Outfitter: Rigby Big Game Safaris

Professional Hunter: Johan Hermann

Dates: April 23 to April 29, 2010

I just returned from my second to trip with Rigby Big Game Safaris in South Africa. I hunted elephant here last year on a hunt booked by Aaron Neilson. I killed a beautiful elephant on the 5th day. After seeing the incredible number of buffalo, I decided that I had to return this year to hunt one of the monsters we saw last year.

The area we hunted is the 250,000 acre Letaba Ranch. The Letaba was recently acquired by Rigby and had not been hunted for dangerous game for 10 years. The hunt is unique for South Africa in that it is not a fenced or canned hunt. I was fortunate enough to harvest a monster buffalo with a 44.5" spread and 16" bosses. I also took a monster hippo from the Letaba River.

Picture of Johan and me with elephant I killed last year.


It was frustrating to pass buffalo like these. However, this hunt was specific for a monster buffalo.


Look at the old boy on the left.


Picture of the buffalo I killed this year. Notice how the bosses are fused.


Another picture of the buff:


Pciture of the Hippo I harvested on the last day.


Elephant.


Chameleon we found crossing the road. The trackers were absolutely terrified of this little guy.


I hope you guys enjoy the pictures.

Wonderful buffalo. Congratulations. Your last years ele looks good, too. Please stick a few more photos up for us. Thanks

Fantastic Buffalo - congratulations. Obviously this is a top concession.What other game did you come across while looking for that monster ? What's the big issue with the Chameleon ? Is it a superstition because they don't look too mean ? Thanks for the report.

Great Buffalo, congratulations.

Very nice buffalo!

Brett

fantastic buff- congrats...

Brian - Congrats on a couple of great trophies!

Awesome buffalo, spread & bosses

Wow. Fantastic buff. Nice hippo.

Very nice Buffalo!!
Congratulations.

Now THAT is a buffalo! One of the better bulls I have seen in a while.

BA;

You just killed my dream buffalo..."ole helmet head"!!! Congratulations! That buffalo is the type that keeps us hunting!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Gorgeous buffalo!! That center bull in the 2nd picture gets my blood boiling as well.....though not quite as much as the one you shot. Congratulations!!

Awesome buff and Great ele!
Congrats.

Helluva bull, both ele and buff.

Congrats, How big was your elephant?

AWESOME trophies, well done!!

Really appreciate the compliments. To answer a few questions.

1. The elephant was just under 70 lbs.
2. The other animals at the Letaba that we saw are typical of those indigenous to the area. This would include waterbuck, zebra, impala, leopard, impala, giraffe, nyala, bushbuck, duiker, steenbok, klipspringer, hippo, buffalo, elephant, etc. Johann does not really hunt the plains game species as they are very expensive in his area and there are much cheaper alternatives in South Africa.
3. The trackers believe that the chameleon will give them bad dreams, etc. You have to respect thier beliefs. However, it's easy to have a good laugh with them about it.
4. I have included some additional photos below.

Here is another picture of the elephant. Some people don't like a photo where you sit on top of an animal, which I understand. However, I like this picture as it is the only one I have that truly shows the size of this animal.


Here is a picture where Johan is harassing the trackers with the Chameleon. Freddie is the one on the left. He was scared of his own shadow, but the best tracker I have seen in 5 trips to Africa.


I should have used this picture in my first post. He was laying down asleep in the middle of the road. He was laying while resting his head on his horn. It was one of those instances on a safari where you make a stupid comment to your PH. Mine was "Holy #$%^, look at the dead buffalo in the road." Guess he heard me as he stood up right after that. If I remember correctly, Johann said he was around 43". Anyone have an opinion on this?


Zebra:


The impala were well into the rut, lots of racket from these guys. Look at his back right leg as it is broken. Some leopard was going to get real lucky on this one.


Camp:


Another picture from camp.


I must say that Johann had the best collection of buffalo in the skinning shed. It's really difficult to put these buffalo in perspective in this picture, but mine is on the front left and is 44.5" wide. I remember the one on the front right to be 46" wide. The one with the longest horn is in the middle and I have no idea how wide he is, but who cares.. Look at his drops and curls!


Finally, his family came out and spent the night at camp. It was nice break to the typical safari camp. Good people all around.


Hope you all enjoy these as well. I am signing off as I don't want to be that AR guy thay drags his hunt report on to long. 505: Post the Kitty Cat!

this is a hard report to follow, I'll get it up as soon as I can.

You're a very fortunate man, congrats on some fine hunts.

Nice buff and elephant. Congrats.

Congrats. Terrific buff and looks like super trophy quality in this concession.

What a Buffalo trophy! Congratulations.

Good trophy selections
Must have given you lot´s of fun.
Well, done.......

Elephant and buffalo are great! The bull in the middle of the 2nd photo would be hard to pass but easier knowing a bull ike the one you took were around. Really impressive buffalo!

Great trophies - either one could be the trophy of a lifetime...