I'll admit that starting a gunfight in zambia was not my idea. It was my wifes. Seems as a couple of weeks before we left she had the bright thought of "what do you suppose would happen if be brought a bunch of squirt guns into camp". Well, of course there is only one way to find out. Off to the five and dime we went and bought a dozen and a half water pistols. I mentioned before that our PH Terry was a 22 year old guy who was quite exuberant, well about the second or third day in camp we had to break out the squirt guns. Terry immediately grabbed on and started the fights. Everybody got in on it. Early morning, late at night, mid day , it didn't make any difference. Somebody was always getting wet.


We did have a problem with poaching in the area. A rather serious one. I ended up shooting a nice female roan antelope that had a snare on her foot.


Another day it was a puku with one leg cut off, another day if was this little guy


even though this little buffalo was only 6-7 months old, and would be dead in a day or two, he still had the attitude of a big guy. Terry had the idea of making it a camp pet, but when he tried to get close, the little guy dropped his head and charged. Terry had no choise but to shoot him.


We found puku and warthog with snares on their legs, and on the last day a beautiful 40"+ sable.
Another day we heard a shot. Investigating we jumped a gang of 3 poachers. Our game scout was the best i have ever been with, and he was out of the truck while it was still moving pretty well. The running poacher had a gun, which he dropped when the scout starting firing AK rounds in his direction. Terry added a couple of 300 rounds. The guy made it into the thick stuff and we lost him, but in circling around the thick stuff we found their camp.




We burned the camp and their clothes, took the meat they had which included 2 warthogs, 4 puku and a duiker. Some it had been smoked at night so nobody would see the smoke. The gun they had was a homemade affair, but one done very well. Terry had seen another like it a bit before and the same guy had to have made both of them. The barrel was a steering tube, and the shells were new 12 guage. They would wrap bark around the shell to hold it in place.




Terry was no little upset and Laura made sure the authorities knew what was happening. The result of which was that as we left camp, we met 5 carloads of national game scouts heading in. National parks added some of theirs the next day, and a section of army troops was even sent it. The head of the scouts in the area was suspect and these guys mean business. At this time I don't know the outcome, but leave us say that there some poachers that aren't happy. Kudos to the zambia authorities. Out scout had told us earlier that there was something big going on, but he didn't dare do anything because they'd kill him. We made strong recommendations that he would be promoted to head scout in the area, and it sounds like that will happen.
That 40" sable - neither one of us had the heart to shoot it, even though we know it should have been done. Hopefully, there were 2 hunts left in the area and one of the guys will take him. What trophy that would be.

I hate to hear about the poaching but it sounds like they are serious about keeping it in check.

You resisted the urge to take a Supersoaker along and have superior firepower?

Sorry to hear about the poaching. I was relieved not to see anything like that in Makuti (Zim).

The water pistols are a great idea. I wish I could have seen the trackers a bit more while in camp. That would have done it.

Butch,

You're about to get that picture-posting thing down real good. As one just recently arrived myself, welcome to the 21st Century.

Are these [poachers] getting meat to feed there families or are they selling tusks etc?

this picture thing just may created a monster. the poachers are selling the meat. i believe that what we saw was a portion of a whole poaching ring. The ones we burned the camp down were seen a year before in the area doing the same thing. From the time we think there were there and the meat they had it would appear that they had a cache somewhere. It'll probably be a month or so by the time terry gets out of the bush and i can find out what went on. Usually when the national game scouts move in poachers somehow just disappear, never to be heard from again.

GOOD DAY ALL,
I pretty much personally know most of the good guys in this area and hats off to them because make no error these "meat" rings all have bigpolitical muscle behind them and the guys making an effort are very brave people. Once again a perfect example of selfless "AFRICANS" doing their utmost. These guys could loose their concession easily. point in case "Leopard ridge" As a citizen hunter and a Zambian I say Bravo guys keep it up, as I know first hand if it was not for the safari operator and their clients " Most of you my friends on AR" As an african my children would never see wildlife.

This is a cause for good figthing,after control the poaching you must organize the natives as the project CAMPFIRE involving them in the profits and organization of trophy hunting ,here in Argentina there is the same problem with the indians but tourism is changing the things to a good way.Juan