18 November 2009, 05:17
SBTElephant Safari With SSG - Nixon Dzingai
HUNT SUMMARY Trip Dates:
October 25 – November 11, 2009
Location of Hunt:
Malapati Safari area and Communal Hunting Concession, Zimbabwe
Animals shot:
2 Elephant Bulls
Animals Shot by Others in My Group:
2 Cape Buffalo
Kudu
Impala
Nyala
Zebra
Other Game Seen:
Crocodile, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Bush Pig, Roan, Stein Buck, Duiker, Warthog, Monkey, Baboon, Mongoose, African Wild Cat, Lots of Leopard Tracks
Outfitter Information:
SSG Safaris
Professional Hunters: Nixon Dzingai & Simon Dzingai
E-mail: sengwesafaris@zol.co.zw
Stand 29 B Impala Drive
Box 473
Cheredzi, Zimbabwe
Booking Agent:
Tracking Africa
E-mail: trackingafrica@q.com
George Gehrman
613 Sawtooth St.
Powell, WY 82435
307-754-9181
Travel Summary:
Booking Agent: Kathi Klimes
E-mail: kathi@wildtravel.net
Airlines: Delta & South African Airlines
Itinerary: Atlanta to Johannesburg on Delta, then Johannesburg to Harare on SAA
Equipment Summary:
Rifle: Ruger Mark II RSM in 416 Rigby
Scope: Leupold VX-III 1.5-5x20
Mounts: Warne QD
Sling & Ammo Belt: Trader Keith’s
Ammunition: Hand-loaded 400 grain Barnes Flat Nose Banded Solids in front of 100 Grains of RL 22
Boots: Russell PH II
Pants: Wrangler Angler
Shirts: Columbia PFG
Compact Camera: Cannon SD1100 IS Digital
Fan: O2Cool
Hydration Pack: Cabela’s
Hydration Towel: Frog Tog /Chilly Pad
Hydration Drink: Powdered Gatoraide
Mascot/Good Luck Companion:
Ernest II who was overnighted to me by JudgeG. http://www.allplush.com/storef...fedAnimals/5512.html
Background:
I’ve been looking for an affordable trophy bull elephant hunt, with exportable ivory, with several years. I finally found one after being referred to my new friend DaleW by my old friend Retriever. Retriever told me Dale went on a great bull elephant hunt in Zimbabwe with a black PH named Nixon Dzingai and the hunt was priced right. I phoned Dale and he was eager to fill me in on the details. After that, I e-mailed Nixon asking to be put on a list for cancellation or discounted hunts.
Nixon mailed me back with a great offer, but it was still out of budget. After two more years of working all the overtime I could get, guiding elk/deer hunters and increasing my savings, I had enough to book the hunt.
The hunt booked was to be an end of season hunt in November and was referred to by Nixon as a “clean-up hunt”.
I invited my son to come along as an observer and arranged for him to be able to take a couple of plains game in addition. I also invited my friend from Mississippi, Hartley Kittle, known to y’all as h kittle.
You might recall that I started a thread about garnering good luck for a hunt. Well, JudgeG called me and told me he had just the ticket and I should watch my mail. The next day, I received via overnight express delivery a stuffed bull elephant named Ernest. What a coincidence – the Judge’s first name is Ernest. Well, I called the Judge to thank him and was told that I must take Ernest with me on safari, sleep with him, feed him, give him wine, and in return, Ernest would give me good luck.
Well, I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck. The Judge was up to something. Turns out, he had conspired with spies in my camp to photograph me snuggling with Ernest. Ain’t gonna happen. But, perhaps the tables could be turned.
Travel:
Woke up at 3:00 AM on October 25th and flew from Jackson Hole, WY to Salt Lake City, UT and on from Salt Lake to Atlanta, GA where I met up with my son Chad and friend Hartley. After a couple of drinks in the Delta Lounge, we flew from Atlanta 15 more hours non-stop to Johannesburg. We were met in Johannesburg by an Afton House representative who helped with our gun permits and then off to the Afton House for a steak dinner and an overnight.
The next morning we were taken back to the airport and flew from Johannesburg to Harare arriving around 1:00PM. At the airport we were met by Simon Dzingai. Simon is Nixon’s son and was to also be one of our professional hunters. Simon was accompanied by another driver named Barney.
In two Landcruisers, we drove from Harare about 6 hours south on paved roads to Chiredzi, then another 3 hours by dirt road to the safari camp at Malapati, bordering the east side of Gonerezhou National Park.
Camp:
The camp is basic, yet clean and nice and sits on the bank of the Mwenzie River. It is powered by diesel generator. Water for landscaping, the flush toilets, sinks and shower are pumped from the river into a chlorinated holding tank. Mopani fired hot water was available 24 hrs a day.
Camp consisted of a lapa, thatched roof style lounge/dining/bar area which was adjacent to the kitchen. All cooking was done in either a wood stove or over open flame. Between the lapa and the river was a fire pit area which served as the sundowner gathering point.
Living quarters were duplex style and made of cinder brick walls and a tin roof. Each room had two full sized beds on frames, a couple of dressers, closet and bathroom. There was no mosquito netting as the bugs were not a problem.
Food:
The food was not fancy, but ample and very good. Juice, tea and coffee were always available in the morning. Breakfast usually consisted of fried eggs, undercooked bacon and toast. For variance, we had fried egg sandwiches, an omelet or French Toast. Chad taught them to cook “eggs in a hole”.
A hot lunch was taken back at camp everyday, but the cool box always contained a few homemade roll sandwiches, fruit, water and Cokes. The camp lunches consisted of a variety of things including cottage pies (Sheppard pie), pork sausages and homemade rolls, hamburgers, some type of salad and cold baked beans.
Dinners were always good and were either local “T” bone beef steaks, some type of chicken or game meat to include fried elephant strips, nyala tenderloins, kudu back strap, cape buffalo steaks and by special request elephant head stew and cape buffalo tongue. There was always a vegetable, starch and salad. Red wine and beer were amply provided.
The Staff:
SSG Safaris is owned and managed by Nixon Dzingai, a 54 year old black Zimbabwean. SSG is named after Nixon’s three sons, Simon, Steven and Gift. Nixon is the primary PH but is assisted by his Simon who also is a licensed PH. Both are excellent hunters. Their English is good, but at times hard to understand due to the Shona overtones and dialect. Nixon is very up to date on world politics and if living in the US would be a red neck republican. Simon is college educated and has a great sense of humor, but hasn’t been exposed to a lot of American jokes. He even fell for old jokes like “why did the chicken cross the road” and “pull my finger”.
Steven is the primary driver and excellent tracker. Gift also serves as a tracker. The other trackers we had during our stay were Dixon who is Nixon’s number #1 tracker and 20 year employee and Peter. Both Dixon and Peter were phenomenal. Our game scouts were Metawe and John. Both great guys who pitched right in with the tracking and game recovery.
The cook was Martha who is Steven’s wife. Our hostess and camp tender was Tendai. Our primary skinner was Mathew and we were also assisted by a yard man and assistant skinner.
The Hunt:
The first hunting day began by sighting in everyone’s rifle. Chad was using my Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. It wore a Leupold 1.5-5x20 scope with Tally QD rings and was equipped with a Brockman’s pop-up peep. All rifles were still on the money, so the hunt began.
Hartley went off with Simon as his PH and assisted by Steven, Peter and John. They went looking for Buffalo, Kudu, Nyala and Zebra. See his hunt report at: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4501036021
As this was a “clean-up” hunt, I was able to negotiate the add on of a leopard upon arrival. The hunter preceding us had also hunted leopard, so there were several baits already up. The first order of business was to check those baits and begin looking for bull elephant tracks coming into the safari area from Gonerezhou, across the river.
The first day didn’t produce any promising tracks and none of the leopard baits had been hit.
Upon returning back to camp we learned of Hartley’s great luck in killing two trophy buffalo. Upon seeing his buffalo, I began to think about adding a buffalo should my elephant hunt end early.
The next day was a repeat of the first but now Hartley had collected on his Nyala.
By the third day still none of the baits had been hit and it was time to freshen them up. Now, as be continued to look for elephants, we were also searching for a Kudu. It didn’t take long before we spied a group of three bulls, all of which were shooters. Chad and Dixon began their stalk while Nixon and I waited behind. After about 20 minutes, we heard a single shot and a “kawhap”. Shortly there after Chad and Dixon walked out to the road and we began to find our way to Chad’s first African animal. And what an animal he was. Ultimately the Kudu measured out at 54” by 56” and he had a “third horn”, being a horn-like growth on the center of his face between the other two horns.
Later that day we began to track some Jumbo, but the swirling winds and short rain showers made for a difficult prospect. It was at the beginning of this series of tracking that Nixon said “If he charges – put a bullet on his face”.
Day four found us tracking more bull elephants and bumping into Dugga boys. Later that day Chad took a ram impala to finish out his plains game hunting and we continued to freshen baits.
Each day we had been getting up a half hour earlier and we were now rising at 3:30 AM.
Nixon said day five is his usual elephant killing day and we left the safari area to hunt his communal area.
This time I took Ernest. I thought “Oh, what the heck – can’t hurt”. Once there we found the large and old and worn tracks of a bull and began the tracking. After several hours in the 106 degree heat, we followed the bull back into the park.
We continued to drive until we found other tracks and began sorting them out. While the trackers were trying to freshen up the tracks, Chad and I discovered a bunch of dung beetles. They were very cool, but I was amazed when I watched one sprout wings and take of with a loud humming noise. This gave me a great idea and “Dung Beetle Baseball” was born. I found a solid branch of the proper length and positioned myself a head of a beetle just as he was preparing for take off. Once airborne and coming right at me, I took a full swing and hit a home run on my first try. This was great fun and Chad and I played for about a half an hour before the trackers and Nixon beckoned us to come with our rifles.
With the track freshened up and heading away from the park, we continued the tracking. After a couple more hours, the tracks began to head out of the thick Mopani and towards the shade of green Ironwood Trees. As we caught closer, Dixon spied the lone bull fanning himself in the shade. We began a stalk and were able to close into 45 paced steps before he woke up and became a ware of our presence. He began to step forward, but was still broadside, so I aimed for the heart and fired my first shot. The shot knocked him down and I began to run forward to get a clear second shot. As I did so, the bull got back to his feet and began a hasty departure. I had asked Chad to back me up, so now he and I tried to break the bull down as we had discussed, each shooting for the hip, femur or spine. I fired three more times and Chad two, with his second shot breaking the bulls left femur. He fell to the ground and I went forward and ended it with another shot to the heart. Nixon never fired as he felt the first heart shot was true and the elephant was dead, he just didn’t know it yet.
Upon closer examination of the bull I was awed by not only his body size, but the length of his evenly matched long slender ivory. I decided right then not to measure or weigh him as it no longer mattered. Before that moment I was pretty hung up on insisting on a bull over 50 pounds. Here, lying before me was the bull of my dreams. I savored the moment as I cut off his almost hairless tail to claim ownership.
Nixon said that from here forward, we would be seeing more and more elephant everyday as they increased their movement into our area out of the park.
The sixth day was spent recovering the bull. As he was over 20 miles from the nearest village, we took in a recovery team consisting of 8 men. It began by skinning and that was when they found the first of my solids. It was from the first shot and lying against the off side skin.
As the process continued, they found another bullet. This one was in the bull’s left nasal cavity and it wasn’t mine. Neither was it Chad’s. It was a 500 grain 458 solid. The entrance wound and the area around the bullet had completely healed. I bet that was one disappointed hunter that lost this bull.
Continuing with the recovery, they found two more of my solids and one of Chad’s. The 375 they found was obviously the one that broke the femur as it was bent and deformed. The rest of the bullets could have been re-used.
Nixon felt this bull was over 50 years old as he was on his last set of molars and the rear teeth were quit worn down.
One day seven Nixon asked if I wanted to add buffalo to my hunt. I jumped at the chance. At this point I went with Simon as Hartley had elephant fever and was hunting with Nixon.
We now went into leopard bait checking and dugga boy tracking mode. Still no hits on the 8 baits we had set out and refreshed, but we found the fresh tracks of three bull buffalo. After hours of tracking, Simon said they were near as the sign was very fresh. The bulls had entered the almost impenetrable brush. We were moving very so slowly, when suddenly the brush exploded with buffalo 15 yards away. My heart was in my throat as I raised my rifle disengaging the safety at the same time.
Whether luckily or unluckily, I don’t know, but the bulls choose to run away from us and were not to be seen again.
The following day we continued to chase buffalo, but the winds were fickle. We were now finding elephant tracks every where coming out of the park and into the area.
During the afternoon hunt we went to a pan to see if the buffalo had come to drink. They had, but also had a very large tracked elephant. Simon asked if I minded following the elephant tracks for a while instead of the buffalo as he and Peter were curious about this bull due to his great size. I readily agreed and we were tracking elephant again. Oh how I loved it.
At about 4PM, we came upon the bull as he emerged out on the edge of a clearing. Oh my god, what a bull. He was considerably bigger than my first bull. We knew we had to try and find Hartley as this bull was outstanding. We backed out and began our way, I mean run, to the Land Cruiser. We got back to camp by 5:00, but Hartley, Nixon and Chad were still out looking for elephants. Chad went as Hartley asked him to back him up.
It wasn’t until about 10 PM when they came dragging in. These guys were whooped. Turns out they found a great bull, but the shot was high and they had to track him for hour after hour. During the tracking, the bull would circle around them. Twice, they found his fresh tracks over their own. It got dark and they had to give up the track. As he kept circling them, they were hopeful he would stay in the communal area and not head back to the park.
Upon hearing this news, I felt terrible for Hartley. But, seeing an opportunity to get back at the Judge, I suggested that Hartley make some moves on Ernest. He did and I have photographic proof. Turns out that Ernest doesn’t like to get kissy face with men.
That night I dreamed of elephant. Not just any elephant, but the great bull we saw in the afternoon. That next morning, we continued to hunt for buffalo and went back to the same pan. The same big bull elephant had been back. The boys got excited. I got excited. I got really excited. I got crazy reckless excited and asked what it would cost to hunt this bull myself. Simon said I’d have to talk to Nixon. We tried to radio him, but no luck. We walked back to the Landcruiser and drove to a high spot. They reached Nixon and he confirmed that they had left over elephant quota but wanted to negotiate face to face.
We met with Nixon and he and I took a walk. It was during that walk that I realized that even though I had been a professional hostage negotiator and criminal interrogator with great prior success, I was not an elephant negotiator. Nixon was a master and he had me. I agreed to his price and off we raced.
Chad now joined us as he was really getting into this elephant hunting on my nickel. Little did he know it was not a nickel, but his inheritance. Due to Hartley’s experience and the fact that our elephant was closer to the park boundary, I asked both Chad and Simon to immediately back me up should we find this bull.
Tracking, tracking, tracking. We spent endless hours tracking only to find the bull wandered back into the park. He headed back to the Landcruiser as darkness had now fallen. About 100 yards from the truck, Simon froze in his tracks. There was hushed yet rapid and excited utterances going on between Simon and the crew. We were immediately and hurriedly ushered back and began a rapid retreat. It turns out we were walking straight into a heard of cows with calves that were also walking towards us. Simon spotted them at 25 yards and hence the retreat. An hour later we made it back to the cruiser.
We returned to camp to learn that Hartley’s elephant had found his way back into the park. We were all very disappointed, but Nixon was going to talk with the warden and see if the rangers wouldn’t lend a hand.
The next day, we are back after my 2nd elephant. We didn’t find his tracks, but we did find some tracks that were very interesting. They were smaller tracks, but were from a very, very old bull as indicated by the wear pattern found in his tracks. There was also something unusual about one of his front feet. It appeared as if it had been damaged. We took up the track and found his dung full of undigested roughage, again an indication of age.
We continued to track this bull through the very thick Mopani. Most of the time you could see only yards in front of you. The spoor freshened. The tension and focus increased. Then, it was like someone through a switch, the demeanor of the team went into hyper focus. Peter climbed an elevated outcropping and there was a bull. There was a very good bull. He was almost as long as my first bull, but had more girth. He carried his weight from the lip to the tip. Here was another good bull. Game on.
We began our stalk. Slowly we moved forward. Step by step. Snap went a twig behind me. Simon and I glared back. I think our expressions could have caused bodily damage if we continued the glare any longer. Cape buffalo had nothing on us.
Still we stalked.
Then, right in front of us at 25 yards appeared part of an elephant’s head. He was broadside and facing to our right. I could only see his forehead and ivory. Simon mouthed the word “shoot him”. I said “side brain?” as I knew he wanted me to take a heart shot. He mouthed “no – heart”. I answered that I had no shot. Time froze.
We moved forward and to our right. The bull moved a step forward exposing more head. We moved again. The bull moved again. Now, I could see the front or lead of his chest, but his vitals were screened. He took another stop forward. I stared through the brush. I thought I could judge the location of his heart and was screening the brush for solid obstacles. I thought I could do it. I was making the largest monetary bet of my life. I new I would hit him and thereby owe the trophy fee. But I had to mortally hit him. I said no shot.
The bull took one more step forward. Still his chest was screened, but I was confident I could make the shot. I estimated where his heart was positioned. Everyone one was ready. Three rifles were up and aiming – waiting for me. The pressure built. The trigger went off – Boom! Then Boom, Boom. The elephant let roar with a loud trumpet as the brush began to get trampled. The bull was spinning in a semi-circle. I fired again – Boom. Then another Boom, boom by Simon and Chad.
He took off. He couldn’t be seen. I charged forward towards the bull trying my best to imitate Ivan Carter. Simon called me back. He gave me the “twig napping” look. Then, we heard him fall. Then, we became aware of the second bull elephant that had joined him. We were between a fallen bull and a very much alive bull. All senses were high and we heard the fallen bull move forward.
Simon checked the wind and we slowly circled around. The second bull wandered off. We continued our circle, listen, circle, listen for about 30 minutes. Seemed like 30 days.
Then, there he was. Staring at me. Not any one else. He was staring at me. At twelve yards his ears began to spread out. I put a bullet on his face and it was over.
We went up to the grand old tusker and admired his ivory. His left tusk was long and thick. His right was just as thick but had been broken off at the tip. Here was a bull with character to his ivory! What a bull.
As we examined him, we saw that his front foot was indeed damaged, but healed. Later, when Nixon arrived, he surmised that it had been blown partially off by a land mine. He told me that the area known as Sengwe had an un-cleared landmine field and he probably travelled through there years ago.
The elephants of the Gonerezhou have a reputation for being a little “cheeky”. Well, with a 500 grain 458 in your nasal cavity or a blown off foot, I can see why.
We all celebrated that night.
The following day the elephant was recovered and we took the trunk to the tribal chief. It was a two hour drive, but a sign of respect. This chief of the Shangani is well respected and has 6 wives. His home is of traditional construction and sits on an elevated point overlooking the area. When we met him, through a translator, he thanked us for hunting Malapati as the meat and trophy fees are of great importance to his people. We thanked him for the privilege of hunting in his communal lands. He said we were the only white men to visit him and was appreciative of the respect we showed by presenting him with the elephant trunk. He invited us back to hunt again, and said if we came back, he would hold a party in our honor. This was a trip highlight.
The memories will last longer then the inheritance would any way.
