Well people , I have to say that hunting the equator (or very close to it ), will give you almost 14 hours of hunting light and then it’s the drive back to camp , so the thought of daily live reports is out of the question …

We have however had an amazing 6 days hunting , with the rains threatening the first couple of days and actually breaking on the third day , the area is simply alive with new green shoots , the birdlife is incredible and there is an incredible number of zebra here right now , in between of course a myriad of other species ..

Graham Weiss , a person who has hunted with me before had trained hard and was physically and mentally ready for the challenge … Dean Kendal , one of the Bundu PHs who also happened to be a childhood friend of mine would also be on the hunt , it was my first time hunting these blocks and so having a guy with good local knowledge and experience here was very important to me .

Well , I don’t have a lot of time so I will get to the point …the main focus of the safari was some wide horned buffalo and a long tusk elephant , the elephants started moving in about a week before we arrived and we have been seeing upwards of 50 elephant a day , and each day a few bulls …many of which were , quite frankly , hard to turn down !

Then yesterday we took a very long walk , just following a ridge where the acacia trees were starting to flush green , the birdlife was incredible , a huge variety of brightly colored and highly vocal avifauna seemed to fill the bush !

We started to stop and glass the valleys and open grasslands below us and saw a few young bulls nothing of note , after a few hours of walking and glassing we met our vehicle at a pre-arranged spot and drove to a valley where we had seen a bunch of bull sign a few days earlier ..

Sure enough immediately we saw a bull with a huge body but in the thick bush we couldn’t see his ivory he was at least 800 yards out so in we went …his one tusk was very long , his other not very good , unbroken , just shorter ..

All in all there were five bulls …some of them certainly would have been great for the last week , but we had time and high hopes !!!

Then about 200 yards further along a bull stepped out and I heard myself gasp as I looked at him for the first time …he was standing in knee high grass and his tusks seemed to sweep deep into the grass ..

Dean and I looked at each other.. both of us passionate elephant PHs and both of us excited at having the opportunity to hunt in this area at this time of the year.

As we walked in the bull came closer to us and at about 50 yards with the wind in our faces we watched as he reached up into an acacia and pulled down a branch …

The ivory was too thin we concurred , much to the surprise and disappointment of Graham whose ragged breathing betrayed his excitement , an excitement borne of a moment that has been anticipated for several years !!


We turned to leave him and he too turned to leave the tree , completely unaware of us …I took one last peek with my binos and from behind I saw he was HUGE …”dean, we cant walk away from this elephant” I urgently whispered …”your call” he replied ..

This is the moment where the PH feels the most pressure , if you walk away , you walk away for every and may never see a bull this size again , if you kill the elephant the hunt is over and the trophy you are looking at is the result ..

Lets take this elephant graham , he is awesome ..

Graham , needed no encouragement …ten minutes later after a PERFECT brainshot , graham had secured himself an incredible elephant , as is my custom we left graham with his elephant and went to get the vehicle , as we walked away , I looked back over my shoulder , he was squatting down , stroking a tusk and patting the elephants head as if in thanks , I hope it was thanks …

When we came back , graham looked me in the eye and said , “I don’t ever want to know what he weighs , he is magnificent , the hunt was what I had dreamed of and I feel like weighing his tusks would detract from my experience” , …what a perfect statement for me to hear at the end of a hunt resulting in such a magnificent trophy.

Good report with a fine lesson in true sportsmanship for all hunters, no manner the game hunted. Thanks.

Stunning elephant!!!!

Brett

What a perfect end to a superb hunt and such a magnificent animal.
Congratulations to all involved.

Mike

Great report, I would love to hunt the big boys there someday. CONGRATS!!!

Ivan,

Perfect! Congratulations to Graham, Dean and yourself.

Mark

Amazing, and classy. To a few, myself included, horn/antler/other is far from the real joy in the hunt. Congrats to you and the lucky hunter, Ivan, and thanks for sharing that.

That is the type of man I would be proud to have in my camp.

It sounds like Mr. Weiss truly 'gets it' and hunts for the right reasons. It sounds like your hunt has been very memorable, and those memories are the greatest trophies of all.

Well done, and congratulations.

Fantastic! Now I hope you guys find that wide buff...

A superb bull, Ivan.

What a great trophy Ivan...thanks for sharing the experience with us.

Great hunt. It is very gratifying to hear that area is recovering with the onset of rain. In July and August it was a desert, with very little game to be seen in Samaras's adjacent concession.

As always Ivan, great report with true life and hunting lessons to be learned...DAN

Wow! A beautiful bull....

I would agree with Graham..

Unless you are an Ivory Poacher, the weight of the Ivory is of little concern.

What is important to me is the quality of the hunt, the quality of the shot, and how the Ivory Looks.

There is nothing like Elephant hunting, IMHO.

I'm dreaming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great looking bull Ivan. Someday!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I would agree with Graham..

Unless you are an Ivory Poacher, the weight of the Ivory is of little concern.

What is important to me is the quality of the hunt, the quality of the shot, and how the Ivory Looks.

There is nothing like Elephant hunting, IMHO.

I like that train of thought, No.2..

Well stated Ivan - great story and beautiful bull>>>

Awesome bull, congratulations.

Classic trophy! Classy report!!!!

Grins all the way around

Ivan,

Great hunt report! I hope the buffalo hunting is as rewarding.

Ivan: As always, thanks for sharing it with us.

Awesome Bull!
Classy hunter!
thanks Ivan

OUTSTANDING TROPHY!!!
WONDERFUL PERSPECTIVE!!!
A lesson for Jack to to call on some day.

Ivan, that is the way it should be. What a great bull!

A classy hunter matched with a class act PH on a great hunt...how else would it end?

Congratulations!

thanks for the encouragement people , actually we took a beautiful buffalo yesterday , after 14 miles of tracking , i will post a photo soon ...simply an outstanding buff and at the end of an outstanding hunt..

tanzania bundu has certainly lived up to their expectations , thanks to adam , steve and the tz crew ..

photo soon ...

A true sportsman. I shot my Cape Buffalo on December 18th of 2008, and still don't know how big he is.

Big is all I know, and perched on the lid of the freezer.

Rich

A beautiful trophy of what must have been a great lifetime experience.

People , I am in kilimanjaro airport waiting for the flight out …what better time to show off our best buff of the trip …at the end of 14 miles of amazing tracking and an incredible hunt …tracking him over and under herds of massai cattle , other buffalo and rocky ground , clement , deans tracker did an awesome job , we are only ever as good as our trackers ...

old old bull , huge bosses and a beautiful spread …..

Graham Dean Kendall and me with the bull …


Dean Kendall showing the old man off from the front

great buffalo

What a Beauty!!!!!

WOW Super Trophy BULL !

Congrats

Seloushunter

Ivan,

WOW! What a great BUFF!!!!Dan

Ivan, great report and sorry I missed you in Lolkisale. I just returned tonight from being in the Selous for 28 days. It was great talking with you in camp though via sat phone and sounded like you guys were having fun. After 28 days in the Selous and 46 trophies in the salt I am worn out. Great elephant and glad that Graham got a nice bull. By the way it is raining cats and dogs as of this week and already hard getting around.

Awesome trophies. Even better memories.

That is what it is about. Well done!

Great reports!
A special moment for sure. Well done!!