Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Elephant Hunt Photos

Earlier, I posted the results of my elephant hunt in Nyakasanga from May 1 to 15.

It was a difficult hunt with less than expected or hoped for results. Still enjoyable, except three evening and mornings while a real FIGJAM stayed in camp.

FIGJAM = F--k I'm Good, Just Ask Me. This was the nickname - epitatat the PH's used for this jackass, makes me laugh even a month later.

The turd was a self taught expert on all subjects world wide from finance to monetary systems to stock investing to skinning, hyhena and leopard baiting and all hunting and fishing - oh, and also on the only sure way to travel with rifles, but then he arrived in Zim without his, they got left behind by the airlines!

Told everyone how to do everything and was rude to the PH's, especially to my PH. Was rude about the generator turning on early to accomodate our early departure in the mornings and rude about the time of dinner, set to accomodate our late arrival in the evenings, well after dark.

Made [bleep] a comment about the amount of beer that was being consumed one evening, but knocked off a whole bottle of cheap scotch... The list could go on and on, and he was there for only three nights. I felt sorry for his PH and what putting up with that jackass must be like for a whole day, and they moved on with 16 more days to hunt.

This FIGJAM was the poster boy for why one must give careful consideration to any shared camp, especially when hunting hard for dangerous game. The camp was supposed to be exclusively mine but a FU by the outfitter had this jerk in camp for two hunting days and another fellow who was very good company - along with his film team, also good company, in camp for five or six days.

The second fellow was Steve Scott who films African hunts and stars in them. He got some great footage of a bull and cow buff hunt and also of a very cool hippo hunt and I'm looking forward to seeing it on TV. Can't recall the channel but I'll post when and where his show airs, which IIRC is 8:30am on Sundays.

Anyway, I posted earlier on the hunt so here are some photos with some commentary:

Hyhena #1. The Scmidt & Bender 1.1x4 illuminated reticle worked great. Could not see this hyhena with the naked eye, but well enough through the scope!


Hyhena #2. This was thinning out the shallow end of the gene pool. We'd crept into the blind before light and could hear hyhenas off maybe a mile. They must have already left the bait and none were there as dawn camo on. Went down to the Nyakasanga river mouth where it enters the Zambezi to take a look at a bull ele track that Winston, our Appy PH had seen last light the evening before. As we returned to head toward the Sugar Estates area, where we'd seen some bull tracks last light the evening before, this guy was on the bait at 7:30am.


Hope I'm keeping track of which comment for which photo, if so this one is of my lower legs and feet showing ten days or so of wear and tear from up to nine hours of walking dayly.


This is me trying to catch some shut eye at lunch.


Good to see that the oldest guy in the group isn't the only one needing some rest. This PH Rich Tabor, lights out.


And our stalwart cameraman, sacked out.


Lunch. It was very thick in places!
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/Nilrik/DSCN0014.jpg[/img]

One of the many, too many, full pans.
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/Nilrik/DSCN0080.jpg[/img]

Coming through the jess after a long morning on our feet.
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/Nilrik/DSCN0103.jpg[/img]

Second to last day elephant bull. Not what we we're hoping for, but as Safariman says, "any mature bull elephant is a real trophy." Tought hunt, not entirely succssful, but if nothing else, we earned this bull. (BTW, photo taken the morning of the last day since we caught this bull near last light and by the time we got the cameras out it was too dark for good photos.)
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/Nilrik/DSCN0146.jpg[/img]

Can't wait until the next trip!

JPK

Great picts guy, congrats.

We need rifle details!!!!!!!!!!

JPK,

A BIG CONGRATS to you!

You stayed on it and stayed with it and it ALL paid off in the end!

I enjoyed your photos and story and I could feel the EXHAUSTION as if I was there!

Good job sharing and writing...

Aloha,

Ro

Thanks guys.

Rifles in camp and on the hunt:

My bolt rifle is a Dakota from about a decade ago during Don Allen's days in 375H&H with a Schmidt & Bender 1.1x4 with illuminated reticle. It is very accurate. I used Federal's standard velocity 300gr Trophy Bonded Bearclaws and had my reloaded solids, 300gr Woodleigh's at ~2450fps but did not use them. In addition to the hyhenas I shot maybe a half dozen impala and a waterbuck cow for leopard bait. No joy on the leopard.

My double rifle is a Marcel Thys sidelock made circa 1980 in 458wm. I used my reloads with 450gr North Fork flat nose solids at 2220fps and had my soft load which is 500gr Woodleigh at 2145fps but didn't use the softs.

PH Rich Tabor's double rifle is a Kreighoff in 470NE. He reloads 500gr Woodleigh softs and solids at ~2150fps.

Not shown is the Appy PH Winston's rifle which is a Winchester Model 70 in 458wm. As an Appy (Appy pay ain't much), he begs, barrows and scrounges ammo. I left him my extra 458wm ammo. He acted like he'd won the lottery.

JPK

Great story and photo's! Glad you had a great hunt. Thanks for all of the details. Keep 'em coming, freind!

JPK: Thank You for posting the great photos but thank's even more for telling us what a FIGJAM is as we have all met them just didn't know what they were called Dan

JPK, congrats on the hunt! Did you pick up any superstitious negativity from the trackers/skinners about the hyenas? A friend shot one in Zim a couple of years ago and the skinners wouldn't touch it, believing the hunt was now cursed. Two days later the hunting cruiser rolled, breaking the ph's leg and messed up the hunters knee. Hunt went downhill from there.(probably coincidence, but makes a for a nice campfire story) In some areas witchcraft still has a big influence and hyenas are linked to it all.

Great report as usual JPK. Hyenas are next on my list as well. That's too bad about that jerk in camp. I can only imagine. Sounds also like that S&B scope worked great. How big is the objective? jorge

JPK,
I enjoy your stories and photos. Real hunting with real trials and tribulations that everyone knows happens but never mention. Hunting is hunting, whether in NA or Africa, and it's not always a bed of roses, but real hunters like yourself still enjoy their time afield. Hopefully, you'll get a favorable ruling on the ele you shot and you'll be able to make your way back later this year. Excellent pictures, too, by the way.
Test

Great photos. I love and miss those green-tarp lunches and those heat-of-the-day power naps leading to long dusty late afternoons looking for tracks. Your photos brought those memories flooding back for me. Thanks.

Any status on whether or not you are going back in the fall for filling quotas or the bull tag?

Beautiful photos; thanks for sharing.

Nate

Zim Parks has decided not to rule on whether or not the first charging bull was shot in self defense or not. They have decided that they do not need to address the issue because we were hunting bull eles and we would have shot this one in different circumstances - like had we hunted it instead of it hunting us - and if we'd have killed it outright during the charge, we would not have minded that we had to kill it.

While disappointed, I have to say that I can't find a lot of fault in their decision not to address the issue. There is a whole lot of common sense and truth to it. Had I killed the bull in the charge, I wouldn't have had any objection to counting it against my quota. (And if we'd have tracked him up I wouldn't have given shooting him a second thought, he had beautiful and heavy, thick, long ivory and the video shows this - estimated by my PH at 55lbs+) If I were a first time elephant or elephant bull hunter, then I might feel differently, especially if it might be my one and only elephant bull opportunity. But I'm fortunate that I have bull hunted before, did after and will again.

So far as going back this year, jury's still out on that. I need 30hr days here right now, but I'm hopeful.

JPK

FIGJAM...I love it!!!

The hunt looks like it was a good time too!

Great story and photos. Looks like it was a hoot and makes me want to get back to the bush. Love the new term. Have added it to my working vocabulary.

Sounds like an interesting hunt!

The FIGJAM was kind of a downer, but like living with severe pain, once it stops, you feel so good.

The ellie charge seems like a good, heart-pounding moment. Personally, I think that is why many hunt DG.

Is it possible shooting the hyhena (especially the one at night) was the reason for the bull's charge and broken tusk?

In Africa, you never know, as it is claimed that a powerful witch doctor often take on the form of a hyhena at night.

Good write up and good pictures.

JPK--As the Zim. PH's would say: "I swear to you"...that I met this guy in Jo-burg on my way to Vic. Falls. Sadly there are more than a few who fit this description but this guy seemed to have the ability to get in someone's knickers within minutes if not seconds.

In any case, a great story even if you didn't meet all expecations. We were in Matetsi #2 during the same two weeks and it was indeed tough. All our PH's commented on the remarkably thick bush, remarakably tall grass and the remarkable abundance of wet pans.

Great post.

Any hunt that ends with a nice tusker must be a good one!

I was about to say that I've never had the misfortune to share a camp with a jerk, but I do recall a group of Belgians that wore on me. As time passes, it seems that the jerks fade from memory and the good times stick.

JPK--Thanks for sharing the story and pictures. FIGJAM aside, that looks to have been a trip to remember.