Tuskless Hunt in Chewore South

Rifles Searcy 450NE Classic
Ruger RSM 375 H&H
CEB bullets for both
Travel Delta 200/201 Travel With Guns
Lodging African Sky
PH Luke Swartz
Observer/Rifle bearer/photographer Carol
Camps Makanga /Pedza

I was scheduled to hunt with Alan Shearing in Dande. A few weeks before i left i was asked if i minded a slight change. I was now going to hunt with Luke Swartz in Chewore South. I had not heard about Luke at this point. When Myles picked us up at Harare he told me about Luke. He said he is " one to watch". It turned out that we had a great time with Luke. He is a great hunter and a blast to spend time.

After a uneventful flight from the states to JNB we spent the night at African Sky. First time i have ever seen the place completely full. Lots of other AR members there for the night. Next morning we were off to Harare. We arrived to find out some of our luggage was left behind. The was a fuel shortage in Harare so SAA decide to leave bags behind to be able to carry more fuel for the return flight.Instead of flying out to the camps we were dropped off at Amanzi B&B. Great place to spend the night. Myles picked us up in the morning and went back to the airport. Had decided that if our bags were not there we would head to camp anyway. Luckily everyone,s bags had arrived.Made our way to the charter flight and we were on our way to Chewore South.
Landing at Chenji air strip we met our team.
We arrived in camp just in time for lunch. Afterwards we checked the guns and off to walk the Makanga River looking for elephant activity.
We did not see any elephant on that walk but did see a lot of fresh tracks and saw a dead cow that had been used for a hyena bait.
The next morning we drove into Chewore and began a serious look for a big tuskless. I had told Luke that i did not want to shoot the first one we saw. I was really planning on spending some time with the elephants. My first elephant hunt was a park boundary hunt.I did shoot a bull but i did not see a lot of elephants up close. Luke had done his apprenticeship in Chewore and he knew that place well. Some times we found tracks on the road to follow. Most of the time we headed off the roads to springs that Luke knew of. Every time we headed to a hidden spring we found elephants.
I was having a great time seeing elephants up close. We would usually get inside of two to three herds a day.
Most of the time there was not a tuskless present.
On day four we did see a huge tuskless in a herd of 10 elephants. Luke said this one was too big to pass on. We then made a quick hike into the herd.
Here is the one we were looking at.
We made our final approach.
When we were as close as we were going to get, The sticks go up. I took the frontal brain shot. He dropped to the shot and i was very pleased. As soon as it hit the ground the rest of the herd moved it to see what happenned. Luke want me to shoot again but there were no open shots.As the herd moved away i shot it again. That's when the lead cow found out where we were. She decided to come at us. We all ran up a hill that was behind us. She only came half way and then decided to give up. When she left with her calf she ended going in the direction of the cruiser. The cow gave Emanuel our driver a little scare.
The elephant ended up being a old bull. The first one CMS had shot.
It was late in the day so we decide to cover it up and do the recovery the following day. Chewore is a great place to hunt elephant leopard and buffalo. There was very little other game present. Being that i had shot most of the plains game on previous safaris we decide to move camps and do some fishing on the Zambezi. The day after the recovery we loaded up and left Makanga camp and moved to Pedza camp.
The was a hunter there hunting with Alan. The day we arrived they had shot a tuskless also. We had quite a celebration that night.Oh my head hurts New rule is don't drink anything without a label.Or anything that is on fire.

The trip took a turn for relaxing and having fun today. Myles had arranged for us to use a boat out of the fishing camp. We also visited the Matombo camp where the other hunters we flew in with were hunting. What a view from that camp. The road up there is terrible but well worth it.

We had a little boat trouble the first day. Had to "Make a Plan"
Had to make a oar from a fishing rod and a flip flop. Ended up getting some help from from some Zambian fishermen. All part of the adventure.

Had great time fishing the mighty Zambezi. Lots to see
The river was quite cold and even the hippos did not want to be in it.
Had great fun cathing the bait and fishing for tiger fish

While we were there, Zimbabwe was having a national holiday. Hero's Day. We were asked to deliver some meat to the village council.


While we were talking one evening we asked if we would like to try to find the Vadoma people. We did not know anything about them. This tribe in Zim as about to be extinct. There are very few of them left because the will not associate with outsiders. We made a plan to find them the following day. We took Didi from the camp with us, he would try to find the location. On the way we ran into Buzz and his clients. It was quite cold in the mornings. His tracker was dressed for it
After quite a drive and picking up another guide we found the Vadoma people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadoma
http://www.atlasobscura.com/pl...rich-people-zimbabwe
Here is the women that we found. We had to bribe her to come outside for picture. She was quite afraid of her husband beating her for talking to outsiders.


On the way back to the camp we stopped in the village to hand out candy to the kids
On the way back to Pedza we ran accross some wild dog tracks. After following them for quite a few miles we found them. What a treat this was
Our time in Zim was coming to a end all too soon. Had one last night at camp and then to Harare. Had great night enjoying the bush babies and the other hunters stories

The final sunset


After arriving in Harare Buzz picked us up and delivered us to the Amanzi B&B. He got a super upgraded room the, honeymoon suite.
That night he took us shopping at a few places then we went to dinner at his home. Had a great time with Buzz and Stef.
The next day Luke showed up with his girlfriend to say goodbye. We were off to the airport and the long trip home.

Final Thoughts If Buzz and Myles make a plan it will be a good plan. The last minute change in PH and area worried me. But it was better than expected in every way. Luke is someone to hunt with if you want to hunt hard and have great time. Could not have have a better time with him.

Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for the posting all the nice photos. I was in Chewore South last year for the same hunt and met Luke, although Alan was my PH. I am happy to see Luke finally got a pair of shoes. He went barefoot everywhere he went when I was there. Did you see the dinosaur tracks while you were there?

Great report, congrats on a fine hunt. I would have loved to have met the Vadoma woman.

Great report and photos - thanks for sharing!

Great hunt, well done.
I don't think you realise just how special that meeting with the Vadoma woman was.
There are very few people even in the Zambezi Valley who have ever seen them. The two toes show very clearly on your photograph.

I just realized, I think, that you shot a tuskless bull too. If that is right, and you met the Vadoma woman, wow you hit the lotto. Could hunt another twenty years and not repeat that feat!

Just outstanding in so many ways. Great photos, love your rifle choices, and so cool you shot a tuskless bull after passing on the cow. I stayed at Pedza and love to see the bush babies. Thanks,

What a wonderful safari Chris!

A tuskless bull , you are lucky indeed.

I have also hunted Chewore sth for tuskless in 2013 with CM and had a great time.

Your photos brought back some memories for me, the bait under the tree in the riverbed is where i shot my Hyena last year!!!!

The Vadoma tribe encounter is fascinating!!

Congratulations to all again.

cheers

Nick

Spent a lot of time at Chenji and walking the Makanga. Brings back a lot of great memories. Great report and hunt.

Dutch

Nice story in pics. I love to see photos of the entire African experience rather than just the critters killed.
Thanks for posting.
Cal

Very Nice!..Thanks for the report.

Great report. I've met Luke and he seems like a great guy to hunt with. Congrats on the hunt.

Tell us more about the tuskless bull. Did you know if it was bull before you shot it or only after you walked up on him. What a rare and special trophy. Most of us won't ever see that. You had a great all around experience. That is what a safari should be like.

Thank you for a great report and on congratulations on your success!

Chris,

Congratulations on a great hunt and fine trophy! Great report and photos!

David

A tuskless bull, amazing!
Great story and pictures. Thank you.

Well done Chris, great report!
Pleasure for me to share the camp with you and Carol.
Petr

quote:

Originally posted by Bama15:
Tell us more about the tuskless bull. Did you know if it was bull before you shot it or only after you walked up on him. What a rare and special trophy. Most of us won't ever see that. You had a great all around experience. That is what a safari should be like.

Did not know it was a bull until he was on the ground.
We did not look at it very long before we decide this was the one. It was taller than the others except the big bull in the herd.
Most every herd we looked at had at least one big bull in it.

quote:

Originally posted by rtep:
Well done Chris, great report!
Pleasure for me to share the camp with you and Carol.
Petr

Petr
Glad we got to spend some time with you and Merick.
Did you get to catch a tiger fish before you left??

quote:

Originally posted by R.Jolly:
Great hunt, well done.
I don't think you realise just how special that meeting with the Vadoma woman was.
There are very few people even in the Zambezi Valley who have ever seen them. The two toes show very clearly on your photograph.

I will be offering guided trips to see the tribe. I have the GPS numbers and can return.
You will just have to buy me a ten day hunt

Well done Chris... I definitely need to hang out with you or at least have the opportunity to try and get some of your luck to rub off on me! Nice tuskless bull! That is the only one I can remember being posted here.

Well done! good Reading.

Well done.

Here is a pic of a Vadoma cave we found along the cliff above Mkanga River not too far up stream from where the main road crosses in Chewore South.

I took this pic in 2006.



You can see the little cave with the fresh stick ladder going to it at the top of the pic.

Here is a little bit closer up of the Vadoma cave w/ ladder.

Sounds like you had the time of your life! Congratulations.

Chris, I could have sworn I posted this before but age I guess. Great on your tuskless bull. I am not sure if you remember, but my first bull (also tuskless) ele was near yours (Dande East) in 2005. It is very rare to get a tuskless bull. Buzz also knew of the bull I got but at the time the area was managed by Bill Bedford and my PH was a good friend Bruce Watson. Bruce still has the skull at this house and says it is one of the biggest skulls most of them have ever seen. Oh, if only some of that bone had gone into ivory. Im also glad to see you have a nice rifle after Mr. Nerving took advantage of us. Anyway, great for you to have such a great hunt.

Larry

Tough life in the village

Hair cut day

Waiting for high tide

Villagers ride cool bikes

Part time gun bearer

The team at work

Elephant dung bridge

Buffalo bean
Bringing Michigan to Zim

Gate sign

Camp baboon

Really nice pictures.

Congrats on your elephant. Super!

Congrats on a super great hunt,great selection of pictures,especially the locals,puts a face on the area & the local culture,well done.

Buffalo beans give me the creeps.

Don't like them beans!

Nice pics and a great read. Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for sharing!

Hi Chris and Carol!

Thanks for the nice report and what a pleasure it was having you guys at home for dinner on your last night! Look forward to hopefully seeing you at the shows!!!