I just returned from a couple of back to back safaris to South Africa and Tanzania.




The first was with Peter Harris (Ntshonalanga Safaries) in South Africa. This was my third safari with Peter. He does a great job each time. I took along 6 friends and as on previous trips, my wife Irene came along. She enjoys Africa even more than I.



I tried several times to capture the special light of Africa. All my attempts fell short for some reason.



I wanted a full body mount for my desk and this little fellow was kind enough to become immortalized there. I know � it was a bad shot but that was typical of my shooting this trip.



We stopped into this farmhouse to use the restroom. I was very impressed with this house.



After 5 days of �collecting� specimens we took a day off to attend a cricket game at a Pretoria grade school. Our Ph�s son was in the game and we wanted to meet him. Our Ph explained the play by play but I still don�t get it.



This was another attempt at capturing light at the Sea Cliff hotel in Dar Es Salaam. This was the start of the second half of the trip.

Ray Atkinson had arranged for Silva Kittra whom he aptly describes as the best �city PH� he ever met to show me around Dar for a day. We went all over town. Just that one day was worth the cost of the trip. Dar-it seemed me-is one of the far too few exotic cities left in the world.



When the charter plane landed at Mbuga in the Selous Saeed, Ray, Walter and the entire crew were there waiting to take the plane back to Dar. It was a privilege to meet them.

These were some of the hundred or so kids that were there to observe the plane. They were dirt poor but happy. It really makes you think. When Saeeds charter plane took off they all gathered behind the tail to see if they could stand up in the wind off the props. They couldn�t.



After Saeed left we went into Mbuga to pick up our game guide. This is his 12 ga. Shotgun he brought along to defend us with. He had two shells for it and both were bird shot. Pierr�e van Tonder was more worried about being around that shotgun than the buffalo.



I suppressed a gasp as we drove into camp after a 3 hour drive from the bush strip. This was too good to believe. I tried again to capture African light on the path to my tent in the background.



Hippos crossed through the camp practically every night that I was there. This askari was one of two who stood guard at night. When the hippos came they clapped their hands or threw branches at them. I noticed the askaries stayed close to an easily climbed tree.



This is the mess structure. One could only imagine Ray, Saeed and Walter around this now very quiet fire pit.



These white trees are scattered throughout the higher regions of the block we hunted.



Dominique contemplates an opportunity while Pierr�e naps during a lunch break.



Well its not a record breaker but it was my first so it is special to me. Actually it was not quite first because Pierr�e and I (mostly Pierr�e) put down an unprovoked charge by another buff in the long grass the day before.

This one was the first I shot alone. It was among about 50 that we stalked up on. They were milling all around and I probably didn�t shoot the right one. There is always next year.

I had an opportunity to shoot a really good buff a couple days later but blew the opportunity. We were set up perfectly on high ground as a large herd fed toward us. Toward the end of the herd was an old dagga-boy that Pierr�e said was the best he had seen in a �long long time�.

Our seemingly 12 foot tall Masai tracker Twiga (giraffe) set up the sticks. As I was trying to shoot downhill the butt of the rifle slipped off my shoulder just as I fired. I shot completely over the buffs back.

Pierr�e looked at me in silent disbelief then launched into a scathing lecture that ended with �I can do no better for you than that�. Twiga then added to the torment by saying in Swahili �His boss was big and his horns were long but that does us no good now�.

Back at the truck Dominique stared into the distance and said the trackers would have to boil their shirts to have something to eat tonite. Later Moses, the cook tried to soothe me by saying �hunting is hunting� whatever that meant.

These fellows really know how to rub it in. Saeed�s bunch taught them well.

We saw and were on the trail of buffalo each day. In the unfenced wilderness that is seemingly unchanged from the way it looked hundreds of years ago we saw Hippo, Elephant, Sable, Kongoni, Wildebeast, Baboons, a very poisonous Green tree snake, Warthogs, Impala, Zebra and heard lions roar nearly every night.

Many thanks to Ray Atkinson and Pierr�e van Tonder for setting up this trip of a lifetime. Everything but my shooting went off perfectly. If you haven�t been on a tented safari do yourself a big favor and talk to these guys while its still possible.

Congratulations on yet another hunting milestone Palmer.
That's a lovely buffalo!

Africa...I have never been but, everytime I see photos and read a story like that I can think of no other place
on earth I would rather hunt.....

Congratulations!

Dave

Nice Allen, looks like it's been a great year for you! Didn't you get a nice Brownie this past spring too? Great photos!

"...Buffalo do that sometimes for some unknown reason..."

Yeah, tell me about it!

And people laugh at me when I fire a shot into a "dead" buffalo lying on the ground.

I will leave planned excitement with buffalo to Mark Sullivan

Wow!

Thanks Ray.

It is fabulous that after the money has been paid and the safari is officially over you and Pierre are still out there working for your clients benefit.

That is very rare these days in my experience.

I shall toast you both tonite.

MIke Smith,
How about a life jacket!

Ray, There actually are two in the back yard, but they are just little fellows. They are only about 4 feet in length. Just big enough to keep the neighbors nervous about their poodle. I am in Ohio today and tomorrow then back to Fla. Since this storm was kind enough to bypass us I might actually get to hunt when I get back. It is a good thing I did the cull hunt on all those hogs in Hawaii in June otherwise I wouldnt have much shooting in this summer at all. That at least is good practice for Africa. I have been working 60 to 70 hours a week and there still isnt enough time to get everything done. My employer has been very good about my trip to Africa though and is flying in a replacement for me for the 3 weeks I will be there. The only thing left is for me to book a flight. I guess I will either call Kathi or the folks at Gracy this late in the game. I usually just book it myself but havent come across any good deals this year.

Ray, No Shit. I have been here for 2 hurricanes now and the third is probably on the way. It has made traveling to the various places I need to be dificult to say the least. The only good news is that I leave for RSA by Oct 1 at the latest. Provided of course I can get out of here. I was hoping to do some hog and gator hunting while here but the weather so far has totally screwed that. I hope the rains in africa are late this year!

Palmer, Sorry to hijack your thread Allen. Where did you hunt with Peter this year and for what?

Mike,

No problem brother. We hunted north of Thabazimbi five days then at Bokpoort four days.

The previous years drought had taken something of a toll on the leaf eaters where we hunted but everyone eventually got more than they were after and had a great time also.

The lodge we stayed in up north (Kirabo)was first class and the food was great.

Then there was Bokpoort and you know all about that place. What a great place to kick back and spend a few days.

Please pass on my regards to Peter and the rest. I know you will have a great time.

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

Ann: Yes, I was fortunate to take a Brownie this last May. It was my third try.

Nitro-X: My double is a 1924 Jeffery 450/400 3� with 19 inch barrels. I was shooting 400 grain Woodleigh softs and solids with 78 grains of IMR 4831. I am new to double rifle shooting but have now been totally bitten by that bug.

I think I learned something interesting on this trip. Has this happened to anyone else? In the past when I carried a scoped rifle the PH always stops and sets up at 350 yards or some God-awful distance where the animal is just a speck only to be seen with powerful binoculars and he says something like � third from the left � take him�.

But when you carry a rifle with iron sights (and you are old as I) the PH knows he has to get you close so somehow they manage to get you about 50 yards from the animal. I like being close much better - so for me someone else can do the long range sniper stuff.

Saeed: Yes, I noticed the staff at camp seemed to have a glazed over look in their eyes when I arrived.

Apprciate your posting and pictures! Sounds like you had a great time. The Buffalo looks great!

Thanks to Ray Atkinson...I am hopefully heading to Pierre's Camp in two weeks. I am really looking forward to it!! This will be my first trip to Africa and it is already in my blood...so to speak...after reading all the great stories posted here...and speaking with JudgeG and Ray!

Thanks again for the post and pictures!

Yes, Gifaffe will run flat over you if you bump into an elephant, but he will look old M'bogo right in the eye, its a Masai thing, if fact he could stand flat footed and look an elephant in the eye if he wasn't so darn scared of them, Maybe I will bring him home next year and get him recruited by the San Antonia Spurs!! What a plan.

It's a good thing we had him as our two trackers couldn't track an elephant through a field of peanut butter!! Probably because one of them was a driver, and the other the ironing ladys son! Saeed had the two trackers. but we faired well indeed...

Allen, Congrats on a great trip. I will be seeing Peter in Oct. Looking forward to Africa as always. I am already booked for Argentina and New Zealand for next year, but I am going to try and fit Tanzania in as well. It looks like exactly what I want. I will probably get ahold of you offline with a few questions. Congrats again on your buffalo. I am in Fla for the nex few weeks but if there is anything you want me to pass along to Peter email me. I check it at least once a week when I am on the road.
Mike