25 April 2012, 12:17
Todd WilliamsCMS Tuskless/Buff/Sable hunt from Oct 2010
This hunt took place in October of 2010, prior to my participating here on AR. As such, it isn't current at this point, but I thought some might enjoy reading about it.Outfitter: Charlton McCallum Safaris
Where: Makuti and Dande Safari Areas of Zimbabwe
When: October 25 thru November 3, 2010
PH: Rich Tabor
Cameraman: Justin Drainer
Weapons Used: Winchester M-70, Stainless, 375H&H, 1.75X6 Leupold Vari-X VII, Heavy Duplex, Talley Quick Release
Merkel M140 500NE, Iron Sights
Ammo Used: Handloads - 375H&H 300gr Barnes TSX and Banded Solids; 500NE - 570gr Barnes TSX and Banded Solids
Game Hunted: Tuskless Elephant Cow, Cape Buffalo Bull, Cape Buffalo Cow, Sable
Could this be Heaven? One look at the temperature gauge suggests just the opposite! 115 to 120 degrees during the day and 100 at night here in late October has given this place an appropriate nickname: “The Oven”. Not a breath of a breeze during the hot midday or at night while trying to sleep. With these conditions, what could possibly make one consider calling this place “Paradise”? The answer of course is the Zambezi hunting areas of northern Zimbabwe!!!
Several trips to South Africa and 1 hunt in the Tuli area of Southern Zimbabwe for Leopard and Bull Elephant definitely qualify as “Trips of a Lifetime” but the famous Zambezi Valley is a step up into the realm of “World Class”. Known for its dangerous game concessions, The Valley offers classic African Safari opportunities at a fraction of the costs of other famous areas such as Tanzania and Botswana. In my opinion, “The Valley” is today’s best value on the continent.
This hunt was a last minute deal that I just couldn’t pass up. In corresponding with Buzz concerning my then upcoming June, 2011 hunt for tuskless Elephant and Leopard, he informed me that a “last hunt of the year” safari was available with a reduced daily rate, and all animals remaining on quota offered. The catch was that no specific animal availability could be guaranteed. Simply, whatever was left over could be hunted up to and including Lion. Considering a Lion or classic Big 4 hunt requiring 21 days minimum at a premium rate being offset in this manner made the decision to add this trip to the budget a no brainer. I mean, who needs a retirement fund anyway; right? When October arrived, there were no cats available, but Bull Elephant, tuskless cow Elephant, Sable, Buffalo Bull and Buffalo cow, as well as several lesser plains game all provided more than enough sport for a 10-day adventure.
I also elected to hire Charlton McCallum’s excellent resident cameraman, Justin Drainer, to memorialize the excitement in full HD. Being my first attempt at filming my hunts, that turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made concerning a hunting trip. In reviewing the tapes after returning home, it’s surprising how much of the safari didn’t get locked away in my memory bank but is now available any time simply by popping a DVD into the player. Even if you never intend to commercially produce a DVD or TV show, I highly recommend filming your future hunts. The costs involved were very reasonable and I find the DVD rivals taxidermy in terms of reliving the experience.
The Makuti camp was beautiful with traditional tented accommodations, each tent with it’s own en-suite facilities. Even being tired from the long trip, I just couldn’t sleep. Too much excitement for what surely lay ahead. One little event I thought funny looking back at it now is that I don’t particularly like spiders. I’m always thinking about one of these nasty’s getting on me in the dark while sleeping. At one point, I turned on the lamp next to the bed and noticed sitting on the nightstand less than 10 inches from my face was a very large frog. In fact, it startled me a bit due to his size and close proximity. I can only imagine my reaction if that thing had jumped on my face in the complete darkness! No Buffalo or Elephant charge could ever compare to the danger I would have imposed on myself in the dark trying to get a “spider” off me!
The next morning, as usual, our hunt started by picking up the game scout and a quick trip to the range to check the rifles. Surprisingly, my 375 H&H was printing 4 inches low and 3 inches right. It was dead on a week before at the range. A couple of adjustments and it was ready to go. My 500 Nitro Express double was hitting hard, right on the spot; on both ends!! I was using 300gr TSX and Barnes Banded solids for the 375H&H and 570gr TSX and Barnes Banded solids for the 500NE.
With everyone collected and the weapons checked, my PH, Rich Tabor and I headed to high ground to glass for Elephant. Glass for Elephant? That doesn’t sound right. I thought you hunt Elephant with your feet. At least, that’s how we did it on my bull hunt in 08. As it turns out, Elephant hunting takes several forms. In this particular area, the mountainous Makuti concession of the Zambezi escarpment, numerous high perch lookouts provide good glassing opportunities.
We spotted a herd of about 15 cows with calves late in the evening of the first day. Being careful to approach downwind, we worked our way to within 30 yards of the group and determined that only one tuskless was present but it was young and way too small to consider taking. Another herd of approximately 10 animals was spotted just before dusk but it contained no tuskless. At that point, we called it a day. A great day, indeed!!
Turning in after dinner, I again spent one of the longest nights I can remember. No, it wasn’t the time change or the 2 episodes of lions grunting outside camp that prevented me from falling asleep, although the big cats definitely got my attention. Instead, it was the overwhelming sense of excitement that we would again be elephant hunting as soon as dawn arrived! There is no doubt about it, hunting these grey giants is addicting; especially tuskless cows. Their aggressive nature and irritable disposition is such that experiencing a charge is always a strong possibility, unlike buffalo where a charge is possible, but not likely; and then usually only after being wounded. About the lions, as soon as I heard them, I knew exactly what they were. I felt so privileged for the opportunity to hear wild lions in today’s world. Laying there in total darkness, listening to them call, I said a little prayer of thanks for the experience, and for the hope of hearing them again in the future.
Finally, 4:00am arrived and it was time for a quick breakfast before loading up the land cruiser and heading out to a place approximately 2 hours drive from camp, called “Secrete Valley”. Sounds promising, I thought as I performed a quick check of my gear before leaving for the day. About 30 miles out, while still on the paved road, Rich and I heard a tap, tap, tap on the truck’s roof. A sure sign that one of the trackers on the back saw something we didn’t. Nyati, our lead tracker, told us he had seen several elephant on the distant mountain side.
We all geared up, drank some water as a precaution against the escalating heat, and descended into the bush. I loaded two 570 grain solids into my 500 and Rich loaded his 470. In order to stay undetected, we were forced to climb a mountain on the downwind side of the valley containing the grey giants. We were about a mile and a half from the road when finally coming upon the small herd. There was a tuskless in the group but she had a small, dependent calf. We obviously passed. As we sat there, 50 yards away, enjoying watching the elephants eat seed pods, I noticed that a large cow had what looked like a really bad cut near the end of her trunk. Rich told me that it was a fresh wound from a poacher’s snare. The injury appeared not to interfere with her ability to use her trunk but it was a stark reminder that without hunters ‘ dollars supporting anti-poaching efforts, Zimbabwe’s wildlife would quickly follow in the footsteps of Kenya’s.
Walking back to the truck over dead ground, the temperature skyrocketed to more than 110 degrees F. A cold bottle of water never tasted so good!! Temporarily refreshed, we continued our trek to the Secrete Valley. Once arriving, we spotted 4 small groups of elephant on the mountain in front of us. After a bit of glassing, we determined that one group had a tuskless without a calf while a second group had 2 tuskless with one small calf that appeared dependent. We decided to put a stalk on the second group as one of its tuskless appeared much larger than the others. Closer inspection would prove it to be without progeny.
It took about an hour of steady climbing to reach a point of equal elevation to the jumbos and about ¼ mile to the east in an attempt to keep the sun at our backs for the final approach. Rich and I performed a quick brass check on our double rifles and began the final stage of the stalk. There were 3 cows and 2 calves in the group. All were facing away from us except the largest tuskless which we perceived to be the matriarch. At about 50 yards, she stopped fanning her ears and pointed them in our direction. We froze in our steps until she relaxed and resumed fanning. At 20 yards, she again sensed something amiss and took two aggressive steps toward us with ears straight out. Presenting a perfect target for the frontal brain shot, Rich gave me the go ahead. My first shot took her about 3 inches below eye level but a bit too far to the left. Even so, her back legs collapsed as she fell on her rump and rotated broadside. Before I knew it, I had fired the second barrel into her shoulder, taking out the heart. Reloading quickly, Rich asked me to give her both barrels again for insurance, which I obliged. The other tuskless now was demonstratively angry. She threw her ears out straight, screamed at us, and mock charged 3 or 4 steps, ending the bluff by kicking dirt in our direction. We quickly backed off to give her some space in hopes of not having to shoot her in self-defense. It worked and she soon took charge of the small herd and led the remaining eles down the mountain and out of the danger zone.
We spent the rest of the day lounging around camp and swapping hunting stories. While passing time, we heard the daily check in call from the short wave radio located in the PH hut. Rich rejoined the group after briefly speaking with the home office and announced that a buffalo cow was available on quota for the area if I wanted it. Furthermore, Buzz and Myles, the co-owners of Charlton McCallum Safaris said they had both, recently, chased around an ancient old cow with deep drops, an exceptionally wide spread, and a horn structure resembling the boss of a bull. Although anxious to move up to the Dande Safari Area near the Zambezi River in order to begin my Sable hunt, Rich assured me that taking a day or two to try for this old cow shouldn’t affect our chances of later success. We agreed to give it a try the following morning.
Leaving camp around daylight, we quickly came across tracks of a large buffalo herd. I was skeptical about finding this “needle in a haystack” cow in any reasonable amount of time. However, after a short tracking job, we quickly spotted her lying down toward the far side of the feeding bovines. The area was quite open and with nearly 100 sets of prying eyes, we realized that anything less than a 100 yard shot would be close to impossible. Without hesitation, I switched from the “two pipe” to my scoped 375 H&H. Rich, Justin, and I scooted along on our back sides until achieving a position about 150 yards from the herd. With no remaining cover, we took a chance, stood up, and walked right into the milling buffalo. With several Dugga Boys giving us the evil eye from the left side of the herd, I was surprised that the group didn’t bombshell in all directions. Instead, they started a leisurely pace to exit stage right. Suddenly, Rich set up the shooting sticks and reacquired the position of the old cow. Just as she was about to enter the thick bush, she turned for one last look see, only to be struck in the right shoulder by a 300 grain, Barnes Triple Shock. A puff of dried mud and visible strain indicated a good hit. Switching back to the double rifle before following her tracks into the budding tangle of vines and undergrowth, we set out to recover the “Dugga Girl”. We quickly discovered the shot was true as we found her lying not 40 yards from the point of impact.
Upon closer inspection, the old girl had 2 teeth remaining and was skin and bones. Both of her horns were worn extensively at the skull to the point that they both broke off while being preserved back at the skinning shed. It is very doubtful she would have lasted much longer, especially with the high population of lion in the area. Taking that old cow out of the herd in her condition was perfect timing from a hunting conservation standpoint. She must have been suffering from hunger and was certainly no longer able to defend herself. It was a harvest that made me proud to be a hunter!
As we descended the escarpment into the valley, the temperature gained at least another 10 degrees. Here I experienced my first Tetse fly. Some bites were not so bad but every now and again, a bite would hit a nerve. The best I can describe the feeling is: a minor bee sting. Actually, the fly bites were not as bad as I had been warned about by Rich and Justin. I think them guilty a bit of psyching out the new guy! As we drove into camp, I recognized the establishment as one appearing on several current hunting videos and TV shows produced by the previous concession holder. Something about that seemed intriguing to me. To travel thousands of miles to the opposite side and hemisphere of the earth, drive 5 hours into an exceptionally remote location, get out of the truck and recognize exactly where you are! My wife assured me it isn’t intriguing at all; I simply watch too many hunting shows!!
Just as the dawn broke revealing a burnt orange sky, we spotted a small group of Sable while driving the concession road. Quickly exiting the land cruiser, we were soon stalking arguably the most beautiful antelope in all Africa. Following a short game of cat and mouse while we positioned the sun at our back and the wind across our approach, I was able to get off a tight shot through the heavy brush. The majestic bull fell in his tracks to one shot from the 375. This lone Sable bull culminated the primary motivation for pursuing this late season adventure. At just under 40 inches, he is not the largest ever taken. But he more than likely represents the only Sable I will take. I hope that is not the case, but the fact is that Sable are a premium species commanding a premium price tag for a non-dangerous quarry. In the long run, when expense is an issue, I prefer to hunt dangerous game. This sole trophy will be one of the most prized pieces of my hunting collection. Now, about that Roan!!!
With 5 and ½ days remaining, we turned to my favorite African pursuit. Trophy Buffalo Bull. Dugga Boys!! The plan was to take one with my 500 double and only switch to the scoped 375 in case of an exceptional bull that was out of range for the “two pipe”. Right away, we determined that one stalk in the morning and another in the evening was about all we could handle due to the extreme heat in the valley. Actually, I should say one hunt in the morning and one in the evening was all I could handle. Not only did the sun bear down brutally, but the heat radiated up from the ground as well. As a result, I was not able to keep my feet dry, and even with liner socks, I developed large blisters on all 10 toes. Using 2 entire packages of mole skin, I was determined to push on. After all, how often does one get an opportunity to hunt buffalo in the Dande Safari Area?
In the end, taking an exceptional bull was not in the cards this time. But that’s OK. The hunt had other rewards. Twice, we had to abandon our stalk due to meeting up with lions who were stalking the same herd. The second time this happened, we were warned off with a menacing growl from a lioness! We successfully crawled to within 40 yards of an ancient old bull with a spread of 35 inches or so. Well within range of the double and with good terrain for video. I already have a buff of this class and with 4 days remaining, I passed in hopes of improving a bit. At this point in the hunt, the blisters had not yet become incapacitating either, and I had no idea how much those final days hunts would be restricted due to my feet. But, no regrets. Hunting those Buff there in the DSA with Rich is one of the best experiences I’ve had while hunting. For that matter, it’s one of the best experiences I’ve had, period!
Like all enjoyable endeavors, this 10 day adventure passed too quickly. I was blessed with making new friends and not only touring a wonderful part of wild Africa, but actually experiencing my place in nature by participating as a predator here. Although eco tourism plays its part in the overall scheme of wildlife management, there are significant intangibles that can only be satisfied by a deeper level of involvement in nature’s processes. Intangibles that are offered only through the experience of hunting. What “intangibles” you might ask? Well to name one, the feeling you get from providing several thousand meals for the local population by harvesting an Elephant. I was told that when my family sits down to enjoy Christmas dinner back home, meat from this animal will still be in the local’s cook pots. I am proud to count myself among the group known as nature’s true conservationists. I am proud to be a hunter! And I am blessed to have enjoyed this adventure.
Even though this hunt report is a bit dated now, I hope you guys enjoyed it. My real motivation for posting it at this late date is to acknowledge the exceptional experience provided by CMS and my PH Rich Tabor. They are 1st class in every respect. But Rich does walk too fast!
Just joking
Nah, not Buzz! 