Down to 9 days before departing for Zim and another hunt with Charlton McCallum Safaris. Blake and I will attempt to pull a late season ele bull and leopard out of the jesse. Like our safari last year, this will be another "Double, Double" hunt, using the 500NE for ele and 9.3x74R for Mr. Spots.

The wife and I are prepared for the heat with Frog Togs Chilly Pads, personal portable fans, and packets of Gatorade powder! Now we just need some rains to help bring the bulls over from Moz!

9 days and counting but time ... is ... standing ... still prior to departure. The 12 days in camp will pass like a blink of the eye! I've enjoyed reading all the hunt reports this year, helping to pass the time by living vicariously through you guys! I hope to have a contribution of my own toward the end of December!

Bags are packed, rifles prepared and practiced, ready to go! Cheers!

Aren't you gone yet?

Hope you have great success!!

Blake will get the job done.

Jeff

the chilly pads and fans will no doubt be a life saver- i have used them on my last 3 late season hunts and they made all the difference between a decent night's sleep and very little sleep! best of luck on your hunt- you will, no doubt, be in good hands

Hi Todd,
My sincere best wishes for cool comfortable nights and hot barrels all day.

BTW, whats your ammo mix?

Steve

Best wishes and good hunting, Amigo.

Todd,

Safe travels and shoot straight. I'll be interested to see how the leopard hunt goes at this time of year.

Mark

Kill some monsters and bring back lots of pictures! Good luck and shoot straight.

Thanks for the well wishes guys!

Mark, yep, leopard this time of year will be a challenge. Left over quota you know, so it won't hurt to give it a go!

Steve, 570gr North Fork solids for Jumbo, CEB 255gr non-cons for spots!

Jerry, agreed. I learned from my first hunt with CMS in Oct 2010 about the heat. Didn't bring any mitigating items thinking that a Texan used to 105F would have no issues. Learned that 125F+ is a HELL of a lot hotter! Made all the difference last year in Oct/Nov.

Fresno's summer temps run to 110-115. like you i thought i could handle it. like you, i found out otherwise. if it's so hot you can't sleep at night and therefore get any rest, how can you press on the next day with perhaps a 10-15 mile tracking session in blast furnace conditions. short answer- you can't. glad you covered your bases and best of luck!! as an aside, i found out the hard way 3 weeks ago about staying properly hydrated…..

I read you report Jerry. You're lucky you didn't get hurt worse! Glad it worked out.

Todd

travel safe and bring good stories back--

Hope to meet and hear them at DSC.

I wish you all the best for this trip. Looking forward to nice pictures

Wish you a wonderful trip Todd.

No doubt a top grade Safari

Hurry up and get out of here!!

Enjoy your trip

Have a great hunt Todd - I look forward to hearing all the stories in detail at DSC. Make sure you bring lots of photos to Dallas.

Todd,
I hope you have a wonderful hunt! Travel safe and take lots of pictures!

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Thanks for the well wishes guys!

Mark, yep, leopard this time of year will be a challenge. Left over quota you know, so it won't hurt to give it a go!

Steve, 570gr North Fork solids for Jumbo, CEB 255gr non-cons for spots!

Safe Travels my friend, and may a little luck follow you as well............

Don't forget the "Bullet Reports"............

Michael

Todd,

Good luck and make the shot. a big ele is what I am looking for. Oh yeah chui also.

Mike

Todd,

Good luck.

Looking forward to your leopard report. I will be on my hunt for chui next July.

Have a great trip Todd. The last few days before you go seem to take forever and then before you know it the last day of the safari is upon you.

Don't worry about chilli packs. Icy cold beer in plentiful quantities as soon as the hunting finishes and you're getting back into (or onto since your wife is going!) the ute.

Have a beer for me with Blake and the guys and good luck with your hunt.

Cheers

DK

Best of luck my friend.

"Single digits now" ????

Did you finally take that IQ test? :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
"Single digits now" ????

Did you finally take that IQ test? :-)

What a TURD!

No Justin, I've been able to keep the IQ in the 3 digits ... mainly by avoiding Country Music!

3 digits? You forgot the decimal point! :-)

Hey, good luck over there.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
3 digits? You forgot the decimal point! :-)

Good one!

Make sure you come back in one piece so we can keep our double rifle date in Vegas.

Jeff

Looking forward to that Jeff! Think we might manage a beer or two as well?

Only if we are underacheiving....

Hey Todd go get um! Give um a dose of double double, and keep them off you and Blake, and put them in the salt!

................................................................. ............

I take it Todd that we will have live report every evening here on the Forum ?

Good luck, Todd!

T-minus 5 days for me.

Will compare notes upon your return.

Good luck on Mr. Spots!

Todd,

Sort them out properly and be safe. Hope you won't need the QuikClot, etc., but now you are prepared should Kilroy join your safari.

Keep well,

Good luck to you in Zim.

This a great time to hunt, a little warm but it was great watching the change in seasons last year.

Wish I was there now, this will be the first year in five that I do not make the trip to Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by FishN4Eyes:
Good luck, Todd!

T-minus 5 days for me.

Will compare notes upon your return.

Good luck on Mr. Spots!

Where are you going and what are you hunting?

IQ? 3 digits? Todd, the - sign doesn't count as a digit.

Hi Todd,
I asked you about ammo, I meant your quantity mix.(weight) I struggle with .500NE ammo and having another rifle to feed.

Steve, are you asking what I'm carrying over?

In the 500NE I've got 30 570gr North Fork Solids and 10 CEB 475gr non-cons with tips at 2,415fps for possible follow up on leopard (hope like hell we don't need it) or possibly any thing else big that might need an expanding bullet, remaining on quota, like maybe a stray buffalo (one never knows).

In the 9.3x74R, I've got 30, 255gr CEB non-cons (now called Safari Raptors) for the leopard and other smaller critters needing an expanding bullet, 6 CEB 280gr BBW #13 solids for whatever (used these on duiker, grysbok, and klipspringer last year), and 4, 3 blade CEB 255gr "Buffalo" Safari Raptors (I paint these red for quick identification) just in case there might be a stray buff or even an eland remaining.

All of that tips the scales right at 10 pounds, but ... being the paranoid type that I am, whenever I'm traveling with a companion, in this case, my wife, at other times, one of my sons, I always pack 1/2 in my bag and 1/2 in my companion's bag. Obviously split 50-50 as much as possible between the types of bullets. I do this as a hedge against the rifles showing up but missing the ammo bag. Touch wood, it's not been an issue so far, but one never knows.

As far as carrying ammo in the field, for the 500NE, I have a culling belt that holds 14 rounds. For the 9.3x74R, I use a buttstock elastic carrier that holds 9 rounds. I usually put a 9.3 round in one of my front pockets as well to give me an even 10 rounds when that rifle is in my hands, which is most of the time.

Anyway, that's my ammo load out in terms of what I'm carrying, how I spread it around for the airline travel portion of the trip, as well as in the field. How does this compare with everybody else?

Mike (LH), thanks Pard for the info on the first aid supplies. One hopes to never have to use it but it's nice to have in case!

Mike+5, yep, I like that time of year over there. Seems like most of my trips now days are October to December. I've always had good luck in the heat.

Jeff, if we aren't under achieving when we start, we will be shortly!

Rickster, can I borrow your Marine Corp standard issue BLACK highlighter for the important parts of my book? Wouldn't want to forget about the good parts! Of course, I'll need to make sure and get a book that isn't printed upside down.

Todd,
That's what I was looking for. Thanks!!

Safe travels.

Steve

Enjoy, Todd!