Location: Dande East
Outfitter: Charlton McCallum Safaris
Ph: Alan Shearing
Trackers: Martin,Maplan,Benad.
Dates:March 16-27,2012
Rifle: Model 70 .416 rem.
Ammo: 400 gr Barnes Banded solids, Swift A frames
Game hunted: Elephant bull, Kudu bull.
Game taken: Ele bull and Kudu
This trip started when Buzz E-mailed that he had some hunts available last September.
The flights were arranged by Steve Turner and at least the flight over was uneventful and all baggage and guns arrived on time.
Alan was there to meet us upon arrival at HRE and took us to Harrison House for the overnight.
Buzz picked us up the next morning and took us by the office to meet up with Myles and Alan who was packing his cruiser for the drive to the valley.
The drive in was uneventful and we arrived in time to check my rifle and drive a few roads before sunset.
Crispin worked his magic in the kitchen and we settled into Karunga camp for the next twelve days of glorious Africa. This was our eighth dangerous game hunt and it felt good to be home again.
Bongo the camp manager had been doing PAC for the last week scaring the elephant out of the local fields awaiting our arrival. One local farmer had been flattened into a field pizza a day before our arrival but is expected to live.
We went directly to the fields the next morning and began following bull tracks some of which were quite large. The problem was that there were so many elephant with the cows mixed with the bulls and single animals were hard to follow. After several hours we gave up and had lunch. After lunch we drove roads and went for a long walk to pattern this group of shamba raiders. Alan had Bongo drag roads in the afternoon so we would be working with fresh track in the morning.
Saturday morning, our second day, started out at 4:30 and we found cow tracks very near camp heading in the direction of the fields.
Alan took us up a sandy road about 2 km from the fields to look for tracks thinking these bulls would be heading to Mozambique after a night of raiding. Not long after hitting the target road a tap on the roof stopped us as the trackers had seen two small bulls moving off to our right. We got out and started to shadow these bulls who led us to a group of cows mixed with small bulls. Alan could hear other elephant in the distance so we quickly moved towards them through the very green and very thick bush. At this point I must say that we were nearly surrounded by elephant and Alan was using the noise they were making to get us in very close. I kept thinking the wind would betray us but for now our luck was holding. At this point Alan and I were in front and the trackers following when Alan showed me a very large bull track from the now very close elephant. I have never hunted early season before so being this close to so many elephant had the adrenaline flowing. Just then Bongo signaled to us that he had seen a large bull in the herd by extending his arms and pointing his hands together indicating large ivory. Now I had seen trackers indicate ivory size by holding their forearms up but never arms completely extended with the hands pointing in. At this point I'm thinking holy s**t this might just happen. Alan spots the bull going away mixed in with eight or nine other bulls and an assortment of cows and calves. He indicated he needed a better view of the ivory to determine its size as they all look good going away. This is when a true professional shines and Alan was amazing. We took off at a trot to close the already close distance trying to see through the thick bush an not bump one of the other fifty elephants in close proximity. Just then a bull screamed and took off after another bull right in front of us. I thought the jig was up but it was just a show of dominance. It was then that the largest bull I have ever seen in the wild turned and started walking right towards us. I could not believe the size of the ivory as Alan said, get ready to shoot that bull. Now my last elephant bull hunt took place in 2009 and I figured I had walked over 200 miles in eighteen days. I did pass up a 40 pounder on day three and spent the rest of the safari trying to find one as good. Here I was 35 yards from a very large bull that had no clue we were there and he had 49 of his buddies all around him. He stepped into a small opening but before I could line up he was gone. Alan moved me to another opening and when the bull stepped in he stopped with his head showing. Alan knew I wanted a heart shot shot so he calmly said wait til he takes a step then shoot him in the shoulder. Here I was staring at the head and ivory of what I thought was the largest bull on the planet waiting for him to take one more step. He did eventually take that step and the 416 went off making the loudest noise I have ever heard. Now we have fifty elephants in close proximity and for a second or two they made not one sound. Then they all moved off in a rush taking my bull with them. Alan then turned to me and said nice shot but I was still in shock and couldn't reply. This was the ninth elephant I have taken but it was just as exciting as the first which is why we keep doing it, right? I didn't hear it but the trackers were patting me on the back saying the bull was down. Alan quickly took me forward about a hundred yards to where the bull was wedged between two trees and I did a side brain insurance shot that wasn't needed. There was no ground shrinkage on this one as he was the bull I had been hunting for since I read Death in the Long Grass twenty years ago. After running my hands over that magnificent ivory I sat down on a log and just stared at the bull. It was now 7 am on the second day of a twelve day safari and I admit that I was a bit bewildered. Alan being the professional that he is recognized this and said, why don't we walk out and collect Jane while the lads tidy up a bit for the photo session. It took us twenty minutes to walk to a nearby road and radio for the truck. Jane had heard only one shot and wasn't quit sure of the outcome. Needless to say things got quite animated and since there was no beer in the truck we celebrated with cokes before walking back for photos and the tail cutting. Alan was very careful with the photos taking as many with his camera as we did with ours in case one of our cameras died. After taking photos with the bull upright we cut down one of the trees so the bull could roll on its side. This gave us a different perspective of the ivory and something I would never have thought of. Just as we finished taking the last picture the skies opened up and it began to rain. We drove, slipping and sliding back to camp while Bongo and the trackers and a few locals began the butchering. At this point I would like to give Bongo recognition as he had been up every night for a week doing PAC then going with us hunting during the day. He delivered the meat to the village and didn't get back to camp till 2 am.
Days 3-12.
We spent the rest of the safari hunting Kudu and exploring Dande East. Alan was great taking us to Gonono to distribute some school supplies we had brought. We spent one day on bad roads driving to the Dande Safari Area to visit and have a look around. The rest of the time as I said we tracked Kudu took photos and cut out mopane bee hives for the honey. There is nothing better than walking around Africa with a rifle and an open schedule. Early season is not a great time to hunt plains game in Dande East. We did see kudu,sable, warthog, impala, and tracks from buffalo, eland, and roan. We even followed a few fresh dugga boy tracks until they ventured into Mozambique. On the last afternoon of day twelve we bumped a couple of kudu bulls near the road. They didn't seem to spooked so we took up the track and caught up to them in about an hour. Alan spotted them first at about 100 yards, which is a long way considering the bush. He set up the sticks and began glassing them. Now I had been hunting kudu for ten days and when I got a semi clear view of what I considered to be a great bull I let fly. Alan gave me a look that brought me back to reality as both bulls moved off. I hadn't seen the second bull and Alan and I were actually looking at two separate kudu when I shot. Being only three feet away we still had completely different views. I was sure I had hit the bull I shot at but Alan thought I missed. The second bull went off with mine then just stood there. I thought my bull had gone down and Martin the tracker confirmed this with Alan making me feel a bit better. We walked up and I could see the horns sticking above the grass and a finisher to the neck ended the hunt. This was an old kudu bull with 12 inch bases and 55 inches on the curl. Alan did comment that the other bull was not worn down and had three or four more inches of horn. I'm just as happy taking the older bull but next time I might wait for the PH to say shoot. Nevertheless that bull is still out there and waiting for one of you to find him. Alan brought a bottle of champagne for our celebration night, a very nice touch.
The next day we drove back to Harare and were stopped at a police roadblock where my rifle and permit were checked.
That night Buzz took us all out to dinner and picked us up at Harrison House on Thursday for the drive to the airport.
The flight back was delayed with three people being removed from the flight to Dulles in Joberg and researching all passengers and baggage including pat downs and searches of all carry on luggage. Then just before landing in Dakar a woman passenger started yelling obscenities and had to be restrained by the crew. In Dakar she was removed after creating quite a scene by Dakar security and we all had to undergo a carry on baggage inspection. Needless to say this put us hours behind causing us to miss our connecting flights. We were, however , re-booked by a helpful United employee after suffering through one moron at the United desk. We made it back home and all our luggage arrived ahead of us.
This trip was everything we had hoped for and Buzz, Myles, and Alan were very helpful. Now in closing I admit that my limited computer skills preclude me from posting pictures so if some kind soul would volunteer I can e-mail them to be posted later.
To the whole CMS organization we owe a debt of gratitude.

Photo's????????

Great report, congratulations. I read the report with interest since next March I will be doing a trophy bull hunt in Dande East too. I will be happy to post some pictures for you. Email them to mjines@kingwoodcable.com. Be sure to select the option to make the pictures smaller so the files are not too big. Congrats again!

Thanks Mike, Allan said you might help me post. He sends his regards.

Alan is as decent a person as one could hope to meet. I am glad he is doing well.

Damn I miss that...surrounded by Elephant in the early season greenery. Nothing like it.

Thanks for sharing your great story.

Great looking bull! I am envious.

That is a beautiful elephant.

Congratulations.

Wow!!! Congratulations. I'll be there in April 2013 with CMS... hopefully Jines won't shoot all the other big ones before I get there. Well done. Thanks for the report.

Very well done sir. That is an exceptionally fine bull.

Awesome elephant, congratulations!

Absolutely wonderful! congrats...

Very Nice!!

Congrats!

Great ele! A fast start to an awesome hunt.

I'm stoked by your report. My son and I will, at this time next year, be doing the same with CMS in Dande North.

Congratulations!!! Thank you for sharing the story of your hunt. If that would of been me I just know those little bitty hairs on the back of my neck would of been standing up most likely in pure fear. You know the ones, the ones that developed nerve receptors back in cave man days that told us that we were in the DANGER ZONE. Wow!!! Being in that thick green stuff, walking into a number of elephant both bulls and cows. The thought would of come across my mind that this adventure may be worth more than what I paid on the ticket to get me into this show and I just might be in the wrong place. You did very well. Again, congratulations and I'm jealous!!!

Awesome bull. I'll be back with CMS in April of next year in Dande East. Hope to get one like yours!

Wow, What a hunt! Congrats on a fantastic elephant and a very nice kudu.

Torbjorn

Superbe elephant, congratulations!

Orvar

Congrats on a great safari and super ele.

Gunny,

Big congrats! Beautiful ivory. Nice to see you and Jane are still enthralled with Africa as Sadie and I are. I often think about that monster bushbuck you took 18 years ago.

Mark

Outstanding bull. Didn't see the weights.To have that many eles around you would be the greatest hunting experience you can have! Really has me fired up even more, I will be hunting for a bull the first two weeks of May in the DSA North with them. Richard, if you read this, this is what on looks like. A heart felt congrats.

That it is one "helluva" bull Gunny! Well done... man that ivory stretches out forever! Congrats on a super hunt with a superb outfit.

Beautiful bull, Gunny. Congratulations!

Gunny,

What a fantastic report !!! The elephant hunt report was awesome !!!

Thanks for sharing it with us !!

L

Beautiful Ivory, and nice report too!

Congrats, and thanks for posting.

Hey Mark, Can you believe its been 18 years since we first met in the Binga bush?

Gunny,

Time passes all too quickly but I'm sure that time spent in Africa does not count against our longevity on this earth.

Mark

Great trophies and a fine report!

That is one nice elephant. Beautiful ivory.

Great ele bull and a very nice Kudu.
Well done!

Beautiful Ivory on that old Bull

Congratulations

A great bull and a great report - well done.
Alan is a great guy and I look forward to sharing a camp with him in a few weeks when he hunts with my friend in the Save.
No wonder I can't get another ele hunt with CM next year all you guys have booked up everything !!!

Fantstic bull! Congratulations.

Great Bull.....congrats. I have this hunt booked for next February.

Really good stuff.

Gunny, Outstanding. WOW!

Mike

JudgeG and I met Alan in the hotel in Bulawayo a few years ago. He had been gored by a Cape Buff, was recovering, and was quitting the business and starting something else. I'm glad to see he's back at it.

Alan is a true professional. His knowledge of the flora and fauna is unsurpassed. He always kept both Jane and I up to speed as the safari unfolded without our asking. This might not seem like a big deal to some but it really is. We had the luxury of time on this safari so we got to do things like chop out Mopane bee hives and eat fresh honey. I admit that its easy to relax when you have a big bull in the salt but we did new things every day and they were things Jane liked to do also. I did do my homework before booking this hunt and everyone I asked including Ivan Carter gave Alan High marks. The whole CMS safari team were very personable and interested in making our safari a successful one.