Zimbabwe Buffalo Hunt September 2009

Hunt dates: September 7-13, 2009

Date of trip: September 3-16, 2009

SSG Safaris Cheredzi, Zimbabwe

PH: Nixon Dzingai

Hunter: Roger Cox

Malapati Safari Area and Sengwe Communal land bordering Gona re Zhou
National Park

Rifle used: Chapuis Arms UGEX 9.3 X 74R Woodleigh 286 grain Protected
Point Soft Points and Solids Leupold VariX III 1.75 X 6 with quick
release mount.

Optics: Leica 8x32 Trinovid The afternoon of day one I noticed a
smudge on my left ocular. I rinsed it off with water and then realized
that it was condensation on the inside of the front lens. Of course,
this caused it to really fog up and it was next to useless for several
days. I was not a happy camper!

Primary animal hunted: Buffalo

Animals seen: Buffalo, Kudu, Impala, Elephant, Nyala, Bushbuck,
Waterbuck, Zebra, Giraffe, Steenbok, Duiker, Klipspringer, Warthog,
Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Mongoose, Ground Squirrel, Springhare,
Cape Hare, Civet, African Wild Dog, Caracal, Guinea, Bustard, Francolin,
Yellow Billed Hornbill, Lilac Breasted Roller, Nightjar, Bearded
Woodpecker, Pied Crow, Go Away Bird, Assorted Doves, Vultures,
Eagles, Assorted other birds, Leopard Tortoise, Monitor Lizard, Gecko

This was my first trip to Zimbabwe and first buffalo hunt. Previously, I
have hunted three times in South Africa for plains game, with my wife also
hunting with me in May of 2008. South Africa May 2008
As I am recovering financially from last year’s trip, I had not intended to
go back to Africa so soon. A friend had organized a hunt in Zimbabwe
for September ‘09. Unfortunately we needed four hunters for the hunt
and due to the sinking economy, that hunt was canceled when a couple
of guys were unable to go.

Now having the time off but not having
anything planned, I saw a seven day hunt
advertised in the accuratereloading outfitters section by Bobby Lowe (dukxdog).
An excellent account of his hunt is here: Gona re Zhou, Zimbabwe
After numerous e-mails and phone calls,
I decided to book the hunt. I originally planned to hunt for one buffalo but
since I never know when I might get back to Africa I planned to try and take two.

In May, I saw a Chapuis 9.3 X 74R for
sale in the classified section of accuratereloading. I have been wanting
a double rifle for some time and
decided to buy it. I spent the rest of
the summer learning how to shoot
it and developing loads for my upcoming
buffalo hunt. I quickly learned
that while it is a very nice rifle, there
is a learning curve associated
with shooting doubles as opposed to the average bolt rifle.

My trip was booked through Elaine Porteous of African Odyssey on South
African Airlines out of JFK. Being an airline employee, I found JFK to
JNB was the least expensive ticket and I could get to New York for free.
While I have heard horror stories about New York City, I had absolutely
no problem whatsoever. At the SAA ticket counter, the agent called
the airport police, I opened my case and they asked me a few questions
about my hunt. Then they escorted me about 75 yards to the TSA inspection
area. My case was x-rayed and then I was free to go through security.
I had my ammo in a small takedown gun case with padlocks. Inside,
it was packed in a Wal-Mart cashbox. TSA had cut off my locks in DFW,
examined the ammo and contents. Fortunately, I packed extra padlocks
inside the case with a note to TSA to relock the case.

The flight was long but the jet was only half full. I had a row to
myself. This is my forth trip on South African Airlines and I have
not had any problems. Once in J’Burg, I made it to the Harare gate
and waited to be boarded. The flight to Harare was uneventful.
Harare was much easier than South Africa. Go through customs, pay
$30, fill out the firearm forms in triplicate and you’re ready to go.
Nixon’s son Simon was waiting for me and he took me to the Bronte
hotel for my first nights stay.

The next morning we traveled south for about 4 ½ hours to Cheredzi.
There we met Nixon, transferred my things to his truck, and drove
another 2 hours over rutted, rough roads to camp. Once there,
I unpacked, got myself situated, and then checked the zero of my
rifle. We had a couple of hours of daylight left so we went out
looking for buffalo. Note to myself: Never pass up a chance at
a 15inch bushbuck just because you are five minutes out of camp
and are starting a week long hunt! We saw a lot of plains game
on that first evening but didn’t get close to any buffalo.

The next day was the official first day. I woke up at 0400 after
a restless night and we were out by 0440. We drove until Nixon
spotted where a herd had crossed the road and then we waited until
first light. We gradually caught up with them as we moved alongside
and downwind. At first I could see large black shapes, then a
horn or two. Then they would run, hooves thundering, maybe 50 yards
or maybe 200. I was thinking at the time, “Next week and next month
I will be home, but right now I am in Africa hunting buffalo with
a double rifle!” Suddenly Peter put the sticks in front of me and
Nixon said “get ready”. There was an opening in front of me between
a mopane tree and a termite mound. Out comes a slow walking bull
about 50 yards away and Nixon says “take him!” I put the crosshairs
on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger as I followed through. One
shot was all I got as he was gone in an instant. At that point I
was concerned if I made a good shot and if my small .366 caliber bullets
would do the job. We ran forward and there he was lying down but
still very much alive. He had run perhaps 50 yards. A quick second
shot with a solid and he was down for good. I was able to recover
both the soft point and the solid. The soft weighed 247 grains and
was under the skin on the opposite shoulder. The solid was lodged in
the rib cage.

Nixon wanted to keep following the herd to see if we could get another
bull. We followed the herd without any success but that was okay by
me as this first buffalo had come quickly. We saw a cow get caught
in a snare by the horns. Fortunately, she had escaped by the time we
came back. We took pics of my bull, walked back to the truck, and
the guys cut a trail so we could load him up. This bull had not been
very lucky. He was missing half a tail (healed old wound, lion?),
had a fresh wound and had been snared about 6 inches above the hoof
at one time on a hind leg.

The next few days I hunted for a second buffalo and the elusive bushbuck.
I saw lots of plains game but I should have brought more money! Two
buffalo were about my limit for this trip. Several times we get close
to some herds but we didn’t see any good bulls to shoot. There was
another hunter in camp, Lew, who was hunting with different PH. By
coincidence, he was also hunting with 9.3 X 74R double, an Italian brand
that I cannot remember the name of. He was even shooting Woodleigh bullets.
He killed a nice buffalo right at dark on my third day there. As it
was too dark to track, his PH elected to look for him at dawn the next
day. He had gone about 200 yards and was dead when they found him.

On the fifth day we came across a nice daggaboy. Peter had the sticks up
and Nixon was whispering to me to shoot in a stern voice and I was
whispering back that I had brush in front of me and please move the
sticks over a foot to the right. Finally, I found an opening and put
a soft point into his shoulder. At the shot I saw him shudder. With
the next two shots my memory is as a fog as I don’t remember shooting.
I do know that the bull immediately ran away in the bush and there was
no chance for a quick second follow up shot. Evidently, we did advance
and I placed another shot in the opposite shoulder, reloaded, and shot him
again in the same shoulder. The last shot I do remember, as he was
standing facing me and I put a solid where the neck joins the shoulder.
He went down and I had my second buffalo. He was an old warrior and
he put up a good fight. I was unable to recover the soft point but
I did get the three solids. None of the bullets penetrated completely.

On the way back we saw a nice impala ram. Part of this deal was I could
take two impalas as bonus animals. He was quartering away about 100
yards when I shot. I placed the crosshairs further back for the bullet
to exit out the opposite shoulder. There was a big puff of dirt
behind him and Nixon thought I missed. He ran about 35 yards and
went down.

We hunted for kudu and bushbuck that afternoon and the next day. I
got a nice bull on day six. It was about a 150 yard shot. He ran
about 100 yards and like the impala, he had a nice exit hole and
plenty of bleeding. I am very impressed with the Woodleigh bullets.

On the last day I was still searching for the elusive bushbuck I should
have taken the day I got to camp. The funny thing was that the Lew
had been hunting for nyala on his 14 day hunt. He never did get a
chance and I could have killed at least four bulls without even trying
the last two days of my hunt. Things wound down from there and I never did see that bushbuck
again. There will always be a next time, though.

Hunting Area:

1st buffalo and me

First buffalo with Nixon and trackers

Old Snare wound on foot

1st Buff's tail and wound

Camp

View of the river

Hanging Biltong

Another camp view

2nd buff and me

2nd buff closeup

2nd buff and Nixon

2nd buff boss and rifle

Bullets

Impala

Kudu

River

Hunting

River again

Game scout

Sunrise

I hunt, not to kill, but in order not to have played golf....

DRSS

Posts: 839 | Location: LA | Registered: 28 May 2002

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