Hunting area: Nyakasanga safari area

Outfitter: Nyakasanga safaris http://www.nyakasangasafaris.com/

Professional Hunter: Barry Van Heerden
Period: June 21 th to June 30 th

I’m just returned from a hunt in the beautiful Zambezi valley.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi13.jpg
(the valley from the escarpement)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi1.jpg
(the river - see the hippos)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi4.jpg
(the gate of the road for mana pools - see how many famous hunting areas can be reached from here)

Was my first safari to this area and I found that is a marvelous place full of big game. I saw many elephant (but few big bulls), few buffaloes, lions, leopards, hippos. A few plains game.
The hunt was booked for a buffalo and a management elephant (less of 25 pound). And in seven day of hunt I’ve got both. Thanks to the ability of the professional hunter who worked very hard.

First the buffalo. The animals are a bit nervous and difficult to follow and to approach. Also ther'is still lot of water in the bush and the buffaloes are difficult to find the tracks after two days of stalking the same herd of about 50 animals. The second day we walked for more that 10 km before to have the possibility of a clear shot.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi7.jpg
(we look at the buffalo herd)

The buffalo runned away but we found him in the jessie bush after 70/80 meters. He was badly wounded and I can shoot again and kill him.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi8.jpg


The elephants are very aggressive in this area. They charged us many times but normally we were able to escape.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi6.jpg
(an aggressive cow)

Unfortunately we cant avoid one charging tuskless cow and Barry, a really “Ice menâ€, stopped her at 6 meter (!!!) with a clean frontal brain shot.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi9.jpg
(the tuskless killed - see the hole of the solid 416 rigby just over the eyes)


Was the fourth elephant killed for self defense in the Zambezi valley in the last two months.

We followed few non trophy bulls without results: the wind, continued to change direction, especially in central hours of the day.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi5.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi3.jpg


Finally the last day of the hunt, we were able to approach the right elephant. We found a group of 3 bulls at the border of Mana Pools National park.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi11.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi10.jpg

( the 3 bulls - the elephant killed is behind the tree)

We stalked very close and I can killed the bigger at the distance of 7/8 meters with two shots: the first on the ear and the second on the shoulder.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi12.jpg

A great safari with an excellent PH.
We walked a lot - must be in very good shape.

The camp, on the right bank of the Zambezi, was tented but very confortable.
The food good and the staff services excellent.
I used a BRNO CZ 602 cal 375 H&H mag with Barnes solid bullets 300 gr. The ammunitions works very well on both the animals.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/marionobili/zambezi2008/zambezi2.jpg
(the sunset on the river)

Sounds like you had a very nice hunt, great report.

Congratulations on a great hunt.

Congrats! Sounds like a blast...

Great photos thanks for sharing.

Congratulations! Have you recovered any bullets?

Unfortunately no bullets as the meat was sent to the locals.
The bullet I shot on the shoulder of the elephant went trough all the body (imbelievable...) and go lost.

Mario,
Thanks for taking the time to share your hunt, the Zambezi valley still has a lot of water so it does take some tracking as you found out.

Dirk

I'm agree too much water around. The problem is that the buffaloes they dont move very much when the water is very close. So the tracks dont go very far. Probably in september they are more concentrated around the few water places or on the river.

Thanks Mario, great report.

Great hunt, great report, my best compliments.
do you need some additional bullets?

Ciao

Great report
congratulations on a fine hunt


TerryR

Molto bene report. Grazie for posting. Your buffalo is a fine trophy.

Thanks guys.
el dodexe, thanks again but I bought a new box.