Zimbabwe August 2017

Travel was handled by my good friend Linda Schrader at Falcon Travel in San Antonio, Texas. Linda & Stacey (Stacey Gibson) do a great job and have booked every trip I have gone on to Africa.

I flew American to JFK on a Tuesday afternoon, overnighted in NYC near JFK and took the midmorning SAA flight out of JFK to Joberg then the midmorning Airlink flight from Joberg to Bulawayo. No hitches going and all stuff arrived with me. Nigel Picked me up at the airport and we drove to camp in his Hilux...his Cruiser and staff met us at the Mazunga gate to the BVC and followed us to camp.

Beitbridge West Campfire Area

Outfitters (1):
Nengasha Safaris - Paul Bennie (Concession holder and camp provider)

The Nengasha Camp in Beitbridge West is a no frills hunting camp but is quite comfy and has an excellent waiter that takes care of your every need, keeps your cottage tidy, and your laundry well done. His name is Lovemore and we have become good friends over the years. Paul Bennie runs a tight ship and is well liked by his staff and that transfers to good client care.


Lovemore and I.

Rest of camp below:













Outfitter (2)
Safari 5 Africa - Nigel Theisen

PH: Nigel Theisen





Rifles:
Merkel .500 NE shooting hand-loads 510gr CEB solids

Win M-70 (1957 model) .458 WM shooting hand-loads with 450gr CEB solids and 420gr CEB hollow-points





We started off the hunt looking for a decent bull ele. This area is not known for huge bulls but it does get influx from Botswana across the Shashe River...thus there is always the chance. A ~48X48 was shot there earlier this year.

Towards the end of the week we decided to take the below ele if the stalk/approach worked out which it did. We did see 2 other slightly better bulls than this bull (which was 35 X 37) but had bad luck on both occasions.

Took the bull with a single (except for the insurance shot on the ground) side brain shot.











We went on to hunt tuskless next. We had very good luck and after working herds for 3 days...got a perfect stalk on a very old cow with out a dependent calf.

Took the cow with a single frontal brain-shot.









The cow was in her 50's at least and on her last set of molars and they were finishing up.



Went on to finish up hunt hunting plains game.









The hunt was excellent and the whole trip went well. This area has a lot of ele. A neiboring white owned farm, that farms citrus, does a good job of helping Paul look after them.

If you are looking for a trophy bull with 50lb or better tusks...this is not your area but lots of tuskless here.

Plains game and leopards are plentiful as well...no buff or lion here. Also human population is getting thick here.

I flew home Airlink from Bulawayo to Joberg...SAA to Dulles...United to Dallas.

I hate entering through Dulles...they are always a hassle...this time no exception and flights seem to cancel often from that airport. Sat in airport all day with 3 flights cancelling (same as last time I came home through there) finally getting to Dallas about 10 pm. Then they lost my luggage to boot. Got it in a few days via Fed Ex...all was OK.

Great job Lane! Congratulations.

I am no expert, but those teeth look all bot gone to me. Good hunting and thank you for sharing.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
I am no expert, but those teeth look all bot gone to me. Good hunting and thank you for sharing.

They are gone. I would guess maybe 53, somebody that knows more about it than I do have a thought. Excellent hunt, looking forward to the report.

Those are interesting teeth thanks for showing. The one on the right looks like it's just about to push the last of the 5th set out? I'll guess he's just under 50, but I know even less than the chaps above. I;d love to see what our resident PHs say.

Great post, and great ele. CEBs still working like a charm, I see. Well done.

Congrats!!!

Great stuff there Doc! Congratulations.

.

Well played Lane!

Very nice Lane

Can’t wait for full report

Congrats Lane and thanks for sharing.

I'll be in the same camp next year hunting tuskless!

Well done. That Zebra is beyond spectacular! The pix and lighting on the hide make it jump out at the viewer... simply great!

I apologize for the crude effort, but that zebra is well...

Congrats... good stuff! Thanks for posting.

Well done Lane and Nigel. Nice old elephant bull that.

quote:

Originally posted by Ngruma:
Well done. That Zebra is beyond spectacular! The pix and lighting on the hide make it jump out at the viewer... simply great!

Agree. A real beauty.

Congrats Dr. Easter thanks for sharing. and also thank you for doing what you do in the hunting world.

quote:

Originally posted by kurtbe:
Congrats Dr. Easter thanks for sharing. and also thank you for doing what you do in the hunting world.

+ 1

What a great hunt! I think you have enough ele hair for a bracelet

Nice Lsne,
Thanks for sharing....I don't think there's a better hunt than tracking and stalking Elephants.

Congrats Lane,

I looked forward to hearing about your adventure at DSC...

Thank you everyone. Will get to writing the story over the holidays...been crazy busy since August.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Great stuff there Doc! Congratulations.

.

+1

Nicely done Lane!

Nigel appears rather plump around the jowls but none the worse for wear since I last saw him.

Looks like the Old Lady has given you quite a bunch of white hairs from her tail to make some prized bracelets as well.

Very nice!

2 elephant, well done!

I also am impressed with the contrast on the zebra... excellent photo!

Well done Lane. Congrats and thanks for the report.

Looks great!

Fantastic trophies! Congratulations!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Congratulations Looks like the perfect old bull to take Last molars!

Well done!

Looks like you had a great hunt. Congrats on all of your trophies. Thanks for posting.

It's nice when you find a PH you like & trust and can return year after year to make memories.

Congrats on a great hunt!

Thank you everyone. I have finally finished the report.

Thanks for posting!

Great report and pictures, Dr. Thank you!

Nice photos Lane. I hunted out of the same camp in May with Nengasha, my PH was Mitch Bunce he Paul are great people.

Excellent narrative, great pictures, and fantastic hunt! Well done.

BH63

quote:

510gr CEB solids

It looks like they worked well!!!

Great memories there plus an excellent concise hunt report and beauty of an ele. Very satisfying to take them with one shot, especially the frontal brain.

Outstanding, congrats!
Love the white tail hair, should be a couple of superb and rare bracelets.