Heading back to the states after my first big game hunt to Africa. Hunted Buff and plains game in the Luangwa valley of Zambia. While I didn’t shoot a monster buff, I passed on a 42-44” beast that didnt give us a great shot, and was a little young. On day 6 I finally took this 38” bull at 100 yards. He wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, but I’m really happy with him and the buff weren’t exactly playing fair. I also took a 52.5”Kudu, 16” Puku, 25.5” waterbuck, and a decent stallion zebra. Now ai just have to start saving to go back and find that monster when he gets 4 years older.
Last two. Plains game were taken with a 200gr Accubond from my 300wsm, and the buff was taken with a 400gr TSX from a .416 Rigby. All plains game were 1 shot kills.
Congrats, nice kudu. I just returned from South Africa hunting (3rd trip) with a side trip to Victoria Falls. I got a very nice 8yo sable and hunted hard for an eland, but the eland eluded me. During one of my eland stalks, we came across a nice 52- 54" kudu. Maybe I'll get my eland on the next trip.
Excellent animals! Anyone would be thrilled to get a buffalo like yours. What safari company did you hunt with?
Beautiful wood on the .300WSM; details?
RS
We booked through The Hunting Consortium and hunted with Johnny Deplooy on his nephews concession. Originally we wanted to hunt his Chifunda concession, but I guess Zambia has all the leases screwed up right now, everything is in court, and as of now, doesn’t have Chifunda. Either way, we had a great hunt and had to hunt hard.
Gun is a custom stocked Kimber 300wsm from Tsavo Custom Firearms using a nice Turkish walnut blank.
Congratulations on your first, but not last, safari. You had a good hunt! Johnny is a really good PH. He and Laura have become friends, wonderful folks! I’m next hunting with Johnny in Nov of ‘24 in Tondwa. Looking forward to it very much.
The PHs I've hunted with haven't been nearly concerned as the horn-width on buffalo as boss-width and "character," as older bulls are considered better trophies. Yours is a great old bull!
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
Terrific animals and even more important you've got some terrific memories.
It does seem to "infect" just about everyone. Of all the guys I've taken over, over the years, I think only one or maybe two were "one and done". They said they had a great time and all but...... I think they may have spent the bulk of their hunting time in the US just sitting in blinds and over there, they had to actually do some walking and not just riding around in the truck.
