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Mick and his eleven year old son, Jonathan, travelled to Mokore Ranch for a ten day buffalo plainsgame hunt with Professional Hunter, Doug Duckworth. Mokore Ranch is situated in the South East low veld of Zimbabwe in the world renown Save Valley Conservancy.

After siting the rifles, the team headed out. The main focus - a buffalo for Mick and some plainsgame for Jonathan.

Day one, while walking we heard some impala close by. A short stalk put Jonathan in the perfect position on a good ram. He made a flawless shot to the shoulder, seeing Jonathan get his first African animal and a very nice one it was.

Early morning on the second day, the team was on the Mokore Riverbed when Soloman, Doug's head tracker, spotted the tail of a buffalo in the reeds. The hunters silently crept to the edge. The buffalo, only thirty yards away, was dozing in the reed bed. He was a fine specimen indeed, one that any hunter would be proud to have. Between Doug and Mick, however, they decided to pass it up as it was still early in the safari.

The next day, Jonathan struck again. After another short walk, the team came across a herd of zebra. Just like with his impala, Jonathan made one shot and the zebra was down. Not wanting to be left out of the action, Mick took himself a zebra the very next day, both very nice with hardly any shadow stripes.



A few days of hard hunting in thick riverine bush for Dagga boys, Doug was wondered if deciding to pass up the old dagga boy on the second day had been the best option. During the course of that evening, however, the hunters got on a herd of buffalo that exceeded one hundred and fifty. A fast walk put us ahead of the herd, the team stationed themselves on a small island of rocks. They could not see the herd, but could hear them approaching in their direction. Right at last light, the first buffalo head appeared forty yards away. In no time at all, the herd was all around the hunters. As the "big bull" stepped out, the cows at the front of the herd caught the wind of the hunters and fled. With it being last light, however, they did not run too far and could be heard just out of sight. As Doug and Mick stood up from their hiding spot, the cameraman, Jordan, who was slightly to the left of the hunters spotted the bull only thirty yards away, Being so close to dark, Doug was worried that Mick would not be able to pick it up however Mick was up to the task and with some help from his top of the range scope on his .378 Wetherby he had a good bead on the bull and as the dagga boy stepped out, Mick took his shot. Being last light it would have been fool hardy to follow so the team left the site, intending to return in the morning.

Morning saw the team back and onto the blood trail. They saw where the bull had initially laid up with a dark pool of blood marking the spot, In the next eight hundred yards, they saw several areas where the bull had subsequently laid up, facing the way he had come. This was to be an interesting follow up as the bull was clearly not dead. A little further on, the dog the team had brought with them from camp began barking. With that, the hunters heard the buffalo grunt. He was holed up in a very dense thicket. They had a brief glimpse of the bull as he ran and Doug put a shot in his direction but he neither flinched nor slowed. The dog, luckily, was still on his trail and, after one hundred yards, the team was on him again. This time around he started towards the hunters. Thankfully, he did not make it far as a shot to the head which stunned him and a couple of very well placed off hand shots from Mick to the body stopped him in his tracks. The bull's bosses were measured at sixteen inches with a very nice spread. The initial shot had been well placed unfortunately the bull was turning as Mick squeezed the trigger therefor finding the shoulder but raking along the rib cage. It was an exciting experience one the hunters won't forget and Mick has trophy that will bring back fond memories and proud moments.



With Mick's main animal in the salt, the attention was turned back to Jonathan, with waterbuck being the animal he wanted most. Three days of hard hunting and passing up many bulls due to size, age etc saw the hunters come down to the last day they had only the morning to hunt as they were due in Harare that afternoon. Jonathan's disappointment was easy to see as the last couple day had been tough hunting and both Mick and Doug were trying to keep his spirits up. When the last morning dawned, Jonathan was not keen on going out. However, he buckled down for one final attempt. It was great testament to "perseverance pays" as, sure enough, only fifteen minutes out of camp, they spotted a huge waterbuck bull. The hunters were quickly on him. As the bull was walking away, Jonathan shot and the bull went straight down. Based on hunting experience, this is a sign of a slightly high shot, so the hunters raced over and put in a couple insurance shots. To finish like that was perfect, the cherry on top of what was a great safari.



Mick, having hunted with Doug before, was an old friend. However, this was Jonathan's first safari and he, Mick, Jordan and Doug became firm friends after a couple of days. Doug, cameraman Jordan, and the whole Mokore team would like to thank Mick and Jonathan once again for some great memories and a wonderful safari.

Great hunt and report to go with it. I have many, many fond memories of hunting with my dad.

Ski+3

Cannot beat that. Some very fine trophies you have there. Anymore pictures of the old buff? It would be nice to see the depth of his bosses.

Well done and great pictures.

Excellent

Nice waterbuck. Congrats on your hunt.

Makorokoto on a good hunt.

Love that waterbuck!!!

Cant beat that first trip over with your Dad.

Congrats All!

Very nice old bull. Thanks for posting.

Very well done, some fine trophies there! Can't beat a family safari. I hunted with Mokore Safaris last year in the Save. A beautiful place with a great outfit.
I will be hunting with Doug in Sengwe in Sept. and am starting to get pumped.

Bill

Beautiful old bull! Sounded like an exciting follow-up.

Doug,

Great hunt, congratulations!

The family and I will be there next week.

Congratulations nice trophies! I really like the Zebra.I might shoot one some time.

Good stuff. I need to go back to the Save.

Mike

Thanks for the great comments everyone, will have a look for some more pictures of the buffalo

Doug Duckworth
Mokore Safaris

Gorgeous buff, Doug. I hope to bring my son out to hunt with you soon! As I sit here in my office I am looking at the bushbuck we took-- the one where we were taking pictures of me and my bushbuck while the crazy hippo guy was screaming at you. Remember that?

I have repeated that story many times, I now try shoot all my bushbuck there

Great trophies. Well done for all involved.