Dream Safari

28 August 2023, 22:53

fairgame

Dream Safari

Earlier in the year I had advertised a 'Dream Safari' that included Bangweulu Swamps for Buffalo https://forums.accuratereloadi...2100588/m/6001041472 and this opportunity was taken up by AR's Surefire7 who has hunted with me in Zambia many times in the past.

We have taken good Buffalo together but this time Surefire7 was looking for a bull that would break 40 inches and I assured him that if we could get a tag then the swamps would offer such an opportunity. The Buffalo here are an isolated gene and are massive in body and noted for their black hairy coats. They inhabit substantial grassy floodplains and thus there is little wear on their horns.

I will do a full report later as we took many fine animals but Surefire7 took his dream Buffalo on the first morning of hunting them.

Note Surefire7 is not a big guy so he compliments my photographs. I will post a full report with more pictures later.

Sometimes dreams come true.

28 August 2023, 23:37

Jefffive

Not much wrong with that.

Congrats!

28 August 2023, 23:51

bwanamrm

Dream buffalo for sure. Congrats to all!

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.

29 August 2023, 00:04

Chris Lozano

That's a dream come true.

29 August 2023, 00:17

fairgame

29 August 2023, 00:35

Michael Robinson

Beautiful - just beautiful.

Congratulations!

29 August 2023, 00:41

Steve Ahrenberg

Excellent

Please tell me that Shoebill camp isn't still the place is was back in 2004?

Or were you in a different part of the swamp?

29 August 2023, 01:15

Safari2

Fantastic Andrew.

Congrats to all.

Hopefully those Bangweulu buffalo can increase rapidly with no predation?

29 August 2023, 01:16

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:
Excellent

Please tell me that Shoebill camp isn't still the place is was back in 2004?

Or were you in a different part of the swamp?

They put in a new camp and it is comfortable. The downside is Africa Parks provides vehicles and drivers and I took over the driving and had to fix some shit in the camp which denied me of some much-needed rest. We caught poachers close to camp and poaching is a serious problem. The Buffalo are wide awake and difficult to approach. I would say they are losing about 20,000 Lechwe a year but are stable at 40,000. Used to be 150,000!

29 August 2023, 01:38

txsouthpaw

Andrew, congratulations to all for a fantastic safari!

29 August 2023, 02:40

mufasa

Fabulous bull Andrew. Congrats to both PH and Hunter. I wish I could have seen it. MMP

29 August 2023, 07:55

surefire7

Mrs. Surefire here, thanks Andrew for the dream safari. That Buffalo is beyond amazing. Thanks also for taking care of the guys, there were a lot of rifle hiccups to deal with. Can’t wait to hear more about it! Taking care of the home front

29 August 2023, 11:05

medved

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:

superb and old. well done.

29 August 2023, 15:44

Brandon.Gleason

Very, very nice. Looking forward tot he remainder of the details in the report.

29 August 2023, 20:26

Hogbreath

Outstanding Buffalo! Congratulations!

30 August 2023, 00:37

MikeBurke

Congratulations, very well done!!

30 August 2023, 01:25

Frostbit

I may have to give Surefire aa call. That's a huge Buff. Anyone put a tape on it?

______________________
DRSS
______________________
Hunt Reports

2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112
2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012
DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191
Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771
Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141
Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141

30 August 2023, 02:31

Aspen Hill Adventures

What a beast! Congratulations!

30 August 2023, 04:05

Skyline

Outstanding...and like Phil said, he has got some age on him. Probably take a while to wipe the grin off of Surefire7's face.

30 August 2023, 05:44

Bivoj

Andrew, what a trophy
Congrats to both of you

30 August 2023, 05:52

Use Enough Gun

Outstanding!

30 August 2023, 07:05

lavaca

Andrew,

That's a hell of a bull. how wide is he?

30 August 2023, 07:43

Michael Robinson

I keep coming back to this post and this bull.

He is magnificent. Perfect conformation as they say at Westminster.

I don’t even care about dimensions.

But then again I never put a tape on anything.

30 August 2023, 07:50

lavaca

Mike,
I agree with you in general. The only trophy I've had officially measured was a Masai bushbuck that my PH was convinced would go top 10 and he really wanted it measured. I consented and it missed top ten by about 1/4". For a moment, I was disappointed and it was that moment I said I'd never have another trophy officially measured.

That said, I make an exception on a pure width measurement of a buffalo.

30 August 2023, 08:33

Michael Robinson

Yes, my guides, PHs and taxidermists have insisted on making some measurements, too.

What’s a guy gonna do, say no?!

But as long as he was an old ram, buck or bull, I have never cared.

30 August 2023, 10:06

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
I may have to give Surefire aa call. That's a huge Buff. Anyone put a tape on it?

30 August 2023, 11:41

lavaca

Guessed he was over 45.

What a fantastic bull. Congrats.

30 August 2023, 13:44

the Pom

Bull of a lifetime, unless your name is Saeed! Great result under what were obviously difficult circumstances.
If Andrew does a full report bear in mind that he is a master of very proper British understatement. He would describe an incident with poachers which involved emptied magazines, the odd hospitalisation and no one mentioning shallow graves, as a spot of bother!
As many on AR know, Andrew is a most effective PH but he doesn't tolerate any shit from anyone, except his clients of course! Book with him now before he retires to his artist's easel.

06 September 2023, 21:36

30.06king

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
I may have to give Surefire aa call. That's a huge Buff. Anyone put a tape on it?

46

Love this photo. Two very good looking subjects in one pic. Well OK, one of them I would take home... the other, hmmmm ....

Seriously, that's simply a beautiful bull. A bull that any serious hunter deserves once in a lifetime. Huge congrats Surefire, and well done Andrew.

07 September 2023, 09:39

surefire7

I know Andrew mentioned he is going to add more to this report on the rest of our trophies, but I just wanted to openly thank him for producing exactly what he promised …a Dream Safari!!

I had asked Andrew for a place where we would have a good chance for a 40+” Buffalo. I could not have dreamed that I would take a 46” Bull. But we did. For those interested in rifles, ballistics, etc., I took a two rifle battery for this hunt; my Dakota Safari 404 Jeffery and an AHR CZ 550 that Wayne made on his #3 package in 9.3x66 (370 Sako Mag.). The 404J had 430 gr. NF softs & solids. The 9.3x66 had 286 gr. NP & BBS.

I’ll let Andrew describe the hunt/stalk as he a master of such, but I’ll just add that my plan was to take my Buff with the 404J and the PG with the 9.3x66. But I had told Andrew that I felt comfortable shooting up to 100m with the 2.5 fixed Leupold on the 404J, but not beyond that range. As it turned out, we ran out of cover at about 130-140 yds. Hence, Andrew had me swap out the 404 for the 9.3. I was concerned shooting this huge Buffalo with a NP in 9.3, but Andrew said not to worry. He was right! It took only one NP round at that distance to do the job. I was impressed and a bit surprised with that bullet. I’ve taken a great number of game in America and Africa with the NP in various calibers, but never any DG with a NP. I have only used SAFs and TBBCs on DG. At 72 yrs. old, I am still learning new tricks!

I love hunting Buffalo and plan to continue for as long as I am able, but I doubt I’ll ever top this one. And that’s OK. I’ll retire to my trophy room in the evenings as I continue to age, with a G&T in my hands, a smile on my face, and reminisce…about a Dream Safari in Zambia.

09 September 2023, 11:08

lavaca

Well done Surefire.

09 September 2023, 11:20

fairgame

Another Buff has become available see Hunts Offered Forum.

09 September 2023, 11:24

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by surefire7:
I know Andrew mentioned he is going to add more to this report on the rest of our trophies, but I just wanted to openly thank him for producing exactly what he promised …a Dream Safari!!

I had asked Andrew for a place where we would have a good chance for a 40+” Buffalo. I could not have dreamed that I would take a 46” Bull. But we did. For those interested in rifles, ballistics, etc., I took a two rifle battery for this hunt; my Dakota Safari 404 Jeffery and an AHR CZ 550 that Wayne made on his #3 package in 9.3x66 (370 Sako Mag.). The 404J had 430 gr. NF softs & solids. The 9.3x66 had 286 gr. NP & BBS.

I’ll let Andrew describe the hunt/stalk as he a master of such, but I’ll just add that my plan was to take my Buff with the 404J and the PG with the 9.3x66. But I had told Andrew that I felt comfortable shooting up to 100m with the 2.5 fixed Leupold on the 404J, but not beyond that range. As it turned out, we ran out of cover at about 130-140 yds. Hence, Andrew had me swap out the 404 for the 9.3. I was concerned shooting this huge Buffalo with a NP in 9.3, but Andrew said not to worry. He was right! It took only one NP round at that distance to do the job. I was impressed and a bit surprised with that bullet. I’ve taken a great number of game in America and Africa with the NP in various calibers, but never any DG with a NP. I have only used SAFs and TBBCs on DG. At 72 yrs. old, I am still learning new tricks!

I love hunting Buffalo and plan to continue for as long as I am able, but I doubt I’ll ever top this one. And that’s OK. I’ll retire to my trophy room in the evenings as I continue to age, with a G&T in my hands, a smile on my face, and reminisce…about a Dream Safari in Zambia.

The Buffalo are hunted on floodplains and can be spooky and are only approachable when they bed down in long grass which makes for an interesting approach. Expect longer shots and Surefire's shooting was impeccable on all game taken.