Had a 7 day Cape Buffalo hunt in the Kilembaro (spelling) valley, this is west of the Selous. The valley floods every year. This year it was a month later then usual. National Geographical was waiting for the flood and then left. When it did flood they came back. When we arrived, the grass was still green , usually 30% of the grass has been burnt by then.

The grass is so high you can see the birds on the backs of elephants, sometimes you can see their backs.

First day of hunt 9:30 AM we see birds (embagies) going down into an opening, the tracker got on top of the truck and was several buff in an opening, the PH looked and said there was a 44" with deep curls. We crept up to edge, the tracker set up the sticks and I was raising my 470 when some birds, I think he called them plovers, started diving and chattering at us. The buff took off without my getting a shot. The birds chatter at people and also lions.

Day 3, we found herd in heavy grass, got close, could hear the buff moving and feeding. The wind changed and they took off. We went in the direction they were headed and saw them in an opening, about 150 buff. We made a stalk and I was getting ready to take 110 yaard shot with scoped 375HH, 5 buff came from 4:00, we laid down and they passed us and joined the herd. We had to make another stalk and got 90 yards from them. Set up on shooting sticks and the buff started walking towards us, they knew we were there but did not know what we were.

I shot the bull, walking towards us square in the chest. He spun around and ran about 10 yeards and went down.

There were several more bulls in the herd. The herd moved about 10 yards and turned around and was facing us. PH asked me if I wanted to shoot another, but I passed. We walked towards them waving our arms and they left. Buff was old bull battle scared. PH said he was an old dugga boy that had joined the herd for a short time. He was 36" wide with worn boss. Average bull, but real trophy to me.

Day 6. Hunted AM and saw buff but could not get close. We went looking for zebra before lunch. Found first here, tried stalk but they were very spookey. Found second herd of about 15. There was a herd of native cows between us and the zebra, we walked in the cows and the zebra did not move. Got 100+ yards and shot a big stallion.

I was suprised how beautiful zebra are. My wife came on hunt and made first stalk on the buff and made the stalk on the zebra. My wife did very well for never having been in the woods or bush before.

Day 7. WE hunted AM and could not find herds. There is a fishermans camp on the river and they told us every few days they would see two old bull buff right by their camp. We went by their camp 1 1/2 hour before dark. We heard the buff in the grass for 30 minutes, they fed towards us, they were about 20feet from us and we could not see them. We backed off into an opeing about 16 yards from the buff but they did never come out. I swithed from 470 to scoped 375 until it was just too dark. Talk about exciting!!!! If I had gotten a shot that evening, the buff would have had powder burns!!!

We saw elephant, probably 1,000 Puku, bush buck, reed buck, hippo, lions, wort hog, monkeys, NO snakes, buffalo, zebra, mongoose, and probably other animals I can't think of now.

Day 4 we were in the buff and there was a lion that took a buff down about 200 yards from us. Several days later we were were in the same area and was where the lion had attacked the buff, he got away. He would be a bad customer to meet in the heavy grass.

I wish I could afford a lion hunt. The customer before me took buff, leopard, lion and other animals. The teeth on the lion skull was as long as my finger. He said the lion weighed between 425 & 450#. The hide was huge. They take 5 lion a year.

The same customer shot his leopard too high and the hunter had to go in after it. It charged him from about 25' and he killed it.

I will probably go back next year to hunt 2 buff and maybe zebra.

Coming home through Amsterdam, after the terrorist thing, we stood in line for about 2 hours to be intervieded about where we were and where we were going. In Dar Salom, we could not bring our toothpaste on the plane, when we got to Amsterdam, we tried to buy toothpaste and they would not sell it to us. When we arrived in Minneapolis, they had taken it off the shelf. We had to wait until we got home in a small town outside of New Orleans to brush our teeth.

Congratulations and good story. Please post some picts, too. Would love to have seen the lion on the buff.

Congratulations on a successful hunt and sharing your story. I hunted the Selous a few years back and enjoyed it immensely.

I'm glad you had a wonderful time,George.Looking forward to some pictures.

Very nice, thanks for the report.

Nice report, are you sorry you didn't drop that second buffalo?

Just kidding, it would have made for a quick end to a buffalo hunt.

One of the few reports on Kilombero Who was your outfitter? Pictures please

The PH was bundusafaris@net.net Will probably go back next year. They have plenty buff, lion, leopard. ONly problem, I can't afford cats

I am computer illiterate, but I do have several digital pictures I will send to someone to post when I learn how.

gi,

Email me the photos and I will post them for you. [Click on my name to the left and then click on "View T.Carr's Public Profile" - that will take you to my email].

Regards,

Terry