HUNT LOCATION: Makuti – Zimbabwe…

OUTFITTER: CM Safaris…

PROFESSIONAL HUNTER: Alan Shearing…

DATES: August 18th – 27Th 2009…

ANIMALS HUNTED: Two Cape Buffalo Bulls & Plains Game…

RIFLES: American Hunting Rifles DGR in 600 Overkill & Ruger RSM in 416 Rigby…

BULLETS: 900 Grain Woodleigh Weldcores and Solids at 1950 fps in the 600 Overkill…

400 Grain Barnes TSXs at 2450 fps in the 416 Rigby…

I’ve been home for about a week now and the whole experience seems like a dream. I’ve spent so much time preparing and planning for this I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it’s over. I booked my hunt with CM Safaris in February 2008 and since then have walked several hundred miles trying to get in shape, fired several hundred rounds through each rifle, spent a lot of time researching and buying gear, all in preparation for my first safari and now here I am posting a hunt report on AR. WOW…!

Where to begin???

This was my first international flight ever. I booked through Kathi Klimes of Wild Travel and she has really been great. My flight was SAA out of IAD to JNB then SAA to HRE. Everything went smooth and was uneventful to and from. My guns arrived at HRE but my other checked bag (containing my ammo) didn’t arrive until the next morning. Alan picked me up at the airport and drove me to a B&B.

I really hadn’t slept on the plane and by the time Al got me to the B&B I was feeling like a zombie. I can’t recall the proprietors name but he was a nice fellow and shortly after he gave me the key I locked up for the night and crashed. The next morning I met Myles for breakfast and then it was off to camp!

After a nice meet and greet with the camp manager Paul and his staff I was shown to my tent. I quickly settled in and went out to meet the other hunters and PH in camp (Gary Duckworth with his clients Gale and Deborah). I really enjoyed getting to sit around the fire with them and then having an excellent meal together before I excused myself for the night. As comfortable as my accommodations were I’m not sure if I even really fell asleep that night!

DAY 1:

I woke up early before everyone else and had a cup of coffee by the fire. After a good breakfast we headed out to check the guns. The other hunters had already checked their rifles when we arrived. Alan and the guys (trackers Nyati & Martin, camera man Gareth, and the ranger Itah) were anxious to see me shoot the 600. Nyati ran a box with a piece of black tape out to about 40 paces or so. I was a little nervous with five people watching me shoot but the 600 put one in the black with the first shot. Big smiles crossed everyone’s faces when they saw the .620” hole in the cardboard. Time to try it on buffalo…

We spent the rest of the day glassing and looking for fresh buffalo spoor. We didn’t see any buffalo or find any fresh tracks but we did see plenty of other wild life. We spotted over twenty elephant (surprisingly hard to see), sable, zebra, warthog, and baboon. I took a little time to snap some photos before heading back.





DAY 2:

Woke up early and headed out looking for buffalo. We spent most of the morning just trying to find spoor with no luck. About noon we stopped and had lunch in the bush. Shortly there after Nyati and Martin came running back to the cruiser saying they had found fresh dung and had spotted three old dugga boys. I went from being half asleep to maximum overdrive as I grabbed my gear!

It was a short stalk but very difficult to keep quiet due to the dry leaves. We started off at about 150 yards and tried to creep closer. All five of us keeping in a straight line while tip toeing, hunching down, and trying to keep an eye on the bulls. When we started the stalk I couldn’t even see the bulls through the underbrush. As we crept closer I began to see my first cape buffaloes ever. All I could make out was flicks of tails, ears, and flashes of horn in a black mass through the brush. We had closed the distance to about 75 yards on the three bulls lying down in the afternoon heat. Alan had pointed out the best of three just as they all started to get up. Al quickly set up the sticks and said “shoot”! I got on target just as the bull we wanted started to walk away. I touched off a soft and hit him right in the shoulder. He bucked up and back, and then began to rock back and forth on his remaining three legs with the broken one flailing in the air. He made about 35 yards in our direction and stopped broadside behind a bush when I hit him again with a solid through the heart and dropped him.

Pats on the back, handshakes, and congratulations all around when the bull decided to stand up and walk away! I quickly put a solid into his rear-end and dropped him again. We ran up to him as took a knee and shot him again pointblank between the shoulder blades.

Spirits were high in camp that night as we brought in my first buffalo and one of the other hunters in camp had downed his first elephant! What a day, I didn’t have much trouble sleeping that night as the adrenaline burning out of my system left me exhausted.





DAY 3:

We had moved to a part of the concession where Alan said he had seen a herd with some pretty big bulls in it. It was already warm that morning and the tsetse flies were already staring to bite. There wasn’t much of any road access to this area so that meant a lot of walking. We set off in search of fresh spoor climbing many hills and spending a lot of time glassing.

That after noon we had finally found the heard. They were quite a distance away up on a far hill side. They had been hard to find as Alan said the lions had really been harassing them. We got within about 300 yards or so when ten elephants cut us off. The elephants just stood there feeding leaving us no passage to get any closer to the buff. We sat there and glassed the heard and saw some really big bulls. I went ahead and took the time to snap some photos before we headed back the long hike to the cruiser. We would be heading back here tomorrow.







DAY 4:

We set off early to the place we were yesterday. When we climbed the 3 clicks or so to where we were the night before the herd had moved on. The tracks indicated that they still had their elephant pals with them. Alan speculated the direction they would have gone and we climbed on. By the time we had found them it was getting really hot and they were starting to lie down. We literally crawled in as close as we could but had to pull out as we were not going to get any shot opportunities and would only wind up spooking them.

We climbed down the opposite side of the hill about a mile or so and set up near a nice stream in the shade. We decided we were going to spend the afternoon there before resuming the pursuit. We found a beautiful outcropping up the stream away with a small waterfall and crystal clear pool beneath. It didn’t take us long to decide to jump in! After a quick plunge we ate lunch and rested up for the afternoon.



We began to creep and climb back up to where we made our last approach. They had moved on but not far. They suddenly winded us and the herd split. Alan took off running as I followed in an attempt to get in front of them. We got in front of them and then stopped about 100 yards out as they started to lie down again.

The trackers hung back as Alan, Gareth, and I stood there trying to keep still. We spotted a huge bull in the herd lying amongst a group of cows. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Alan looked back and whispered “if they don’t stand up we would have to pull out”. Al decided to have me hang back as he wanted to move around some brush to see if he could get a better view. Alan’s last words to me were “If he stands up shoot him, just make sure there is nothing behind him and don’t shoot the wrong one”. Good advice! Alan moved out and we stood there staring at the black mass of the herd. The heat mirage made them look like on giant black blob.

As sure as Alan had settled into his new position a cow approached the bull and he stood up! I looked over at Alan as he frantically gave me the thumbs up. I heard Gareth whisper “shoot”. So I squeezed off a soft point and smacked it right in the shoulder. I saw him lurch and then run off with the herd. Alan came back over and we all began to approach the spot where the bull was standing when I shot him. The amount of blood was unreal. Alan commented that he had never seen that much blood that fast and that I must have hit him in the jugular. It really looked like someone had shot a bucket of blood as there was even blood on the trees not just the ground. We stood there a moment when suddenly a small thicket of trees on the hill above thrashed about and then we heard the death bellow. We found him just over the crest of the hill leaning into a thicket facing us at a quartering angle. I placed another soft point into his opposite shoulder and downed him. He raised his head and I sent a solid just under his chin finishing him off. When we approached him I put another solid through his shoulders just to make sure.

Big congratulations were in order as we all had worked really hard to get this awesome bull. I wish I had taken more photos of his body as he was a true behemoth. The realization soon set in that it was getting on 4:00 and that we were at least 3 ½ clicks from the cruiser. Nyati and the guys quickly set to skinning and quartering him up before it got dark. They carried out the front skin and horns and left the meat up high in the trees covered with branches to recover tomorrow.



The buffalo is the one on the right!



Left to right -- Gareth, Nyati, Martin, yours truly, and Itah...



Me and Al...

The pressure was off as we had secured two really awesome trophies. With still having six days left hunt plains game was now on the menu. I went ahead and swapped out my 600 for my 416 as I wanted to be able to take some longer shots if they presented themselves. I was really pleased with the performance of my 600 and the Woodleigh bullets. The rifle feed and functioned flawlessly and went boom every time I pulled the trigger. All the Woodleigh soft points were found under the hide on the far side of the animals and had expanded to over one inch in diameter while retaining 95 + % of their weight (massive wound channels). Two of the solids were recovered under the hides on the far side that were fired at quartering lengthwise angles.



DAYS 5 THROUGH 7:

We went back up one more time to recover the meat from the day before. The trackers gathered everything up and carried it out (these guys are amazing). That afternoon we set up a hyena blind and checked the sights on the 416.

A couple of nights we heard hyenas in camp but had no luck at the blind as they were leaving before first light. The camp leopard also woke me up one night making some noise outside my tent!

On day 7 I shot a baboon at 150 paces. After seeing the skull back in camp I was amazed by those teeth and figured that it’d make a cool trophy.



DAYS 8 AND 9:

The lion hunters in camp had been very busy checking baits and hadn’t had time to get any fresh bait. They asked us to get them a buffalo cow to which I happily obliged. We went up to where the concession borders Zambia. It took us a few hours to find a herd and get close. We stood there about 40 yards from twenty or so buffalo trying to sort out the cows. Finally one broke off to our right and I hit her behind the shoulder and dropped her on the spot. She jumped up one last time and I dropped her again. On our final approach I put one more round between her shoulder blades.

It was really great to get to take another buffalo. I was in the mindset to hunt plains game when this opportunity suddenly arose and we were back on the herd! The Barnes bullets performed well as we only recovered one of the three fired.



After a short recovery effort we spent the afternoon chasing warthogs and impala. Both of which I was too slow on the draw to shoot. I’ve got too much of a target shooters mentality waiting for everything to be just right before I squeeze the trigger. None of the animals I encountered had any patience for this; I’ve really got to work on my snap shooting. It wasn’t a total loss though as we came back the next day I was just quick enough to get a nice impala ram at about 100 yards.



DAY 10 WRAP UP AND DEPARTURE:

We spent a little time that morning in the hyena blind and then chased some warthogs around. Saw an awesome herd of eland though none were left on quota. That afternoon I packed up most of my gear and we headed down to the parks office to wrap things up.

CM safaris definitely made my first African hunt a memorable one. I’m really pleased and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Alan and his team were great, true professionals in the field and a lot of fun in camp. I’d go back and hunt with them in a heart beat, though I think elephant will be on the menu next time…

Thanks to everyone on the forum as well who has helped me along the way…

It was an adventure…

Matt Vecchio

Congrats on a wonderful trip and a great report. I like the horn on the first buffalo, all beat to hell. Tough old boy.

Very nice animals!!!

Brett

Great report Matt! Both of those Buffs have some great character in the horns.

It's funny to see the 416 as the light plain's game gun.

What a fantastic hunt. I enjoyed your pics and report very much.

Those buff are just AWESOME! And I do not know what a .600 Overkill is, but it seems aptly named.

Congrats again,

Matt, thanks for a great report and the buff are exceptional. As to that rifle, it must look to the buffalo like "it is ready to pay them back some money" so to speak.

Thanks for sharing.

Matt, it looks like you had a great hunt. Please don't take offense to this comment, but you look like you can handle the .600 without too much worry. I am afraid what it would to to my body at a buck-65... Once again, congratulations.

Thanks for the replies…

Mike,

That first bull was really tough looking…

It doesn’t show in the pictures but he had some scars from an old shumba attack…

He reminded me of an old prize fighter all scarred up with that broken horn tip…

Frank,

I couldn’t have been more pleased with the fact that we got two totally different bulls…

It’s kinda funny that my 416 was my light, but it did the job…

I was really surprised to see the size of the hole it left in that impala…

Jack and others,

You can read a lot about the 600 OK in the Big Bores Forum…

Robgunbuilder invented the cartridge and Bitterroot builds the rifles…

I had it basically set up to simulate the 600 Nitro Express but it can be pushed much faster…

No offense taken on my stature but you’d be surprised how easy the 600 is to shoot!

Thanks again…

Matt

Wooww, what a great post. Thanks for sharing.
Obviously you choose a really good way to loose your african virginity

Three buffs and your light rifle was a 416...

Obviously you are some kind of recoil masoquist but to each his own

L

Two great dugga boys!
The first buff is a real warrior and the second has the handlebars any Harley would be proud to sport. Congrats on a successful hunt!

Great report! Congrats on such a productive hunt. 3 buffs first time out wow. How much does that brake reduce the recoil on the 600? Well done!

Thanks again for the replies guys…

L,

I guess I really dove in head first for my first time over, but I’m hooked…!

Sevenxbjt,

I’ve got no way to give a percentage of effective recoil reduction other than to say that it does work!

I’ve heard anywhere from 30- 50 % reduction in felt recoil and by my guesstimate that sounds fair…

Sans the brake free recoil would be in the 150 ft/lb range…recoil velocity 28 fps…impulse 11 lbs sec…

Matt

Well done!!! Those bulls were grand daddies! I've hunted Makuti, but never saw your swimming hole....wished I had!!!! Congratulations!

Best regards, D. Nelson

congratulations on the Buffalo
very nice!
planning your next trip?

Very nice!

Congratulations on a succesfull first Buff hunt.I feel that you have hunted with a couple of the best-Alan and Nyati.Is Alan still hunting with that crappy,synthetic, 458WM?

Nice buff and congrats on your first safari! Buzz and Myles run a great outfit. BTW, interesting you shot each bull 4 times with the .600 and the cow went down to one shot with the .416... always amazes me how much punishment those old boys can take!

Two really nice bulls. You have "Bush Fever" now, an incurable disease but treatable with recurring exposure to Cape buffalo...

That is certainly the best destination for someones first international flight !!
Good to see another (soon to be poorer) person hooked on Africa. You couldn't have had a better tutor to start your education than Alan, he is first class. My first buff was at Makuti with him. Interesting to see that those Buff can still hold out against a beast like that 600. If you think the buff were exciting just wait for your first ele. Well done.

Thanks again for the congratulations…

D,

That pool was awesome…

If it wasn’t for all the hunting to be done I’d spent more time there!

shootaway,

Alan carried a model 70 in 416 rem mag on this hunt…

I do believe he mentioned his 458 though in one of the many conversations we had about rifles…

bwanamrm,

Those buff were amazingly tough!

The cow actually took three shots from the 416 though the first dropped her and she jumped up for seconds…

All buff were dead after the first shot but just didn’t know it!

The bulls each dropped instantly after the second shot with the first buff actually getting back on his feet some thirty or so seconds later!

The second buff was pumping out so much blood he would’ve died shortly but I just kept pumping the solids into and through him…

The final shots on all buff were simply insurance shots and I like to shoot a lot anyway…

But I’m a firm believer now that buff aren’t likely to just drop to the shot no matter what you’re shooting unless you brain or spine them…big holes leave a lot more blood on the ground though!

But I literally put a half a pound of lead in and through each bull…simply amazing…

I’m definitely hooked on Africa now and plan on being broke because of it…

It’s funny, after I downed that first buff I was thinking of what I could sell in order to pay for a trophy fee on elephant!

Thanks again…

Matt…

Congratulations on a great hunt, and an excellent report. I hunted Makuti a couple of months ago, and really enjoyed the pictures. Nice memories. Your pool looks like the one Eddie, Buzz's driver fell in setting a leopard bait!
Love both buff.
Consider tuskless cow. The trophy fee is close to what you pay for a buff, and with that 600, you want to shoot something BIG!

Awesome Matt!!!
Sitting in Frankfurt awaiting last leg of trip home and had to check AR for your report - great write up and EXCELLENT buffalo!!!
Paul

Thanks Paul!

Don’t worry; you’ll be home before you know it…

I heard that you had a few buff down yourself…

Hope you and your dad had a great time, can’t wait to hear about it…

Thanks again…

Matt V.