14 September 2010, 22:38
jeff hZambia two Leopards
Hunters: Jeff Haulbrook & Brian SpellOperator: Damien ( I don’t even know the name of his hunting company)
PH: Anderson
Location: Damien Ranch (about 45,000 acres ) and adjoining GMA in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia
Logistics: Steve Turner (Travel with guns) Delta and SA, over night in African Sky
Weapons: Jeff, Blaser R-93 416 & Browning 12ga Citori, Brian, Blaser R-93 378 Weatherby, and Winchester 12 ga
This was my 11th trip to Africa, 3rd time to Zambia. I met and hunted with Damien last year. Wendell and I did, what I would call, an exploratory hunt there last year with Alister Norton. We had a ball, and Damien and I made friends fast. Damien is a very unique person. He hails from France but says he dislikes the French. One of the funniest, most honest, and generous people I have ever met. I was not planning a trip to Africa this year because of the economy, and I have just started another business. Damien e-mailed me with an invite I could not refuse plus allowed me to invite a friend. I have my big 5 with: two leopards, two buff, and two elephants. On this hunt I was really looking for something big. leopard, buff, lion, kudu it did not matter just that it was a whopper. I knew if I came home empty handed Damien, Brian, and I would have a great time just drinking and hunting; no pressure for me on this trip. Brian had never dangerous game hunted so leopard was at the top of his list. I really wanted Brian to get a leopard as well.
I told Brian I was able to obtain some very good JUJU for his leopard hunt, if he wanted it. I told him you need all the luck you can get on a leopard. I did not tell him what the JUJU was, but if he did not take it I would. He jumped at the chance. JUJU arrived and Brian’s 5 year old wanted to keep it. She also provided her Daddy with some JUJU of hers, so, he was sure to connect on his leopard.
We kind of got a rough start due to a flight delay. We luckily were at the airport 2 hours early and they put us on earlier flight. Arrived in Atl. Straight to the crown room. Blasted off on time, I was in BC and Brian in coach. I wasted my money on BC ticket as the plane was only a 1/3 full; all coach passengers had 3 seats. We flew the 777 straight to Joe-burg. I slept about 8 of the 16 hours flight. The direct nonstop flight is the way to go.
Arrived in SA about 8pm the next evening had arranged for gun permits with Henry Permits. Henry met us, he is a local attorney in JOE-burg, very nice and professional. I highly recommend him and will use him again next, in June when I return. We were through the gun permitting process very quickly and off to African Sky. Nice clean rooms, hot water, very reasonable. Would use them again; brought and Left a jacket at African Sky for someone here on AR.
Early flight the next morning. I had my gun case and 2 bags, one for me and one full of medical supplies for Damien. SA only allows you 30 kilos total weight on all your luggage. THIS IS A RIP OFF. Even if I did not have the extra bag I would have been over. As it was it cost me about $200.00. I used the Safari Club Blue Bag. Did no good telling them it was medical supplies. As we dropped off our guns at the airport police station the SA cop said, “We will take care of these like they are our babes.” First time he said it ok, he said it 5 times. In hind sight he was looking for a tip. Hell, I would have gladly given him $20. I told Brian as we left our guns would not make the flight. Arrived in Zambia no guns.
Damien was at the airport to greet us, and it was really good to see my friend again after a year. We made a plan with the guns and jumped on the charter he had arranged for us. Once air born he asked the pilot once we got to the Luangwa to follow it. So, once we got to the Luangwa river we drove down to about 100 to 150 feet and had the best roller coaster ride I ever had. We banked hard left then right. Fishermen were ducking. Most fun I ever had on a plane. Arrived on his private air strip at his ranch in a little less than an hour’s flight.
The ranch chalets, lounges and fire pit beautifully set on the river.
The camp
We planed that I would hunt the GMA and Brian the ranch. We dropped our luggage and had lunch headed to the bush. Damien had a truck on the other side of the river in the GMA waiting for me, Brian headed out in the ranch. We both had borrowed guns. I had a open site 375 and Brian had Damien’s 300.
Crossing the river in a canoe was not my favorite thing to do, as Damien had show me pic’s of the 14 foot crock they took just weeks before I arrived. I cowboy’ed up got in that very unstable thing every day. I shot some impala and we got a few baits hung.
Over the next few days we both got baits hung, Brian shot a toad of a kudu and a very nice waterbuck along with some impala and I had a total of 5 baits hung with one being a baboon.
I think on Day 4 I had a bait hit. I wanted Brian to sit in the blind with me so he could learn the ropes. I thought if he had some practice it would help him when his time came. We built a blind and sat. Sitting in a leopard blind can be the worst or the most exciting thing you will ever do. I wanted Brian to experience the adrenalin rush associated with a leopard in the tree, before he had to do the shooting. I also wanted to sit with him when and if he got a chance. Under low light conditions, I don’t know what time it was, Anderson told me the leopard was at the base of the tree and he was a big one. We had a sky line setup. The leopard got in the tree and I found the shoulder. My shot was good and the leopard fell out of the tree. We heard the leopard hit the ground and we turned on the light and it was barley moving its leg, but was not going anywhere. We watched for about 5 min. Dead leopard. Turned out not to be the toad I had wanted but the hunt was just as exciting, and Brian was pumped after his Leopard Hunting 101 class.
We celebrated the leopard. Drank some Jack Daniels.
The guys really put on a show for us dancing and playing the drums.
One afternoon after our usual Jack Daniels at lunch and after we had checked Brian’s baits that morning and no hit we decided we would go Goose hunting on the Luangwa river in the canoe . Damien has 13 Kilometers of river frontage so we put in at the camp a floated down the river. I was in front with the shotgun and Brian with his 378 was crock and hippo patrol. Man was it fun.
These Frenchmen have a whiskey or two every day at lunch. Not wanted to offend anyone I was also enjoying one or two as well. Brian was a vodka drinker so Me, Damien and Yannick did this much damage in 10 days.
Brian finally got a couple of hits. We sat and watched a small female feed. Nothing else came in. Another night of sitting and nothing. Two days before we were to leave Brian and Anderson decided to sit again at one of the baits. I had the most uncomfortable seat the night before in the blind so my ass was hurting and I could not sit again with them. Success! He got his cat, plus a good scoping from the 378 Weatherby.
I don’t know how many infinity pools there are in the middle of the Luangwa Valley but Damien has one and one of the last days after lunch we opted to take a dip in the pool rather than go hunting. I know this is a cardinal sin but it was very hot and that pool looked so good. Anyway one thing leads to another and we are shooting from the pool; target practice, another first for me.
On the last full day we decided to have lunch at the gorge. Damien set up a great picnic at one of the more scenic spots on his ranch.
Brian’s Kudu
Checking for lion tracks on Damien’s air strip.
Damien
All and All not the biggest trophy’s I have ever taken but one of the most fun trips. Damien and Yannick were the best hosts possible and great guys to joke and hang around with. We all just had the most fun possible. Cannot wait till next June when I return.
Brian is a great guy and a good friend; I only have one issue with him. He wore that damn Clemson shirt going and coming . Shown here with Damien’s wonderful dog a Bore Bull named Petris.
I might have to do some photoshopping to clean it up a bit. 
