I was asked when did I shoot my first buffalo, and where.

Well, here is the story.

It was in 1982, hunting with Rosslyn Safaris in Zimbabwe.

My PH was Roy Vincent, and I was using a second hand Remington Safari 375 H&H with 300 grain FMJ.

We drove to the Deka safari area, and set up our tents by the river at a water hole.

We left Rene, Roy's wife, with her two children, Diana and Alan at the camp, with my girl friend.

Roy and me with our trackers headed out looking for anything we might come across.

We found the tracks of a herd of buffalo, and followed them.

They took us on a sort of round about route, ending at the water hole right in front of our camp!!

And being new at this game, I managed to force an additional round into the Remington rifle's magazine - I think it took two in the magazine, and one in the chamber. I did a sort of field modification by forcefully squeezing an additional round into the magazine.

I was about to face my first "dangerous" game.

And after having read Capstick's, I had to be prepared!

What we did not know was, that Rene and everyone at camp were happily watching the buffalo coming to water.

It was just before sun down.

Roy pointed a bull for me, and I let him have it!

All hell broke loose, as my rifle magazine opened up, dropping all my ammo on the ground. Never mind that, I took off after the buffalo, with Roy screaming STOP! STOP! HE IS DYING!

Sure enough, the bull lay in front of us - then I realized that we were by the camp when I heard them shouting at us.

They came over, and we all had a good laugh at my first adventure with buffalo.

Alan was a little kid still wet behind the ears then, but I could see how happy he was hunting.

Who could have imagined that last year was my 35th year hunting with the Vincents, with Alan being our professional hunter.

All these years hunting, but the excitement has not faded at all.

My current rifle takes two on the magazine, and one in the chamber.

I no longer force an additional round into the magazine, as I learnt that all one has to do is makes sure his first shot counts.

Works like a charm!

Neat story. Thanks for sharing.

.

Never too late to start
Good story Saeed

Great story!

Excellent!!

35 years!!!! what a great experience. I acquired My Mauser 404 from Zimbabwe with the magazine floor plate glued shut. I am thinking maybe this was because Saeed's notoriety of stuffing extra rounds in the magazine of a bolt gun might have spread across Africa but no my 404 arrived in 1978 so Saeed had not quite got to mess with dangerous game rifles by then.

Saeed you know the rules. You have to post pictures with your report.

A wonderful story and a great start to a hunting career!

Nice story about the beginings of your relationship with the Vincents and Buffalo.

Enjoyed reading that and I can imagine the looks on everyone’s faces!

Thanks for sharing Saeed.

Great story. I remember those days and those kinds of days too.

Hey, back then I can't remember exactly, but it seems like buffalo trophy fees on my first Africa hunt a little later was $900 or maybe $1000. Times have changed a little.

[/quote] I took off after the buffalo, with Roy screaming STOP! STOP! HE IS DYING![/quote]

Ha ha Saeed you really are a mortal man after all.
What a great start to a long and exciting time with hunting and the Vincents.
Thank you for sharing so much off it with us.jc

ha ha always those early memories are some of the sweetest - if not the most elegant - we learn every time we go out -

thanks for sharing !

I think we all needed that.

Nice story.

Best-
Locksley,R.

Saeed, I'm guessing that camp was just off the main road from Wankie town to Sinamatella, near the abandoned ranger's office, along the bank's of the Mbala river.

A year after you, I hunted there with Roy and Rene on my first safari, a 24-day hunt. Coincidentally, I shot my first Buffalo on the 3rd day after tracking them all morning. Roy and I had no sooner walked up to the Buffalo when we heard Rene's voice in the distance. They'd heard me shoot and were coming on foot to see what we'd killed. I think we were about 400 yards from camp where the Buffalo fell.

Great story! Thanks. Brian

Great Story

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
Saeed, I'm guessing that camp was just off the main road from Wankie town to Sinamatella, near the abandoned ranger's office, along the bank's of the Mbala river.

A year after you, I hunted there with Roy and Rene on my first safari, a 24-day hunt. Coincidentally, I shot my first Buffalo on the 3rd day after tracking them all morning. Roy and I had no sooner walked up to the Buffalo when we heard Rene's voice in the distance. They'd heard me shoot and were coming on foot to see what we'd killed. I think we were about 400 yards from camp where the Buffalo fell.

I think you might be right.