Thanks for all the reply’s. Yes, I plan on practicing as much as possible. I won’t get the .416 until March to practice, but I’ve shot it and am comfortable with the rifle. My Kimber should be back next week. I wanted to take Federals Terminal Ascent, but they are still back ordered, and I only have two boxes left. Looks like I may end up having to bite the bullet and order a box of custom 200gr Accubonds at nearly $100 a box (ouch) to see how they shoot in my Kimber. Along with reading “The Perfect Shot” for a 4th or 5th time, Im going to start shooting of sticks ASAP. I can’t wait to break in the new stock on my Kimber. Thanks again for all the reply’s.
Please enjoy it enough for you and I! Africa was one of my dreams since Jr. High…..never gonna happen! Lots of photos and one hellofa story is mandatory Union your return!
Good Luck, Safe Travels, and Great Hunting! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Let me add that I took my college age son to Luangwe with Johnny a couple of seasons back. My son’s first DG hunt. Buffalo.
Johnny asked how I wanted to do it. I told him to take my son and do it just like he did his first with his dad when he was a kid.
Said I’d stay with the vehicle and let him do it with a real pro, born and raised in the tradition. I’d stay out of it so he didn’t need to look at dad for advise or approval.
He used my well proven custom Mauser 9.3 x 62 with Barnes 250 TSX. Once again, one shot, one kill. I could not have wiped the smile off of his face with a Brillo pad.
A great adventure he’ll always remember
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
Yep, and the pepper ticks will be thick, so take some Doxycycline for TBF.
Heed this advice!
Also, I’ve found Derp Woods Off fends of tsetse and mosquitos. I also put an aerosol bug bomb in my kit and set it off in my tent/hunt the first day and then gave no issues with flying or crawling pests at night.
A pair of batters gloves i’ve found a savior in long razor grass and to keep tsetse bites off the hands.
I’m sure I’ve got more tips
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
During the dry season, I never recall mosquitos in Zambia (or northern Cameroon). That said, I always take Larium. It can give you funky dreams but we’ll proven. Doxy seems more popular these days but the Larium is once a week.
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
Oh hell! Been hunting with Johnny for 30 years. I was literally his first American client and have been friends ever since.
I just got an email from Laura summing up our options for July.
You will have a great experience.
PM me if I can help!
Jeff
Next time you talk to him tell him that Travis said “he’s been dozing for dollars to save up for another hunt.” He will know what I mean. 🤣. Johnny was an absolute blast to hunt with.
Out of curiosity, what’s your options for next year? We didn’t hunt the concession we originally thought we were hunting, but hunted on his nephews concession instead. Still had and absolutely wonderful hunt, and I’m seriously hooked.
Same situation- hunt Alister’s concession UNLESS reallocation occurs.
That’s Africa. I had a 21 day safari set up with him back in 2008 (+or-). It got cancelled because the Govt called a halt to all hunting while they invested “bribery” (I’m shocked😳) in the allocations apportionments last time around. So I lost that year.
Too bad you missed out on Johnnys Luangwa camp, it is spectacular. Hope he gets it back.
Camp set on a high bank over looking the Luangwa river, filled with hippos and crocs galore. Far side of the river is a national park, concession is about 30K x 15k, which is a big chunk of land. It has geo thermal activity and loads of game. Only place i’ve ever seen wild dogs.
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
Same situation- hunt Alister’s concession UNLESS reallocation occurs.
That’s Africa. I had a 21 day safari set up with him back in 2008 (+or-). It got cancelled because the Govt called a halt to all hunting while they invested “bribery” (I’m shocked😳) in the allocations apportionments last time around. So I lost that year.
Too bad you missed out on Johnnys Luangwa camp, it is spectacular. Hope he gets it back.
Camp set on a high bank over looking the Luangwa river, filled with hippos and crocs galore. Far side of the river is a national park, concession is about 30K x 15k, which is a big chunk of land. It has geo thermal activity and loads of game. Only place i’ve ever seen wild dogs.
From what I understand, Johnny had BIG Buffalo up there as well, not that Allisters camp doesn’t. We saw a monster 43-44” Buffalo, but he was young. By next year, you may be staying in Allisters new camp if you go that route. They were building it while we were there. From the looks of it, it’s going to be really, really nice.
We are leaving the end of May for 10 days in the Luangwa Valley for Buffalo and plains game. I’m going to start hitting the sticks so I’m hopefully ready for that, but is there any last words of advice for a 1st time BG hunt in Africa?
OP, how was the visibility for glassing/spotting at the end of May?
I am booked with this PH in May 2025 for buffalo and was cautioned that trees would still have a lot of leaves, restricting visibility somewhat. Johnny was still confident we could get it done, but I figured I’d ask your thoughts.
OP, how was the visibility for glassing/spotting at the end of May?
I am booked with this PH in May 2025 for buffalo and was cautioned that trees would still have a lot of leaves, restricting visibility somewhat. Johnny was still confident we could get it done, but I figured I’d ask your thoughts.
It wasn’t too bad. Both Buffalo we shot were in the wide open, BUT, our first stalk we did get into some really, really thick [bleep] that was more exciting than I would have liked. Jonny backed us out and said he was uncomfortable as well because he couldn’t control the situation. We got really, really close.
Just picked up Johnny at SCI. He said you had a great hunt.
We really did. If it weren’t for Johnny I’m not sure we would have got my Waterbuck. We had seen him a couple times over a few days, but he wouldn’t give us a shot. When I finally had a shot, it was at 220 yards across a valley. I had a great rest on Johhnys backpack but couldn’t settle my nerves. I took a couple deep breaths, and finally got my cross hairs settled down, only to have him take a step as I was squeezing the trigger. He ran off like he hadn’t even been hit, but Shawn thought he heard impact. I honestly had no idea if I hit him or not. We looked for about an hour, saw the two cows and 1 young bull he was with, but not the old bull. We went back to Johnny who stayed at the truck, and told him we couldn’t find him. Johnny asked a few questions and then said, let’s look again. We drove his Toyota to where we thought I shot him and started looking again. This time, the trackers found 1 tiny speck of blood, then another, and Johnny put me out front in case I needed a follow up shot. We headed down a steep hill only to find him hung up in the trees about 50 yards from where I shot him. Shot was almost exactly 1 waterbuck step back from my aim point, but he was double lunged non the less.
