September 2 – September 12, 2012
Munyamadzi Game Reserve, Zambia
PH – Thor Kirchner
Camera & Video – Lars Madsen
Travel – Kathi Klimes, Wild Travel

Gear – CZ 550 .375 Camp Rifle
Ammo – Federal 300gr Bear Claw
Animals Hunted – Buffalo, Bushbuck, Impala, Kudu, Puku, Hyena
Animals Taken – Bushbuck, Impala, Kudu, Puku

Preparation:

A quick decision had to be made after seeing this hunt offered on the AR website. I remember seeing the hunt reports from last year’s group hunt and was impressed. I figured this was the only way I was ever going to be able to afford a buffalo hunt and my wife said to go for it. After contacting a few references, I booked the hunt with Thor.

I jog three mornings a week and after a Monday morning session shortly after booking, I felt some discomfort in my right knee. Damn! By nightfall all seemed fine, no problems. After Wednesday’s jog, I felt considerably more discomfort and by Thursday morning booked a doctor’s appointment. Apparently I had inflammation of something or other in my knee. I got the required medication and quickly put an end to my jogging regime. I then crossed my fingers that my knee would be better in time for the hunt, which was about a month away. After about a week, it seemed to have improved.

Then, the Monday before I was to leave, I twisted my left ankle at work. Damn! An old injury that recurs every once in a while. More pills, rest, and crossed fingers. By the time I was ready to leave on the Friday, I was feeling quite good. However, I did buy tensor support bandages for knees and ankles, determined not to let these injuries get in the way of my hunt should they flare up again!

The Trip:

I flew from Regina to Minneapolis and on to Amsterdam with Delta Airlines. No problems. At Amsterdam, I met Van – one of the other hunters who had also booked for this hunt. We had a chance during a layover to chat and get to know each other a little bit. On to Lusaka with KLM. We arrived late and seemed to take forever to get through customs where we met our PH, Thor (pronounced Tor). We spent that night in a chalet near the airport.

The next morning, we met Benjamin (the third hunter), who had arrived early the previous day, and were off to the airport to catch our charter to camp. One and a quarter hours later, we touched down on the dirt landing strip at Munyamadzi. There we met Lars, a good friend of Thor’s. He would be taking photos and video of the next ten days. Of note, on the trail to camp, Thor pointed out a lion track in the dust – it brought a smile to my face knowing I was in truly wild Africa!

BENJAMIN, VAN, AND MYSELF

Day 1:

After arrival, we got settled into camp and went for a short drive to sight in our rifles. Mine was a camp rifle and I was impressed with the trigger. It seemed to agree with me – I felt confident with it. We then went for a short drive along the Luangwa River as we needed some animals for bait since Van was to be hunting leopard. Shortly we spotted some impala and after a brief stalk, Van got our first Zambian animal. Then we went to camp for lunch.

After lunch we went back to a spot where the trackers had spotted fresh buffalo tracks crossing the road. It appeared to be a herd of 50-60 animals (or at least that’s what the trackers said, and who am I to argue?!). We followed these tracks for many miles (and even more kilometers) until dark, and never did catch up with them. So this is what buffalo hunting is like...

END OF A HARD DAY!

On the way back to camp for supper, we hung the bait impala for the leopard.

Note – On the way to camp for lunch, we had a run-in with an ill-tempered elephant. Probably the same one that Thor had problems with a week or two prior while guiding a couple of young ladies on a photo tour. As this elephant seemed a bit territorial, we took a bit of a detour.

Day 2:

We got up very early. Thor, Lars, and Benjamin took a canoe down the river to try to ambush a hippo on land. As a main hippo pod was some distance from camp, they left in complete darkness. We were to drive and pick them up later. I sat down at the fire, had my coffee and breakfast and waited for the sun to come up. After first light, I happened to look up-river and saw an elephant walking from just outside of camp, then cross the river to the other side. Once again I had to pinch myself.

FIRST MORNING AT CAMP

We got a call for pick-up. Apparently the hippos were all back in the water by the time the hunting party got there and as Benjamin wanted to shoot his on land, no shots were fired.

We drove by a large, open dry meadow where we spotted a large puku. Thor and I tried a stalk of which it wanted no part. We persisted and finally it offered a broadside shot. As I got on the sticks and started squeezing the trigger, it turned slightly toward us. At the shot, the puku ran behind a clump of bushes. We ran forward to close the gap as it came out the other side. It stopped, as it had been hit. My second shot was a complete miss – high. Thor calmed me down, and my third shot dropped it abruptly. My first Zambian animal! My first shot had gone through its left shoulder.

MY FIRST ZAMBIAN ANIMAL!

After lunch, we went to check the leopard baits. I got the opportunity to add to the bait with a shot at am impala. At 125 yards, I felt very steady and good about the shot; however the impala immediately bolted and ran over a slight rise. We got on the trail and I spotted it piled up. It had run a little over 100 yards. A perfect shot through the heart - it helped bolster my confidence.

Shortly thereafter we came across a beautiful kudu. Thor figured it would go close to 60 inches with deep curls. Its horns were also very dark. It was a beauty.

We hung the baits and again the boys tried for hippo in the evening, with no luck.

Day 3:

We drove the trail along the river in the morning. This is to be the common theme for the rest of the trip. Suddenly we heard elephants to our right, and among them was a herd of buffalo. We couldn’t get on them so we let them be. We would get after them in the afternoon.

We went east of camp for the first time and hunted along the river. Searching for bushbuck for me, and impala for Benjamin. While making our way slowly along the thick brush, we came upon elephants feeding. We could also hear some in behind us. We slowly made our way around them – it was very exciting for me! They are one large animal! We had a good hunt in this area, but I was unable to find a bushbuck patient enough for me. There were lots there, however.

LARS, MYSELF, AND VAN

In the afternoon, we went tracking the buffalo. We found them fairly early, and as the wind was swirling, we backed out to wait until it calmed down a bit. We went back after an hour and a half, but they had moved. We got on their track again, and found them just before dusk. We got to within 100 yards, got set up, but they saw us and spooked. Thor was upset – we’d have to try another day.

Day 4:

The usual routine – drive along one of the river trails looking for buffalo tracks. I was still looking for a bushbuck, and there were lots there, so it was only a matter of time. I shot another impala that Van needed for bait. It was a 160 yard perfect shot. Again a confidence-builder.

I had caught a cold – bummer! I had a nap after lunch before heading back out to hunt buffalo. We had a great hunt. We got on the buffalo tracks and found them after about an hour. There was a dried creek bed that got us to within 60 or 70 yards of the bedded buffalo. It took about an hour for Thor to determine how to get closer to the bulls. We ended up trying a stalk on the right side, but they seemed to sense that we were there and started moving out. We followed them and crossed in behind them on a side hill to their left as they started to feed up the adjacent hill. Van got on the sticks and got a shot at a good bull. At the shot, the herd ran over the hill and were gone. Upon looking at the video, we could see that the bullet had grazed a tree and hit the ground a few yards behind the bull. Such a disappointment. We found the tree and if the shot had been half an inch to the right, the disappointment would have been elation. This is hunting!

GLASSING A HERD

Day 5:

We got on the buffalo track first thing in the morning. We tracked for about an hour, then stalked and crawled to within about 100 yards. The wind was swirling again, and was a concern. Thor picked out a good broadside bull, up went the sticks. As I was getting up for the shot, they smelled us and buggered off. I needed 15 more seconds.

Van shot an impala for bait, and I shot a guinea fowl for soup. Also, a humorous incident: we had spotted a bushbuck. As I got on the sticks, Thor said it was just to the right of the big tree. I settled the crosshairs up the front leg and squeezed off a shot. Off it ran into thick cover. Lars, who was videotaping, commented that I missed it by about 3 feet. I was puzzled, as I felt good about the 100 yard shot. Upon checking the video, what I had thought was the bushbuck, was actually just the bush! I hit it dead center! In the video, the bush actually did look somewhat similar to an animal. Oops. This little incident would be brought up several times during the rest of the trip!

We then went back to camp for lunch and a nap. After which we went back to where the buffalo left from, and got on their tracks. Once again we stalked and crawled to within 50 yards of the cows, but the bulls were all bedded 100-120 yards away. Because of the wind direction, we could not get any closer. After some time, the largest bull stood up. Thor put up the sticks and instructed me on where to shoot. As I was getting ready for the shot, the bull laid back down. We waited... The cows then perhaps got our wind and started leaving. The bulls joined them, and I could not get a shot. We followed for a while but they winded or saw us and that was it until the next day.

Day 6:

Same routine. We found buffalo tracks by the river – they were going every which way. We sent the trackers to sort things out. It was then that we heard a shot. Poachers! Thor was pissed. He rounded up all of the trackers and scouts, six in total, and they were off to get them.

Lars, Van, and I headed back for brunch. On the way, I spotted a nice bushbuck. A short stalk, and we put it on my tab. A very nice old animal.

MY BUSHBUCK

After brunch, we went to pick up Thor, and left the rest of the gang to continue their search for the poachers. We finished building the leopard blind and one of the baits had been hit by one male and one female. They were going to try to get the male that night.

We then went to re-sight in our rifles as one of my scope mounts was loose and Van wanted to switch scopes for leopard hunting. On the way back to camp, we bumped into a herd of buffalo beside the trail. We decided to leave them for the next day as the wind was the wrong direction.

I went back to camp for a nap as I was still feeling kind of shitty with my cold, and the rest went to try to get a hippo. No success with a hippo, but they spotted a croc that Benjamin may want a crack at. I lounged around camp the rest of the day. Van sat for the leopard in the evening, but only the female came in.

Day 7:

Lions were at the edge of camp roaring at night. Bone chilling! I tried to sleep – with my rifle at my side!

We got on some buffalo tracks and tracked them all morning. Never did see them. It was hot and tiring. On the way back for lunch, we tried for hippo. No luck. And the croc, they decided, was a touch too small.

After lunch, we tried to figure out the buffalo. We needed another impala for bait, but I missed one at long range. At dusk, we were going to try for hippo one last time, but were chased home by jumbos. Didn’t want to take a chance trying to get down the road in the dark with angry elephants around. Benjamin was leaving for home the next morning.

At supper, the lions started roaring just outside of camp again. When we were done eating, we went to look for them with the spotlight, but had no luck. Too bad.

Day 8:

I had a bad sleep. Lion fatigue! Van, Thor, and Lars went out in the dark for leopard. Nothing.

We got on the buffalo trail, and it was a long, hot one. We crawled to within 60 yards of a herd, but there were no good bulls. It was very disappointing. They had no idea we were there and for once the wind was steady. On the way back, Van shot an impala for bait.

There was a dead elephant discovered in the river – probably poached. Crocodiles were all around. Two local fishermen had found the elephant and were anxious to get some meat. They were all ready to wade in after it, which I found kind of amusing with all the crocodiles there... They didn’t seem worried.

ELEPHANT IN THE RIVER

After having lunch, we went back to see how the elephant was coming along. There was quite a crew hacking away. Not the best-smelling carcass, but they didn’t seem deterred. It would take until the next morning to be finished.

BUTCHERING IN PROGRESS

Van went hunting leopard in the evening. They had it on the bait twice, but it bolted both times,not offering a shot.

I’m feeling a bit better today but the cold has moved to my chest and I’m coughing quite a bit.

Day 9:

We couldn’t find tracks in the morning, so we sent the trackers on a long hike to find them. I shot a young kudu bull for camp meat and more bait. We then moved the leopard and bait site 100 yards or so. It was a wise old cat.

CAMP MEAT

The trackers found some buffalo. We tracked them and stalked to within 70-80 yards. Thor looked them over for almost an hour. No shooters. This buffalo hunting is hot and frustrating!

Note about supper: We had pizza cooked in a mopane wood-burning pizza oven that they built earlier this year. I stuffed myself! This has to be a first for Zambia.

PIZZA OVEN

Day 10:

I couldn’t get to sleep. Note to self: bring sleeping pills next time! I finally got to sleep for a short time and heard rustling outside. I got the flashlight and saw a hippo just outside, unconcerned. I wanted to get a picture, but had left my camera in the truck.

First thing after breakfast, we went to check the leopard bait near camp. The impala was not in the tree, but we came across two lions. Apparently one of them had climbed the tree and drug it down. They were bedded nearby and walked off carrying what was left.

We drove out to find fresh buffalo tracks, but found nothing of interest. On the way home for lunch I shot another impala for bait. I rested for the remainder of the day. They went out to sit for leopard again in the evening. Nothing showed.

HANGING BAIT

Day 11:

Hippos in camp all night, as well as an elephant. Lions conversing as well. Quite the night! We got up at 4am, and I drove them to the leopard blind. The bait had not been touched, so we came back to camp for toast and coffee.

We then left to find buffalo spoor and had about 15 elephants cross the trail in front of us. We then found buffalo tracks, and off we went. After a couple of hours, we found them and tried three different approaches. Van, Thor, and Lars got to within 50 yards, then the wind changed and off they went.

After lunch, Van bowed out with hip problems, and I was up to bat. We got onto some tracks and followed them for a long, long way. We found the buffalo and snuck to about 70 yards. Thor glassed them over for what seemed like hours. Once again, no hard bulls.

On the way out, we ran into some more elephants coming towards us which created a little bit of panic in both parties!

At dusk, Van went out for one last try at leopard. No luck.

After supper, Thor and I climbed into a machon to try for hyenas. We had been baiting this area with rotten leopard baits for about a week. In the middle of the night they came in twice, but didn’t stay long enough for a shot. Another disappointment. But at least I can say that I spent my final night in bed with my PH!

HYENA BLIND

Day 12:

We got back to camp from hyena hunting at breakfast time. After a solid breakfast, we sat around chatting and packing, then headed back to Lusaka – about a 7 hour drive. I much preferred the charter, although the drive was kind of interesting.

Once in Lusaka, Thor took us out for our final supper, then to the airport for our trip home.

Summary:

Having read a number of these hunt reports, I’ve heard a lot of these things, but until you actually experience them for yourself it’s just words on paper. The smell of the bait barrel after a week of hot weather. Tse-tse flies. Mopane flies. Watching the trackers do their thing (one of my favourites – their tracking and spotting skills astound me!).

Some of my favourite little extras include guinea fowl soup, all the different song-birds around camp in the morning, nice fires at night, and all the preparations involved in leopard hunting. My major dislikes were the swirling winds which screwed us up a number of times, crawling in short pants on the rock-hard soil and thorns, and the heat when trying to get to sleep.

The amount of game at Munyamadzi is impressive. Large amounts of impala, bushbuck, and kudu. Waterbuck, puku, elephant, buffalo, leopard, hippo, and crocodile are also in good numbers. Of special note, anyone after roan should give Thor a call – we saw them just about every day. I’m sure you’d have a good roan hunt.

I should mention here that there are some definite advantages and disadvantages to a group hunt (3 hunters with 1 PH). The obvious big advantage is the cost. For a lot of people, like myself, it makes it possible to go on a buffalo hunt in a remote area. For anyone else on a limited budget, this should be a serious consideration. I also got to experience at least part of hunting hippo and leopard by just being there. It was very interested and something that I couldn’t afford to do on my own. Also, meeting new friends from different places. I had a blast!

One disadvantage, which I had figured beforehand, was that you had to share time with the PH. Not such a bad thing, as most of the time I got to tag along or catch up on some rest. In turn, this caused added stress for Thor because if things didn’t go as planned, he had three of us to keep happy. That being said, he did a fantastic job, in my opinion. I couldn’t be happier!

As it turns, out I did not have to be concerned about my hip or ankle. Neither gave me any grief at all.

All in all, it was a fantastic time! It was the best 11 consecutive days of my life, and that includes my honeymoon (sorry honey, if you happen to read this!). Of course I would’ve loved to get a buffalo, but it was not in the cards. We worked damn hard and with any breaks at all, I’m sure I would have. It just seemed that every time we got on a herd with good bulls, the wind would shift and away they would go. And whenever we got right in on top of them and had ample time to look them over, there was never a hard boss bull. What can you do? That’s hunting. We did so much hiking that over the time period, I lost 6 lbs - even after eating as much as we did, stuffing desserts down, and more than a couple of beer. The pizza night alone should’ve made me gain 6 lbs!

LUANGWA RIVER

Thanks Thor and crew for a trip I’ll never forget!

Bill

I take it that you consider the hunt a success and you had a good time. Congratulations. You are (probably) officially HOOKED. Since you didn't get the buffalo, you always have a reason to go back.
Hell, I could have shot a sable the first trip to Africa but didn't. I have been looking for one ever since and hope that I don't find one until my last trip possible.

First class and sounds like you all had some really good hunting. The Luangwa is a magic place and Munyamadzi is very wild.

Hippo on land is difficult and you had some bad luck with Buffalo.

Sounds like Thor should offer the group hunt a little earlier next year before the heat is turned up.

Very well done. It will keep you coming back for more.

Fantastic pictures and report!

Thanks guys, I would like to return and get even with the buff. Time will tell, where there's a will there's a way as they say.
Fairgame, it is a great place. As for the heat, I really kind of liked it. I'd never hunted in warm weather before. There is another hunt there in late October, I'll bet it will be a scorcher!
Bill

quote:

Originally posted by BillsBillsBills:
Thanks guys, I would like to return and get even with the buff. Time will tell, where there's a will there's a way as they say.
Fairgame, it is a great place. As for the heat, I really kind of liked it. I'd never hunted in warm weather before. There is another hunt there in late October, I'll bet it will be a scorcher!
Bill

Bill,

Munyamadzi is one of Africa's gems and the hunting is superb.

Had lunch with Thor yesterday and it sounded like you chaps had a lot of fun and quite a bit of adventure.

Not many who turn down a 60 inch Kudu though?

Cheers

Andrew

Great pics and report. Glad you had a great trip!

Looks like a great trip. Thanks for the report and good photos!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Looks like fun had by all.
Well done.

I have great memories from my hunt at the Munyamadzi last year. I'm glad you guys had a good time there. I love that picture of Illiam. He was a fantastic tracker and all around hard working guy. Thor isn't half bad either!

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Doug


http://forums.accuratereloadin...241057061#7241057061

Great hunt and report. I appreciate the time and effort you put into your report. Makes me feel like I was there.

Congradulations,
Looks like a good time was had ball all.

Andrew, my first African experience was a plains game hunt in Namibia last year. On that trip I managed to get a very nice Kudu so on this trip I was targeting animals that I havn't shot yet or may not in the future. I was more that a little tempted though. I did offer Thor a $1000 trophy fee to take a roan off his hands. That was the first time I really saw him split a gut laughing. Apparently I can be very funny at times!

Doug, that picture of Eliam is one of my favorites as well. Normally, he is all smiles. It must have been after one of those long walks that ended friutlessly. Watching that whole tracking crew was something I really loved. They seemed tireless. He's no spring chicken either! Amazing.

Bill

Bill,
Thanks for that report as it brings back memories of my AR group hunt October 2011. It sounds as though you had a great time and hopefully you will go back for that Buffalo.

Andrew had mentioned about Munya being a magical place and after 6 African safaris I must agree. I also like how this hunt format gives people with limited budgets experience stalking the various animals.

Be careful as someone mentioned you can get hooked, but from reading your report I think your hooked already.