Hi Guys,

I haven't posted a new thread before, but after reading Mike's hunt report I thought I'd briefly share my experience with CMS this year.

I hunted June this year with CMS for the second time after a once in a lifetime 40th birthday trip in 2012 became a twice in a lifetime event... A new addiction...

I travelled with a long time mate Hilly who I hunted with in 2012. This time his son Bruce came too.

This year was the same great service from CMS. Got picked up by Buzz at the airport, dropped off at the B&B, shopping for the kids with Kirsty then dinner, 153 whiskeys and a stogie.

This year I was after an old busted up rugger boy and a decent bull. Started out good the first day onto dugga boys straight away with Blake. (Hunted with Blake 2012). Then for some reason I got some stomach upset and I was not well for 2 days.

I'm sure you can imagine, walking through the bush for 12 hrs a day running off behind a bush every 30 minutes is not fun. On day 3, after about 8 hrs walking I was feeling pretty dehydrated and a bit sorry for myself. I don't think I even had a beer the night before, that's how serious the situation was!

We were onto a few buff we had been tracking all day and Blake suggested we take 5 in the shade. In 2012 after a Blake "route march" I finally asked for a breather. I'm pretty fit but these guys just keep going like it's no problem. Blake was very apologetic saying if I wanted a break I should just call out. Well in this instance I did, only to find out we were only 200m from the vehicle! After this I told myself no more wimping out.

So on day 3, feeling crap, dehydrated and having been walking 8 hrs already with no intention of asking for a woose break, Blake said let's have a 5 minute breather I wasn't complaining.

I hung my rifle on the 3 leg sticks and lay in the shade reminding myself not to let one rip or there would be serious fall out... Just then a big gust of wind comes through and blows the sticks over and both mine and Blake's rifles. Mine landed on top of Blake's and the stock snapped through the grip. Oh for f$&k sake! What a day!

Blake takes one look and straight away starts dis assembling his CZ (.458 Lott). Mine is a CZ in .416 Rigby. He reassembles my rifle with his stock on it. 10 minutes later we are back tracking the buff with my CZ with Blake's stock on it.

An hour later Blake had us as close as we could get to about 30 buff with the one old broken down buff in the herd. We set up on the sticks in sun and waited for our buff to stand up. An hour on the sticks waiting in the sun and not once did I feel crook like I had the past 2 days. I was concerned about a change in POI with the change of stock. We didn't want want to risk getting closer as there was little cover and we only had one rifle in case of any dramas.

Finally our old shiny horned buff stood up and one shot drilled him. Not more than 2 steps and he was down. 118 paces.

To me this was what hunting is all about. A bit of adversity, a trusting PH and a hard won buff. I'll remember this one more than the others. A good example of what the guys at CMS will do for you. I celebrated with a stogie and berocca and vodkas that night (to rehydrate...)

I hunted with Blake's stock for the next 7 days. Took another buff after a 25-30km Blake route march day 9. I can run 5km in 25mins and lift twice my weight but gees, these guys are seriously fit. They don't seem to sweat or even drink water! Also got 2 great warthogs.

I can imagine a circumstance where a broken stock would wreck a hunt. I am very great full of Blake and CMS in the way this was just shrugged off like there was no problems.


Now if all you Yankees can keep QE going which keeps our Aussie $ up I'll be back next year again for my third one in a life time hunt!

Thanks Blake and CMS!

Cheers

DK

Nice report but without pics...its just a "story."

I remember seeing pictures from your hunt on Blake's FaceBook timeline. Good hunting!

Way to go Dan. Congratulations. My understanding is that Hilly was in rare form once again. CMS has had to consider an across the board increase in daily rates by $100/day just to cover Hilly's Jack Daniels consumption.

quote:

Originally posted by Pulicords:
Nice report but without pics...its just a "story."

+1

Some picture links. (can't work out how to attach them to this link)

http://www.cmsafaris.com/troph...ake/hill-buff1-l.jpg

http://www.cmsafaris.com/troph...lake/hill-buff-l.jpg

Rifle with Blake's stock
http://www.cmsafaris.com/troph...ake/hill-wart1-l.jpg

Two great buffalo and one great PH.

Congratulations! Good job from Blake too!

Interesting about swapping the stock - only rifle in the group - & you did not check zero!

I will be taking an identical rifle next year, but in Kevlar stock.

I checked the zero the next morning and it had only moved about an inch lower at 50m. Blake's stock is a Bell and Carlson. The .416 is a great one rifle calibre. I use 450 gr Woodleighs. 3 of 4 buff have been one shot.

Mike, Hilly certainly contributed to the increase in daily rates! Have some great footage of the last afternoon/evening but I wouldn't dare post it here!!!

Awesome!

Congratulations!

Ahhh, thanks for the links. Great buffs and long toothed pig too.
Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Interesting about the stocks and matching rifles. I'm a wood stock fanatic so would be SOL in such a case.
George

Those are proper buffalo.. Very well done! Nice hog too.

Thanks guys.

Not soon enough for the next one!

Cheers

Thats a couple of nice Buffalo
Well done!!