Finally have had a chance to process my photos, consult my journal and come up with a report on my hunting trip to Zimbabwe. I�m a little tardier than Jim in PA who already posted his report, and if you've read his, this is much the same. We hunted with the same operator, on the same properties, albeit with a different PH a week prior.

We left Atlanta on the 20th of May and flew to Cape Town. There we spent 3 days to do the tourist thing and acclimate to the time difference. When we first planned the trip I was a little uncertain of doing this as I figured I�d want to get after the hunting pronto, but I am very glad we took a few days to goof off. We did the V&A waterfront thing, the trip up Table mountain, a Cape tour and some shopping at the Green Point flea market. Stuffed ourselves silly with prawns at Panama Jack�s. And of course lots of lounging in the hot tub, cigar in hand, at our Cape Town �base-camp� at the City Lodge.

On Monday May 24 we flew up to Bulawayo and were met by Wayne from ZimAfrica safaris. Wayne has airport security clearance so that process went very smoothly with him there to help. We met our PH Tim Lamprecht and tracker Fidilas out in the parking lot where they were waiting for us with the LandCruiser. We picked up some camp provisions and about nightfall we arrived at our first camp � Dorshano - a beautiful tented-type camp on the shore of a 100-acre or so impoundment about 40 km SE of Bulawayo. My hunting partner another Jeff, and I, were doing a 2x1, 8-day hunt for plains game.

The property was about 30,000 acres and we had it to ourselves. It was typical thornveldt, pretty thick in places, open in others, with many kopjes.

First blood was drawn near the end of the first day by my partner, when his 30-06 spewing a 180 grain Barnes-X bullet felled an outstanding 29 �� blue wildebeest from about 80m.

Second day in the late afternoon and I had my first African animal, this beautiful zebra stallion. A frontal shot with my .338 loaded with 250 grain Nosler Partitions, from about 80m, put him right down on the spot. The core of the bullet was later recovered from somewhere in his spine, all petals having been sheared off.



Third day was kill-free. We were also after kudu and impala, and just weren�t finding the quality of those animals that we wanted. But I also was after an eland and we had several fruitless attempts. We came upon a good-sized group late in the day with a good bull but never got a shot opportunity. At dinner that evening, we discussed the kudu and impala situation with Tim, and we decided we weren�t likely to break 50� on a kudu or 20� on an impala at that property at that time � not saying they weren�t there, just that for whatever reason they weren�t out and about. So we decided to spend one more day there on my eland, then move to another property that he�d hunted with his previous client and where nicer kudu and impala seemed to be more active.

The 4th morning we relocated the eland herd we�d seen the previous evening, which had joined up with a herd of zebra and a group of wildebeest. Those damn zebra were invariably stationed downwind of the eland and would bust us every damn time we tried to get around and move in for a shot. At the end of the day we somehow got by the zebra, the wildebeest, and a group of impala as well, and I took a slightly smaller bull of 32�. Took two days of tracking on foot and many blown stalks, so although certainly no monster as eland go, he was my most gratifying trophy and I�m pretty proud of him. He was taken at about 100m, on a quartering away angle. The bullet entered about the 3rd stripe back and stopped just under the skin of the offside shoulder. He buckled severely at the shot, ran about 40-50m and piled up. Bullet was perfectly mushroomed.



We moved to the second property, Dingwall, about 80km northwest of Bulawayo the next morning, and by 10AM or so were back at the hunting. The second property was about the same size as the first, flatter with more grass and a little less water. Accommodations were in a comfortably well-appointed lodge.

That evening, we found the type of kudu we were looking for, and my partner took an old battle-scarred 52� bull on a broadside shot at 70m or so. He had perfect bullet placement and the bull fell about 40m from impact.

The morning of the sixth day, we saw a fine impala ram in the open. My partner jumped off the truck, ran to the shooting sticks set up just off the road and made a clean 100m, once again broadside kill on a 23 �� ram. Probably the most accommodating animal we had on the trip.

Later that afternoon, we found a big herd of impala, with one nice ram in it. We stalked to within 100m across the open ground, and picked him out. He was standing at a strong enough quartering away angle that the THS was considered, but as I put the crosshairs on the ram I noticed I had a peek at his nearside shoulder. I aimed for bullet entry amidships, and the impala fell at the shot. The bullet entered just in front of the nearside ham and exited from the neck just forward of the offside shoulder. He went 23 ��.



There was only about 20 minutes of daylight left, and we were near the camp. But rather than turn towards the skinning shed, Tim decided to go straight out to hunt to the bitter end of the day. About 2 miles from camp, a nice kudu bull was spotted. I got down and we crept along for about 50 yards when all of a sudden, there he was at 60m. As was the theme for almost all of my animals, he was at the 45 degree angle and about to disappear into the brush. As I settled the gun into the sticks Tim told me �shoot him just like your eland�. So I did. The bullet entered at the second stripe on the nearside and exited out the off-side shoulder. He measured spot-on 50�.



The morning of the seventh day we had most all of what we�d come for. My partner was interested in a warthog if we found a good one, and I mentioned I wouldn�t mind taking another impala. (I�d also brought my .270 along and wanted to baptize it with an African animal). A couple hours into the morning, Tim got out of the truck and asked �who wants a really good impala?� I jumped down and we moved into the bush. We got about 200 yards from the truck when we spotted the ram standing behind a bush about 120m away, so I put the gun on the sticks and waited. After a couple minutes he stepped out and stood broadside. I pulled the trigger, hit him a couple inches further back than I wanted, but the 140 grain trophy bonded bear-claw found enough lung and exited, and the ram piled up dead about 50m from impact. 24� and maintains his spread nicely.



We had the rest of the afternoon and then one more day to hunt, and decided to get a little more serious about my hunting partner�s warthog. I would have taken steenbuck or duiker or maybe a very big reedbuck, but was otherwise satisfied to be finished and enjoy some spectating.

In the morning of the last hunting day, my partner took his boar.

We did see one group of reedbuck, three rams in fact, but all were fairly small to mediocre � maybe 10�, and I decided to save those for my next safari. We also witnessed something few get the chance to see � a leopard at mid-day, not just once, but twice.

We drove back to Bulawayo on Wednesday morning June 2, settled up our bills, and bid farewell to Tim and Fidilas who were off to hunt a new client. One of the Zimafrica office staff took us shopping for the afternoon, and that evening some other clients and PH�s of Zimafrica returned from hunting, so we spent a great evening out on the town with them. A little more shopping the next morning, and we were delivered to the airport to start the long journey home.

I don�t know how my first trip to Africa could have gone much better. We encountered no significant problems, thoroughly enjoyed the company of everyone we met and hunted with, and came back with the animals we went for. We were treated like royalty from the time we landed in Africa until the time we left, and our accommodations and food at both camps was exemplary. We encountered no issues whatsoever as regards the political/economic situation there. Most we talked to in Matabeleland weren�t too fond of Bad Bob. I got the impression he has his hands full dealing with the northern half of the country and doesn�t tinker as much with the south.

It was also my first hunt with the .338, and I couldn�t have been more pleased at its lethality for plains game. 2 of the 4 animals I shot with it dropped dead in their tracks, and the other two went no more than 50m before expiring. And it really didn�t do too much damage. I was a little afraid of what I�d find left of impala #1, but to use the popular expression, one could almost eat up to the holes.

Finally, I�d like to thank everyone at this site. I was well prepared and I credit a good part of what success I had to all those who share the wealth of knowledge available here. Now that I�ve actually been on safari, I hope to participate a little more as opposed to lurk and learn.

Hi Jeff:

Great job with your report. And very nice Eland Bull. I was in a few heards at least three or four times, and could never make out a decent bull. But they were very jumpy, they never did stay still for long.

That is a good looking kudu also. My first one just barely makes 50 inches I believe on the left horn and is almost 48.5 on the right horn I believe. My second Kudu only went 48.5 inches.

We have to be carefull on this website, we have experts that think they can tell within an inch if your trophy is off the mark.

Great job on your report, and the picture quality is excellent. What Digital camera were you using?

Regards... Jim P.

jhrod

Great report and excellent pictures, very well composed. Thanks for sharing.

CFA

I am really happy for you that you had such a great hunt and overall experience. I hope to follow in your shoes. I am doing a bunch of research now. I really want a Gemsbok so I guess I will not be going to Zimbabwe on my first hunt. Rufous.

Jim: forgot to mention in my e-mail, I'm using an Olympus C-730 UZ - its 3.4 megapixel and has a 10X optical zoom. It's great in the daylight and for getting closeups, but is not so hot in low-light conditions. One of these days I'll really learn how to use it and won't have to invest as much time tweaking my images with Photoshop software.

CFA: Thanks for the comments. Documenting the adventure afterwards is a great way to relive the trip.

Rufous: When I originally started my research I also really wanted a gemsbuck. I know RSA has them and they are indigenous in a number of areas there, but I had kind of decided I wanted to go the classic route and get one from Namibia. Problem was, my buddy had already been there and wanted his second safari to be somewhere different, so we ended up in Zim. And that was fine with me - not that I need one but it is another an excuse to go back to Africa!