More than anything, this is a first effort to post photos.

After tracking spoor for a couple days, we spied a large herd (about 500) coming out of the brush at 10:00 am to water in the Ruaha River. First it was one head, then there were twenty ... Talk about being at the right place at the right time!

We dashed for cover to wait and see if the herd would cross the river and feed on our side. The wind was right to bring them across about 100 yards in front of us. The plan was to wait until the entire herd had crossed and entered the brush on our side and then follow them until we could get a shot. After about thirty minutes of waiting, the wind shifted. It was almost at our backs but not quite. The result was the herd turned and started moving directly toward us.

We dropped down in a dry gully, pondered our good fortune and then set about trying to find a good spot for ambush. It was up and down the gully until we finally settled on a spot with a small thornbush providing cover. By then we were nearly surrounded by buffalo (there were none behind us). Our hope was that on the shot they would stampede away, not toward us.

I watched as the lead bulls began to file by. I had one in my sights but a cow moved behind him so I pulled up. A few more buffs streamed by at about 20 yards. I picked another bull that was clear and let a 500 grain .458 Lott Hornady Interbond fly. It was a good shot directly in the heart. The herd stampeded away.

I scrambled up the gully bank and stood in the open spying my buff on his feet at about 40 yards. As he bellowed I put a solid in him. He was clearly hurt but still standing. His bellow was answered by yet a better bull who came to his aid. I took one look through the scope, thought hey hey hey, and put another interbond in the second buffs heart followed by a solid.(I had loaded soft,solid,soft,solid in anticpation of a "two-fer").

As I quickly reloaded, the second buff moved to my left around a big bush. He was hit hard but still up. I put three more solids in my first buffalo as I heard my PH fire two .470 NEs in my second. My first buff went down so I moved around the left side of the bush meeting my PH who was reloading his double. He fired on my second buff even though it was staggering to stop him from entering the thick brush. (I had told him in advance that I wanted him to do that). It seems the only effect of his shots was to turn the buffalo toward him.

I was reloaded and stepped out on the left side emptying my magazine on the second buff. My PH joined as did our game scout firing his SKS. (We could find no 30 cal. holes in the buff but I appreciated the game scout's willingness to engage).

In any case, in around sixty seconds, we had two nice bulls on the ground. It was a rush!

I also took a really good hartebeast on this trip. I will attempt to attach a pic of that as well.

Unfortunately, I struck the left horn tip on my first buffalo while delivering a coup'de'grace. You will see the splintered horn tip on the first buffalo.

Well done, sounds like a great time! Pretty hartebeest!

Nice job Russ. It was great to be able to share the experience of the hunt with you in camp. I am already looking forward to next time!

Thanks Ann.

Mike, I don't think I would care to go on these trips without my hunting buddy. Things would be pretty mundane without the jokes, antics and camfire philosophy while gazing at "bush TV".

Thanks for you friendship. Now, as to where next -- let the emails begin!

Nice pictures. Who was the outfitter?

Pretty darn good post for your first attempt... even better buffalo! Congrats on a two-fer. Did you recover any of the Hornady bullets? I would like your evaluation of them if you don't mind. Thanks and congrats again!

Not to hijack Russell's post, but the outfitter was Usangu Safaris.

Bwanamrm, Russell did a post on the Hornady's several days ago. All in all, not good.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1411043/m/588109835

Russ,

fine shooting and making the shot...Great looking animals...

Mike

Mike and I hunted with Usangu. We were scheduled to hunt LU1 in the Selous but on the morning of our charter to camp we were advised that there was some construction problem or the like so we were re-routed to the Maji Moto camp in the Usangu Game reserve.

The Hornady Interbonds are much too soft. I'm glad I didn't shoot my buffs on the shoulder. I doubt I would have had adequate penetration. Both bullets lost over 50% of their original weight. The mushrooms were paper thin. One bullet was very nearly a base only with the remainder of the bullet fragmented and scattered in the carcass.

The first buffalo had a large hole the upper half of his heart. The heart on the other buffalo looked like jello. Arguably, the interbonds did the job but I wouldn't use them on buff again. I'm just glad I went for heart shots. The Hornady solids on the other hand, zipped right through. Penetration was not an issue with the FMJs.

Lots of buffs, lions and leopards at Maji Moto. Lots of tsetse flies as well.

quote:

The Hornady Interbonds are much too soft. I'm glad I didn't shoot my buffs on the shoulder. I doubt I would have had adequate penetration. Both bullets lost over 50% of their original weight. The mushrooms were paper thin. One bullet was very nearly a base only with the remainder of the bullet fragmented and scattered in the carcass

Man, I hate to hear that, especially since Hornady is the only decently priced ammo for the Lott. Thanks.

Hunter,

Thanks for the pictures and the report. My dad and I leave October 4 to hunt out of the same camp. Congratulations on the great buff,I am glad to hear you had a great trip, I only hope you left a few good bulls running around!

Bwanamrm---Russell, Have you looked for 458 Lott at www.cpcartridge.com ? Several bullet offerings at Hornady prices.

Thanks Steve. I've bought from Conley before. I don't know why I didn't think of them on this one. Duhhhh What great offerings and great prices!

Russell

Two very nice Bulls, and the Heartebeast isn't bad either! Congratulations!

Sd,

Please tell Elias and Joel, the two waiters at Maji Moto, that Russell and Mike (the two crazy Texans who stayed up late each night by a big fire drinking lots of Kilimanjaro) said Hujambo.

Asante sana,

Russell