Operation Teeth & Tusks Part 1 this week and Part 2 next week. Lion and Elephant.

Our Zimbabwe Chewore South safari from this past September. I have not previewed the TAA episodes, but it was a great safari with PH Len Taylor of Chifuti Safaris and the DVD was well done by cameraman Doug King and editor Christy Funke - except Doug got caught behind a tree on my partners charging Ele brain shot, but you can still tell what's happening. Dave & Tim at Safari Classics are first rate.

We've already booked again for this year.

Comments appreciated.

Mike - I'll be watching, can't wait!

Hey Aaron -

Yep, you're gonna like Carl's Lion. He's a big, good lookin' guy.

Great seeing you in Vegas.

Thought that was you Mike. Congrats. Looking forward to next week too.

Enjoyed the show. Well done on the ele bull. Pity you were not able to get a shot at the tuskless bull. What an incredible trophy that would be.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Hey Aaron -

Yep, you're gonna like Carl's Lion. He's a big, good lookin' guy.

Great seeing you in Vegas.

You too! When does it air again, do you know?

Thanks guys. We could have legally shot the tuskless bull in the riverbed under normal circumstances, but the gameranger with us wanted a bribe and we don't play that game! I wanted that tuskless bull badly, too, you can believe that! Gamerangers can ruin a safari in more ways than one. I've had good and bad and indifferent on 16 safaris but this one was lazy as well! Spent more time & effort trying to look busy than if he had really helped out. You all know the type, yes?

Schedule for this week & next:
PART 1
Thu 2/09 3:30pm PST on Direct TV Outdoor Channel
Sun 2/12 2:30pm
Part 2
Tue 2/14 4:00am
Thu 2/16 3:30pm
Sun 2/19 2:30pm

Set your DVR 'cause you're gonna wanna watch the through and through kill shot on the Lion more than once.

Damn. My DVR didn't record it for some reason . I would love to see it.

Can't wait Mike
Sounds good!

Great show Mike, enjoyed it very much. jorge

For everyone's sake, I hope the lion he shoots is wide awake!

quote:

Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
For everyone's sake, I hope the lion he shoots is wide awake!

Good one, Will. Yeah, wide awake, and moving too. A known (aged) Lion also captured on our game camera the night before. He enjoyed chewing on my Elephants legs and was coming back for more when Carl popped him.

BTT for schedule info, per requests. The Lion will be in Part 2.

Watching it now. It cracked me up when Len called Carl Mike in the middle of the stalk.

Neither of them told me it happened and I didn't know about it until I saw the video myself. I had a good laugh too! Glad you enjoyed it.

This is the first time I have watched Tracks in a very very long time. Because it has my buddies in it, it's for sure the best one ever!

Good Show Mike and Carl!!!!!!!

Excellent!

Michael

Two "normal" guys from AR having a great hunt...what is not to like?

I saw it last night. Good show.

I'm gonna watch it tomorrow, look forward to it "LionHunter" - the same guy who stole my AR handle!!!

Well done... nice old elephant bull Carl took!

Great show, Mike...nice to put a face with the name. And Carl's dry humor shows he would be a great hunting partner, too.

I am really looking forward to next weeks episode now.

Do they let you shoot?

Watched it tonite. It was really good. Will definately watch part 2, next week.


Mad Dog

quote:

Do they let you shoot?

Great question! TV shows can't and don't show everything from a safari. The two major trophies on this safari were clearly Carl's bull Ele and Lion. Taking both with only 12 2x1 hunting days is a challenge and also provides the exciting footage TV craves.

This was a safari with specific goals in mind. Carl had never taken an Elephant nor Lion, although we had hunted both together 10 years prior. I took my Bull Ele back in 1998 and my Lion in 2004 on individual safaris.

My goal on this trip was to take a tuskless and two small antelope I had never collected, the Klipspringer and the Sharpe's Grysbok. And I wanted to be there for Carls two majors. I accomplished all three and shared in Carl's joy as well.

Although not nearly as exciting on video, taking the little guys is much more difficult and challenging than DG hunting in many respects. Carl also wanted these little fellows, along with a common (grey) Duiker that he had somehow never taken. He got his Duiker but will have to try again for the Klippie and Grysbok, which I am sure he will do this August when he and I return with our son & son-in-law respectively.

Aside from Carl's Lion, I don't know what they have planned for Part 2. I, like all of you, look forward to watching TAA this week to find out if they let me shoot anything for the show. In any event, it was a memorable safari and the DVD is the best I've ever had done. Safari Classics and Chifuti Safaris make a super team and I can't wait to return with them to the Zambezi valley in August.

Mike - Just watched it. So far, so good!!

I watched part 1 today and enjoyed it as well. Too bad about the tuskless bull. Not many of those around.

Looking forward to next week.

Part 2 begins showing 3x this week. First showing will be TUESDAY at 4 a.m. PST on the Outdoor Channel.

Set your DVR to record a great one shot kill on a beautiful Lion. They originally feared the shot was a miss when the dust kicked up behind the cat and he turned and ran without showing any response to the shot, but a review of the video confirmed a good through and through hit. We find him in the long grass, stone dead, some 20 yards away.

I finally saw part 1. I enjoyed it. Well done.

A job well done! Looking forward to next week!!!

Watched Part 2 today and they did show my tuskless as well as Carl's Lion. My tuskless was a shoulder shot because of the bush. Hit her with a 480gr BBW #13 from my RSM .458Lott. Smashed her shoulder and she went down soonest she turned and put weight on the leg. Found the bullet in the offside shoulder under the hide and it could be re-loaded and used again. CEB are great bullets, for sure.

For some reason, the episode is still described as Part 1, but it is Part 2. Two more showings this week. Hope you all get a chance to see it and will post comments.

Saw Both parts. Good stuff. Congrats on great trophies.

+1

If you missed Part 2 today, you only have one last chance to see the TAA Lion and Tuskless shots.

Sunday 2:30 p.m. PST on the Outdoor Channel

Watching this Lions reaction to the shot is very thought provoking. The Tuskless reaction demonstrates why the shoulder shot on Elephant should not be discounted under all circumstances.

ENJOY!

I just finished watching part 2. Looks like you clipped a tree with the shot Mike. Finding the bullet on the off side skin should say something after clipping the tree too. How far was the shot?

Very nice lion! Looked like he was missing some of his tail as he was running away?

Nice job to you both!

Mike...Nice shot on that Tuskless.
Congratulations on your Safari.

Final showing today at 5:30 p.m. EST.

graybird - Good catch on the tree branch! I was not aware of this until reviewing the shot following your post. It certainly does look like my shot nicked a branch. Shooting through the trees was the best shot available and was why I decided on the shoulder shot to anchor the Ele. And yes, that makes the performance of the BBW #13 even more impressive and speaks to the straight line penetration of the CEB. The shot was approximately 20-25 yards.

You also caught the missing tip of the tail on the Lion. The old boy had his day, for sure. I wish all viewers had your acute eye and powers of observation. Well done.

Lion Hunter- Been in Zim we cannot see TAA but I read with interest your lion was missing part of his tail. Was he shot in the Mkanga Valley?

The reason I ask in June I was trying to shoot what looked like a great lion ( on trail cam) on the Mkanga river which is our boundary between Chewore South and Dande. Unfortunately he was coming in at 7 pm just after legal shooting light and while his ladies were there in the morning he had departed before first light. I would be very interested in seeing a pic of him as we put alot of time and effort into him including departure time from our camp at 3 am to get there at first light! I have a few trail pic camera pics only and the last one was of his teeth as he bit it in half!

If you would be kind enough to send me a pic I would be grateful and can assure you I will not put it up for public discussion . You can send it to buzz@cmsafaris.com if you would rather not I totally understand. Congrats on what I think is a great lion. Cheers buzz

Hi Buzz,

Very possible this is the same Lion. Len states the name of the area to be what sounds to me like the Mkanga Valley, where the river goes into a gorge and comes out onto a floodplain, which is where we hung the bait. He has taken other Lion there over the years. This was in late September.

There was only one lioness - non-lactating and without cubs - with him when we studied him. Really a good old Lion in my opinion and Carl is lucky to have him.

Cheeky bastard to have bitten your trail camera in half!

I've emailed you a pic of the Lion. If you don't get it, let me know and I'll try again.

Best regards,

I was just informed I mis-stated the time for todays showings - thanks jjbull - made correction above..

I think I have it correct now:

2:30 PST
3:30 MST
4:30 CST
5:30 EST

I have my reminder set for it. Comes in in about 30 mins.

Congrats to both of you! Just finished watching wonderful safari and great trophies

Enjoyed the show. Man I hope I get a crack at a lion like that in August. Congrats.