute with Jaco Viser of NKWE Safaris, I will never do business with his agent in the south of that country. And, to add insult to injury, the agent still has Cliff ’s Botswana trophies and Cliff hunted with Jaco one week after I did. Within a couple of months as I write this my three skulls from this hunt will be added to the completed batch and I should have them to decorate my Alaska log home.

The Africa experience gets better with each passing year!

Cal’s Opinion:

A common criticism of South Africa is, “It’s not fair chase.” There are many small farms in South Africa that are “put and take” hunting. I have seen lions in small paddocks separated by mane size and mane color; 60-inch kudu bulls purchased and released the day before the hunter arrives; rhino and other animals darted and measured then sold by the inch, etc. But this is not the entire scope of hunting in South Africa.

And, “fair chase” hunting countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, and Tanzania are not always so.

In Zimbabwe a hunter and PH relayed to me their strategy for a big kudu bull was to drive at night in the hope a big bull would be frozen by the headlights and then be shot from the back of the Land Cruiser. In the Tsholotsho area, a water hole sits 100 feet from Hwange Park’s southern border. Hunters there wait at night with a spotlight in the hope of shooting a 60+ pound elephant bull as he comes to drink. Are baited lions and leopards fair chase? Or the same cats shot at night with a spotlight?

We will never know how many plains and dangerous game are shot from the vehicle when encountered on a drive. Is bowhunting fair chase or waiting in a hide or tree stand for the quarry to come to bait or water? “Fair chase” may have many different definitions.

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My Personal

DreamWork

By Joseph Crawford

A DreamWorks storyline is the best way to describe this Midwestern kid’s hunting fantasies while lying back, reading a book,and picturing himself in the jungle, spotting and stalking the great cats of the world. Sixty years later, the clouds clear - and finding spoor, hanging baits, building hides and crafting a plan with your PH is just as you pictured it.

On the hunt

My PH and good friend, Martin Pieters, feeling the moment.

I

had made four previous trips to the Dark Continent without feline success - a few mistakes, bad luck and no excuses. My cat fever was rekindled when I saw my buddy’s massive leopard and heard his recommendation of outfitter Martin Pieters... “If you have the bug to kill a big leopard, then he is your guy.” So, after speaking to Martin I was hooked and ready to jump on a plane. Unfortunately, family obligations, a full surgery schedule, and then the Pandemic led to a frustrating two-year delay.

By the end of August 2021, I was invited, ticketed, COVID-vaccinated and tested, licensed, permitted and packed.

I decided to take two rifles, my .416 REM and my .300 RUM with TSX and Accubond bullets.

With a kiss for good luck and safety, my wife dropped me off, and I was on my way to Zimbabwe.

A day later, I stepped off the plane in Johannesburg to be greeted by representatives of the Afton Lodge where I would spend the night prior to leaving for Bulawayo. I was ready for the usual guns, ammo, license song-and-dance delay, but everything went as smooth as silk. Preparation and familiarity that the lodge’s personnel had with the people and processes at the Weapons Control made all the difference, and literally 40 minutes after landing, we were headed for the lodge

and a cold beer. After the previous five African hunts, and 23 hours of flying on this one, I appreciated the efficiency. The lodge was full of hunters going on all sorts of hunts. Over drinks and dinner, we all shared opinions, stories and exaggerations.

Slept soundly in a warm comfortable bed and woke ready to fly. A hearty breakfast and the mandatory two cups of Java and we were off to the airport. The staff ’s previous bureaucratic efficiency was repeated, and I was soon in the air to Bulawayo.

At the Bulawayo airport all the permits and licensing paperwork was completed by hand with stenciled copies. With a quick thank you and gratuity given, I was off to meet Martin. We loaded up the truck, grabbed a soda for the five-hour drive to the Matetsi 5 hunting area which was near Hwange, south of Vic Falls.

During the drive Martin said that there were several good leopards he had on camera, but there was one huge old wily cat that they had been hunting since April that was elusive and challenging. That was my boy, I thought. Ah, ignorant bravado.

We pulled into camp and met the staff, and early next morning after a quick breakfast went out collecting baits. Our truck team was the best I had ever had.

Stevie and London came from the same Batonga tribe and had hunted with Martin for many years. Stevie drove, tracked,

I loved the .300 but it had no red-light shooting dot.

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On the hunt

The happy team after playing the wind and outfoxing the herd. hung bait and whatever was needed.

Although African trackers are world-class, London’s eyesight, tracking and instincts were other-worldly. Daniel was our Appy PH who was to take his licensing exam at the end of my hunt, and our friendly game scout was Miriam.

Over the next four days we collected and hung baits of impala, waterbuck and zebra, and found leopard tracks. Cameras showed a large leopard on a bait at sunset, and we built a good hide in expectation, only to have to abandon it when two lionesses spoiled the spot.

On Day 5 we headed to a bait on an old riverbed ravine where our cagy old cat had been in previous months. He was on camera! A large cat with bite marks on his ears and face, he was obviously the king in the area, as no other leopards ever appeared on this camera. The only problem was his timing: he never got to the tree before 8:30 at night and was gone by first light in the morning. As leopard hunting in this area is daytime only, we would need make him get there earlier or stay later. Big task.

But deciphering the why, when and how is what separated normal PHs from “cat guys”. We rebaited the tree, taking into account his probable travel routes and the prevailing morning and evening winds, and built a blind 66 yards away (complete with gun rest). We cleared grass from our approach to the blind, removing stubble, thorn bushes and the innumerable rocks and stones right down to the dirt so we 72

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could walk on “silent cat’s paws.” After 150 yards of clearing the carpet, we were left in an undulating ravine filled with rocks which were covered by dead grass and deadfall. Martin said we were taking no chances, and needed a route which would be another 1500 yards to the truck path.

Then the bombshell hit: We would probably have to kill him at first light, and enter the blind at night without flashlights!

Now what! I immediately was worried.

I had already fallen twice while stalking and retrieving baits, and twisted my left knee and needed sutures on the right one

to stop bleeding and prevent infection… I did not want to have to call Global Rescue to extricate me from something worse! So the idea of silently creeping in coalmine darkness uphill and downhill, over rocks covered by grass and deadfall, to approach a fearless member of the Big Five on his own turf was intimidating to say the least.

But, as the 17th Century proverb states, “To win without risk is akin to triumph without glory”.

We soldiered on and cleared a path as best we could, tying the occasional strip of toilet paper as a trail marker, finally making it to the truck for more bait collection. That’s when Lady Luck smiled on us: there, on the side of the truck path, London pointed to a set of large leopard prints heading directly to our bait, which was now two kilometers away! An intense discussion in Shona then ensued to confirm that indeed this was our mbada maguro and his range was much larger than we thought. Maybe 20 kilometers. The consensus of expert opinion was that he had a very large territory which he traveled long distances to protect and get to our bait. This explained why he got there late, spent the day close by in the shade, and fed in the evening prior to returning to inspect the rest of the territory at night.

After a quick lunch, Martin decided we would sit in the blind for the evening hunt. He doubted we would see the cat in legal shooting light, but we would be able to confirm our setup, check the winds, and familiarize ourselves with my Death March trail to and from the hide. As predicted, we saw no activity that evening

Thanks to conservation efforts, one of the first Zim roan taken since 1968.

On the hunt at the bait, and in darkness we left silently, squinting to see the path and trail markers, me backed up very close to Martin. Back at camp, Martin felt that the cat had been close by and if we were going to get a shot, our best shot was in the morning. So, a quick dinner, and then to bed for an early 2:15 wake-up.

Our morning was exciting as we heard the unmistakable sounds of crunching bones and tearing flesh, but could see nothing. Checking the trail cam, it showed that the leopard had fed at nine the previous night and at 4:45 that morning!

We were in the right place, with the right cat. Now all we needed was for him to accept the invitation to dine at the right time.

Now, new plans and adjustments were needed. Morning would be our best bet, with fresh bait to entice him and to stay long enough to feed. That meant a new zebra bait to be hung early and no evening hunt. We would have a maximum hunt window of 10-15 minutes and that meant a change of guns. I loved the .300 but it had no red-light shooting dot, and with this low light I could not guarantee that my 67-year-old eyes could see the reticle lines. So it had to be the .416 with a bigger bullet and less shock impact than the Accubond, but with better targeting in low light - just another thing to be concerned about. So, back to camp and dinner, and a fitful night of semi-sleep.

In the early morning, we quietly left the truck in the pitch black, 2.5 km from the hide, and kept on the trail without mishap. Fifteen meters from the back of the hide, Martin froze, finger to his ear and then to the bait where we both realized the leopard was feeding! As we tried to enter the blind as noiselessly as possible, our prey must have heard us, as all eating sounds ceased from the bait site.

Total quiet. Motionless for seemly endless minutes, we waited. I wished I could meditate better: slower breathing, muscle relaxation, clearing the mind, immersing myself in the moment of the hunt. With dawn starting to lighten the night sky, we again heard the crunching of bones at the bait site. Martin leaned forward to peer through his binos as I kept low and prayed that the cat would want to eat slowly to allow for legal light. Minutes passed and suddenly I felt the pre-arranged tap on my leg and I was gestured forward to take aim.

Sometimes things happen that you can’t explain. No matter how much preparation and practice you have, shit

happens. As I leaned forward to grasp the stock and forend of the .416, the front right leg of the plastic chair broke, pushing the gun off the rest, sending me into the side of the hide, only to be saved by the sutured right knee. The look on Martin’s face was priceless as we remained motionless in the hide. Suddenly we heard more crunching of bones!

The cat must have thought it was some startled bushbuck or other game and continued eating. I leant forward, and balancing on three legs of the chair and my knee, took aim. Sure enough, I couldn’t see the reticle lines, but the red dot found its spot on the crouching leopard’s front leg crease. Clearly, he was ready to exit, and this was the shot I Common sable who survived lions and had the scars would have to make. Sometimes to prove it. being old has its advantages: Sixty years of hunts train muscle memory, and the .416 goes off, out of the blind in a nanosecond, listening surprising me. for telltale signs, leaving me hoping that The leopard leapt out of the tree and the shot was as good as I thought it was. was gone. We maintained the prearranged More doubts crept in my mind… Did the silence to determine the condition, TSX expand? Did I account for the downhill direction and distance of the cat. After 30 angle enough? Without the cat in view, it seconds, “Did you like the shot?” Martin wasn’t hard to wonder. Then we heard low whispered. My cocky affirmative had him growls, and finally, no sound.

Last day, last light kudu. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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“How do you feel?” asked Martin as he reentered the blind.

“How should I feel?” I said uncertainly.

“Just think that there is a 95% chance he is dead.” Tons of weight suddenly dropped off my shoulders, followed by hugs and handshakes. We threw rocks in the direction of the last growls. Nothing.

Martin called for the truck which took 20 minutes to reach the bait site, so we could begin to track and trail the leopard.

We walked down the hill, across the riverbed to meet the Appy, trackers, and the scout at the bait tree, and exchanged weapons and positions for the track job.

Daniel, London and Stevie were in front with a 12 gauge with 00 buckshot, Martin with the .470 double and me with the .416 with the safety off, as instructed.

After spending years of reading, hearing campfire tales and watching traumatic videos of tracking wounded leopards, I knew that I would have two seconds or less to defend myself. Be prepared.

Fifteen meters from the tree we found blood; four more meters, more and heavier blood. We crossed the creekbed, came to a small rise, stopped and listened. Still nothing. More throwing of rocks, and then simultaneously London and Martin pointed to their noses. They smelt the leopard! We were close! We crept over the rise, and Stevie and London pumped fists in the air. There, 60 meters from the bait tree, lay the leopard. Celebratory shouts, handshakes and hugs! Then there was an unrehearsed, uniform, complete silence as we paid our respects and admiration for the beautiful adversary.

We examined him - an old warrior, probably older than 10 years. Worn teeth, with old scars on his hindquarters from battles of yesteryear, he was huge

by Matetsi standards - we guessed 177 pounds – with fresh bite wounds on his muzzle, ears and the top of his head, probably from recent fights defending his extensive territory.

Martin and Daniel later explained that the successful hunt for this one would lead to more leopards in the territory. He had eliminated competition in a huge area that now two to three new leopards would be able to control, thus improving the leopard habitat and numbers.

He was transported to the bait tree to be celebrated and digitally immortalized.

Everyone wanted an individual picture with the leopard, because this leopard, this safari and this tale was a lifetime moment. Stevie and London carefully put him on straw in

Water buck on a rocky kopie. the back of the Cruiser. Never in all my years of hunting had I ever experienced such honor and care displayed by a hunting team. Another lifetime memory.

As we approached camp, there was the obligatory shouting, singing, and honking of horns to announce our successful hunt. Again, rounds of pictures with all members of the team - skinners, cooks, and even their families! A celebration that culminated in a chair-elevation ceremony, and dancing. I usually don’t drink before noon, but on this day, I made an exception.

So why were we successful on this trip when we had not been on others. Wonderful

area? Experienced PH and team? The luck of Diana, Goddess of the hunt? Persistence despite difficulties and failures? All these factors played a role. One thing that I am sure of: I am blessed to have had the opportunity to experience this hunt and to call these people my friends and comrades.

My personal DreamWork.

Dr. Joseph Crawford is a urologic surgeon from Vero Beach, Florida. Since an early age, he has been fascinated by hunting and fishing adventures. Over the past 60 years, he has been fortunate to have hunted the Americas, the Artic, Asia, Europe and Africa.

Old Chomba, tracking a roan lead to a successful spot and stalk. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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HUNTING

with the Ellements…

Fathers and Sons -Two Safaris Twenty Years Apart

By Conrad Miller

On the hunt

Part I of the story of two safaris twenty years apart at the same camp with fathers as a professional hunter and client, then their sons as a professional hunter and client. Many things remained the same, many things changed, and many coincidences link the two trips.

A

s a kid I was glued to the TV when “Wild Kingdom” came on, as well as “Tarzan” movies. There were no African hunting shows on TV back then, only the occasional Discovery Channel programs about African wildlife in national parks.

In 1997, I was a thirty-year-old Sheriff’s detective dreaming at the Dallas Safari Club show. I went home from that DSC show with masses of brochures and magazines.

One guy took extra time to make me believe I could afford to make an African hunt on a cop’s salary. Tommy Morrison of Sporting International made a good sales pitch.

Now I just had to convince my wife how “affordable” a quick ten-day safari would be.

It worked with one stipulation. Once I got back, she did not want to hear “Africa” again.

Deal!

A ten-day plains-game hunt turned into a twelve-day buffalo/plains game hunt. I counted down the days for 18 months. I sold nearly all my guns, a four-wheeler, and anything else I could, and worked as many off-duty hours as possible, working security details for extra cash. My wife, my parents and all my friends didn’t understand all this, and thought this Louisiana duck-hunter had

lost his mind. Next thing I knew had I left my wife, five-year-old daughter and one-yearold son and was off on the longest flight of my life with my first-ever passport, my new Win. Mod. 70 .375 H&H and a bunch of disposable Kodak cameras, off to meet some guy named Mark “Ellos” Ellement to whom I had never spoken or seen a picture of, and who would be my professional hunter. All I knew about what I was doing was from the Capstick and Ruark books I’d read, as well as some Zimbabwean history and political books. Those days in 1998 were before WhatsApp and email! I don’t think Matapula Hunters (which Ellos owned half of ) even had a website back then. Mr Morrison told me that Mark Ellement usually only did elephant hunts for repeat customers, but had a window in his schedule, and had taken my hunt because I was a young first-timer.

After a sleepless night in Johannesburg, I was on a plane to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

I was SO nervous and began questioning my own sanity. I was no world-traveler and totally out of my comfort zone. Once I got my bag and gun and made my way to the final exit, I was thinking “now what?”

Outside was this lanky guy with leathery skin, wearing short shorts, who walked www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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On the hunt

towards me, removed his cap and extended his hand. “You must be Conrad,” he said. I wondered who he was. I was half expecting to see Tarzan or someone in khakis and a terai hat.

“Yes, that’s me, how did you know?”

“I’m Mark Ellement,” he said, “and I’m here to pick up my young hunter, and seeing you with a lost look and a gun case, I figured you may be the one, hey”. Boy, what a great first impression I made! He must have thought he had a real idiot on his hands.

Off we went to the camp. If I recall, Ellos offered me a beer from the cooler box for the two-to-three-hour drive. It was the first time I had ever ridden in a vehicle with the steering wheel on the “wrong” side. I felt as if I were on another planet. Once we turned off the tar road towards camp at the intersection of the Zambezi and Sidinda Rivers and I began seeing the rural villages and their mud-under-thatch huts, I was speechless. I had seen this on TV, but it didn’t seem as real as it did now. Ellos pulled off the dirt road to a small white building with a few guys loitering around outside, and Sevi the game scout got into the back of the truck.

Ellos spoke in a strange language with these locals - again, culture shock and awe.

Then in English he said, “Let us know about the PAC (problem animal control) elephant, because Mr Miller here would like to shoot it.” Oh boy, I think, this Ellos guy had picked up the wrong person at the airport!

“Uh, Mr Ellement, I’m not an elephant hunter and I can’t afford whatever a PAC elephant is.” Ellos explained that PAC animals are shot because they are either crop raiders 78

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or a danger to local people, but that the hide and ivory goes to the government. I secretly hoped I would not get this opportunity. I had never even seen a wild elephant and had even less desire to shoot one. At that point I had never even seen an African animal until after the next curve when some impala bounded across the road. I think Ellos got a kick out of my amazement at everything. He answered each of my million questions and seemed somewhat impressed that I knew so much about his country.

After the long, dry, dusty road, down a hill, across a small bridge and up again we arrived at a lush green lawn, and a beautifully landscaped camp (with plants and flowers from the local bush) - I thought I was dreaming. A camp with six chalets and me the only one there - Ellos explained that they do not mix clients. I was still pinching myself at that point. Along the path to my chalet there was a beautiful sabi star plant that Ellos said was much older than me, and nearby baboons were barking. Such a beautiful place that had Ellos built with some local labor.

He and his wife and kids lived there until his kids were of school age, then they moved to Victoria Falls. I could not imagine actually living in this paradise, but I was about to try it for the next twelve days.

There is nothing like your first safari, especially when you don’t know what you’re truly in for. I was in total awe with everything every day, and already began to dread my last day!

My professional hunter Mark “Ellos” Ellement had walked me from dawn to dusk

from day one, only stopping for a quick snack and siesta in the bush, rarely ever returning to the truck. He wore sandal-like ‘rafting shoes’ and smoked a lot of Madison cigarettes. Though in pretty good shape, I was totally worn out each day, and both feet were blistered by the fourth day. That was when I started wrapping my feet with duct tape before putting on socks each morning!

It was Day 7 of my first ever safari and I had not yet taken an animal. Mopane flies by the hundreds in the heat of the afternoon, swarmed around my head, in my eyes, in my ears, in my nose seeking moisture everywhere, causing a need to swat and twitch - but I dared not.

We had just started out walking from camp. We’d previously come into contact with buffalo on a few occasions in the thick bush and even ‘butt-scooted for what seemed like a mile, then sat motionless for an eternity while a few watched us as ants crawled up my arms, into my arm pits, as I tried to remain motionless. Then the wind swirled, a thunder of hooves erupted, leaving clouds of dust to obscure their magical disappearing act…

We were crouched down behind a small hill between us and them only about 60 yards away. I didn’t even notice the mopane flies. The big buffalo was lying down totally unaware of our presence. Ellos rose very slowly to peer over the hill.

“Stand slowly, he’s lying down right over that hill, do you see him?” I did so, and nervously said I could. “OK, Conrad, we’ll go up together and I’ll put up the sticks. But be sure your shot clears that hill.

Don’t hit the ground, hey.” I got onto the shooting sticks and crouched back down. I cannot mess this up. I have come too far, spent too much and walked way too many miles.

“Ellos, where is the ground?” I asked.

“Do you see that little white stick between us and them? Where that white stick disappears at the bottom is the ground. So, actually if you aim for that white stick about an inch up from the bottom, you’ll connect properly, hey.”

I stood up slowly and did as he said, and at the crack of the shot, I saw the big buffalo’s legs stiffen in the air as he rolled over, much to my astonishment. I chambered another round and fired another shot just as I had heard you had to do with buffalo, and I cleanly missed in my state of panic.

“Wait, wait, wait! OK, calm down, hey.

Now chamber another round and shoot him in the neck.” As soon as I shot, I chambered another round, only to hear the same, “Wait, wait, wait,” command.

“Conrad, you’re unloaded?”

“NO, I’m ready to shoot again!”

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The value of having an experienced photographer/videographer along for great photo's. (Note Jay the tracker lying behind the eland to hold it in position).

“No, you’re done.” He removed his cap, extended his hand, and said with a big smile, “Congratulations, Conrad, you just got your first buffalo.” My knees went weak. My heart was about to explode! Then I had feelings of relief, elation, and a bit of sadness at the death of a dream. I will never hunt my first buffalo again, but I could not have planned this first one any better. I was overcome with emotion. Suddenly I was happy to have walked so many miles for so many days because it made the ending so much more rewarding. No surprise, the last two hours of walking on clouds today were much easier than the first ten walked in the bush.

We made it back to the truck well after dark, with trackers Jackson and Kiddeus carrying all the meat they could handle to take for their families. The head, wrapped with the hide and tied to a pole with strips of tree bark was carried by Sevi the game scout and Alfred the skinner. Meat that could not be carried was hung up in the tree. On the way back to camp Ellos stopped the truck and began yelling. A few men come running from some huts in the dark. They had a conversation in Shona, and we drove off.

Ellos said he had told them where the meat was hung. I thought it impossible that they could find where the kill was - three hours walk into the bush from the nearest trail!

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He assured me that they would be there in the dark of the morning awaiting daylight to collect the meat.

The next day we took the morning off to rest and sober up, then drove to Victoria Falls where Ellos dropped me off at the entrance to the Falls while he picked up camp supplies.

The Falls were the most spectacular sight I had ever seen in my life. Ellos fetched his family and I met them in the local market where we had lunch together then drove through Victoria Falls Game Park where I saw my first lion tracks and wild elephants.

Back at camp and hunting, and I managed to take a nice kudu and an exceptional impala over the next few days. I did not realize at the time how good the kudu was and how exceptional the impala was for that area. With still a few days left in the hunt, the original plan was to make a ten-hour trek to another area in the south where Matapula Hunters had a plains-game area, because eland was high on my wish list and there were none in the Hwange Communal area where we had been hunting. However, I was loathe to leave this beautiful place. After all, besides my buffalo, I already had a kudu and impala and could afford trophy fees for little else. I also wanted to shoot a few birds and catch tiger fish, so Ellos got in touch with his office via shortwave radio (no cell or satellite

phones then) and had my flight changed to fly out of Victoria Falls rather than Bulawayo.

On one of the last nights in camp we were joined by another professional hunter, Derek “Gomez” Adams who was passing through the area from one hunt to his next.

He and Gomez were old friends who worked together for the National Parks Department and fought in the Rhodesian war. It was nice to hear those two talk about old times. I told them that I had with me a book about the Rhodesian Light Infantry by Chris Cocks entitled “Fireforce” and Gomez found a picture of himself in the book. I would learn later that Ellos and Gomez were two of many men who worked for the National Parks Department before the Rhodesian war, and lost their jobs to indigenous workers after the majority-rule government took over. Many of those guys were pioneers in making the safari industry what it has been in Zimbabwe for the last forty years. After Gomez left early the next morning Ellos told me a story about Gomez being attacked by a lion when they worked for National Parks. A huge male lion had charged Gomez and his trackers, and his gun jammed as the lion came full-on.

He quickly grabbed his gun by its barrel and swung it like a cricket bat at the lion’s head as its four-hundred-pound body slammed him to the ground. The blow Gomez was able to

On the hunt inflict broke the lion’s lower jaw, so it was unable to get a good killing bite on him.

Gomez thought this would just prolong the inevitable, until one of his trackers returned with his gun and was able to kill the lion.

Ellos said Gomez suffered some PTSD from the incident for quite some time afterwards.

The dreaded last day came, and the following day I began my long journey home.

After tips and thanks to the staff I gave Ellos what I had budgeted for his tip. Because no amount of money could justly convey my thanks, I offered him my rifle in addition to the money, but he refused because he said I’d be back and would need my rifle - something many had told me, but I did not believe, not from lack of desire, but rather lack of funds.

That drive to the airport was such a sad trip.

Ellos had surely sunken the claws of Africa deep into me. What a great man he was. We kept in touch for years via hand-written letters until email emerged. From the time I had left home for that trip up until I returned, I kept daily notes on everything from dawn to dusk, to every meal we had, every bird and flower that Ellos identified. I later mailed him a copy of my transcribed journal just so he knew the things that impressed a first-time client. He would send me offers of end-of-season deals of animals left on quota, but at the time I was not even able to afford the airfare, nor afford to break my promise and mention Africa to my wife just yet. But Ellos was correct in his prediction that this would not be my last trip.

As of this writing I’ve been on five safaris.

I took my daughter, and later my son on their first hunts but because of hunting areas and schedules, I was not able to hunt with Ellos before his untimely death in 2014.

But my son and I would come close to doing just that in 2017 in the second part of this story.

Fast forward twenty years from my first safari with Mark “Ellos” Ellement in 1998 in a camp called Sidinda in the Hwange Communal (CAMPFIRE) area. By now I’d taken my daughter Taylor in 2009 to Zambia on a twelve-day plains-game hunt where she took a magnificent 49” sable at 7 a.m. on the first day! I’d also been back again with my son Asa on his first safari in the Makuti Safari Area of Zimbabwe where he got his first buffalo in 2011.

Now was to be my turn to hunt again.

With my wife’s permission (again!), I was planning to do a self-driving tour in Zimbabwe meeting up with friends along the way with maybe a short plains-game hunt at some point. When I told my son of my plans, he begged to come along. I told him I’d taken his sister and then him, and now they were on their own if they decided to return. Well, he offered to pay a good

Took five trips to get a trophy eland. portion of a leopard hunt if I would allow him along. After quoting some of my own statements from years past, like, “You always said never put off to tomorrow what you can do now while you’re young”, and, “But Dad, you know lion and elephant trophies can no longer be imported into the U.S. and you said that leopard would be next”, he had me.

So, leopard for the boy it was.

Michelle Buchannan of Buchannan Hunts sharpened her pencil and gave me options, one being at a camp called Sidinda run by a new outfitter Mbalabala Safaris where one leopard was left on quota. I jumped at the opportunity to have my son return with me to my first safari camp. Michelle sent me a link to Mbalabala Safaris, and I come across the face of a young man I had seen as sixyear-old child twenty years before when I was hunting with his dad! Brian Ellement was one of the available professional hunters for my son’s leopard hunt at Sidinda! I immediately asked Michelle to book our hunt at Sidinda, and with Brian as our PH if possible. I just knew it would be so special for my son to now be hunting with Ellos’s son at the same camp where I spent my first safari with the legendary Mark “Ellos” Ellement.

I got in touch with Brian, and he was equally excited about the upcoming safari.

At 4 a.m. one morning as I got into my truck to head to the gym before work, I had a WhatsApp message from Brian asking, “Does this look familiar?” Attached was a picture of the journal of my hunt at Sidinda that I had mailed to his dad twenty years previously! Brian explained that he told his mum, Karen, about one of his dad’s clients

from twenty years ago returning with his son to hunt with Brian. She retrieved the copy of my journal that she had packed away with his deceased father’s things. I could not believe it had been kept for so many years.

The moment gave me chills. Stand by. The coincidences just got started.

We added a few days to the beginning of our trip to do some touristy things in beautiful Cape Town with Michelle as our personal tour guide. We toured picturesque wineries and Table Mountain. Cape Town was a very worthy stop-off along our way.

After a few days of too much wine, we made it to Victoria Falls where we were greeted by PH Brian Ellement whom I’d last seen as a six-year-old boy. We were equally excited to re-connect, and the next fourteen days would be filled with thoughts as well as stories of Ellos.

Once we arrived at camp I truly felt as though I had gone back in time twenty years to 1998 when I was there last. I was hardpressed to find anything different apart from the faces of the staff. Same fire pit, dining/ bar hut and chalets. All the same, even my favorite tree, a sabi star on the path to the same chalet I was in twenty years ago, beautiful as ever but had not grown an inch.

I don’t think Brian had been back since 2014 when his dad passed away.

An apprentice PH Dean Peele was in camp and had been there for a few days, prebaiting for leopard, with the exciting news of two baits being hit, one within a five-minute drive from camp. (Ellos would have walked!)

We were excited and waiting for our friend and videographer Andy Buchannan to arrive www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Sunset on a Zambezi fisherman. in camp that afternoon to be with us in the blind that evening. Brian decided the bait near the camp was the better one, so we built a natural three-sided blind.

Chills and fever that had started in Cape Town for Asa and me got worse, so with my coughing un-controllable, I reluctantly bowed out of the blind-sitting until I was not a risk of ruining the chance at the leopard of a lifetime. At 4 p.m. Brian, Asa, and Andy quietly sneaked into the blind which was tucked into the bush overlooking a small, dry riverbed opposite the bait tree on the other bank. (I could swear Ellos had pointed at an old kudu carcass hanging as leopard bait from that same tree twenty years ago). All bundled up for the impending long, cold, black night they sat, the minutes turning into hours.

Would the cat come back that night? Perhaps he has gone on his territory patrol? Perhaps he had a kill of his own elsewhere? Then at 9 p.m. loud crunching was heard, and every hair stood on end. The leopard was feeding!

Brian had warned Asa earlier that patience would be key. Heavy breathing, twitching muscles, pounding hearts - then Asa was on the gun, and Andy slowly turned up his rheostat infrared light that was earlier mounted near the bait tree to allow his camera to “see.” Through his camera Andy saw the cat standing on hind legs behind the bait tree and feeding through a fork in the tree. Then it sat down periodically behind the tree, then resumed feeding, safely half

hidden by the fork. This continued for over an hour until the leopard vanished into the darkness.

By 4 a.m. Asa was trembling with fever and needed Brian’s support to stand. Whatever the bug was that we picked up on our last night in Cape Town had Asa and me man down the next day. While we tried to sleep off the flulike symptoms, Brian, Andy and Dean went checking and refreshing baits with goats bought from a nearby village. They piled up branches and thorn bushes behind the bait tree and put a log strategically propped up on the front of the tree to make feeding on the right side of the tree a little more inviting.

Asa was also coughing uncontrollably which would be no good in a leopard blind.

I had asked Brian why he was baiting with goats rather than impala - in 1998 there had been scores of them. Brian said that virtually the only animals left on this huge tribal concession were the elephants that came out of Hwange Park, and a few leopards and kudu. The rest had been totally poached out when his dad’s company (Matapula Hunters) lost the concession not long after the farm invasions. Those who temporarily took over were ineffective at keeping poaching at bay, and very quickly practically all the game was gone in an area of roughly one million acres.

The only animal I saw going to and from camp in daylight or darkness was one hare.

No baboons near camp. No hippos grunting in the river below or any night animal

sounds. Incredibly sad. But the good news was that Mbalabala Safaris, now renamed Sidinda Conservancy, had recently fenced up to ten-thousand acres and relocated scores of buffalo and a variety of plains game, including sable, to re-stock the area. They were making a valiant effort.

On Day 3, Asa seemed to be feeling better, but I was not. They checked the trail-cam on the hot bait and found that the leopard fed the previous night for several hours beginning from 9 p.m. and we wondered how many consecutive nights the cat would continue to feed. Asa, Brian and Andy went back to the blind bundled up again for the long, cold night ahead. Just as the sun was setting, Brian took a last daylight peek at the bait tree, and there was the big tom leopard standing perfectly broadside on the branch they set up for him, exactly according to plan!

“Can you see him, Asa?” “Yes!” “Can you see him in your lens Andy?”

“No, the light is too bright for the rheostat and too dim for my camera to pick up. Can we wait a couple of minutes?” Finally, it was dark enough for Andy to get in focus and he told Brian and Asa that the cat had jumped down from his perfect perch and was sitting facing them at the base of the tree staring at the blind. He stood to feed for a second, then sat again, once more looking towards the blind. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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On the hunt “Asa, he is facing dead at us,” whispered Brian, “sitting at about seventy yards. Can you make that shot in the center of his chest?

You must be sure.”

“Yeah, yeah, I can.”

“I’ll switch on the light, and when you’re ready let him have it in the center of his chest.” As Brian switched the light on, the leopard dropped his right head down.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Brian warned. As the cat lifted his head Asa took the shot and the leopard immediately charged directly at the blind, grunting with each bound. Asa’s rifle was tied to the hole in the blind and he yanked it, trying to free it. Brian went for his gun leaning at the back of the blind, while Andy assumed a fetal position with his hands locked behind his neck. Dust and sticks and leaves flew as the mad cat brushed against the side of the blind. He stopped about twenty yards behind the open back. With the light off they could hear him grunting and growling, keeping them trapped for several minutes. Each time Brian slowly reached for his gun, the grunting and growling got louder and more threatening. Brian kept the light off until the leopard decided to charge, while Asa waited to shoot again.

The noise died down, and by now Brian had his gun shouldered alongside Asa, while Andy cautiously turned on the light. Nothing in sight. Not a sound. No movement. They sat and waited. Nothing. Brian radioed his tracker Big Mike at the truck and instructed him to drive as far as he could into the bush directly toward the blind. When he was close enough with truck lights shining, they quietly escaped from the blind and exited around the front towards the bait tree – the opposite direction from which they lad

Taking notes making daily journal entries.

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last heard the sound of the leopard. Brian decided only to return in the morning as there were no hyenas there to worry about feeding overnight on a possibly dead leopard.

After they arrived back in camp everyone dived into the bar and watched Andy’s footage many times, in full “blurring leopard speed” and again in slow motion. The shot was in the chest. At worst, a little to the right. A long sleepless night awaited.

Morning came and everyone was ready to go back for a look. Brian, Dean and PH Tiene Kok who had joined us in camp that night all left their med-evac and insurance information in a pile on the dash of Brian’s truck in case someone got hurt. They went into the bush “Elmer Fudd style” with guns pointed forward. Asa followed behind, and I chose to linger by the truck. About five minutes later, Brian yelled, “Asa, come get your cat!” We sprinted off.

What an incredible trophy! It was a big, beautiful mature leopard with an old snare wound around his middle – surprisingly it hadn’t crippled him.

The beers flowed early that day. We just knew Brian’s dad was looking down on us, laughing at our good luck and all the coincidences between my hunt with him and my son’s hunt with his son. Brian was carrying his dad’s .500 Jeffery given to Ellos by a good client. My son was hunting with my Mod. 70 .375 H&H. The next couple of days after some vundu fishing in front of camp in the Zambezi, we drove our side of the Hwange National Park boundary trying to cut buffalo tracks, but with no success. We did, however, get lucky and came across a few kudu, and Asa made a great shot at a fantastic kudu bull with very

distinct and beautiful colors.

Before departing from Sidinda Camp, I took names and pictures of the staff to remember them. Only Joe Shako, the cook, remained in camp from my last trip here in 1998, and he was training his son, Doubt, to take over. I had brought my picture album and showed it to the staff and they all pointed at and commented on trackers Jackson and Kiddeus, and Alexis the maître d’, as well as others who had since passed away.

We made the eight-hour drive to Brian’s family home in Bulawayo. Ellos had invited me there years ago, an invitation I regret not taking before he died. But I was there now. We overnighted, then headed out early to Mashure, the property bordering Lindon Stanton’s ranch near West Nicholson, a plains-game camp I had hunted with Brian’s dad in 1998.

This camp on the banks of a big, beautiful dam was very primitive, which we liked.

The two camp staff used a cooking pit in the ground as an oven, with a tin sheet as a lid with coals on it to create some excellent meals, as well as pastries for desserts. Always impressive what safari camp cooks can do with the bare basics!

It was my fourth safari, and a trophy eland continued to be my nemesis. We cut tracks and found eland a couple of times in the first days, but never a big bull. We got in some bass fishing on the dam as well as watching a pair of legavaan (rock monitors) wrestling on the banks, and we left after much story re-telling and reviving all the coincidences between the two safaris.

On our way home, Asa and I stayed with some friends in Victoria Falls. One evening we ended up at the Vic Falls Boat Club with some locals planning a weekend bike ride in the bush. I told my friends Ian and Mary-Linda Gloss of all the similarities between my hunt in 1998 with Mark “Ellos” Ellement, and now my son Asa’s hunt with his son Brian Ellement, and I mentioned that Brian, like his dad, had a professional hunter friend in camp with us. I asked Ian if he knew Ellos’s friend, Derek “Gomez” Adams who I had met at Sidinda twenty years ago.

“Yes,” Ian said, “have you spoken to him yet? Gomez is here, hey!” and he pointed him out. Asa and I walked over, and before I could introduce ourselves he recognized me, even without my hair!

It was just one more coincidence between those two hunts to reminisce about our mutual friend Mark “Ellos” Ellement.

The element of surprising coincidences of “hunting with the Ellements” was now complete!

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AN ANCIENT KUDU with Bow and Arrow

By Frank Berbuir

Highly strung

A Kudu is not just one of the largest species of antelope in eastern and southern Africa it is probably also one of the most sought after game and trophy animal for an African hunter, whether it is with bow, rifle, muzzleloader, handgun, crossbow or whatever hunting weapon.

Like that, it happened and behaved to me as well when I saw this majestic animal, which is nicknamed the grey ghost of Africa, in 2004 the first time in Namibia on a bowhunting trip.

My eyes were shining with joy about this beautiful large animal with their large impressive horns with two and a half twists, its coat ranging from brown-grey to reddish-brown, the vertical white stripes along their torso, the manes running down the throat, these large round ears and the small white chevron between the eyes. That time it was close to sunset, daylight was fading away quickly, and my PH recommended not shooting on that fine bull we spotted and were close to 35 meters now. Unfortunately, we never saw a kudu again during that trip. The year after I was back again in Namibia and could bag this time to my great delight with bow and arrow my first magnificent specimen of Tragelaphus strepsiceros or Koedoe as named in Afrikaans.

I

n early August 2014 I followed my continuous addiction of traveling and hunting in Africa for meanwhile a decade and was back again one more time in South Africa to hunt once more again with Izak Vos from Vos Safaris. Not only that he is a great outfitter, guide and highly experienced professional hunter for rifle and bow hunts, we also became close friends too during all the past hunts together. Never change a winning team.

We hunted several locations in the past days of this trip and had some great encounters with giraffe, steenbok, zebra, nyala, kudu, warthog, wildebeests and more. One day we had an encounter with a probably one and a half meter long monitor lizard that found our rural accommodation very interesting and wanted to get into it. One night we could also hear some roaring lions. What a great experience. Luckily, they were not interested in us but rather in their kill of a young giraffe that night as we could observe the next morning when we found it. Essentially, we were looking after eland why I took along again for this hunting adventure my reliable and trusty Elite GT 500 bow, set at 90 lbs draw weight with the Easton Full Metal Jacket 250 Dangerous Game arrows and the Muzzy Phantom SS 200 grain broadhead with a total arrow weight of 800 grain. I felt comfortable last times with this equipment and bow set up and all the shootings and practices went very well the months before. We had tried

Ancient kudu coming in www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Highly strung

The natural waterhole to stalk the elands for some days without success because one of the group always spotted us before we could get closer and our chances were gone. Therefore, we had set up a trail camera at a waterhole where the elands frequently roamed and found out that they mostly came in very late at night close to midnight or even later.

Nevertheless, over the last three days, their behavior had changed and they came in always earlier probably due to the changing weather conditions and an upcoming wind at night. Therefore, our hope was that they would come in before sunset. Beside this group of elands with two impressive bulls, we also saw a bunch of kudus on camera.

Due to that, this afternoon hunt we agreed

to ambush ourselves at a waterhole. The day before we had erected a hide made of natural building materials like branches and bushes, which blended in quite nicely in the unique landscape. The first two hours this afternoon in the hide it was calm and quite. We enjoyed the flying in and drinking birds, the warmth of the August sun and a pair of tiny squirrels running around in front of our concealment. Then all of a sudden, a single young female kudu sneaked in silently to the water followed by a young bull. As always, they were extremely cautious approaching the waterhole. The wind was excellent for us and after a couple of minutes we could see that they felt safe and calm and started to

Happy Hunter and PH with the ancient kudu 88

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drink. We observed the scenery and the beauty of these magnificent two antelopes when little by little more and more kudu came in. We could not believe it but after about half an hour, finally we counted 53 kudu ranging around the waterhole. What a stunning picture. Izak leant over to me by pointing on an old bull and whispered that the landowner told him that there is somewhere a really old kudu bull of more than twelve years tramping around and that we could shoot this grandpa if we want as a special bargain offer. The one Izak was pointing on was this elderly gentleman and he was still a characterful personality.

You could see his high age on his horns, skin and attitude. He had probably fought a lot in his life and did not struggle with the younger bulls anymore. How many exciting experiences he for sure had and how many interesting stories he could tell.

On the one hand perhaps a pity to shoot him but then on the other hand for sure I should not hunt at all. Bowhunting is my passion - so come on. I nodded my head and whispered to Izak: "Let's go for him.

He is a characterful kudu bull."

Due to so many kudu around, we had to wait for a situation when he was standing free without any other animal in front or behind him. The hunting gods were in our favor when after a while he was drinking alone, relaxed and as well nicely broadside at about 25 meters.

Although highly excited I had nocked in the arrow quietly and pulled my bow calm and smooth to full draw. I had to turn left and stretch my upper body a bit for a clear shooting window and aimed with the related pin of my Spot Hogg sight on the thoracic cavity, the area where heart and lung are located. My aiming focus was on the heart when I finally squeezed the trigger of my Scott release to let go the arrow on its determined mission. A second later we could see the kudu jumping up, doing a half turn on its hind legs and running to the left into the bushes close to the waterhole about thirty meters from where he stood and got shot. “Good shot my friend, the arrow went through, it is laying there in the sand and it is full of blood”, Izak whispered. I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly but surely my blood pressure when back to normal when I sat back.

We stayed in our hide due to the fact that, beside the one I shot most of the others kudu where still there or came slowly back. Maybe the elands would also come - you never know and could not tell?

When finally the daylight was gone, no eland had showed up and as well most of

the kudu had left we stepped out of the rear of our ambush and went slowly to the spot where my arrow was laying.

The remaining animals did not see us but had heard our noises and trotted slowly but surely away. The blood track was visible nicely with the flashlights and roughly 80 meters from where I had shot the kudu we found the bull laying in front of a bush. We radioed the landowner and told him about our harvest. He joined us about twenty minutes later with his Landcruiser. After the heartily congratulations we took a minute to honor the old boy before we set him up for some honest pictures. Although an earnest situation when he was taking the pictures with Izak and me kneeling behind the kudu we all had to laugh when he stated in Afrikaans: "Here, de koedoe is platt!" It sounded somehow funny. Then we enjoyed a tasteful South African beer before the three of us loaded the animal on the bakkie and drove it to the abattoir. The slaughtering afterwards brought up that it was a heart shot, an additional nice topping on an exciting hunting experience and this great trophy.

One more time thank you very much to Izak for the great organization, his experience and company and all the nice people I had the opportunity to meet during this fantastic time.

Always good hunting, shoot straight,

YOUR ONE STOP AFRICAN SAFARI DESTINATION Ernest & Marita Dyason

Waidmannsheil and alles van die beste.

German hunter Frank Berbuir is passionate about the outdoors and hunting – especially bowhunting, which he has practised for more than 22 years. Although he’s bowhunted in several countries, he’s become addicted to hunting in Africa since his first safari in 2004. Frank is a mechanical engineer and risk manager in the automotive industry.

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Taken on the Wing

Wingshooting in Africa’s HUNTING LITERATURE Ken Bailey

T

he sporting literature world is rife with classic books describing great adventures about hunting across Africa. The earliest were largely anecdotal stories of shooting big game, buried in detailed descriptions of the early exploration

by Europeans of the Dark Continent. Over time, and as Africa, particularly East Africa, become increasingly settled, more and more was written about the diversity of hunting opportunities, including books describing collecting for natural history museums, about life as a game warden, and protecting people and property from marauding wildlife. Eventually the commercial hunting safari industry grew, and with it came a proliferation of new titles detailing the exploits of traveling sportsmen and their pursuit of hunting adventure. Most of these, naturally enough, focused on hunting the Big Five, as that was where the excitement and danger lay, and that’s what sells (sex notwithstanding.)

What avid wingshooters know is that the African landscape is not just home to vast numbers of big game, it also boasts an unparalleled abundance and diversity of bird game. It dawned on me that seldom is wingshooting referenced in African hunting 90

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literature, and books or even chapters dedicated to tales of bird hunting are downright rare. You find the odd reference to plinking guinea fowl for the soup pot, the occasional description of the spectacle of sandgrouse coming in to waterholes on a Swiss watch-tight schedule, and periodically the names of game birds on lists of animals taken for museum collections, but that’s about it. Recently, I went through my accumulation of African hunting books, modest as it is, to see what significant references to wingshooting I could find.

Renowned raconteur Robert Ruark dedicated a full chapter to wingshooting in the posthumously published Robert Ruark’s Africa, a compendium of magazine articles and short stories of his African experiences.

Titled Strictly for the Birds, and originally published in the October 1952 issue of Field & Stream, Ruark reveals his life-long passion for bird hunting when describing gunning for sandgrouse, spurfowl, francolin, guinea fowl, ducks and geese on what was supposed to be a big-game safari. About African wingshooting, Ruark says, “It is the best real glut of game birds left in the world. With no limits, so that a hog could wear out his shootin’ shoulder on almost any fowl he chose.”

He wraps up the chapter by saying, “One of these days I’m making another safari to Africa, and am taking with me only the shotty-guns . . . I aim to shoot nothing but birds . . . I am going to shoot birds in the morning, and birds in the afternoon, and I am going to thumb my nose at the kudus and the bongos and all the other rare beasts that command so much abstention from fun. I am going to make so much noise that all the rhinos in Tanganyika will commute to Rhodesia.” If he ever took that dedicated wingshooting safari, I’m not aware of it.

The imaginative yet imitable Peter Hathaway Capstick also dedicated a chapter to bird hunting, or at least half of one, in his 1984 release Safari: The Last Adventure.

The chapter “Bird Shooting and Fishing” focuses, in part, on his love-hate relationship with sandgrouse, a species renowned for driving otherwise competent wingshooters to unforeseen levels of frustration. In the way only Capstick can spin a yarn, he relates the following about a fellow smoothbore hunter.

“One well-known competition pigeon shooter returned from a sandgrouse hunt in Botswana not more than a year ago in very bad shape. The first thing he did was

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Taken on the Wing have his wonderful collection of Purdeys and Hollands recycled into IMPEACH AUDOBON buttons. Clearly unwell, he gave his wife her own checking account and, at last reports, was spending the rest of his life in meditation somewhere in the Carpathian Mountains.”

In the chapter, Capstick goes on effusively about the variety of game-bird hunting opportunities, touching on francolin, quail, guinea fowl (“the spotted terror, tougher than tax men”), waterfowl, doves and pigeons.

One of the more interesting and informative chapters on wingshooting, I discovered, can be found in Winchester Press’s 1971, A Treasury of African Hunting. Written by artist, noted marksman, and onetime associate editor of Field & Stream Russell Barnett Aitken, it is a thorough and lively description of the broader opportunities available and his personal experiences wingshooting from Kenya to the Cape. In an exciting close to the chapter, Aitken relates a story of a nearfatal duck hunt.

“Wading to retrieve, I had just started to reach for the plump drake when I saw a movement near it, a nine-foot black cobra coiled on a tussock and ready to strike, hood flared wide. By that time I was damned near within range and, shooting practically from the hip, blew the bastard in half with a concentrated load of 6’s.” Who says wingshooting can’t be exciting?

In Chris Dorsey’s 2002 book, The World’s Greatest Wingshooting Destinations, he actually dedicates five chapters to bird hunting opportunities in Africa, three describing the gunning in South Africa, with

one chapter each centered in Zimbabwe and Botswana. All the usual suspects are here, from guineas to francolin to sandgrouse to waterfowl. This is the most modern reference to African wingshooting in my library, and likely among the most relevant to today’s hunting fraternity. Of note is his tale of hunting grey-winged partridge in the mountains of the Eastern Cape, the only meaningful reference I could find in book form to what has now become an iconic hunt for hard-core upland bird hunters.

Wingshooting in African literature also occasionally serves as a gateway to other stories. In Brian Herne’s 1999 White Hunters, he relates the tragic tale of PH Terence Owen Mathews, who was making a name for himself as a guide for celebrity hunters while working for the esteemed Ker and Downey. In 1968, while hunting francolin in Kenya, a hunter caught him square when a bird doubled back through the line. He took 39 Safaris pellets to his face, shoulders and In the Tradition of "O Old Africa" safaris hands, including one in the eye.

Despite travelling to London to get better care than local doctors could provide, they were For those who enjoyed “Into the Thorns”

Wayne Grant

look out for Wayne’s new book Drums of the Morning“

nyalavalley@mweb.co.za

unable to save his sight and he never guided hunting safaris again.

The only fully-dedicated African wingshooting book I’m familiar with is Aubrey Wynne-Jones’s 1993 The Sport of Shooting in Southern Africa.

This broad-reaching reference work touches on all aspects of game birds and wingshooting, from conservation and management to the basics of shotgunning, gun dog handling and care, and summarizes the basic ecology and life history for most common species of game birds. There’s even a chapter on gamebird preparation and cooking.

Throughout are detailed pen and ink sketches that effectively support the text. If for no other reason than it’s the only dedicated African bird hunting book I’m aware of, it’s a must-have for ardent wingshooters that hunt, or aspire to hunt, in Africa.

The paucity of wingshooting in the popular literature is understandable, I suppose. I get why man-eating lions and truculent Cape buffalo grab the headlines.

But in today’s shrinking world, when you can get to and from Africa and enjoy five days hunting within a week, and when bird hunters are increasingly willing to travel, it’s my hope that it’s only a matter of time before we see African hunting literature make a more welcome home for bird hunting. Terry Wieland, are you listening?

L A t!

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Hunter Profile

Hunter Profile

By Archie Landals

My sable after several years of dreaming. Kimberly, 2016.

I

was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada in 1945. I guess that makes me a city kid, but we were never far from the country. Although Edmonton is home to almost 1.5 million people today, it was only 100,000 when I was growing up. When walking out the back door we were soon in the woods with a lot of small wetlands.

Birds and small mammals were abundant.

Many of my relatives were on the farm.

My family spent a lot of time outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping. We were always learning new outdoor skills.

I have a Master’s degree in physical geography. My career of 40 years was committed to parks, land use planning and conservation - things I loved. I often joke that I never did get a job. In 2010, I reconnected with Carole, a friend from university days and we soon married. Carole, a true city girl had never participated in any of the outdoor activities that were part of my life. She was keen to try them all and learnt to shoot, and once we decided to visit Africa, she was committed to getting a zebra. Our shared love of Africa has resulted in five visits so far!

My fascination with Africa started when I was a child. I broke my collarbone when I was five and was taken to “Doc Cameron” who practiced from his house. His walls were adorned with spears, shields and other 94

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memorabilia from his time in Africa. I couldn’t take my eyes off the pig with the big teeth. In 2011, Carole and I had a chance to join a tour through Namibia prior to the World Veterinary Congress that my brother was attending in Cape Town. I fell in love with the landscapes that were new to me.

Alberta’s landscapes are young, the result of glacial action. The province was covered in ice until 10,000 years ago. In Namibia I was seeing ancient landscapes, the result of the action of wind and water over millions of years. I was experiencing landscapes that I had studied in geomorphology at university but had never seen. Watching and photographing wildlife in Etosha National Park, I was hooked. On our four subsequent trips we hunted different areas in part for the different landscapes.

We added a tour of the Garden Route in South Africa and visited the diamond mine and Boer Museum near Kimberly. How can I forget walking with the lions on my 70th birthday? A houseboat on the Chobe River in Botswana and Tiger fishing the Zambezi River were fabulous experiences.

Victoria Falls was awe-inspiring. My love of Africa includes the scents - The Kalahari Bushveld, the smell of flowers after rain, the aroma of Sand Camwood. If the early morning smells of the camel-thorn dotted savannah grasslands near Kimberly could

be bottled they would put the final touches on any trophy room!

I think hunting was in my blood. Dad and my uncles were hunters. In the days before television, storytelling was an important part of socializing. As a kid I would listen, enthralled by the hunting stories of my elders. I wandered the fields with Dad or sat in the duck blind before I started school. I was allowed to skip school for a few days when I was about seven. What a thrill to sleep in a wall tent in winter with the wood stove for heat. Though horses were no longer used on the farm, one of the uncles kept a team for the annual winter hunt. I vividly remember riding in the sleigh behind the trotting horses with the bells jingling. After that I was hooked and could not get enough.

In Africa, we hunted Namibia near Grootfontein in 2012. In South Africa, we hunted several properties near East London as well as the Queenstown area in 2015. In 2016, we hunted near Kimberly as well as north of Port Elizabeth. In 2020 we again hunted the Karoo, north of Port Elizabeth.

In New Zealand we hunted chamois in the Lake Hawea area north of Queenstown and Himalayan tahr at Rata Peak, west of Christchurch. In the U.S. it was pronghorn in eastern Wyoming.

In Canada I have hunted extensively in my home province of Alberta over the past 60 years. Extended horse trips in the roadless areas of the Rocky Mountains were especially enjoyable, and we hunted mountain goat in the rugged coastal mountains of northern British Columbia near the Alaskan border. Our quest for caribou took us to the fringe of the tundra in the Ungava Peninsula of northern Quebec, while Great Bear Lake on the Arctic Circle in Northwest Territory was our destination for musk ox.

I had my favourite weapons, but on my African hunts I used the rifles that the outfitters provided. I shot .300 Winchester, 7 mm Remington Magnum, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, .300 H & H and .375 H & H. All were bolt action and mounted with good scopes. I particularly liked the pre ’64 Winchester in .300 H & H, a bit heavy to carry but very steady on the sticks. In Canada I am old school. I only own one rifle, a Remington Pump action in .30-06 Springfield. I had a 4X Weaver scope for most of my life. A few years back I traded it for a Bushnell

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Hunter Profile

3 -9 variable. I won’t say I traded up, as the Weaver was an excellent scope, but as I get older the higher power is occasionally helpful on longer shots. I currently shoot Hornady Superformance 150-grain SST bullets. With the higher velocity there is little need to correct for elevation under 300 yards.

My favourite African animal to hunt without hesitation is kudu. Following Joseph, a Bushman tracker, across the old sand dunes of the wooded Kalahari Bushveld in Northern Namibia was an experience like no other. Finding the track of a large bull, Joseph would unravel the trail even when it crossed paths with a herd of other animals. It was amazing. The “Grey Ghost” is a truly elusive animal; at times, Joseph would have us sneaking slowly, at other times almost running to try and head off a bull that we had not yet sighted. We occasionally saw horn tips, though seldom got a good look, but after days of getting close, and not connecting, what a thrill to finally outsmart one.

I couldn’t choose any particular trophy as my favorite - all rekindle memories of experiences, landscapes and adventures with the people I hunted with. In terms of my African trophies, the Eastern Cape kudu with its beautiful markings and long flowing mane is perhaps the most impressive on the wall. The musk ox from the Arctic Circle is a magnificent animal and I am still partial to the Rocky Mountain bighorn that I had mounted over 50 years ago.

Fortunately I don’t think I have had a close brush with death while hunting; danger perhaps. There were some tense moments when I shot my Cape buffalo. I got two good shots into a bull before he got into a herd of about 30 animals. They moved only a short distance and stood facing us. Several of the Dagga Boys had blood on their noses from rubbing on the wounded bull. As we got closer, looking for a final shot, the herd continued to stare us down; they had no intention of moving. At about 100 yards it seemed like a bad idea to get closer in the hopes of getting them to move. I was well aware that we were a long way from the trees. There wasn’t even a shrub big enough to try hiding behind. I got an open lane and finished the bull off.

The others stood their ground. They did not move for the 20 minutes we waited while someone went for the bakkie and drove in their direction. I had three PHs backing me up and was not worried; perhaps I should have been. I have no idea what would have

This is my caracal with the houndsmen, East London, 2015.

Carole’s black wildebeest, Queenstown, 2015. happened if the wounded bull or the others decided to charge as I have often read they do. Perhaps ignorance is bliss.

I would suggest potential hunters not to be deterred by areas with high fences.

The properties are large and the fences never come into play. There is usually far more habitat to hunt than in the unfenced areas that are typically hunted in Canada. Consider using the taxidermist recommended by your outfitter. Even with the cost of shipping, they are competitive with prices in Canada and you get your trophies much sooner. I have used three different taxidermists in Africa. Their work compares favourably with the taxidermist I use in Alberta who has “World Champion” behind his name.

My advice to any first-time hunter is to be flexible. On your first safari pick a hunting package with a variety of animals where the company is prepared to trade for others. You may well change your list when you see some of the animals. Pick a longer trip rather than a short one. There is always a lot more to do around the lodge than hunt. Make it a family affair and don’t forget the side trips; Africa is a diverse and wonderful place. Adding a few extra days helps to defer the cost of the long flight.

Pack light. With daily laundry you don’t need many changes of clothes.

And last, but not least - try not to leave your African adventures until you retire, like I did. You will want many years for return trips. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Rifles In Africa

T

here are few things so inextricably linked with African safaris as a classic Land Rover Defender.

Prompting visions of traversing the dusty African bush or panoramic plains, eyes peeled for the briefest glimpse of game, it’s a vehicle firmly rooted in adventure.

With similarly historic links to the romance of African safaris, London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. is a brand synonymous with wilderness and adventure, thanks to famous customers including safari legends Bell, Corbett, Finch-Hatton, Selby and Hunter.

Born of a desire to celebrate and preserve these links and the brand’s fascinating heritage, a unique partnership between Rigby, Kingsmen Editions Ltd and Traditional English Guncases (TEG) was formed to create something that would allow Rigby enthusiasts the ability to enjoy their own piece of safari grandeur, wherever they may be.

Brought together by a shared passion for quality, adventure and classic British design, the three brands have created a vehicle that is both beautiful and functional. Over six months, independent vehicle modifier

Kingsmen Editions transformed a classic Defender 130 into every hunter’s dream 4x4. Finished in Keswick Green, the Rigby Land Rover is kitted out with a bespoke twin drawer system - one for Rigby guns and the other for hospitality where bottles of Rigby gin, whisky and glasses can be stored. The vehicle also boasts a 270° pull-

out canvas awning, ideal for setting up an alfresco lunch to protect you from the sun or rain whether you’re by river bank, in the bush or high on the hill.

Marc Newton, Rigby’s managing director, said: “We wanted to create something that was both functional and beautiful, just like our best guns. Everyone at Rigby is www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Rifles In Africa

incredibly excited about this collaboration which further bolsters Rigby’s position as an innovative and exciting brand championing British design and style.”

The bespoke Rigby interior is a mixture of canvas and leather with TEG having crafted the inlays for the gun cases, using those same high-quality materials to fabricate the luxurious interiors, including the seats and dashboard, adding an extra layer of elegant continuity and style.

Joe Tomlin, TEG’s managing director, said: “We have wanted to be part of a project like this for some time, so when the opportunity to work with Rigby and Kingsmen came along we jumped at the chance to get our craftsmen thinking about how to bring it to life.”

Other special features include access to 25 liters of pressurized water which can be used for washing equipment or gralloching deer, a safari spotting seat big enough for two, a bespoke fitted rifle rack, and an exterior roll cage with a front light bar and twin rear spotlights.

For those interested in commissioning their own bespoke Rigby Land Rover, the Rigby and Kingsmen partnership offers full customization options according to budget

and specifications, meaning each vehicle is truly unique to each customer.

With quality and attention to detail at the core of all three brands, the process of creating a bespoke Rigby Land Rover takes time, something which Tom Waller describes as another part of the experience.

“Whether a customer is a keen deer stalker or game shooter, or perhaps both, we can customize and adapt the vehicle according to whatever their needs. We’re all accustomed to a world of instant gratification, but that’s not what you’re getting with this vehicle.

Just like the process of buying a Rigby

rifle and a TEG gun case, customers are taken on a journey leading them to exactly the product they desire and, hopefully, their expectations are exceeded.”

Received with rave reviews during its official launch at The Game Fair 2021 from 23-25 July, which took place in front of 119,000 people in the grounds of Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, England, visitors had the opportunity to see this incredible vehicle, with one person deciding to have their very own Rigby Land Rover commissioned.

Tom Waller, Kingsmen Editions’ managing director, added: “As a brand, Rigby and TEG have always been highly regarded, and we realised that our companies share a lot of the same values.

We want to make items that are the highest degree of quality and are also useful. By working together to incorporate the best elements from each brand, we have created something very special in the Rigby Land Rover.” www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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On Hunting and Shooting

NOTES on RELOADING Dangerous Game Cartridges

By Francois van Emmenes

A

lthough we are blessed with the remarkable comeback of dangerousgame rifles and cartridges since the 1990s, it has come at a price, literally.

Today, more than ever in history, we have a smorgasbord of ammunition and component manufacturers catering for almost every dangerous-game cartridge that has ever seen the light of day. The problem, of course, for the owner of such a rifle is the cost of premium grade ammunition. Only the super-rich can afford to dispense with a couple of hundred “practice” rounds at up to $15 a pop… Enter the reloader. Reloading for your dangerous-game rifle is usually done at a fraction of the cost of factory ammo and, of course, provides you with the opportunity to tailor the ammo to your rifle and requirements. And - it is fun!

Whereas competition and long-distance shooters primarily reload for ultimate accuracy, the dangerous-game hunter reloads, primarily, for reliability. Although there are some common grounds between the two approaches, there are also differences.

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The oft-repeated advice that the cases of any cartridge intended for use on dangerous game should be sized full length, will hold true forever. The reason is obvious – ultimate reliability in the field. This does not only apply when dangerous game is the intended quarry – it also applies to any form of hunting.

I have witnessed, more than I can remember, opportunities lost to unreliable ammunition failing to feed or eject at a critical stage of the hunt. The most memorable was a wounded gemsbok bull departing over a dune in the Kalahari, never to be seen again. It fell at the first shot; the hunter was inexperienced and committed the ultimate sin – shooting a gemsbok in the neck. Only stunned, we warned the hunter to reload immediately, but the next round would not chamber and the opportunity to put the bull down when it got to its feet, was lost. A fully sized case is the best bet to ensure that the cartridge will feed and, equally important, testing every single round for feeding or proper insertion in the chamber for doubles and “falling block” designs. This is a critical step when

loading your own ammo.

Case preparation and inspection should not be skimmed over. I tumble and then wash (in warm water with a teaspoon each of dishwash soap and tartaric acid) all my brass to ensure proper inspection is not hindered by a dirty case. Discard any case that is cracked or appears to be structurally unsound. I squash the neck with a pair of pliers, just to make sure the case does not end up in a batch again. Remember to check each tumbled case for tumbler media that got stuck in a flash hole before primer seating.

A major risk for a dangerous-game hunter is case head separation, leaving a case stuck in the chamber and therefore leaving no way to load the next round. Incipient case head separation is not always visible from the outside – usually visible by a small ring around the whole, or even part, of the case just above the case head. The crack could have formed on the inside already and may be big enough to crack all the way through without showing on the outside. A simple tool, in the form of a metal paper clip can

help detect this. Straighten the clip, bend one end of about ¼ inch 90 degrees, and snip off a small piece with a side cutter. This will leave a bur on the end and the tool can be used to “scrape” the inside of the case above the head to feel for cracks. Discard any cases with possible cracks, and even the whole batch if several cases appear to have cracks starting to form.

The sometimes violent extraction of a case from a bolt action rifle could leave a severe dent in the case mouth. This problem is normally solved by an expander ball found in most sizing dies for conventional calibers.

Most, if not all sizing dies above .375 calibers lack an expander ball, though. The easiest way to correct the case is to stick a bullet of the same caliber into the case mouth and gently correct the dent before full length sizing. In severe instances, several correction and sizing attempts may be needed. Case sizing for the larger bores – say .458 and up also requires a careful approach. Because of the large diameter of the case, it lacks the structural integrity of small cases – large diameter cases are easier to bend and deform when subjected to the pressure of a sizing or seating die. The amount of lube used is critical – too much will cause a case to develop longitudinal indents on the case neck, shoulder, and even body. While this is mostly unsightly and should not normally interfere with performance, it does put undue stress on your brass and reduces case life.

Too little lube and you can easily get a case stuck in your sizing die, necessitating, more often than not, a trip to your local gunsmith to have it removed. (This has happened to me several times before, always on a Sunday, when the gunsmith shop is closed…) Flash holes should be uniformed, and I am a firm believer in using the uniforming tool that cuts the inside of the flash hole into a slight “V”. Not only does this create uniformity, but potentially, it also helps with propellant ignition that is a major consideration when loading for the really big stuff – say .500 and up calibres. Most 3-die sets contain an expander die to slightly flair the case mouth before bullet seating. This is a good practice to ensure proper and consistent bullet seating. But do not overdo it... Only a tiny bit of flaring is needed to guide the bullet into the case neck. Too much flaring/ expansion of the case neck will also add stress and reduce case life. A final word on case life – anneal your cases for the big bores as regularly as you would for any other caliber.

Load density, i.e. the volume of propellant in relation to the internal volume of the case, is a crucial consideration when loading for

Notice the very thin rim of a Norma .500NE case. Too little lube when sizing these cases can get a case stuck in the sizing die and the rim can be pulled through the shell holder recess very easily, ruing the case.

Applying the correct amount of lube is easy with a lube pad.

the big bores. While the subject of “the secondary explosion effect” falls outside the scope of this article, readers are advised to familiarize themselves thoroughly on the dangers of using incorrect propellants and loads in any given caliber.

The tools required for some large bore calibers are sometimes not that easy to come by. Dies for the .500 Jeffery for instance, require a 1-inch press bushing due to the sheer diameter of the die. Your press may not have a removable bushing, necessitating the purchase of another one. All presses can also not accommodate the very long cartridges like the .450NE, .470NE and .500NE (3¼ Inch) when seating bullets. It can become cumbersome to wangle the bullet into the die first, then inserting the case in the shell www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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On Hunting and Shooting

Trimming dangerous game cartridge cases to a uniform length is important to ensure consistent crimp. Lyman’s Accutrimmer works for me as it uses the shell holder intended for your press. Be sure to get the carbide cutter as it lasts much longer. holder and seating the bullet. Despite a shell holder being designated for a specific caliber, all cases do not fit all shell holders due to case manufacturing tolerances/differences – I ended up owning two or three brands per caliber to cater for such an eventuality. Most hand priming tools do not cater for the large rims of the super bores, and here a priming tool with a swing-away arm that is integral to your press comes in handy, as the same shell holder is used for case sizing and bullet seating. It does, however, not afford the same “feel” as a hand-held tool, and the reloader needs to ensure that a primer is properly seated a few thous deeper than flush with the case bottom. This is especially important in double rifle cartridges, as a protruding primer can cause a double not to close.

Case length is the single-most important consideration for the big bores. Because of the aforementioned structurally weaker cases of large bores, it is imperative that cases are trimmed to the exact same length within, say .0004 inches. Let me explain. All heavy recoiling calibers requires crimping in some form. Because of the heavy recoil, bullets in a bolt action rifle can bump against the front of the magazine, pushing them deeper into the case and reducing combustion space, which could, of course, lead to an over-pressure load. A loose bullet could also get stuck in the rifling, and when you open the bolt to extract the cartridge you could 106

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A swing away arm type priming tool integral to your press is a handy way of priming very large cases. pull out only the case – spilling propellant in the action and leaving a bullet stuck in the chamber, preventing you from loading a next round. In double rifles this occurrence could end your hunt – powder spilled into a fancy double action could require a trip to a gunsmith certified to work on that specific brand. That is best case. Worst case is being unable to stop an incoming buff… So, we have to crimp. All dangerous-game caliber

seating dies imparts crimp on the case neck, firmly keeping the bullet in place, almost always in the cannelure of the bullet. The problem arises when cases are not uniform in length – you set up your seating die (inserting an empty case into the shell holder, raising it into the press and then screwing in the die until it touches the case mouth, usually plus a tad more as per manufacturer’s instructions) and assume it will be ok for all your cases. Using a case that is shorter than its buddies to set up your die will result in longer cases being forced into the crimping section of the die, imparting excess crimp – all this while the bullet is being pushed down by the seating die’s bullet cone. The case neck has nowhere to go under this force but down and outwards, resulting in a bulge on the case neck that in most instances will prevent a cartridge from feeding. If you are lucky, it will still feed and a subsequent firing and sizing will restore the case to the correct dimensions, otherwise your case is ruined.

For this reason, a quality bullet puller is a sound investment. RCBS’s bullet puller with changeable collets works for me. A super way of imparting crimp is achieved with a Lee’s Factory Crimp Die. With this, NO crimp is applied with the normal seating die while seating bullets, and the factory crimp die is used as a separate step to just push the case mouth into the cannelure – simple and with very consistent results.

It is important to keep notes of how many times brass has been fired, reloaded and when cut to length, annealed, etc. These notes will stand you in good stead later, making brass management easier and lengthening case life. I mostly practice with cheaper bullets at a slightly reduced charge for range work as the cost is less, as well as the recoil on the big guns, but practicing with your ammo intended for hunting is essential. Lastly, check your loads for temperature sensitivity – a load put together and tested in Alaska’s winter may give totally different results in Africa’s heat…

Happy hunting and shoot straight!

Francois van Emmenes has been hunting since childhood and has hunted most plains game species in his native South Africa. He has written numerous articles for local and international magazines on a wide variety of hunting, shooting, reloading and conservation matters. He has an extensive hunting book library, and has a passion for “pre-64” model 70 Winchester rifles, which he collects. He reloads for all his rifles, shotguns and handguns.

He can be contacted on fvanemmenes@gmail. com

Terry Wieland On Ammo

Buffalo Guns Readers, I am told, never tire of either Cape buffalo or discussion of buffalo rifles and cartridges, which is a happy coincidence because neither do I.

I

f pressed to the wall and forced to prescribe one “best” rifle for Cape buffalo in all circumstances, it would be this: A bolt action chambered in .458 Lott or .450 Ackley, weighing no more than 10 pounds all in (loaded, with scope and sling) and with a low-powered scope in a German claw mount.

The past few years have seen many rifles come on the market purporting to be for dangerous game, and many many cartridges, factory and wildcat, but most of them leave me wondering if the designers have ever really hunted — on foot, in the hot sun, mile after mile — or chased anything bigger than a roebuck. The rifles are usually too heavy and cumbersome, or fitted with some outlandish eardrum-destroying muzzle brake, while the cartridges either rely on high velocity (a dubious faith with dangerous animals) or boast such overwhelming power that the only way they can be controlled is in a howitzer.

The .416s have enjoyed great popularity for years, especially since Ruger chambered its Model 77 in the .416 Rigby in the early ’90s, but it’s at its best with a 400-grain bullet, and I much prefer the smashing power of the .458’s 500-grain. As I mentioned in this issue’s One for the Road, I killed my first buffalo with a .416 Weatherby, it was my only one-shot kill on a buff, and it was fitted with a muzzle brake. I learned a lot from that rifle, all of which is summed up in the paragraph above.

This is a good time to answer another question from that column, regarding Duff Gifford’s .416. It was built by Rigby in London on a Brno action of the kind that had a rocking safety that worked the opposite of every other safety: On was forward, off was back. It had supposedly been converted, and what actually happened when my big bull emerged from the donga, we never quite figured out. Duff had one fleeting opportunity at a shot before the bull put me between him and Duff, but when Duff pulled the trigger it did not fire. I was on my own.

The rifle I had that day was borrowed, but it fit the above description of my ideal: It was light enough to carry comfortably for many miles, and it handled like a quail gun.

This characteristic is discounted by lovers

A custom .450 Ackley, built for the author by gunmaker Siegfried Trillus, on an FN Supreme action. The stock is American walnut from a tree Siegfried cut down and sawed up himself. The scope is an old Swarovski 1.5x20 Nova in an instantly detachable claw mount. Altogether, loaded and with sling and scope, the rifle weighs a shade under ten pounds. of oversized .577 wildcats, and rifles like railroad ties, but it comes in awfully handy more often than not — and when you need a rifle you can manipulate quickly, there’s no substitute.

An argument put forth in favor of heavier rifles, more powerful cartridges, and super accuracy at the expense of other qualities is that they will kill with the first shot, so you won’t need to worry about a second.

Hogwash! First-shot instant kills are never guaranteed, and with Cape buffalo they happen exceedingly rarely. If that were not the case, you could make a good argument for a super-heavy, super-fast single-shot rifle, and I don’t see that happening.

In African Rifles and Cartridges, John Taylor points out that the old-time superheavyweights like the .600 Nitro Express were just too heavy for a professional hunter to carry all day. Normally, if he had a .600 or .577, a gun bearer would carry it, while the hunter himself toted something like a .450.

Carrying a .600 left you so tired that if you did need to wield it in a sudden situation, you could not handle it quickly enough.

If that’s the case with a 16-pound .600, imagine how you’d feel carrying a 20-pound

.700 or a 23-pound 4-bore double rifle.

If you want to see how this works, find a gym with a heavy bag and do a complete workout — 15 three-minute rounds, with a minute’s rest in between — and try it with increasingly heavy dumbbells. Throwing serious punches for three minutes with even a five-pound weight leaves you like a dish rag.

Also, here’s a little object lesson in killing power. In 2004, I was up in the Kwando area of Botswana, near the Caprivi Strip.

We were hunting eland, but my only rifle was a .458 Lott (when in elephant country, carry an elephant gun) and one afternoon, needing meat, I shot a duiker that was facing us about 60 yards away. The bullet tore into his chest and all but removed one shoulder and leg. That duiker spun around and dashed off, making it about 40 yards on sheer adrenalin and reaction before giving up the ghost. He was not a very big duiker — four of us devoured him in two meals — but that 500-grain bullet did not drop him where he stood.

This proves one thing: You can never absolutely depend on an instant kill, so it’s vital to pay attention to a rifle’s other qualities, such as quick handling. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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The Effect of

RECOIL

By Wayne van Zwoll

It’s in the math. But a rifle’s kick is like love: numbers aren’t what you feel.

Or remember.

Red lechwe, here in Namibia's Caprivi Strip, don't require powerful loads. Best bet is a lightweight, quick-pointing rifle of modest recoil.

A Hunter speaks out

Careful zeroing requires more shooting than you'll do afield. Your rifle, load and position should make it a pleasant exercise!

H

e was an onlooker. The range was all but empty. “Could I try that?” I had one cartridge left and handed it to him, with the rifle. Quickly he thumbed the cigar-size round onto the follower and stepped to a bench.

“Best stand,” I said, “so you can flex a little.” He nodded vacantly, hoisted the CZ and pulled the trigger. At the concussive blast, his shoulder convulsed. The muzzle flipped skyward as he stumbled back then fell on his fanny, hard. The rifle, now a 10-pound baton, sailed end-over-end into the grass beyond.

I retrieved it while the fellow picked himself up.

“Good golly!” he gasped. No harm to anything but his pride, it seemed. My .505 Gibbs had nary a scratch.

Isaac Newton described recoil when he figured out that for every action there’s an equal, opposite reaction. You can calculate 110

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the kinetic energy of recoil with this formula: KE = MV2 / GC, in which M is the rifle’s mass and V its velocity. GC is a gravitational constant for earth: 64.32.

Now, mass and weight aren’t the same.

Mass is the measure of an object’s inertia.

The theory of relativity states that two objects have equal mass if the same force gives them equal acceleration. Using gravity as the force, you can equate mass with weight – a measure of the force by which gravity draws an object to earth. Rifles all respond much the same way to gravity, so for most purposes, their mass equals their weight.

To get rifle velocity, you must crunch numbers. The formula: MV = bullet weight (grs.) / 7000 x bullet velocity (fps) + powder weight (grs.) / 7000 x powder gas velocity (fps).

Powder and its gas figure in because, like a bullet. they are “ejecta” and contribute to recoil. Gas velocity varies; but Art Alphin,

in his A-Square handloading manual, claimed 5,200 fps is a useful average. The “7000” denominators simply convert grains to pounds so units make sense in the end.

For a 180-grain bullet sent at 3,000 fps by 70 grains of powder in an 8½-pound .300 Winchester, you’d calculate recoil this way: MV = 180 / 7000 x 3000 + 70 / 7000 x 5200. That simplifies to (77.143 + 52) / 8.5 = V = 15.19 fps. Then you activate the first formula: MV2 / GC = KE. The result: 8.5 (15.19)2 / 64.32 = 30.49 ft-lbs of recoil.

Obviously, a lighter rifle delivers higher rifle velocity, and more recoil. A 6-pound .30-06 firing a 180-grain bullet at 2,700 fps hits you with 30.26 ft-lbs of recoil – about the same as our 8½-pound .300.

Kinetic energy is not “kick.” What we feel as kick can vary significantly among rifles delivering the same level of recoil in ft-lbs. One reason: A faster bullet dumps the recoil quicker, contributing to rifle “slap.” It’s why some shooters describe the recoil of big-bore double rifles as a “push.”

The bullet spends more time exiting, which dispenses the thrust less violently. MV for a 405-grain bullet clocking 1,350 fps from a .45-70 is essentially equal to that for a 200-grain bullet leaving a .30-06 at a frothy 2,730 fps. But in same-weight rifles, the ’06 load has the sharper kick. Bullet launch and recoil are quicker.

Felt recoil also depends on other variables. Stock design is one. A butt-stock of proper length will snug naturally into your shoulder; a short stock coming loosely to cheek has a running start and hits your clavicle instead of pushing it. If you push your left fist into your right shoulder, there’s no pain, no matter how hard you press. Now, hold that left fist in front of you and bring it sharply into your right shoulder…

Butt shape, size and material affect the kick you feel. Curved steel butts on 18th-century American muzzle-loaders cradled the ball of the shoulder. The toe of such a stock digs you uncomfortably in recoil if it’s inside that bulge, where modern rifles are held. A slight radius still makes sense, as does a pad with a generous “footprint” to spread the thrust.

While a checkered Neidner or skeleton plate is elegant, that steel can maul your shoulder.

The best pads, like Pachmayr’s Decelerator, look good on walnut and don’t harden and crumble with age as did early rubber. A soft butt-pad grabs your shoulder – and the ground if you lean your rifle against a tree.

It also protects the stock from water damage better than does steel, as it keeps the wood farther off wet surfaces.

A Hunter speaks out The stock’s comb must support your face without digging into it. Sharp combs with lots of drop (slope down toward the heel) hit you like a hatchet. The forward-sloping comb of the Weatherby Mark V may not appeal to traditionalists, but it does “shoot away” from your face, mitigating felt recoil.

Cast-off, a custom option that “bends” the comb to better align your eye with the sight, can also reduce comb bite. Recoil mitigation in double rifles is especially difficult, as the barrels drive back off-axis to breech and butt-stock. The rifle’s pivoting action, if slight compared to the rearward thrust, slows a following shot.

Some butt-stocks house hydraulics, mercury capsules or springs. The mercury device in Blaser’s R93 trims the recoil of a .375 to the level of a .30-06. It even defangs the ferocious .500 Jeffery.

The stock’s wrist and forend should fit comfortably in your hands, to add control and help absorb recoil. Svelte profiles that make for quick pointing offer little “grip” to counter kick. But a stock too thick is slow and hard to steer. Checkering, rough texture and new soft finishes keep sweat, rain and snow from greasing your grasp.

As Mama told me, you can’t always have everything. A slim, exquisitely balanced Mauser in my rack is quick as a grouse gun.

The trigger breaks like a delicate icicle; 500-grain solids print walnut-size groups.

In recoil, alas, this .458 is lightning on skids, its smooth walnut slipping my hands. After a couple of shots my temples throb and my jaw goes numb. I live in fear of this mule-hoofed beast, but haven’t the heart to sell it.

Muzzle brakes trim recoil by reducing jet effect at the muzzle. The brake’s perforations bleed gas so it doesn’t all erupt at the bullet’s exit. The size, number, angle and placement of brake ports determine its net effect.

Some brakes are big and ugly. Some, like those from Lex Webernick of Rifles, Inc., are slim and less ugly. Webernick’s barreldiameter brakes are so well fitted you must look closely to see a union. Designing them, he used a decibel-measuring device to make them as quiet as possible. Tiny vents angled forward mitigate recoil without ratcheting up the noise.

Ah, noise. Even the best brakes are noisy, and blast from the most aggressive causes concrete to crumble. Ear protection is your friend at the bench, but not when trying to hear game or whispered signals from your PH. Fired prone, a braked rifle can also unleash a blizzard of dust or powder snow, obscuring the target. And a brake

This group shows the fine accuracy of a Quarter-Minute Magnum rifle and its .300 Win. Mag. load -- also marksmanship spared flinch-inducing kick! increases barrel length a couple of inches without hiking bullet velocity. Solution: Use a brake in practice, then replace it with an unvented sleeve afield. Check to ensure point of impact is the same for both. You won’t feel the rifle’s kick when firing once or twice at game!

A suppressor tames blast and recoil. In South Africa a few years ago, a suppressed Remington in .375 H&H shot well for a young, slightly-built lass who loathed to carry it but fired it with aplomb. I’ve

found suppressors helpful not only for the first shot, but in speeding a second.

The rifle doesn’t bounce as far off target, move my body as much or, prone, erase the sight picture with debris. Suppressors are costly and bulbous, though, and add otherwise-nonfunctional inches to rifles. In the U.S. and elsewhere, they’re demonized as “silencers” and subject to all manner of restrictions, licensing and fees.

Felt recoil is also a function of your shooting position. Recoil hurts most when www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Frank J. Zitz & Company Inc. of Rhinebeck, New York 112

www. taxidermymuseum.com www.africanhuntinggazette.com

frank@taxidermymuseum.com

A Hunter speaks out

Quick handling in close cover can save you. Wayne's Montana rifle in .375 H&H Magnum combines power and agility with manageable recoil. you’re prone and at a bench, as your torso can’t rock with the kick. Shooting uphill prone can also bloody your brow with the scope. On the bench, drape folded bath towels over your shoulder to deaden kick.

Place a thin slab of foam padding under your right elbow. Before refining your zero, fire from prone and sitting to ensure you have adequate eye relief. Your brow will be nearest the scope then, and hard to pull back from the lens. Better to move the scope ahead a bit. It’s easy to slide your face forward when catching fast aim offhand.

The real problem with recoil isn’t the jab you feel; it’s the anticipation of another.

When next you pressure the trigger to the break point, you’ll consider the violence to come. Maybe you’ll shut your eyes and yank the trigger. But even without such idiocy, involuntary tensing of muscles can send the bullet off course… The striker is poised to fall. Oh my, did that last shot hurt! Yikes! It’s gonna git me again! Now! Oh, golly! NOW! On a recoil tolerance scale of Gun-shy to Godzilla, I’m a notch above Wimp, keenly aware when I pull triggers that, save for

Though a "light" cartridge for some plains game, the .243 is civil in recoil.

Result: tight groups -- and more hits in the vitals.

Practice from field positions at realistic ranges prepares you for the hunt, and will show you if you're flinching at the prospect of recoil.

a slip of rubber, all that lies between my clavicle and an aspirin-bottle load of IMR 4350 are brass, steel and hardwood. Might as well volunteer my body as a crash barrier for seat belt trials…

Flinching is a hard habit to unlearn.

Better to use a rifle that, by virtue of its load, weight and stock dimensions, doesn’t intimidate you.

When your crosswire is on an animal, you can ill afford to fear the shot. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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Illegal gold mining activities in the area pose serious environmental challenges.

The Zambezi / Tambara

Conservancy, Mozambique

By Zig Mackintosh

From the Desk of Hunter Proud Foundation

The “Custodians of Wilderness” documentary series highlights the critical role that safari hunting operations across Africa play in tackling poaching issues, habitat protection, infrastructure development and rural community upliftment. These efforts essentially go unreported, but without them, vast wilderness areas across the continent would simply not exist. While the series has covered a diverse cross-section of Africa from the Ethiopian highlands through the plains of Tanzania and into the transfrontier conservation area between Mozambique and South Africa, there has been a common thread through three of the episodes - the Zambezi River. The Sidinda Conservancy, a part of the CAMPFIRE program, lies on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi about 100 kilometers downstream from Victoria Falls. Here Mbalabala Safaris and the rural community have joined forces to undertake a wildlife restoration project.

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T

he Dande Safari Area, situated in the Zambezi Valley in the northeast corner of Zimbabwe, forms a vital wildlife corridor between the Chewore Safari Area in the west and the country of Mozambique in the east. Through the Dande Anti-poaching Unit (DAPU), Charlton McCallum Safaris has ensured that wildlife numbers continue to grow while benefiting the local people.

The Zambezi River filters into the Indian Ocean through a delta system in Mozambique. Since Zambesi Delta Safaris started operating in 1992 in Coutada 11, wildlife recovery has been spectacular. An expanse of Africa almost one and a half times the famed Masai Mara has been rehabilitated.

And now, a new wilderness recovery project has been launched along the banks of the Zambezi River 250 kilometers

Streamside cultivation along the Zambezi River is one of the myriad of problems Coutada 7 is faced with. downstream from Cahora Bassa Dam. Coutada 7 is an area covering some 5 400 square kilometers in the Manica and Sofala provinces of Mozambique. During the 1960s and early 1970s, this area was one of the best safari hunting concessions in the country.

The liberation war of the 1970s, followed by a 16-year civil war, saw the end of safari hunting and the decimation of wildlife populations. The region became a butchery to feed the troops on both sides of the conflict. The local bushmeat trade also thrived, as did illegal logging.

Habitat destruction followed, and animal populations declined close to zero.

Today, only transit herds of elephants are occasionally encountered by the local people during the cropping seasons. The conflict forced many people from the surrounding areas to congregate along

Due to civil unrest in Mozambique the human population numbers in Coutada 7 have risen to over 100 000. www.africanhuntinggazette.com

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From the Desk of Hunter Proud Foundation

Zambezi/Tambara Conservancy Game scouts check the papers of a logging truck passing through the area. the banks of the Zambezi River and the main roads. Coutada 7 now has around 100 000 people, 13 000 cattle, 70 000 goats, and 8 000 smaller livestock animals.

Streambank cultivation along the Zambezi and other smaller rivers, slash and burn field preparation, timber poaching, and illegal gold mining are some of the current destructive practices carried out in the area.

With all of these challenges, why would anyone try to rehabilitate the area, and how would it be possible to get buy-in from the local communities?

David Gunde from Vinson LDA has determined to restore Coutada 7 to its former glory in the form of the Zambezi Tambara Wilderness Conservancy (ZTWC). A research team was assigned to assess the prospects of the project.

Data from extensive field research, using standard industry methodologies, was used to try and find a harmonized humanlivestock and wildlife cohabitation model, which would yield the most significant benefit to all stakeholders.

The company analyzed three possible models: the open system, the unified closed system and the closed fragmented system.

There is no fencing with the open system; artificial water points are established before wildlife is reintroduced. The area would essentially be ring-fenced by human 118

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pressure. The high human population density presents several inherent humanwildlife conflict issues. A range of cropraiding animals from kudu and eland to hippo, elephant and buffalo would breed resentment among the local villagers.

Livestock killing animals such as lions, leopards, jackals, and smaller predators would exacerbate the situation and make it difficult for people to move around the area. There would also be the issue of livestock and wildlife competing for water and grazing.

The unified closed system involves ringfencing the entire area with an electrified fence to stop wildlife movement. Unless the people move out of the fenced area, the human-wildlife conflict would again be an issue. Moving well-established villages from alongside arterial road networks would be a political and security minefield. The only option for this project to work is the closed fragmented system. Four blocks, each with a specific projected conservation outcome, have been identified and with the erection of a 2.5-meter electric fence minimal disruption to human activities can be ensured. A multiple-use zone for community and commercial development is planned for an area outside the four conservation blocks. This block includes an agri-park where commercial crop and

livestock farming enterprises would be established.

The company, Vinson LDA, held a series of meetings to present the proposals to central, provincial and district governments, including the council of ministers, ministry of lands and ministry of tourism, and the various local communities. The project was approved unanimously at all levels, and a 50-year concession granted to the company with an option to renew. The next stage is to raise the necessary funding, and David Gunde is hoping to achieve this through various means, including blockchain crowdfunding.

The Zambezi /Tambara Conservancy project is a unique and ambitious venture where 61% of the land is dedicated to conservation and 39% to multiple-use zones. The company has recognized the realities on the ground and human interests have been factored into the overall equation. Photo tourism and safari hunting are a part of the proposed revenuegenerating process but so, too, have other enterprises to ensure social integration and economic development. “Custodians of Wilderness: The Tambara Zambezi Conservancy” will be released before the end of 2021, and we will continue to document the progress of the project as it evolves.

Hunt Africa with this Exclusive Group of African Dawn Outfitters Adroda Safaris provides clients with the opportunity to hunt across southern Africa in large, diverse habitats and free-range concessions offering true fair-chase hunting.

Dangerous game, plains game and speciality species are hunted, often in exclusive areas, harvesting trophies of significant quality.

Adroda Safaris also offers the exciting option of hunting over hounds.

Our pack of big-game hounds is renowned for its leopard-hunting ability. www.adroda.com

AXEL ENGMAN SAFARIS A tailor-made experience with Swedish attention to detail. Raised in the Swedish countryside, hunting ethics are ingrained and part of the Axel Engman Safaris approach. Varieties of topography on my concessions countrywide, offering a full spectrum of species - plains game, small predators, the Tiny 10 to the Big 5. Tailor-made hunting, fishing, or photographic safaris await you. Whether your first or tenth safari – Axel Engman Safaris offers many years of professional hunting and outfitter experience. www.aesafaris.se

A family-owned lodge in the heart of Namibia, in 18 000 acres of privately owned bushveld situated two hours’ drive, northeast of Windhoek. 25 species, including the majestic sable and roan antelopes where hunts are challenging. The terrain is rocky, with high, table-top mountains and vast valleys. Plus, an exclusive concession on Etosha’s south-western border of one million acres.

No fences, this habitat offers everything from antelope through to elephant, leopard, lion and mountain zebra. Guests are guaranteed exclusivity when hunting www.african-safari-trails.com

Bergzicht Game Lodge offers guided hunting safaris on our exquisite game ranch just south of Windhoek, Namibia, with 25 species of plains game on 60 000 acres of privately owned land.

We recommend planning your hunting trip to last around 10 to 12 days. We do not take double bookings. To experience the adventure of hunting plains game and (occasionally!) perhaps an angry black rhino encounter, then Bergzicht Game Lodge is the place for you! www.bergzicht-hunting.com

Aru Game Lodges: The Very Best of Namibia.

The scenery is vast, the game wild at Aru Game Lodges,a family-run safari company with two unique, well-appointed lodges — Kalakwa Lodge and Veronica Lodge — both a short drive from Windhoek, With 130,900 acres (53 000 hectares) of picturesque properties, Aru’s guests have a perfect mix of the very best wild country and game in Namibia, with Five-star cuisine, world-class wingshooting, and much more - there’s truly something for everyone.

Yours in conservation, Danene & Gysbert van der Westhuyzen www.arugamelodges.com

Bobby Hansen was born and raised in Zimbabwe, with 30 years’ experience, operating in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

A reputation for quality hunts, a tremendous experience, value for money and exceptional quality animals. He personally guides the safaris. Camps and equipment are all in immaculate condition.

Professional hunter & tracker George Myemi has been with the company for 21 years. “Book with me, Hunt with me!” www.bobbyhansensafaris.com

A family-owned operation, founded in 1970 by Frank and Jenny Bowker. Hunting has been in the family since settling in the early 1800s. Today Frank, Meyrick, Alexis and Lily Bowker carry on with these traditions in the original homestead that offers wonderful ambience and warm hospitality to hunting clients.

Specializing in dangerous game and Eastern Cape plains-game safaris, many not found elsewhere. Offering walk and stalk, bow, handgun, and rifle hunting opportunities, as well as world-class wingshooting in our exclusive concessions. Check the SCI record book dating back to the 70s. www.bowkersafaris.co.za

Owned and operated by Dawid Muller, a well-known Namibian Professional Hunter in the hunting business for more than 40 years. His hunting farm is 60km southwest of Windhoek in the mountainous Khomas Hochland, an unfenced open area where along with neighbours farms which are his to hunt, offer 40 000ha. Plus, the exclu-sive unfenced hunting area in the Eastern Caprivi (now Zambezi Region) between the Mdumu and Mamili (Nkasa Rupara) National Parks. Personal attention to every detail, and Dawid’s passion and experience explain hunters’ repeat visits to Dagga-boy Hunting Safaris. www.daggaboy.com

Byseewah offers a total African experience for hunters, fishermen, and photographers.

Hunters stalk game on foot, following the tracks of antelope, hyena, and the occasional leopard. Byseewah prides itself on being family-friendly, and offers photographic safaris and nature walks to those who don’t want to hunt. Ken, who loves to fish and take photographs as much as he enjoys hunting, organizes expeditions to the Namibian coast for sea fish and the Zambezi River for tiger fish. Ken and Lynda treat their guests as family members, bringing clients back to Byseewah year after year. www.byseewah.com

Never before has a destination of such unparalleled luxury been offered to bowhunters.

Set against the vast rolling hills of the Karoo region, a five-star oasis surrounded by private bowhunting land is now available for small groups of passionately dedicated bowhunters and their travel companions. With a private chef, master sommelier, fulltime masseuse and photo safari excursions by horseback or overland vehicle, you’ll leave with the trophies and memories of a lifetime.

EasternCapeBowhunting.com (Password: hunting)

A family-owned and operated company, offering custom safaris on concessions that border the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa. This means we can also take you for a visit to this incredible place while here on safari.

Christo Joubert began professionally hunting in 1996 – not selling hunts but rather offering an African adventure. We never combine groups – You’re our only priority. Camps are like an oasis in the African bush, where you relax around a campfire, listening to the lions, leopards, and hyenas telling their own stories. chivicafricansafaris3@gmail.com

Ekuja Hunting Safaris was founded 15 years ago

by Drikus Swanepoel. Over the past 15 years Ekuja Hunting Safaris has grown from a family ranch operation into a premier hunting safari destination.

With exclusive rights to privately owned concession areas in central Namibia and one of the best elephant hunting areas in Africa, in our communal concession area in northern Namibia, Ekuja Hunting Safaris will ensure not only an exceptional hunting experience, but a memorable one.

Drikus is also well known to provide tailor-made safaris for his clients throughout Africa, including countries such as Zambia, Ethiopia, South Africa, Cameroon and Botswana. All accommodation provides our guests with a comfortable stay and professional staff to cater for all necessary needs. www.ekujasafari.com

In the Waterberg region of Limpopo Province, and with more than 23 years of experience in hunting Africa’s big game, Chris Troskie offers legal, tailor-made fair-chase hunts on more than 60,000 acres of land and has access to thousands of prime hunting land throughout the rest of South Africa and Botswana. Depending on the species hunted, terrain can vary from thornveld savannah to riverine bush, mountainous areas and grasslands. +27 82 859-0771 / chris@ct-safaris.com www.ct-safaris.com

Eland Safaris, a familybased operation, with more than 30 years’ of combined experience, is located on the scenic family Paardenberg Farm in the most northwestern part of the Limpopo Province, South Africa, close to the Botswana border.

Endorsed by Craig Boddington in 2017, we offer over 25 plains-game species and the Big Five to hunt on our property and concessions, with eland as our big attraction. Eland Safaris is a bushveld paradise which has something to offer everyone. www.elandsafaris.co.za

6000 plus acres of distinct Eastern Cape vvegetation. Accessible, yet extremely remote. Spectacular, varied topography, miles and miles of river frontage A Africa’s nature is on display. The home of tough authentic hunting in South Africa’s most popular province. Our logo describes what we’re about. Easy to recognize, yet a challenge from the outset; - The endemic eastern cape greater kudu. Smaller, more beautiful that its larger cousin, but offering a classic experience for the discerning international hunter. African wilderness is what we offer, time and your commitment is what you need. www.hotfiresafaris.co.za

Game Trackers Africa companies are owned by and operated under the professional guidance of award-winning Professional hunter and outfitter, A. Jaco Oosthuizen himself in Southern & East Africa (Tanzania) while logistics in West Africa’s Cameroon are maintained by means of a long-standing collaborating partnership, ensuring that when you hunt with GTA every specific need and requirement is attended to personally. Game Trackers Africa prides itself in specializing in authentic, free-range safaris in remote African wilderness destinations with dedication to community and anti-poaching projects. “Live the African Legacy” www.gametrackersafrica.com

A premium big game safari operator in Namibia for over 30 years.

Hunting inside the Bwabwata National Park (Buffalo Area) in Kavango East region. (old Caprivi Strip). Plains-game hunting takes place on the western edge of the Kalahari Desert, eastern Namibia.

(Gobabis area). The 700 000 acre concession on the Okavango River is a paradise for buffalo, elephant, leopard, crocodile and hippo, lion, sable roan and more antelope, and has consistently delivered excellent trophies for over 20 years. Koos Pienaar - big-game PH for more than 32 years and his son Kobus – are well-known and respected for their modest, but absolute brilliance in big-game hunting. Partners, Christine and James Chapman run the hunting camps personally and manage the business. www.huntafricanamibia.com

Your # 1 destination for the finest hunting 7 safaris in Tanzania.

(5 , 7 $ * Heritage Safaris operates in partnership with Luke Samaras Safaris in the Selous Game reserve in Tanzania - a wilderness of over 6$ )$ 5,6 4,000 km², offering staggering numbers of animals, outstanding trophy quality, and 7$1=$1Ζ$ a truly authentic Eastern African hunting safari. Our base camp, situated directly on the banks of the mighty Rufiji River, combines the comforts of home with an old-world colonial charm and grace. Experience the Holy Grail of hunting with Heritage Safaris in Tanzania. www.heritage-safaris.com

Formed in 1993, John Oosthuizen and Gavin Hume and have been there since inception.

Both, highly experienced professional hunters, each having received the prestigious 'Professional Hunter Of The Year' award and still fully active professional hunters, they have gained vast experience of hunting conditions in all the following countries: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique And Uganda. Few can match this. Based in Johannesburg, as the hub for arriving clients who transit to neighbouring areas and countries, Hunters and Guides Africa continues, through the Bhejane Trust (established to help monitor and protect the only wild population of black rhino left in Zimbabwe), to promote Conservation through Hunting. www.huntersandguides.co.za

Graham Hingeston runs HHK Safaris, one of Africa’s most recognised safari operators.

With exclusive control over some of Africa's best hunting and fishing concessions, it allows us to tailor safaris to our clients' individual demands. All operators are registered and licensed supplying the necessary services such as camp accommodation, catering, trackers, skinners, vehicles, and a Zimbabwean qualified Professional Hunter. In doing so, we ensure that your trip is a stress free, and enjoyable experience. Hunting in Zimbabwe is on a sustainable use basis with quotas issued for each concession.

Come Chase Your Dreams with Us. www.hhksafaris.com

Live the tradition of Hunters Safaris Southern Africa.

Hunters Safaris Southern Africa is a truly authentic African safari outfit in some of Africa's most sought-after big-game areas. Their camps - either traditional brick-and-mortar under thatch or tented - are of extremely high standard. You will be utterly spellbound by the true African bush as you discover "Africa" at its finest with hosts PH Pete and Alma de Villiers in one of their remote African safari camps.

Tel: +27824271337 Email: hunterssa@mweb.co.za www.hunterssafarissouthafrica.com

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Exclusive, five-star, and tailormade: Our fifth-generation familyrun safaris offer an exceptional African hunting experience in three biodiverse areas that teem with large herds of a great variety of species. We are located in the malaria-free Eastern and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa.

Each area is unique, ranging from sea level up to 6000 feet. Enjoy local cuisine and five-star lodging run by our friendly staff that will ensure an unforgettable experience of a lifetime, and priceless memories. https://ezuluadventures.co.za

Welcome to Intrepid Safaris The magical word “safari”, a Swahili word meaning “long journey”, opens the doors of discovery into the great and diverse beauty of Africa. Join our professional team at Intrepid Safaris Africa and experience some of the very best trophy hunting in the world. Journey with us through a magnificent land unlike anywhere else, and teaming with wildlife. On our private preserve a mere five miles from the Limpopo River, our guests can view and hunt a huge variety of game animals. www.intrepidsafaris.com

Welcome to Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris. With about thirty years of experience in operating hunting safaris, we would like to invite you along for an overview of our unique operation. We are looking forward to taking you on a journey to our various hunting concessions, with exclusive accommodation and service to guarantee your ultimate safari experience. Please feel free to have a look at our website and our YouTube channel to get a feeling for your next African safari hunt. Contact PH Philip Hennings for further information.

Mail: philip@khomas-highland-hunting.com

Johan Calitz Hunting Safaris started J business in 1987 and in 2014 was privileged to be entrusted with the management of the NG41 Mababe Community hunting concession in northern Botswana. From 2003, Calitz Safaris elephant trophies consistently featured between two and three of the five biggest elephant taken in Botswana annually, the biggest weighing in at 104 lbs. Our handpicked, well-trained and dedicated staff and professional hunters are eager to welcome discerning hunters from all over the globe in coming years. www.johancalitzsafaris.com

Kwalata Safaris, professional managed

by Peter Chipman and Zaeed Patel, is a wholly-owned Zambian outfit and holder of Lower Lupande game management area, that prides itself as one of Zambia’s premier hunting concessions. Kwalata Safaris offers you the finest big- and plains-game hunting that Zambia has to offer. We take great pride in offering our clients a luxurious and safe hunting environment, taking them to the highest level of collecting very mature, record-book trophies. From the beginning to the end of your stay with us you will be treated and guided by our most professional safari team that pays attention to detail. kwalatapeter@yahoo.com • www.kwalatasafaris.com

JJohn Sharp is one of the most experienced biggame hunters operating in Southern Africa today. While adhering to the strict ethics of fair chase, John epitomises the authentic ‘Great White Hunter’ of legend. A pilot, a crack shot and an excellent host, John puts the client at the centre of everything he does.

His clients often come back – not because this man will ever guarantee a trophy (“the bush is unpredictable’), but because he lives up to all the legends of the African big-game hunter. As his long-standing friend, author Wilbur Smith writes: “ I have hunted with some of the very best professional hunters presently operating in Africa, but John Sharp is my preferred companion and guide in the hunting field.” www.johnsharpsafaris.com

Madubula Safaris was founded by John A Abraham in 1990. As one of Africa’s premier operations, safaris are conducted to the highest ethical standards only.

No compromise. Providing superior big game, plains game, bird shooting and photographic safaris, our accommodation is in traditional tented camps or luxurious lodges on the finest reserves, providing superb fair chase hunting. Professional hunters are all experienced men, the trackers, skinners, camp and field staff are all skilled and experts in their field - all are complimented by polite waiters and world-class chefs. All camps and equipment are of the highest standard, well maintained and stocked to ensure a comfortable, relaxed stay. www.madubula.com

Keibeb Safaris, founded by Steph Marais in 2006, offers exceptional trophy hunting, luxurious accommodation and uniquely Namibian hospitality. Our private hunting area of 12 square miles has free-ranging game, no domestic stock fences, with adjoining properties adding 60 square miles and 22 species of game. Keibeb Safaris also arranges customised photographic safaris with a personal guide throughout Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, either by chartered private plane or in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.

Contact Steph Marais info@keibeb.na

Diethelm grew up on the farm Otjisauona, in central Namibia and has been hunting all his life. Katja studied nature conservation at the Technikon of Pretoria, where they met. They have been running Makadi Safaris since 1996 have three children, and the youngest, Nikolai, has just recently joined the family farming business. With two different, exclusive hunting areas covering 225 000 acres, of which 95 000 acres is personally owned the offer is unique. And due to our effective wildlife management programme, which has been in place for the last 50 years, the area is never overhunted, allowing for extraordinary adventure and exceptional trophies.

Diethelm & Katja Metzger www.makadi-safaris.com

At Mashambanzou Safaris you benefit from a collective 50 years’ experience and 15 years operational experience in Mozambique alone.

Specializing in offering safaris from middle income “once in a lifetime” hunters to the experienced annual safari goer. We own our own Concessions in many of the areas we hunt or partner with the most reputable operators from the Zambezi Delta to the lake shores of Cahora Bassa. Our mission statement is to provide our customers with access to the best hunting areas with the complete range of species at competitive prices with the finest service available. www.mashambanzousafaris.com

Monterra Safaris is a privately owned, 14 000 acre game ranch in the Limpopo River Valley of South Africa. Established in the 1980s as the exclusive hunting ground of an American business owner, his passion for hunting and conservation lives on as we offer you the exclusive opportunity to make Africa your own.

You will be guided by our professional management team through the entire process of journeying to Africa to hunt its illustrious game.

Our ethical hunting and conservation practices have preserved the natural environment here for over thirty years. www.monterrasafaris.com

Experience true African wilderness hunting in forest and savannah Hunt in the wild African rain forest, be surprised by elephants and gorillas, or follow the tracks of the majestic Lord Derby eland in the savannah.

Go for a unique and unforgettable hunting experience with Mayo Oldiri, the leader in Cameroon hunting! Since 1997, we have been offering outstanding hunts for species that you can only find in very few countries throughout Africa! We are the biggest hunting company in Cameroon with more than one million hectares of hunting area. We look forward to receiving you in camps! www.mayoldiri.com

Motsomi Safaris is a familyrun safari outfit by Pieter & Ria Potgieter. Both nature lovers, and Pieter being an avid hunter, they decided to share their love for the African bush with people equal in their passion for nature. The sole purpose of Motsomi is to have our clients back as friends by giving them an unbelievable African experience.

Motsomi as a team takes pride in bringing you up close to the greatest animals to be hunted or photographed, and will take care of all your individual needs, whether as an observer or hunter, to ensure that Africa will be a part of you forever! www.motsomi.com

Michel Mantheakis Safaris is a family-owned company, established in 2010 and operated by my wife Nicole and myself. Having learnt from previous mistakes and successes in our first companies, we focused on creating another top-quality trophy hunting company with a strong conservation conscience, offering services on an even higher level. By promoting ethical hunting together with conservation, we aim at marketing our safaris to the discerning hunter.

Anybody can offer you a trophy hunt, but only a few will offer you a great trophy hunt. The choice is yours… www.mm-safaris.com

Namibia Safari Corporation offers the best plains game hunts in Namibia, with 16 different species, as well as leopard and spotted hyena, for both rifle and bowhunters. Our 109 000 acres of privately owned hunting ground has a spectacular diversity of bird species and unique plants. Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles are used for hunting, but all stalking is done on foot. Your booking ensures the exclusive use of the Namibia Safari Corporation hunting camp. www.namibiasafaricorporation.com

Mokore Safaris, established in 1979, with over 40 years’ experience, is one of the leading safari companies in Africa. Run by the Duckworth family, situated in the world-famous Savé Valley Conservancy in the south-east Lowveld of Zimbabwe. Home to the Big Five as well as other wildlife in a great variety of terrain.

Mokore Safaris also has the privilege of hunting rights in Sengwa Research Area in north-western Zimbabwe and Coutada 9 in central Mozambique. Sole hunting rights in three of the world’s top-quality game areas, with access to others, means Mokore Safaris can tailor-make almost any requested safari within Zimbabwe and Mozambique. www.mokoresafaris.com

Ndumo Safaris is a Namibian company, based in the Zambezi region (formerly known as the Caprivi Strip) of Namibia, where we operate one of few companies specializing in hunting dangerous game.

Owning and operating three camps in the Zambezi area, with one doubling as a fishing camp, puts us in the unique position to offer the discerning hunter totally free-range areas for dangerous-game hunting (& fishing). For additional demand outside these areas, other Caprivi and Kavango conservancies, Damaraland and Kaokoland conservancies, as well as private ranch land in both Namibia and South Africa is available. Come hunt with us to make your dreams a reality! www.huntingsafaris.net

Omalanga Safaris, a family owned business, was founded in 2000 by Gunter and Reinhild Schwalmand and offers a full range of accommodation and tour options. Our Etosha Mopane Safari Lodge is conveniently located between Etosha National Park and Waterberg Plateau Park. Apart from hunting, we arrange tailor-made tours and safaris to the most attractive sights in Namibia. We can transport you to places like the Etosha Pan, Swakopmund, Kavango River, the Namib Desert or the Kaokoveld. Join us and experience our unique Namibian way of life. www.omalangasafaris.net

Driven by adrenaline and the adventure of the hunt, Jeff, the owner of the legendary 777 Ranch, ensures his clients get what they come for. He has hunted with kings, celebrities, and world-leading businessmen, and produced The African Adventure video series, and the first video with Peter Hathaway Capstick. Jeff started dangerous-game hunting on the Dark Continent, and according to him, “Sharing a dangerous-game experience with someone creates a bond that can last a lifetime.” www.777ranch.com

If your lifelong dream is to take part in the perfect African hunting safari, you’ve come to the right place. Corne Kruger’s Omujeve Hunting Safaris has three unique lodges and freerange concessions spanning the length and breadth of Namibia. We cover territories ranging from the wide-open plains of southern Namibia, the bushveld of central Namibia, and the waterways of the Zambezi in the far north of the country, all teeming with trophy-quality species. If you’re looking for an authentic and exhilarating safari, look no further than Omujeve Hunting Safaris, your trusted ally out in the Namibian wilderness. www.omujeve.com

Rob Lurie Safaris is a familyowned and run business offering bespoke tailor-made safaris. Rob has been in the safari industry for 26, with extensive experience of hunting and guiding in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, and plans safaris in Uganda, Benin, Cameroon, Tanzania, Mauritius and Greenland. He is currently the Chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association (ZPGA).

With RLS you will experience all that Africa has to give in ways you have dreamed of - Come live your dreams with us! www.robluriesafaris.com

The African hunting experience is a combination of adventure and beauty for thrill-seekers and naturalists alike. The rolling savanna with scattered acacias under the summer sun, will welcome you to this exotic and untamed safari land. The call of the African wild allures with its vivid sunsets and the open plains that teem with wildlife. www.Africahuntingoutfitters.com Quality Hunting Safaris is unique in that we provide top-quality trophies and a lifetime experience for our clients. I am a young outfitter, and owner, with a huge passion for my company, and you will become a lifelong family member. I will guide and take care of you and your family from the day you land in Namibia until the day you leave. All my equipment is in top condition and I select the best hunting areas. www.qualityhuntingsafarisnamibia.com

Experience the opulent elegance of rail travel on the most luxurious train in the world.

Combining magnificent scenery with the glamor and excitement of the golden age of rail travel, Rovos Rail offers eight distinct scenic safaris through the heart of Africa.

During the height of wingshooting season, we operate a unique eight-day sojourn with a variety of shoots ranging from driven guinea fowl to challenging waterfowl and hot-barreled, flighted rock pigeon and dove. Each day of shooting is paired with a leisure itinerary for those who prefer to further explore the local history, culture and photographic wildlife. Day’s end is celebrated with dramatic sunsets viewed from the open-air balcony as the train trundles further across the wild African landscapes. www.rovos.com The Boutique Victorian-style lodge - with its stand-alone luxurious cottages - is designed to ROYAL KAROO SAFARIS meet the needs of a modern-day REFINED ADVENTURE F A I R C H A S E H U N T I N G African hunt. 25 000 acres in one block, of privately owned land, plus 100 000 acres of exclusive concessions – within an hour’s drive.

Mountains, densely-wooded valley bushveld, Karoo veld through to grass topped plateaux, ensure some of the most varied hunting in South Africa. Our exclusive preserve offers exciting hunting that is fair chase and done on an environmentally sustainable basis. A challenging and exciting experience awaits you at Royal Karoo, bringing you back to Africa time and again. www.royalkaroo.com

Safari Trails International operates in the beautiful malaria-free Eastern Cape - by far one of the most popular hunting destinations in South Africa. With us you will be treated to days of hard hunting, friendly people and beautiful scenery. We our hunting rights to many thousands of acres we offer over 40 species to both the first-time hunter as well as the seasoned safari hunters.

We use a number of different lodges around the Eastern Cape, with our main camp being situated just over an hour northeast of Port Elizabeth. You will be guaranteed quality accommodations, food and trophies and we have always encouraged family hunts and welcome young and first-time hunters. info@safari-international.com

Established in 1998 by two brothers, Jason and Clinton. Both with extensive experience in hunting dangerous and plains game throughout Africa, Stone Hunting Safaris operates in South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. Offering top quality hunting safaris in the best areas Africa has to offer. Since 1998 Jason has spent over 250 days a year, Clinton – 200, hunting all over Africa in pursuit of top-quality trophies for their clients. They will go out of their way to ensure that all clients will have a great hunt and get the best possible trophies available. www.stonehuntingsafaris.com

It must be said that whether it is your first time hunting ever, or you’re a seasoned hunter, we want to make memories for you. SB Hunting Safaris aims for you, the hunter, to have an unforgettable experience. It is our passion to keep hunting alive. For us it is not about quantity but about quality. We have more than 30 huntable species roaming over thousands of unspoiled acres that can be part of your next deluxe African hunting safari. SB Hunting Safaris is a family-oriented company. www.sbhuntingsafaris.com

Strang is a seasoned bowhunter with 20 years of experience in the field as a PH. Clients are welcome to hunt dangerous game and antelope with bow or rifle under his guidance.

Strang’s main focus: hunting some of the best areas in Zambia for lion, leopard, elephant, hippo, crocodile and buffalo, with unique Zambian plains-game hunts on private land available. Camps, equipment and staff are top-notch, ensuring a safe, comfortable and memorable dangerous -game safari of a lifetime. www.strangmiddletonsafaris.com

Zambia ‘The Real Africa’ - Shamwari Safaris is primarily situated alongside the Zambezi River and escarpment, at the confluence of the Luangwa and Zambezi V Valley.

The area is mountainous and the hunting is challenging and VERY exciting. We also have access to other prime areas including South Luangwa, Bangweulu Swamps and Kafue GMA’s Our hunting safaris are led by Steven Rufus, a native Zimbabwean now resident in Zambia. Steven has both a wealth of experience and passion for the African Bush, is committed to both ethical hunting and ensuring that the client’s needs are exceeded on each and every safari. www.shamwarihuntingsafaris.com

Thierry Labat Safaris is a very small, personalized company based out of Zimbabwe, but also offers hunts in multiple countries that include Cameroon, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Mozambique. We offer personalized safaris to suit the client’s budget and main targeted species.

Not personally owning areas ourselves means we do not have the pressure of fulfilling quotas, but instead we make sure that we take you to the best area for your needs. Our chief goal is to ensure that the client has an enjoyable and memorable safari. TLS has an 80%+ repeat clientele base which in itself speaks volumes. Our high standard of hunting ethics is of utmost importance, not only to us, but to our industry as a whole, and we endeavor to keep those standards high. When dealing with us, our word is our bond! www.thierrylabat.com

Owned and operated by Ernest and Marita Dyason since 1995, Spear Safaris offers worldclass big-game trophy hunting Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Cameroon, under the auspices of well-established outfitters in those countries. Excellent and affordable buffalo and plains-game hunting safaris on our 70 000 acre concession in the north of Limpopo Province, as well as a huge variety of plains-game species on our other two hunting concessions (25 000 acres to 30 000 acres). We also offer world-class photographic safaris, from our private camp in the Greater Kruger conservation area and not being a high-client turnover safari company – we both offer highly personalized service. www.spearsafaris.com

“There is no substitute for experience” Wayne has been a professional hunter for 40 years, operating in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa, and specialises in hunting the big cats.

Wayne is currently taking bookings for leopard and buffalo hunts.

These buffalo hunts are focused on big old bulls of 40 inches and better, on proper wilderness areas (no farm hunts), with fly-camps, backpacking, hunting on foot in “Old Africa”. www. waynegrantsafaris.co.za

Watts Trophy Hunting Safaris has more than two decades of experience in the hunting and safari industry. Our main camps and hunting areas consist of open savanna, acacia brush and camel thorn trees; there you will find some of the Big Five species and numerous plains game animals. To make every hunter’s dream come true, we expanded our hunting expeditions to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Uganda, and all over South Africa. The extensive variety of animal species and countries give us access to top-quality trophies and allows us to custom-make your safari, varying from the Big Five to conventional game hunts. www.wattstrophyhunting.com

Since 1996, Wow Africa Safari strives to create the African dream for international visitors.

Specialized in individually customized expeditions, you will experience the majesty of Africa – in absolute awe! Izak, Linky and the rest of their family run a truly 5star experience within the borders of South Africa. Whether you are on your way to complete the hunt of a lifetime, or traveling alongside your hunting companion and want to experience what makes South Africa unique, The Kirsten Family will show you and your party all that the Southern part African has to offer. www.wowafrica.com

Hunt Africa with this Exclusive Group

Terry Wieland’s One for the Road

to be up there a day or, at most, two.

I was carrying a borrowed Winchester Model 70 in .458, belonging to Jerry. My ammunition was his hot handloads using the then-new but always excellent Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets. Our other rifle was a .416 Rigby that belonged to Duff’s late father-in-law, Allan Lowe, who carryied it several years before when he was killed in Zimbabwe by an elephant.

We topped the outer wall, traversed the crater, and began a long climb up into the rain forest, where we set up camp.

The thinking was that the crater was known to hold some Cape buffalo, mainly old bulls who had left the herd, voluntarily or otherwise, and now dwelt up here in lonely splendor, contemplating past glories. Our job was to find one, which was not easy on the steep, rocky mountainsides, cut by dongas and overhung with thick brush.

After a miserable rainy night, we emerged to find our staff huddled around a fire, trying to ward off the shakes brought on by malaria and damp chill. Breakfast was cursory, to say the least, and since our colleagues showed no eagerness to leave the fire, Duff, Jerry and I took our rifles and binoculars and went to look for a vantage point from which to scan the mountainside. This was made more difficult by the early morning clouds that shrouded the peak, drifting in and out like thick fog.

I was perched on a rocky outcrop. Jerry and Duff were down the way, glassing the other direction. The clouds opened for an instant, just long enough to spot the tail end of a buffalo disappearing into some brush.

Duff and I left Jerry on my look-out and descended into a long clearing, toward where I’d seen the bull. It had to be a bull, since there were no other buffalo up here. Duff was off to the right, checking some sign, when the bull appeared out of a thicket 75 yards away.

I sat down and put the crosshairs behind his shoulder. At the shot, he made a dash and dropped from sight into a donga. Then all was still.

Duff and I crept toward where he’d disappeared. What we found was an odd

situation. A thick canopy of brush turned the donga into a tunnel. A trail led down into it on the far side, where the bull had disappeared, then emerged from the brush to climb up on our side. Through the brush, we could hear the bull’s labored breathing.

We found a place to stand with a dense thorn bush on one side and the donga’s steep side on the other — just room for both of us, but not for both to shoot, depending on where the bull appeared. He was not ten yards away, but invisible, and his breathing became harsher.

“We’ll give him ten minutes,” Duff said.

“If he doesn’t come out, we’ll go in.”

We could hear the buffalo. The buffalo could hear us. At any time, he could get up and walk down his tunnel - which he surely knew intimately - completely unseen. He stayed put.

The minutes crawled by — seven, eight, nine — and at ten minutes, almost to the second, we heard the bull heave himself to his feet and begin to move. He burst out of the brush and up the trail. I fired one shot into his black hide, then a second as he turned sharply, rounding on me at a distance of a few

feet. Duff was behind me, unable to shoot and no place to go. I shoved the last round into the chamber, stuck the muzzle in the bull’s face, and pulled the trigger just as I was jumping back, trying to get out of the way so Duff could shoot.

It was not necessary. The bull dropped, four feet away, and came to rest on the edge of the bank.

African veterans reading this will, undoubtedly, have questions.

Where was the game scout and our trackers? (Back by the fire, trying to keep warm.) Why did Duff not shoot when the bull first appeared? (Problems with his rifle, which I will try to explain in the ammunition column of this issue.)

Where did your first bullet hit the buffalo? (Both lungs. He was slowly drowning in his own blood.)

It’s difficult to sum up my feelings about that bull, because he was so admirable. He could have escaped, yet he crouched there, facing back toward his trail, waiting for us to come in after him. As his lungs filled up and breathing became increasingly difficult, he came out of that donga with one thought, one plan, and that was vengeance.

We pieced it together later, from the tracks and the pool of blood. Having dashed into the donga after the first bullet, he left the trail, moved up the donga into a cul-de-sac, turned around and lay down, facing the trail — the only way we could get in. And there he waited as his time ran out.

For those who care about such things, his worn-down horns measured 43 inches, side to side. In his prime, they probably reached 48 inches. But that’s inconsequential.

These events took place almost 30 years ago now. The skull and horns disappeared in the dissolution of the safari company. No idea what happened to the rifle. I have a few photographs and one bullet, the Bear Claw that went between his eyes and tore up 18 inches of spine. One of the trackers dug it out for me as another was building a fire and putting chunks of the backstrap on sticks, to roast. It was like eating India rubber.

But that’s not what I remember most.

What I remember is that buffalo’s valor, and how I came to love him. africanhuntinggazette.com

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Terry Wieland’s One for the Road

A Tale of Three Buffalo The things that stick with you

In Horn of the Hunter, Robert Ruark describes two Cape buffalo he took on his first safari, in 1951, in (then) Tanganyika with Harry Selby. The first was wounded and gave the pair a hell of a time until he finally succumbed. The second, which had much bigger and more massive horns, was also wounded, and disappeared into a dense thicket.

S

elby and Ruark looked at each other, then sat down to smoke a cigarette. As the minutes wore on, Ruark became more and more anxious about what was to come. Then Selby invited him to accompany him as he went after the buffalo — a serious compliment as you know if you’ve ever been in that situation. Ruark steeled himself, checked his .470, and off they went. The tracking took some time. It probably seemed much longer than it was, but that’s the way these things work, as they crept along, expecting a charge at any second.

Finally, they came upon the buffalo, dead in its tracks, facing away. He had died as he fled, and not even contemplated a classic m’bogo ambush. Ruark noted that his horns were bigger, but “it’s the first one, the smaller one, that I have on my wall.”

Forty years later, I faced a similar situation on a two-part safari that began in Tanzania, hunting with Robin Hurt, and ended in Botwana, hunting with Tony Henley. In the first instance, Robin and I were waist-deep in the Moyowasi swamps when we came upon a herd of buffalo. I was carrying a .416 Weatherby, made a lucky shot, and a big bull went down and stayed down while the rest of the herd splashed off. It’s my only one-shot kill on a buffalo.

A week later, in the sand and thornbush around the Okavango, I wounded a bull with a shaky shot - he left, we waited, then we followed. Like Ruark, I was steeling my nerve, carrying the Weatherby like a quail gun, anticipating mayhem. Only it didn’t turn out that way. After half an hour, we spotted the bull’s hind end through the leaves. He was about 50 yards away, I anchored him with a shot at the base of his tail that smashed his spine, and I then 128

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finished him off at point-blank range with several more. He certainly didn’t die easily — adrenalized and angry Cape buffalo soak up lead like a sponge — but nor did he try to get even. I was either vastly relieved or greatly disappointed, depending on the state of my whisky intake, but honesty compels me to conclude it was mostly relief.

But, again like Ruark, there was a feeling of having been cheated of my moment to prove something.

Three years later, I found myself back in Tanzania, hooked up with a new safari company set up by an American and staffed by a couple of professional hunters from Zimbabwe — Gordon Cormack and Duff Gifford. Gordon is now dead, I’m told, and Duff is plying his trade somewhere in northern Australia. This was a new kind of safari in a country newly liberated from crackpot socialism and embracing free enterprise with joyous cries.

There were safari camps that could be rented, on concessions that were eagerly snapped up

by Arusha businessmen who couldn’t tell an elephant from an elevator.

We decamped from Jerry’s ostrich-and-flower farm outside Arusha to a camp at the base of Mount Longido, put together a makeshift mountaineering expedition, and set out to climb. Longido is a long-extinct volcano which, I am told, in its heyday dwarfed Kilimanjaro.

Now it’s worn down into a vast bowl with walls hundreds of feet high, a much higher promontory at one end covered in rain forest, with families of Masai occupying the huge crater.

Our expedition included Jerry, Duff, a game scout, the game scout’s two vassals (one to carry his rusty single-shot shotgun, the other to carry his briefcase) and several trackers and camp staff. We had no real camping equipment, but we were only going Continued on page 127

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