Date: 20-29 August 2012
Outfitter: Ivory Trail Safaris
PH: Phillip Smythe
Location: Chirisa, Zimbabwe
Booking Agent: Global Hunting Resources- Aaron Neilson
Camera Man: Ryan Cox
Rifles: Sabatti .450\400 3” & Browning Safari .458 Win Mag
Ammo: Hornady 400 gr DGS & DGX for the double and Barnes 500 gr TSX for the .458
Species Taken: Buffalo, Tuskless Elephant, Baboon, Eland, Impala, and Bushbuck
Species Seen Besides Above: Waterbuck, Reedbuck, Kudu, Klipspringer, Hyena, Duiker, Grysbuck, Warthog, Jackal, and Zebra
This was my first African dangerous game safari. I had been to South Africa in 2009 for plains game, but this time I had my sights on Cape Buffalo and Tuskless in Zimbabwe. Several conversations with Aaron and Phillip had me convinced and I booked my hunt with ITS in August 2011 – a full year before I was to go.
When the day came, Phillip picked me up at Harare and we drove to Chirisa, picking up my camera man, Ryan, along the way. Never having spoken to Phillip except through email, the 7hr plus trip was like talking to an old friend and we covered many subjects. The following morning, we hit the range. Both the Sabatti and Browning were spot on and we went to pick up the game scout at the National Parks place. We quickly got on the track of a dugga boy who soon joined up with 3 others and followed them for about an hour before they winded us and left us with only a fleeting glimpse. Later that afternoon\evening, we came across 2 herds of elephant. The 1st group had about 15, with mainly cows, calves, and young bulls. The 2nd group had numbered only about 6 with no tuskless either. We practiced approach and talked of shot placements. Plains game was very plentiful that day and ended with Phillip stalking, knife drawn, to within 11/12 yards of a young bushbuck.
Early day 2, we passed a herd of buffalo just off the road. Saw an awesome young, 40” bull, who in another 3 years will be quite impressive. Ryan noted there was also ‘my’ bull within the herd. I had told Phillip I was looking for a mature, big bossed buff that was joined or closed. Drop\length was not as important. We stalked within 35 yards but the herd winded us before we could get the old bull sorted out. Over the next 1 ½ hrs we bumped them occasionally before deciding to come back later that afternoon and not pressure them. We were back later that afternoon and the trackers did a marvelous job of getting us back on them. It’s a game of cat and mouse for awhile before they decide to make a break for the river. We’re off sprinting, trying to cut their escape short. It worked, but now they have us pinned down @ about 125 yards. Doing Phillip’s infamous ass drag, we miraculously manage to get within 65 yards. The .458, having been traded in lieu of the double because of the failing light, finds the bull facing us. The 1st shot rocks him and the herd is off. He, however, only goes about 20 yards and is standing broadside when my 2nd shot anchors him. I’m awestruck as we approach – exactly what I was looking for. Phillip tells me this is only the 2nd joined boss bull he has killed and I’m lucky. Boy, do I know it!






Day 3 started with about 8 elephant spotted from a lookout and many plains game species.




We also had a small herd of elephant thunder across the road in front of us but gave up tracking after a short time. Just before lunch we set off after impala.




We bumped several kudu and another herd of buffalo before seeing the impala amid a troop of baboons. On approach, they ran but Phillip spotted a nice old bushbuck about 50 yards away – unaware of our presence and in the relative open. After waiting for some camera time, a perfectly placed 458 in the shoulder made him rear like a broncing buck and keel over backwards. A beautiful OLD male with well worn horns and scars all over.




Day 4 was spent working close to herds of elephant, constantly looking for that tuskless who never materialized. Day 5 was about to change that though. I had actually first spotted an elephant’s ass through the mopane and on asking Phillip to back up, we saw several elephants. Quickly getting out and grabbing the double, we paralleled them for about 500 yards. Phillip had spotted a tuskless! Moving ahead of the herd, the first to come past was 5 nice bulls. Behind them, the cows and my tuskless. We kept trying to position ourselves, but the tuskless knew something was up and kept angling away – constantly keeping her eye on us. As we closed the distance, she broke into an opening and started away. I pulled around Phillip and started behind her when she whirled around. Ears flared, she looked at us from 13 paces away. The double rang out and the solid caught her at the base of the trunk and through the brain. She collapsed instantly and I quickly put the left barrel into her side to make sure that she stayed down. Phillip grabbed me and we moved back as the remaining herd ran back the way they came from. This brought the 1st five bulls back down on us and we were shouting to turn them. Good thing it worked! Only ½ way through my hunt and we had both my main goals accomplished.





(Notice that the trunk is short - lost about 2 foot in a snare we figured.)

BTW, I had asked Phillip for a 12 yd open shot on the elephant previously. He responded that they (the ele) may be in the open, but we definitely would not be. Happened exactly like he said, but the yardage was 13 instead of 12. I was beginning to put my PH on a pedestal as I had asked and he had given. First, my buff and then, my tuskless. I would test his powers with my next request – eland.

Nicely done!

Super report!

Congrats on a great hunt. Beautiful Buff and got to love getting up close and personal with the Ele's. Thanks for sharing

Congratulations on a great looking buff and elephant. A nice bushbuck also. Looking forward to your eland story.

Congratulations!!! Nice trophy's! Really like the photo of your Sabatti with the elephant tail!

Sounds like you got what you wanted and had a great time. That's what Africa is all about

Congrats. Cannot wait to read Part 2. Sounds like you had the trip of a lifetime.

I love Chirisa! Great report and pictures, too.

I hope Lil' Ernest is rested up and ready to go on whatever safari comes next for him. Just a bit of single malt and a good cigar will pep him and and get him going, for sure.

Its the first time Lil' Ernest joined me on a safari! Guess he worked his magic!

Steve - you can bring him ANYTIME!

Looks like a great hunt- congrats!

Great report, my trip with Phillip 10 months ago was a home run also!

Great report, my trip with Phillip 10 months ago was a home run also!

Jay - also got to do some fishing like you did previously - used a lot of "lead heads" and we ended up with something like 60 barbel! A "blast" was had by all involved.

Nice buffs!

I know, Right! He was joined in the middle... only the second one I have shot like that! I think I was more excited than Steve!

quote:

I think I was more excited than Steve!

Come on Phillip...more excited than me?? You've been hitting the gin & tonic again, haven't you? I got exactly what I wanted. Couldn't have been more excited or pleased.

HAHAHAHAHHAHA okay okay!

You win!

Nice hunt report and trophies!

Gordon,
BTT so it's easier for you to find the story.
As stated, highly recommend Phil and his group of guys at ITS.

Nice report and trophies. Great buffalo and very nice bushbuck.

Very well done.

Beautiful old waterbuck and buffalo.

Can you give us the lowdown on the sight you have mounted on your double?

quote:

Can you give us the lowdown on the sight you have mounted on your double?

Docter Optik 3.5m red dot. Great sight - do a search and you'll find others who comment on them. Really like the sight and it doesn't have the profile of a traditional scope. Only thing I've mentioned is that I don't like the "ears" on the picitanny mount. They occasionally caught my pant pockets as I walked.

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful Buffalo,
Congrats.

Your Lovely Sabatti with the gorgeous wood worked perfectly. Well how about that?

That buff is the kind of bull dreams are made of.