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I will be hunting Lukes Kitiangare concession with Gerard Miller in December. I've hunted the thick stuff with Gerard before and consider myself lucky to have not been charged. Gerard told me last night that the Kitiangare area is still dry as hell so if it doesnt rain soon we will be going back in to thick stuff.

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Originally posted by bwanamrm:

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I will be hunting Lukes Kitiangare concession with Gerard Miller in December. I've hunted the thick stuff with Gerard before and consider myself lucky to have not been charged. Gerard told me last night that the Kitiangare area is still dry as hell so if it doesnt rain soon we will be going back in to thick stuff.

I thought this would flush you out! Welcome to the forums Jay and good luck with Gerard next month in Masailand!

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Originally posted by 415sbaird:

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Originally posted by bwanajay:
I will be hunting Lukes Kitiangare concession with Gerard Miller in December. I've hunted the thick stuff with Gerard before and consider myself lucky to have not been charged. Gerard told me last night that the Kitiangare area is still dry as hell so if it doesnt rain soon we will be going back in to thick stuff.

Last year at this time, while on a Luke Samaras safari, Bloodnut & I stopped for lunch with Gerard Miller and his family at their farm, which is adjacent to this concession. What fine company I was keeping! I had killed my first buff that morning, and was pretty darn excited, and quite beside myself because of what an unbelieveable day I was having. Long term dreams coming true!

If you haven't already, be sure to get Gerard's book, Lives of a Professional Hunting Family (from Trophy Room Books). His family's hunting heritage is an awesome story.

That same day, my son Nick was buff hunting out of the same Masailand Samaras camp with PH Tom Dames, who most of the time works for Danny McCallum Safaris in Arusha. Tom is a fantastic PH, and Nick had a real hoot hunting with him. Neither Nick or I had any prior actual DG hunting experience, just reading the books since childhood.

Nick shot a buff, which quickly jumped into the thick brush, ninja style. This is why the buff are called ninja here, whether you are talking in English or kiswahili: They duck into the thick stuff, so you will follow closely in after them, so the buff will be in position to offenseably ambush its pursuer. The buff here have a generally pissy attitude, and the desire to sneak attack from the brush is where they get their ninja name.

Nick's Masai trackers who usually see everything in the bush, and beyond it seems, were about to walk past a bush that Nick suddenly noticed the head of the buff he had just shot, looking at them and close enough to notice blood coming from it's nostrils. It had backed into the thick stuff, which was sorta like the beebrush here at home, and all ready to surprise them. Tom Dames told Nick to take a frontal brain shot, which Nick quickly did, dropping the buff with a precision shot to the brain with his Ruger M77 in 416 Rigby using 400gr TSX. It dropped to the ground hindquarters first, like the classic brain shot.

When the story was recounted to me fireside that night, I was nervously scared for the danger all in their hunting party had experienced that day, not the least bit as a father -- Nick being by son. I knew how much I had practiced with my 458 Lott for this possibility, and always wondered if it was enough. I hoped the same for Nick.

Tom set me at ease. He said in his proper British accent that he wasn't worried about Nick making the quick and accurate shot to knock down the ninja- he knew the lad was from Texas!

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Originally posted by 415sbaird:
It had backed into the thick stuff, which was sorta like the beebrush here at home, and all ready to surprise them. Tom Dames told Nick to take a frontal brain shot, which Nick quickly did, dropping the buff with a precision shot to the brain with his Ruger M77 in 416 Rigby using 400gr TSX. It dropped to the ground hindquarters first, like the classic brain shot.

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Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Harrassment, genetics, Ninjas, whatever, I want to go....Who books these hunts with "Bloodnut" et co???

No BS!

JW

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Originally posted by 415sbaird:
As I recall, Gerard's mother was one of only two ladies that were licensed PH's in both Kenya and Tanjanika. His father and uncle were longtime PH's there also. Fascinating people. I envy those who get the chance to hunt with Gerard!

Paddy Curtis tracked as good as any Masai. He's awesome. My hunt was dang exciting. I'd go back, but with a longer hunt. We were just warmed up when the 10 days were up! One day, I was shown an 80# ele just a couple of karangas over from camp, and Nick had a 50" cow buff pointed out to him while scoping out a herd.

I recommend Masailand, particularly Luke Samaras' top-notch operation. It was probably a little wetter last year when we were there since we encountered lots of game, except wildebeest. This area is better July & August. Also late in the season. Lots of food there, but not much water. The Tarangirere Natl Park is nearby, with lots of water, but not as much food. The animals move back and forth according to seasonal conditions. Other times, his Selous area might be more ideal.


I spent a day with Gerards mom, mainly just listening, with an occasional question. She's quite a lady.

I have never hunted masialand wet, always dry. I was hoping for just a little rain before I got their but Gerard told me last Saturday no rain as of yet. We hunted Danny McCallums western tanzania area together in 06 and had a great safari with no cattle or masia to contend with but I still love the open savannas, baobabs, and acasia trees of masialand. Thats almst heaven for me.

I hope the hunter that got clocked by the buff is doing better...