Outfitter - Ivory Trail Safaris

PH - Phillip Smythe

Location - Charisa Safari Area, Zimbabwe

Dates - Sept 7 thru 14, 2011

Weapons - .375 H&H Mag / .577NE double (Cutting Edge Bullets) Non-Cons and Solids


I'm writing this from the Pangolin lodge in Harare, Zimbabwe. We just arrived back into town between safaris, as we leave tomorrow morning for Malapati and SSG Safaris with Nixon Dzingai.

This 2.5 week trip to Zimbabwe was really about the .577NE DOUBLE RIFLE experience. Having received my double only 36 hrs prior to my departure, shooting was minimal (NOT AT ALL). Fact is, I didn't fire the gun until arriving in Charisa and the safari area shooting range! Ya I know exactly what you're thinking, but honestly I was not horribly concerned

Thankfully, Mr. Sam Rose was kind enough to load me 40 rounds of ammo, consisting of 20 rounds each of CEB's 750 grain Non-Con's and Solids (wow, what a bullet). He felt confident they would shoot well in my Verney-Carron, and he was right. A quick 8 shots from 25-35 yards on the shooting range proved his confidence in the gun, and the CEB's.

Picture inside of my chalet!


PRE-HUNT PROBLEM! Although the .577 seemed to shoot good, and guys, honestly shooting it is not a problem at all. My .375 RUM was a full-out failure. After just 2 shots all over the target, we quickly realized the rear scope mount had completely broke!! Long story short, my trusty RUM was completely worthless. Luckily we were able to borrow a local .375 H&H, and it shot beautifully.

Day 1: Although my hunt was planned for a short time (7 Days) we did go out the first evening and shoot a couple Zebra for Leopard bait. The first morning we saw 2 big leopard tracks, and my client Tom Walton, had just shot a great leopard with Phillip a couple weeks before our hunt. Another client hunting the area, shot a great leopard as well, while we were in camp. Truth is, we put up only a few baits and didn't put a lot of effort into the leopard as we were more focused on buff/ele.

Two Zebra taken the 1st evening with my borrowed .375 H&H Mag.


Days 2-4: No shots were fired, but we did look over some buffalo and were searching for a good elephant bull. Fires set by Parks were running rampant, and had the elephants on the move. Although I was not really interested in other game, I've never seen so many bushbuck, ever! We also saw plenty of Impala, Waterbuck, Kudu, Warthog, Zebra, and the place is covered in Hyenas. Perhaps the hardest thing for me was, hearing the nightly feud between a big male lion who appears to dominate the area close to camp, and the 2 rival brothers who are interested in taking over. We actually got the 2 brothers on trail cam at one of our leopard baits.

Below are 2 trail cam pics of the lions on our bait. Beautiful cats, but about 4.5 - 5 yrs old. They need another 18 months! But proof positive, that northern/western Zimbabwe will produce big maned lions if you allow them to live long enough.




The view from our camp fire, over-looking to Sengwa River.


Day 5: On returning to camp for lunch, we were only 2 miles away when we crossed some buffalo spoor from that morning, and Phillip felt confident they had gone into the adjacent Jess for the day. So, at 4pm we returned and slowly worked our way into the area, keeping the wind in our favor, and glassing as we went. After only about 15 minutes, about 100 yards to our left I noticed what looked like legs below the bush. I quickly picked up the binos, and confirmed they were in fact the buffalo. Slapping Phil on the back, I pointed to our left, and he immediately saw them as well.

It appeared obvious that the old bulls were hanging in and around the herds, and I think the daily/nightly lion activity had a lot to do with that. The problem was, getting close enough to 20-50 buffalo for me to take/make a good shot with the double was very difficult. Especially as the bush is open this time of year, very dry and noisy.

As we closed in the 2nd time, Phil put up the sticks, and at about 90 yards a beautiful old - hard top bull stepped into the open. Ya, 90 yards!!! I actually asked Phil, "dude, you want me to shoot him from here?" "Shoot him", he whispered. Ok, so I did! It was obvious I had hit him, but where, we didn't know exactly? Turned out, it was mid-body and too far back. What a surprise at 90 yards with a .577 double.

So, the follow-up, running back and forth across the river, flinging lead, began! With darkness quickly approaching, and an obviously hit bull, we were seriously hustling to get him down. Unfortunately for me, the 21 yr old cameraman, and the 28 yr old PH, were much faster than me, so I was really struggling!

As we crossed back across the river for the 2nd time, we entered the thick Riverine about 100 left of where the herd and our bull had entered. Again, it was getting late so we were moving quickly. I was roughly 15 feet behind Phil, and the cameraman/trackers were directly behind me. At the same moment I heard the bull coming, I saw Phil's reaction as he instantly raised his rifle, and simultaneously began to back pedal slightly. Boom, went his .416 as he had a clear path to the bull, and the bull a clear path to him as well. His first shot struck the bull in the right front leg, breaking it instantly. As the bull continued at Phil, he was now bobbing up/down wildly on 3 legs (but coming like all 4 were completely intact), making the brain shot much more difficult. As the bull got with 5 yards of Phil, he had fired a 2nd shot (not sure where) and the bull charging at a 45 degree angle from me to Phil, I could now see him. I instantly hit him with the .577 through the top of the boss (as his head bobbed down-ward) with the CEB Non-Con, seriously altering his charge and sending pedals from the 750 grain bullet right through the top of the bull's skull! I will also have the pics of this when I return, how the bull even stayed on his feet at all, Phil and I could not understand after seeing the half dollar sized hole straight down into his skull?? Phil was continuing to back pedal, and tripped into the tree. As the bull got within 6 - 8 feet of Phil, I hit him again in the right shoulder, knocking him further left, and keeping him from hitting Phil as he went down. Fact is, the bull was so close to him, that I was afraid to fire at his head, as I would have been shooting just too close to Phil for comfort! The bull crashed another 5 yards passed Phil and I put another one into him as he lay dying. Lastly, we went up to him and I put one more through the chest. Holy cow was that close!! I thought Phil was toast, for real. As the bull seriously surprised us, Matt the cameraman did an AWESOME job of getting it on film, and we will definitely have in on GLOBAL HUNTER IV, which we will release in January 2012.

Without question, had I had a scoped/bolt action rifle at this moment, instead of the big double, Phil would have been smashed, guaranteed! Although I love my .375 RUM, I'm glad the double was with me this time. By the way, I shoot the front trigger first.

Dagga Boy, and the V-C .577NE


Day 6: After the previous evening's excitement, we were all charged up and ready for the elephant bull hunt. Again, late in the afternoon we got on the tracks of 4 good bulls. We literally took off on the tracks at 5pm, knowing dark was about 6pm, but the guys felt the bulls we close. Leonard the head tracker set a blistering pace, as the bulls were easy to follow in the sandy soil. At 5:40pm, we caught em. We immediately recognized the far left bull as the best one, and I frankly liked his broken left tusk. Phil figured him to go 40lbs, which is a nice average bull for Charisa, so we decided to give him a go.

As we started moving in, I whispered to Phil that we needed to do this quickly as the filming light was fading fast! So, just the 3 of us (including cameraman), moved in quickly. Problem was the 4 bulls were feeding in a freshly burned area, so we had zero cover to work with. Phil left the shooting sticks with Leonard, which in hind-sight, I wish I had them. Just as we approached to within 20 yards and I just started to pull up for the side brain shot, the bull instantly turned away from us and walked to about 40-45 yards before turning broadside again. At the shot, it was immediately obvious I had missed the brain, and I quickly followed up with a raking shot to the heart-lung area, and Phil did the same, but I'm not sure they made it into the boiler room. I really needed the sticks to be steady at that distance with a 13.5lb gun.

Needless to say, the Zimbabwe track team was back in action! Truth is, I thought he was gonna get away, as we had only 15 minutes of good light left. We easily ran 1/2 mile, thankfully the open/burnt terrain allowed us to keep the 4 bulls in sight. As our bull was obviously the leader, when he slowed down, the others did too. He fell to the back of the pack, and we quickly closed in. At about 50-60 yards, they again knew we were there and turned around, going back to where they just came. I instantly ran past Phil, as I saw a good/wide opening they would run through at about 50 yards. As the bull came through, I fired 2 quick shots into the heart/lung area. Thinking I hit him good, but not sure, we took off after them again. This time, they ran another 100 yards and he slowed to a stop, as did the others. We stopped running, and I immediately fired at the right shoulder. This time, he buckled at the shot, and dropped immediately on his side. Giving just a second for the other bulls to move off, we put a finishing shot through the head, and that was it.

Literally within just a few minutes, it was dark and shooting/hunting light was gone. Again, Matt did an awesome job and got every bit of it on film.

Our bull, shot just a couple of day ago.


Without question, Charisa is a great hunting block with plentiful game. I'm sure we saw over 200 buffalo, 50 plus elephants, and lots of plains game. Phillip/Ivory Trail Safaris has been awesome to me, and my 3 clients that have hunted with him this year.

The .577NE double is a whole new experience, but something that I truly enjoy and look forward to more. We are heading out to Malapati tomorrow, so hopefully in 7-10 days I will have more stories/pics and great film to share. Will post more when we get done.

Nice stuff! Glad the big double is working out, but sorry to hear about the RUM.

congrats on a great hunt Aaron, look forward to hearing about Nixon's.

Aaron, looks like your having a great hunt. Hope your double get's some more use on the second half of your trip. Good luck, looking forward to the rest of your report.

Nice trophies Aaron, helluva buff hunt!

Fine hunting there Aaron! Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Great hunt & trophies. That buffalo scrap must have been heart thumping! Thanks for sharing.

Aaron, great hunt. Now I know why you don't get quite so excited about hunting mule deer and whitetail deer in NA as you do about huniting Cape buffalo. Regards, AIU

Glad the hunt is going well and that the .577 is working out. How is lugging it around going?

Maybe we're headed toward a 577 RUM . . . Who knows?

Looking good so far.

Good Show Aaron! And the place is "covered in hyenas"? Wow! Sounds like my kind of place!

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Glad the hunt is going well and that the .577 is working out. How is lugging it around going?

Mike - Lugging it around is not a problem at all. Longest walk we did was about 4 hrs, not a worry.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Glad the hunt is going well and that the .577 is working out. How is lugging it around going?

Mike - Lugging it around is not a problem at all. Longest walk we did was about 4 hrs, not a worry.

You walked 4 miles?

Kidding bud! Looks like a great hunt, best of luck on the second half!

Great trophies and photos. Look forward to the rest of the report.

Very impressive area and camp.

quote:

how the bull even stayed on his feet at all

Amazing, and I thought a 577 was suppose to kill them on the spot no matter where they are hit, or missed.

Good stuff, Aaron! Looking forward to the next update.

Exciting stuff. Please don't let Nixon get squashed. I've paid my deposit and airfare for next May!

Your story shows the true worth of a 577NE double.
Congratulations on some fine trophies.

Nice report - looks like the broken tusk was 'nicked' by one of the shots?

Aaron,

Just spent a day with Lary at his request, and we need to have a word my friend.

Aaron,

You know you are hooked forever shooting a double.

Mike

Aaron,

Great post. I am looking forward to your report on your hunt with Nixon. I am at 36 days and counting before I leave to hunt with Nixon.

Hartley

Congrats - great stuff Aaron- look forward to the 2nd half...

Sorry, but I have to make a comment here.
Aaron in the past has criticised some hunters on this forum for shooting lions purely on the encouragement of their PH.
On his current safari he took a shot at a buffalo bull at 90yds with an unfamiliar open sighted double that he readily admits he has had no practice with. It would appear that it was done purely because the PH encouraged him to. It shows little respect for the animal concerned and it is not the action of an experienced hunter. He even suggests himself that he wasn't surprised that he gut shot the animal. If Mark Sullivan had written this report the whole forum would have been on his case, but everyone seems to accept Aaron's actions and congratulate him.
It is not only lions that deserve respect and we all have a responsibility to ensure that we despatch all quarry species as humanely as possible and only take reasonable shot opportunities. I find his actions irresponsible and I am amazed that he would want to publicise them.

I just received word from SSG Safaris, Aaron just took a elephant that went 85+. Congratulations to both hunter and PH.

Wow that's a nice elphant! Congradulations Aaron! Look forward to hearing all about it and how those bullets performed.

Sam

Great post as usual!


ddj

quote:

Originally posted by h kittle:
I just received word from SSG Safaris, Aaron just took a elephant that went 85+. Congratulations to both hunter and PH.

I was gonna let Aaron tell it but it is 100% true!

Aaron says he is a giant!!!

1

Aaron,

Pictures of 85 lb tusker? Lets hear the story.

Sam

quote:

Originally posted by srose:
Aaron,

Pictures of 85 lb tusker? Lets hear the story.

Sam

Sam - Below is the pic, I'll try to get to the whole story in the morning. I'm beat tired after the 8.5 hr drive back to Harare.

He's roughly 19" at the lip, with 51" & 55" out of the lip. Should be roughly 85lbs, give or take, depending on the nerve. I literally shot him 28 hrs ago, so I have yet to even hold the tusks or see them out.

Fantastic elephant. Looks like he came from the communal area.

Aaron did you use the new double?

Aaron, Great elephant. I'm jealous! What you didn't shoot it with the 577, now I'm bummed!

Sam

Awesome Aaron!

Great job Aaron, can't wait to hear the story and looking forward to my visit in October.

Unbelievable, congrats Aaron, I will not stir the pot like I did over in the African Hunting forum.

Excellent report. Congrats Aaron.

Just a year ago Phil told me that he would very much like him to have a .500 NE double rifle before someday things gets hairy with buffalos. Well, was this hairy enough....
Winchester Super Express .416 rem for sale, previously used for 85 lbs elephant.....

(Winchester Super Express .416 rem for sale, previously used for 85 lbs elephant.....)

Has a bit of a sales pitch to it doesn't it Lahtari!

The .416 worked like a charm on the elephant... the buffalo... let just say... I may be upgrading soon!

What a hunt though!