quote:

Originally posted by Ahmed Sultan:
Sorry to hear about your ele. Sounds like overall you had a good trip, congratulations. Would love to see some photos of the hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by h kittle:
OUTFITTER SSG SAFARIS- NIZON DZINGAI
SAFARIE AREA - MALAPATI
PH'S - NIXON DZINGAI AND HIS SON SIMON
OTHER HUNTERS - SCOTT TERRY AND HIS SON CHAD FRANKLIN
DATE OF HUNT OCTOBER 25, 20009 / NOVEMBER 8TH.
BOOKING AGENT - OUR OWN BOBBY LOWE AKA DUKXD0G
TRAVEL ARANGEMENT - OUR OWN KATHI KLINES

This hunt began taking shape after I noticed that Scott Terry (SBT) had booked a hunt with SSG for elephant. Scott and I have been friends for a number of years despite him living in Wyoming and me in Mississippi. Shortly after he booked his hunt Bobby posted information about a buffalo hunt SSG was offering. While discussing this hunt with Scott he asked me to come along with him on this hunt. I was wanting to go back to Africa, this would be my third trip, but I was not wanting to go by myself so, I jumped at the chance and in quick order plans were made.

Scott, Chad and I meet in Atlanta on October 25, 2009. We had an uneventful flight to Joberg, where we were met by reps from Afton, cleared SAP and were off to the AFton House for a hot shower, big steak (cooked medium rare over an open fire) and a good nights sleep. After a quick breakfast the next morning we were off to the airport for our flight to Harare. Luckly we went to the airport a bit earlier as our flight took off an hour early. We arrived in Harare where we were met by Simon Dzingai. After quick intro's we were off for the 7 plus hour drive to the hunting camp.

We arrived at the camp well after dark and were shown to our cabins. After a late dinner it was off to bed.

On this trip my initial plans were to hunt buffalo, nyala, bushbuck, kudu and zebra.

I killed a beautiful nyala bull on the first afternoon, what a great way to start the hunt.

nayala
The following day we were up about 5 A.M. and on the tracks of three old bulls 2 hours later. We caught up with them about 8 A.M. Simon but up the sticks. at my first shot the bull went down, got back up wacked him again, down and up again, by now we were running and gunning. Simon and I both were shooting and down he went for good. simon says you want another. One quick look at the other buff and I replied yes. Just as quick the buffalo turned and started toward us. With the first shot he went down, up gain then it was run and gun again. He ended up withing 20' of the first. Two great old bulls, all withing 3 minutes. What a great hunt and so much more exciting than my first buffalo hunt in Zambia a couple of years ago.

buffalo 1


buffalo 2


buffalo 1%2


Dinner that night consisted of nyala tenderloin and kudu backstrap. Chad had killed a kudu earler in the day. What a great way to end the day.

The following day was much cooler and there was very little game movement.

The next day we spent trying to tag a zebra. About mid morning we spotted a zebra laying down at what appeared to us to be rolling around in the dust cooling off. We got to within 80 yards or so and I shot him while he was lying downn. When we got up to the zebra we found out that the reason he was lying down was, he was caught in a snare. We finished him off and continue on our quest for another zebra. The zebra did not go to waste, but was used for leopard bait. The game scout did watch the spot for a day or so hoping to catch the poachers, but as far as I know they were unsecussful.

SNARE

ZEBRA
The next day was spend riding around and looking for tracks to follow for eiter kudu, zebra etc. Scott got his elephant on this day.
It was on this day that my plans changed dramatically. I had never even considered hunting elephant, however Nixon suggested I give it a try. AFter discussing it for a bit the decision was make that I would forgo kudu and bushbuck infavor of elephant.

I started off the next day with Simon hunting elephant. We were up at 4 A.M. and out the camp shortly after that looking for elephant that had come out of the park onto the concession that night. We returned to camp a couple of hours later for breakfast and then were out of camp again looking for elephant.

The following day Nixon, had Simon switch off and go with Scott after buffalo and he was to hunt elephant with me. Off we go, Scott's son Chad opted to go with us to hunt elephant. AS events played out I was glad to have him along.

We followed one track for an hour or so when it played out we were back in the truck moving to another area. In short order a fresh track was spotted. Nixon and a couple of trackers went to check it out. About 30 minutes on of the trackers came back to truck and told us to come quicly they had a big bull spotted. Shortly thereafter I was on the sticks. It was a grand bull. I will accept all of the blame here, to put it mildly I made a really bad shot. I feel that my shot was high and forward. Unfortunately Nixon's back up shot was either a miss or ineffective. My second shot was a complete miss and Chad did not have a shot.

The adventure really begins here. When I was hunting buffalo in Zambia a couple of years ago, I never experienced any of those "oh shit I might die" here experiences. We spent the next 10 hours, having one of those moments. We tracked this elephant for many miles. We managed to see him 3 or 4 times, Chad was able to get one shot off, but it did not connect. We were oh so close. Several times coming up to dung or urnine where the odor was still in the air. Visibility was at times less than 10' never more than 50'. If that elephant had ever decided to charge I am afraid someone would have gotten hunt. We finally made it back to the truck after 7 P.M. totally exhausted, dehyrated, and hungry. At this point we had a hours ride back to camp.
While I was wearing my Russells, the soles I had on these were not designed for the rocky terrain we were in and my left foot was covered in blisters.

The next day we were returned to where we had lost the trail the afternoon before. Unfortunately he had gone back into the Gonarezhou National Park. We spent all the remaining days of my hunt looking for this elephant. Several times we found where he had come out of the park onto our hunting area, but by the time we caught up to him he was back in the park. Unfortunatelly we never got anther look at this magnificant elephant.

Since returning from this hunt, I have spent much time contemplating the what if's and there are many. However in the end I must accept total responsibility for the way things turned out.

While I was spending the remaing days of my hunt looking for this elephant, Scott was busy hunting and taking his second elephant, I will let him tell you about his experiences.

The final wakeup arrived and we were up and off for the return trip home. We overnighted at the Bronte Hotel in Harare before starting the long flight home. Nixon does like for his clients to stay in the Bronte, however, while it was clean, the room we were in had no ventilation of any type and was worn and dated. I am not sure I would stay there again as there are other options available. Let me state right here Harare is without a doupt the dirtiest city I have every seen.

This was my third safari and by far the best in terms of the overall hunting experiece. While I perfer a tented or thatch hut for sleeping, his camps are clean and quite functional. With there tin roofs they are quite hot, too hot inwhich to take a mid day nap when the outside temps are in the 90's. Nixon, Simon and the entire crew love to hunt. The trackers are unbelivable. The food was very, very good. Scott and I from the start encouraged, almost insisted that we eat game meat. We ate kudu, nyala, impala, and elephant on more than one occassion. SSG's hunting area contains some outstanding waterbuck and some truly great kudu. I saw several bushbuck but none that I would have considered shooting. Had I not decided to hunt elephant, I am certain that I would have had the opportunity to shoot a 55+ kudu and a very nice bushbuck. We say numerous steenbuck, dikers, warthog, bushpig, grysbuck.

Do not go hunting with SSG, without making some type off arangements for them to get some shotgun shells for you. Guinea fowl and dove are in abundance.

Thanks to Bobby, Chris, Neal, Dale and all the others that gave me information and help in planning this trip.

Most importanly thank you Scott and Chad for letting me join you on this great adventure.