My US outfitter was Ridge/Cash Taylor out of Jackson Wy. I hunted the Masai Stepps in Dec 2003. Ridge hooked me up with Gerard Miller as my PH. This guy's balls clank when he walks. He is a 2nd generation PH family working out of Arusha, has just published a book "Lives of a Professional Hunting Family" avail. from Trpohy Room Books, is an addition to your library that I recommend highly. Miller LOVES to hunt Buff, though has not bagged a 60 incher has come close. A great story teller, you will soon think of him as a close friend, as do I. I has no less than five good bulls in my sights within the first three days and took a 41 1/2" with great boss on 4th day. I used a 500 Jeffery that I built on a 1909 Arg. action, in takedown configuration. The 535 Woodleigh FMJ clocked 2303 fps in 23" bbl w/ 108 gr RL 15 Fed 215, Horneber brass. This load went thru buff both lengthwise and side ways. Been thinking of reducing MV to 2200 fps or so, would appreciate any comments. wiebe@d-web.com

Duane, you need to get off the computer and get back to work on my rifle.

Seriously, you might post your question regarding the loads in the Big Bores section of this forum. There might be some guys there with opinions. My opinion is that I wouldn't want to shoot a rifle that would consistently penetrate a buffalo lengthwise (with a soft!). 535 grains at 2150 fps should be more than sufficient.

Welcome, but just don't venture into the political forums. You'll loose your cool and we'll loose you here.

Forrest

Duane,
congratulations on a fine bull! When you have a moment, please give us the details of your hunt and your impression of the area hunted. I didn't realize Ridge booked for other PH's. What camp did you hunt out of?

Welcome to the forums and look forward to hearing from you.

Congratulations on your trophy buff taken with Ridge Taylor Safaris. I met Gerard in Lolkisale in November. He guided my hunting buddy, Jay Cohea to a super 46" buff in the Lobo area. He was a great guy and super storyteller and historian. I really enjoyed Gerard around the campfire in the evenings. You were lucky to be teamed with Gerard, he was an excellent PH who gave 110% every day for his client. Forrest, SBT and I have all posted our results with Ridge. Check them out when you have time. By the way, I heard Christina pulled the Lobo and Lolkisale concessions from Ridge, any of you guys that hunted with him know if that's true?

I talked with Ridge last night, and Christina did in fact pull Lobo and Lolkisale. Ridge said that the safari company management wanted to book more hunters than the animals on quota would allow. He would not be a part of it.

SBT,
That's too bad but I'm sure Ridge will land on his feet somewhere in Tanzania. This should also give him a chance to get that back fixed! Wish him the best of luck for me if you talk to him. I guess he will still make it to the Dallas Show? If so, I can catch up with him there.

I have known Christina for a long time and that sure sounds out of character for her, or is it her manager that caused the problems, but it is Tanzania and things always happen differently there, its the water I think.

As far as I know she has several concession now as opposed to the old one she had up north and boy that one was good..

I know she had one next to us this year in the Selous...I assumed she sub leased to anyone as thats how she has always worked. Most of the PH have hunted her camps at one time or another. I met and talked to some of her camp staff this year and some PH I didn't know was hunting there for two 7 day buffalo hunts.

That is not the correct reason why Ridge lost those blocks! It had nothing to do with company management or them wanting to take more quota at all. Christina is very responsible and runs a great operation in her areas. There is more to the story than that, but will not get into that, but do not want anyone thinking that it was Christina's fault or trying to make an excuse why they lost the blocks.

Anyway, I am thrilled about the matter as I have the new contract now for Lolkisale as I am sure it will get out soon enough.

Adam, do you know yet who will be the PH (or PH's) in Lokasalie? It's a beautiful area.

Also, what will be the status with the photographic camps in the concession. For me, that was the most disconcerting part of hunting the Lokasalie block.

Best of luck to you there. I hope to return one day.

Forrest

I was told the hunting concessions were governed by the national government of Tanzania, and had been let to Bundu Safaris (Christina's company). The local Masai tribal council had given two photo safari companies "rights" to open photo camps in the same area, and the photo companies built big permanent camps. Apparently, its patently illegal but nobody at the federal level does anything about it.

We we're out hunting one day and bumped into a group of photo tourists doing a walking safari. They were more suprised than we were. I'm pretty certain they were never told their safari would be taking place in a hunting block.

In Botswana, I've hunted on "dual-use" concessions but there were never suprise encounters. The photo and hunting camps are controlled by the same company and the two activities take place within distinct boundries. I'm sure there is a lot of behind-the-scenes planning that takes place to make sure everyone stays out of each others' hair.

In Tanzania, it looks like there is a free-for-all in some of the blocks. Nothing is likely to happen until a photo tourist gets pounded by a wounded buff or lion.

Christina has been fighting over the photographic isssue for awhile now, but when high politics and big money is involved it is hard to win. The photographic camp is not actually in the hunting section of the block as there was boundary formed. Hunting is not allowed withing 2 km of the National Park and this is where the photo people are supposed to stay and do their thing. I am sure that they have bif eyes when they are walking and hear gun shots. This is one of the headaches when you have to deal with a local community such as Masailand as it is not just the government that decides in these areas. The people have a lot to do with who is there as well.

It is a great place to hunt, but if people do not want to see other people while hunting, then it would be better to go to the Selous or Western Tanzania where it is secluded and wild. I like the Masailand hunting as it offers not only hunting, but culture as well and is great for family hunts.

Adam,

Did you get the exclusive rights to the area? Another PH has recently told me that he was also going to be hunting in the area and had a pretty good quota. I was just curious.

Regards,
John Barth
www.ausafaris.com

John, I did get the exclusive rights or contract for the Lolkisale block with all the quota in that block. I then got half of the quota in the Lobo block. There is another PH from Zimbabwe that was giving half of the Lobo quota 2004. There are only 2 of us that have actually been giving the quota and I have the 3/4 of the entire quota. There are a lot of PH's who I have heard talking about hunting there, but it is just them dreaming. If you want to know if they are lagit and see if they are telling the truth, them ask them to see their written letter from Bundu stating that they have any quota there. They only way any other PH will hunt there, is if the other PH does not book his quota and Bundu fills in the empty spots. People love to talk and think that they have areas when they really do not. The only reason I did not get the full 100% quota for Lobo is that when Ridge was kicked out it was a sudden change in plans and I did not have the time I needed to lock in both blocks. But, I do have 100% of Lolkisale and 50% of Lobo for 2004. 2005 will be a different story and I will have 100% of both blocks and have already locked into that. John, if you want to put some hunts in these blocks give me a call and will see what is left open.

Can anyone say what exactly did happen to Ridge/Cash?