Safari Company: Bvykenya Safaris
PH: Peter Barnard
Area: Sapi Safari Area
Dates: May 16, 2014 – June 1, 2014



Terrain:
Valley Jess and Mopani Forests. Mostly flat. Many ravines and dry river beds. Huge blocks with no roads. Many water pans. Moderately open in the Mopani Forest until getting closer to the dry river beds, at which time the Jess got incredibly thick. Many huge Baobab trees and dense thickets scattered about.
Boundaries of area:
Mana Pools Boundary Road, Security Road, Chewore River Bed and Zambezi River
Guns:
Verney-Carron 450 3 ¼ NE and Weatherby Mark 5 in 375 H&H with Burris Euro Diamond 2.5 – 10 Scope
Ammunition:
450 NE – Hornady DGS 480 Grain Solids
375 H&H – Federal Safari Swift A-Frames
Weather:
Cool in the morning turning quickly to humid and warm. No rain. Wind 5-10 MPH on several days
Airlines:
Outgoing: Delta to SLC - JFK. SAA to Harare
Incoming: SAA to Senegal - Washington Dulles. United to Denver – Reno
Camp Staff
Camp Manager: Simba
Trackers: Emanuel and Manager
Driver: Robson
Camp Host: Trinity
Cook: Stanwick
Skinner: Sam
General hands: Elias and Edwin

Foreword:
I am at best a lousy picture taker and poor note taker. The camera is never readily available, the battery dead or some other hair brained thing. So without quality pictures I have to be very wordy and long winded. You will have to suffer thru it.


I arrived in Harare on the 16th of May at around 12:30. Pete met me at the gate. All luggage arrived.
Pete drove me around for a few hours collecting a few things he needed for camp to keep me awake for a bit longer and then dropped me off at the Guinea Fowl B&B at about 4pm, owned by Dave and Annette Payne, who are wonderful people and have a very clean and safe establishment.



I slammed about three beers from the honors bar, took a shower and went directly to sleep. Annette gently woke me up at about 7:30 to have an excellent dinner, followed by a couple glasses of wine. After which I took another shower and went to sleep.

17th of May:
Pete picked me up around 10am after a very nice breakfast and we went off to pick up a few more items he needed to collect for camp. We stopped off at his house to pick up a trailer and Simba, his right hand man, and started the drive to Sapi. We stopped in Chinhoyi to refuel and Pete fed me some little pastries with a meat filling that he got from a store there that were very tasty. We drove straight thru Madadzi and Karoi and stopped at the Ranger Station to pick up our Game range, Tawina. We proceeded over the escarpment’s to the Zambezi Valley and turned into the entry to Sapi, Chewore and the back end of Mana Pools, going thru the security gates. After getting past the check gates we saw a few elephant, a Nyalla Bull, Kudu, Warthog, Grysbok, Impala and a couple Eland cows and an old Dugga Boy. We got to his camp on the Zambezi River just before dark and settled in and had a nice dinner and a few cocktails and made plans for a 5am wake up. That night as I lay awake I could hear the hyenas around the camp, the hippos in the Zambezi mere feet from my tent and a lion calling close by in addition to elephant trumpeting in the distance. I was woke up in the morning by the loud barking of a dog baboon in camp. Tents have in suite toilet, shower and wash basin and were very comfortable. The whole camp over looks the Zambezi River
















18th of May
After a full breakfast we drove the Mana Boundary Road looking for tracks. Driving past the flood plain we saw many Waterbuck and Impala. Past the photographic area we saw a large herd of elephant cows and youngsters. Driving past a Mopani tree surrounded by thin Jess we surprised a small leopard in broad daylight, ruining its hunt for Guinea Fowl. Just down the road in the hunting area we saw a smaller bull elephant around 25 lb. We drove around the area trying to pick up elephant crossing the roads to follow the tracks and ended up the day stalking Impala until we found one stupid enough to stand still long enough for me to shoot it.



During the day we saw Eland, Impala, Warthogs, Baboons, Elephants, Leopard, Kudu, Nyalla, Genet cat, Civet Cat, Mongoose and lots of Francolin and Guinea Fowl




19th of May
4am wake up and full breakfast. Walked into Zumbu River drainage area. We saw 4 elephant bulls, largest about 35 lbs. The smaller bull got a bit pissy with us as we were real close, but he eventually turned away.



We bumped a herd of elephant cows that ran straight at us. All but Pete bailed into a close by ravine. Pete called me a sissy. I suppose he was right but thought that rather harsh at the time. In the Sapi we found a dead elephant and pulled the tusks of 45 to 50 pounds and hid them to pick up later.





We bumped a lot of Cape Buffalo during the day. I was lucky enough to get a couple pictures.





We also saw several Eland in addition to the normal animals we saw every day. We then walked back to the cruiser and drove the entire length of the Sapi River. We ended up having to dig, hack and chop our way around obstacles and downed trees over the river bed and did not make it back to camp until about midnight. Lots of sign on the inaccessible portion of the Sapi including leopard and lion tracks everywhere.

20th of May
5:30 wake up and a full breakfast. We drove the Zambezi Road to Chewore River and then drove the river to the 4 ways road. Saw herd of Eland cows with 4 calves, along with a nice Kudu, two females and a Bushbuck along with the normal animals. One lone cow elephant was alongside the road, but we did not cut any bull elephant tracks. We waked into the Sapi side of the Chewore and walked into 4 Elephant Bulls, largest about 35 lbs with long white ivory but a young bull. Saw a very nice 30 lb bull with thick but short tusks. On the drive back to camp we spotted a lone bull on the boundary road and we spotted a civet cat and a mongoose. Elephant were not moving about much as there is plenty of food and water in the thickest of the jess. Pete likes his mid day naps



21st of May
We drove the boundary rode to the middle of the Zumbo area and walked into the Zumbo River. We saw one smaller bull Elephant. We walked in on cow elephant herd but no tuskless in the group. Two porcupine’s offered entertainment as they were in the middle of the track and we followed them in the dark for a good half mile. Other animals today were two hyena and several Cape Buffalo along with the normal animals we saw every day.




22nd of May
Cut tracks and followed cow elephants into Mopani. No tuskless in group and we got out without them being aware of us. Saw hyena but was not offered shot as I had my double and he was running. Walked into the Sapi River and bumped into 30lb Bull Elephant and several cows in the thick jess. Wind was 5 – 10 mph and swirling terribly. Turned back into the Zumbu River and saw 6 Elephant Bulls, none of which were over 30 lbs. On the boundary road the cruiser had broken down on the way to pick us up. Pete called Chifuti on the radio and Learner Hunter Adam came and pulled us back to camp. As we were working on the cruiser a young male lion was watching us from a small rise in the road about 40 feet away. We did not see him until the other cruisers lights shined on him. He could easily have had a snack. I managed to get a quick pick of him walking into the brush. On the way back to camp a cow elephant was on the road and bum rushed us. All I could see was her head about 10 feet away from my window, screaming at us. We managed to outrun her. Adam stayed the night with us as it was very late. Seemed like a very competent young man.



23rd of May
5:30 wake up due to the late night. Full breakfast. Driving Pete’s Ford Ranger as the Cruiser needed repairs. A few miles from camp we saw a small herd of Cow Elephant and tracked them into the Mopani. No tuskless were in the herd of about 7. We saw three young elephant bulls just off the road and were able to get a good look at them thru the bino’s. At the floodplain we saw a very large old lioness hunting waterbuck. We walked the upper part of the Zumbu River. We bumped one young elephant bull in the very thick jess on the Zumbu. Under a shade tree we spooked out 8 Cape Buffalo Bulls, a couple looked pretty decent. Later we spotted some Cape Buffalo cows and an old Dugga Boy. Walking out we came across a huge Impala ram which I casually missed with my double at about 40 yards. So much for all the practicing. The trackers were giving me that “bird dog” look. Yea, you know what that is. During the day we saw a few Kudu along with all the Impala and a huge Warthog. We bumped a cow herd on Boundary Road but they had spotted us and were running. To tired and late to give chase. Getting back to camp Simba had fixed the Cruiser. Pete suggested that I give him a hummer for his talents but instead I gave him $20 instead and told him to go to Karoi and get several.
Pete gets cranky when he does not get his "baby nap"



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24th of May
Drove the Zambezi river road towards Chewore River. Cut tracks on road and decided to follow up. Lost bull tracks when he got mixed up with a herd of cows. Walked into cow herd but no tuskless in the bunch. On the way back to the cruiser we bumped a two small bulls which winded us and were running. Heading back towards the Chewore the tracker’s spotted a cow herd from the cruiser. We followed up quickly. There were 4 tuskless cows in the group. We had to work hard to get the wind right and get around the old matriarch at the back of the herd. As we got into position my gun barrel bumped Pete’s gun stock and the whole herd turned and faced us like bird dogs pointing out a pheasant. Pete said “chute it, chute it”. So I popped the big tuskless in the head with the 450 at about 60 feet. Immediately the rest of the cows charged us to within about 20 feet. Pete shot over the tops of their heads and everyone was yelling and screaming at them. One more step and the old matriarch would have had to get shot. They turned and ran, although somewhat unwillingly. I did a follow up shot on the tuskless and we did the obligatory picture taking and let the trackers walk back to the road to start getting the truck into the area. Pete and I took a different route back to the road and bumped into the same herd, which had only moved off a couple hundred yards. They were still quite pissed and we had to go around them and give them our wind fully so they would move off. We spent the rest of the day skinning and cutting out the meat on the tuskless cow. During the day we had seen 4 Elephant Bulls, largest about 25 lbs and a lone Dugga Boy. I had more than several G&T’s that night. Exciting day and I had a hard time falling asleep



Notice my "Boddington" Anza knife cutting the tail off. Yea, Craig gave that to me when he came to my house for dinner while at the sheep show here in Reno.




25th of May
4am wake up and full breakfast. We checked the elephant carcass for hyena but they had dined and dashed. We re-covered the carcass so the vultures would not finish it off. We drove and walked the Chewore River on the Sapi side. Elephant were definitely not moving about today as we saw only a couple cows and one smallish bull. We did see a herd of Zebra, a couple Hyena and the usual Impala and Warthogs. We tried to get another Impala but were unsuccessful in getting one to stand still long enough. Pete's ass starting to look good, should shave his legs.



26th of May
4am wake up and full breakfast. We walked the lower Zumbu River area. We saw 4 younger elephant bulls and then got stuck between a large group of feeding Cape Buffalo on one side, a cow herd on the other side and a cow herd in back of us. Things were a bit tense for a while until we worked our way out. Just as we thought we were out of the shit a Cape Buffalo gave us a bit of a scare in the jess



and then we walked right into a tuskless in the thickest jess you can imagine and she charged us, breaking off her charge just before we had to shoot. Pete kept throwing shit at me every time I had to take a leak or looked serious and I was getting jumpy as hell. He never seemed to grow tired of it. In hindsight he was keeping me on my toes. Adrenaline filled day. On the way back to camp we spotted three lioness and a young male. Once again I indulged in the G&T’s heavily.



27th of May
Another freakin’ 4 am wake up. WTF? I am supposed to be on vacation. Full breakfast again. Pete is starting to worry I am not eating enough. I tell him I am making up for it by drinking lots of his beer. We drive the Zambezi River Road and check elephant carcass for hyena. What we found were three snarling lions that did not appreciate being approached. Pete decided next time we check the carcass he would carry his gun. WTF? I had mine, we were ok, it holds 4 bullets. We went back to the cruiser and cut tracks of an old bull from about 8 hours prior. We decided to follow up. This bull never stopped to feed, shit, piss-nothing. The trackers and the ranger did an excellent job of staying with the tracks. After about 10 miles we caught up with him in the Mopani. The tracks belied the ivory as he was only about 25 lbs, although he was an old bull. On the way back to the truck we came across a cow and a young bull elephant near a water pan. We also saw several cow herds, every herd had at least one tuskless cow in the group. On the boundary road we saw a young male lion, possibly the same one we had seen before. During the day simba had taken one of the elephant legs out unto the floodplain for Hyena bait. We saw lots of Guinea and Francolin everyday



28th of May
5am wake up and breakfast. We walked into the hyena bait and at 75 yards there was a huge lion feeding there. What a time to forget my camera. We backed out carefully so as not to provoke him. We drove and then walked into the Zumbu, checking the scattered water pans. We bumped into a large herd of Cape Buffalo feeding and we skirted around them. Walking in the river bed Emanual rushed in front of me and grabbed Pete whispering “Nyata”. Ahead of us at about 30 feet at a bend in the river was a bull with his head in the brush. As we were backing out the bull broke and ran at us. I tripped and fell backwards on the river bank. Luckily the bull was not intent on getting us, rather on just getting around the bend in the river and rejoining the group. Scared the shit out of me. Pete once again took advantage of my nerves thru out the day. Starting to think about shooting him. During the days walk we saw two hippo’s in water pans and a huge hollow Baobab tree that housed a bunch of bats.





During the driving we spotted a huge male Nyala, with his cow and a calf. In addition we saw a forest hog in daylight in the Sapi River bed and a group of Zebra and a couple more Eland along with a variety of other animals and small cats.








29th of May
4 am wake up and breakfast. We cut bull tracks on the road towards the upper Sapi and followed them. The bull got mixed up with a group of cows and we ran into the cow herd. On the way back to the cruiser we spotted a small bull and even smaller tuskless bull which we narrowly avoided, as they ran around us 50 feet away. Pete’s jokes are getting worse all the time and he complains MY jokes are bad, the nerve!



30th of May.
Very slow day as hardly anything is moving. We drag the entire road from Chewore to camp. Total today was two small Elephant bulls. The jess is still very green and lots of water about so the elephant bulls are hiding in the thick jess and not moving around.



31st of May, last full hunting day.
4am wake up and breakfast. We drive the Zambezi road that we had drug the evening before. 25k from camp we cut a set of good tracks and decided to follow up. This bull would walk straight for a while, stop to poop and eat, walk again for a couple miles, poop and eat again and we finally caught up with him after about 10 miles in the thick Sapi river jess. One look and I knew he was the biggest bull we had seen and the decision was made. He was behind a thick stand of jess and did not offer a good shot and the wind was swirling a bit and we could not get an approach. We waited for him to clear the jess so we could get a good shoulder shot. Just as he cleared he smelled us and turned slightly towards us to get around a patch of brush to run away. I got a good shot into his chest quartering away and then put a shot into his hip to stop him. He fell over and I ran up and put two shots into his chest to finish him off. After a lot of hand shaking and picture taking Pete and I left the trackers, ranger and driver to start the skinning and cutting and we drove back to camp to get a trailer and more manpower. We hacked a road into the elephant and finished skinning and cutting and loaded him up and headed back to camp. It was another late night followed by large amounts of G&T






1st of June
5am wake up and quick coffee. We drove down the boundary road to check the Hyena bait. We approached quietly and sure enough there was a Hyena at the leg bone. I set the 375 on the sticks and shot, frontal quartering away. At the shot the Hyena whirled around and dashed into an impenetrable jess thicket. At this juncture Pete decided he needed to poo again, leaving me with a Hyena in a bush. I poked around with my flashlight looking for him. Manager was on the other side of the thicket. All of a sudden he said “come qeeek, I see heeem” I ran around the thicket and getting down on all fours with my torch I could see his eyes in the thicket. I crawled into the thicket on hands and knees so I could get to a point where I could shoot. I aimed between the eyes and shot him again, ending it. Manager and I drug him out of the thicket just as Pete came strolling up, pulling up his shorts. My camera was dead but Pete managed to take a couple pictures with his phone.




After that we hunted the flood plain for impala and I managed to shoot two, one a very nice ram, within an hour or so.




After cleaning and loading up we headed back to Harare, stopping off at the ranger station to register my tusks and other trophies and dropping “yamma” off to the rangers and the police station.





We arrived in Harare late and I spent the night at Pete’s house.
2nd of June
Breakfast and plenty of coffee at Pete’s house with his wife Laura. Pete took me shopping for the family and then took me to the airport and helped me get guns checked. It seemed really strange heading back to civilization.
Pete is a great host and a lot of fun. I would recommend hunting with him to anyone although he has got to get that "chaffing" under control



In the end we did not get the biggest bull in the valley, but Pete and I walked about 150 miles and we hunted elephant the whole time, and that is what I went to Africa to do. We got a decent elephant for the area and those two things are what is important to me, in addition to good company.

The Sapi is a wonderful area. Very few roads and really one of the last reminders of the old Africa in Zimbabwe. Someone on this forum put it best when he said “The Sapi is a magical place” and it truly is. I hope to go back soon.







The End!

Good stuff !!!!

Mike

Looks like you had a great time!!!
Congratulations

Fantastic!

I love reports like this with lots of pictures!

Fantastic report,enjoyed it immensely!!!

Great report, thanks for sharing.
While I have never met him, Buzz Charlton had already told me what a fit and toned athlete Barnard is ???????
Regards
Rob

Great hunt report!! Brings back a lot of memories from my ele/ buff hunt with Pete in 2012. He certainly is a prankster!!!
Congrats on a great hunt.

Nick

Full Roar

Super hunt - well done indeed!Hunting with Pete is always a laugh but wow the pic of him in the shower is not a pretty sight!!! Cheers Buzz

Congratulations on your Safari,and thanks for the report.
I shared a camp with Pete a couple of years back..He is a good guy,and a lot of fun to be around.

It all makes sense now.

Excellent! Really enjoyed the report. So nice to be able to hunt with a buddy.

Congrats and well done!

That's good stuff.

Pete can make you laugh with just his expressions.

Congrats on your hunt and surviving several weeks in the bush with Barnard. Your photos are surprisingly good particularly given that the glare from Barnard's dome can make taking quality pictures a challenge.

Thanks for posting excellent report, really good reading.

Congrats, a wonderful safari.
I am very pleased to have news of Pete and knowing that he is doing well.
I was with him in Mozambique, a very nice guy with lots of humour.

Congrats on a great hunt!

Very nice report and some really nice pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for a great report on an outstanding hunt. How nice to see so much other wildlife in a DG area.
Congratulations on a hard won bull, and above all, the experience.

It sounds like you had a fun filled, sucessful hunt. Congrats.

Sounds like a great hunt and a great time.

Well done.

Outstanding report, I really enjoyed it.

congrats. really enjoyed your report.

Great report looks like a fantastic time!!!!


.

Great report and nice photos - thanks for sharing.

Congratulations on a well earned trophy!! Pete is certainly a hoot to be around for sure and he is a very experienced hunter.

Very entertaining report and it is always a pleasure to hunt with humour. Well done on your trophies.

Nice report and nice reading your honest comments on your host

Obviously the VC 450 NE with 480 grain Hornady Solids did the job !?

Morten

quote:

Originally posted by The Norwegian:
Nice report and nice reading your honest comments on your host

Obviously the VC 450 NE with 480 grain Hornady Solids did the job !?

Morten

I was quite impressed with the 450 caliber and the VC Double, although I did have a slight mishap forgetting for a second or so that it had two triggers.......we'll not go into that.
I shot fairly accurately with the Double at the ele's, although I missed a very easy shot at a large impala

The Hornady Solids....not so much. The first shot in the Bull we dug out of the far shoulder under the hide. It did not hold its shape. I think monolithic or the new cupped solids are a much better choice. Overall I've used Hornady DGS and DGX bullets on two DG safaris and they have done the job although they are certainly not the quality of other bullets IMO. In the end they worked so I cant bitch too much. I will get a photo of the Hornady solid and post it

Rory

That would be interesting Rory. I know that the guys speaks fondly of CEBs and North Folks, but the fact that not everybody reloads by himself,it is a petty that other manufactureres ( other than Kynoch ) do not load 450 NE !

Morten

Well done, Sapi is a beautiful area, something about the Valley. Nice camp Pete. Good PH ,first class clown..