Hunt Dates 30 June-11July, 2013
Travel Agent Steve Turner/Travel With Guns (esp Nanette)
Country Zimbabwe
Outfitter Bulembi Safaris (Martin Pieters)
PH Tini Kok
Area Omay North
Gun .375 H&H custom by Mark Bansner Ammo 300 grain Federal softs & solids

So for the second half of our hunt, we flew from RSA to Bulawayo. Arriving at the airport there (that “temporary terminal” sure looks pretty permanent to me), we noticed another hunter with the same bound travel packet from Travel With Guns. Joe was also to be hunting with Martin Pieters’ group and going to another of their camps in Omay North. Little did we know then what a warm friendship we would ultimately develop with Joe.

Tulani picked us all up at the airport and took us to the Southern Comfort Lodge to overnight there. Lovely place with delicious food and good people. Then back in the van with Tulani the next morning as we had opted for the (long) drive to camp. It turned out to be a fabulous way to really see the country and I’m so glad we did that versus the fly-over charter. Tulani, however, was the most cautious driver I’ve ever observed. Most. As in Ever. He slowed for everything. If we made a drinking game of every time he was super-cautious, we’d have been passed out in the floor of the van within an hour or two of leaving. Bless his heart (said in my best slow, southern drawl).

About 3/4s of the way, we met up with our respective PHs and transferred to their land cruisers for the remainder of the trip. The highlight of that was the TseTse Fly Control Border. Being “inspected” by the crazy, drunken man with eyes pointing in two different directions (“aaalllllooooo” “do you haaavvveee any tsetse flieeesss?”) ended up in a laugh fest. We finally arrived at Ume Camp and settled in.

After sighting in the guns the next morning (the trackers reportedly commented, “Madam shoots fast” Ha!), we started the hunt for my cape buffalo. We scouted around with no real luck. Tini recommended we move to McKenzie Camp for two nights for Wesley’s hippo and perhaps an impala or warthog for me. So we did and ended up there with our buddy Joe from the airport and his PH, Chap. That afternoon we checked out the hippo at several locations and he got on the sticks, but there was no shot at a good male.


Day two we were back on the hippos while taking in the gorgeousness that is Lake Kariba. After a morning of sneaking up in some coves trying to get the wind just right while not making a sound, we came upon a pod on the bank with a good bull hippo in the group. Wesley got off his shot and watched as the bull shook his head and charged into the water in the midst of the chaos of the rest of them. Tini got off one shot to the back end of him, but then neither could shoot again as it was impossible to be sure which one was him in the crowd. After discussion, it was decided that the angle went wonky due to his head being tipped further down than originally assessed. Obviously his brain was spared, but he did get a sore nose and ass out of the deal. Due to a unique pink salamander-shaped scar on his neck/shoulder and how territorial hippos are, we were confident we would find him. But, alas, it was not to be. Despite returning to the area later that day and then again the next morning, we saw no sign of him.

So later on day three, we moved on to buffalo so the hippo area could settle down. Tini and his very talented trackers, Nixon & Kashinga, had us on buffalo in less than hour after spotting tracks on the road. I’ve never been “shussed” so much in my life as stalking with this group. Well, darnit, I’m trying to be quiet! Then I got the pleasure of scooting on my butt down a hill and up the next to get closer. When finally on the sticks, we had a nice herd in our sights with several young bulls simply posing for me. But Tini said, no and we could do better. He has a theory that if you pass up on the not-quite-good-enough, the universe will reward you with better. I told him I’d be holding him to that promise. So the afternoon found us moving back to Ume Camp to continue our hunt from there.

Day four. Camp manager Mike joined us on the truck today – a funny guy that Mike. Love a man with a sense of humor. After a morning of riding and walking, we ended up near the old airstrip in the area they call Vietnam. The excellent trackers got me right on top of a herd. Literally. They were milling in a ravine below us. As we attempted to sneak closer for a look, they spooked and ran. We ran after and got to one side of the ravine to see them bottlenecked as they stampeded up the other side. Everyone looked disgusted and no one put the sticks up, so I grabbed my camera and started popping off some shots. Tini whirled incredulously and yelled, “Stop taking pictures. Shoot the bull! Do you see him?” Well, yes, indeed I did. Oops. He was trapped there at the bottom waiting to get through the bottleneck. But by the time, I dropped the camera to dangle from the strap and got the gun up… well, I’m sure you can fill in the blanks. And I didn’t even get a decent picture.

Back to camp somewhat sheepishly. But delighted to find that Joe and Chap had moved over there to continue their hunt. As we sat around the fire that night talking, Tini pithily remarked that he “had his photographic client with him today, but hoped his shooting client showed up tomorrow.” Uh oh, big guy. It’s on now. LOL.

Day five we returned to past the airstrip and found the buff were in the area called Tiger Bay on the other side of the road. So off we go. Hard, fast walking. Up and down. But back on the herd as a result. And we started the find-‘em-bump-’em-find-‘em-again-rinse-repeat dance that is so typical of cape buffalo hunting. The herd had an injured cow struggling to keep up (wounded by a previous hunter in camp while after leopard bait) and she finally got separated from the rest so we had to keep a wary eye out for her.

While waiting for the trackers to return from a foray at one point, I peeled off my dark green long-sleeve tee to be cooler in the short-sleeve underneath. Tini and Mike were both horrified – I couldn’t hunt in that light color! So I managed a Houdini act and skinnied out of the light one up underneath the dark one to appease them. Previously I had left my beloved Rolex in camp as Tini complained it made too much noise against my gun barrel. I had also trimmed my bangs the night before as I had been struggling to keep them out of the gun sights. About the only thing I didn’t do is dance with a goat in the light of a full moon. Mike joked that the dark green shirt would be my lucky charm, but I insisted it would be the sparkly bra worn underneath it. Hey, a girl has to have something pretty on. Ha.

To move faster and quieter, our group split up with Mike and Wesley returning to the truck. Later we would learn that Wesley burped as they were walking which caused Mike to throw up his gun prepared to battle the cranky injured cow buffalo! “Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Tini, Nixon, Kashinga, the game scout, and I then set off on the Bataan death march. Fast, hard, up, down, faster, running, crawling on hands & knees, crouch-walking, crouch-running, ad nauseum. In and out of ravines including one we slip-slid into and couldn’t find a way out on the other side. Nixon basically hauled me out one-handed. And we were off again. We got on the herd and on the sticks several times during all this, but it was never the sweet spot we were after.

Until, it happened. I’m on the sticks, the herd is so close I can smell them, and I’m waiting for the bull to step through the gap. He does and he’s in my sights when a cow steps right on front. I instantly envision another hour of the dance. Tini whispers to move my aim to the next gap. My bull steps through, I say “I’ve got him,” and I shoot as Tini watches through the binos. The herd thunders off at the sound of the shot and we follow. We hardly get any distance at all when the bull whirls back toward us and I shoot again twice as Tini does, too. He falls and I start grabbing everyone for big hugs – caught the old boys off guard, I do believe.

As we approached the buffalo, he still had some movement so Tini had me put in one last insurance shot. Woohoo! I’m now in the club, boys. Slide over on the bench and make room.



Turns out we were only 100 yards from the road. Wesley and Mike had heard the shots and noted that I got off that first shot at exactly 11 am in the morning. Tini radioed Joe and Chap that this herd with several more bulls was now all theirs and they came to see what I had gotten. The crews of the two trucks worked to build a road and get in to pick him up. Tini used his GPS to determine that I had taken that initial shot at 32 yards – no wonder I could smell them. And as we examined my bull, I was elated to learn that my initial shot had been exactly where it was supposed to be. Dead on. If you are ever going to make a perfect shot, an 8-9-year old cape buffalo bull at 32 yards is the time to do it.

Our group headed back to camp, while Mike headed out with Joe, Chap, and their truck to continue the stalk on that herd. Chap had already told us he wears the same pair of lucky underwear without washing until his client gets a buffalo. I did offer the lucky sparkly bra to either Chap or Joe, but surprisingly neither took me up on it. Nonetheless, they were able to take another bull from the same herd later in the day and so the celebration in camp that night was doubly sweet. In celebration, Joe had the first sip of beer he’d had in forty years and declared that it tasted “just as bad as he remembered it.”

Hunt day six we headed back over to McKenzie camp with Joe riding along to search for the unrecovered hippo once more. They were able to locate the pod due to the distinguishing missing ear on another of the hippos, but could not locate the one with the pink salamander scar that Wesley shot. Disappointing, but as Tini said so many times, we were ready to strangle him, “That’s hunting.”

Day seven we all went fishing! With beautiful Lake Kariba there, it was irresistible.



That night we had a big braai and party as Joe would be leaving us the next day.



Day eight, Wesley and I hunted casually for impala for me and bushbuck for him. Day nine, we chose to just have a lovely, lazy day around camp while soaking up the beauty of the area. Dinner that night was buffalo tail stew made by Mike – delicious.


Overall, we can’t say enough about Martin Pieters’ Bulemi Safaris operations. Both Ume and McKenzie camp were clean and well-stocked facilities where we wanted for nothing. Food was excellent and plentiful. Shower water was hot. And the scenery was to-die-for. All three of the PHs we interacted with were skilled and capable. Tini did a most excellent job on our hunt while Mike & Chap seem equally talented. All three apprenticed under big names in the industry and it shows.

Day ten we headed back to Bulawayo for another overnight at Southern Comfort Lodge. That evening we enjoyed dinner at a local place with Tini & his girlfriend, Chap & his fiancé, and Mike. Martin was able to stop by for before dinner drinks with us.


Before heading to the airport the next morning, we were able to visit the taxidermist (a most impressive operation) and Martin’s office.

All-in-all a most wonderful adventure. As the quote goes, “Everything in Africa bites, but the safari bug is worst of all.” I’d go back tomorrow.

Hunter's wife to be?
With a report like this, I think you are every safari hunter's dream wife!
Welcome to the club, and well done!

Good for you! Nice buff and a very well written report. If I remember you had some unfinished business with buffalo.

Mark

Thank you fore an great report and congrats with nice buff!
Will stay at Omay camp fore my first buffalo hunt in september.....can`t wait

Great report. I really like all the terrain and camp life pictures. Thanks.

Fantastic report!
Congratulations

Really cool!!!! Great job on the buff too, and congrats.

Congrats! Great pics!

Congrats on a great hunt and well earned buff! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. The situation with the camera and the herd bull rang so true. Sometimes missed opportunities make a later success that much more sweet!

Angie! Congrats on an outstanding buff!! The score is settled then! Well done indeed you thoroughly deserve it!

Tini is quite a character and I look forward to sharing camp with him in Ngamo is Sept! No luck with Wes Hippo- such is life!! Cheers Buzz

I enjoyed your write up and pictures. Dad and I leave in 28 days for one of Martin's camps and I believe Chap will be our PH.

Good job and some great Pics. That is a nice looking buff. Congrats. Bruce

Great report! I really like the writing style.

Thanks for sharing.


.

Hunter's Wife.

Many congratulations on your buffalo. Well done. What a splendid time you had. Thank you for your report (s), I enjoyed both.

Kind regards
Jytte

Thanks for the report, very nicely done. The smiles tell the story of a great adventure. I will be at Ume in October. My experience with Martin has always been first rate.

Great hunt report and congratulations are in order! Wish my wife would go and hunt with me...

Angie,

Nice photos and great hunt report! Congratulations on your Buff, excellent trophy.

Observations while hunting with Hunter's Wife To Be in Zimbabwe:

1.Well she settled her score with the buffalo for sure. She paid her dues(10 days with CMS) and scored on day 5 of this hunt.She walked,crawled,butt slid,duck walked basically whatever it took for 15 days total to get her buff. Needless to say I am proud of her and her attitude.Her shot was perfect and her follow up shots were perfect too.

2.Martin Pieters company is "Top Shelf" all the way. From the first time Martin emailed me until drop off at the airport everything was first rate.The camps were well staffed and equipped and very well cared for,food was great and we wanted for nothing.Everyday we had clean clothes,great food,hot water for showering,clean chalet and a Million dollar view of Lake Kariba.

3.Our PH Tini Kok was great also. He and his team worked great together and did everything possible to make our hunt a success.The trackers(Nixon and Kashinga) were phenomenal as they always seem to be in Zim. Ducks his number 3 man was truck guard, back up tracker and some time driver,always helpful and fun to be around. Anyone that has Tini assigned to him as PH will be in for a treat. He is a great PH,well mannered,will hunt to your limitations(I told him prior to the 1st day I walked slow due to hip and knee trouble)he will push you also but that's a good thing too. I would recommend him to anyone as a PH you just can't go wrong.

4. All of the other PH's(Chap,Bruce Cronje,Mike and one other PH that was finishing up with the Russian) in camp were great to be around and an absolute blast to share camp with. Their stories were great and their bets, threats and dares were even better.One disappointment we had on the trip was we did not get the witness the footrace between Mike and Bruce,it only took approx. 1 hr. to iron out the rules and proper attire but by the time this was done it was approaching 9:30pm and everyone went to bed. Hopefully this can be arranged next year on the return trip.

5.The shot on the hippo was a bitter pill to swallow. Tini got us in perfect position,30 yards from a sleeping hippo pod on the bank,we wait 30-45 minutes for them to stand and the bull to clear the cows and calves. we are approx. 6-8' in elevation above the bull,he is facing to my left quartering toward us,my shot is between the ear and the eye,I squeeze the trigger and the cross-hair eases toward the eye and when the hammer drops it is right to the left of his eye,his head flies back and he whirls into the water, Tini hits his ass with a .458. He states "you hit him low". We talk about the shot and it sinks in that I had not compensated for the size of the brain and the trajectory and it seems that my .375 went below the brain with out mortally wounding him or knocking him out.My fault completely,I practiced at 50 and 100 yards routinely hitting golf balls at these distances.Prior to this hunt any animal I have ever hunted died when shot around the eye,but the hippo just fooled me as I never considered the trajectory.A bitter pill,but I guess if you hunt long enough it will happen.Hopefully I never experience this again.

6. I have hunted Africa more than most and less than some,multiple countries. If you have any intentions of going there to hunt "DO IT NOW". On each of my return hunts the huntable areas are getting smaller and smaller.It is slowly going away. On the drive to the Omay you pass miles of pristine Africa that hold no animals(none) just small settlements/villages with light signs of farming anything that was around has been snared/poached and eaten. The hunting concessions are vast and hold game but they are being squeezed more and more. Botswanna is closing,Moz has rumblings of more fighting/civil war,Tanzania is getting higher and higher etc.. Not trying to paint a dull picture,there are great areas,great safari companies(Martin Pieters,and CMS) and great animals but it all is being pressured from all sides,go if you can and see it before it's gone.

Again thanks to Martin and everyone in his company for a great trip.
Wesley Timmerman

Great report, congratulations on your bull.

I had lunch with Tini in Bulawayo while we were delayed waiting for my rifle to get "unlost" by SAA. He's a very personable fellow and seemed like he would be fun to hunt with.

Great report thanks very much for taking the time to put it together.

I see you had Federal 375 300 grain - was it TSX for the softs, and what kind of solids? I had a couple 375 with the Barnes banded solids not go bang last year. Considering not using any solids in the 375 this year, as the TSX did very well. Also, lately Federal seems to have discontinued the BBS, in favor of the Woodleigh Hydros. Was wondering what you went with?

Next year - an elephant or a lion?

Wes and Angie, it was a pleasure having you in camp and we look forward to next years laughs by the fire!
Congrats again on a fine buffalo Angie!
Mart

Congratulations! Nicely done!

Angie,

Congratulations on a fine safari. You have just been bitten by the Afican bug. She will be calling you back.

Mike

Well done! Another Huntress scores!!!!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Fine Buffalo indeed. Congrats and thank you for sharing your adventure with us.