Just got back yesterday afternoon from a 10-day 2 Buffalo and plains game hunt. We were the last hunt of the season. Hunted IH1 - Ikuria. It was hot. It was humid. It was rainy. It was green.
Came upon 3 dugga boys late in the day. Put a 300 gr Barnes Banded Solid in the right shoulder breaking it. The bullet deflected thru the top of the heart. The bull ran about 50-60 meters and went down while we chased the other two, but couldn't catch them. 39 inches outside. Scored 106 thanks to the deep curls.


2 days later about a half hour from camp, apprentice PH Duke Cloete called out "Swala" (impala). We climbed off the truck and PH Dylan Cloete needed the binoc's to find him even after Duke had pointed him out. The bush was getting that thick. Dylan told me to put my gun in the crook of a small tree " and look thru the scope". There he was. I spined him and we took him back to camp.

The tracking was easier after the rain. Picked up big bull tracks and caught up after a couple of hours. Got off a shot to the right side of his chest starting a 4 hour run and gun battle. Dylan ran him down (litterally) in a deep dry river bed putting 2 .470's thru him. He bolted up the 7 foot embankment, spun around and went down. When we opened him up the entire top half of his heart had been turned into hamburger but he still had enough steam to get out of that korongo. He measured 39 1/2 inches. We laughed that the tape had probably stretched because of all the humidity and it was actually over 40" (not).


We had been spotting Nyassa Wildebeest the entire time we were out but the closest we'd been was seeing them at dusk some 400 yards out. We'd followed tracks for hours without ever getting a peek. On day 9 we left camp with Dylan driving and he drives like he chases buffalo - like a maniac. We came into a clearing where the rains had not yet filled an elephant-foot pock-marked lake bed just in time to see a lone wildebeest bull high-tailing it on the opposite side of the clearing. I had automatically grabbed my rifle as we started to stop and hadn't even seen the bull when Duke started saying "Shoot him! Shoot him!" As we jumped off the truck and he set of the sticks from inside the truck Dylan was yelling "Shoot him", too. Then Dylan got out of the truck and yelled "YEE-AHH! The bull broke his stride just long enough for me to catch up to him in the scope and as I pulled the trigger he did a header into the dirt. As the trackers cheered, the bull jumped back up and lit into the bush with us running as best we could across the pock-marked lake bed. We finally caught up with him after about a 1Km chase and I was able to put a finishing shot on him. Dylan told me it was the first wildebeest taken in IH1 in 3 seasons. The drought was ended. You can see in the photo the exit wound of my shot. It had gone in on the right shoulder and exited on the left. And he still ran nearly a mile from where he was shot. We paced the shot off - 240 yds. I will be proud of that shot until my final days.


"Even as a young man I can say with conviction that when old age has taken me from the field, and returns me there only through memories, that I will feel no discontent, for I have hunted the African Buffalo".
-John F. Burger
Horned Death

Congratulations! That first buff is beautiful.

Other details:
Zuka Africa Safaris
Winchester M70 Super Express (1996), .375 H&H, Burris 1.75X-5X Signature Safari LRS Scope, Leupold QR mounts
All game taken with 300 gr Barnes Banded Solids from Safari Arms (thanks, Steve)

Disclaimer: Some animals were killed and eaten during the creation of this report......and I'd do it again!

Awesome story/pics looks like you had a great trip. Would you go at that time of the year again or earlier next time?

I have no idea what it's like at any other time of the year. What I do know is that I can't ever remember being hotter or sweatier or working harder in my life - and that includes Advanced Infantry Training at Camp Lejune in 1968! I know that's not answering your question, but I was so fortunate going when I did. How could I change that?

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"

That first buff is the nicest I have seen posted in a long time.

Really nice buffalo and great impala. Sounds like a wonderful safari. Congratulations!

I was there in September 2005 for hartebeest. Excellent buffs...good job! The place was covered with zebra and hartebeest then, but it looked like a tough place to hunt buffalo. I too hunted with Zuka and was very pleased with their operation (my second trip with them). And, I love impala backstraps!

Bull1

Congrats on a couple of beautiful mature buffalo.

I really like those buff.

Congrats!

Great hunt. Really like your wildebeast - nice trophy and a great story to go with it.

Also admire your stamina to hunt this late in the year.

Great report and buffalo.

Very Nice Buff, Thank you for sharing the photos and report.

Your smile says it all , you really enjoyed this last minute hunt!
Well done.

Nice buffalo. Lot of great character on the first one. Congrats on a great hunt!

Thank you all for the very kind words.
Dave

Great trophies and an interesting late season hunt... don't know if the heat and humidity would be the worse part or all that green vegetation you had to contend with! Congrats again!

beautiful deep curl, and then an old bugger!! Congrats!!

This are absolutely Great Buffalos !!!
This are maybe the last of a few great Duggaboys in the West of the Selous.

Can you explain what you mean by

quote:

This are maybe the last of a few great Duggaboys in the West of the Selous

The last three years i had three safaris ( 7-21days ) with 3 different outfitters in and around the Selous ( all on the Kilombero River ) and the quality specially on Buffalo and Lion are not very Famous. Lots of Buffalo ( Soft Bossed ) average size around 35 Inch and the Lion Population is shocking. No old males.
Reason IMO Lots of cheap Buffalo hunts (7days)
and unscr. Outfitters and PH allow to shot inmature Lion. Concession Holders south and east in the Selous take
more care for there Game in my opinion.
r.
Seloushunter

Seloushunter,

While I sympathise with your mis-adventures, 3 safaris in 3 areas with 3 different outfitters out of over a dozen concessions operated by half a dozen outfitter's means very little other than you made some poor choises.

The "Kilombero ecosystem" has over 20,000 buffalo and they can't be all soft bossed young ones do you agree?

With Lions its a different story altogether and you may be right.

Do you care to share who you hunted with and which exact concessions as it may be of interest to prospective hunters.

Thanks for your report and pics. Great hunt!
Your buff are nice; but that Nyasa is a handsome and unique trophy that you have to be really proud of. Congratulations. Hugh

quote:

Originally posted by Hugh W:
Thanks for your report and pics. Great hunt!
Your buff are nice; but that Nyasa is a handsome and unique trophy that you have to be really proud of. Congratulations. Hugh

Thanks, Hugh. I'd be lying if I said wasn't proud of him. I know many members of AR have made much longer and more difficult shots than I did, but it was my personal best. And, after 9 days of catching only the faintest glimpses of those whispy tails disappearing into the twilight, it was the trophy I worked hardest (longest) for, although it was buffalo that I had dreamed about - and still do!
Dave

I'm not going to take sides in the "discussion" between Seloushunter and Bwanamich. I am going to repeat what was told me by my PH. He said, (read with appropriate Zimbabwean accent) "David, you really got a nice bull, man. This is the average buffalo we've taken this season. Just look at it compared to yours." He had looked through the skulls in the skinning shed and placed one below the skull of my 39-incher (below). (note "LU2" on skull where most were taken this season)

almostacowboy ----- Congrats on a great Safari. Your Buffalo pictures bring back memories of my hunt in the same unit of the Selous, IH1 or Ikuria. My Buffalo had a deep curl also. Like MacArthur, I shall return. Good shooting.

Great trophies. Congratulations

Hellofabuff! well done and congratulations, sir! jorge

Thanks again to all and Happy New Year to everyone on AR.

Now, let's load up the truck!

Oh, Saeed! Dylan Cloete said "hello and thanks for the shirt and cap".

Dave

Congrats, sounds like you had a great time and a great hunt!

JPK

Great hunt and great pictures. Thanks.