My dad is going to have to build an addition to his house to display all his trophies! Remember, he has 2 previous and very successful African hunting trips under his belt. Also, he used to be just a boring Pennsylvania buck and bear hunter, then into the waterfowl. He has years of success from the old days on display too! Definately out of space!

Victoria

Well, I thought you'd all like to know, today my dad got the King of the Ruaha River. 15.5 foot croc, 24 inch wide head. Can you imagine?? He said it looks like a monster. One of the teeth he measured is 2.5 inches long with a 4.5 inch circumference. He shot it in the head yesterday and it didn't die! Took another head shot today from 117 yards, this one was the kill shot.

Have a great weekend!!

Victoria

Incredible.

I went out into my carport a moment ago and looked at my jon boat. It is shorter than the crock Mike got and only twice as wide. Maybe our Mayor needs to get a 15 horse Merc and ride the damn thing back to America and save some airfare?

Where do you put a 15' mount? How do you get it in the house? How much does the taxidermy cost? I see a second mortgage coming on! But one Mike will pay with a smile!

Incredible size. The croc must have stood 3 feet or more at the shoulder and must weigh between 1200 and 1500 pounds. And hitting a golf ball sized target at over 100 yards is some darn good shootin'.

Kudos to PVT. Finding the same croc the next day. Now that's a PH+.


JudgeG,

Is it not true than when one vanquishes a king, one accedes to his title and throne?

ALL HAIL MIKE, KING OF THE RUAHA!!

Good Luck, I can not wait to see the pictures.

I also still owe you dinner.

Stan Snyder

Wonderful. Just keeps getting better! Congrats to Mike ... We want to SEE the pictures!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Also, he used to be just a boring Pennsylvania buck and bear hunter, then into the waterfowl.

Be careful. Some of us are buck, bear, and/or waterfowl hunters, but like to read the stories on this forum nonetheless. It is threads like this that make me want to go to Africa for the first time. I'll wait until 1115 and Judge G to feel sorry enough for me to drag me along with them. But I'd hate to go to Africa and show up two old fogies like them.

Victoria,
Thanks for all of the updates. You do a very good job relating the stories. Give your parents the best. Are your kids the be Grandkids that are at your father's house when I call, and with whom he is so anamored?

This is Matt, checking in. Victoria is the one with 3 children, as a matter of fact her oldest Devyn, 5, speaks more Swahili than 99.9% of all of us. She knows ALL of her grandfather's animals by their African names as well as English ones. Thought y'all might get a kick out of that.

Here's to anxiously awaiting the next phone call from my mom and dad...


-Matt

Victoria and Matt,
Just wanted to say thanks for keeping us posted on your dad's hunt. It's been great following along. I am looking forward to his photos.

My kids are the ones in question. When the heard about the croc yesterday, all 3 marched around the house chanting, "Grandfather shot a croc, Grandfather shot a croc..." My oldest, Devyn gave him a list of what she wants as souveniers...a croc tooth, simba tooth and claw, chui tooth and claw, ele hair bracelet, and hippo tooth. My dad hung a world map on the kids' bedroom wall so they know where they are. They are fascinated with the wildlife and not a bit squeamish with the kill pics. My hubby is an avid Pennsylvania game hunter, raising the kids to do the same.

They look forward to each update just as much as the rest of us!! Here's waiting for the lion call!!

Victoria

-I find that I'm becoming an AR junkie like my dad...checking for updates several times a day! Thanks for the enjoyable reads!!

Matt & victoria, thanks for the great updates (Matt, I think you and I met when you came to my in laws' place in the PA Mountains). I'm sure your dad & mom are having the adventure of a lifetime. If time permits, give them my best! jorge

Victoria and Matt, many thanks for your reports, and I am in awe! How wonderful this all worked out for your parents.

Regards,
Martin

Hi Matt and Victoria,
I'm so glad to hear that your Mom and Dad are having a fantastic adventure! I sure wish I could be there with them!
Send them my best!

Victoria and Mat,

Thanks to the both of you for keeping us up to date on your parents' adventure. I also wait anxiously for each new update.

-Steve

Retreever, I've marked you in my account for automatic notification so I can keep up with all the going ons. Waiting for more.

Hi all,

Matt checking in. I just got off the phone with my dad...they had a fantastic day today! They have a couple of lion baits being hit right now...one of which looks to be from a big male. They set up the trail cam to see if they could get a pic. They also saw a younger male at one of the baits, but he was too young to follow up on.

Night before last, my dad actually missed a shot on a buffalo. It was getting dark, he was facing straight on about 60 yards away, and he jerked the trigger trying to hit him between the eyes. Show-off!

Back to today, while they were in the truck on the way to check one of the baits and a 9 foot black mamba struck the truck. Everyone was ok, but one of the trackers had venom dripping down his leg. PVT and my dad pulled out their guns and made short work of the snake, and everyone got pictures with it.

Also today, they started to sneak up on a bull elephant, who figured out they were there and charged! PVT put a shot over the top of his head at about 30 yards and veered him off course, but if he got to 30 feet, he was going down...thankfully it didn't come to that as he wasn't as big as they wanted. They have been seeing bull eles just about every day, but they haven't gotten up close and personal with a 50 pounder yet.

Last note, my dad still can't believe the sheer size of his croc...it looks eeeevil!

Hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it, and Jorge, we have met. I test shot the 338 I took with me to Zim for the first time at your family's farm.


-Matt

quote:

Back to today, while they were in the truck on the way to check one of the baits and a 9 foot black mamba struck the truck. Everyone was ok, but one of the trackers had venom dripping down his leg. PVT and my dad pulled out their guns and made short work of the snake, and everyone got pictures with it.

I'm going to look forward to more details about this.

I hate snakes.

And the excitement begins!! Charging eles, biting mambas and hungry lions! Can hardly wait to see the pics and hear the story. Thanks Matt and Victoria for keeping us in the hunt!

John

This is good stuff! I'm very glad this is 180 degrees the opposite of the Russell hunt.

I've been working a ton of overtime, so I am just catching up on all these exciting developements!

You are clearly having a great time.

Great bag so far, for sure. Lions and ele's and buffs, OH MY!

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:

quote:

Back to today, while they were in the truck on the way to check one of the baits and a 9 foot black mamba struck the truck. Everyone was ok, but one of the trackers had venom dripping down his leg. PVT and my dad pulled out their guns and made short work of the snake, and everyone got pictures with it.

I'm going to look forward to more details about this.

I hate snakes.

Me too, especially the kind that spits... Reminds me of an ex-almost-mother-in-law that did not like me dating her daughter...

Good lion and elephant are the toughest - by an order of magnitude - of all Tanzanian trophies to take down.

It's a sign of Mike's success so far that he is now focused on pursuing these kings of Tanzanian dangerous game.

Continued good luck, Mike!

simply awesome to read the updates--tell your dad congrats on his success to date--chris

First thing I do when I get to thhe office in the mng is log on and see if Mike has got his Lion yet!! Then I tthink about doing some work...

Matt,
Was it you that was coming to London a few months ago? Your dad asked if I could find him some ammunition here and send it back with you, but the paperwork was prohibitive.

Let me know if you are back in town any time.

Rgds,
FB

Hi all,

Matt checking in.

My dad asked me to fill out the CITES paperwork so he can submit as soon as he gets back so we can get his leopard imported ASAP...do any of you have experience getting this paperwork filled out? I have spoken with Matt Mayers at Fauna and Flora, and I have the applications...just looking for some additional pointers.

If you can, please call at 412-609-4922 to share or send me an email direct at matt.podwika@gmail.com.

Thanks!


-Matt

Matt again. Got what I needed thanks to Widowmaker. Thanks again Ron!

If I am not mistaken, today is Mike's last hunting day.

And from the reports we are getting, they have had a GREAT hunt.

I am looking forward to seeing Mike's full report after we come back, as we leave for Tanzania tomorrow.

And if everything works out to plan, we will give you all a daily report from the hunt.

That is assuming Walter does not throw a Walterhog wrench in the works

The poor guy has been having one disaster after another in the past week. That by itself has not upset him one little bit. But, the lack of sympathy from any of us seems to get on his nerves.

He better get used to it. He has no friends left!

Saeed,

I'm meeting them in the Seacliff on the evening of the 15th - so I would have thought their last hunting day was the 14th...... unless they're staying over at the Seacliff for a few days...... perhaps Matt or Victoria might let us know.......

I'm also meeting another AR member on the 16th.... and will be there until the morning of the 19th if anyone else is passing through....

Matt here...I am pretty sure that the 14th is their last day hunting. That gives us 3 more days to get that lion!

Victoria and Matt, thanks for the terrific updates. I'm on the edge of my chair now that a good lion is on the bait. Please post updates at least three times a day, I can't stand the suspense!

I can hardly wait to read the report and see the pictures.
I´m so happy and exited for Mike and Cherie.

This must be the happening of a lifetime !!

How dare my brother be running errands and not sitting in front of his computer typing up the ele story!!! He won't even give me the details until he gets home!! He told me to sit tight...it is a big one!!!

More to come...shortly!!!

Victoria

Hey all,

Matt here. I can't believe my sister...trying to build up the suspense like that!

I talked to my dad about an hour ago. This morning, he got another kongoni to use for bait, animal #12 for the safari.

Around lunch-time, they started following a herd of bull eles. The grass was tough, but they slowly got into position when it happened...a 60 pounder walked out of the bush into view. He was about 30 yards away, facing right at PVT and my dad. My dad took him with a frontal brain shot, and he went down, lucky #13.

They are now in camp celebrating as we speak! The tusks were 1.85 meters long...that's 6 feet, 1 inch tall!!!!

My dad was so happy, he wasn't even sure if they were going to go out tomorrow morning to chase lions...but I am sure that they will be out there. I am pretty sure that Monday is their last day...so 2 days left to find that big black-maned kitty.

Let the celebrations begin!

quote:

...a 60 pounder walked out of the bush into view. He was about 30 yards away, facing right at PVT and my dad. My dad took him with a frontal brain shot, and he went down, lucky #13.

Wooohoooo!!!!

I'd love to be in that camp tonite!

I can feel a lion coming yet.

Cheers and congrats to your Pa,
Canuck

Excellent.... Now just the Lion and a few more animals to go. Congrats.

Fantasic!

Good show. Glad to hear it.

Thanks for the up to the minute reports.

Kyler

Way to go Mike!!!