quote:

I practiced on a deer last weekend, and got lucky if not good, for my first game taken with a flintlock.
Used a 40-caliber squirrel rifle like Davy Crockett's Ol' Betsy, his first rifle.
'Twas a .395-caliber Hornady lead ball weighing 93.5 grains at about 2150 fps, with 60-grains of FFFg blackpowder.
The doe went down where she stood, neck shot, at 73 yards.
When the smoke cleared, there was just one twitch of her whitetail where she lay.
I am learning the joys of neck shots!

All very nice until you run up against a tomahawk (axe) weilding "Hostile, or Charging elephant (no I haven't had the privilidge) when one finds said squirrel rifle wholly inadequate. Then a different technology to include a .70 cal Hawken or 4 Bore double (with gun bearer) would be slightly better without neck shot!

Great hunt report Saeed - I enjoyed following the actions and antics!!

DMCI*,
Your signature line is itself an example of the prolixity that you eschew, and made more tedious by its redundancy,
but in this case very applicable regarding my rodomontade by highjack.
Please forgive me.

However, your recommendation of a .70-caliber Hawken or a 4-bore is sheer lunacy,
well beyond the thrasonical bombast, esoteric cogitations, and superficial sentimentalities that you impugn.

Sedulous application of a .375/404 seems to be the recommended technology.
Saeed was sedulous in The Selous.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
DMCI*,
Your signature line is itself an example of the prolixity that you eschew, and made more tedious by its redundancy,
but in this case very applicable regarding my rodomontade by highjack.
Please forgive me.

However, your recommendation of a .70-caliber Hawken or a 4-bore is sheer lunacy,
well beyond the thrasonical bombast, esoteric cogitations, and superficial sentimentalities that you impugn.

Sedulous application of a .375/404 seems to be the recommended technology.
Saeed was sedulous in The Selous.

You are right, I think?

Given one gun, however (for my purposes) I would prefer my modified Mk V in .330 Dakota (.338/.404) shown below with .260 and .204 Ruger.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
DMCI*,
Your signature line is itself an example of the prolixity that you eschew, and made more tedious by its redundancy,
but in this case very applicable regarding my rodomontade by highjack.
Please forgive me.

However, your recommendation of a .70-caliber Hawken or a 4-bore is sheer lunacy,
well beyond the thrasonical bombast, esoteric cogitations, and superficial sentimentalities that you impugn.

Sedulous application of a .375/404 seems to be the recommended technology.
Saeed was sedulous in The Selous.

Lol. I thought your hi-jack was more gasconade than rodomontade or thrasonical. . Good shootin by the way!

Saeed the Sedulous. Good one.

Canuck,
You are really sharp!
Gasconade is much more befitting: blusteringly boastful hot air from me, "gas."
The onomatopoeia of gasconade is perfect.
Yep, I am definitely a gasconader.
A gassssssssssconader.
My highjack was a "gascona-deer-ing" of the thread.

Saeed the Sedulous of the Selous: Slingless as always.
No sling nor studs on the stock or barrel.
Rifle always in hand if afoot, no wasted time or motion with a sling to get on target offhand or from a rest,
no clutter interfering with getting on sticks,
no studs to bite the hand in recoil.
One less bother.
A Sign of the Sedulous: Not lazy, carries rifle unslung always.

I thought you might enjoy gasconade, and even its subtle reference to the Ozarks, which for me at least calls to mind flintlocks and such. . Paronomasia is always fun, especially during repartee with someone that can riposte with the best of them.

Although I have been (am) one of the biggest fans of Saeed's hunt videos and have seen them all back to 1995, it was not until I borrowed Saeed's "spare" 375-404 in '09 that I noticed his rifles have no sling studs! I had even brought a sling to use, not realizing they were studless. It was a distinct honor and pleasure to both carry and shoot for 10 days and there probably is something to having it in-hand, ready for action, 100% of the time!

Fabulous Lion..Must ask Saeed to taxiderm it looking to its right as the rest of the kittens in the entrance are all facing left and I am afraid it starts to look like a Zebra-crossing.

I mentioned how the comedy show was going on on our safari.

Yesterday I was copying the video files onto my computer so that I can edit them.

Walter was here, as well as other friends.
I was watching small parts of some of the clips, and I clicked on the one Roy and me shot the 3 buffalo.

Roy comes out of the forest at the edge of the river, as the 3 bulls are walking into the forest, with a few yards to go. Alan tells him to shoot the one in front. He shoots it. Then Alan tells him to shoot the second one. He shoots this one too.

Both bulls are struggling to stay on their feet. The last bull is supposed to be shot by me.


And the fun starts when three men try to do something they have not practiced before, very fast.

Roy passes the shooting sticks to me. I am trying to open the shooting sticks and put them up. The shooting sticks pinch my fingers. I drop the shooting sticks.

Alan screaming at Roy "Help Saeed with the shooting sticks!"

Roy screaming "No one helped ME with the shooting sticks!"

I shoot the last bull, and then both of us put finishing shots into the buffallo.

By this time Walter and everyone here was almost rolling on the floor of laughter.

"Hahaha hahaha hahaha! Don't show this to people! Hahaha hahaha! They will think you and your friends are putting this on. No one will realize that this is the way it IS on YOUR safari! Hahaha hahaha hahaha" Said Walter.

I said "This is only part of the story. Before this happened, we stopped at the top of a ridge about another kilometer away. We debated whether we should go walk down into a valley that looked promising. Then we decided it was too late in the afternoon to do this. So we continued driving to the outlook to see if there is anything feeding by the river. Alan disappears to the edge to look, while me and Roy stayed in the truck. I saw something far away, then looked with my binoculars, and discovered it was 2 buffalo bulls. Then a third one appeared. We called Alan back, and as the buffalo were walking towards us, we decided to run down to the river's edge to see if we can catch them in the open. We had to run very fast. Then we found that we cannot get down because there was a cliff! Our tracker said we need to run to the right to be able to get down. Trouble was this will take us far to the right of where the buffalo are going. So the afterburners were turned on. We REALLY ran and ran. Managed to get down, then had to run to our left for quite a while to be able to intercept the buffalo. It was a good hunt. You would have enjoyed it if you were with us"

"No no no. I prefer to sit on the truck and watch you all run those marathons. I get tired just watching you running around in the camp, let alone after buffalo. You three are all mad"

Has Walter had his spanking by HnH "The Wife" yet?
Use the electronic flyswatter?

Or maybe some new chocolate-covered treats?

Saeed,
Please include some of the "Three Stooges" comedy routines in the videos.

quote:

Saeed,
Please include some of the "Three Stooges" comedy routines in the videos.

You have to make up your mind Ron.
Do you w ant a hunting video or a comedy show?

Why not both?

On our flight back to Dubai.

Certainly not flying coach.

quote:

Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
Certainly not flying coach.

However, dinner on the plane seems a little sparse compared to previous offerings!

Emirates is awesome.

We are almost with you on your safaris,Saeed through your fantastic reports and videos.

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck:
Emirates is awesome.

+1

Best-
Locksley,R.

Emirates is really not up to scratch, surely they could have made allowences for Walter to do his BBQ thing in the aisle.
Speaking of Walter, is there a reason for him holding his bread roll at crotch level. Just asking.

What? A Saeed Hunting Video with no comedy bits?

If I remove all the comedy, there will be no hunting to show!

Yesterday I was transferring more video clips to my computer for editing.

I came to the part when we shot the broken horn waterbuck.

The waterbuck was with others in the river bed, and we were at the edge hiding in the bush.

Alan setup the shooting sticks, and I was looking at the waterbuck through my scope. The bull had his head against the trees, so it was very difficult to see his one horn.

Roy was trying his best to get the rigt animal in his view finder.

Roy "Where is the one you are going to shoot? All I can see are cows"

Me "He is the one at the far right" The video camera pans to the far left!

Alan says "He has the left horn broken. It is the right one from his side!"

With us, there is no end of comedy!

On another occasion, we saw a kongoni that Roy wanted to shoot.

He took my rifle and shot it. We loaded it up, and drove along. Suddenly we see a kudu bull and I jumped out of the truck and shot it.

I asked "Did you get a video of this?"
"No. You did not give me time to get ready"
"Well, I could have waited, but the kudu would have run away"

"Then don't blame me. Blame your professional hunter. He could orgenize the animals better for the videos. I need to get the camera out, put my earmuffs on, get off the truck before I can take a video. Not to forget trying to see whatever you two are truying to shoot"

"Complaints, complaints, complaint! I remember you used to give us all hell for all the mistakes you are making now"

What a circus.

Well, here we are again to put records straight. Sometimes I wonder if we were at the same safari.... I see so many things missing!!
For a start, facts are twisted a bit and I ended dropping dynamite sticks between my friends legs. Widely exaggerated..it was NOT a stick but only a second hand land-mine. Harmless and allowed to be carried in airplanes with its certificates of shelf life.
Then, as it may happen, Nelson, being helpful, miscalculated the trajectory and the joke landed between Saeeds legs which just happen to be there holding his weight. Luckily the mine did not roll back. Imagine..... toward me!!!
Anyhow the shrapnel did not go much further than his bone marrow!! When Saeed jumped out of control I knew that finally I was able to return at least one of his dreadful jokes! In a split of a second and several blood drops later, I realize that these drops were signaling bad things to come!!
From that moment I was confined to the kitchen, tent and a noisy garbage-trash collecting truck. Think of a wheelbarrow full of empty tins accelerating down a stairs. Never saw an animal close by. Sorry I did....those Saeed shot and were at the butchery.
Then my shooting was not good I mean my ammo and gun wasn’t. Saeed must have doctored MY ammo. The PH was not friendly with me and as I said I never saw any animal at suitable distance. The only one blind, deft buff was the one all earlier clients use to shoot....I am sure. That one I finally killed.
All other beast were far beyond any Leica range-finder readings. All dark dots could have been buffs on the horizon. Most of my bullets came back asking for direction after reaching somehow the planets curve or several bounces. My shots must have landed easily 3 mile short of target. Considering a 37 degrees angle elevation I calculated just on the spot. A bazooka operator would have done the same!!

At the end I could bag only that old buffalo and an unfortunate impala which just went in front of an unshootable impala grassing at the neighbors concession. So far that there was a different timeone!!!

Allow me a complaint. Some of you made some comments which did hurt my self-esteem. I will forgive them. My bad reputation has been fueled with Saeed misfortune to have meet me in the past. I am NOT that bad. My shot wounds are sort of trademarks. Most of them I can’t show publicly. My wife has accepted the facts and we will remain childless!!!

However I will NOT forgive Ron (RIP)!! He is the only one who could say “I slept with Walter” and this for 3 weeks continuously. I was the one who had to live with his snoring and......well other undesirable noises, aromas.

I still have a problem.....The Wife......can only think of a bouquet of flowers. I know she could believe that a lion attacked me and Saeed jumped in between to safe his falling rifle and the front sight scratched his leg almost fatally. Will see her mood and give an additional chocolate box....just in case!!!

Than I have this thorn pinching my heart. The future is heralding some changes. My health is not improving much and I have chosen to leave Saeed, The Wife, little Hessa, my son and many other persons I learned to love here in Dubai. I know that my decision will not be wise but I am seeking retirement in a place different to this.

No, no.....it is not a good bye letter but...

Dear Saeed, thanks for 33 years of beautiful friendship...unconditional. Thanks for those so many times hunting together. Thanks for being just near. For all the things I could enjoy because you make it happen. Thanks on behalf of this huge AC family you created, bringing closer to us undreamable happenings. Opening doors for many to venture themselves to embark in what you did.
You are an example to follow in so many aspects.
God bless you. I love you

Walterhog

Things will NEVER be the same without you Walter!

Guilty!
Both Walter and yours truly!

So I snore louder than Walter does.
Also, I do not need a machine to produce the sound effects that Walter is so fond of!

Walter was planning his retirement last year!
To a Central American Shangrila.
Do not allow him to pretend he is being banished for bad behavior!
Just tricks as usual!

Walter,
Are you really going to do it?
How could you possibly be better off anywhere than in Dubai with all the friends who know and love you there?

Walter, I hope you find whatever you are looking for.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

Walter was planning his retirement last year!
To a Central American Shangrila.

This provides an interesting problem. Finding a successor for Walter, should it become necessary.

One would start by drawing up a list of desirable and undesirable traits and qualifications, perhaps forming a committee made up of ballistics experts, pranksters, gunsmiths, comedians, PHs, etc. and sending the committee to Munich or Heidelberg to interview several hundred or more candidates.

Then by paring down the list you might find one or two individual candidates who would be assigned as Walter’s assistant and apprentice for as long as it took for him or her to get up to speed in the job.

Am I the only one confused? Walter and Saeed move too quickly for me.

But I enjoy the reports and videos in my confusion!

I have been going through our video of this year, and as I have been requested, I am trying to include all sorts of footage in the final edit.

Trouble is, it is going to be a very long video.

Last year we had a video that went almost 8 hours, and so far I have not had any complaints about it.

In fact, everything I heard back was very positive.

So this year's video is going to be longer. And those who enjoy hunting, especially in Africa, will relate to what they see.

Any feedback would be most appreciated.

Saeed,
Any chance for some footage of fireworks?
You know, firecrackers, Roman candles, etc.?
Any footage of the initial checking of zero before the hunt? That is always interesting, just to see how your rifles never change their zero.
Sedulous!

My trophies from 2010 have arrived in Houston, as of my 10-27-11 invoice from WELL:
"Houston, The Eagle has not landed, but the baboons have, as WELL as the zebra, buffalo, warthog, topi, and hartebeest."
Headed for B&B Taxidermy in Houston next.
WELL, that beats the 13 months from Botswana in 2001, due to a quarantine ...

I suspect Walter, somehow, had something to do with the logistics.

The first photo in the latest installment is excellent.


Best-
Locksley,R.

What wonderful stories and photos! Thank you Saeed, Walter and the rest of your company. My dream is to take my two sons and wife on safari sometime in the next few years. Your wonderful hunting reports make the wait seem shorter.

Thanks again!

I have added the video clip of Walter throwing his grenade at me.

I am having trouble accessing Saeed's video clips. Any advice for a dense Zimbabwean? Cheers.

dyker,

If are using normal dial up, then I am afraid you will not be able to get the videos.

They are all in high definition, and the files size is quite big, so you really need broadband to downlod them.

Normally all you need do is right click on the link, and save it to your computer

Saeed - very impressive display of Buffalo trophies (Again) - Congrats - any idea on width of a bull 5th from the right?

quote:

Any feedback would be most appreciated.

I have 3 others years' videos from you Saeed and always enjoy watching them and showing them to my friends. We all appreciate the 'life on safari' nature of them. The more (and longer) the merrier!

Videos look great. I'm able to copy them to a flash drive and pop it in to my Philips bluray player and watch them on the 60" LCD in perfect HD quality. Any chance you might render the whole thing in the same format? I know it'd be a huge file but the quality is just so superior to that of the DVD. Thank you for sharing.

Last year we had two versions of our hunt.

One was on normall DVDsand one was in HD just like the video clips above.

I was surprised that most requested normal DVDs rather than the HD version.

The clips posted above are rendered in 720P, which is basically half Full HD. Our originals are in Full 1080P HD format, and do look better still.

Trouble is, it seems not many people have equipment - either computers or TVs - that can play these files.