Okay let me try this again. Hope picture come up this time.

Location: Nuanetsi
PH: Mark Vallaro – Chifuti Safaris
Dates: 10-19 October 2013
Rifles: 416 Ruger and a 30-06
Ammo: Barnes X for both rifles
Type of hunt: Hippo/croc/Plains game originally.
Animals seen: Impala, nyala, bushbuck, waterbuck, kudu, giraffe, warthog, buffalo, steenbok, duiker, eland, bushpig, jackal, cheetah, leopard, honey badger, zebra, grysbok, hippo and croc.
Animals taken: Zebra, duiker, leopard, hippo, warthog, bushpig, steenbok, bushbuck, waterbuck, giraffe.

This was going to be Rob Fantini’s 4th hunt with me. On previous hunts we had taken lots of plains game as well as 3 buffalo, an ele bull, a lioness, a leopard and a hippo. When we were discussing the hunt before he booked, we decided that it would be mostly for plains game that Rob had not shot yet. The main goal was a 30” waterbuck, eland and giraffe. He also wanted a croc and another hippo. Rob also likes shooting the small stuff.

Some of Rob's previous trophies with me.































I met Rob at the Harare airport and drove him down to Nuanetsi. On the way there we discussed a game plan as just before Rob arrived there was a spare leopard tag available and there was a leopard killing steers that needed to be shot either by us or by Brent as PAC.

This leopard had started killing steers in June and had survived 5 other attempts to get him. He would feed on bait but very inconsistently. When we first got him on bait in June he would feed very regularly but then when a hunter switched on a light to shoot him, we discovered he was very shy to a light. Even a red light. After that he tended to hit a bait once and then leave and maybe come back in 2 or 3 nights time.

A few weeks before Brent phoned me and asked if Rob maybe interested in another leopard if not he was going to offer it to another PH. By this time the leopard had killed 17 steers. Each steer had a potential value of $800 to $1000 each. He had far exceeded his own value and had to go. I contacted Rob and he said we should give it a try.

On the drive we discussed what the priority animals were. Since we had to drive a long way to shoot the hippo we wanted to try get him out the way 1st but after driving down to Nuanetsi, we thought it best to get leopard bait up on the 1st day.

Day 1.

We spent the 1st part of the morning looking for waterbuck. We saw tones of game as the bush was so dry and they were all coming to the Mwenezi River to drink and eat the Albida pods. We saw lots of kudu bulls during the hunt, the biggest was probably around 55” but Rob had shot a 61” on our 1st safari. After not finding a waterbuck big enough we went looking for a zebra for bait. As luck would have it we found a nice big old stallion standing in the shade of a tree. We jumped from the car put up stick and shot him with the 416. He ran off into the bush but then ran back and died on the road so recovery was easy. Back to camp for lunch while they skinned and quartered the zebra. The afternoon we hung up the 4 baits. Our strategy was to hang them close to water and a shady tree as there was no ground cover to build a ground blind so we were going to have to build a tree blind. The problem with cattle section at Nuanetsi is that every 2.5km there is a fence where 4 paddocks meet and there is a water trough in each paddock. Luckily for us there was a shady tree close to each paddock junction. We hung all 4 baits that evening in the area that this cat had been operating and killing steers in.

Day 2

We got up early and drove 2 hours to the dam to look for hippos. When we finally got there we had a look at a pod but no bull so we went to the main part of the dam. The water was very low so there was quite a distance between the bush and the water. I drove out onto the foreshore. As the hippos saw the cruiser they scattered and would only pop up briefly so no plain for a shot. We then went to the next dam but no big bull was seen. We thought about shooting an average bull but as we got organized the hippo suddenly became nervous and moved off. There were no decent size croc that we could see in either dam but then it was very hot so they probably did not need to climb out the water to get warm. Back to cattle section to check baits. The 2nd last bait had been nibbled on by our cat. On the way back to camp we spotlighted and shot a very nice common duiker.




Day 3

We looked for waterbuck 1st but again could not find a big bull. As we were leaving Brent radioed and told us that another leopard had killed a steer in another paddock far to the North. We raced up there to have a look see. The cat had a big track and had eaten out the rump of the steer. We found a place on the ground to build a blind. We then checked our other baits, the cat had been back to the same bait again so we took down all the other baits. We put up the basic platform of the tree blind and then left. We sat that evening on the kill but the wind was swirling and the cat never came back so don’t know if he smelt us or is just nervous?





Day 4

We looked again for waterbuck but no luck on them again. We went out looking for giraffe and eland after that. We shot another zebra for bait since the baits were rotting quickly due to the heat. The leopard had not feed on our bait but he had walked passed it again as we had trail cam pics of him. We built the rest of the tree blind but did not sit due to a front coming through. There was a very strong wind all night and it would have been difficult to shoot from a swaying tree. It rained on and off throughout the night.

Day 5

We looked for giraffe and eland that morning but could not find a big blue eland bull. We chased some stink bull giraffe but they saw us coming and ran off. We decided to try sit that evening. It was still raining on and off but the wind had died down. At about 20:30 there were 3 honey badgers on the bait. Shortly after that the leopard showed up. I watched him through my thermal camera. He spent quite a bit of time chasing and playing with the honey badgers before wondering off calling as he went. At about 03:00 he came back through but again did not feed.

Day 6

We went back to camp for breakfast and then headed out looking for giraffe and eland again. Saw some more giraffe but no shot. Back into the blind before 5. The weather had cleared up and now there was not a cloud in the sky and it was also 2 days before full moon. It was a very quite still and bright night. Nothing happened until just before mid night when I heard a bone break. The leopard was in the shadows at the back of the tree. As we were getting ready he moved off a bit and sat down but then he came back again. I asked Rob if he could see him in the moonlight. We had discussed this option as we knew he was nervous of a light so did not want to spook him with it. Rob said he could see it fine but wanted to wait for it to come out of the shadows a bit. The leopard stood up to feed again and when he dropped down off the bait his chest came into the moonlight. That was all Rob needed. At the shot the cat dropped like a ton of bricks. The steers killer was dead. We picked up the cat and did photos and then bed by 03:00.







Day 7

We got up at 06:00, had a quick breakfast and headed out to try shoot a hippo. When we got to the dam we saw the big bull we wanted but he did not offer a shot before moving to the other side of the dam. We had to walk around to that side as it was closer than the side we were on for the shot. We waded across a narrow channel of water and mud before we got to our spot. This bull was either very clever or just lucky as we got set up he moved into the middle of the pod. So now we just had to wait. The shot was going to be about 105 yards to him. We sat there for 2 hours in the hot sun. Eventually some of the cows moved about and he had to reposition his head and gave us a shot. Rob’s shot was good and he sunk like a rock. Back round the dam to the cruiser for a quick lunch before having to pull out the hippo for recovery. Got back to camp late that evening.





Day 8

We spent most of the day looking for waterbuck. Saw a couple of bulls that would get to that magical 30” mark but the only magic that happened was them disappearing. While looking for waterbuck we saw a nice croc but it was in the reeds and very difficult to get a shot at. Needles to say he heard us sneaking around in the reeds and jumped into the water. We chased some giraffe again but no shot. On the way back to camp that evening we saw 2 warthogs run off from a watering hole. 1 was a goody so we put in a stalk. The shot looked good but after tracking the hog for 30 minutes we never found any blood or anything. Back to the cruiser. A short while later I glimpsed a hog going away through some lala palms. We snuck back and put up the sticks. Rob made a great shot to get a great hog. We had dinner early and as we were going to bed my tracker comes and tells me there are some bushpigs in the compound. I go ask Rob if he wants to try for one. Hell yes is his answer. Off we go. I have my thermal camera and we find them under a nyala berry tree. We choose the biggest one and again Rob shoots it with just the moonlight.





Day 9

We try again for waterbuck but again they outsmart us. The croc also gave us the slip . We found where another croc had been sunnying it’s self before we got there. While we having lunch Brent radios to say there is a big stink bull giraffe on the side of the road but it’s a good hours drive from where we are. Its hot so we think the bull wont go far so we race across there. While we are looking for him we bump a group of giraffe cows which run and scare the bull. We track him for 2 hours but no plan for a shot. While looking for eland later on we see a very old steenbok and since Rob has never shot one we decide to take him. We drive along the river looking for waterbuck or bushbuck. I eventually spotted a decent looking bushbuck on the far bank. Light is going quick so we have to run. We had seen lots of bushbuck but they were either too young or in the no shooting area, the wilddogs have also been killing lots of them so their numbers are not as high as they should be. We wade the river and get as close as we can. Rob does another great shot to get a good bushbuck.





Day 10
Our last day. Rob wants to concentrate on waterbuck. We do a walk down a river to where we had seen a good bull a few times but could not get a shot. As we got to the river, my trackers saw the bull across the river. We ranged it at 250 yards. I thought we could get closer so we snuck down into the river and as we set up the waterbuck saw us and moved back into the brush. So whatever we had gained by sneaking up was now lost. The bull was partly hidden by a tree but he stepped out a bit and that was enough for Rob. At the shot the bull flipped over and went down right there. Rob did not see anything due to the recoils so asked me what happened. I told him the waterbuck ran over the ridge with a broken leg, needless to say he wanted to kick my ass when we walked up to his dead waterbuck. We went back to where we had seen the croc a few days before but he heard us coming and slipped into the water again. The rest of the day we looked for eland. We found a huge herd but could not find a blue bull with big horns. We saw several bulls either with short worn horns or they were young. While playing with them in the scrub mopane we bumped into a couple of stink bull giraffe. We decided to give these a go as they were going towards a road where we could meet my cruiser. As we got to the road the bulls joined some cows. Here they held up long enough for us to get about 150 yards from them. As we set up Rob asked me to back him up as the light was going and he did not want to wound and loose this giraffe. We wanted the blacker of the 2 bulls. Rob’s shot looked good but the bull took off running. All I had was my open sight double, somehow I managed to hit him with my 2nd shot as my 1st was behind him. Rob hit him 2 out of 3 shots. He ran about 150 yards and fell over. Now the fun started, recovering a giraffe in the dark. We only got to bed after midnight and then had to be up again at 03:00 to get Rob back to the airport to catch his plane.

Wow well done, that's one helluva Safari, great animals !!

Fabulous trophies - 5 star report as well. Thanks for sharing!

Outstanding!!!

Well Done All!

Hell of a ten day safari!

Thanks Mark on a great report and pics.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanajay:
Well Done All!

Hell of a ten day safari!

Thanks Mark on a great report and pics.

+1 - congratulations on a great trip and fabulous trophies!

Looks like you did everything. Beautiful job, too!

Congratulations to Rob and Mark!
Great Safari!

Well done guys!

Those are some exceptional animals!! Congratulations on a hell of a safari!!

Nicely done. Enjoyed the report and photos greatly, thanks.

Wow, great report and fantastic hunt.

Love the waterbuck!

Chifuti has sure done a great job on Nuanetsi!

Good Job and Well Done!

WOW!!!
Congratulations to you and hunter!!!
Me too love the WB

Hell of a bag. Well done.

Mark

Great hunt and report!! Congratulations!!

Nice!

Nice write up Mark. Cheers and see you in Vegas.

Great report. Thanks for sharing

Great hunt and report! Thanks for sharing.

Great trophies, thanks for posting.

Another great job of guiding by Mark and good shooting by his client Rob.

Well done guys! Cheers

Great report, thanks for the awesome pics. good to see Nuanetsi and the team deliver again.

now THAT is a helluva 10 day safari. Diana really smiled on you guys!

Fantastic trophies. All of them and well composed photographs. Really first class safari.

Hard to have a safari much better than that. Congrats on a great trip. Great pics. Bruce

There are some very fine trophies and great photos.
Mike

EISH! Great hunt Stobart. Makorokoto

I don't see how it could have been any better.

You guys did some work on this hunt.

That is a great waterbuck.

Congrats all around on the hunt and write up too.

Great job for a team who obviously works together to form a lethal combo! Great trophies all.

Always enjoyable to read of fine shooting.
Takes practice and knowing what you're doing. Sounds like Rob has it figured out well.

Mark: great pictures and good reading too. Since he didn't get that croc, he'll be back.
Thanks for sharing.
George

Congrats!

Man, you shot a bunch of stuff.
Congratulations.

All the photos looks just perfect ,everything from the trophies to the rifles ,congrats again

Wow, great photos. Very nice bag of trophies.

Thanks for sharing .

quote:

Originally posted by bwanajay:
Well Done All!

Hell of a ten day safari!

Thanks Mark on a great report and pics.

+1

Outstanding! Great photos.

Which rifle was used for the leopard?

Incredible!

Fantastic hunt and excellent trophies. That leopard is a brute.

A dream hunting safari as far as I am concerned!