2018 Save Valley Safari with Ivory Trails Safaris
Phillip Smythe PH

Properties Hunted Senuko 2&3
Hunt Dates Sept-20-Oct-1

Species Hunted Cape Buffalo/ Plains Game

Weapons used; Cooper ML Muzzleloader .50 cal, .270 Weatherby Rifle

I arrived in the Save Valley Conservancy via the Sango Airstrip On Sept-19-2018. This arrival point was utilized to help with flight charter costs on an outgoing party who hunted the Sengo portion of the Save prior to my arrival. Upon meeting Phillip we then drove an hour south to the Senuko Property. I really enjoyed the ride and seeing the country side as well including the vast amount wildlife. Our hunt started the next day by zeroing both guns at the range. One shot showed true with each gun and off to check water holes we went.

Day 1. We cut a group of Dugga Boy Tracks and started following them because the wind was good for this stalk. After about a hour of tracking we were on a group of buffalo. We watched them feed for a really long time. We eventually maneuvered our way to within shooting distance of a couple really good looking Dugga boys. Phillip field judged the best bull in the group and whispered to me the bull was around the 42” a good mature bull and extremely respectable in size. I generously looked at Phillip and to his great disappointment my reply was not today Phillip…Just not on the first morning of my hunt that I have been waiting over 2 years to happen. I can not end my hunt this soon. We then stood up slowly and I put my camera to work snapping pics of a Cape Buffalo Bull 99.9% of other hunters would have shot with 0% hesitation. We then worked our way back to the truck coming upon a group of Zebra that literally allowed us to get extremely close to. Phillip again looked at me chuckling and said “this never happens”. Meaning how close animals will allow you to get to them when you are not hunting them. Its kinda like they have a 6th sense and know.

Day 2. Again we started our day checking water points and looking for a good group of tracks to follow. As usual we found a group of Dugga Boy Tracks and decided to go on them. 2 hours later we were crawling on our hands and knees getting a closer look at this group of dug boys. We sat there and watched several good old Dugga boy bulls as they layed under a tree in the shade. These bulls were all in the high 30’s with the best bull being around the 38 or 39 inch mark. Again out came the camera to snap photos.







Day 3. We were on our way to our first water point when we saw a group of 4 Dugga boys looking at us just off the roadway at about 80 yards. Phillip glassed them and I immediately knew from his serious attitude and his look at me we found a bull that he wanted me to shoot. Phillip put up the sticks and looked at me stating shoot that one one right there. Shoot it now. There was zero question in his voice. I centered my zeiss scope crosshairs on the bulls brisket as he was standing there facing us and slowly squeezed the trigger. The gun when off and I could not see anything from the white cloud of smoke. All 4 bulls took off out of sight. I reloaded and we started following blood and the track. After approximately 100 yards we saw the other three Dugga boy bulls fighting with the bull I had shot. The bull I had shot was on the ground while the other bulls where smashing there horns onto him. The three Dugga boys left allowing me to shoot the bull a second time. I ended up shooting the bull 5 times before he finally stayed down for good. Phillip was used to shooting and running. This could not be the case as I had to take a knee and reload my Cooper ML22 after every shot. Phillip reluctantly stood by my side 500 double in hand waiting for my reloads and having my back. I commend him for his efforts. 43 inch buffalo I am extremely pleased with.






Day 4. We started by tracking a leopard kill at a water hole. An our later we jumped a leopard from its Diker kill. We then spent our time tracking a lone eland bull for the better part of 2 or 3 hours before calling it quits only to shoot a nice Diker male on the walk back to the truck. Later that day we got on another group of eland and I was fortunate to harvest a a nice 34.5 inch eland with a single 150 yard shot from the Cooper ML 22.






Day 5-10. We just went on easy street and did fun things while out hunting. I was still looking for a nice Impala Ram but Phillip knew if we saw a good ram great if not oh well. One day we took a road trip and left the Save. We spent one day in Gonarezhou National Park. I highly suggest taking a day and seeing this amazing place. We only saw a very small portion of the park because we were limited to just a day trip. However in that day I saw countless amazing sights and stood 25 yards away from a legit 100 pounder elephant.




Back in the Save we got a radio message that one animal I wanted to see “ Rhino” had been spotted on a neighboring property. I must mention that several days prior we snuck into range of a couple Black Rhino and just watched them. This day I would get to sneak into range of 4 White Rhino and got to watch them for about 30 minutes or so.







I think day 8 we were stalking some Impala and we spotted a good ram. I was very pleased to be able to harvest a super nice 22” Impala Ram. I witnessed Phillips tracker Noah pick up my Ram and walk a mile back to the truck dragging the Ram and never stopped once. It was 80 degrees and when we got back to the truck he didn’t even have a bead of sweat on him.



In conclusion I rate this hunt a 10 out of 10. I got fresh squeezed Orange Juice, the Senuko camp is on a main water hole so you better not mind getting woke up every night by noisey elephants. Food I would rate a 9. Camp is super nice but sustained a fire several years back and they are working hard to build it back up to the way it was. Camp staff is super nice. Phillip has a driver and tracker that are excellent at there jobs. Phillip will go out of his way to make your stay very enjoyable.



What do I regret? We saw a huge Black Cobra one day and unknown to us there was a $5.00 Trophy Fee for a Cobra…Oh well. Im already in the works on planning my next trip with Phillip. I hope you enjoyed my Africa Hunt Report.

Respectfully,

John Rhyshek
King Salmon, Alaska

Very well done to you and Phillip. Some outstanding pictures there and that's a very fine buff you took.

Phillip must have been biting his tongue the first morning as those dagga boys look great.

Congrats and thanks for posting. The pic of the big tusker is defiantly a keeper!

Outstanding Hunting Report. The quality of your trophies is first rate, and that tusker picture should be framed. Well played all around.

Great hunt, great report.

Sounds like you had a great hunt. Congrats on a great buffalo. Nice pics. Sounds like a fantastic hunt.
Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

Phillip must have been biting his tongue the first morning as those dagga boys look great.

Love those old brimmed down bulls!!! It was touch and go

Thanks for sharing


Morten

Congratulations. I really enjoyed the hunt report and pics. Cannot go wrong with Phil. I'm patiently waiting as I'm booked to do another buff hunt with him next spring. Always enjoy the comradery, the food and the great hunting areas when with him.

Very well done, thanks for posting!

Congrats!

You got a really nice buffalo!

beautiful photography... thanks for sharing

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Congratulations on some great animals.
And thanks for posting and sharing. Appreciated.

Out of interest how long do you need to reload the Cooper each time?

Charlie

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Charlie64

You have to stay cool calm and collected in the heat of the moment. The last thing you want to do if stuff a bullet down your barrel and forget the powder first. But an honest question deserves an honest answer. So with that be ing asked I honestly never really timed myself, however I bet I can have the gun recharged and new 209 ignition primer in 20 seconds...and thats not rushing thats just concentrating and making it happen.

John

Great report!

Congratulations

Thanks for the report. That bull you passed looks better than 42 to me!