After a week in South Africa I again returned to Afton House and was met by Annalise at the firearms checkout location. We had a few minutes of greetings and sought the van carrying another small group of new visitors to the house. I nearly felt like a family member coming home as I was greeted by name by Yvonne and Arild and couldn't have felt better. There was a group of Photo-Safari visitors and we talked and looked at some of the photographs taken by a Dallas based Lawyer just returned from a photo-safari and meeting his better half on their way to Botswana for Dangerous Game. We would meet again on the plane ride home and spend some time sharing experiences.
I slept like a baby after a couple of drinks and crawled into a warm bed with dreams of my upcoming Buff hunt. With the terrible way I had been shooting the plains game I was very concerned that I had taken a step too far and was going to get someone injured or worse out in the bush.
In the morning the ride to the airport was perfect and I made it to the police office without problem. One of the officers started in with his routine of coercing me to pay him to ensure that he was going to get my guns on the Victoria Falls flight. I had planned to tip him anyway and noticed that one of the female officers there did not approve of his tactics. I decided to work him over a bit and put him through the ringer asking about his supervisor and where I might go to complain about his actions. I asked for his badge and ID and started writing things down. He had been very smiley and having fun trying to convince me that the bribe was the only way to be sure I ever saw my rifles again but had begun to sulk back and went back to the other side of the counter with my rifles in tow. At that point I handed the young woman a $20 and told her it was up to her if she shared any with the other guy. My Rifles were there when I arrived in Victoria Falls.



There was noone at the airport to pick me up and I began to think that there was going to be a problem when I noticed a guy standing with a name card which read

Martin
Franky

I approached him and asked "Makanza" (the name of my PH) to which he replied "YES !" and I then said I am "Frank Martinez" to which he exclaimed "YES !" pushing the name card forward smiling as big as tomorrow pleased that we had made contact. This was going to be fun.
On the way to Pamusha Lodge, Mike explained that Makanza had been held up in camp and that I would be taken care of at Pamusha until he arrived to pick me up. When I arrived I was shown my room, relaxed a bit and started charging batteries for the next part of the trip. I joined a few guests by the pool and had a couple of Castles while we waited for Evans Makanza, a PH with credentials I would find out about later.

Hitchhiking is a real means of transportation in Zimbabwe and reminded me of hiking home out of Santa Barbara or Seattle or San Francisco in the 60's. The big trucks are loaded with copper from Zambia.










These two guys had just completed installation of a new fuel line distribution system. The were preparing for the trip back to Bulywao and related the problems they were having with funds. All payments were made to the national bank and they were limited on the amount they could withdraw on a daily basis.


The helpers at Pamusha. I later saw the Pamusha cruises on the Zambezi near the falls.

After having a couple of castle around the pool, Evans came in and explained that he had been held up with a Euro client who had wounded a large bull elephant and they had been trying to recover it. He asked if maybe I wouldn't mind giving a couple of days to the effort when we....
Hell Yes!



The first morning at camp with a beautiful sunrise on my tent.



The camp.

We sighted rifles and found that my scope was totally useless. I had tried my best to tune it in but had to remove it and shoot open sights. for the rest of the trip. MY backup scope had gone belly up while in RSA and now I was in a real fix. Evans was shooting a .375 with a peep sight and I had a .375 for plainsgame with only 10 solids in case I had to go after my cape buffalo with the .375 instead of the .416 Rigby. I felt very comfortable having it with me as we set off to try and find the wounded elephant.

Our routine for the next few days was to inspect two different waterholes and follow the elephant we were after. He was dragging his right leg and even I could follow it in the open but when several other groups crossed over and around and on top of the track I was really amazed that our A-1 tracker was able to cipher the smallest part of the track and continue to follow.

A bit of damage from the night before as a group of Elephants moved through.

After following the wounded Elephant for three days we lost trace of him altogether and thought perhaps he had died or gone back across the track and into the park.
We came across this group of buff one afternoon and found that they were aware of us long before we became aware of them. Safeties off.

The buffalo visited the waterhole often and we followed several herds of up to 300 animals into the bush as we tried to find a shooter.
None of them were exceptionally large but hiding in the grass and following through the dense brush gave them additional size.
One afternoon we followed them into some exceptionally dense cover and apparently sneaked right through some bedded animals. We were all startled when a crashing bull came plowing through the bush from behind us. He was as startled as we were when he burst through and stared at us with that deer-in-the-headlights look from 20 feet. Luckily being a very young bull his nerves cracked before ours did and he off again and back into thick cover. We decided that wasn't safe enough and moved out in search of some open area.





Some of the other animals seen that came to visit the waterhole.

While following Buffalo late one afternoon we spotted this Eland. I was not going to take one but the PH and trackers were excited about it and we made a quick stalk and I was able to drop him with the .375 using 260 grain Nosler Partitions. A complete pass through and he simply turned and walked the other way like an elk will sometimes when they don't know they are already dead. A second shot and he danced up and down for a minute before dropping.
As we approached I looked back into the opening and the buffalo were still there grazing away.
We moved onto the herd and did not find a big enough Buff so we hiked out toward a roadway some 4 or 5 miles off. Our tracker had already cut across the countryside in the night alone with only his shooting sticks for company on the way to where we had parked the truck while we were searching the herd for a shooter. The area was fullof lions and lioness hunting for dinner and I really wondered if I would have walked out there on my own.

Great stuff, keep it coming! Thanks.

The next morning we got word that lions or Hyena had attacked and left for dead a small cow buff. It was very sick and had no tail left so we decided to put it down. I asked my PH if his "learner" PH's ever had a chance to shoot animals and we agreed he would use the .375 to finish the buff which was simply lying there staring into space.
I moved to one side and waited for Dumo to take the shot.
I set up the movie camera and once we were both ready he fired hitting the buff right in the heart. At the shot the Buff jumped up and started running which shocked me to no end. I fired hitting it in the shoulder and as it spun around I fired again and hit it lower in the same shoulder knocking it down again. STILL NOT DEAD! Tough even at that young age and injured. I was shooting Barnes Solids and so was Dumo.
We walked around back and finished with a shot to the spine. When I have a chance to learn how to post the movie I will do so. For now here is the photo of the downed buff. Notice the holes. We took it back to camp and ended up giving the meat to the Forest Service camp nearby.










Biltong was soon strung up everywhere the sun was sure to dry out the meat. We would later use a few pieces here and there to expedite the travel through roadblocks and to buy firewood for our trip into Bulywao.




At the forest camp we made a few new frinds when we stopped to visit and bring along the buff we had put down.

Frank,

Nice eland! Great report and pics. Thanks for sharing.

Andy

After some rest and relaxation(I spent some time in camp just hanging around) we were out once again for Buffalo. We found a very nice group with a pair of bigger bulls that eluded every thing we tried to do to get into shooting position on them.
After some time I was finally able to get on the sticks and watch my selected bull mill about with cows and younger bulls either passing in front of or behind. Finally I had an open space and fired the Barnes solid high on the shoulder dropping the buff straight back. As h rolled to the side I fired again putting him down for good. The herd took off in all directions and the sky literally grew dark from the dirt and while we waited I kept a keen eye for anything that might turn back on us.
It was certainly smiles all around as we approached and put another into the back for insurance. I was pretty happy at that and we began the efforts of setting up for a photo.
It took a while for the dust to finally settle and while we were looking around Scombuzo our a-1 tracker discovered a tree where one of the Barnes solids had done a complete pass through the buff and the tree.

Great report! Thank you for sharing those wonderfull memories.

Frank,

Way to go... Love your pics.. They say it all...

Mike

A couple of days later we came across a familiar track and were onto the hunt for the big Bull again. It had now been at least a week since the bull was originally wounded and we were anxious to get onto the track. I was mystified that he was still around. I didn't know where it was leading us but I do know we walked hard and long in the 100 plus and left the truck far behind when we got onto the steady track.
I was carrying the .416 Rigby with solids and the other "Learner" PH was carrying my other .375. I would learn later he did not have experience using a scope and rapidly shooting a larger bore rifle. My PH also had a .375 as his .416 had gone on to Lake Kariba with another truck. We were planning to hunt Hippo there once I took the Buff but the lure of the Elephant had me now and I was sure I was shooting well enough to make the shot needed.
We had tracked well into the afternoon before taking the briefest of glimpses of elephant moving in the far distance.
Ever see a shadow float past from the side of your eye in the dark when you aren't expecting anything to be there? It was that kind of feeling that washed over me. I knew something was there but could only see glimpses of shadow and light. The bull had led us into the most densly overgrown area I was to see throughout the hunt. We moved ever so slowly, not so much because we were being clever or careful but because it was all we could do. We were being cautious because now we knew there was more than one animal in the bush. We knew they knew we knew they knew we were there and they were being very elusive. They were quiet. We tried to be and still as well except for the swatting of Mopane flies to allow more than a flashing glimps of daylight.
As we approached I noticed the "Learner" messing with the rifle and realized he had never fired a scoped rifle on game. He was unsure of what to do with the adjustments and magnifications and at that moment I should have switched and given him the open sighted Rigby. I would have aimed better and he would have aimed at all. Instead I closed the 1.5x5 to 1.5 and he was able to see the target at last. We both could and drew down with the PH and they followed my shot each with his own as we dropped the bull with a frontal and shoulder and neck shots as we were strung together behind a tree. A sight I will never forget. A sight I will alsways regret because I stopped and looked instead of pumping the body on the ground as I had the Buff, and because I turned and looked at the PH and he at me as we smiled at our job well done until the damned Bull fought to regain his stance. I quickly turned and fired again hitting the bull in the back of the head and dropping him to hte ground again.I fired a third shot into his shoulder and then turned to see why I was the only one shooting. My PH was struggling to put his bolt back into the rifle. Apparently the bolt stop had failed and he had pulled it out completely. The learner had used a slow throw on the bolt dropping the empty back and it was now wedged between the action and the next cartridge. As I reloaded I saw the bull begin to stand and fired again as he moved into the shadows. At that point everyone got real quiet and they began to listen intently as I reloaded and stared off into the darkness.

Oh boy Frank, the adrenalin is going now!!

John

Come on Frank....

Damn Frank, you are going to make alot of enemies if you dont get more about that elephant...

Mike

EIGHT DAYS FRANK!!!!

EIGHT BLOODY DAYS!!!

Either tell us what happened or put me out of my misery!!

FB

Sorry guys it has been very hard getting back to this as the result of our hard work and the firepower we put into that damned bull should have been enough to anchor him in place. I was devastated when he stood, and disappeared into the darkness. We were held at bay by several smaller bulls and unseen cows we could hear breaking brush all around us.
Darkness was falling fast and several lions and lioness had been making kills in the area. We still had several miles to trek out and after taking a quick look at the area where he had fallen all we could do was leave.
I never got a chance to see him again. We tracked and hiked and followed those same freaking dragging tracks all day the next and the next after that and we tried again the third day as well. I had given up on any other hunting until he was found and taken but it wasn't going to be me that stood there next to him as a whole animal.
My Frontal shot had been low, my head shot while he was trying to stand had been too far forward and my shoulder shot had not done the trick either. The other 4 shots taken had only helped me stun him and knock him down but I am sure he died alone and in the dark hating his death as it approached him.

The only memento I ever got was a small bracelet one of the trackers recovered later and gave me as I was leaving Zimbabwe a week later. Over the next few days I watched game from the tiny hide we built for hyenas and made a kill of a small bushpig one night while there but my chance for elephant had come and gone.

Heartbreak, disappointment, regret and I still see the sight picture in my mind daily. I cannot really explain it but I never want to feel that wrtched feeling of watching him fade off into the brush.

FRank

Frank,

I can only imagine how you feel, and I should think that everyhing done should heve been enough, but it seems it just wasn't.

Thanks for sharing such an obviously distressing experience. It will go a long way to remind people that when hunting it isn't always just a case of take the shot followed by the photo.

Was the bull recovered after your departure or completely lost?

Rgds,
Kiri

Amazing story and great pics Frank. Sometimes things just don't go as we expect but the memories give us desire...desire to return to Africa...over and over. Thanks for sharing your hunt with us. I wish I could have been there.
Good hunting,
David

The photography was great. Is it a hobby of yours, or a profession? What camera, settings, etc.?

Beautiful pics Frank. Quite a different perspective.

Thanks

The hunt was fabulous.
The people I hunted with were terrific and tried to make me feel comfortable about the event, and yes the bull was recovered. I just didn't get to take part in that completion of the hunt.
I was a professional wedding and portrait photographer for a number of years. I sold the business and retired from that a few years back and just retired yesterday from the college here in the north of California.
My perspective is different I suppose as I observed the days with awe and wonder and myself with analysis and an attempt to get over it and move on.

A couple of days after taking the bushpig we were visited by some gentlemen from a nearby concession who were trying to find Sable and Good Buffalo. We had many in our area but there seemed to be some problem with the guarantees they had been made and the reality of quota available. I was not taking a sable and already had my buff but got very interested in the comments they were making about also taking part in the elephant cull in the nearby park. I could tell my PH and others were a little concerned about this taking place and after some conversation I was not able to understand they were off to take a buff and we were off for an impala that was to be used as bait for a client coming in when I left. They did not get to hunt sable but small world that it is they knew my PH from RSA and I am soon going to contact Rob to find out if they ever got into the park for the elephant. I believe the cull hunts were terminated recently and I wondered if they ever got into that.

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Amazing story and great pics Frank. Sometimes things just don't go as we expect but the memories give us desire...desire to return to Africa...over and over. Thanks for sharing your hunt with us. I wish I could have been there.
Good hunting,
David

You are absolutely right. Has Rob contacted you yet about my request for prices for next year? I am looking at a 10 day hunt sometime from April to June.
I was sending him some photos of the family I took and asked him to ask Keith. I also sent Keith and Fran a little gift box for their visit in Nashville. If you plan to see them please let me know. I still need to share more info with Keith about the firearms I am buying from him.
Please send me info on Botswana if you have some.
I also seem to have lost Johans contact info for the trophy shipment. Now that Rob and I have all the financial transfers in order- Damned bank took several weeks to get him the money I sent, I need to make arrangements for the shipping to SF.
Frank

Hi Frank, check your PM. I'll take care of everything.
Cheers,
David

I was amazed at the quality of food to be had in camp. I don't know where in the world Thomas, our cook was finding the ingredients for our wonderful meals but he somehow managed in his tiny little kitchen with the propane stove to embelish the game meat we were eating with spices and magic of some sort to always have 5 star meals ready within a few minutes of our arrival at all hours of the day and night. I swear even hiking 5 to 10 miles a day I was gaining weight daily.








The Camp crew and I spent a couple of days goofing around, talking about visits to America and looking at a little toy I brought along. This was a super hit with everyone. It is called a view master and the one I had included images of the entire united states as well as a couple of reels of images from the Redwoods and ocean around Northern California.
One afternoon we spent playing frisbee and learning how to use yo-yo's. Great fun all around.

One of the daily tasks I was able to participate in was the tending of the pumps for waterholes. There were three on the concession and one of them had a tender that had been there nearly 2 months. He had built a "fort" around his sleeping quarters because the lions were in and among his camp regularly. He needed to get out and visit with some people for a while and the look in his eye indicated he was not kidding when he said he had to leave.

The last day I asked to do a group photo and gathered up all I could. The only one missing was Clements who had gone into town to get supplies for the next group coming in for Leopard.


We had seen three while I was there including a very large Tom that had walked within ten feet of our tiny blind. The wind was blowing and he was upwind of us. It startled the heck out of both of us when we first saw him as he was sitting on his haunches and in the dark of the moonlight looked very much like a hyena. I am glad I hesitated because when he turned to look our way a pair of very large green eyes looked right through us before he walked away.
Later that evening- still looking to collect a Hyena, we were suddenly being surrounded by large numbers of elephant. They were all around us and noisily tearing trees apart and digging up the roots for dinner. I turned to look at the tracker who was next to me in the blind and saw him staring wide-eyed nearly straight up the top of the blind. When I turned I could see the shoulder of a large female towering above the blind. Luckily we built it next to a large palm and we had some semblance of cover. After another half dozen elephant came past us we decided enough was enough and turned on a flashlight. That was enough to send everyone running in all directions screaming and tearing trees down as they went by. We left shortly thereafter and when we returned in the morning, we found that the elephant had also returned in the night and torn our little blind to pieces.

It was time for me to leave and on the way I stopped to purchase some roadside items this little group of boys were selling. After playing the game of haggleing with the boys their grandfather said thank you and

"May you have many cattle in your life"

I pass that wish on to you all. I was on the way to Bulywao which I will tell about in part III.

Excellent report! Great pics! Thank you very much.
Hans