Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Just Back From Zimbabwe

I finished my buffalo hunt with Lin Stanton. I spent 8 days at the Mibizi Camp on the Mwonesi River, Nuanetsi. I saw tons of game to include eland, kudu, wildebeast, warthogs, baboon, nyala, giraffe, elephant, duiker, steenbok, impala, zebra, bushbuck, bushpig, crocodile, and waterbuck.

I also saw a cheetah, honey badgers, jackals, bat-eared foxes, and a mongoose. We saw fresh lion tracks and leopard tracks, but didn't see the cats themselves.

I wanted a big buffalo, and we hunted hard for 6 days. Everyday, we would follow tracks. We got into buffalo everyday. On the first day, I turned down a 38" buff. On the second day, we tracked and caught up with a 41" buff, but the PH felt it was a little too young, and the boss too soft. On the 5th day we followed some bulls for almost 9 hours. I was totally zonked, by the time we finally got within shooting range. A bushpig rushed by at about 6 feet and I totally ignored it I was so tired. By the time I managed to get into positon, it was too dark to shoot. These group of buffalo contained a 45" and a 42" buff. The 45" was too young to shoot, but the PH wanted me to shoot the 42" buff, but I just couldn't get into position in time. So goes hunting when you are an old man.

The next day we tracked some bulls for about 5 hours. Unfortunately the wind changed just as we got close to where they were bedded down and they took off at a run. We decided to call it a day and head back to camp. On the 2 hour drive back to camp, we spotted a small herd of buffalo in some trees. The PH stopped and glassed them. He thought one would go 38", so we quietly moved into range. The wind was in our favor and I shot the biggest bull at about 25 yards. The bull ran off about 30 yards leaving a blood trail that even I could follow without difficulty. We found the bull lying down and I shot once more, finishing the buff. My first shot was perfect, and the 400 gr Swift A-frame had entered about 1/3 up the body centered on the front leg. The second shot, a Barnes 400 gr solid, was halfway up the body and perfectly centered over my first shot.

Although not as big as I originally wanted, I was more than happy with the buff (turned out to be 36" with a nice boss) as my arthritic hip was giving me fits from all the walking.

Lin and his crew were fantastic, and I would love to hunt with them again (but first I need to get my hip replaced).

It had been 13 years since I last hunted Zim, but I plan on returning a lot sooner next time.

I stayed at The Afton House in Jo'burg, two nights on arrival, and one night on departure, and I couldn't have been more pleased with the rooms, service, and companionship of the staff and fellow hunters. The $100.00 for the pre-approved SAPS firearm permit was money well spent.

BH63

Welcome home and congratulations.

I hope I can go back and do as well. Congratulations on a memorable trip.

Thank you. I actually seem to have gotten more out of this trip than the other two safaris. I think as you get older you learn to appreciate the friendships, and little things that happen on your trip.

One of my most memorable moments, was when I decided to let the PH go home a couple of days early (his very, young baby was sick). While we were there, he invited me to go with him to watch his 9 year old daughter play her first game of "rounders" (kind of like softball).

As we walked up to the team, the girl, who hadn't expected her dad to show up, gave an excited squeal and ran up and hugged him saying "Oh, daddy, I didn't think you would make it."

I hope to remember that scene for the rest of my life.

Cheers,

BH63

Very cool. Still working out the specifics on my first Zimbabwe hunt for next year. Doing a leopard and buffalo hunt.

Congratulations on a great hunt with even better memories. Every PH I've dealt with in Zimbabwe has been a class individual. Like you, I can't wait to return.

1SH,

That sounds waaay cool - buff and leopard. Make sure you check the latest CITES info if you plan on bringing the leopard skin back as a trophy. Taking a gun to Zim was pretty easy. My PH e-mailed me a Zim Temp Gun Permit. I then pre-filled it out, and they looked at it, checked the gun serial number and amount of ammo, and that was it. RSA is more of a hassle, as they have a very long SAPS form to fill out.

Ngrumba,

I have hunted in Zim twice. The first hunt was with Kirk Mason - a finer hunter and gentleman I have never met. Lin Stanton is also first rate and I have no doubt I would have gotten a 40" or better buff, if I had the stamina. He and his crew worked hard everyday. Shooting a big buff means looking over a lot of buff (which means a ton of tracking/walking) or just getting lucky.

At any rate, a hunt and experience I will remember for ever.

BH63

BH63, congratulations! Sounds like you had a fantastic trip and a nice bull to boot! Glad you got out again and had a great hunt.

Again thanks. Every time I shoot a DG animal with the .416 Rem Mag, I like the gun/cartridge combination more and more.

BH63

Yep. The M70 and the .416 Rem seem to be quite well matched. I really like mine as well. I do wish the factory barrel was not so heavy, but it does seem to balance nice.