ZIMBABWE: Dalton & York Safaris - No Bull, Double Bull

[375Fox]

Congratulations on your buffalo. I really enjoy this report, your writing abilities far exceed mine. I really like you discuss people, villages, and snares in this report. It’s something some people don’t want to see, but to me, it’s authentic Africa today and you get a real hunting experience.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the bull! Looking forward to more!

 

[buck wild]

Well done! Thanks for sharing the hunt with us.

We are just getting started although a little slow admittedly

 

[buck wild]

Let's take a slight detour as the subject has come up. The village life. It was a life experience as I noted in my opening. I have been to areas in Mexico that were "rural". I have been to South Africa. I can honestly say the local villagers here lived the most basic, primitive lives I have experienced. All the young children wanted were our empty water bottles. We did take a couple pounds of candy with us and handed out it when we made stops here and there. The truly toddler aged children didn't appear to realize what it was or how to eat it. We often crossed paths with women down at the lake fishing with long tree limbs with a couple feet of string attached with a hook. The simple maize porridge is a sample of their diets. Children from the ages of 2-12 played out in the fields with minimal adult supervision.

The teenage boys appeared to be in the class of the forgotten. Too young to make a lives for themselves, too old to be cared for by their families anymore with such scarce resources. Due to Covid, all the schools were shut down while we were there and jobs were nonexistent. There was plenty of work to do I'm sure, but none that paid a wage other than subsistence. They seemed bored to tears, just milling around or sitting for hours under the shade of the large trees. Maybe my impression was wrong and someone will have more insight into how the Zim cultural perceives this group.

While tracking a bull earlier, we ended up walking right through a few homes. Notice the school assignments on the wall outside. No one appeared to be home during this walk through.

"Did you See him come this way/"

 

[buck wild]

My wife truly LOVED interacting with the children !!!

You need water for the day? Walk 2 Kms to the bore hole and haul it back- morning and evening. Really amazing to observe what the women can do!

 

[buck wild]

Although remote and primitive as anywhere in the world outside the Amazon I suppose, you wouldn't have know that in camp. There were four chalets. Ours had an ensuite bathroom. Outside dining room and bar area. Running water, hot water (donke is what they call the wood fire heater I think) in the evening and solar panels provided electricity also in the evenings.

A few more camp life pics

 

[MAdcox]

Congrats on the buffalo. Great hunt so far. Really enjoying the report with the camp and village pics.

 

[buck wild]

Intro to the group that should have happened earlier.
L-R Sunny Boy, Tinashe, Zvito, App PH Heath (b), PH York and The Hunter ! LOL

 

[gillettehunter]

Congrats on your buffalo. Nice bull. I'm really enjoying your report. Thanks for taking the time to type it out.
Bruce

 

[Nyati]

Congrats on a nice buff !

I´m really enjoying your report

 

[buck wild]

I have to say a few words about my wife. At the mention of safari, she is in at jump. Last four safaris she was there at every step. Even when she learned there would be no plush lodge, spas or game rich afternoons drives, she was still in. Her only trepidation on this trip was safety. The remote location and dangerous game aspect clouded her otherwise cheerily adventure disposition. It didn't help when York broke his leg 12 weeks prior to our departure as he tried to evade a spitting cobra that had wrapped around his leg. His effort to disengage led to a short fall from a rock cliff resulting in the broken leg. As a side note, York had a client on an elephant hunt the following day and York endured the next 14 days walking up to 14kms on his broken leg before seeking medical treatment upon the client's successful hunt .

The second evening of the hunt found us walking the Ume River when we crossed paths with a 6' python. That pretty much ended the wife's venture in the bush the remainder of the trip. She did accompany us every day though and lounged back at the vehicle. She is a real trooper and I couldn't have asked for a better travel companion (don't tell her )

 

[buck wild]

What Else Has Brought Me Half-Way Across the World

With a bull down, there are other animals I’m interested in pursuing. As mentioned, I’m fascinated with the spiral horns and I WILL hunt a chobe bushbuck until darkness of my last day! Already on the first evening we arrived and another evening since, we have creeped into the Ume River basin. There are tons of waterbuck. We’ve even seen a few bushbuck with a ram or two that just aren’t quite there yet. Herds of impala and troupes of baboons and one evening a young bull elephant that stopped our forward progress.

The plan- Get up an hour before daylight and be at Red Cliffs at first light. We will take a stroll along the Lake Karibe flood plain. We leave the wife and Sunny Boy to watch the sunrise from the truck as we take off on foot. As we cross over the first finger of the lake immediately York sets up the sticks. I look across and see the most stunning colored bushbuck I would ever care to lay eyes on. His coat is copper in the early light with dark chocolate leg chaps accentuated by stark whiting markings. Oh my! My heart is pounding, more so than the buff hunt. As some of you realize by now, I also am a wildlife artist and taxidermist. Both being my greatest passions aside from hunting. Actually, they are not separated, but both combine to encompass my overall experience. Doing the taxidermy is just as enjoyable to me as the hunt itself. This bushbuck is stunning in every way. I find myself hesitating. The hunter has won out today. The taxidermist must wait. The ram still needs another year. Maybe he is mature. Lots of folks would have already committed, but something is me says he is not. I drop the gun for the video camera. I will always have this ram to admire. He begins to feed along the lake shore. I’m getting stunning footage of him. I trade the camera for gun again. Am I making a big mistake? I know in my heart having the debate within myself is proof enough. I finally turn to York and uttered, “Not yet”. I believe York nods in appreciation. We are not here on a killing mission. It’s all the other experiences we soak in that makes the adventure. This ram will always hold a place in my hunting adventures, and I have the video to prove it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

What Else Has Brought Me Half-Way Across the World

With a bull down, there are other animals I’m interested in pursuing. As mentioned, I’m fascinated with the spiral horns and I WILL hunt a chobe bushbuck until darkness of my last day! Already on the first evening we arrived and another evening since, we have creeped into the Ume River basin. There are tons of waterbuck. We’ve even seen a few bushbuck with a ram or two that just aren’t quite there yet. Herds of impala and troupes of baboons and one evening a young bull elephant that stopped our forward progress.

The plan- Get up an hour before daylight and be at Red Cliffs at first light. We will take a stroll along the Lake Karibe flood plain. We leave the wife and Sunny Boy to watch the sunrise from the truck as we take off on foot. As we cross over the first finger of the lake immediately York sets up the sticks. I look across and see the most stunning colored bushbuck I would ever care to lay eyes on. His coat is copper in the early light with dark chocolate leg chaps accentuated by stark whiting markings. Oh my! My heart is pounding, more so than the buff hunt. As some of you realize by now, I also am a wildlife artist and taxidermist. Both being my greatest passions aside from hunting. Actually, they are not separated, but both combine to encompass my overall experience. Doing the taxidermy is just as enjoyable to me as the hunt itself. This bushbuck is stunning in every way. I find myself hesitating. The hunter has won out today. The taxidermist must wait. The ram still needs another year. Maybe he is mature. Lots of folks would have already committed, but something is me says he is not. I drop the gun for the video camera. I will always have this ram to admire. He begins to feed along the lake shore. I’m getting stunning footage of him. I trade the camera for gun again. Am I making a big mistake? I know in my heart having the debate within myself is proof enough. I finally turn to York and uttered, “Not yet”. I believe York nods in appreciation. We are not here on a killing mission. It’s all the other experiences we soak in that makes the adventure. This ram will always hold a place in my hunting adventures, and I have the video to prove it.

Yah, that would be a difficult bushbuck to turn down, I do hope you were rewarded for your patience. If not, at least you have this video memory, not like you need it to see in your mind.

 

[Andrew Short]

Great report so far! Thank you for taking the time to do so!

 

[revturbo9967]

I have not read any of the report yet, just scrolled . Wonderful buffalo. Can’t wait to actually read this

 

[buck wild]

After finally watching the bushbuck for 10 minutes we slowly push forward. Nothing else around the next finger but a sunning croc and we proceed back to the truck. When we arrive, as I eject the round from the rifle, I tell York, “ Hope I don’t regret that.” He assures me there are lots of bushbuck rams. We will find the right one. Oh but not one with this stunning, glistening coat of copper!

Bushbuck, oh bushbuck, where art thou? They are everywhere actually. There’s the ram with two ewes just aside from the herd of 28 waterbuck cows in the river basin. There’s the large horned, but very narrow ram that slips up the river bank to the thick bush thinking keen eyed Zvito hasn’t already spotted him. It truly is bushbuck heaven here.

As we had done several times, York times our arrival to a certain river flat just as the sun fades over the Matusadona mountains. The flat is occupied by baboons and impala. There tucked within the patches of river reeds now exposed in the dry sand beds is another good bushbuck ram. Good but still not the one. York spots another ram several hundred yards up near a large pool of water. The one by the big dead tree. I’m not sure how this is going to work. We have 40 animals between us. Neither does York, but with the fading light, we decide to go for broke. The baboons are first to vacant but surprisingly they don’t sound the normal alarm call. An impala ewe watches us slide down into the flood plain and slips off but again no alarm call. We quickly make it to the reeds. By the way, they look soft but in fact are very bristlely (is that a word?). Patch by patch, we creep through the reeds. We are out of cover and emerge around the cliff face that protrudes into the river. I estimate 125-150 yards to the ram who is now keenly aware something is out of place. He looks very mature. York confirms my same thought, “Let’s shoot”. Sticks, gun, PH’s shoulder for right elbow. The report of a solid hit echoes through the valley and the ram folds on the spot. Front, high shoulder. He is gorgeous. The perfect bushbuck. He meets both hunting and wildlife art perimeters. The wife was taken back to camp when we were dropped off. York ponders if we should retrieve her for pictures. Not an option. She will absolutely want to be here. Sunny Boy retrieve the Madam please.

Down into the River we go.

Eureka- bushbuck pot of gold!

I'm more than thrilled to have passed the others for this tremendous, old ram.

Zvito and Tinashe during more than their share to get the ram closer to the vehicle and pictures.

 

[buck wild]

A couple random pics.

Another Beautiful sunset over the river delta

Shumba following the buff herd

One of the many dry river crossings and leopard highways

 

[CAustin]

Thanks for a great report and for sharing with me on the phone the other day!

 

[buck wild]

Thanks for a great report and for sharing with me on the phone the other day!

Any time. I know you'll have a fabulous trip next year.

 

[rinehart0050]

What Else Has Brought Me Half-Way Across the World

With a bull down, there are other animals I’m interested in pursuing. As mentioned, I’m fascinated with the spiral horns and I WILL hunt a chobe bushbuck until darkness of my last day! Already on the first evening we arrived and another evening since, we have creeped into the Ume River basin. There are tons of waterbuck. We’ve even seen a few bushbuck with a ram or two that just aren’t quite there yet. Herds of impala and troupes of baboons and one evening a young bull elephant that stopped our forward progress.

The plan- Get up an hour before daylight and be at Red Cliffs at first light. We will take a stroll along the Lake Karibe flood plain. We leave the wife and Sunny Boy to watch the sunrise from the truck as we take off on foot. As we cross over the first finger of the lake immediately York sets up the sticks. I look across and see the most stunning colored bushbuck I would ever care to lay eyes on. His coat is copper in the early light with dark chocolate leg chaps accentuated by stark whiting markings. Oh my! My heart is pounding, more so than the buff hunt. As some of you realize by now, I also am a wildlife artist and taxidermist. Both being my greatest passions aside from hunting. Actually, they are not separated, but both combine to encompass my overall experience. Doing the taxidermy is just as enjoyable to me as the hunt itself. This bushbuck is stunning in every way. I find myself hesitating. The hunter has won out today. The taxidermist must wait. The ram still needs another year. Maybe he is mature. Lots of folks would have already committed, but something is me says he is not. I drop the gun for the video camera. I will always have this ram to admire. He begins to feed along the lake shore. I’m getting stunning footage of him. I trade the camera for gun again. Am I making a big mistake? I know in my heart having the debate within myself is proof enough. I finally turn to York and uttered, “Not yet”. I believe York nods in appreciation. We are not here on a killing mission. It’s all the other experiences we soak in that makes the adventure. This ram will always hold a place in my hunting adventures, and I have the video to prove it.

Hunting is not just killing and your story of passing on a bushbuck really exemplifies this. Bravo to you and your respect for the animals we hunt!

And, it looks like waiting was definitely the right choice! What a great old bushbuck you ultimately took! Congrats!

Keep the story coming!