2012 AR Hunt Report
Planned Hunt – 2-16 August Buffalo/Plains Game Hunt at Matendere Ranch in the Save Conservancy with Save Safaris
Actual Hunt – 3-9 August Tuskless / Plains Game Hunt at Matombo Camp in Dande North courtesy of Gavin Rorke Safaris
- 11-16 August Ration Buffalo / Plains Game hunt at Matendere Ranch in the Save Conservancy
PH – Mike Payne (Save Safaris)
Rifles used – Searcy Classic Double Rifle in 450/400 3” NE
- 400 gr Barnes Banded Solids over 74.0 gr IMR 4350 / Fed 215 / Hornady Brass
- 400 gr Woodleigh Softs over 76.4 gr IMR 4831 / Fed 215 / Hornady Brass
Searcy Stalking Rifle in 9.3x74R
- 250 gr Barnes X Triple Shock over 56.0 IMR 4064 / Win WLR / Norma Brass
4 August – Dande North
4 August was my second day of tuskless elephant hunting in Dande North. As with the previous day, we located several small cow herds, but the first six stalks of the day found only one juvenile tuskless in a group of eight cows mid day. As with the other groups, these cows never knew we were near them, so we slipped out quietly to continue our search for a mature tuskless with no dependent calf. Mid afternoon, Mike was glassing a couple of groups of cows in a valley about a half mile or so from the road. He determined there was a mature tuskless in the group and asked me if I was up for a difficult stalk down fairly steep rocky terrain. Of course I agreed, and we set off down the valley. After about 45 minutes or so, we got into position where we could clearly see our target tuskless and determine for sure she was a mature animal with no dependent calf. She was feeding in fairly heavy brush about 50 yards away, and we had to wait for her to move around to present a side brain shot. In retrospect, we should have tried get to closer, but we did not – hindsight is always 20/20. When I thought I had a clear target, I shot for the lower part of the left ear. The cows head came up at the shot, but then it lowered, and she took off running. I had clearly missed the brain. I put in a follow up heart / lung shot, and Mike put in 2 shots of his own behind the shoulder with his Krieghoff 470 double. The cow went only about 40 yards and piled up. The rest of the herd scattered screaming bloody murder. We rushed to the downed cow, and I put in a finishing shot. That was when we noticed the matriarch coming at us full bore from about 75 yards away with the rest of the herd in tow. Mike yelled for all of us to get to the rocks about 50 yards uphill as quickly as we could. Once we got there, Mike asked me to stand right next to him as we watched the matriarch tusk the downed cow in an attempt to get her up and moving. When the matriarch’s attempts were unsuccessful, she screamed again, and the whole herd of about a dozen animals came charging towards us. Mike asked me how many solids I had left – when I said I had 14, Mike replied “ that’s good – that should be enough – follow my lead – I may need you - this is serious”. I honestly felt like I was standing next to Colonel Chamberlain waiting for the Confederates to charge up Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettsysburg – and we were on such lovely ground. There was no fear, rather a serious calm with an understanding we were playing for keeps. With both of our double rifles at port arms, Mike continued yelling a string of profanities at the charging elephants telling the herd he was going to make orphans out of all of them. (Mike contends that “f---k off” is the only thing that really works when yelling at elephants.) When the matriarch got to about 25 yards from us, we both got ready to shoot. Petros, the Council Lands Game Scout, was yelling “shoot her, shoot her – I will write the report!” It turned out that Petros was deathly afraid of elephants. Anyway, the matriarch abruptly stopped her charge, looked at us for a while, then reluctantly turned down hill taking the herd with her. She looked back twice as if to reconsider, but eventually kept going downhill as Mike continued to tell her where to go. To say this was an exciting scenario does not do it justice. When it was all over, I turned to Mike saying I would try to shoot better next time, but this is why we hunt in Africa. Wow!
We radioed back to Matombo Camp that we needed the recovery team to break into action. Gareth (Gavin’s Appy) got the tractor and his team at the downed cow after dark, and they did not return to camp until 0430 in the morning. I was really impressed with Gareth and his team in making this difficult recovery in the dark.
12 August – Matendere Ranch, Save Conservancy
With no hunting permits in hand and none on the way, we decided to go after the “ration” buffalo we were allowed to shoot. We got up early this morning and got on the road to look for buffalo spoor shortly after first light. Thinking the buffalo may have watered overnight, we went to Chipetka Dam to look for spoor. Before we got to the water, we saw a herd of about 40 nyati feeding away from us in the jess. Mike backed up the cruiser, checked the wind, and made a plan to do a large end around the herd to get them feeding downwind towards us. The terrain was fairly open, so we had to use extra caution in making a large loop around the herd so as not to be seen. We got into a good position with the herd feeding towards us after about 40 minutes. Then, with the herd about 100 yards from us, the buffalo did an about face and started feeding back the way they had come. Not good. Thinking quickly, Mike radioed Dunwork, our driver, to get in the cruiser and drive down the road near the dam to cut off the herd. This tactic worked perfectly, and the buffalo did another about face and started feeding towards us – as in right towards us. The buffalo were now trotting as Mike and I glassed the herd. There were two bulls in the group in the 42”- 44” range with massive hard bosses – how I wished we had our permits! The lead cow looked like a Cessna aircraft the spread of her horns were so wide. But, she had a dependent calf, so she was a non target. As we continued to glass kneeling down in back of large tree with the animals getting ever closer, Mike said “your target is the second animal in line – she is an old cow with no calf.” With the herd at 40 yards, I slowly raised by Searcy double. As I watched the lead cow pass by me at 20 yards, I got ready to shoot. As the second cow followed her I swung my double, shot, recovered and shot again. The cow stumbled a bit, went about 50 yards and collapsed. She was stone dead when we got to her. My two shots consisting of a 400 gr Woodleigh soft and 400 gr Barnes solid were less than an inch apart in the heart / lungs – they were about as perfect as you could get. The rest of the herd thundered off, and we could not believe it was all over. The only difference between shooting a huge bull and this ration cow was shooting the second buffalo in line vice the 5th. The experience was incredible, and I cannot imagine a better buffalo hunt. It was now 0830, and we were already recovering my buffalo – what a hunt!
So, when Zimbabwe hands you lemons, do your best to make lemonade. You may end up with a great hunt in the end.
Mangwana
