Just got back from a two buffalo (+ plains game) hunt in Tanzania with Luke Samaras Safaris just outside Tarangire National Park in Maasai Land.

Outfitter:

Luke Samaras Safaris Ltd.
www.lukesamarassafaris.com
P.O. Box 3483
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Telephone: 255 222 600 458
Fax: 255 222 600 711
Mobile: 255 748 341 341
Email: info@samarassafaris.com

Location: Maasailand area southeast of Tarangire National Park. Luke nolonger has this concession (Simanjiro/Kitiangare Game Controlled Area South). He now only hunts the Selous. Buffalo were killed near the small mountain peak of Oldonyo Sambu.

PH: Farouk Qureshi (kudu51@yahoo.com). Excellent judge of trophy size, as well as a great leader and companion to all of us on the hunt.

Trackers: Rama, Miraaji, and Hansani (also Game Scout – Sitotti – who was very helpful). Four pair of eyes that didn't miss anything, and they all relished in the hunting experience. They were happier than I was when we harvested a animal - even more surprised than I was when I hit them.

Hunt Dates: January 23 thru Feb 1, 2013, 10 hunting days. No longer available for future hunts, since these dates are now closed by the government.

Travel Arrangements: Steve Turner (Travel With Guns) and Wendell Reich (booking agent). Both did an excellent job.

Airlines: Etiopian Airlines - WARNING!! They would not let me take any ammo home, but they allowed ammo into Tanzania - bizarre. I'm beginning to think I got scammed. This cost me 80 loaded cartridges and 20 empty cases valued at ~$500.00. The ammo and/or components are worth even more in Tanzania.

Rifles/Ammo: I used a .416 RUM (a.k.a., .416 UltraCAT) with Northfork 400 gr. bullets loaded at 2650 fps with 97 grs. H4350. Also, had 400 gr. TSX loaded to same velocity with 100 grs Superformance. The gun is a Rem 700 long action with 26" Lilja barrel and 5-shot magazine (Wyatt Outdoors). The latter turns the Rem 700 "push feed" into a "controlled feed" bolt action. Swarovski 2-12X, illuminated reticle, and BT. With the same gun I killed a kongoni, wildebeeste, and Grant's gazelle at over 300 yds. Bulls were killed at ~75 to 100 yds.

Animals seen: Southern Cape Buffalo (common near Tarangire NP), White-Bearded Wildebeest (common), Grant’s Gazelle (common), Thomson’s Gazelle (uncommon), Coke’s Hartebeest (uncommon), Eland (uncommon), Burchell’s Zebra (common), Ostrich (common), Fringe-eared Oryx (very rare), East African Impala (scattered), Warthog (rare), Giraffe (common), Duiker (rare), Steenbok (rare), Dikdik (common), and Greater Kudu (rare). Noteable was the absence of elephants, lions, and hyena.

Animals taken: Cape buffalo (2), White-bearded Wildebeest (1), Coke’s Hartebeest (1), Grant's Gazelle (1), Burchell’s Zebra (1), and East African Impala (1).

Accommodations: The staff were friendly, eager to please, and competent. Food was great and the showers hot. The Tanzanian people were very nice and wanted our trip to be a success.




Up early in the morning - sunrise.


Out to the hunting area, but a long bumpy drive at ~50 kilometers from camp! Note Oldonyo Sambu. Thankfully there was little rain during the hunt. Otherwise, I'd still be stuck in the mud somewhere outside Tarangire National Park.


The hunting country near Tarangire was great! Bomas were uncommon, but the Maasai cattle, goats, sheep, and donkeys were, nonetheless, moving in and beginning to encroach upon the national park.

Shown is the closest thing I encountered consistent with a Baobab tree forest.


Baobab trees are incredible and beautiful! I feel like I should be praying before them or to them. As a nature lover, I don't see why not - besides it makes more sense than most of the things humans pray to.


Photo of the country containing the buffalo. Acacia savanah - beautiful when pristine.


Bull #1. 42.5" spread. He had just taken a shower - he even smelled good. We ate his tongue that evening. Tender but different.




Bull#2. 44" spread. Covered in mud & flies - clearly a PIG! I refused to eat his tongue, although it tasted the same as from the 1st buffalo. He probably would refuse to eat my tongue too. Before we shot this guy, Farouk turned down a ~46" bull as being too soft. At 46" "soft" begins to lose it meaning...



A photo to help put the size of these buffs into perspective. I could hardly lift the skull with horns. The prior client had two just like mine.


Below is the hunting country closer to camp where the wildebeest, Grant's, hartebeest, and zebra were killed. Many more bomas and Maasai who owned IMO way too many cattle, sheep, goats, etc. The ground was being over grazed and plowed with only meager apparent crop growth. I'm afraid that increasing human use will totally degrade the area for good hunting - that is, unless something is done to stop it. But, the prognosis - unfortunately - is poor. Current population of Tanzania is 46,218,486 and growing fast. I was told that the local hunting quality was only ~10% of what it was in the 1980's.

The word was that the Maasai regularly poisoned local lions, who killed their cattle and goats. Thus, there were essentially no lions in the concession and very few other scavengers, which were also being killed by the same poisoned meat - that is, by he poison known as "DIP", which was being provided free-of-charge by the "benevolent" government. "DIP" had been provided by the government to help the Maasai cattle, but it has been subverted to become an effective lion poison. Of course, sports hunting is being blamed for the lion's demise.


This is a totally ugly picture, but to make my point about what's happening in many areas of Maasailand, I must post it.


These critters were by far the most common animals in Maasailand - indeed, here they're so thick they blocked the road.


This impala had 25-26" long horns, and he had the heaviest horns I've ever seen on an impala.


This white bearded wildebeest required a Texas heart shot at long range (~300 yds), because he kept walking away. He was not going to stop. Shooting something in the ass just doesn't seem proper to me, but you do what you gotta do.


The Kongoni (Coke's hartebeest) was killed at 331 yds - the shot was lasered. Animals were wild and difficult to approach. The 416 RUM is hard hitting and flat shooting - but it also kicks like a mule.



The Grant's as also shot at over 300 yds. I had no choice but to shoot at long range.



The team with the zebra. He was very tough even though he was hit squarely in the sergeant stripes.



All good things must come to an end - sunset in Africa.


Finally, if you feel like you have this job (and most of us do), it's time to book a hunt in Africa - and the sooner the better, before TOO MANY PEOPLE overrun and destroy the place.

Great buffalo!

Crikey Mate!! Beautiful animals, congrats Sir!

Interesting choice of a rifle. I'm curious as to the ranges you shot these bulls. Congratulations on the bulls.

Great area at a great time of year. I miss Maasailand.

Was there last March. Never seen so many buffalo. Both bulls are great; that second bull is incredible.

Nice buff that second one.I met Luke Samaras at the SCI convention.

Two toads of buffalo - congrats and can't wait to read and see more

Amazing how things change when your lease is about to expire.

Beautiful bulls!

Wonderful pair of Buffalo, Sir.

Great buffalo and a really nice rifle!

Great bulls, both of them. DETAILS!!!

Amazing Buffalo....congratulation!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Really nice buffalo

AIU

Congrats on two fine bulls.

Mark

are the bosses hard on the #2 bull? i cant tell. nice shape and spread.

WOW those buff are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, thats on my bucket list!!!!!!!!

Ed

Who was your PH?
Paddy? Leon? Piet? or Luke?

Awesome bulls - congratulations!

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Who was your PH?
Paddy? Leon? Piet? or Luke?

Piet has not been with Luke for a number of years.

Whoa!!! Rally nice. Look forward to the gazelle pics.

Congratulations, really nice bulls.

Fantastic Buffalo and Tanzania has to be tops for big buffalo.

I would be interested to know the price of this hunt?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Fantastic Buffalo and Tanzania has to be tops for big buffalo.

I would be interested to know the price of this hunt?

Under $50K

I think Tanzania is the choicest place to get big buff, Congratulation for bagging awesome trophies.
Hasan I

Fantastic buff, the both of them. Congrats!

AIU,
Two incredible buffalo... congrats! It's a shame they will be putting a halt to these Jan.,Feb. March hunts. It is a great time to look at a lot of very good buff and maybe take the bull of several lifetimes!

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Fantastic Buffalo and Tanzania has to be tops for big buffalo.

I would be interested to know the price of this hunt?

Under $50K

Probably thirty plus which puts Zimbabwe back into perspective.

Nice looking Dugga Boys!!
Congratulations

quote:

The word was that the Maasai regularly poisoned local lions, who killed their cattle and goats. Thus, there were no lions in the concession and very few other scavengers, which were also being killed by the same poisoned meat - that is, by he poison know as "DIP"

AIU:

Say it is untrue!... say the Lions have been over-hunted by unscrupulous hunters instead so that all my previous rants on encroachment through haphazard agricultural projects (deforestation), overgrazing by livestock and wanton retaliatory poisoning of Lions remain a mythical opinion.

To say it is the governments fault for issue of cattle dip is unfair - it is a pesticide commonly used for treatment against ticks but if used improperly is also a very efficient pesticide for Lion and other carnivores or scavengers.
Someone other than the government taught them how else it could be used to protect their herds.
There is not a vulture over the Simanjiro skies nor do you see the early morning jackals returning from their foraging; hyenas are creatures of the past.
The Lions are still there, fewer in numbers but have since learned to keep a low and quiet profile, hence hardly or no roaring at night or early morning - such is the face and reality of changing Africa, Maasailand anyway!

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

There is not a vulture over the Simanjiro skies nor do you see the early morning jackals returning from their foraging; hyenas are creatures of the past.
The Lions are still there, fewer in numbers but have since learned to keep a low and quiet profile, hence hardly or no roaring at night or early morning - such is the face and reality of changing Africa, Maasailand anyway!

Shame.
Hopefully overpopulation in northern Uganda will hold out until I get there at least.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Fantastic Buffalo and Tanzania has to be tops for big buffalo.

I would be interested to know the price of this hunt?

Under $50K

Probably thirty plus which puts Zimbabwe back into perspective.

Hmmm, not sure of Luke's rates but there are buff hunts in Maasailand available for well under $30k and even under $20k! Excluding travel + personal costs of course.

Congrats on your safari, I Enjoyed your post.

East Africa is a special place. The last time I was there was in 2009 and the land scape had changed considerably from just a few years back. Some of the most noticeable was due to farming in "restricted migration route areas". I can only imagine how bad it is now.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

The word was that the Maasai regularly poisoned local lions, who killed their cattle and goats. Thus, there were no lions in the concession and very few other scavengers, which were also being killed by the same poisoned meat - that is, by he poison know as "DIP"

AIU:

Say it is untrue!... say the Lions have been over-hunted by unscrupulous hunters instead so that all my previous rants on encroachment through haphazard agricultural projects (deforestation), overgrazing by livestock and wanton retaliatory poisoning of Lions remain a mythical opinion.

To say it is the governments fault for issue of cattle dip is unfair - it is a pesticide commonly used for treatment against ticks but if used improperly is also a very efficient pesticide for Lion and other carnivores or scavengers.
Someone other than the government taught them how else it could be used to protect their herds.
There is not a vulture over the Simanjiro skies nor do you see the early morning jackals returning from their foraging; hyenas are creatures of the past.
The Lions are still there, fewer in numbers but have since learned to keep a low and quiet profile, hence hardly or no roaring at night or early morning - such is the face and reality of changing Africa, Maasailand anyway!

fujotupu, I disagree with you a bit here regarding the government's role. They should monitor how their "free of charge" DIP is being used; and, if used to poison lions and other critters, they should stop providing it!! AIU

AIU:

When has the government ever reimbursed farmers, both from an agricultural and livestock perspective, for damages sustained by crop raiders or marauding lions? You really believe they are going to send someone out into the middle of nowhere to monitor dipping operations? - 20 years ago it did happen because the cattle stations were few and far between but 20 years down the road the cattle stocks have multiplied 1000 fold and out of control.

You have just been there and borne witness to the situation on the ground - other than the game scout and possibly an anti-poaching patrol which would anyhow have been subsidized by the outfitter, did you "bump" into any other government representative other than the Tax Collector who presides over the weekly livestock auction in the local village?

The government should be monitoring the misuse of the land in the buffer areas of National Parks (in this case Tarangire) which is a detrimental factor to the migration route (the plots you saw act as "locked gates" in the migratory path) and possibly reviewing livestock farming in the buffer areas to reduce over grazing (thousands of wildebeest and zebra are competing with cows and goats for the grazing), water rights (only 6 defined watering points, 3 of which are reliant on rainfall) and disease common to domestic animals (Foot & Mouth) which would take a drastic toll (Buffalo virtually wiped out in RSA years back).

The whole world is up in arms when they hear of a projected road cutting through the Serengeti but nobody has given real thought to properly thought out land distribution. The land-grabbing in Kenya ought to ring a bell on the negative effects it has had on wildlife populations.

All of the above notwithstanding, the hunter is still able to hunt the area and in most cases, at the right time of the year, be successful in his quest as you were, in bagging some exemplary trophies (Well Done ) but it gets more and more difficult with every season and will only be a question of time until the "End of the Game".

Great Buffalo, too bad that time of year will no longer be available, it's clearly the prime time in Masailand.

While those Buff were super, jeez, that Impala is a toad! He looks like a 20" Impala if you use his mass to judge the length! What a super Impala.

You took some great animals. Glad you could be one of the few who got to enjoy that time of year.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
AIU:

When has the government ever reimbursed farmers, both from an agricultural and livestock perspective, for damages sustained by crop raiders or marauding lions? You really believe they are going to send someone out into the middle of nowhere to monitor dipping operations? - 20 years ago it did happen because the cattle stations were few and far between but 20 years down the road the cattle stocks have multiplied 1000 fold and out of control.

You have just been there and borne witness to the situation on the ground - other than the game scout and possibly an anti-poaching patrol which would anyhow have been subsidized by the outfitter, did you "bump" into any other government representative other than the Tax Collector who presides over the weekly livestock auction in the local village?

The government should be monitoring the misuse of the land in the buffer areas of National Parks (in this case Tarangire) which is a detrimental factor to the migration route (the plots you saw act as "locked gates" in the migratory path) and possibly reviewing livestock farming in the buffer areas to reduce over grazing (thousands of wildebeest and zebra are competing with cows and goats for the grazing), water rights (only 6 defined watering points, 3 of which are reliant on rainfall) and disease common to domestic animals (Foot & Mouth) which would take a drastic toll (Buffalo virtually wiped out in RSA years back).

The whole world is up in arms when they hear of a projected road cutting through the Serengeti but nobody has given real thought to properly thought out land distribution. The land-grabbing in Kenya ought to ring a bell on the negative effects it has had on wildlife populations.

All of the above notwithstanding, the hunter is still able to hunt the area and in most cases, at the right time of the year, be successful in his quest as you were, in bagging some exemplary trophies (Well Done ) but it gets more and more difficult with every season and will only be a question of time until the "End of the Game".

fujotupu, you make some great and extremely important points. I enjoyed the hunt, but I was heart broken seeing what's happening to the Tanzanian landscape by the unregulated (even chaotic) and selfish activities of an over population of human beings and their livestock. Who is going to defend the "rights" of the wildlife? Sports hunters will, but we're being branded as the bad guys. Sad, ignorant, and pathetic. Regards, AIU

AIU, congrats man! You're a great guy, and deserved a great hunt - glad to see it.

Very nice pix, AIU. Must say that impala really has major weight of horn. Wonderful trophy.

Regards, Tim