ZIMBABWE: My Excellent Adventure In Dande North With Charlton McCallum Safaris

[Gemsbok45]

Africa gives new meaning to penny wise and pound foolish. That’s worth framing!!!

 

[375Fox]

Doug’s arrest paper work. An arrest record in Zimbabwe. Well worth the $40.

I think one of the best additions ever added to a hunting report. Glad it was just a fine. Were you riding in truck or walking when this happened?

 

[Jeff505]

We had just step out of Buzz’s truck and were immediately set upon. Perhaps it was Doug’s shifty eyes, it could have been me. My wife has me try and hide my ignorance, I am not always successful. After paying the fine we were met by our government official that was so helpful the previous day. We had our guns and ammo rechecked against our paper work and were on our way to the Pedza Pasi air strip.

Upon landing we were met by our PHs Alan and Dean. Doug and I have wondered in the past how the professional hunters decide who takes who. A coin flip, losing a poker game or perhaps figuring out which hunter needs the most adult supervision. In order to be compliant with government regulations a hand washing station had been added at the camp. We felt safer already.

 

[Doug3006]

Doug’s arrest paper work. An arrest record in Zimbabwe. Well worth the $40.

I need that file to frame and hang in my office!!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Doug’s arrest paper work. An arrest record in Zimbabwe. Well worth the $40.

Heck of a souvenir

 

[TwoTracks]

Doug’s arrest paper work. An arrest record in Zimbabwe. Well worth the $40.

Oh man, that sucker needs to make a trip to Hobby Lobby and come back framed and matted. We have some straight up international criminals amongst us!

 

[Jeff505]

First day in camp made sure rifles were hitting where they are aimed, I have a 505 Gibbs for Buffalo and a 375 for anything else. Discussed our plan for the next day which would be locating Sable tracks at watering spots and pursuing fresh tracks.

First hunting day - Visited all known pans and seeps in area, newest tracks were several days old. There had been an unusual late rain which had taken place several weeks prior and chances are there would be water in places that are normally dry this time of year. Did a lot of hiking to these more remote seeps and found newer sign.

Second hunting day - Hiked to more remote seeps, found fresh tracks but lost them in the grass. Visited more areas in the hills that might have active springs
found newer tracks. Getting late in afternoon going to head back to camp and heard hoof beats heading our way. A Kudu cow ran by us at close range being pursued by a pack of African wild dogs. Alan had mentioned that there were 3 separate packs in the area and they have been devastating on the plains game.

Third hunting day - Change of plans, we had seen plenty of buffalo tracks and decided to pursue them. Trackers had indicated that a few dugga boys had been
following a herd. I find one of the most enjoyable parts of this type of hunting is the trackers. It never ceases to amaze me the truly unique skills these individuals have. Followed tracks for half the day, ate lunch and took a nap under a sausage tree, temperature had gotten up to 106F and waiting a few hours for the mid day sun to move farther west. Got back on the tracks and followed for several hours, although we had yet to see or hear any buffs Alan thought we were getting close.
Moplan the head tracker pointed to his eyes indicating that he had seen a buffalo.
A slow and quite stalk began, with my older and less acute vision I still had not seen the target of our pursuit. “Dugga boy“ Alan and Moplan whispered, in a quick motion Alan had the shooting sticks up I had the gun up and had a narrow opening between the trees. All I could see was the buffs shoulder. The sticks were to high and thinking afterword I should have moved one of the legs to bring the gun lower. Instead I leaned forward and when the crosshairs were on the shoulder I squeeze. The buffalo dropped straight down and I put a few more rounds in it for safety. At this point I still have not seen the head gear on this creature. Walking up to it did not disappoint. I had shot a wider buff before but this was an old fellow with a big boss, exactly what I was looking for.

 

[gillettehunter]

Thats a good looking buff. Congrats. Sounds like a great stalk to get him too.
Bruce

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I bet that policeman secretly knew you would be chuffed to have a memento like that! They have a sense of humour sometimes, like the constable that issued a woman a fine for the water mellon on the front seat not wearing a seat belt. She didnt't get the joke.

 

[IvW]

CR or form 265 nr...."ARRESTED"....haha I would frame thet for the man cave..gotto love Africa....and the primates....

 

[Jeff505]

My friend and hunting partner Doug refers to my 505 as the gun that kills on one end and maims on the other. My response has been only to those who have not prepared. In my previous post the first shot on my buffalo was made possible by leaning forward on the shooting sticks rather then moving one of the legs to adjust the height. Leaning forward brought my forehead closer to the scope and the inevitable happenEd. Next two shots were with out the sticks but the damage was done. The trackers said I was bleeding more then the buffalo, this is a Kodak moment.

 

[gillettehunter]

Ouch

 

[Tanks]

... Leaning forward brought my forehead closer to the scope and the inevitable happenEd. Next two shots were with out the sticks but the damage was done. ..

That's another reason why on my .500 calibers (.500 NE, .500 MDM) I use a red dot.

 

[Doug3006]

I saw you after you cleaned up. This is the first time I saw the carnage! You do nothing in half measures my friend.

 

[Jeff505]

Got back to camp well after dark with buffalo, found out Doug had shot a truly giant buffalo earlier that day and was way ahead of me on Zambezi Lager. Time to
celebrate. Talked that night on where we each may go the next day in pursuit of Sable.

Forth hunting day - Went up into the hills to find springs that might hold water. The springs we are checking are normally dry this time of year but the late season rain
has changed things somewhat. Alan had explained that Sable often do not drink every day and prefer smaller more secluded water sources. Found new tracks that
would seem to disappear when we got to the grass. When up to some ridge tops
and glassed for several hours to no avail. Most places today have been rife with tsetse flies, gave up quite a bit of blood to the buggers. Brought various insect Repellents, nothing seems to work.

Fifth hunting day - Going back to the area we were in yesterday, maybe the flies will take a day off. Found new tracks, going to check a few more areas and decide which tracks to follow. Moplan our head tracker spotted some movement in the thick brush near one of the dry river beds, says it is Sable. Started a slow stalk in that direction. Ground is covered with leaves and sounds like walking on potato chips. Got busted by a large group of baboons, made our way to the river bed and found the Sable tracks. Followed the tracks out of the dry river and up a hill side
the trackers say it is a herd of five or six with one bull. Several times the tracks had stopped and changed direction. Wind is shifting and we stop to evaluate the best approach. Alan spots the Sable herd several hundred yards away in thick cover. I follow Alan to about 170 yards from the group and he puts up the sticks. Still have not seen the bull. Have the 375 on the sticks and am waiting for the bull to show himself. Alan tells me not to move as one of the cows is looking at us. 15 minutes passes of standing completely still, I can’t even guess how many tsetse bites. later I would find the bites were in an X pattern where my binocular straps crossed and had my shirt close to my skin. The bull appears but has a cow in front of him, finally the cow moves and I have a clean shot at the shoulder. A squeezed and the bull drops, can’t see him in the thick cover. The rest of the herd runs off. I stay on the sticks another minute in case he gets up. We head to the area he had drop and found he had not taken a step. I am elated, my first Sable. Not huge horns (38”) But a proper hunt.

 

[375Fox]

Really glad you got a nice sable. My bag is packed right now so doesn’t really matter, but just curious what bug sprays you tried? I sprayed my hunting clothes with permethrin and brought Avon skin so soft bug guard and extra permethrin.

 

[Jeff505]

Really glad you got a nice sable. My bag is packed right now so doesn’t really matter, but just curious what bug sprays you tried? I sprayed my hunting clothes with permethrin and brought Avon skin so soft bug guard and extra permethrin.

I brought Avon bug guard and DEET, I had read that picaridin the active ingredient in bug guard was somewhat effective. The bug guard worked when it was wet which gave protection for a few minutes, not practical. DEET did not work at all. What I brought gave protection against ticks and mosquitos but the two pests that were most prevalent ( mopane bees and tsetse flies) laughed at me. Alan and his crew all wore some type of neck gator that could be pulled up to cover their faces when the insects swarmed. Although Doug was hunting only about 1/2 hour from my location he had no issues with the flies. Good luck on your hunt, I look forward to your report.

 

[Jeff505]

Sixth hunting day- Going out to look for Sable sign, will radio Doug’s PH if we find anything promising. Have brought the 375 if a good Kudu or Zebra presents itself. Went up to a high look out to glass for Sable. On a bluff several hundred feet above a dry river bed watch a marvelous sunrise. The brush fires in Mozambique and consequential smoke in the air have made the sun rising and setting something to behold. Spotted two Eland about 300 yards a cow and a good bull. I had shot a big Eland in 2008 and am going to be content to watch it eat flowers from a sausage tree. Watch baboons and a group of elephants cross the dry river. No Sable and we move on to another area. Climb several peaks and spent the day glassing. It still amazes me that the trackers are spotting animals with their bare eyes that I have trouble finding with binocular.

Seventh hunting day- Plan is to look for Sable sign in a different area, Drove the roads looking for tracks nothing newer then 2 days ago. Truck comes to a halt Moplan has spotted 2 bull kudus, one young the other might be a shooter. They spooked with the vehicle stopping. Moplan and the others are already on the tracks. One set of tracks is particularly large Moplan, Alan and myself continue as the others stay behind to minimize noise. 10 minutes into the pursuit Alan puts up the sticks, I still have yet to see the bull. “ Thats a good bull you need to shoot” I am looking through the scope but cannot see bull. “ He’s not going to stay here much longer” Alan has me come off the scope and points to a thick area. I see he horns and can make out the top of its back, maybe 120 yards. Back on the gun I see the shoulder hump and drop the crosshairs about 18 inches and touch the trigger. With the recoil I did not see him drop. Moplan pats me on the back and Alan says well done. We approach and are all astounded by the horns. Looking over the bull he is very old and missing most of his teeth. His body though large is in decline. Alan tells me it is very unusual for a bull Kudu to stand still for that long when he see a hunter. As often happens you replay the events in your mind and try to understand what just took place. The good eyes of the trackers, the skill and experience of the PH, my role was a minor one compared to the first two yet I will receive the credit for it. We measured the horns in the field 60.5” on one side and 61” on the other, the bases were almost 13” in diameter. What a fine day.

 

[Jeff505]

13” inches in circumference not diameter, pardon me for telling a fish story.

 

[WAB]

What a fine bull, congratulations!!!