Hunted from the Bubi River Valley (West Nicholson) up to Matetsi. Visited Vic Falls and suffered the high temps. Got sun burned (my fault for not using my sun screen that morning), restless sleep in the humid night air, but all in all had a good trip. Hooked up for outstanding Leopard areas (100% last year), Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Sable and plains game. I took Zebra, Waterbuck and an outstanding Chobe Bushbuck that scores 44 SCI, and got to dart a 5 year old Male Lion. If anyone can post a few pics for me I'd appreciate it. I haven't figured out how to transfer from my Documents to a host and then back to here. Good hunting, David

Welcome home, congrats, and thanks for the intel. Did you have rain while you were there? Assume things are still wet and very green?

I can post the picts, email them to bill@wyodata.com.

Bill

Thanks Bill, I sent two pics; one of my Bushbuck and one of the Lion I darted. It was very dry and hardly rained anywhere I traveled. Lots of maize crops were drying up. Although the normal summer foilage was present and it was dense, it was very dry. I mainly kept to the west side of the country, traveling over 3,000 miles in two weeks. One of the best accomodations I have seen in Zim was the Stanley and Livingstone near Vic Falls. This place is 5 star and would be THE place to take the wife. Lots of wildlife viewing from your private porch area and top notch service. I appreciate the help on the pics. Good hunting, David

Here is David's Chobe Bushbuck:



...and darted Lion:

Excellent bushbuck!

Beautiful bushbuck. Congrats on a successful safari.

David:

I am sooooo jealous of your Bushbuck. More details please.

That is aboutthe most magnificent BushBuck I have ever seen, congratulations!

And thanks

That is a bushbuck. What a great trophy!

Congratulations!

That lion is something too. But agree on the incredible bushbuck.

David,

I would be most interested if you have other pics of the lion from different angles showing, mane, frontal view, teeth and hind legs? Also, how was the age determined?

Many thanks.

That Bushbuck looks like a baby Nyala!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the kind words. This was my first Chobe, but my third Bushbuck. I took a similar quality Cape Bushbuck last year in the Eastern Cape of RSA, and another that will go high silver if not gold on the same trip. What can I say; I've been very blessed and lucky to take such fine specimens, and I hope to continue my pursuit of them in June when I return to the Eastern Cape. I love the spiral horns, and hope to better my 26" Nyala this year as well. As for the Chobe story, I was hunting in the Masvingo Provence of Zim. It was another hot afternoon and we were looking for Reedbuck. We had seen a few sow Warthog with young and only one female Reedbuck when the next thing I knew, there was a Bushbuck standing in an opening between thorn bush and rock outcroppings. At first my mind reacted very slow as I didn't see the horns due to the broken and dark background. "Female?" I asked just as I recognized the male body color. "Take him" was my PH's reply. Before I had time to raise my rifle he was gone into the bush. We didn't attempt to pursue as the wind was wrong and we planned on returning the next morning. The rest of the afternoon was spent hunting and although I saw Tsessebe, Sable and Cape Buffalo, I didn't take anything. The next morning found us walking the ridge line again when all at once I caught the black silhouette of a giant Bushbuck. "Don't move!" I whispered. As I shouldered my rifle I spoke: "There's a super Bushbuck standing just inside the bush." My only shot would be a neck shot. The buck was standing amongst some rock and thorn bush, oblivious to my presence. "Take him" was my PH's reply. At the shot the buck collapsed. The distance was short, only 35 yards I would estimate. As I carefully approached my buck I watched for any signs of movement. As most of you know, Bushbuck can be very dangerous when wounded. He was finished and I had my first Chobe. My first Bushbuck was a classic spot and stalk. My second happened about like the Chobe; very fast. I first though I was looking at a young Nyala early one morning, but it turned out to be an outstanding Cape Bushbuck. In a matter of less than a minute, I took him. Anyone interested in viewing my other two Bushbuck or the plains game from last years hunt can view them on my web site: www.grayghostsafaris.com/ I doubt I will take all eight species of Bushbuck but I hope to add at least the Limpopo. Good hunting, David

LDK: Eight species? wow. I thought there was only four. This is my Limpopo. 15.5" jorge

David, that's a fine bushbuck! I took a nice Chobe in Gokwe North last year. They are a challenging animal.

I have never heard of a darted lion hunt. Who did you go for it and does it work the same as a rhino darting hunt? Great Bushbuck!



You can borrow money, but you can't borrow time. Go now.

Thank you all again for the compliments. No great feat on my part, just in the right place at the right time and made the shot. As for eight species Jorge, they are: Nile, Harnessed, Menelik, Chobe, Cape, Limpopo, Abyssinian and East African. My Lion darting wasn't a "hunt" rather I darted a wild Male Lion that had been injured in a snare. He needed to be treated or the infection and screw worm would have most likely killed him. He now resides within a Lion santuary. I do not know of any dart hunts for Lion, only Rhino. Sorry for the confusion. Good hunting, David

Keith,
I hunted in West Nicholson this year too. Who did you hunt with there? I took my Leopard there too.

Ticky Drummond. Outstanding Leopard country. I'm going back next year for Mr. Spots and a Buff.

That's the nice thing about Zim. It's possible to stumble into something really good - like this opportunity to dart a lion. Frequently, hunters get chances in CAMPFIRE areas to help with PAC elephant or to shoot a buff for the council.

Can I come on a bushbuck hunt with you?