This will take a while to complete, so bear with me!

28 June, 7:45 PM: Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport with all my luggage and bowcase - may miracles never cease! Met by Ernest Digitata Ngoli of Rainer's Arusha office. Glad he was there, as the TZ government was busily changing all the rules daily. With a bit of grease and some fast talk he got me and my bow into the country.

Stayed overnight at the Mt Meru Hotel. Highly recommended.


The view from my room. Mt Meru is towering into the clouds.

29 June, 10:30 AM : Picked up by Ernest and transferred to the office, where we loaded the truck and took off for Mt Losimingoor. (I never saw this name spelled twice the same way, so you may see a lot of variants. Get over it - this is Africa!) Boscoe was the driver, an engaging young live wire like many young Tanzanians I was to meet in Rainer's employ. He taught me some useful phrases, and assured me my Swahili would impress the trackers. He was right - I made 'em giggle every day.

Rainer was stuck in Dar still trying to pry the hunting permits out of the gov't that was busily changing the rules to extort the last farthing out of the hunting industry. I had come early to see the mountain and get acclimatized a bit, so Rainer was staying where he was needed most.

We were a few weeks past the rains and the plains were already dried up and over-grazed by the Masai cattle and goats. It was a circumcision year, so there were many black-robed young men like these along the roads. The white-faced were circumcised and would be deemed men in a month, and the black-faced young men were soon to be circumcised. They were all "away from home" until the process was complete.




A young Tanzanian PH named Kepha greeted me at the Mountain Camp at the South edge of the forest. He was to find out that his license (along with most others) had been retracted by the same gov't ministry pending some mysterious review process.

The view from camp. Another volcanic mountain visible in the distance. I was to see Mt Meru twice from here, and Kilimanjaro very faintly once.

Looks good so far!

Don, Looking forward to the rest of the story.

Mike

29 June, 3 PM: Kepha and the camp staff greet me. I ate a quick lunch, tested the bow, then went for a quick non-hunting walk up the mountain with Keffa (TZ PH) and Lorinyo and Lamaiba the principle trackers. It was a short walk, as Kepha had been completely taken aback by the fact that I was 60 years old. He walked like it was a funeral procession. We made about 1.5 miles round trip up to the nearest overlook/scoping point. It was probably only a 500 ft climb to that point. I got the mistaken impression that this was gonna be a cakewalk physically, since we stayed on the main ridge trail. The bush along the ridge was thick and the bermuda grass was between knee and waist high. It was easy to see why the buff like the mountain. The contrast with the sere plains was dramatic. Saw no buff in the distance. Lorinyo did not want to go higher for fear of bumping buffalo we could not shoot.
Here's a pic from the overlook.

A quick shower and to bed about 9 PM per usual practice.

29 June 7:30 AM: Awakened for a nice breakfast, practiced with my bow and sorted and arranged my gear in the morning. Mist broke up at about 9:30 AM. After lunch went for a stroll below the camp. 3.1 miles total and about 2000 ft total elevation change, in 500 ft sections. Saw 1 bushbuck(F), 9 eland (F), two groups of Mtn Reedbuck (1M/1F; 1M/4F), and two zebras. The Masai herdboys below camp came up to beg us to kill a zebra and give them the meat.

Again the walking was easy, the pace slow and the grass here below the forest easy to walk in and short enough to let you see and avoid the loose rocks.
Here's a pic of the reedbock herd.



30 June 6:00 AM: Awoke before the camp to a very heavy mist/fog envelopment. This was to be typical of the weather here, although some days the it was more fog than mist and vice-versa. On misty days it was very wet and my gaiters would be flooded from the top in the waist-high sections of the bermuda grass.

This was the last of my pre-hunting days and Kepha and I climbed the ridge to the old mountain-top camp. This was a 6.7 mile round trip from the camp at 6100 ft to the mountain top at 7200 ft, the ups and downs along the ridge trail doubled the total elevation change from 2200 ft (+/-1100) to 4400 ft according to my Garmin. Still it was all on a main trail so the walking was relatively easy. Since we were often travelling at a stalking pace to sneak up on bushbuck and to avoid bumping buffalo it took three hours to get there, and three hours back. Again Kepha would not let me break a sweat. "I must deliver you back safely to your grandson." We saw several bushbuck, but no buffalo. A lot of buffalo sign.

The mist did not break up until 10:30 AM. Here's a shot showing the moss-covered trees in the mist.


Rainer arrived in camp in time for a late supper, still no permit, but he had the permit number and a willing game scout, Molel. Molel turned out to be a hunter and a valuable addition to the team. Not a common occurrence in my experience.

Here's the dream team: (L-R) Kepha, Lorinyo, Julius, Lamaiba, Molel.


1 July 0530: 5:30 AM is to be the usual awakening time, breakfast at 0600, depart at 0630-0700 depending on prep and planning time. Excellent breakfast of toast, omelet, fresh fruit, yogurt, coffee, tea and juice. I'd had opening day jitters all night like a 14 year old kid, and had gotten almost no sleep. We left camp out the west side down a 30 degree slope with no trail in knee-high grass hiding loose soft-ball sized rocks. (Hereafter known as Bitch Hill.) I knew I was in trouble before we hit the bottom of the slope. The day was all cross-country with about 3800 ft of total elevation change. Like an idiot I had refused to take walking sticks, since on the trails they'd just been a burden. They'd have been invaluable cross-country. To add to my stupidity I did not drink enough fluids even though I knew I needed to average at least a liter every two hours. We went down the hill and climbed a ridge to the west, bumping a lone bull that we never saw. From the tracks Lorinyo thought it was an old nemesis with a drooping horn that they'd hunted unsuccessfully with a rifle several times. The old bull circled downwind, got our scent and scarpered. He was within 20 yards of us but the bush was so thick we never got a glimpse.

This was the only buffalo we saw or bumped that day. At about 2 PM that afternoon I told Rainer that I was all-in, and that we'd better head to camp unless he wanted to carry me. It took me until dark to struggle back to camp. The total day was again 6.7 miles, with only 3800 ft total elevation change, but the combination of no trail with bermuda grass from knee to waist high hiding rocks on 30 degree slopes totally kicked my ass. The return up Bitch Hill took me 30 minutes.

I'd basically stumbled and staggered all day, and recovering my balance thousands of times did me in. From then on I carried the walking sticks, and they were invaluable.

Thanks for this. Reminds me of my March hunt with Matt on Losingmor. My wife and I loved it. Good luck, you are in a special place.

Thanks for the comments. I'm enjoying it. This is the first time I kept a journal and actually saved the pics.

2 July 0530: I'm using CYTOMAX powder in my trail drink and RECOVERITE drink mix when I get back to camp. I think the stuff must work gang-busters, as I know from elk hunting experience that days like yesterday can hurt me for several days. I seem full recovered and ready to go. I slept like a log.

The plan for today is run the ridge back to the Northern slope. Molel wants me to kill a bushbuck for camp meat, so we are travelling a little slowly and very silently. There's never any talking, just a quiet hack from Molel every once in a while. We saw several bushbuck, but never got a shot. After we crossed the divide the grass was a bit shorter and the bush not so thick. Mist lifted at 11:30 AM. No buff sign at the top water or the North water. A relatively easy day staying on the ridge trail for the most part. Today was 8.3 miles and 5200 ft elevation change. Saw a herd of bedded buff about 2 miles off on the way back to camp, but too far and too late to pursue.

Here's a typical lunch break after the mist lifts: drying socks and moss-covered trees.

Hey Don! Glad to see you are back safe and sound! Enjoying the report so far. Keep it coming!

I just wish I'd remembered to set the time zone on my GPS. The log files are broken up at midnight Mountain time, which means I have to stitch together multiple segments to get the mileage and elevation change.

Way too cool. What a hunt. I'm jealous.

If your still there, have Lorinyo tell the story how he stood up to the big leopard with the shooting sticks during his last hunt in March. It's unbelievable.

July 3: Up at 5:30 AM and out into the mists. North along ridge to the old mountain top camp, then West along that major spine, where we saw the most beautiful eland bull I've ever seen. Young, fat and prime - he looked like prime rib on the hoof. Saw a herd in the far distance that was too far off for practical pursuit, and Rainer figured the wind was bad where they were. Down to the German springs and back to camp via Bitch Hill. (I came to hate that hill. I think I climbed it 9 times. It did get a bit easier as we eventually wore a trail into the grass. It's a 30 degree slope that drops ~500 ft to the West of camp.) German springs is at 5200 ft, so the day had some significant elevation changes. 10.9 miles today, about 2/3 on trail. Approximately 5400 ft total elevation change.

Lorinyo in the leaf camo I gave him. Had to search hard to find one in Extra Small! The rock he is on is over five feet tall.


4 July: Independence day! Started off the ridge N of camp. Struck a fresh herd track crossing the ridge and followed up in the mist. After about 45 minutes could see them below us to the East. Crept down to them and got in close contact (50-90 yards) and stayed in contact for another 45 minutes until they got our scent in a flaw in the wind. As usual one old bitch cow got the scent snorted, threw her head and ran. Herds are tough for bow hunters. The old bitch actually ran around the head of the korongo and came crashing up to within about 6-7 yards of me. She stuck her nose and eyes out of the thick bush, snorted again and buggered off. Lorinyo was just behind me and Rainer was furthest off. He could hear her, but never saw her. Lorinyo did a great imitation of her wrinkling her lip at our stink and running off. Mists cleared about 11:00 AM. Had lunch and a nap and followed up again over the next ridge into the korongo. They'd kept going. Climbed back to the main ridge, but never caught sight of them again. The bush is so thick that even after we find a herd we glimpse just 1 or 2 animals at a time. I fear we're in for a hard time. It's almost impossible to spot a herd, and we've yet to actually see a single dugga boy. Only 5.5 miles today and 3500 ft elevation change.

Our hero during the lunch break.


July 5 Back down Bitch Hill to German Springs, then up the southernmost finger ridge. Seeing the most sign ever, of herds and dugga boys. About halfway up the ridge Lorinyo came rolling back down to our feet, with Rainer's double rifle tumbling beside him. He'd climbed over a nose in the ridge right into two bedded dugga boys. I kidded him that he usually moved like a cat, but this time had looked like a log. Dugga boys long gone, and nobody but Lorinyo ever saw them, even though we were all within 15 yards. The bush is thick!

Went another few hundred yards and a single bull got our scent above us and left the country. Nobody saw this bull at all, even though he was within 25 yards. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here.

Could hear a herd and vectored over to them. Got to where we could see a few head, then they got our scent in a swirl. The wind is very tricky in these steep valleys. Lorinyo had heard a lone bull take off "across the korongo and past the elephants." I suggested following him up, but Lorinyo was so afraid of tembo we could make no progress, we were literally creeping along at a snail's pace. Apparently these elephants are here to escape from poachers and are very bad tempered. Finest example of passive-aggressive behaviour I've ever seen. Gave up and headed home, arriving after dark, as usual. About 6.3 miles and 4000 ft elevation change for the day, ending by climbing Bitch Hill yet again.

Wonderful writing and pictures! What a great adventure. It's hard to have to wait for the next episode.

You have us all anticipating the next day and a part of Africa that not many of us have experienced.... and with a bow, too!

Yahoo! Keep it coming Don!

Glad you are getting some close encounters. Feels like I am right there with ya.

Keep it coming!

quote:

Originally posted by Don_G:
I just wish I'd remembered to set the time zone on my GPS. The log files are broken up at midnight Mountain time, which means I have to stitch together multiple segments to get the mileage and elevation change.

Same thing happened to me. Wish I had thought to warn you! Doh!

July 6: Started out down Bitch Hill to Beacon Hill (the separated ridge to the SW of camp.) We watched some eland, including a nice bull for a while.


Then we saw a lone buff on a ridge about 1.5 miles further West. We got all hot and wet, planning our route to avoid three giraffes, then a calf stepped out! A weird time of year for new calves, but we saw several during the 10 day hunt. Returned to camp for lunch - up Bitch Hill!

After lunch began the trek up the hill at a normal pace, then got word of a herd and moved out. Total time from south camp to the top camp was 1 hour 10 minutes, which is going some!

As we're scoping the herd from the ridgetop a swirling wind sets off a stampede. Watched the herd for a couple of hours and they never got to a position where we could approach with the wind. Decided to leave them and try again in the AM.

9.1 miles and about 3600 ft elevation change today, about 1/2 on trails.

July 7: Up at 0500 and trekked to the top to await the lifting of the mist. We'd hurried up the hill, so I was wet with sweat and as soon as we stopped it got cold. The wind was whipping and the mist was almost rain. I put on my fleece, cap and rain poncho, got into the hollow of a tree and shivered my ass off until Noon.

When the mist lifted we went a little further up the hill then cut West and down the hill towards the sound. We finally caught up and saw them, across the bottom of the korongo then and we planned an approach.

One cull bull with a bit of white on his face and a hard boss was lying exposed from our side of the korongo. There was no shot on any other animal, much less a bull, so he was the target. It was down a REALLY steep slope on our side and about 30 degrees on his side. It took us about 45 minutes to get to within 150 yards, then 45 more skidding downhill on our ass an inch at a time to get within 40 yards. We were 7 days into a ten day hunt and this was the only shot opportunity so far. With 2 bulls on license we could possibly improve later. When Rainer said "Shoot" I did not hesitate.

The bull was lying down chewing his cud with his ass to us and his head away. I took a high lung shot aiming through his body to the far shoulder. The arrow struck about a hand's breadth behind where I was aiming, but the result could not have been better. The arrow entered between the last two ribs, tracked through almost a foot of the near high lung lobe, then crossed under the spine and transected the front lobe of the right lung, exiting just behind the front shoulder.

The bull lunged to his feet and crashed through a large bush and vanished from sight. Rainer is immediately worried I hit too far back, and I get infected. Then Lorinyo says something to Rainer and we all listen. After about 30 seconds we hear the death bellow. (Lorinyo had heard him crash.) Rainer and I were immediately on cloud 9!

The bull had travelled less than 20 yards from his bed!

All the planning, effort and expense had paid off. Rainer Josch of Wild Africa and me.

Wow, super tough trophy in a super tough environment with a bow! Congratulations!

Love that country! Absolutely beautiful and primordial.

July 7, cont. 2:30 PM:

The broadhead and arrow I used are described here. The broadhead is a custom design I had made at Vantage Point Archery. I call it the Dauntless. The entire head assembly weighs 400 grains on a 750 grain arrow with about 27% FOC. The shaft is a GoldTip Kinetic Pro 200 with a 2.5" footer of 2014 aluminum shaft. Fletching is 2.25" shield cut Gateway feathers.

This arrow penetrated almost 36" of buffalo, then about 9" of dirt. The head ripped out of the soft earth with the shaft intact, then broke when the bull crashed through a big bush. Both halves were recovered. The head is pristine, and could be used again. I hope to use it on my grizz hunt later this year.



The bow is a Bowtech 101st Airborne 73#@29" putting about 86 ft-lb KE onto the 750 grain arrow at 227 fps. I had a seven pin sight, with pins at 10/20/30/35/40/45/50 yards. Needless to say, I had practiced!

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Wow, super tough trophy in a super tough environment with a bow! Congratulations!

Love that country! Absolutely beautiful and primordial.

Thanks, and you are entirely correct about the country! I still dream about it.!

July 8: Day off for me while the crew recovers the meat we hung in the trees yesterday. Took a short 3 mile walk looking for my lost binos. No luck.

July 9: Started out down Bitch Hill and around via German Springs and up to the main ridge from the West side. Molel calls on the radio with a herd in sight. After a bit of confusion about which ridge they're on we start down that spine. We've got tembo in the mist down in front of us in some very thick bush, so we are being very careful.

After 45 minutes or so we are down to the herd. Bush was so thick we could not see any of a herd we later estimated at 20 head at a range of 20 yards or less. The elephants are 45 yards away to our right. After some skulking Lamaiba, Lorinyo and Rainer are all seeing bits of buff and they've positioned me where there's a 15 yard long shooting lane (maybe a yard wide, at most.) Rainer says to get ready for an old bull to walk across. After a minute I can see a wild-eyed cow at the end of the lane. Rainer is only 2 yards from me and he's seeing a young bull. I hold off and Rainer moves a step nearer to me while I'm whispering "cow" and he's saying "young bull." Even now I'm still convinced we were seeing two different animals in a classic dense bush situation.

Then a cow - I think the same cow - charges up the shooting lane at us. I go to full draw and face her. She stops at about 8 yards and turns away, almost falling down in her sudden turn. She then disappears into the very thick bush.

As I look to Rainer with my eyebrows up, she comes back and charges to 5 yards. Again I go to full draw as she charges. Rainer says "cow - don't shoot she's got a calf!" and steps up beside me. He says something to this wild-eyed bitch of a cow who snorts a couple of times like she's gonna charge, then she turns away. Rainer says he's glad he didn't have to shoot her, and that he had her dead to rights since she was below us on a steep hill. She was damn sure close enough to get my attention!

We tried to sort a bull out of the confusion, but failed. 8.4 miles and 4000 ft today.

July 10: Hike out to the main camp on the N side via Bitch Hill and German Springs. This was Rainer's way to leave me with the full impression of the mountain - and it worked! 8.7 miles and 5800 ft of elevation change. Since 3200 ft of that was downhill to the main camp at 4000 ft, the day was not bad at all.

Awesome.
As much as I love to bow hunt I am not going to do that...well not yet, maybe someday, someday soon.
Thanks for a great and enthralling report.
Now go do it again.

excellent - great report...

Now that's hunting

Thanks, guys. I'll never regret spending the money to do it while I was still physically able to do it.

This was by far the most physically demanding hunt I've ever done - and I bowhunt elk every year here in Colorado. The dense bush and thick grass caused a lot of stumbling and tripping - and hid loose rocks on steep slopes that caused even more stumbling. We just don't have all those extra hazards where I hunt on the Western Slope.

You'd better be seriously fit to hunt with Rainer. He wore me out every day from dark to dark (or can to cain't, as we say out here.) The modern electrolyte and recovery drinks are a serious improvement over plain water - I don't think I could have done without.

Congratulations! You should be really proud of that buff!

Congratulations. You earned every bit of this buff!!

Well done!

A Buff with a bow. Now that is intense and a great read. Congrats. Great story and great trophy. Something you will never forget for sure. I am sure the arrow travelling through the arrow toward that old bull will forever be etched in your mind.

Awesome hunt! I tip my hat to you sir.

Don, a fitting culmination of all your testing and research. Well done!
JCHB

Proper! 100%!!

Great hunt Don! I always like when the trophy picture is at the end of the report not the beginning, it tells me the hunt was more important then the kill. I guess those broadheads seem to work!

Great report - looks a fantastic place to hunt Buffalo in his video's and very impressive with a bow.

A hunt and a Buff to be proud of!!!

Great report and I am impressed by the arrows you created for the hunt. Truly impressive !

Thanks again, guys. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

I'd met Rainer twice when he came to Denver, so I knew his videos weren't just hype. He certainly lived up to his statements and creed. I wanted to make this about the hunt rather than personalities, but I need to say that Rainer was a great host and a pleasure to be with. (At least after I caught my breath!)

Congratulations Don !

Awesome adventure and some tough hunting. Glad you got a shot and made it count. Good shooting !

Excellent hunt report!!! Congratulations on a great trip and great buffalo!

That's bad-ass, Don!

Congrats on the nice buff and the great report and photos.