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Lion hunt with Mokore Safaris in Sengwa research area.

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04 September 2014, 17:24
Neil Duckworth
Lion hunt with Mokore Safaris in Sengwa research area.
My husband and I hunted with Mokore Safaris in June of 2014 in Sengwa Research area. I was hunting with Neil Duckworth for lion while my husband hunted with Doug Duckworth in another location for sable. We were able to take this nice buffalo cow on the first morning. By the afternoon hours she was hanging in two locations for lion bait after a lot of time and effort was put into selecting the perfect bait / blind sites.






On day 2 we spent most of the day trying for a zebra to add to our lion baits and building blinds at the existing bait sites from the day before. With all set all we needed was for a lion to show.




On day 3 we spent the entire morning chasing zebra around. After several hours of tracking I managed to get a shot off in thick cover . As it turns out fortunately I missed. This saw us back at the truck for a quick lunch then off to check our lion baits. On our way into the first bait site we saw a big lion track crossing the Sengwa river going away from the bait site. We kept our fingers crossed and on arrival at the bait we could see a big male with 10" mane hair had fed. Fortunately the blind was set up already so we left with the plan of being in the blind late afternoon. We used this time to make a mark a tree and check that my rifle was still on after missing the Zebra. After one shot we were satisfied the gun was still on.
5 pm saw us back in the blind ,at first glance all looked quite, Jordan the camera man was setting up the camera and on zooming in on the bait noticed that the lion was there but sleeping in the grass behind. Daylight was fading fast and we prayed he would get up. With maybe 10 minutes of shooting light he finally got up ,walked behind the bait roaring going to the left. Due to the low light through the scope I was struggling to pick him up under the shade of the bait tree. Fortunately he moved around to the right side of the tree and stood perfectly broadside under the bait. With a solid rest and a squeeze on the trigger of my 375 Dakota the lion jumped into the air growling ,bit the bait and then came growling straight towards the blind, stopping 50 yards directly to out left. After 5 minutes of growling it went quiet. We inched out to the truck, all climbed in and went to the bait. From the bait we could see a large blood trail. After a very nerve wracking follow up in the dark and thick cover we found him stone dead in a thick bush. This was a massive relief that he was dead and no one got hurt. It was a very fine trophy with an exceptional mane. I was over the moon. So by the end of day three I had my main trophy down. It was a dream come true to take this beautiful maned lion in the wild!!







From here on we took the hunt at a more leisurely pace. Mid morning we were walking down the Lutope river looking for bushbuck when we walked straight into a pride of lion with small cubs. Needless to say the were not impressed with us and after a few mock charges we made a hasty retreat. From he we hunted for zebra again and got myself a beautiful stallion. He was destined for croc bait and a beautiful rug.




I had a crocodile tag on this hunt so we set out to put up a croc bait from the zebra and built a blind with an approach path. This set up we left to look for other things.



On day five we crept into the blind and got a very nice 12’ croc with a perfect side brain shot.






On one of our walks down the Sengwa river we spotted a nice reedbuck ram. After a long stalk Neil and I finally got to about 120 yards. The shot looked good but a little low. After following him for a while we got a couple more shots in him and he was down for good




My husband who was hunting with Doug Duckworth had seen a monster warthog on the Sengwa floodplains, so we set out to look for him and spotted him feeding in some grass with another pig. Luckily this fellow was more worried about eating than noticing we were around. I was able to get in a nice broadside shot . After a perfect heart shot with the 375 the hog was down.





In the mayhem of the mock charges from the lioness on day 4 the gamescout dropped Neil’s prized shooting sticks and with her not backing off we had to leave them there. Neil’s plans was to walk back to the spot whilst looking for bushbuck. Shortly before arriving at the area Neil and Nhamo picked up some fresh eland track with some big bull tracks in the group. After retrieving the sticks we set out after them and came across the herd. Neil spotted a very nice bull but unfortunately his shoulder was behind a big tree , whilst waiting for him to step forward the wind shifted and they were off. We followed up and got into some scrub Mopane. The herd was moving from left to right, with me on the sticks ,the eland were going through a small gap at about 60 yards. As the big bull went through Neil made a noise and the bull stopped broadside . I took a quick shot into the shoulder. The bull ran about 80 yards and was down. He was an absolute beauty and a fine way to finish off a fantastic hunt .





This was our second hunt with Mokore Safaris and the Duckworth family. If you want a safari with first class professionals who truly love the business and put their client’s first, then Mokore is the way to go.


www.mokoresafaris.com
04 September 2014, 17:38
Doug Duckworth
Well done on a great hunt and some excellent trophies


Doug Duckworth
Professional Hunter
Mokore Safaris
@dougduckworthsafaris
dougduckworth@mokore.com
www.mokoresafarisafrica.com
@dougduckworthsafaris.com
04 September 2014, 17:45
Neil Duckworth
Laura asked me to post this for her as she was struggling with posting on AR. Sorry some of the pictures came out up side down?? Not sure what happened there..


www.mokoresafaris.com
04 September 2014, 17:55
bobgrow
Great report....thanks for posting.
Beautiful cat !! Congratulations.


Bob

DRSS
DSC
SCI
NRA & ISRA
04 September 2014, 17:56
MJines
Incredible safari. And done in one of the most beautiful places I have hunted in. To get a lion like that . . . and an eland . . . just incredible. Well done and congratulations.


Mike
04 September 2014, 18:06
Dutch44
What a wonderful safari and a spectacular lion. Congratulations are in order. Thank you for the report and looking forward to reading your next one.

Dutch
04 September 2014, 18:34
jkhunter
Truly a magnifacent Lion,

well done great repost

JK
04 September 2014, 18:57
The Norwegian
Fantastic Smiler


The more I know, the less I wonder !
04 September 2014, 19:09
shakari
Not only great trophies but also great trophy photography and great report.

Congratulations. tu2






04 September 2014, 19:51
Bwana Bunduki
Very nice indeed. What ingrate gave this a one star rating?

Jeff
04 September 2014, 20:05
MJines
quote:
Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
What ingrate gave this a one star rating?


Obviously someone that has never had eland steaks or biltong. Big Grin


Mike
04 September 2014, 20:20
stradling
what great fun

love your report

Duckworth did you good

you make him look good

to good need more like this


Anyway it matters not, because my experience always has been that of---- a loss of snot and enamel on both sides of the 458 Win----
04 September 2014, 20:25
505 gibbs
shocker incredible safari, congratulations!!
04 September 2014, 20:30
MARK H. YOUNG
Neil,

I've said in the past that you guys were the best. Well..........Huge congrats to Laura on her lion and all the rest. Nice to see your stewardship of Sengwa paying off nicely already.

Mark


MARK H. YOUNG
MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES
7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110
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04 September 2014, 21:58
Hutty
Fantastic trophies and a wonderful adventure. Congrats.


The danger of civilization, of course, is that you will piss away your life on nonsense
04 September 2014, 22:43
Ackley Improved User
Great trophies, nice photos. Congrats. AIU
04 September 2014, 23:50
fairgame
Great trophy Lion and excellent report.

The eland is a beauty.


ROYAL KAFUE LTD
Email - kafueroyal@gmail.com
Tel/Whatsapp (00260) 975315144
Instagram - kafueroyal
04 September 2014, 23:54
joester
Great hunt & photos. Neil, you are Da Man! (But don't tell your dad!)
05 September 2014, 00:00
shotgun46
Great hunt and fantasist photos congradulations
05 September 2014, 00:07
Beretta682E
Excellent.

what a lion !!!! Wow !!

Mike
05 September 2014, 00:14
Beretta682E
Then I flipped my phone to see the eland picture.

wow again !!

Mike
05 September 2014, 00:31
FishN4Eyes
Nice lion!

Holy smokes, great hunt in an area I'd love to see someday.

Cool stuff there, congrats.
05 September 2014, 01:07
bwanamrm
Well done all around... from lion to warthog, all solid trophies!

Mike, feeling a bit of eland envy there? That is a heck of a bull!


On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.
05 September 2014, 02:25
Chris Lozano
What a great trip!
Outstanding trophies.
05 September 2014, 02:29
MJines
quote:
Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Mike, feeling a bit of eland envy there?


I am not too proud to admit, I sure am!


Mike
05 September 2014, 04:18
The Artistry of Wildlife
Fantastic hunt ! and report! and Pictures !
Thank you and Congratulations on your lion and the rest of your trophies.
That ELAND is one of the prettiest I have ever seen. Color, Coat and Markings !
05 September 2014, 04:19
ManuelM
Congratulations on a great safari!
The lion and the eland are gorgeous.


Manuel Maldonado
MM Sonoran Desert Hunters
https://www.facebook.com/huntingMM
05 September 2014, 05:44
crbutler
Very well done!

Love that eland. Beautiful Lion as well.
05 September 2014, 05:49
Orvar
Awesome Laura, Neil and all those involved!
05 September 2014, 07:22
Bama15
On day three! Just think all that you missed, riding for miles and miles in the back of the truck with the gut bucket. Congrats on an unbelievable hunt. You truly won the lottery of hunts.
05 September 2014, 07:56
Jerry Huffaker
Congrats on a great hunt


Jerry Huffaker
State, National and World Champion Taxidermist



05 September 2014, 12:50
Manyathelo
Congratulations on an incredible safari - great to see what an area can produce when properly managed - long may Mokore have Sengwa!
05 September 2014, 15:17
Carl Frederik Nagell
Well done

Good Hunting

Carl Frederik
05 September 2014, 15:18
Thierry Labat
What a nice collection of trophies. That lion is very nice!! I wouldn't expect anything less from one of the very finest operators in Zimbabwe. Giraffe - Well done


Website: www.thierrylabat.com
05 September 2014, 15:39
Peter Barnard
Well done Laura and Twiza,absolutely awesome


Pete Barnard Safaris
www.africanhunting.biz
05 September 2014, 16:13
bwanajay
Well done and congrats on your safari!

Thanks for posting.
05 September 2014, 23:10
Flipper Dude
Very nicely done! Trip of a lifetime. I'll be there a month from today.
05 September 2014, 23:57
Lin Stanton
Well done Neil very nice shumba


Lin Stanton
Email: lindon@mbalabalasafaris.com
www.mbalabalasafaris.com
09 September 2014, 18:46
Marty
Spectacular trophies. That looks like the MGM lion. Huge congrats to all involved!
09 September 2014, 21:17
graybird
Most excellent and congrats to the entire hunting team!!!


Graybird

"Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning."