By Bob Halbritter  

3 Generations on Safari  

 Dawn arrived with a cold, crisp sting in the air. A heavy frost covered the tall, sweet grass growing in the valleys and on mountain slopes, coating the landscape with an eerie white luminescence. A thin layer of ice formed across waterholes and ponds. I was not expecting such cold temperatures, but then, this is typical of July in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A windy cold front had passed through during the night, greeting the morning with an abundance of sunshine and little or no wind to start the day. By midmorning temperatures would rise into the 50s. Perfect for stalking our quarry – the Cape buffalo.

Dave, our tracker, had received news that the herd we had been seeking was close by. Several huge bulls, or Dagga Boys, with one real giant, were seen trailing the herd as they grazed through the thornbush. By midmorning my PH Grant Acton, Dave and I had caught up with the main body of the herd. Using the thick acacia thornbush as cover and, keeping the wind in our faces, we maneuvered into position to intercept the buffalo as they passed by.  The shooting sticks were set in place to provide a clear broadside shot at the big bull if he should trail the herd into the opening. The buffalo emerged from the thick thornbush at a distance of 80 yards and continued grazing on the succulent grasses while constantly moving to our right. The herd of around 50 buffalo, consisted mostly of cows, calves and young bulls. However, even at 80 yards these buffalo looked formidable.

Our attention was focused on the herd as they passed in front of us in small groups. Grant and Dave continued staring intently through binoculars, waiting to locate the big bulls we knew were trailing the herd of cows. Off to my left, I thought I had heard a slight rustling between the thornbush as my peripheral vision detected movement. When I turned to see what caught my attention, two huge bulls emerged from the brush, walking towards us. Although they could see us, the wind was in our face so they could not smell us. At first the bulls seemed curious as they steadily walked towards us with their noses in the air and heads laid back.

However, at 40 yards, they showed no sign of stopping and I could tell by the raised tails these guys were rapidly getting agitated. I whistled to get Grant’s attention and pointed at the two bulls. He quickly repositioned the shooting sticks and said I must shoot the big bull in front, aiming just under the chin, for a frontal shot.

Our sudden movement caused the bigger of the two bulls to pause momentarily, allowing me time to set up on the sticks. The first shot from the .375 hit the bull squarely in the chest, spinning him around into the other bull before he galloped away. My second and third shots hit him hard on the shoulder slowing him to a walk. It was vitally important to keep the bull from reaching a nearby impenetrable papyrus swamp where tracking a wounded buffalo in the thick tall reeds would prove extremely dangerous. My fourth shot finally broke him down and the great bull collapsed next to an acacia thornbush.

As we approached the downed bull, we heard his death bellow, which, according to all the hunting stories I have been told, means he was finished. However, this was a massive old Dagga Boy, and we were not going to take any unnecessary chances. After several moments, there was no movement, and Grant decided to approach to within three feet to check for any signs of life by poking the bull’s eye to see if there was a reflex response. At this stage, the bull suddenly raised his massive head, struggling to regain his footing for one last final charge.

I was prepared with a round chambered and safety off and rushed in to place a finishing shot in the bull’s neck. They aren’t kidding when they say” it’s the dead ones that kill you.” The bull let loose with one final death-defying bellow, and all became silent. Thankfully the herd had run off after my first shot and did not return to aid the bull when he sounded his death bellows. It was hard to believe the bull absorbed so much lethal lead into vital areas and yet still had the resolve to play dead in order to finish the hunt on his terms. In the heat of the hunt, I did not have time to think much about the circumstances, I just instinctively reacted to the situation. Now that the huge bull lay dead before me, my legs began to wobble forcing me to sit and consider just what had happened. That’s buffalo hunting for you.

The bull was indeed a giant and an obvious fighter for he wore many scars and carried tattered ears indicating battles won and lost over the years. His hide was caked with mud from wallows. The bull’s boss was incredibly solid and his horns spanned an impressive 42 inches, a true monarch of the African bush and a great trophy by any standard. A proper buffalo!

We were fortunate to see his awesome kudu hunt high atop a mountain. Kyle, while prone on the ground, made an incredible 640-yard, one-shot kill on a magnificent old kudu bull from one mountain, across a deep valley, to the next mountain. That will always remain the highlight of our hunt. My son Mark collected a hartebeest, blesbok, sable and waterbuck to round out his safari. His waterbuck hunt took him up one mountainside and down the other and had some comical moments when the bull ran down the mountain after being shot and unbelievably sauntered in front of the safari truck acting like nothing happened. Everyone believed it to be a different waterbuck bull and not the wounded one, so no one paid too much attention until Mark and the trackers came down from the mountain following the blood trail in front of our vehicle. Then the chase was on once again and lasted well into the day before Mark finally caught up with the bull and finished the hunt. I’m certain he will not forget that hunt anytime soon.

Good friends also accompanied us on this trip. For twin brothers Terry and Jerry, this would be their first experience of an African safari. It was enjoyable to listen to their tales of the hunt at the end of each day while sipping sundowners next to a warm crackling fire. My dear friend Bill and his companion Nancy also joined the safari as did our friend Laureen. Bill also took an outstanding Cape buffalo bull on this safari as well. It was a good feeling to know everyone was having the time of their lives.

Unfortunately, like all good things, our safari ended much too quickly and before we knew it, we were boarding the plane for our return trip home. But we were taking with us many great memories and lasting friendships that will remain with us forever. The consensus from our group was that we all cannot wait to return to enjoy the hospitality and friendships made at Hunters Hill and to once again become a part of the African experience.

A special thanks goes to Greg and Simon Harvey, the staff at Hunters Hill and our PHs Grant Acton and Richard Bridger for an exceptional and unforgettable safari experience.

By Enrich Hugo

A look out of the side window of the Qatar airline’s Boeing Dreamliner lets my anticipation run wild. I look at the highest mountain in Africa. Since we are already on the approach to my destination airport, the bird’s eye view of the Kibo, which is located in the Kilimanjaro massif, is a terrific experience. The destination airport is Kilimanjaro Airport in the East African country of Tanzania. On the coast of the Indian Ocean with around 56 million inhabitants, it is one of the fifth-largest countries in Africa by population. Often described as the cradle of mankind, but for me Tanzania means much more. It is one of the most beautiful hunting countries with breathtaking and diverse landscapes, incredible biodiversity of fauna and flora and the myth of hunting in what is probably the most famous big-game area in Africa. Tanzania really offers everything a hunter can dream of… savanna with pronounced bushland and wide, open grass areas, densely forested hills and mountains that put a hunter’s fitness to the test. Wet savannas, swamps and semi-deserts characterize this unique country. Names such as Selous, Rungwa, Lukwati, Ugalla, well-known to most hunters, but one name is deeply rooted in Tanzania: Masai! The people of that name who live there, with their eye-catching clothing and their habitat around the national parks, probably belongs to the most famous East African ethnic group.

Serengeti, Lake Natron, Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro are the main attraction of every travel diary of visitors to northern Tanzania. And that is exactly where our hunting trip takes us this time. The typical gazelles and antelopes representative of the dry savanna are part of the program of my hunter Alexey who I will accompany on his hunt and who will capture them photographically.

My partner on site had received all the information for the import of weapons from me before the trip and had applied for an import permit, and all went smoothly. Our professional hunter Div met us and helped with formalities and the luggage. We were off, and after a three-hour drive via Arusha to Longido, we reached our camp. On the way my hunter was amazed to see zebras, Grant‘s and Thomson‘s gazelles in large groups, and the whitebearded wildebeest almost everywhere, with Kilimanjaro in the background. We had the view of this mountain range directly from our camp. Welcome to the heart of Masailand! The accommodation was a typical East African tent camp with 5-Star comfort and with meals a culinary priority. It was not for nothing that my partner and outfitter is one of the best what Tanzania has to offer. After moving into our tents and a pleasant, refreshing shower, we met for a briefing with our professional hunter Div for an overview of where we would hunt for the next few days. We could also enjoy the luxury of satellite Internet in the camp and use breaks between trips to answer our emails and keep our loved ones at home up to date.

My hunter’s wish list included Grant‘s and Thomson‘s gazelle, Kirk‘s dik-dik, eastern white-bearded wildebeest, and the three very special game species – fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk and lesser kudu, all representatives that can be found and hunted almost exclusively in the north of Tanzania. And all of these species can be found around the Longido Camp.

Because of the Covid situation and the resulting cancellation of many trips in 2020, the government of Tanzania created a special regulation for hunting times. The normal hunting season is from July to December, but was extended so that hunting was still possible from January to June in 2021. April is a rainy month and therefore not recommended, but May is perfect for hunting. And we were in the second half of May here in Masailand. Temperatures drop to a pleasant 15 degrees at night and reach a maximum of a pleasant 25 to 28 during the day. Absolutely no mosquitoes and no tsetse flies here. Because we were hunting at an altitude of around 1200 meters, sun exposure is very intense and it was essential to use a high factor sun protection. Sunrise is around 7 a.m. at that time of year and we slept until 6 a.m, and after breakfast the first game drive started through dense, green bushland and although the rainy season was just over, the surface was already dry.

right. We waited for a few minutes before we went to where the gerneuk lay.

Everything was carefully examined. Shot placement, trophy strength, age rating. Then the obligatory photos. The gerenuk was loaded and we returned to the camp. The two skinners were already waiting and while they got to work, we indulged in a tasty lunch. After a short rest, we left again at 3 p.m. As in the morning, the journey lead us first through densely overgrown bush before we reached the open grassy plain. Div was heading for a hill. Once at the top we had a fantastic view and Div said we were only 40 kilometers away from Kenya, and very strong old elephant bulls move here again and again, but they are not allowed to be hunted so close to Kenya. The hard work against poaching, which has been strongly promoted by all outfitters in Tanzania in recent years, is showing fruit. Very rarely are poachers caught and apprehended; hardly any snares or other traps. They have come to terms with the Masai population and have been able to convince them of the necessity and importance of hunting and game management.

There is plenty of space and feed for game and farm animals, and any damage to arable crops and arable land caused by game is covered by the outfitters. In our hunting block, too, there are frequent encounters with shepherds and their cattle and goats. Another proof of the importance of ethical hunting for a healthy and growing game population. Here in Tanzania, too, the removal and shooting of old male animals is the top priority. Even if these are all facts are already known, one should not stop mentioning them again and again, and pass them on to hunters. Alexey also experiences it first hand. After we started our stalk, he saw some Grant‘s gazelles and pointed them out to our professional hunter. He also acknowledges it, but though that they are good bucks with potential, they are not the age and strength that we wanted to hunt. There is a subtle difference between seeing game that is really plentiful here and finding a suitable old buck. With this experience, our first day of hunting ended successfully, and a sundowner with a direct view of Kilimanjaro brought the day to a close.

The next three days were similar. Excursions and exploring the bush and open grass areas, in between stalking and looking for suitable trophy bucks. After the fourth day we were able to write zebra, impala and a Kirk‘s dik-dik in our hunting diary, in addition to the gerenuk.

There is no rush here and you can really experience your hunt to the fullest. You have enough time to enjoy the wonderful landscape and the variety of game. The fifth day should be one of the highlights of this hunting trip. Shortly before noon the game drive took us into an area that we had not yet explored, where we reached a huge open area. Even from the edge of this plain you can believe you are looking directly into the Serengeti, with large herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles. We tried to get close enough to the herds to look for a suitable Grant‘s gazelle. It shows again how important the experience of the professional hunter and his tracker is. To filter out the right buck from this large number of gazelles requires a very trained eye. Walter, our tracker was the first to find the right gazelle. It was time to be patient. Of course there is no shooting from the car here and Div lead the stalk. It felt like two million pairs of eyes were focused on us and if only one animal started walking, all the others would follow. Div didn’t want to take any risk. We were 250 meters away from the herd and Alexey already had the chosen buck in his sights.

The shot was fired seconds later. After short run, the animal fell. Another first perfect shoot from Alexey and another fantastic trophy from his wish-list. After the congratulations and the usual photos, we loaded the gazelle and looked for shade under a tree to have our lunch, but not before we skinned the gazelle, putting the meat into cool boxes.

This very long trip paid off in the end. A very nice specimen of a Grant‘s gazelle will find its place in Alexey’s trophy room. Since it was already 3 p.m. and a long way back to camp, the lunch break was brief. This day was an absolute highlight of the hunting trip. Half an hour before we reached the camp, the sun was already very low and the way to the camp lead us through dense bush. Suddenly the car stopped. Our game scout excitedly exchanged a few words with Div. From the passenger side of the vehicle, he noticed something special because of his lower position between the bushes in front of him. We still did not understand what was going on but got off on his side of the vehicle. The game scout had identified the “Gray Ghost”, a lesser kudu.

Rifle sticks ready, his gun loaded and Alexey was also ready. I couldn‘t see anything from my point of view. Then the shot broke and Div hugged Alexey. This confirmed for me that he shot the lesser kudu, a ghost that appears out of nowhere and usually disappears just as quickly. One of the most difficult game species to hunt in Masailand had been shot. Everyone involved was very happy. An extraordinary species of game with an extremely good trophy size lay ahead of us. Of course, Alexey thanked our Game Scout without whom he would not have shot this lesser kudu.

With the last daylight we managed to take some photos of  it  before we headed back to the camp, which we reached in the dark, a special day to be remembered forever. Days like this just have to be celebrated and it was shortly before midnight before we crawled into our beds.

The sixth day of our hunting trip we saw a few Thomson‘s gazelles but unfortunately only females and young bucks. We even saw the fringe-eared oryx but only for a few seconds and the time was too short to tell whether it was female or male. But that very brief sight was enough for Div to make a plan for the following day. He assumed that the oryx would still be in the area so we started the next day at first light. Around 8 a.m. we reached the area where we had briefly seen the oryx. Only a few zebra and giraffes pass by. Then the first wildebeest and, as predicted by Div, the oryx stepped out of the bushes onto grassy areas. Our location was great and the wind was coming straight in our direction. The stalking strategy was quickly discussed. There were enough bushes between us and the oryx, the wind was in our favor and there were still relatively few eyes that could spot and betray us.

The last few meters were on all fours until we found suitable cover. Two oryx bulls were in this group, both old and mature and also about the same trophy size. Div told Alexey to choose the left hand buck which stood apart from the group, facing us. It means staying calm and exercising patience. However, this patience is not put to the test for very long. The buck turned slightly to the left, broadside on.

“Direct on the shoulder!” Div said.“The heart‘s behind the shoulder.“ A few breaths later, a crack and the buck folded, stumbled a few meters further, and fell. Full of adrenaline, Alexey could hardly believe he had really just shot this particular species of oryx. While aiming and firing he was calm, but now there was a  slight tremor in his voice and his hands shook. It was special for me, too, to be able to witness this experience.

We examined the oryx. The trademark of this antelope is the unusual tufts of hair on the edge of the ears, and the dark, almost black belly line is much narrower than that of the gemsbok, its southern relative. The horn length is not as long as that of the gemsbok. We positioned it to record  the successful hunt. Everyone involved insisted on getting a photo with the successful hunter and the oryx. An unusual trophy.

On the final day, we also took the last two missing animals. A very good Thomson‘s gazelle and a whitebearded wildebeest, ending the hunt with a hundred percent success, and watching a last sunset at the campfire. Before we said goodbye to Kilimanjaro, the date for the next trip was already set. We wanted to hunt striped hyena, Robert‘s gazelle, Coke‘s hartebeest, western whitebeared wildebeest and jackal, all near Lake Natron and Serengeti.

The baits now are sheep that they bought from neighboring Masai. There are also camera traps everywhere and they are checked every day. Unfortunately, so far without the desired success. From his experience, Div thinks that the striped hyena is particularly fond of zebra and that is why the first thing in the morning for both hunters is a zebra on the hunting program. This recommendation is of course readily accepted by both hunters. Not only because of the preferred hyena bait, but also because of the zebra skin, which is particularly beautiful here and clearly shows the white-black coloration. So our strategy for the next few days is clear. Tomorrow the first thing we will try is to kill a zebra and add new bait places to the existing ones. Then we have time to hunt the gazelles and antelopes we want. Depending on what the evaluation of the camera traps shows, we are always ready to hunt hyenas at short notice. The zebra hunt is more or less on our doorstep. The camp is well hidden and nestled between trees and bushes, but everything around is a wide, open grassy area, the plains, the favorite place of the zebras which can be found here in large herds. Because of this, there is no unnecessary hurry and no need to get up early. It is enough that we are woken up at 6.30 a.m. and after breakfast, around 7.00 a.m., we start our first game drive and hunt the desired zebra. As already mentioned, each of the two hunters has their own professional hunter and of course also has his own vehicle and team. The area is huge and after the two professional hunters have spoken, safety is also guaranteed, as the two teams will each hunt in completely different directions. But both teams have one thing in common. The fantastic view of the Mountain of God. I will be the first to accompany Alexey today and am armed with my cameras.

Alexey carries his well-proven .300 Win Mag. An excellent pains-game caliber, which allows shooting at longer distances without any problems.

The area here is really unique. Not only the still active volcano in front of us, but also the numerous ridges here are a special feature that you cannot admire very often anywhere else. Often out of nowhere, a ridge up to a hundred meters deep and over a hundred meters wide opens up in front of us. Indescribably beautiful is just an understatement. As unique and breathtaking as the landscape is, we are pursuing a different goal today. Zebra is on the hyena’s menu and we are responsible for following this menu. The challenge here is picking out a suitable stallion from the large herds found everywhere. Rather, a trained eye is required. We have already left two large group behind us. Although we had seen some suitable stallions, the herd protection simply did not allow a shot. Again and again an animal behind the selected stallion, or no clear field of fire in front of it. In the third group we are in a happier position. The herd has divided somewhat. The main group grazes peacefully on the fresh, green grass to the left of us. A group of three stands apart. An old stallion who is accompanied by two younger bodyguards. It really does appear that the two younger stallions are the older stallion’s bodyguards. We have already made it up to 80 meters and would be a good shot distance. But again and again one of the two younger ones pushes between us and the selected zebra. Here again shows the experience of Div and his team, who still manage to get Alexey into a position that allows a free shot.

The shot is excellent as usual and after twenty meters of escape the stallion stops and collapses. Even now, his two bodyguards are still with the stallion, who has already been fatally hit. Only when we get closer and closer do they finally flee. Everything is just right with the hunted animal. An old stallion with a blanket full of character and plenty of meat for our hyenas. Of course, there are also the usual memory photos here before loading begins. Loading is not that easy. A zebra is just round and offers nothing suitable to handle. Since Div also wants to use all of the zebra’s innards as bait, the stallion is not broken open. Its round belly does not make it easy to load it onto the vehicle. But with combined strength and teamwork we succeed in the end. From here it goes straight to the first chosen bait place.

Div and his Skinner get to work on site and the first to come is the skinning from the zebra. Then two different, large pieces of meat are attached to a fork of a branch and offal and blood are distributed around the tree. The same is repeated in a second place. Here the hunter is also involved in this prepared work of a hunt and fills his memories with plenty of material from his safari. We return to camp satisfied and tired. We were out for most of the day and after a refreshment and a warm shower there is some time to rest. In good time before sunset we meet around the campfire and listen to what Sergey has to say. We experience Sergey’s descriptions almost like a reflection of our day. He was also successful, and his zebra was divided into the existing bait places and the remains of sheep were replaced with his zebra. We’ll end the evening with a delicious, tasty impala steak.

The next day will take us to different hunting areas. Sergey, whom I will accompany tomorrow, will be hunting near Lake Natron. The hunting block can be seen from our camp, but unfortunately there is no direct road to this plateau. It is located at 1,300 meters above sea level and we first have to drive towards Lake Natron, which is about 600 meters above sea level, then it follows like a snake up until we reach the spacious plateau. The western border of this plateau forms the Serengeti National Park and is characterized by an indescribable density of game. Robert‘s gazelle, Coke’s  hartebeest, western white-bearded wildebeest, and also Thomson‘s gazelle, and zebra are among the main game species here. The drive to the plateau takes about three hours and we start at 4 a.m. We leave the camp in complete darkness. The starry sky compensates us for getting up early. Impressions that one actually never forgets and one that lets oneself become aware of one’s own tininess. With the first light of day we reach Lake Natron and in time we reach the plateau and experience the sunrise up close. As if a fireball was pushing out of the lake. This sunrise is equal to every sunrise at the sea. After this experience, we head towards the Serengeti National Park border. The drive over the flat terrain leads us again and again past smaller huts and cattle and herds of goats. The lush grass allows the Masai cattle and goats to thrive. Exactly this food is the basis of all the wild animals that live here. Somehow domestic and wild animals have come to terms with each other and the Masai no longer see the wild animals as predators.

A lot of educational work by the local outfitters and professional hunters has led to one other benefit, and poaching has actually become a foreign word. Although the Masai population group eat more fruits, vegetables and grains, they are always happy about a good piece of meat that they get from the game from our outfitter. Of course, they also benefit from part of the hunting income. School buildings, smaller clinics and wells have already been financed with it, but individual help is also provided where there is need. Whoever sees these friendly and grateful faces can hardly understand that some European governments are vehemently opposed to the international trophy hunt. All of this would not have been possible without international hunters and many game species have already been lost forever and disappeared from the earth.

We reach a place where one of the cattle shepherds told us that he saw several Robert‘s gazelles. The place is not far from the border to the national park and harbors the danger that the gazelles instinctively flee into the national park when we approach. While Martin is consulting with his tracker, Sergey sees a single hartebeest buck. He shows Martin the direction and he immediately confirms that it is a very good buck. The wind is good. The buck hasn’t noticed us yet. A very light, elongated knoll will provide us with good cover. The stalking starts. Martin wants only himsef and Sergey to stalk. So the rest and I stay at the vehicle and watch the whole thing from a distance. Slowly, sometimes crawling on all fours, they approach the hartebeest. After what feels like an eternity, I see Sergey crouching on the floor, bringing the gun over the target. The target stick has telescope-like legs and can therefore be adjusted to the required height. Equipment that is perfectly matched to the operations here.

Despite the good service and the right equipment, sometimes not everything goes as you want. This is also evident this time. Sergey is an excellent shooter, but something must have bothered him or the rather strong wind that has turned a bit and is now blowing sideways, was calculated incorrectly. The shot fired hits the ground a few meters in front of the hartebeest and dusts up something. The hartebeest only startles for a moment, but continues to eat afterwards, as it could not find anything out of the ordinary. The next shot shows Sergey‘s usual accuracy. A slight rearing up is followed by buckling and the animal falls over its side to the ground. Only when we see Martin and Sergey give us signs, do we drive to them. Sergey is beaming with joy but is also very self-critical. Somehow he miscalculated the very strong crosswind, as I suspected. But the quick correction by him has again proven his skills as a very good marksman. A very good and special trophy lies in front of us. Few shooting permits are issued for the Coke‘s hartebeest each year. After the photos and the loading, we look for a suitable shelter that gives us enough shade and protection from the direct sun for our lunch. While we are eating, the hartebeest is skinned and the meat is stowed on the vehicle. After a short rest, we continue and we can still shoot the next very special trophy. Sergey has successfully bagged two of his absolute desire trophies.

In addition to the Coke’s hartebeest, he was also successful on a Robert’s gazelle that can only be found in this area of northern Tanzania. On the way back, most of the meat is distributed to the people who are already waiting for us at the point before we go downhill towards Lake Natron.

Arrived at the camp, Alexey is already waiting for us. He excitedly reports that he saw a leopard while inspecting the trailcam. It was a young tomcat. An incredible experience for him to watch a leopard in daylight. But not only this observation, but also the killing of a jackal was an absolute highlight for him. The next day it is time to change sides. I drive with Alexey to the hunting area above Lake Natron so that he too tries to hunt his hartebeest, Robert‘s gazelle and, if possible, a western white-bearded wildebeest. Sergey will be on the lookout on the plains around the camp and will also patrol the individual areas. As in a well-staged film with a perfect script, after only three days of hunting we can already look back on two zebras, two Robert‘s gazelles, two Coke‘s hartebeest and a black-backed jackal, a Thomson‘ gazelle and a western white-bearded wildebeest. Alexey was also able to shoot his Robert‘s gazelle, Coke‘ hartebeest and also his wildebeest, and Sergey was also successful again with a very strong Thomson‘s gazelle. Now our whole focus is on the hyenas stripes. The yield of the cameras and other tracks are promising. In total, the various bait places have accepted five hyenas. Two of them are very large male striped hyenas who, according to the evaluation of the cameras, always come to bait place, first shortly before sunset or lastly, just before sunrise. The other three hyenas are normal spotted hyenas and only go into the camera traps at night. Now you just have to be patient and of course have the necessary luck to be in the right place at the right time.

Our fourth and fifth day of hunting ends with waiting but without the desired hunting success. On the sixth day I’m on the road with Alexey to take some photos and video recordings with him. You don’t get to see this panorama every day. Our exit will of course take us past one or the other bait place. We don’t think in the slightest that we would cause a disturbance in daylight. There is a well-known saying that the unexpected often happens, and that also applies to us now. Oh! Simama! The command from our professional hunter is for the driver who should stop the car immediately. He thinks he has discovered something. It only takes seconds and he confirms that he has really discovered something extraordinarily exciting. Somewhat hidden by a group of bushes, a striped hyena is lurking right in front of one of our baits. Our vehicle is well hidden behind thick bushes and Div, Alexey and I stalk extremely cautiously a little further to the left to get a clear view of the bait place and the hyena lurking in front of it. Almost 300 meters away, but our bush is the last one that can give us sufficient cover in addition to our guiding system. The striped hyena is now completely clear and directly under our bait, which is attached to a fork of a branch and hangs down. Again and again she tries to snatch a little more meat and has to stretch hard to get to the delicacy. For us it means that she is very busy but is still just under 300 meters away. It is already clear to Alexey that he will take the shot from here. Such an opportunity may not come back and he has enough self-confidence from his experience and training shots that he can trust himself this distance without much worry.

Cross wind zero. The wind blows straight to us very easily. He checked the distance again, a few clicks on the turret of his telescopic sight, unlocked the safety lock and I could already see how he was holding his breath. Only a fraction later it cracks and Div’s words break the last emotions under control.“Bro, you did it!“

Exactly. Alexey killed his striped hyena, which he had so much hoped for, wanted, longed for. Even before we go to the fallen hyena, Div warns us not to touch the hyena with bare hands. The typical scavenger is a real focus of bacteria and one should exercise special caution. The hyena is brought into the right position by our helpers, who are all armed with disposable gloves, to take some souvenir photos. Via radio we send a vehicle from the camp and the hyena is wrapped in an extra plastic blanket and taken to the skinning area. Sergey, who only returns to the camp in the late afternoon, can hardly believe when Alexey tells him everything. He is overjoyed and congratulates Alexey on this unique trophy. No envy or suspicion, just sheer joy and bliss for his friend Alexey. This is how a shared hunting experience should be. We turn the night into day and Sergey only has a short time to rest before he starts to keep his chance to kill his hyena. Before daybreak he has to be in the prepared hiding place next to one of the chosen bait places.

He’ll be back around 10 a.m. Unfortunately nothing. When they arrived and when they moved into the hiding place, some spotted hyenas were still busy with the bait, but nothing afterwards. For Sergey that means sleeping in and then taking the last opportunity that opens up for him again late this evening. Unfortunately, tomorrow morning we have to go back to the airport and start the journey home. I use the time to fill my memory cards properly and to provide them with sufficient photo and video material.

Shortly before 5 p.m. I accompany Sergey to another bait place. The camera traps recorded a striped hyena there last night and Martin hopes that the same hyena will appear there again this evening. The shelter is occupied and now it is simply a matter of waiting. Only a few birds can be observed and a cheeky little mongoose, in front of our hiding place. Again and again a look towards the sky where we see that the sun is sinking faster and faster to the horizon. There is not much time left. I can already see in Sergey’s face that he has resigned himself to the fact that he was without a hunted hyena.

He has to say goodbye to Tanzania this time, when suddenly Martin nudges him. The tree with the bait is already very much in the shade, but in front of it is a small strip of light that reveals the weak twilight. And here it is. She cautiously creeps around in front of the tree. Despite the sight, no longer believed by him, Sergey remains calm. Just don’t make a mistake now. In a few minutes it’s dark, but his whole routine and Martin’s experience are ultimately enough that Sergey not only gets and can take his chance with the last light but also on the very last day. The shot and the result of the hunted prey is at the place of bait. Not a minute too late. With the last beam of light, we can still take a few photos and then it’s dark.

I’ve known Sergey for a few years and a bond of friendship has developed between us, but I’ve rarely seen him so happy. One can only thank the good fortune here. We came to Tanzania with a backpack full of hopes and wishes. We were allowed to experience the unforgettable. A more than successful hunting trip has come to an end.

Africa you will see us again. Whether in Tanzania or another country on this incredible continent where we can practice and experience our passion for hunting.

By Glenn W. Geelhoed

We were prospecting for gold in Limpopo Province.  It has been done before, but we were on a mission with the target being the golden gemsbok. The goal was a “Crystallized Memory” in honor of the gemsbok, with paired pedestal mount trophies highlighting the two major color phases of the Oryx gazela.

We had resolved to make our move in an hour-and-a-half drive from Re a Lora near Bela Bela in Limpopo, across vast U.S. Midwestern prairie-type megafarms to reach Loskop.  We had arranged to visit a game ranch known to my long-time friend and PH Charl Watts, with the intriguing name “Ukujabula.”  In the Piri language, a Bushman tongue spoken by our long-term tracker Abrahm, Ukujabula means “Place of Happiness.”  We had gilded hopes that it might just live up to its promise, as we were “panning for gold.”

Charl, Abrahm and I had been stalking gold in several South African locations, most notably as, three years earlier, we were on the spoor of a whole herd of golden gemsbok in the Great Karoo.  We had superb hunts in a vast desert ranch named Kareekloof, in which the three of us came close to closing the deal on the elusive oryx, using sparse desert bush and favorable winds to come up to within two hundred meters of several good bulls. In one instance, after a satisfying approach using all the bush skills of a collective century of African hunting experience among the trio, Charl had set up the sticks under a scrubby blackthorn tree, as Abrahm crouched down, and I looked in wonder at a lone gemsbok bull which had turned to sniff the wind that may have swirled in from our direction.  It was at that moment we saw that its right horn was a long straight rapier, but its left was broken off a third of the distance from the skull.  This “unicorn” status must have conferred on him a considerable advantage as a deadly lancer, and we had scratched him from our list as the trophy we were after, and backed away, shooting photos as we went.

On another occasion, Charl and I managed to close upon a herd, the majority of which had bred true with the blonde recessive gene, but we realized that the trophy bull we had focused on was the breeding bull of this herd, and again we chose to back away.

Oryx gazela is an intriguing species and comes in two main color phases.  It is magnificent in its black-and-white standard dress, and we had succeeded in scoring a superb bull at Izintaba (“Sacred Mountain” in Zulu) in a site not far removed from where we were headed on this brisk bright morning in the southern African early winter.  “At some future point,” I had said, admiring that magnificent trophy gemsbok in standard issue livery, “I might hope to see, and perhaps collect a matching golden gemsbok variant of the same species to put side-by-side on a pedestal mount to admire as the Gemsbok Slam.”  Charl picked up on these musings and made them his mission—and we were off and running.

“There’s Gold in them thar Hills!”

Voortrekkers had preceded us by many generations on this expedition northward and found that gold could be grown in sweeping grain. Farms were productive thanks to borehole irrigation from the precious water that was relatively scarce elsewhere, but found here in sufficient quantity for fertile crops, game and cattle ranches.  Many place names indicate the great significance of water as locations are often designated “—–fontein” referring to the springs yielding that essential for life. Therefore, ‘plains game’ by definition, could survive there.

I harbor a fascination for gemsbok and their survival skills.  They are adapted to not simply survive, but to thrive in environments that seem to be forbidding deserts for other species. The gemsbok draws air in rapidly via its nose, cooling the air molecules down in the process.  Capillaries in the nose of the antelope then send this air-cooled blood to the brain. They waste no precious moisture by sweating. I had watched on a cold “see my breath” early morning as a gemsbok herd within close range was emitting no mist of breath whatsoever.   Gemsbok were masters of recycling before humans caught on to how cool a trick that could be!

They can sport different color patterns even within the same species. Game breeders can turn loose known carriers of the recessive gene that makes for golden color variants which can even breed true when two golden gemsbok are mated.  And we were on the track of one such post-breeding bull, which would also help support the further propagation of this beautiful beast.

seemed to be constantly on the run.  At one point I got my binoculars focused on the first group of golden gemsbok mixed with a few black-and-white classic coloration gemsbok, and I spotted ear tags in each. 

No slam dunk here!  We pushed on, and an hour later identified three blue wildebeest.  Although wary, they did not flush wildly away from us but moved restlessly around.  We kept our distance, but something else was moving behind them, almost in a synchronized ballet, and it was definitely lighter in color than the brindled wildebeest.  It was, as it turned out, a golden, all right, but a golden wildebeest.

We moved on, and spotted kudu, and a few more wildebeest, this time a larger herd and, among them, milling around in the middle of the group were two that were distinctive—king wildebeest!  I had been searching for several days back at Re a Lora, and had scanned many wildebeest, but this was my first view this trip of the king variant.  The kings were more like princes, since they were young, and not within a decade of the post-mature bull we were still in search of, but it was encouraging to see that the genes were being shown in the herd.

We made repeat swings around the same terrain to see if whatever had vanished on our first approach might materialize. After another hour as it was getting toward noon, we spotted the same three blue wildebeest we thought we had seen earlier.  On closer inspection, there was a fourth animal behind them. Of course, we had previously spotted the golden wildebeest that had seemed to be taking cover behind them.  Through the binoculars, however, this blonde big body had tall upright horns. Another good trick—masquerade!  The four animals broke and ran, and through the binoculars none of us could spot an ear tag on the gemsbok, fraudulently posing as a blonde wildebeest.  But they outran us, and we could not be sure, so we backed away, hoping they would settle.

In a broader arc from a new direction, we saw a group of gemsbok, several of them blonde.  We stopped to look them over, and the first two had ear tags, and as we watched them milling around before they broke and ran, every one of them was tagged as in a breeding herd.  We did not give chase, but waited, and circled with the wind to enter the area into which the trio of wildebeest had run with the big golden gemsbok that none of us had seen if it had been tagged.  We came upon the three blue wildebeest, which, by now, were standing like statues before they broke and ran. As they did so, out of the tan-colored tall grass in which he had seemed invisible, the big golden gemsbok also jumped into the middle of the fleeing wildebeest, and they all ran out of sight.

We waited and then cautiously slipped forward, being on the lookout for our sentinel wildebeest. They were standing to the right of a low line of acacia trees. One of the trees had a forked trunk that split about a meter and a half off the ground and about a meter above the beige dry grassland in front of it.  This time I looked carefully through that grass because the golden gemsbok had blended into it when we had last encountered him.

We drove the Toyota Hilux in a loop around the row of trees and approached the oryx. This experience was the opposite of “ground shrinkage” as he seemed to be getting bigger as we covered the rest of the 120 meters to find the spot-on red splash dot looking like the bullseye target at which the only prior shot had been fired at paper four days earlier.  The golden color actually shimmered in the sunlight and it is hard to understand how the animal had managed to hide in that bright fur coat.  There was a midline “cowlick” on the haunch of its rump which Kobus called a “Kroenke.”  Every one of us admired this specimen of an old bull that had had no breeding role in the gemsbok herd for the past few years, having been ousted by one of the young bulls. Perhaps one of those we had spotted with the ear tags, while this old warrior had a few scars as the combat medals from those encounters.  Abrahm’s opinion is best expressed in his exultant pose with the “golden one.”

The hunt was a good one and the quarry well worthy of the pursuit.  The Golden Gemsbok will be mounted on a pedestal in a place of honor alongside its B&W blood relative, in a celebration of the Splendor of the Oryx.

Preparing for your upcoming African hunting trip is one exciting part of the overall safari experience. In the months leading up to your adventure, careful planning and preparation can help make the difference between a good trip and a great adventure. Decisions about what type of clothing and gear can be aided by research and good advice and suggestions given by your PH and their capable staff. My trips to Southern Africa have helped me put together the following list of shooting tips.

1: Bring your favorite deer rifle

Said another way, bring a rifle that you are familiar with, shoot well and love. Unless you are hunting the largest “dangerous” African game, like Cape buffalo, elephant, hippo, etc., any “deer rifle” at least as large and fast as a .270 Winchester is plenty of rifle. Most PHs will recommend that you bring a rifle of .30 caliber or larger, and that means that your .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield will be more than adequate for even the largest of Africa’s plains-game species. Every hunter worth his salt will tell you that it is far better to shoot an animal perfectly with a well-constructed bullet from a smaller caliber rifle than it is to shoot one poorly with a larger bore. Simply said, there is no substitute for good marksmanship. On my first safari in the Limpopo province of South Africa, I brought along a Browning A Bolt .308 that I had hunted deer with for decades. I took a kudu, impala, warthog, wildebeest and gemsbok with that rifle, all with one clean shot. Talk to your PH about what rifle you would like to bring, follow his advice, and then practice with that rifle, a lot.

3: Practice from shooting sticks

A lot of African hunting is “spot and stalk”. Hours of riding in the back of a Land Cruiser or walking along game trails or two-track roads will eventually lead to fresh sign or sightings of target animals. Once on a fresh track, careful stalking and a bit of luck just might bring you within shooting range of your trophy. When Lady Luck smiles, you will most likely be taking a shot from a standing position with your rifle resting on shooting sticks, placed in just the right spot by your PH. These sticks can be as simple as the traditional three sticks lashed together to form a tri-legged rest, or space-age lightweight carbon fiber quad pods, or anything in between. On my last safari, my PH used the Primos Trigger Stick tripod. Whatever the design and construction, the bottom line is that most shots taken by North American hunters are not taken from sticks. Most of us whitetail deer hunters shoot from blinds or stands, usually from a sitting position and, hopefully, from off a rest. Shooting from sticks is not difficult, it is just different and not something that many of us US hunters do a lot. It isn’t difficult, if it is practiced. 

Practice shooting off some type of sticks and you will be ready to make that kind of shot in Africa. Once in the country, find out what type of shooting sticks your PH will be carrying in the field. Shoot from them a few times at their range and get used to the setup. Also, remember to check the height adjustment every time you start a new stalk. It is not the time to find out that the height is wrong with a trophy gemsbok or warthog staring back at you.

Bonus Tip #1: Bring a good camera!

Or video camera. Or both. On our most recent trip to Southern Africa, my wife and I took over 1,000 pictures! There is a lot to see in Africa, without a doubt. We made a before-the-hunt side trip to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. I now completely understand why the “Smoke that Thunders” is one of the seven natural wonders of the world! Pictures don’t do it justice, but that didn’t keep us from trying! A day spent on both the Zimbabwe and Zambian sides of these majestic falls left us awestruck, soaking wet and with a camera roll full of amazing pictures to help us remember our magical day in this incredible place. During the hunt, we took photo after photo of flora and fauna that you just can’t see anywhere other than in the bushveld. After our successful hunts, the professionals at Eland Safaris took the time to position our animals and took the time to get the pictures right. I, for one, think that we owe it to the memory of the creature to take that time to immortalize them respectfully. Our many beautiful photographs of trophies taken will help us remember that exact moment when we pulled the trigger. Make good memories and then make them immortal by capturing them on film with quality camera equipment.

5: Bring your bow, or crossbow

Africa is a veritable bowhunter’s paradise. A target-rich environment coupled with outfitters who understand bowhunting and who hunt with archery gear themselves can make for an epic adventure for those who bring their “stick and string” to Africa. Hunters who make the choice to bowhunt later in the African winter, during the months of July and August, will generally find animals that are much more prone to visiting water holes during daylight hours. Careful placement of bow-specific blinds, or hides, near water holes or other key locations, along with the slow burning of dried dung (usually zebra) to create scent covering smoke, should have bowhunters within shooting distance of desired species. Patience is the key. That, and fully knowing one’s archery equipment. Again, I say, practice. Take the advice of your bowhunting PH, gear up with the correct arrow weight, spine and broadhead that they recommend, and practice, practice, practice. Once in safari camp, range-shoot your bow to make sure that you are still “on” and then go hunting! Shoot a little every day in camp to stay loose and let the arrows fly! An additional benefit of bringing archery gear to Africa is the ease of travel. Most airlines don’t have restrictions on archery equipment (just be sure to declare it and cover all broadheads – better yet, keep them in a specifically designed broadhead box). Most African countries don’t have restrictions either. Heck, bring your bow and your gun and have mixed-bag hunt!

6: Don’t bring your rifle at all

No, I am not arguing with Tip #1! I am just offering an alternative solution. Any big-game outfitter that I have ever hunted with has offered the option to rent or hire a rifle from them. While it may seem like heresy to some folks to shoot another man’s rifle while hunting, in my experience it is often much easier to travel without a firearm, especially if your travels include side trips for sightseeing, etc. On our most recent trip to Africa, my wife and I visited Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia before heading to South Africa for our safari. It would have been virtually impossible to drag my rifle along through all those border crossings. So, instead, I set it up in advance with Alex Thomson with Eland Safaris to hire rifles for the both of us. Upon arrival in camp, my wife and I shot several rifles of various calibers until we found the ones that we liked. Serious outfitters pride themselves on having top-notch equipment, including firearms and optics. Talk to your PH, decide if renting a rifle is right for you and then practice with that rifle until you are confident and ready to go. If your air travel takes you through either London or Amsterdam, you may want to seriously consider NOT traveling with a firearm. There are lots of horror stories out of those two airports. I’m just saying…

It was early 2023 and Cal was someone I was getting to know; appreciated for his incredible knowledge and love of big bores, buffalo, and Africa. He was also a huge fan of controversial but very well-known hunter, Mark Sullivan, explaining the public and private profile of this gent. We were about to ship his skulls from a precious safari, and he was due to stay at Afton.

And then he died. On his way to the airport. This was an article we had lined up and I will share some of the skulls at Afton as our tribute to him. – Richard Lendrum

Four-Bore Bulls

By Cal Pappas

Basie and Angela Kuhn’s Haakdoorn Safaris has become for me to be the ideal place to hunt Cape buffalo. While the ranch abounds in plains game it is the buffalo that turns one’s head. Many have been critical of my hunts there and others on South Africa’s game ranches. So please allow me to state my observations of South Africa and other hunting countries in Africa to begin this article.

The most common criticism of South Africa is, “It’s not fair chase.” Fair chase is a vastly over used term in my humble opinion. Rightly so – many small farms in South Africa are “put and take” hunting. I have seen it in person: lions in small paddocks separated by mane size and mane color, 60-inch kudu bulls purchased and released the day before the hunter arrives, rhino and other animals darted and measured then sold by the inch, etc. But this is not the entire scope of hunting in South Africa. 

And I will state the “fair chase” hunting countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, and Tanzania are not always so. In Zimbabwe a hunter and PH relayed to me their strategy for a big kudu bull was do drive at night in the hope a big bull would be frozen by the headlights and then be shot from the back of the Land Cruiser. In the Tsholotsho area, a waterhole sits 100 feet from Hwange Park’s southern border. Hunters there wait at night with a spotlight in the hope of shooting a 60+ pound bull as he comes to drink. Are baited lions and leopards fair chase? We will never know how many plains and dangerous game are shot from the vehicle when encountered on a drive. I write the above not in critical words of hunting, but to illustrate “fair chase” may have many different definitions.

Haakdoorn Safaris is a ranch about an hour’s drive north of Thabazimbi, South Africa. It is a huge property. The perimeter fence is 57 kilometers! A small portion of the ranch is set aside for breeding buffalo, and hunting is not allowed there. However, the majority of the ranch is not divided into paddocks, and herds of buffalo, impala, hartebeest, waterbuck, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, sable, roan, bushbuck, eland, nyala, giraffe, and kudu run free and are born, live, breed, and die on the property. Warthogs are everywhere. Bird watching is second to none. Leopards live on the ranch but, of course, are illegal to hunt.

The size of the ranch drew me there in 2018 for my first hunt. Also, the legendary PH Mark Sullivan was there as the guest of the owner, Basie, and I wanted to have the experience of being in the field with Mark. I have known him for 20 years and published an extensive three-part article about him for the African Hunter magazine. I wanted to set the record straight and dispel so many of the rumors about this wonderful PH and patriotic American. Mark was not to be here in 2019 and I had the pleasure of hunting with Johan Biewenga, the ranch manager and resident PH. (Basie also holds a SA PH license). The hunting world was paralyzed in 2020 by COVID but in 2021 I returned to hunt Haakdoorn again with Basie guiding me for buffalo. 

In 2018 I took a wonderful 43” buffalo with average bosses. My first shots with my beloved John Wilkes .600 double were high as I took too much bead in the back sight’s V for a quick shot. Later in the day the bull dropped instantly when I took the time to aim better. 2019 saw a 39” buffalo fall as well as an impala, two warthogs, bushbuck, and an immense hartebeest of 26”. Game that year was taken with a .450-400 Harrison and Hussey boxlock ejector that belonged to the big-game hunter and famous (or infamous in Australia) cricket champion Douglas Jardine; he owned the rifle from 1933 until his death in 1958. My buffalo was down with a quick left and right and all plains game here (and 11 more in Botswana the following week) fell to one shot. The hartebeest was killed at 214 yards which is my longest shot with a double.

As mentioned, COVID ended my hunting hopes for 2020 but all was open in 2021 and it was time for my second hunting trip and vacation to Africa. As double rifles are the love of my life, and as I try to bring a different one on my hunting ventures, I thought it proper to bring this year a 4-bore double rifle by RB Rodda. Made in 1885 and weighing 23 pounds (24 when loaded!) I felt it proper to return this monstrous antique to the hunting fields once again. Twenty rounds of ammunition balanced the scales at the airline limit of 11 pounds and would be enough to hunt with as well as let my friends at the ranch have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of shooting a big 4-bore.

For readers who enjoy ballistics, my load for the Rodda was 120 grains of Blue Dot shotgun powder, a 1/8” over powder wad set to 100 pounds of pressure, several foam or felt spacer wads, topped with a 1400-grain round ball sized to .970” and held securely with a light crimp. Muzzle velocity averaged 1655 feet per second with a muzzle energy of 8516 ft.lbs. and John Taylor KO (knock out) value of 321.

I fired well over 100 shots over a rest at my front yard shooting range at my home in Alaska at 50 yards. Six shot strings group averaged four inches, and I was confident I could hit a buffalo at that distance. June arrived and I flew United Airlines to Chicago, and on to Newark for the flight over the pond. United’s overseas flight was fairly new after COVID and the plane was a third full. It was an absolute joy to have an empty row of seats to lie down on and sleep well on the last seven hours of the flight. 

After a quick and effortless pass through passport control, my checked bag was first on the carousel. Johan Nel greeted me and a short while later we left the airport with firearm license in hand for the 3½ hour drive to the ranch. A stop at KFC in Bela Bela about halfway on the drive, then arriving in camp shortly after 11 pm. (Bela Bela was formerly known as Warm Baths because of the hot springs there).

The next day Basie greeted me, and we spend the day driving the ranch looking at several varieties of game. Having 21 hunting trips in Africa I was not looking for any more plains game, and a 4-bore is not a plains-game rifle by any stretch of the imagination. The center of Basie’s ranch is a huge flat plain of perhaps eight square miles of tan dead grass, about two feet in height in this dry season. We glassed but saw few buffalo – they were lying down in the heat of mid-day. A closer examination with my Leica 10x42s allowed me to see horn tips and bosses throughout the plain, about the level of the grass. We spotted plains game at several of the pans, or waterholes, we visited. Tomorrow would be a good day.

In the next morning’s coolness before the sun warmed the land, I was able to see several groups of buffalo in the vast plain and also in the bush and woods surrounding the plain. With the wind in our favor, Basie and I began several stalks that all ended in frustration. If the buffalo did not notice us, it was wildebeest, gemsbok, hartebeest that did, and when they ran, they spooked the buffalo. In all this commotion throughout the day I did notice one bull with an absolutely huge boss. Widthwise he would be 40 inches or better, but the boss was larger than any buffalo I have taken. The small group of bulls would feed the remainder of the day, and we decided make an early day of it and glass the open area from a distance and try to spot him tomorrow. 

The next day we glassed from several vantage points and in the afternoon finally spotted the bull. He was in a different group now, with both bulls and cows. It would be impossible to stalk him in the open without any trees to hide our movements. Basie had a wonderful idea. The small herd was slowly moving in a constant direction. I understood if they kept moving that way there was a waterhole in the trees they would eventually come to. At Basie’s suggestion we left our vehicle and moved to the grass in the area they would eventually walk to. It was a guess, as they could move in any direction they wanted. 

 Towards day’s end they were approaching shooting distance. We sat for a few hours, watching and glassing. Hartebeest and gemsbok came into us from different directions, saw us, but thankfully walked away rather than break into a full run. Wildebeest that came our way did run, but as they run at anything, anytime, it didn’t seem to matter.

As the sun was rapidly approaching the horizon the buffalo was there. I could plainly see the targeted bull in my binocs, and now the glass was not needed as he was close. The only problem was waiting for the bull to present a shot. I wanted a side-on shot and didn’t want another buffalo directly behind my bull in case of a pass-through shot. (11 years prior I shot two bison in South Dakota with a Robert Hughes 4-bore and the spherical balls passed through both bulls). At 60 yards the Rodda was on sticks as I waited for the best time to shoot. Then, when it was about the time, we were noticed. Time stood still as one, then another, then all stopped grazing to stare at us.

After what seemed like an eternity, some cows and young ones broke and ran to our left. The bulls followed suit. and I thought, “Damn, will I ever get this close again?” But as the younger bulls slowed, a shot presented itself as my bull turned and was quartering on to me at 50+ yards. I took aim at the bull’s shoulder and, consistent to my shooting, I shot high and to the right. At the shot, all the buffalo ran, as did my bull. But he was hit and hit hard, as when he ran, he did not run with the others. Also, as he ran, Basie and I could plainly see a lump protruding from the bull’s back right side as he turned and ran. The ball hit just behind the left shoulder and passed through several feet of soft tissue and came to a stop just ahead of the rear right leg.

He was on the run now and so were we. Then he stopped and we were able to get within shooting range. A second shot at 80 yards hit him in the same place and we found out later a second ball was near the first one on his back right side. He was moving, but slowing down, and two more shots were “Hail Mary” shots that hit him but not fatally. The big bull stopped, staggered, but though he tried to keep on his feet, the loss of blood caused him to fall. As we approached he tried to rise, and Basie had his stunning Westley Richards .577 at the ready as was my 4-bore. The bull could not hold his stance and fell one last time. He was still breathing but not moving as we came in from his behind and I put the last shot between his shoulders through his spine. I didn’t really need the last shot as he was about dead. But he may not have known it, and a last injection of adrenaline could give him the energy he needed for one last moment of glory. A moment I wanted to avoid.

At close examination Basie was as amazed as I was. Final measurement was a width of 42½ inches and his bosses measured 17” on the right and 18” on the left. Not the widest horn spread I have shot but the best overall and by far the largest boss! We returned to camp after last light for a hot shower and dinner, then early to bed. Hunting was done, or so I thought.

 What to do the next day? Well, as I had my buffalo down (and what a buffalo it was!) Basie offered me an impala or warthog at no charge. Great! I could not see me walking with the 4-bore all day in the bush and I doubt I could make a quick snapshot with a 24-pound rifle. The range limitations were also a factor. We decided on a quick blind under a tree with a few branches in place to conceal our presence as well as provide a rifle rest. As the bush was open I could see a couple of hundred yards to spot game. The hours passed easily in the shade of the tree, sitting on folding chairs with a cooler box close by.

Two trophy impala in the 26 to 28-inch range were seen as were several warthogs coming to a nearby pan to drink, as well as kudu and a waterbuck. All of which were out of range. Giraffe, too, wandered close by, within shooting distance of the big rifle but not on the docket for the hunt. Realizing the odds were not in my favor Basie called for the Land Cruiser to come pick us up. We loaded the cooler box, the chairs and my rifle in and climbed aboard. Sitting there discussing the futility of the day, Basie’s PH, Johan Nel, quietly said, “Shhhhhh,” and pointed. A roan bull was making his way through the bush, angling in our direction. Basie looked at me and whispered he was an excellent bull and to take him if I was confident of the shot but that he was not a free one as was the impala or warthog offer. 

We three were all still as I moved the 4-bore into position. The roan changed direction a bit as he noticed us but did not quickly run off. We were all in the vehicle, but the vehicle was not moving and was also behind the blind and the tree. Now the bull was walking to our left and moving away. He was still in motion when I touched off the left barrel. Again, I hit to the right behind the shoulder (perhaps because he was moving) and a bit high. The bull jumped and kicked, ran a very short distance and collapsed from massive blood loss from the entrance and exit holes and out of his nose and mouth. As with the buffalo, there was little meat damage as would have occurred from a high velocity expanding bullet. Rather, just a one-inch hole from a heavy spherical ball at moderate velocity. 

The range was 55 meters or about 60 yards. Better than we thought at first, the roan was an excellent trophy at 28¼” with a base circumference of 9¼ inches. Shot from a vehicle, yes, but not spotted from a vehicle, and also the vehicle was not moving. It’s your judgement call. While the recoil from the 4-bore is significant I can tolerate it well and not flinch. But when Basie told me the trophy fee on the roan bull, I was set back more than from the recoil of the 4-bore!

 A day of reminiscing the hunt and talking of further hunts followed. Game viewing at hides at waterholes and lunch with Basie and his wife, Angela, and two youngest daughters, Shayla and Sheena (the oldest daughter, Chene’, was attending college in Texas). Basie, the salesman he is, said casually, “Cal, you have ammunition remaining and some time on the ranch, let’s have a go at another buffalo.” Still shell-shocked from the roan’s trophy fee, and perhaps not thinking clearly from the recoil of the Rodda 4 slamming my brain within my skull cavity, I agreed. (I could also sell my insulin to help cover the trophy fee).

We spotted buffalo, but the day was getting on so we returned the next day—my last on the ranch this year. Basie and I had the whole crew with us that day: Johan Nel, Mike the ranch manager, and two clients from Michigan also joined us. The brother and sister (Mark and Jenny) had completed their buffalo and plains-game hunt and were relaxing for a few days before their flight home. Both took a nice selection of plains game and Mark an excellent buffalo. 

Having a bull of a lifetime already down, the pressure was off. We spotted a pair of bulls perhaps two kilometers away lying in the open—their horns just above the level of the grass. If I shot another bull that would be wonderful, and if I didn’t, I would have some money to come home with. We began to stalk with the wind in our favor to get a closer look at the headgear. Closing the distance to less than half of when we first spotted them, we could see their horns clearly though our binoculars. Both bulls were in the trophy class with the wider one being soft in the boss. The other was an old bull, narrower, but with a solid boss. Nothing, however, to compare with my first bull. 

 Basie, Johan, and I moved in, all in a line one behind the other to keep the buffalo from seeing too much of us. We walked the last three-quarters to half a kilometer in the general direction of the pair but moving ahead, lined up behind a small bushy tree to conceal our movement. As we approached the tree we stopped and glassed. The older bull on the right swung his head in our direction as his companion stood. Johan set up the shooting sticks ahead of the bush and I leveled my rifle’s sights on the old bull. Then he stood. As they could run at any moment, I put the fine bead in the rear sight’s shallow V and on bull’s chest and pressed the rear trigger. A solid hit it was, and the bull jumped and staggered backward. A second shot dropped him instantly. The first shot was ranged at 85 yards and the second at 95. Not a great bull, but 37 inches wide with a nice solid boss.

The day was done as was the hunting. The sun was going down as rapidly as my bank account when we stopped at the camp’s rifle range and everyone there had a go with the Rodda.  They burned up what remained of my ammunition, giving them all the once-in-a-lifetime experience of shooting a rare and massive vintage double rifle in the largest of the shoulder-held sporting rifle calibers. Tomorrow was a sad day to say goodbye to Basie and his family as they have become good friends, and it would be another year until I saw them again. It was planned for Basie and his family to visit me in Alaska in 2023.

The next morning Johan drove me two hours south to Langkloof Game Farm where I would spend four days with friends there who managed that property. Johan and Joey Biewenga are also good friends, and I saved a few rounds from the Rodda so Johan could have a go at his target range.

After my visit to Langkloof I was to fly to Zimbabwe and vacation there for two weeks. But when I was at Haakdoorn, Zimbabwe had a COVID border closure and restricted travel within the country, with curfews, and shortened business hours. I changed my return ticket thanks to Steve Turner’s help at his Travel With Guns travel agency. The decision was sound, as a few days later Zim restricted all city travel to emergency and medicine delivery only. 

Seeing Langkloof was a joy, with its mountain range dividing the property and its varied game populations. Johan and I spent my final day in Pretoria at Safari and Outdoor, showing the Rodda to interested employees and customers, and buying a pair of my favorite footwear: Courteney Boots’ Selous model. I also ordered a magnificent rifle rack from Uvami Gun Accessories. I had seen Johan’s rack three years ago at Basie’s ranch and wanted one ever since. Now, that I was about out of money I was able to spend my last dollars on a 5-gun rack made from African teak wood. The craftsmanship is 100% and it was made to my design. The owners of Uvami are superb craftsmen in wood and leather. I would encourage fellow hunters to order one when on safari, and collect it on the way to Tambo airport as the shop is only 15 minutes away. Even with the extra bag fee, the total cost is well under half of what similar racks sell for when imported to the states. Look at the photo and judge for yourself. My rack will be used several times a week in Alaska when mates come to my home range to shoot double rifles as well as clays. Plus, like my Courteneys, it is yet another piece of Africa I can bring home.

 As a side bar, I would like to give a positive thumbs up to Cliff Williamson of Savuti Taxidermy in Johannesburg. I visited Savuti on my departure from SA and Cliff had completed my 16 trophies from my 2019 hunts in SA and Botswana. It was difficult and time consuming to get the skulls from Botswana. Cluster you-know-what is more like it. The agent for my hunter in Botswana, kept the trophies for over a year and said nothing. When they were finally delivered he did not bring my best eland skull. A year later the missing eland was delivered but all of my flat skins were not. While I would hunt in Botswana in a minute with Jaco Viser of NKWE Safaris, I will never do business with his agent in the south of that country. And, to add insult to injury, the agent still has Cliff’s Botswana trophies and Cliff hunted with Jaco one week after I did. Within a couple of months as I write this my three skulls from this hunt will be added to the completed batch and I should have them to decorate my Alaska log home.

The Africa experience gets better with each passing year!