Not sure I could add anything Bill, that was an excellent write up. The second buff hunt was the best hunting I have ever had in Africa, going back over 20 years. Our original PH, Terry Anderson, was excellent, and especially when working with my wife he was very patient. I took the second buffalo with Frans van der Merwe, a friend of Bills, who originally came to hang out with us in camp. He has a sixth sense about buffalo and what they will do from one moment to the next, and he kept counseling patience as we worked the edges of the herd. In the end the credit for taking the second buff is mostly his, and I will not book another hunt in Africa without first checking to see if he can fit us into his schedule. Terry Anderson will be the second call I make if Frans is not available.
As for the night of the elephant attack, I sincerely believe it is only through the grace of God that any of us survived. When the elephant came for my wife and me, I thought she had already killed Terry and wanted more blood. I could have shot then, when she was 20 paces away, but I didn't think the .375 softs I had in my rifle would do any good. As we moved around to the back side of the tree my wife asked me, "what's the plan?". There wasn't any plan, there was nowhere to go. When the cow rounded my side of the tree the only thought I had was create a diversion long enough for my wife to get away. I had badly injured my hamstring when we first ran from the elephant, and I wasn't going to be running anywhere. I reached up and rested the muzzle on her head, just above the trunk, and as I pulled the trigger I told Pam to run. I hobbled about 20 feet or so, expecting any moment to feel a couple tons of elephant crashing down on me, and when that didn't happen I looked back to see her laying on her side, just past the tree, finished. I thought she might be stunned, not dead, and we kept running until we came to a large stone outcropping, full of trackers that had run at the first charge. I was shocked when Terry came hobbling up a few moments later, badly shaken but alive.
All in all, it was the most exciting night I have had in Africa. Until that night I had 5 elephants to my credit, and as a personal decision I wasn't ever going to shoot any more. After the attack I have reconsidered that decision!
After leaving Zimbabwe Pam and I spent a pleasant 4 days hunting plains game in Eastern Cape of South Africa, before heading for home. We have another plains game hunt booked in Limpopo for next year, and then Bill and I, with our wives, are headed back in 2019 for 4 buffalo. The adventure continues!
