Sometime Towards the end of last year Gerry booked a trip for him and his two daughters through CT Safaris that would have them spend time in London, Cape Town, Kruger National Park and Victoria Falls... They're on their way home now after their two week trip...

Gerry is an avid hunter and fisherman but his daughters made it clear from the outset that this was THEIR trip and hunting was not to play any part in it... Make no mistake, the girls are not anti-hunting but according to them this was their holiday and dad gets enough time hunting back home...

Well, that was until I picked them up at OR Tambo...

We arrived at a hunting lodge I use just outside Malelane gate to KNP late afternoon. The plan was to spend the first night there and then head on into Kruger for a 3 day photo safari.

As we still had plenty of daylight left by the time we arrived, I took the trio for a game drive at the lodge that afternoon and Gerry made the fateful mistake of mentioning how much he'd like to hunt buffalo one day...

The girls' first response was: "NO dad, this is our trip and there ain't gonna be any hunting!" My question that followed kinda "threw" them a bit:

"Now let me get this straight... Your dad has just spent several Thousands of Dollars to show you London and Cape Town, you're about to see Kruger National Park and in a few days time you're off to one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World...Victoria Falls... And you won't give him an opportunity to hunt Cape Buffalo???"

I guess this got them thinking because later that evening a buffalo hunt was booked with the understanding that only one day (the next) would be allocated to the buff hunt...

The following morning we left early for a 20,000 acre property I have access to nearby and started looking for buffalo.

There are more than 400 buffalo on this property but finding them on 20,000 acres was not going to be easy in between intermittent rain showers and very thick and green terrain.

I had promised the girls that they would see game while we were hunting and they were not disappointed... Within minutes after entering the property a bunch of elephant came trumpeting out of the bush and ran across the road 50 yards ahead of us. They also saw giraffe, waterbuck, impala, wildebeest and several other game species...

I was getting ready to give up on the morning hunt and go have brunch when we came across fresh buffalo tracks and steaming dung piles so we got out of the vehicle and took a walk...

We were lucky because we found a mixed group of about 30 buffalo not long thereafter.

Gerry did his bit with a loaned .375 and his first ever buffalo bull was down.



Oops, those are the daughters...

Here is Gerry also in the picture:



What a nice start to a "photo safari"!

Best,

That buffalo adventure is going to make the whole rest of the trip 1,000 times better.

Looks like a photo safari if you ask me. Africa, African cape buffalo, and photos. Yep, a photo safari.

Mike

Good for you Chris
Did you offer some hunting to the girls?
Pigs would be good start

FANTASTIC brother
I gotta get there some day to visit you

7 days KNP and a CB with you too

Can't trust a PH not to sell you a hunt.

Congratulations on a nice trophy.

quote:

Originally posted by BRICKBURN:
Can't trust a PH not to sell you a hunt.

Ant that the truth!!

Well done to all concerned!!

Nice save Chris.

Makes you think about the countless hours spent on here arguing about rifle selection (CRF vs PF), Bullet (Mono vs Conv vs Solid), Scope, Gaiters, Socks, Underwear and what else not selection when it comes to what is best for Africa and hunting Dangerous game not to mention the range time and money spent in general, and here a guy rocks up, has a one day hunt with a borrowed 375, and he goes home a successful and happy hunter. Think we can officially change the 'Big Bore Forum' to 'All you need is the Camp 375 Forum'.

What buffalo?

All I see is a blond.

quote:

Originally posted by Sean Russell:
What buffalo?

All I see is a blond.

A prime example of tunnel vision? Not that there is anything wrong with focusing on really important issues.

Mike you miss the beauty of a 4-H pet fresh from the car wash and with all it's pet shots. Did I mention the recent arduous trip from the animal auction.

The only danger in this little venture was the possibility of a hang nail or stubbed toe while gettins set up for the group shot.

quote:

Originally posted by GOB:
Mike you miss the beauty of a 4-H pet fresh from the car wash and with all it's pet shots. Did I mention the recent arduous trip from the animal auction.

The only danger in this little venture was the possibility of a hang nail or stubbed toe while gettins set up for the group shot.

Really?

Great adventure and story

Chris
You could have written a nice story and posted a photo of mother Theresa & someone on AR would have pissed on that as well.

quote:

Mike you miss the beauty of a 4-H pet fresh from the car wash and with all it's pet shots. Did I mention the recent arduous trip from the animal auction.

The only danger in this little venture was the possibility of a hang nail or stubbed toe while gettins set up for the group shot.

What a prize ass hole. GOB, you deserve to be smacked in the GOB and please, for the love of all things African, dont come to Africa. You simply are not worthy.

quote:

Originally posted by GOB:
Mike you miss the beauty of a 4-H pet fresh from the car wash and with all it's pet shots. Did I mention the recent arduous trip from the animal auction.

The only danger in this little venture was the possibility of a hang nail or stubbed toe while gettins set up for the group shot.

From left to right:

"Ben" the "pen-raised" buffalo after all its "pet shots" (including one from a .375) and pretty tired after the arduous journey from the auction (yeah right) , Chris, Gerry, Katie and Syd...

RIP "Ben"!

Does that make you feel better G.O.B?

GOB GREATER ORDINARY BURK!!

Good one Chris Everyone left with happy memories, which is what it is all about.

Now those girls can tell their friends that they were on a REAL safari.

GOB, keep your dumb yankee ass where it is the rest of the world is to good for you.. I bet you even voted for obby wan candonoright. do you work hard at being an asshole or does it come natural?

I saw the first photo of the girls with the rifle, then figured they saw dad shooting a buffalo........ and decided, hell with the cameras, they wanted to shoot one too!

Well done Chris.

Looks like a bunch of happy faces to me. Congrats.

South Africa at it's best.

Chris I should have taken you up on your offer to help look after the Daughters on the Safari, next time

Nice hunt and great photos.

Given the look at that scrub, anything could be hiding in there.

Cheers, Chris

Chris well done!, South Africa is about the only place were you can arrange A hunt like that and not wait on quota, permits and game scouts, my condolences to Ben the pet Buffalo!

Chris,

My wife and daughter have been wanting to go on a photo safari. Their wish list includes elephant and lion. Have any openings?

quote:

Chris I should have taken you up on your offer to help look after the Daughters on the Safari, next time

Do we have Bunny Allen the 2nd in the making?

Thank you for the positive comments!

I guess this must be somewhat of a record on AR... 31 posts on a thread and only ONE (maybe 1 1/2 - depending on what the particular poster's intentions were), ignorant, silly and unnecessary contribution!

I am impressed!


Thanks again!

The answer of course is to put a blonde on every now and then.

The message is obviously lost here.

TWO new converts who now have a favorable view of African hunting.

Hell's on time better than the antihunting bullshit we encounter daily.

Hearts and minds people.

Jeff