Outfitter: Zambeze Delta Safaris
Location: Coutada 11 Mungari Camp, Mozambique
PH: Craigh Hamman
Dates: August 24 – September 3, 2010
Hunt: 2 x 1 Buffalo, Nyala, Suni,
Red Duiker, Bush Pig, Croc


There was not supposed to be a safari for us this year. I was too concerned about our business and the economy to commit. My husband and I had hoped to return to Zambia with the DuPlooys, but I begged out in order to “sleep at night”.

Then I started to go crazy as I read the many outfitters’ offerings and saw the great deals appearing on the forum. Reading the posts of those AR members prepping for upcoming safaris didn’t help mcuh either. Life seems to be so much happier when there is a "booked" safari on the horizon somewhere.

So when our dear friend, Il Ling New, a firearms instructor at Gunsite Academy in Arizona, suggested she wanted to return to Coutada 11 in Mozambique, asked us to join her, I threw economic “caution to the wind”.

Il Ling had taken a Cape Buffalo with her Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casul (sponsored by Ruger for a TV show that should air sometime this fall) last year and wanted to return for Nyala. My husband and I had hunted out of Mahimba Camp, north of the Zambezi in 2005. The camp was deteriorating, low on provisions and poaching was rampant. I did take Buff, sable, waterbuck, bushbuck, and reedbuck, but my husband referred to it as “MozamBLEAK”. Il Ling wanted to change our bad impression. Her experience in Mozambique with Zambeze Delta Safaris in Coutada 11 was quite the opposite of ours.



So plans were solidified. Gracy Travel handled all our travel, meet & greet, and gun permits. We arrived in Jo’burg at 6:30 AM via British Airways from LAX. We spent one night at the AfricaSky Guest House before flying on to Beira. Although accommodations were great, it would have been a lot easier to stay in transit (avoid SAPS stuff) and just connect with the 11:30 AM flight on SAA to Beira (charged $200 overweight by SAA). On the positive side of over-nighting, we got Frederik Cocquyt of Infinito Safaris (whom we hunted with in 2009) to take us to back to Crawdaddy’s Restaurant in Pretoria that night. It has fantastic seafood!

AfricaSky Guest House




ARRIVAL IN CAMP

Craigh (with an “h”) Hamman, our PH and charter pilot, met us at the gate when we arrived in Beira at 1:30 PM. With the help of their rep, Jeremy, we were whisked through formalities and on board Craigh’s Cessna 206, arriving in Mungari Camp about 3:30 PM. We were met by Colleen Hamman, camp manager/Craigh’s wife, and her staff. When she suggested we walk to camp, I was taken back. But, it was literally steps from the grass landing strip and camouflaged under a canopy of huge trees.

The safari company’s two 206’s are kept, conveniently, tied down under a shade cloth hangar at camp. Mungari Camp in Coutada 11 consists of a grassy park like setting with the campfire boma in the middle. Four client tents are located on one side of the lawn. Behind the dining hut, the kitchen and all the staff facilities are concealed by a reed fence. It was a picturesque tent camp.




We settled into our tent while Craigh changed from commercial pilot to PH. We had a quick lunch and then off to check the zero of our rifles. I brought Thelma; my Robar built .375 H&H Win. Pre 64 model 70. I was using TBBC 300 gr. softs and Sledgehammers. My husband brought his.416 Rem Mag on a Dakota action, custom built rifle by Jim Brockman with a special, adjustable muzzle break to protect the remnants of his deteriorating retinas. He was using 400 gr. TBBC. We each brought 40 rds of ammo; 35 softs, 5 solids. Both rifles needed minor adjustments, then back to camp for samosas and drinks.

We had been contacted prior to arrival that due to heavy rains and some flooding problems, the tent camp we were scheduled to be in was not available. We were given the option of sharing Mungari Camp with another couple, or using the permanent Portuguese Camp just across the air strip. We have never really shared a camp with strangers, but under the uncontrollable circumstance, we preferred a tent camp with strangers to a permanent camp. Besides, you only see each other at breakfast and dinner. As it turned out they were great folks and became our new “best friends”. We enjoyed sharing lies and comparing daily adventures around the camp fire each night. Il Ling was scheduled to arrive in three days.

RED DUIKER DAY

This area of Moz is flat, flat forests, jungle tangles and palm islands dotted with golden or green, grassy/papyrus pans. Some huge, some small. And between the forest and the Zambezi River are the SWAMPS (which I’ll get to later). We cruised the pans and forest checking for buffalo tracks. In the brambles around the pans all the little guys live: Red duiker, blue duiker, and Suni. Reedbuck, bushbuck, Oribi, warthog and bush pig live in the tall reeds and grass in the pans. Nyala visit the pans in the late afternoon. Sable and Lichtenstein hartebeest live in the drier pans. Waterbuck, hippo, eles live in the Swamps.




Late the first afternoon, Craigh and I did a stalk along the tracks through the brambled forest where it opened to a pan. We were actually trying check for Nyala, but dumb luck provided a great red duiker. I used Craigh’s .223 for a 60 yard shot off the sticks. As it turned out the little bull was 4 ½” x 3 ½” with 4" bases. Craigh told me this was a very good red duiker.



STALKING BUFFALO

We spent all day of the second day stalking a buffalo herd through the forest. My husband had one shooting opportunity which resulted in a “warning shot”. A black buffalo in black shadows was just too tough for his minimal vision. (I’ve explained his macular degeneration problems to you all before.) I love this man for many reasons, but his tenacity to keep hunting is amazing. Before we even arrived he told me to shoot both buffalo if the opportunity arose.

The mosquitoes are horrible in the forests. After walking all day, the mosquitoes’ bites made my back, face and arms looked like I had been pepper with 00 buck shot. I’m one of those people insects seem to love. In fact, I picked the first tick off by day two and the last one a few hours after got home. Tsetse flies get their share of flesh while I’m riding in the high seat.

BURGLARY IN CAMP

After dinner, we all retired to our tents. There was some commotion coming from the other couple’s tent. Shortly Craigh came to our tent and asked if we had anything missing. It seems that while we were all eating dinner, just 50 yds from our tents, someone slipped over the en-suite bathroom walls into the tents. The other couple lost about $1500 from an envelope they had left out. They had had their things locked up while gone during the day, but lowered their guard since we were all nearby. Bob’s Strider knife and an envelope containing only band-aids and scissors were taken from our tent. Craigh and Colleen lost a cell phone and his aviator’s flashlight. The trackers were put on the trail and found spoor of an adult and child. Craigh said the guilty party would be found, no one is able to keep secrets in the villages nearby. This was a first for this camp and the first time we have ever had anything taken. I always keep valuables in our locked Tuffpak. To Zambeze Delta Safaris’ credit, without hesitation, they deducted the missing money from the couple’s bill. And by the last day of our safari a disgruntled, former employee (who had been let go on suspicion of stealing) had been apprehended by the community authorities. Seems it is pretty hard for these folks to explain how they came by a large amount of US dollars.

NYALA

The morning of day three, while checking for buffalo tracks at a little, ebbing river in the forest, Craigh pointed out a huge, fresh croc track. He told me they had baited it many times, but had never seen it or had a shot. With a little good marketing on his part, Craigh had me shoot a warthog which we tossed into the shallow pool near the spoor. We’ll check it later.

Il Ling arrived late that afternoon and the next day joined me on the high seat for the duration of the hunt. Craigh and Bob rode in the cab. Johnny, Craigh’s tracker, rides up top, but not much of a conversationalist, so it’s nice to have Il Ling as company. Craigh’s young sons occasionally, and alternating, joined us; and they were a wealth of info and had the best manners of any kids I’ve ever met.

We checked our croc pool and the warthog was gone. We stationed out and could hear splashing, but nothing out of the water. Craigh and I did a stalk on two Nyala bulls, but I passed on a 250 yd shot. We tried to get closer, but the bulls were ready to move back into the forest before we could get on them. We stalked another pan and caught another lone bull feeding at 180 yds. I hit him well with my first shot, he didn’t go 10 yds. But I put two more shots into him before he went totally down.




BUSH PIG & SUNI

August 29, 2010, my 64th birthday. At breakfast I received b-day cards from Bob, Il Ling and Colleen. Craigh presented me with four .375 rounds!!! The day started very well. Bush pig has been on my wish list for several safaris. I’ve seen a few, but have never had a real shooting opportunity. This morning we basically drove over 2 bush pigs in the tall grass. As they flushed from under the back of the truck, I nailed the larger with a “Texas heart shot”. He was spined. While Craigh and Bob waited at the truck, Il Ling and I ran up to him and I finished him with a solid. So far the birthday is going well.








When we broke for lunch, we discovered that Colleen had packed a special birthday lunch. We had venison kabobs and a chocolate bar for me!!! We cruised the tangled brambles of the forest enroute back to camp. I took a Suni w/Craigh’s .223. (I must admit this wasn’t my first shooting attempt, but my first success at Suni.)

PH Craigh Hamman, me and Suni

Mark Haldane arrived at camp via his helicopter. He brought fresh prawns and fish from Beira. Mark and several of the other PHs joined us for a fabulous dinner, complete with chocolate birthday cake.

64 is the new 46--Colleen Hamman, Josh Hamman and Benjamin our waiter

CROC DAY

The next morning after about a two hour drive from camp, we checked the little sandy beach for the croc. It was only 8:30 AM and I thought it would be a waste to check so early, but he was there. We had already built a mini-blind when we threw the warthog in the pool. So after removing our boots, Craigh, Il Ling and I snuck to our hide at 60 yards. (I shot a croc last year in Zambia. It was the biggest one we could find on the ebbing Luangwa River and he measure about 10 ½ ft. Craigh called it a lizard not a croc.) When we reached the blind, I couldn’t believe the size of the croc. He was lying on a slight mound. From my position I could only see the barrel of the trunk of his body. His head was facing toward me, but concealed by grass. And, his tail was lying on the far, down side of the mound. Craigh told me to shoot him in the spine at his neck. I didn’t have a brain shot. I fired my shot and the old dinosaur didn’t wiggle. I fired three more times just to make sure he was dead. (Later I accused Craigh of setting me up on a dead croc carcass, because I couldn’t believe he didn’t even react to my shots.) Craigh got to the old monster before I did. This was the first time he saw him and to his dismay, the old croc was missing about 3 feet of tail. Even so, he was larger than my other croc. I was ecstatic and very pleased. I had shot well and taken the “phantom” croc of Coutada 11! We winched him into the truck and headed back to camp!



BUFFALO AND THE SWAMPS

By now, day seven, I was getting very concerned that we had not seen any buff spoor since the second day. So plans were made to go to the SWAMPS for day eight. The normal route is a three hour drive by truck to the Argo. A one hour Argo ride to the hunting area, and then however long it takes to find the buffalo. Then a night or two in a fly camp. However, this was my lucky day, if going to the SWAMPS is every lucky. Craigh departed at 2:00 AM in the truck and about 8:30AM Mark flew Bob and I and Il Ling in his helicopter. We rendezvoused with Craigh, Johnny and the Argo via GPS coordinates. The heli ride was spectacular. We saw elephant, hippo, hartebeest, waterbuck and buffalo. And, just the vast expanse of the SWAMPS was overwhelming. (No tourist beach on the Zambezi, Walter!)





I should have realized what I was getting into, as Il Ling, who hunted her buff in the swamps last year, didn’t want to come along. So Mark and Il Ling flew off and Craigh, his tracker, and Bob and I launched the Argo. I’ve hunted black bear in Saskatchewan using an Argo (to and fro the tree stands). So I knew how rough, jerky and hot the ride could be. But, pushing through papyrus and sawgrass in varying depths of mud and stagnant water makes the Canadian trek seem like a limo ride. We bumped one herd of cows and calves and finally Craigh thought we were about 400 yards from another herd where he spotted cattle egrets. It was about 11:00 AM. Craigh and Johnny lithely jumped out of the Argo into waist deep water. The reeds and sawgrass were at least four feet above their heads. As I was getting out, Craigh told me to be sure of my foot placement in the slimy mud. One step could be into a deep hole, and the next, just slippery silt. My disembarkation (if that’s a word) was not pretty. I fell directly into the water trying to keep my rifle above my head. No question now, my nearly blind husband would wait in the Argo. So we sloshed off, Craigh parting a path through the papyrus, then the tracker, and then me. I told Craigh I was concerned about all the noise I was making. He said the buffalo would just think I was another buffalo. (No kidding!!!) Each step was slippery and tentative while I tried to stay upright in the water. Not only was step placement difficult, extricating each step required pulling suction. I was wearing my Converse high top tennis shoes, perfect for this terrain.



I had my pants tucked into the top of my socks. I was trying to avoid leaches and ticks from having totally free access to my skin. It took three hours to go 300 yards like this. The last 100 yards was done on hands and knees. (Johnny followed behind me carrying my rifle.) It was kind of like swimming over reeds and really easier than trying to walk. We got within 40 yards of the herd. It was about 2:00 PM. The driest ground was where the buffalo herds or elephant had fed or bedded. The reeds and sawgrass are crushed over a foot of mud, pocked marked by animal tracks. The bulls were bedded down in the mud and the cows were on the perimeter of the herd feeding. We crawled around to try to assess the bulls, while being careful about the wind. We slithered to relocate a couple of times. Time was becoming an issue as it would be dark at 5:30 PM and we had to be done and out well before that. Finally we found a shooter bull asleep on his feet. His head was hanging down and the only shot he offered was a quartering toward me spine shot to the area below his shoulder hump. From a position on my hands and knees, I climbed the side of the shooting sticks to about half way up and made my shot. The buff went directly down and the herd took off. Craigh quickly asked me if I wanted to shoot Bob’s buffalo. Bob and I had already agreed to this, so I said yes. He told me to shoot at the bull running through the reeds at the end of the herd about 80 yards. It looked like he bucked, but he continued running. I tried to follow Craigh, who can sprint through this muck, but I was plodding behind him. Craigh and Johnny reached out to me as they could see what was about to happen. Seemingly in slow motion, suction held my foot and I fell face first…me, rifle, scope…into the mud. Once the herd disappeared through the reeds, we returned to the first buff who was still flailing from his severed spine. I finished him. Craigh left Johnny and me to go retrieve Bob and the Argo. When he returned, he used his satellite phone to call Mark with GPS coordinates. The heli arrived about 45 minutes later. The guys did a short recognizance to see if they could spot the second buff. But no luck. Bob and I boarded the heli and Craigh and Johnny would track the herd and look for blood for a while before heading back to camp. They arrived after 10:00 PM. No sign of the second buff, but Craigh was fairly sure the birds would point it out in the next day or two. He would recover it then.


HUNTING FOR IL LING’S NYALA

We took the next morning off. The other couple in camp departed. That afternoon we hunted Nyala for Il Ling (using her Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casul). My hunt was complete, although Craigh wanted me to hunt Blue Duiker, I wanted to relax. (I think I hate those little critters now!) If we found an unsuspecting reed buck, bushbuck, either Il Ling or I would shoot it for camp meat and/or to feed the leopard hounds (being used in another camp). A group of eighteen people arrived for the permanent Portuguese Camp across the air strip. They would be hunting “four of everything” and had four videographers along too.

The next afternoon, Il Ling took her Nyala with her pistol and made an excellent shot.



We combined our last night in camp with Bob’s 71st birthday celebration. Camp seemed quiet and intimate with just Craigh, Colleen, Bob, myself and Il Ling. The PH’s, dog handlers and pilots that were awaiting their clients and visiting our camp, were now at the other camp. (They ended up taking two leopards the first night.)

GOING HOME



It’s always depressing for me at the end of the hunt. I consider each safari to be the last one we’ll be able to make. Our friends refer to my syndrome as “the annual last safari”. We’ll make that decision early next year. September 3rd we chartered out of camp, SAA from Beira to Jo’burg, and British Airways the Los Angeles.

We won’t call it MozamBLEAK any more! Zambeze Delta Safaris, Mark Haldane and his staff were super. And, our PH Craigh Hamman is one of the best!!! This was an amazing experience.

Wow D, what impressive trophies you took and a great story. Congrats to you all. Thanks for sharing your hunt. Makes me want to go now!
Regards,
David

Wow, bloody good report bloody good animals looks like you guys had a bloody good time.

Well done.

Congrats on your hunt!

Brett

SWAMBO

You guys did exceptionally well as the conditions were very difficult there this year because of the heavy and late rains. Congrats on everything but those nyala in their natural habitat are special trophies.

I'm pretty sure I recognize some of the areas in the photos. Definitely a different habitat than I've ever hunted in.

I still am amazed at the numbers of sable and waterbuck there.

Mark

Wonderful report and photos. Congrats on a fantastic trip...

Congratultions on your Safari!
any news on buffalo number 2?

great report ang great trophies, congrats.

Did Craig use his familiar phrase..." let's just kip over there and take a look"...or "We'll kip on over to the swamps and find you a nice Buff". He's quite the congenial host!

Craigh and Colleen (plus their boys are miniature Craighs) were the ultimate hosts. He was so patient with me...as I don't care how many safaris and animals I have taken, I get nervous about my shooting accuracy. He stays so calm and makes everything seem easy!! He really helped me be confident. Great people!

Best regards, Darin (horrible name for a woman)

Matt;

I haven't tried to contact them yet. So I'm still keeping my fingers crossed...Craigh was fairly certain they would find it. We just didn't have time to search the swamps.

Darin

I will keep my fingers crossed for you too!
congratulations again on a wonderful hunt.

WTG, Darin! Congratulations!

Swamp hunting is just as difficult as mountain hunting, IMHO.

Just physically brutal - and wet besides!

Terrific trophies, and there's no better birthday than a birthday in the bush, while on safari!

Again, congrats to you and the mister both.

Fantastic report.


I don't believe you are 64 though!

quote:

Life seems to be so much happier when there is a "booked" safari on the horizon somewhere.

Truer words were never written!!!

A very pleasant read, and congratulations to you both on the hunt. Not everybody can say they have hunted the swamps in Africa! Everything I have heard and read of Mark's operation over the years has been all very positive...and the diverse habitat just makes it all the more interesting.

Thank you for the report.

Way to go Darrin. Looks like you and your husband had a great trip. Congratulations.

Well done, thank you for the fine report. Great trophies well earned.
As an aside, my wife and I hunted Mahimba in 2006. At the time it had been taken over by J.P. Kleinhans who had done a lot of work. We had a good experience there. I don't know who has the concession now.

Great report and awesome trophies.

Very good report. Congrats on a great trip.

Darin,
Congratulations on another terrific safari. That 10 foot croc is a lizard compared to the new one. Oh yes by the way happy belated birthday.

Mike

Craigh is a fantastic PH and anyone hunting with him is in for a great safari. Wonderful report and hunt. Very well done all the way around !!

Super cool photos and great hunt report!

Looks like a very interesting place to hunt, congrats!

Congratulations on a great hunt, never been to Moz but is sounds interesting

Darin
looks like you guys had a wonderful safari! You ended up with some fantastic animals.

Those Nyala are absolutely ridiculous!! AWESOME trophies!! Congratulations.

Great report! Isn't this Buffalo 14? See you at Il Ling's next tutorial.

Marc

quote:

Originally posted by MarcF:
Great report! Isn't this Buffalo 14? See you at Il Ling's next tutorial.

Marc

No, the one I definitely got is number 10, the other one will be 11 if they find it...so I'm going by 10.

Thanks, See ya, Darin

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
Fantastic report.


I don't believe you are 64 though!

Frank;

The camera is kind...and so are you.

Thanks, Darin

Thanks all, for the kind words.

I do highly recommend this hunt as unique...glad "I've been there and done it"...won't have to do it again!

Best regards, D. Nelson

D,

Great report and a wonderful description of a terrific safari in Coutada 11 with the Haldanes! I second everything you've said, as I've hunted there twice and done exceptionally well both times. And welcome to the Swamp Club, there aren't many of us.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
And welcome to the Swamp Club, there aren't many of us.

Craigh did keep asking, "Are you alright?" I must have looked pretty bad. I can honestly say I was loving it while I was doing it, but right now, I wouldn't RUSH back to the SWAMPS!

(As a compliment, he did tell me that a lot of MEN, much younger than me, wouldn't hunt in the SWAMPS!)

I hunted with these folks a few years ago and they are definitely TOP NOTCH. The best hunting experience I have ever had.

Great story and the pics really bring back memories.

Outstanding report and pics!

Congrats on a great hunt!

Was the other couple in the camp from Michigan?

I hunted out of the Portuguese camp two years ago and it was fabulous. I liked the swamp hunt and Glen (Haldane) and I have talked about my next trip focusing on that.

405wcf

quote:

Originally posted by 405wcf:
Was the other couple in the camp from Michigan?

405wcf

Yes, Don and Virginia... Do you know them? Super people headed to Madagascar from Moz.

Regards, D. Nelson

Yes, they are in my SCI chapter. Great couple. They were originally scheduled for 2009 but had to change to 2010. By any chance was LJ their PH?

quote:

Originally posted by 405wcf:
By any chance was LJ their PH?

No, Awie was. They seemed to enjoy him, but I think they would get along with anybody. They took a full bag and both of them did the SWAMPS. They did the fly camp too.

Regards, Darin

They spent some time with LJ when he came to town last winter and I thought perhaps he would end up working for them. They are truly wonderful caring people.

That fly camp is a nice set up! We had a blast out there. I have pictures of one of the trackers eating raw iguana eggs he found there.

The Haldane brothers have a great concession (now two) and run an excellent operation. I suspect Mozambique is well on its way to again becoming a safari hotspot.

405wcf

quote:

Originally posted by 405wcf:

The Haldane brothers have a great concession (now two) and run an excellent operation. I suspect Mozambique is well on its way to again becoming a safari hotspot.

405wcf

I certainly agree!!!! Their operation changed my mind about Mozambique!

Best regards, Darin

Great report. B e a u t i ful nyala ! Congrats. Sounds like you had fun.