Where: Bubye Valley Conservancy
PH: John Sharp
August 1-10, 2014
Vid
videographer: Ray Buchanan, Rustic Hunters Production
This is a short report on our vacation in the BVC. It wasn't your typical rackem stackem trip, my wife(Jane) and I took our Granddaughter(Andrea) for her first trip to Africa. Watching her experience Africa for the first time was a tremendous thrill. I would like to share some of the highlights along with a lot of pics. Hope you enjoy it.
#1- We were able to spend some time with Paul Trethowan who is doing lion research in the Bubye. The first afternoon we were with him when he darted a big male whose collar had quit working. We removed the collar and took all kind of measurements, how tall, long, measured his teeth, took hair samples from his mane and three wishers.



Paul had a helper who stood guard, watching for other lions that were in the area. If they got to close he would throw rocks and tell them to GO AWAY! Who needs a double?

Paul said the lion was 8 years old(oh boy, here we go), 116cm(3'9") tall, 263cm(8 1/2') from nose to tip of tail. That is a lot of kitty. Paul gave him the anti-dope and we watched him wake up and walk off to join his buddy that had been hanging around a couple of hundred yards off. To be able to lay hands on the "KING OF BEAST" was an experience we will never forget. I told Andrea she would be telling her grand kids about it.
Sitting around the camp fire at night listening to Paul talk about his research was fascinating. One thing in particular was about the number of water tanks. BVC has an extremely high number of water points and what they have found out is the lions are just roaming in their territories hunting instead of hunting near the water sources. Normally lions do most of their hunting close to the water sources, targeting zebra and wildebeest who come for water more often. What they have found in the BVC is the lions wander around and are hitting the kudu and eland, who don't go to water as often, hard. Management has shut down a number of tanks so the game will have to travel farther.
Andrea is going to culinary school and had her eyes opened by the high quality of food that was prepared in a primitive, to her, kitchen. Cashier, the cook, was proud to have her help out some in his kitchen.

The zebra I got was the first one I've ever shot and since Andrea was in on the stalk made it even more special. She is getting married next year so I think a proper wedding gift would be a zebra rug.

The giraffe was also a first for me and I think a patchwork rug would be really beautiful.

Jane had a birthday while we were in camp and that night Cashier made a cake. Cashier and Nahmo the waiter, brought the cake in while singing Happy Birthday.
It was a complete surprise, I got a lot of brownie points for that and believe me, I need all the points I can get.


After the hunt was over we traveled back to Bulawayo and went to a Polocrosse match. That's lacrosse played on horses like polo. Now that's a WILD game, another first for us.

Now I'll throw in some pics that I thought were special.

This cub was in a pride that had 5 or 6 cubs and several grown lions.


We saw a ton of zebra and eland.

Ray Buchanan really did a great job, video and stills. I have used him twice and he hustles to get the right picture more than anybody I have ever seen. All of these pics are ones he took, we just relaxed and enjoyed the hunt knowing he would get the shots.

John had the neatest set up to sight in your rifle. It attached to his bumper, you sat in a chair and shot.

RAMBO


There were giraffe around every corner.

Look on the left back, he's soft but give him time.


We came up on this bull one afternoon. He was a little upset that he had to leave the road and walk through the brush. He shook his head and threw leaves at us.

These kudu bulls posed for us and I thought it turned out to be one of the best pictures that were taken.

The Guinea fowl would run down the road until the last minute and fly.




I have posted some of these lion photos in another post but wanted to put them here as seeing lions was a huge part of the experience. This was my seventh trip and I saw more lions in ten days than all the other hunts combined.Hope I didn't bore you with all the pics. Sometimes I rather see the pics than read about the hunt.

Awesome photos!

Randy: Awesome! I love the Bubye! John's shooting rest is totally cool!

enjoyed the photos...well done..

Awesome pics, but doesn't John Sharp with a black rifle look "wrong"? (Kind of like one I posted of a dugga boy crossing tarmac/macadam in Addo Park.)

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
Awesome pics, but doesn't John Sharp with a black rifle look "wrong"? (Kind of like one I posted of a dugga boy crossing tarmac/macadam in Addo Park.)

Have you seen the pic of John riding his Harley with his dog? The black rifle fits right in.

Wow this is a great hunt/vacation report !!!!

Mike

Looks like an amazing trip. Would love to join a day with the lion guys JOhn Sharpe is also the PH for my reason for going to Africa Wilbur Smith. He is a legend!

Congratulations!

Great report. How does one own an AR in Zimbabwe?

What great pics! Thanks for sharing.

Very nice.

Thanks for the post.

Thaks for the Report randy.

Looks like a good time!!

Randy,

Very nice! Glad to see a report more about Africa than just the hunt. There is so much more to safari than just the shooting.

Mark

Great photos. Looks like a great time. Congratulations on your trip.

good pics

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing your story.


.

You didn't bore me at all. Great report and the pictures compliment it well. What an experience it must have been to have your lovely granddaughter along. Ray is in a class of his own and I suspect John Sharpe as well.

Jytte

Superb report and the pics your camera guy took are top drawer! John is for certain the PH and the BVC the perfect combo for taking family! Which camp were ya'll? Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with all of us.

Great pictures! Looks like a great trip.

We were in Ngail, rustic but very comfortable. Paul stays close to that camp and we were able to hook up with him easily.

Great picts Randy! Glad you guys had a nice time....what a wonderful way to combine a family vacation with some hunting, culture and a big dose of conservation in action!

Paul is a great guy, and my son and I too look back on our days spent tracking and working with the lion in the BVC as some of our most memorable time spent in Africa.

Ngali is a good camp and is close to so many others and has some great hunting!

You done good Randy!!!
It looks like you folks had a blast!!!
Congratulations brother

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
Great picts Randy! Glad you guys had a nice time....what a wonderful way to combine a family vacation with some hunting, culture and a big dose of conservation in action!

Paul is a great guy, and my son and I too look back on our days spent tracking and working with the lion in the BVC as some of our most memorable time spent in Africa.

It was certainly the highlight of our trip. I was shocked to learn from Paul few hunters take advantage of the opportunity to experience something like this. Thanks to your report I learned about it. Hopefully more hunters will take advantage of it.

What an outstanding trip. Photos are stunning. A lot more to safari than shooting, for sure!

Thanks for posting.

Awesome pics-thanks for sharing!!!

Randy congrats on your hunt and great pics- very special to share it with family also! John is a pleasure to hunt with also! Cheers Buzz

Randy what a safari, with your grand daughter. Pics are outstanding.

Mike

Thanks for all the compliments on the pictures. I have to give the credit to Ray Buchanan of Rustic Hunters Production. He videoed the hunt and also took all these stills. I've sent a couple of shots to Roland at Trophy Shot Prints for him to work his magic on. I am trying to get my Granddaughter to post her thoughts here, just to get a look through her eyes.