Just back this morning from 15 day safari to Zimbabwe and Namibia.
It was a Simon's Law safari.
Murphy's Law says that everything that can go wrong will. Simon said Murphy was a damn optimist.
Leave D/FW July 3. Get in a holding pattern outside Atlanta due to rainstorms. Divert to Birmingham. Sit thru two storms hitting Atlanta.
Miss the Johannesburg fight.
Only one seat available for same flight tomorrow and there are three of us (flying Delta Business Elite at that) but Delta says not to worry.
They will send us tonight to Lagos, Nigeria and then to Joburg. Will guns make it we ask? Maybe no... so we say thanks anyway.
Then they say we go to Amsterdam but I tell them we have no gun permits to go thru Holland.
Finally the deal is struck where James Lucas Jr. goes on the one seat available Joburg flight the next day with three cases of guns and clothing.
Daddy Lucas and I fly to Amsterdam overnight, walk down 10 gates and get flight to Joburg. A very long night and day.
Arrive Joburg and hear our names on the PA. Go to see what it is and are notified guns are still in Atlanta but they will be sent next day.
Trouble is... we will be in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Not to worry! Delta and partner South African Airlines will get the guns up to Vic Falls.
Now we are two days behind schedule with no guns and no hunting clothes.
Go to Vic Falls the next day to get the promised guns and clothing. What guns you ask? Oh...the guns that were mistakenly sent to Livingston, Zambia. Zambia where we have NO PERMITS..See...Simon was right and Murphy was wrong.
The PH and Lucas Jr. get in safari truck and drive across the Vic Falls bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia to try and rescue the guns and clothing.
Good old US dollars and I don't really know what else get the job done and we back into the bush again. With clean socks and undies to boot! Wahoo!
Back up to fist day we arrive in Vic Falls.
PH is there to pick us up and not aware of the gun problem. He takes us to the bush camp and loans us some clothing and a 375 H&H bolt action rifle. Says the game scouts have the buffalo spotted and that we need to hurry. We get to a big mountain and PH wants to know if we can climb said mountain. Off we go and once we got to the top is was decided that Lucas Jr. would be first shooter.
About one hour later he has one on the ground with one clean shot.
Suddenly someone has the brain fart that we might get two out of this herd and pitch me the rifle. Off we go and within 10 mins. we spot a bunch going up the mountain via a draw. PH sets the shooting sticks for me and says the one in the back is a good one and to take him. He says to wait until... and about that time the gun goes boom and the buffalo about 85 yrds. away goes flop! PH says, " I did not know you were going to shoot." I replied, "Me neither!" The rifle had a trigger one would normally have for a varmint rifle and not a dangerous game rifle and I had never so much as clicked it on a dry chamber. We were all surprised.
So was the buffalo!
We waited and waited and waited and finally heard the death bellows. We approach the buffalo from left rear and about the time I was starting to say to the PH, "Gerhard, how about I shoot him once more?" the buffalo got up and there was no need for an answer.
I forgot to say that PH Gerhard had a movie camera in his hand and the tracker had a 500 Jeffery rifle in his.
The buffalo comes for me and I shoot him dead center in brisket from inside 10 yards. Big deal...maybe the smart thing to do would be take a step left Mims and shoot the buffalo on the pass in the shoulder or up the bum or hell...any damn place you can shoot him!! Things are getting really close now. I step to my left unaware of the big rock there and bust my butt.
A shot rings out and it is the 500 Jeffery but guess what? The second shot was a misfire!
Evidently the 500 turned the buffalo from the PH and Tracker and back to me. By now and still on my knees I had re chambered the rifle. I throw the gun up and all I see at this late hour of the afternoon is sun glare and a black triangle. What the hell, the only thing I know black has four legs and a nasty temper at the moment. SHOOT!! I did and in the second photo you see a small dot above the right eye. That is my shot that put him out of order. The PH rushes over and grabs my 375 and shoots him once more in the head. Now buffalo has two extra holes in his head and is dead for sure. Don't worry about the old eye blink test as he has 4 rounds of 375 and one of 500 Jeffery stuck inside and he is DRT (dead right there). Now all I need do is stand up and take two steps and pat him on the nose.
So much for first day in Zimbabwe with borrowed everything.
Two buffalo expired ( and my second one..my first in Tanzania in 1992 and much easier)..Wonder how in hell we will get these two bulls off the mountain?
Not my job. I had to go down in the dark but a Bog Pod shooting tripod is a great walking staff and in about 2 hours or less we found the safari car.
I always wondered how I would react in a situation like this. I was charged by a Leopard in 1992 and in another millisecond would have been the one to have killed that cat. Thank goodness the principle client did instead.
In this case I was a calm as oiled water. At this point I was not even terrible excited about it all. There was lots of high fives on the mountain when the rest of the crowd got to us.
We got back to camp and of course there was much talk about two buffalo in 30 mins. of each and one a little on the dicey side.
I had a drink or two and then got on the cell phone and called my son Thomas to tell him what I did.
The last thing Thomas said to me before I left the house was in Africans and it translates into "Shoot Straight". I told him I had a buffalo on the ground but it wasn't pretty. I hung up and then cried like a baby. 74 years old and bawling like a new born.
I guess it is ok to come unglued hours later.
I missed Thomas not being with me and that will never happen again.
I was not happy I fell at such a time but I was most thankful that I did not accidently shoot the PH or the tracker as I had no real idea what was in that sun glare except something black.
You go hunt the big five dangerous animals for the thrill of it all. I got my monies worth for sure. I am here to tell the tale around the campfire today and tomorrow and not a scratch on me.
This buffalo is old and with a very solid boss. He is only 35". I am told that the buffalo in this area near Vic Falls don't get too big.
His skull will be bleached whiter and his horns made blacker. He will then become the new centerpiece and conversation point for dining table at the new ranch house or on the conference table in my soon to be new office.
Never say "Goodbye" to Africa.
Better tomorrows,
Mims

And just think of what you would have missed if you refused to get on that plane in Atlanta because of "What if the guns don't make it" or "What if I have to use a camp gun with a 4lb trigger instead of a 3lb trigger".

Great adventure and glad it worked out! Tell us more! Pictures?

WOW...Congratulations and well done despite all the obstacles and your friends Murphy and Simon!

We need pictures!!!!!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Great story.

I hope there are more .... and pictures.

George Hoffman would of understood...and been proud of you.

Great story. Can't wait for pictures.

Harry,

Wow! Glad to see you did not let the flight circus ruin your safari. No question about your resolve in a tight spot. Good job!

Mark

Mims, way to go. You cowboyed up and "Got er done" I want to see some pics. You still have to take me around the ranch.

The best,

Mike

Glad the Chinese fire drill with the planes and guns did not ruin the trip!

This story DESERVES pictures!
Glad things worked out in the end.

Great read. Would love to see pics and hear more.

I am sorry I don't know how to post photos but if you send me your E mail I will send you the trip journal complete with photos.
I did it all up like some magazine article with the help of my neighbor and Microsoft Office Publisher.
It is 16 pages long.
Better tomorrows to all!

Sounds like "Bordens' Law" to me. He thought that both Simon and Murphy were optimists.
Sounds like a clusterf**k that you made the best of.
Rick

Congratulations what a story

Holy wow Mims!!! Exciting story, but more happy about your survival! You make all of us proud!

Auwsome!

Definitely an adventure you will never forget! Even if you wanted to!

Great story, Harry! I just have one question. . .
Did everything travel safely in your Tuffpaks?

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Great story, Harry! I just have one question. . .
Did everything travel safely in your Tuffpaks?

everything travels well in " tuffpaks" !

go for it !

Mims, Great to see your story here, sure sounds like an adventure, which is what a trip to Africa should be. Heading there again next August for Buffalo, hopefully not as exciting as your trip. Taking my tuffpak of course.

Matt

Good shooting Mims. Congratulations