Roy Wilmeth
AH member
My dad and I recently returned from an unbelievable safari with Game Trackers Africa hunting buffalo in the Selous. It was the most difficult hunt I have ever experienced. There were many ups and downs during the trip, and just when it looked like all hope was lost…..well I don’t want to spoil the ending. You need to read the whole story. Life has been crazy busy since we returned and it has taken me longer than expected to post my report. I spent several weeks after the trip journaling each day’s events so that I could look back one day and remember the details of the hunt that one tends to forget over time. Rather than give you a summary of the report, I felt it would be better to share the story in its entirety. Some of you may find it a bit longwinded, but in order to appreciate the ending you really need to read it from start to finish. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it and reliving the experience.
The last time my father (Frank) and I had been to Africa was 20 years ago. We spent 13 days hunting buffalo and plains game in the Zambezi valley. I also did some tiger fishing on the Zambezi River. It was a once in a lifetime trip and everything we had hoped it would be. It was truly “wild Africa”. I was 15 years old at the time. Frank was 49. For years we have both longed to go back but simply didn’t have the means. Frank gave up on the idea years ago and accepted that a second trip wasn’t in the cards. It has been a goal of mine ever since we returned to one day take him back to Africa. Fast forward 20 years and the time had finally come. Because of God’s grace and provision, I now had the means to get us back.
I began planning this safari almost two years ago. I spent a good deal of time researching areas as well as outfitters that would best suite our desire. The desire was to once again find a remote location where we could experience “wild Africa” as we had before. The target was buffalo. Any additional game would be a bonus. This likely would be the last time my dad and I would get to hunt Africa together. It was critical that I choose the right location and the right outfitter. I reached out to Craig Boddington for advice, and he was kind enough to oblige me. I asked him the following question, “If you could only go on one last buffalo hunt, where would you go and with who?” His response…”I thought you were going to ask me a difficult question. That’s easy….The Selous!” We talked for a good while about The Selous as well as several other areas in Africa where we could find good buffalo hunting in wild places such as the Zambezi Valley, Mozambique, and Zambia. He offered recommendations of outfitters in each area, and I researched them all. After many conversations with references and careful consideration, I ultimately decided to go with Game Trackers Africa and booked a 7-day 2X1 buffalo hunt in the Selous Game Reserve. The hunt would take place from Sept. 1-9, 2021. My dad new nothing of my plans, and I couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
There was much preparation to be done. It was March of 2020. We had a year and a half to get ready. I decided to wait until Father’s Day to surprise my dad with the trip. Keeping this secret for the next 3 months was painful, but I kept busy and had some items to get in order before I broke the news. I needed a rifle and so did he. I set out on a mission to find the perfect caliber for buffalo. After hours and hours of reading and researching, much of which was done on AfricaHunting.com, I had determined that I’d found the perfect caliber……the .404 Jeffery. Once I discovered its legend in Africa and long, rich history of taking down big game, I was hooked. Finding a .404 for sale can be difficult, but I was very fortunate to come across another AH member with one he was willing to part with. It was a CZ 550 built for a buffalo hunt that never came to fruition. The previous owner knew that letting it collect dust in the closet was no way to respect such a rifle. It needed to go to Africa. It needed to kill a buffalo. I was thrilled to have it. I also came across a 450/400 Ruger Number 1 and decided to jump on it in case my dad might like to carry it. He was certainly welcome to choose his own rifle if he didn’t want to use either of mine. On our previous safari he carried a Dakota Arms 375 H&H but sold it years ago after deciding he wouldn’t have the chance to go back. With the rifles in hand, I quickly began working on load development. I didn’t spend much time on the 450/400. While it was extremely light weight and a dream to carry, I found the recoil rather unpleasant. The .404 Jeffery was much more enjoyable to shoot. I was surprised at the accuracy of the rifle, even with open sights. After much experimentation, I settled on 78 gr of H4350 which gave me a traditional velocity of around 2150 fps. For bullets I used 400gr Swift A Frames and Hornady DGS for solids. I mounted a Leupold 1X5 scope with a red dot reticle and 30mm tube. I had a few modifications done to the rifle to better suite me which included shortening the barrel to 23 inches, installing a timney trigger, adjusting L.O.P to 13.5 inches, and installing a red pachmayr recoil pad. I was very pleased with the finished rifle and couldn’t wait to show my day what I had secretly been working on.
This trip was originally meant to be a surprise birthday present for Frank’s 70th in Dec. of 2021. Since the trip was scheduled in Sept. 2021 I decided to tell him early on Father’s day of 2020. It was a day that I had been anxiously waiting for several months. We invited him and my mother over for steak and lobster to celebrate Father’s Day. Just before dinner I had him sit at the table to open his gift. Inside an old wooden suite case style box, he would first find a .404 shell which I had laser engraved “Selous Gamer Reserve 2021.” I knew this would get his wheels spinning. Next, he would find a card with an old dagga boy on the front of it. Inside was a letter I’d written him. It was an invitation letter. The invitation was for him to join me in the Selous Game Reserve for an adventure hunting cape buffalo. His response was priceless. He was speechless and overcome with emotion. He couldn’t believe what he’d just read. It was a special moment that I will remember forever. We laughed a little. We cried a little. Then we feasted on steak and lobster. He claimed it was the best he’d ever had. I imagine he would have thought that even if it had been cooked poorly. It would definitely take a while to sink in. We were going back!
My dad decided to go with the logical choice of the 375 H&H for his rifle selection. He found a Winchester Model 70 safari rifle and upgraded it with a beautiful super grade stock. Topped with a Leupold 1X5 scope, it was a classic safari rifle. Like me, he quickly began developing loads and ultimately settled on 75 gr of H4350 resulting in velocities of 2550 fps. He used 300gr Swift A Frames for softs and Hornady DGS for solids. We were able to shoot together on several occasions. It was a lot of fun collecting data and fine tuning our rifles. We even practiced following up each other’s shots just in case we found ourselves in the right circumstance to do so in Africa.
We had 15 months to prepare for our trip. While that sounds like a long time, it really flew by. August suddenly came and it was time to pack our bags. All preparations were complete. We used Travel With Guns for our travel agent. They were very good at guiding us through all the red tape. We had all the paperwork in order and were ready to get on a plane. We would first fly from Dallas to Washington, where we would overnight. Then from Washington to Addis Ababa Ethiopia, then to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, then charter into camp. We had virtually no hick ups on our way in. All flights remained on schedule. Checking our guns in Addis Ababa was an interesting experience, but one I was prepared for after reading about others’ experiences on AfricaHunting.com. When we arrived in Dar, we were required to take a rapid covid test. This was despite having a pcr test done within the last 72 hours. Thank the Lord our tests were negative. It would sure stink to have traveled all the way to Africa and test positive, then have to quarantine and miss our safari. Fortunately, we were able to proceed to our final destination. Suleiman (a representative for Game Trackers Africa) was waiting on us when we landed in Dar. He helped us clear customs and escorted us to the charter plane. We were very grateful for his assistance. We were down to the last leg of the journey. The charter flight would last about 45 minutes. It was a flight we were both looking forward to.
I’ve always enjoyed flying on smaller planes and being able to see the landscape from a closer point of view. This flight was one I will never forget. Not because of anything happening unexpectedly. But rather because of the anticipation and excitement that was continuing to build. With each minute that passed we were getting further and further from civilization. The earth below us was suddenly void of black top roads, fences, or any other man-made structures. Occasionally you could see herds of animals moving about. They may have been elephant or buffalo. They looked like ants from the plane. It wasn’t long before we were flying over Lake Utunge where we would be camped for the next 8 days. It was much larger than I had imagined and was absolutely stunning from that altitude. We could see the dirt runway not far from the lake. As we made our decent, we watched a small herd of elephant moving off in the distance. Our hunting party was waiting for us at the end of the runway. The landing was smooth, or as my dad would say….”perfect landing”. It was his opinion that any landing which one could walk away from was a “perfect landing.” It took a long 2 days of traveling to get here, but we had arrived. What an amazing feeling to step off the plane and onto African soil. We had finally set foot in the famous Selous. It was a wild place. A place written about in many books. A place that hunters dream of. A place where we would soon be tracking buffalo. I had to pinch myself.
We had a quick meet and greet with our PH Jabu Kirkland and the team of trackers, then a short 15 minute drive to camp. We were greeted by the rest of the camp staff upon arrival and given warm wet towels to wipe the grease off our faces. The camp was set up right on the edge of lake Utunge and the view was breathtaking. There was a gentle breeze coming off the water which kept the temperature quite pleasant. After touring the grounds, we were escorted to our bunks which were equipped with in suite toilets, sinks, and showers. The accommodations couldn’t be any nicer for such a remote location. After a hot shower which was long overdue, we decided to relax for a bit by the lake before dinner. It seemed like an appropriate time for a good cigar and a glass of whiskey to celebrate the fact that we were finally in Africa and that tomorrow we would be chasing buffalo. We would be sharing camp for the next couple of days with a gentleman by the name of Matt who was from California and had 5 days left on a 10-day safari. Matt had already killed 2 buffalo on day 1 and 3 and a warthog as well and was now in pursuit of hartebeest and bushbuck. We took a walk to the salt shed to check out his trophies. Both bulls were impressive, however, one was particularly nice with big bosses, good drops and just over 40 inches wide. He was the type of bull Frank and I were looking for. Matt and Jabu talked of how many buffalo they had seen over the past few days. They were seeing buffalo around every corner and had quite a few encounters today just prior to picking us up at the air strip. Our expectations were high. I could not wait for what tomorrow might bring. It was now time for supper, so we made our way to the dining room. We were served a very nice three course dinner with fish as the main dish. After filling our bellies, we spent the remainder of the evening visiting around the campfire just next to the water. We enjoyed listening to the stories told of the past few days of hunting. Tomorrow perhaps we would have our own to tell. It was time to turn in for the night. Tomorrow morning would come early, and we needed all the rest we could get. Sleep would prove difficult the first night. On top of the jet lag, the lake was full of hippo which can be quite noisy and sometimes sounded as if they were just outside the tent. It definitely makes part of the African experience.
Last Hour in the Selous
The last time my father (Frank) and I had been to Africa was 20 years ago. We spent 13 days hunting buffalo and plains game in the Zambezi valley. I also did some tiger fishing on the Zambezi River. It was a once in a lifetime trip and everything we had hoped it would be. It was truly “wild Africa”. I was 15 years old at the time. Frank was 49. For years we have both longed to go back but simply didn’t have the means. Frank gave up on the idea years ago and accepted that a second trip wasn’t in the cards. It has been a goal of mine ever since we returned to one day take him back to Africa. Fast forward 20 years and the time had finally come. Because of God’s grace and provision, I now had the means to get us back.
I began planning this safari almost two years ago. I spent a good deal of time researching areas as well as outfitters that would best suite our desire. The desire was to once again find a remote location where we could experience “wild Africa” as we had before. The target was buffalo. Any additional game would be a bonus. This likely would be the last time my dad and I would get to hunt Africa together. It was critical that I choose the right location and the right outfitter. I reached out to Craig Boddington for advice, and he was kind enough to oblige me. I asked him the following question, “If you could only go on one last buffalo hunt, where would you go and with who?” His response…”I thought you were going to ask me a difficult question. That’s easy….The Selous!” We talked for a good while about The Selous as well as several other areas in Africa where we could find good buffalo hunting in wild places such as the Zambezi Valley, Mozambique, and Zambia. He offered recommendations of outfitters in each area, and I researched them all. After many conversations with references and careful consideration, I ultimately decided to go with Game Trackers Africa and booked a 7-day 2X1 buffalo hunt in the Selous Game Reserve. The hunt would take place from Sept. 1-9, 2021. My dad new nothing of my plans, and I couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
There was much preparation to be done. It was March of 2020. We had a year and a half to get ready. I decided to wait until Father’s Day to surprise my dad with the trip. Keeping this secret for the next 3 months was painful, but I kept busy and had some items to get in order before I broke the news. I needed a rifle and so did he. I set out on a mission to find the perfect caliber for buffalo. After hours and hours of reading and researching, much of which was done on AfricaHunting.com, I had determined that I’d found the perfect caliber……the .404 Jeffery. Once I discovered its legend in Africa and long, rich history of taking down big game, I was hooked. Finding a .404 for sale can be difficult, but I was very fortunate to come across another AH member with one he was willing to part with. It was a CZ 550 built for a buffalo hunt that never came to fruition. The previous owner knew that letting it collect dust in the closet was no way to respect such a rifle. It needed to go to Africa. It needed to kill a buffalo. I was thrilled to have it. I also came across a 450/400 Ruger Number 1 and decided to jump on it in case my dad might like to carry it. He was certainly welcome to choose his own rifle if he didn’t want to use either of mine. On our previous safari he carried a Dakota Arms 375 H&H but sold it years ago after deciding he wouldn’t have the chance to go back. With the rifles in hand, I quickly began working on load development. I didn’t spend much time on the 450/400. While it was extremely light weight and a dream to carry, I found the recoil rather unpleasant. The .404 Jeffery was much more enjoyable to shoot. I was surprised at the accuracy of the rifle, even with open sights. After much experimentation, I settled on 78 gr of H4350 which gave me a traditional velocity of around 2150 fps. For bullets I used 400gr Swift A Frames and Hornady DGS for solids. I mounted a Leupold 1X5 scope with a red dot reticle and 30mm tube. I had a few modifications done to the rifle to better suite me which included shortening the barrel to 23 inches, installing a timney trigger, adjusting L.O.P to 13.5 inches, and installing a red pachmayr recoil pad. I was very pleased with the finished rifle and couldn’t wait to show my day what I had secretly been working on.
This trip was originally meant to be a surprise birthday present for Frank’s 70th in Dec. of 2021. Since the trip was scheduled in Sept. 2021 I decided to tell him early on Father’s day of 2020. It was a day that I had been anxiously waiting for several months. We invited him and my mother over for steak and lobster to celebrate Father’s Day. Just before dinner I had him sit at the table to open his gift. Inside an old wooden suite case style box, he would first find a .404 shell which I had laser engraved “Selous Gamer Reserve 2021.” I knew this would get his wheels spinning. Next, he would find a card with an old dagga boy on the front of it. Inside was a letter I’d written him. It was an invitation letter. The invitation was for him to join me in the Selous Game Reserve for an adventure hunting cape buffalo. His response was priceless. He was speechless and overcome with emotion. He couldn’t believe what he’d just read. It was a special moment that I will remember forever. We laughed a little. We cried a little. Then we feasted on steak and lobster. He claimed it was the best he’d ever had. I imagine he would have thought that even if it had been cooked poorly. It would definitely take a while to sink in. We were going back!
My dad decided to go with the logical choice of the 375 H&H for his rifle selection. He found a Winchester Model 70 safari rifle and upgraded it with a beautiful super grade stock. Topped with a Leupold 1X5 scope, it was a classic safari rifle. Like me, he quickly began developing loads and ultimately settled on 75 gr of H4350 resulting in velocities of 2550 fps. He used 300gr Swift A Frames for softs and Hornady DGS for solids. We were able to shoot together on several occasions. It was a lot of fun collecting data and fine tuning our rifles. We even practiced following up each other’s shots just in case we found ourselves in the right circumstance to do so in Africa.
We had 15 months to prepare for our trip. While that sounds like a long time, it really flew by. August suddenly came and it was time to pack our bags. All preparations were complete. We used Travel With Guns for our travel agent. They were very good at guiding us through all the red tape. We had all the paperwork in order and were ready to get on a plane. We would first fly from Dallas to Washington, where we would overnight. Then from Washington to Addis Ababa Ethiopia, then to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, then charter into camp. We had virtually no hick ups on our way in. All flights remained on schedule. Checking our guns in Addis Ababa was an interesting experience, but one I was prepared for after reading about others’ experiences on AfricaHunting.com. When we arrived in Dar, we were required to take a rapid covid test. This was despite having a pcr test done within the last 72 hours. Thank the Lord our tests were negative. It would sure stink to have traveled all the way to Africa and test positive, then have to quarantine and miss our safari. Fortunately, we were able to proceed to our final destination. Suleiman (a representative for Game Trackers Africa) was waiting on us when we landed in Dar. He helped us clear customs and escorted us to the charter plane. We were very grateful for his assistance. We were down to the last leg of the journey. The charter flight would last about 45 minutes. It was a flight we were both looking forward to.
I’ve always enjoyed flying on smaller planes and being able to see the landscape from a closer point of view. This flight was one I will never forget. Not because of anything happening unexpectedly. But rather because of the anticipation and excitement that was continuing to build. With each minute that passed we were getting further and further from civilization. The earth below us was suddenly void of black top roads, fences, or any other man-made structures. Occasionally you could see herds of animals moving about. They may have been elephant or buffalo. They looked like ants from the plane. It wasn’t long before we were flying over Lake Utunge where we would be camped for the next 8 days. It was much larger than I had imagined and was absolutely stunning from that altitude. We could see the dirt runway not far from the lake. As we made our decent, we watched a small herd of elephant moving off in the distance. Our hunting party was waiting for us at the end of the runway. The landing was smooth, or as my dad would say….”perfect landing”. It was his opinion that any landing which one could walk away from was a “perfect landing.” It took a long 2 days of traveling to get here, but we had arrived. What an amazing feeling to step off the plane and onto African soil. We had finally set foot in the famous Selous. It was a wild place. A place written about in many books. A place that hunters dream of. A place where we would soon be tracking buffalo. I had to pinch myself.
We had a quick meet and greet with our PH Jabu Kirkland and the team of trackers, then a short 15 minute drive to camp. We were greeted by the rest of the camp staff upon arrival and given warm wet towels to wipe the grease off our faces. The camp was set up right on the edge of lake Utunge and the view was breathtaking. There was a gentle breeze coming off the water which kept the temperature quite pleasant. After touring the grounds, we were escorted to our bunks which were equipped with in suite toilets, sinks, and showers. The accommodations couldn’t be any nicer for such a remote location. After a hot shower which was long overdue, we decided to relax for a bit by the lake before dinner. It seemed like an appropriate time for a good cigar and a glass of whiskey to celebrate the fact that we were finally in Africa and that tomorrow we would be chasing buffalo. We would be sharing camp for the next couple of days with a gentleman by the name of Matt who was from California and had 5 days left on a 10-day safari. Matt had already killed 2 buffalo on day 1 and 3 and a warthog as well and was now in pursuit of hartebeest and bushbuck. We took a walk to the salt shed to check out his trophies. Both bulls were impressive, however, one was particularly nice with big bosses, good drops and just over 40 inches wide. He was the type of bull Frank and I were looking for. Matt and Jabu talked of how many buffalo they had seen over the past few days. They were seeing buffalo around every corner and had quite a few encounters today just prior to picking us up at the air strip. Our expectations were high. I could not wait for what tomorrow might bring. It was now time for supper, so we made our way to the dining room. We were served a very nice three course dinner with fish as the main dish. After filling our bellies, we spent the remainder of the evening visiting around the campfire just next to the water. We enjoyed listening to the stories told of the past few days of hunting. Tomorrow perhaps we would have our own to tell. It was time to turn in for the night. Tomorrow morning would come early, and we needed all the rest we could get. Sleep would prove difficult the first night. On top of the jet lag, the lake was full of hippo which can be quite noisy and sometimes sounded as if they were just outside the tent. It definitely makes part of the African experience.
