ZIMBABWE: Short Zimbabwe Hunt

[Kevin Peacocke]

We have just returned from a 5 day hunt to Mazuri Safaris, near KweKwe. Our group consisted of Woods, his son Dan, myself and our fourth we will just call Mr Buffalo as love hunting them.
The ide was to take the three Series 1's and the Land Cruiser just for backup. It had been raining heavily the previous week and I have to admit I was anxious about the muddy conditions. No sooner had we left the tar road than the trials began, gooey mud everywhere, but to our joint delight the Landies never batted an eyelid. Safely in camp, rudimentary but comfortable with dry warm bedding in the tents and hot water in the shower, we headed to the range to make a few checks, all good.
That night as we sat around the fire enjoying a cold beer we discussed the bag and agreed we would take what came, just one animal each to keep things modest. This place has just about everything, even buffalo, and lion and elephant occasionally, but it was to be a PG hunt.

 

[CraigV]

We have just returned from a 5 day hunt to Mazuri Safaris, near KweKwe. Our group consisted of Woods, his son Dan, myself and our fourth we will just call Mr Buffalo as love hunting them.
The ide was to take the three Series 1's and the Land Cruiser just for backup. It had been raining heavily the previous week and I have to admit I was anxious about the muddy conditions. No sooner had we left the tar road than the trials began, gooey mud everywhere, but to our joint delight the Landies never batted an eyelid. Safely in camp, rudimentary but comfortable with dry warm bedding in the tents and hot water in the shower, we headed to the range to make a few checks, all good.
That night as we sat around the fire enjoying a cold beer we discussed the bag and agreed we would take what came, just one animal each to keep things modest. This place has just about everything, even buffalo, and lion and elephant occasionally, but it was to be a PG hunt.
View attachment 465163View attachment 465164

Looks like a great time Kevin! Love the collection of Landies!!!

 

[Nyati]

Land Cruiser for backup !

So you don´t really trust the Landies

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I really envy you Mr. Peacocke!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Land Cruiser for backup !

So you don´t really trust the Landies

Backup beer supply...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Next morning we headed out in a light rain, following the dyke roads as it would be a bit drier up their. We had not gone far when our PH called a halt - he had seen a sable bull in a group of four. This being the first sighting the discussion ensued whether to try for better, but the PH was adamant - you would go long and far to better him, if at all. The stalk was on and soon the boom from Mr Buffs 375. Only three sable ran out and we started the engines to make the retrieve. A really lovely jet black bull that went 40.25 inches, beautifully symmetrical with sharp points, My Landy Carruthers had the honour of carrying him back to the skinning shed. The rest of the afternoon was spent roaming the northern section in the cotton soils - it was a real swampy quagmire and the Landys just glided over it! They are so light and stubby they more or less float across. The

Cruiser boys were thoroughly impressed. That night we celebrated with a fine single malt, Aberlour to be precise.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Next Day Woody was up and he decided to take an impala ram for the pot. We headed straight to the hills again as the impala would have given the sticky mud a wide berth. They herd we spotted was maybe ten animals, quite skitty. So we decided to drive on and Wood and the PH could sneak back over a ridge. Not long afterwards the comforting boom and thwack signalled that the Ruger No1 375 had found it's mark. This time the retrieve was more challenging up a steep slope strewn with rocks, but yet again the Landies acquitted themselves well and got right to the very spot.
After dropping the impala off with the skinners we searched the south section but only saw some zebra and wildebeest a way off and increasing the distance.
The rain was still at it, so we called an early night anr retreated to our warm beds.

 

[VertigoBE]

Thank you for sharing yet another adventure with us @Kevin Peacocke. I’m sure I speak for many, we love hearing about these outings you make, the camaraderie you share between friends, the exciting hunts and pensive sampling of a single malt at the fire in the evening.

I love it!

 

[Happy Myles]

My word. KweKwe, have not been there in fifty years. As i recall a good time do not remember who hunted with me

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The morning broke blue and sunny, true to the forecast the system had petered out. It is funny how birds rejoice these beautiful mornings and they were giving it stick now.
Today was my turn and I nominated a zebra to get a hide for my daughter's bag making enterprise. We started off in the hills again, no zebra, but there were two herds af sable, one of bulls. But I already had a sable so onward we pressed. The northern cotton soils had multiple eland tracks, but no zebra. We trekked a long way grinding slowly through the mud, now fully confident of not getting bogged down, but drew a blank on zeb. The decision was made to call it a day and head back to camp, but as the other guys turned off in the one Landy the PH asked me to go on further and check out the far vlei. Sure enough the zebra were there, but skitty and although we got to about 100 metres or so it was too far for my open sights and I missed.
Oh well, back to camp to join the guys for a sundowner. Half way there and the PH calls a halt, it is not a zebra, but a nice water buck bull. Did I want to take it he asked, it is the only one he has seen in the area for ages? Most certainly I did, but I couldn't see it well until my new tiny Swaro's showed him in all his glory, annd he was beautiful. Up went the sticks and I steadied myself, come on, be calm, squeeze don't snatch, and the boom came with a surprise as it is supposed to. The bull dropped in his tracks to a neck shot at a measured 75 metres upslope. I was ecstatic.
he was too heavy for the two of us to load so we decided to head back to camp to collect the crew. The PH insisted we cover him first with branches, a little odd since we would be back in ten minutes. Then he broke a grin and the plan was hatched - we had shot a tiny young zebra, damn, but come and help anyway. You should have seen their puzzled faces when reaching the branch covered lump, and then the back slapping and whooping began. At 27 inches no monster but my first waterbuck and it was the best to me.

That evening we gazed into the flames and did the Aberlour some more justice.

 

[Paul Raley]

Mr . Peacocke you really make us envious . The bush , old landies , rifles , hunting and tents - what else could one ask for ? Thank you for sharing .

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Our final hunting day and Dan was up. He deliberated long and hard and settled on a zebra. I though - that is a tough call given their mood and this being the last day, but Dan is a capable young man and if anyone could do it, he could. Back to the vlei we went and they were there, but already heading into the hills. Dan and our PH were wise to them and managed to get downslope and downwind. The stallion stood a second too long and we heard Dan's CZ550 375 bark, plus an insurance shot. One of us drove Dan's green Landy, the Lady Janet in for the retrieve and then we saw why this zeb needed two shots. He was the oldest, most battle scarred stallion I have ever seen. Multiple chunks out of his ears, a real fighter, but probably in his last year his time was up to make way for a younger contender. He would make a real talking piece rug which is what Dan wanted for his room.

After dropping him off at the skinning shed we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at a small dam to see the ducks in. Mr Buff got lucky on a red billed teal, first time I had seen this beautiful bird in the hand.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A note on the cullinary side:
Our meals included some real treats, one being a potjie made by our PH's wife on the fire with a goodly amount of impala pieces in it. Delicious. I prepared a starter of sauted impala liver, kidneys and nuts with pieces of boiled impala tongue - a delicious assemblage of flavours, excellent on toast.
But the star of the show was the teal breasts fried in butter with a bit of salt, better than any game bird I have rver eaten.
on the beer side the sable beer was good, a new local brew, but the prize goes to Flying Bantu lager brewed by a friend of mine in Victoria falls. Superb, be sure to order some for your next Zim safari.

Our final pic is of the field rack of guns, all 375's, all different, with the Little Harry Selby posing proudly as a veteran of 72 years of African safaris should.

 

[gillettehunter]

Very nice. Sounds like a great time. Congrats on your waterbuck.
Bruce

 

[VertigoBE]

Congratulations on that grand waterbuck @Kevin Peacocke! And on all the other animals taken

 

[Happy Myles]

Kevin, I, like all other AH readers. appreciate and enjoy your wonderful writings. Plus the enhancement of your great photos. I speak with the experience of some fifty years of almost annual pilgrimages to all parts of huntable Africa. Must confess I read with nostalgia and yearning for, just one more African adventure. I am 83 and my wife and middle age children are not encouraging this. My wife reminds me when I was in Tanzania for my 80th birthday I took ten head of plains game with ten shots, plus four Cape Buffalo with four more rounds. She thinks that was a good time to hang up my guns. she may be right. But maybe I will head back and just leave my rifles home…..

again thank you so much.

 

[revturbo9967]

Wonderful waterbuck . Thank you for the story

 

[Tanks]

Great job.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Kevin, I, like all other AH readers. appreciate and enjoy your wonderful writings. Plus the enhancement of your great photos. I speak with the experience of some fifty years of almost annual pilgrimages to all parts of huntable Africa. Must confess I read with nostalgia and yearning for, just one more African adventure. I am 83 and my wife and middle age children are not encouraging this. My wife reminds me when I was in Tanzania for my 80th birthday I took ten head of plains game with ten shots, plus four Cape Buffalo with four more rounds. She thinks that was a good time to hang up my guns. she may be right. But maybe I will head back and just leave my rifles home…..

again thank you so much.

It is my great pleasure Happy Myles to share the joy I derive from the hunt and the safari with all of you, my AH friends. You know, I would come back to Africa, you don't have to face down a buff or an elephant, perhaps just take one impala with your favourite light rifle, and a brace of francolin with a 20 gauge. You are a hunter, a good hunter, and 83 is no line in the sand to change that. I can quarantee you won't go back home any older, maybe a bit younger!

 

[BourbonTrail]

Kevin, thanks for another great tale from the Zim bush. Congratulations on your waterbuck, and hopefully someday soon I can make it out to Zim.

Edit: Ps. I’m a fan of the Landies. No matter how much they leak.