The November SIXGUNNER magazine is out, so here’s a bit on the story that was in the publication…. When I read about the First Africa HHI hunt, I was intrigued to say the least. One of the packages offered was for a Cape Buffalo, Sable Antelope and Nile Crocodile, and at a very reasonable price. The Limpopo region is fairly thick, so I was hoping to complete the hunt with a revolver only. I planned on taking my two go to hunting guns, a FA83 in 454, and a 375 caliber Contender G2 single shot, 378GNR. Both sport Leupold 2.5x8 scopes.
Arriving in Africa, we were met by PH Joe, and gathered up our luggage, proceeding to the SAPS counter to claim out guns. Here’s where my gun started. No gun case……… got all the appropriate paperwork filled out, hoping they arrive quickly ( if at all) and off to the lodge.
About a 5 hour drive, we arrived at a wonderful resort type location, tired and a little depressed, ( no firearms situation) it was wonderful to stretch out in air conditioned, freshly showered bliss.
Skip to Friday morning ( we arrived Monday) my gun case arrives!! I had a great time riding with Mike and Sue, who graciously invited me with them. Now my hunt started!
First on the list was Sable. To me the most beautiful animal in Africa, there just majestic. Also known as the kings Antelope, has been on my list since my first dreams of the Dark Continent.
Riding in the High seats, in the back of a Safari Land cruiser Pickup, is energizing, as we drove slowly thru the heavily choked thorn and acacia trees. Joe, my PH spotted two black spots off in the distance, we bailed out, and the driver drove off slowly the other way, as we approached thru the thick stuff for a better view. One of the two sable was quite a bit larger, and glassing him, we worked our way to a small opening to get in position for a shot. As my chosen Sable was clearing the incredibly dense thicket about 75 yards out, I got on the sticks, and squeezed off my shot as he stepped into the 24” tunnel. I heard the thump, and he stumbled, but dove forward into more heavy brush. There was blood at the spot of the shot, but we couldn't get thru the brush where he ran, so back to where I took the shot, and worked our way thru the brush.
“There he goes” my PH pointed at the sable trotting off to our left. Over the next hour, we got to where we could just see black a couple times, but couldn’t get close. This area was just SO VERY thick. Finally an area we got a view, as Joe threw up the sticks, wait……. That’s the wrong Sable, it was the secondary one, we got behind! It took some time to get back and on the correct tracks, and the PH and Tracker we’re masterful in getting back to the area of the shot, and following the actual tracks, to get back to where my sable went. On examination, I had shot too high, as the 24x24 opening was above the tall grass, but still blew one lung. He got up, from laying down, and took off, so we slowed up to let him lay again, and expire. I wanted an instant drop at the shot, but by the muscular size of these majestic beasts, anything but a perfect shot. May lead to a follow up.
In any case, I was very pleased while walking up to him. A bucket list animal for sure.
Wonderful meals, evening campfires, and thoughts of Cape Buffalo, I slept well.
Driving around in the high seats, viewing game running everywhere, is something every hunter needs to experience. No good Buffs all morning, so after lunch, we drove out over an hour to glass a couple watering holes, to attempt an intercept. We could see a small group of a dozen or so Buffalo, working thru the brush, and set up my small daypack on the sticks, to nestle my gun into. I was using a Sierra 300gn bullets, behind a full case of 2400, a very accurate load in my FA. The group was pretty bunched up, but one big old boy, hustled yo the front, and got to the water first. He was magnificent, and 20% larger than any of the others. At about 55 yards, I looked him over for what seemed like forever, waiting for the one behind him to clear. My breathing perfect, I eased the shot, the huge puff of the impact, he bucked up hard, then landed, with his R/F shoulder clearly blown, he almost went down, but instantly got obscured buy others in the group. My PH Christo, quickly said “don’t Shoot there bunched up.” They trotted into some very thick thorn, with his leg dragging.
Now the Selena started. It was maybe 1/2 hour till dark, and as this area has a high population of leopard, unless the herd left him, and he was clearly dead. So, we left him where he was, to return early AM with a drone and a jack Russell, to find him from the back side, as they watch and wait, on their back trail. Back in camp, we had video footage of the shot, clearly showing the blown shoulder. I still had a restless night.
Back in the truck early, an hour and a half around the back side of the watering hole. He was a couple hundred yards from the shot, but fortunately laying full on his side, and the herds was on where in sight. With the drone hovering over the heavy brush, we circled the area twice, trying to get thru the thorn, to no avail.
As quietly as possible, picking thru the thorn, getting tore up, at 20 yards, still no shot thru the thorn, we couldn’t get closer. Back out slowly, and picked thru another spot to where I was able to get two more shots in his other shoulder and right behind. With both sides of his front end blown, and unable to move, Christi said “ step over here and get a couple more in him” a few feet over, I put the three in the revolver in the heart lung area, and watched sticks and twigs fall in between us in that 15 yards, it was so thick. He never got up, or made a charge at us, ( I’m thankful for that) but as my two PH’s said, “ I got the full Cape Buffalo Experience” there’s always a back up PH on the big 5 hunts.
Even with my “Delayed” start, I was making up for lost time. Tomorrow starts searching for Nile Crocodile.
