Day 1, up for breakfast and then off to the range. The shot is a little low but good enough. We hop into the truck and start looking for game. In the truck are myself, Mike Taylor, and Peter Goneos, my PH for the hunt. Peter is an excellent PH, very personable and knows his animals. My targets are a big black Sable (Rowland Ward size), Kafue Lechwe, Puku and Chobe Bushbuck. While driving around, Peter shoots a Guineafowl with his 22 Hornet. Peter asks me if I want to shoot one and I use his 22, I pull the trigger and the round does not discharge. We then head to the flats to look for Kafue Lechwe. We spot three, one I really liked the markings on one, but Mike said we can do better. We later spot some Puku. Peter starts working us toward the Puku and sets up the sticks and I jerk the shot. I can see the dust kick up behind the Puku and I tell Peter I jerked the shot and missed, and he tells me it was a hit very low on the chest that opened up his chest and was a pass-through. We watch him and he lays down and we start a follow up stalk. Peter sets up the sticks and this time he is hit right in the shoulder, and after a short track, the Puku is in the truck. Rough measurement on the Puku is 14 inches. Back to camp and tasty huge lunch, in fact, way too much food. After lunch, we are looking for Sable. We spot a few, but none met our requirements. While driving back to camp, Peter spots a Reedbuck (which was not on my list) and says it’s a very large one. I ask him if I should shoot it and he said that I should. (When the PH says it’s big and to shoot it, you should.) Peter sets up the sticks and one shot right in the shoulder. A very short track and the Reedbuck is in the truck. The rough measurement on the Reedbuck is 14 inches. Peter thinks this will place at No. 5 in Zambia. That evening, drinks and dinner.

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Day 2, we are up looking for Sable. As we are driving around, Peter asks if I want to try for a Guineafowl again with his 22. This time, the ammo discharges and a Guineafowl is in the truck. We make some stalks, and finally find a Sable, Peter set up the sticks, Mike gives the ok and one shot right in the shoulder and a very short track the Sable is in the truck. Rough measurement is 44”. I have been wanting a large Sable that would make Rowland Ward and that’s exactly what I obtained. Mike has a lot of Sable on his property. We saw many mature Sable and a lot of immature Sable; he will have some great Sable next year and beyond. Back to the camp for lunch. After lunch, we are looking for Bushbuck, driving around most of the afternoon. A bushbuck is spotted, and the stalk is on. Peter sets up the sticks and one shot and a very short track, the Bushbuck is in the truck.

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Day 3, We are up looking for Lechwe, all day and spot none. Back to camp and sundowners (Gin & Tonic) around the fire, then dinner.

Day 4, We are again looking for Lechwe. We see a few and put some stalks on a couple but can never get in position for any shots. Back at camp for drinks and dinner.

Day 5, Back out looking for Lechwe. Today, we see several large herds. The Lechwe are very calm today, and we spot a big bull. We start with the stalk, and Mike gives the ok, Peter sets up the sticks. I had set the scope up earlier for 150 yards and this shot was closer to 200 yards or longer. I place the rifle on the sticks, take aim and miss. The bull does not go far. We continue our stalk, and Peter sets up the sticks again. This time, direct hit on the shoulder and another short track and we find him on top of an ant hill and into the back of the truck. Rough estimate is 28 inches, which is bigger than everyone thought. 30” is Rowland Ward. I’m very happy with 28 inches. After lunch, Peter and I walk down to the river for fishing. Peter sets up the equipment for bottom fishing for barbel catfish. I caught two catfish. That afternoon, I decide to shoot some Francolin for an appetizer. We are out on the truck. We spot some, fire and one bird in the truck. We drive a little further and see some more, another shot and another in the truck. We continue to drive, and we spot a large covey. I shoot and miss. I still have one barrel and I shoot again and bird’s down, a double. With the double, I manage four birds with four shot shells. My wife said I should shoot a Blue Duiker, so later that afternoon the truck drops us off and we are walking back to camp looking for Duiker. The tracker spots several, but I could never see them in the bush. We arrive in camp for drinks and dinner.

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Day 6, We are up very early looking for Duiker. We walk about 15 minutes from camp and Duiker are spotted. Peter says it’s right there, but I was not fast enough to get the shot off. We find its mate that came out a few feet away and Peter says shoot. One shot, and the Blue Duiker is down. The rest of the day we are just resting at camp. Lunch, beers, then drinks and dinner.

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Besides the animals that I took, I saw Kudu, Zebra, Hartebeest, & Python. There is one giraffe, but I never saw him. Mike’s camp consisted of two tents on concrete slabs, with an on-suite shower, WC, and sink, each tent with its own water heater overlooking the Kafue River. The main building houses the kitchen, dining room and bar. Takeri has a fire pit overlooking the river in the garden. I never saw any supplement feeding or water. Everything was self-sustaining. I did see some mineral blocks. The rainy season started early this year--we had rain every afternoon and some evenings & nights. It was hot and humid. I expected hot just not humid. The grasses were starting to sprout and the leaves on the underbrush were starting to green up. A week later and it would have been next to impossible to clearly see the animals. If you want to hunt big Sable or Kafue Lechwe, in a tented camp at a very reasonable price, Takeri is the place to go to in Zambia.

Thanks for the report - looking forward to seeing the photos!

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This place is fenced right.

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
This place is fenced right.

On two sides, the rest is open to the river.

Congratulations on some nice animals!

Fine animals and Takeri has some superb Sable

Very fine photography.

George

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
This place is fenced right.

On two sides, the rest is open to the river.

thanks I was wondering how different it was to a SA area that is fenced.

Wonderful report and the pictures brought some fond memories of my time in that country. One can tell you enjoyed yourself!

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
This place is fenced right.

On two sides, the rest is open to the river.

thanks I was wondering how different it was to a SA area that is fenced.

It is basically a large peninsular that is fenced at the neck and the hunting is not that easy my last hunt resulted in a 45 inch Sable late into the hunt