In fourteen days from today, I'll be leaving for two weeks hunting Matetsi 5 with Ron Oliver's outfit. Eleckson Ndlovu will be my PH. I understand he's also the head of the Zim PH testing authority. My best friend, Daryl, will accompany me, coming over a week or so later.

On the menu are bull elephant, cape buffalo, and leopard, along with whatever else tempts me. I'm the last hunter in camp, so anything left on quota is fair game. Ron has reported that buffalo are all over the place, and elephant continue to arrive from Botswana and from Hwange Park. (They just took a 60-pounder with a bow this week.) The leopard will be tough, since we can't shoot at night in a govt area, but Ron has seen some in the daylight recently so we'll just work on it and see what happens. Apparently they have a semi-resident pride of loins hanging around camp so that should provide some thrills also.

The schedule now looks like this: DFW thru Atlanta to Jo'burg; o'nite at Afton; then on to Victoria Falls the next morning. I'll spend that day in VF with Paul Wellock, a fine PH I met on my hunt two years ago in the Save. He's offered to show me around and see that I don't miss anything. I'll spend the night at Ultimate Lodge, then be collected in the morning by the guys from camp. I presume we'll then check the rifles and drive around a bit, maybe hang a bait or two. The hunt starts the next day and thirteen more will follow. Then it's back home. Paul also agreed to host Daryl on his trip over, and we'll pick him up at Paul's home late that night after hunting that day. It's only about an hour from camp to Vic Falls, so that will be handy.

I'm taking my brand-new Sterling Davenport rifle in .416 Hoffman. I have an issue or two with it right now, but will have them sorted out in the next few days of shooting. It's a fine rifle and once I get the right rings installed it'll be great. Sterling had installed high rings to clear the Brockman Pop-up Peep sight but I much prefer low rings, so I'm trying to get that taken care of. I'll be shooting North Fork softs and solids. My .300 WSM will also make the trip, for the leopard and pg.

Of course, I'm very much looking forward to visiting a new area in Zim, and to hunting my first elephant. I know it'll be hot, but hey, us Texans are not unaccustomed to that kinda weather. I am taking a battery-operated fan to help in sleeping at night; that is, if the lions don't keep us up all night .

I'll be sure to post a report when I return and possibly during the hunt if we're back in town for anything.

Best of luck to you!

This sounds like an exciting hunt. Good luck and shoot accurately!

Thanks, guys.

One other thing: they do their own dip and pack, and since Eleckson is with Parks, he can also do the documentation. Hopefully, that means I won't have to deal with any of the taxidermy firms that are so notorious in taking months (almost 2 years my last trip) to process the trophies. Ron seems to think the trophies should be shipped in Feb or March. Man, won't that be a change!

Hope you can come back with everything and much more you bargained with.

Best of luck and take a lot of photos and video if you can.

Dennis,

The best to you on your upcoming safari...

Mike

Sounds like a wonderful trip. Is your friend hunting or observing? If possible, have him run some video for you.

Looking forward to your report upon your return. First elephant...you will be ruined, trust me.

Post.....sounds like an awesome trip. Be safe and shoot straight. Look forward to see the results.

Cheers,

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

YD, my buddy is coming over as an observer and photographer. He'll be carrying a video cam during the hunts .

Got the rings sorted out tonight...tomorrow back to the range!

PostDriver:

Please take lots of pictures of the area, game, AND the camp and facilities. I am considering taking my citified wife and another citified couple to this camp on a future hunt, due mainly to its proximity to Vic Falls. When the girls get tired of the bush, they can go do what girls world-wide love to do -- go shopping!

Ron's a great guy. Will he be there? I also see that you have hunted the Save. Did you hunt Senuko?

Have a great trip, and remember to take lots and lots of pictures!

Good luck and godspeed.

Dennis,

What a great trip you have planned. Say hello to Russell at the Ultimate for me.

Be safe and and come back with some great stories.

Doug

GAHunter, Doug, and all:

Thanks for the well-wishes.

Ron is on his way back to Texas, will return Saturday, so I'll actually be able to talk to him on a land-line. It'll be good catching up with all those things that only come from one-on-one conversation.

I hunted on the Msaise ranch in the Save with Brooklands Safaris in 2005. I'll be hooking up with my PH from that trip in Vic Falls, where he's moved. Good camp, good hunt. 450NE has also hunted with Brooklands several times.

Range work went well today. Both the .416 Hoffman and the .300 shot well. Still having trouble with the peep sight...looks like it won't adjust low enough, so at this point I'm looking at using the scope at 1x for ele...life goes on.

Man, it's hard to believe a week from today I'll be en route to Africa !