Double buffalo hunt
SSG Safaris
PH Simon Dzingai
Area -- Malipati Safari area
Agent -- Bobby Lowe

I picked this hunt up here on AR, Bobby Lowe posted it and I could not pass it up. The first thing Simon said when I meet him was," We will be dancing with the dugga boys." I was to find out what that meant and would add, crawling with the dugga boys. They don't hunt the big herds, choosing to follow those big platter size tracks. While driving into the area, I could see thick scrub brush with a lot of rock and gravel. This was going to be a challenge.
First morning out we found tracks of a small group with several bulls in it and decided to follow. Got up on them and they busted, got up on them again and they busted again. This was going to be hard, you have the thick brush and the noisy rocky ground, add in the fickle wind. We circled around and got up on them for the third time, they were looking back at us but could not smell us. We got down on our hands and knees and crawled. I found out that crawling is Simon's favorite way to sneak up on the buffalo. We crawled from termite mound to bush, to tree, the rocky ground was dealing my knees fits, but we finally got to within 50 yards of them. I got set up resting on a tree while Simon glassed looking for a good bull to take but there was not one we wanted. We set there for a few minutes and finally the buffalo had enough and broke out of there. How intense can you get, everybody was pumped up, handshakes around for a great stalk. This is the essence of hunting, not a shot fired but we stalked them on their terms and had them dead to right. That was such a rush. We walked back to the truck very contented.
Didn't have to drive far before we found some more tracks. This was a single bull with feet big as a saucer, exactly what we wanted. With it being late in the morning, the bulls would be bedded down and the wind was not steady, Simon decided it would be best to leave him and come back late afternoon. We got back on the track about 4:30 and the bull had joined up with two more, they were going down wind so we circled around to get in front of them and the wind right. It worked great, we stopped and the trackers spread out looking to see if the bulls had passed us when we heard them walking straight to us. We eased toward them but the brush was so thick you couldn't see 40 yards. The wind flipped and the bulls ran off, we were so close. The trackers were standing on a hill watching the whole thing and thought we were going to run head on into them. We followed them and bumped them again, I didn't think there was anyway we would get up on them again after busting them twice. Simon and Samuel, the tracker, got a good look at one bull and he was tremendous. We had to try everything possible to get a shot and daylight was running out. We looped around to get the wind right and to my amazement, we found them again and were paralleling them as they fed. They moved into an opening and Simon threw up the sticks but there was to much brush in the way for a shot. We moved again and saw an opening they would come through, the sticks went up, I get ready as the bulls moved slowly through. Simon said," Wait until I tell you which one," the bulls came into the open, one, two, and finally Simon said, "It's the third one, hit him low on the shoulder." I shoot, the bulls run off, Samuel and Simon say it's a good shot but the tension was extreme while we listen for the death bellow. The 10 or 15 seconds seemed like hours but when we heard the bellow all the tension melted away, pats on the back and hand shakes and hugs. No drug or alcohol can give you the high you experience at a time like that. When we walked up on him and saw the white face, the scars, we were with out words for a while, then there was more hand shakes and pats on the back. Day light was running out, thank goodness the shot was good, we took a few pics and walked out. By the time we got to the road it was dark. The recovery would be in the morning.








As we left camp the next morning, we saw two bulls that were really impressive. Simon did his best to talk me into trying for these bulls but I didn't want to end the hunt so soon, so we drove on. I was very content at that moment and just wanted to enjoy recovering the bull and relaxing the rest of the day. We took a lot of pictures and enjoyed the moment. Could not get the truck in to the bull so the guys had to carry it out. That was an experience of it self.





On the fourth day, we were following some bulls when Kuzi, the game scout, heard them off to our left. About the time he started pointing, a group of buffalo off to our left broke out and ran off. We followed them to check if there were any good bulls but we didn't see any, so we went back to the tracks we were following to begin with, the wind was good and it didn't take long to catch up to them. Down we go on our hands and knees and start crawling again. This is where it really got funny. I had a touch of diarrhea and I had gone as far as I could go. I tell Simon I had to go, fortunately there was a small termite mound to my right. I crawled behind it and down go my pants. I can only imagine what the guys behind me were thinking. Any way, I got through, laid my rifle on the termite mound, the buffalo were standing about 40 yards away, looking back toward us. I could see his head and his rear end but everything in between was covered by a small tree and some brush. Simon told me to go right of the small tree and down where the shoulder was. The shot goes off but nobody could tell for sure if it was a good hit. The tension was almost unbearable, everyone straining to hear the bellow. Finally, we heard that wonderful sound. I don't think I've ever seen a happier bunch of guys. Walked toward the bull and came up on the blood trail. it looked like somebody had thrown buckets of blood on the ground. The bullet had hit both lungs and took the big artery on top of the heart out.





With two bulls in the salt we had plenty of time to do some fishing and sight seeing. I will post some pics later, went to see a school that the Campfire Program works with. Some of the meat from camp is given to them and it was a great experience to see hunter's dollars at work and the impact it makes.

Great report. I love that old, white faced bull!

What caliber was that Remington?

A couple of very fine dagga boys!!! Well done.

quote:

Originally posted by drongo:
What caliber was that Remington?

375 H&H, I hand load 300 gr Woodleigh Hydro solids and 300 gr. Swift A- Frame. Simon likes hunters to have a solid first, then a soft then the rest solids. On both bulls, the first shot with the solid was a complete pass through, one shoulder out the other.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
Great report. I love that old, white faced bull!

I am extremely proud of that bull too, he had less hair than I do, and that's saying a lot.



Here are more pics and the story behind them.



This is a school that is partners with the Campfire Program. Some meat is brought to the school from the hunting camp, the bore hole was funding by hunting funds. Very gratifying to see hunters dollars doing good.







The assembly area, the kids stand on the cement strips and the speakers podium is up front.



This was really interesting, water is in the jug, the wire connects the stick to the jug, step on the stick and the jug tilts and water pours out to wash your hands. It was put up to get the kids to wash their hans after using the toilet.





The guys did a little fishing. You can see the porcupine quill used for the float. Notice the HUGH fish, they fry them whole and eat them in one bite. They believe in hook and cook, nothing is released.



There was NOTHING wasted from the bulls, they emptied the stomach, took intestines, lungs, even the hoofs. Nothing was left at the site except the contents of the stomach. I'll post some pics of the scenery later.

Well done! Thanks for posting.

Congrats on what looks to be a very enjoyable safari. Well done on the double buff and the first is a corker.

Congrats on an extremely successful safari!

Best regards,D. Nelson

The first buff is a beauty!
Well done indeed!

Congratulations on a great hunt. I hunted with Nixon in 2009 and hope to be there again in May 2017.

Life is good! Great story, great pics, great buffs!

BH63

Randy thanks for the fine report on your hunt with Simon and Nixon. You scored with two fine buffs. I was happy for you when I was sent the photos after each kill. Simon truly loves hunting buffalo. He enjoyed your great spirit and company.
The photos of the school and kids add to your report. Zimbabwe people are wonderful.

Bobby

Bobby, Thanks for all the help, everything went smooth. Nixon told me to ask you about the elephant you shot and it ran up to the skinning shed and died. That sounds like an interesting story.

Roll Tide!!

Well done!!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Roll Tide!!

Well done!!

ROLL TIDE

Congrats on the fine buffalo.

I shot a pair of them with the same team a few years ago.

These are some pics that were interesting part of the trip.



I love the African taxis, this one has extra donkey power.



We saw these hyenas in the park.







This was a lion kill, we saw a lot of Nyla, to me one of the prettiest animals there is.

congrats! Brings back lots of memories...

Congrats on the Double!!!