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!

By Ken Bailey

It’s funny how preconceptions can influence your opinion and impressions. Take dogs, for instance. Over several big-game safaris across three decades I discovered that a lot of PHs own a Jack Russell terrier. Of those that didn’t, many had a Rhodesian Ridgeback. As I came to understand, and to witness firsthand, the Jack Russells were equal part companion dog, tracking dog and varmint control dog; I’ve watched with interest as a young Jack Russell thrashed a snake that came a little too close to a lodge in Natal one afternoon, and was the recipient of another’s largesse as it led us over and around some nasty, thick cover to a kudu that we couldn’t have found without a little canine assistance. The ridgebacks I’ve met, meanwhile, were largely companion dogs, although they also played a role as personal and property defenders.

It seemed few safari camps in South Africa or Namibia were without one breed or the other (in some cases both) and I came to expect one of them to come trotting up, tail wagging, whenever I arrived at a lodge. Over the week or two I’d spend in camp, these dog would become a constant and meaningful part of the experience that I enjoyed immensely.

What I didn’t see, however, were any dedicated bird dogs, and my impression was that African safari lodges and PHs just weren’t dedicated “hunting dog” people. As it turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

I have many great memories of a week I spent with Mark Haldane, Dylan Holmes, Robbie Stretton and the crew from Bird Hunters Africa (https://birdhuntersafrica.com) a few years back, not the least of which was my first experience hunting revered grey-winged partridge. Behind Robbie’s wonderful English pointers, we hunted in the high rolling hills of the Eastern Cape where the coveys of partridge were widely dispersed. But Robbie’s pointers were more than up to the task, covering the vast grasslands with easy strides before locking-up, rock-steady, on one covey after another, confidently holding the birds until we caught up. At the shots they marked the downed birds precisely—is there anything more perfectly designed than a fine pointing dog?

Later that week we hunted Swainson’s francolin near Polokwane in Limpopo Province. A local gentleman, who I knew only as “Willie,” guided our hunts, led by an English pointer and a German Shorthaired Pointer named Anna. Anna proved to be as fine a hunting dog as you could hope to find, ranging far without being too far, and never missing a bird along the way. I don’t recall exactly how many Swainson’s we shot, along with a couple crested francolin, but it was a remarkable day afield.

That evening we sat around the campfire recalling the shots made, and those missed—the latter, I learned, a humbling tradition that extends to bird camps beyond my home in Canada. It was an evening of laughs and enchantment, and we were all ears-forward as Mark captivated us with tales of leopard hunts gone wrong, charging buffalo, and too-close elephants from his many years hunting and PH-ing in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Tanzania. As captivated by his stories as we were, it was clear he enjoyed telling them just as much. I can’t say I’ve ever enjoyed an après-hunt as fully. The next day we repeated our efforts, with Willie and his pointers leading us to almost 40 flushes.

Fine wingshooting dogs I’ve met in Africa are by no means restricted to pointers, however. I’ve also been privileged to hunt waterfowl over several superb Labrador retrievers. Two in particular come to mind.

I’ve had the great fortune to hunt on a couple of occasions with Mike Currie, owner of Wild Wing Shooting Africa. And while his pointing dogs (one English, three GSP) have provided superb shooting on francolin, including grey-winged partridge, being a Lab man myself, I particularly appreciated watching his retrievers work.

The two that stand out to me were Jess, a yellow Lab, and Shadow, a solidly-built black Lab. Over several duck and goose hunts I’ve marveled as they marked and retrieved one bird after another.

Just last year we hunted waterfowl together, positioned along a tree line between a large wetland where untold numbers of ducks and more than a few Egyptian geese were staging, and a small pond where the birds wanted to feed. Pass shooting was the order of the today, with the birds flying high over the trees we were backed up against. Pass shooting can be challenging for the gunners, as the birds fly high and fast and the shots are longer than when decoying them into a pond. It can also be challenging for retrievers, as invariably birds that aren’t killed outright have a tendency to sail a long way before tumbling from the sky. It requires that dogs be able to mark multiple birds accurately.

My favorite memory of Shadow, meanwhile, is of an evening duck shoot on a little dam. Six of us were nestled in blinds along the water’s edge, while a vapor trail of yellow-billed ducks and red-billed teal piled in. The shooting was fast and furious; we would barely have time to reload before the next flight was on our doorstep. As duck after duck splashed into the water or crashed into the adjacent uplands, Shadow adopted a workman-like approach to his job. He retrieved non-stop while we continued shooting, never hesitating nor tiring. The soft-bottomed wetland did not make for easy retrieves. When it was all said and done though, Shadow sat upright, staring at us eagerly, like he could have performed all night.

I’d barely moved through the hunt, yet was bagged when I finally hit the hay. I can’t begin to imagine how tired Shadow must have been, but if he felt anything like I did, he slept the sleep of angels that night, all the while dreaming of similar hunts to come.

West Africa has a special appeal not only for hunters. The mix of geographically diverse zones offers savannahs, marsh and rainforest lovers plenty of opportunities to explore fauna and flora. This time is Benin our hunting destination. This elongated, small West African country is considered the cradle of the voodoo religion. In Abomey, you can visit the old royal palaces as well as the voodoo temples. The capital is Porto Novo. The international airport where our journey start is in Cotonou. A typical West African city. Stinky, hectic and a lot of traffic. Surprisingly fast, by African standards are the immigration formalities and weapons import documents are done by customs and police. After that, the luggage will be stowed in the waiting Land Cruiser. Our host and outfitter from Pendjari Safaris wants to start as soon as possible. It is still early in the morning and he wants to reach the end of the city of Cotonou before morning traffic starts. Ahead of us is a nine-hour drive. Cotonou is located on the southern border of Benin, directly on the Gulf of Guinea. Our destination and camp is located in the north of the country, on the edge of the National Park Pendjari. The 700-kilometer drive gives us another insight into this, for West African conditions, very stable and peaceful country. No religious or racial tensions make Benin a special oasis in West Africa and is gently governed by a democratically elected government. The influence of the former French colonial era can not be denied and is reflected not only in the French official language. The main income of Benin, one of the poorest countries in the world, comes from agriculture. In addition to corn, sweet potatoes, cashew and pineapple, it is mainly the large cotton plantations that catch the eye. It is exactly this cotton that we can see again and again on completely overloaded trucks on our way to Batia.

We take the first day of our hunt calmly and after a good breakfast we go out for the first terrain exploration. The camp is located on the edge of a small village. The people wave friendly to us and children run after our car. Here, too, the ethical and serious hunt has written its success story. Conservation programs, a rigorous anti-poaching, and appreciation for wildlife has contributed to the development of not only a high stock of wildlife but also a small but considerable wealth in their village. Not only the meat of the hunted game support to the local villages with protaine, also a large part of the revenue of the trophy fees is used to expand the infrastructure. After twenty minutes, we are already in our hunting zone. Here my two hunting clients check their weapons and after a threefold series, it’s ready to go. Khalid has opted for a double rifle 9.3×74 and my second hunting guest Rodrigo leads a 375 H&H. Our hunting area is especially known for its abundance of Western savannah buffalo and Western roan antelope. But also Western Hartebeest, Nagor Reedbock, Harnest Bushbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Oribi, Warthog and two different Duiker are huntable here. We chose the month of January for our hunt and therefore the high grass is not dry enough to burn it down. Despite the sometimes high grass level, we can still recognize the typical savannah character. Small to medium-sized bushes and trees dominate the landscape in addition to the extensive grassy areas. The first game drive should serve primarily to get a small overview of our hunting area, but after one of our professional hunters has discovered fresh tracks of buffalo is instantly aroused our hunting fever.

Hunter heart, what do you want more. Lunch tastes particularly good here and we enjoy the boundless freedom in the middle of West African nature. But after a long rest, things continue. It is already an hour before sunset when Burkina gives the driver the sign to stop. He points to the east and still the sun is in our backs, I can see nothing without my binoculars. Burkina instructs me and with the help of the binoculars, I can then also recognize what he has already identified only with his eye. A dark, almost black dyed Dagga Boy, as here also the single living buffalo bulls are called. You can already clearly see Khalid’s excitement. The buffalo is 300 meters away, and our professional hunter decides at short notice that he will only stalk with Khalid and a tracker. The terrain between us and the bull is too open and too many people would make it much easier for the buffalo to discover us. Me, Rodrigo, and the rest of the team follow the stalk out of good hidden place. The buffalo is still grazing and shows no suspicion, even though Khalid and Burkina are only 50 meters away from him. I can see that Khalid has his gun on the shooting stick and is already aiming the bull. The shot does not wait. The buffalo immediately draws and breaks to the right. After ten meters, he stops and the second shot breaks. Although the first shot was excellent for me and, in my opinion a deadly hit, the second hit finally drops the Bull to the ground. When Burkina and Khalid are by the buffalo and both give us signs to come, we are on the way to go to the harvest buffalo. Of course, a heartfelt congratulation to the shooter and congratulation to the professional hunter to this successful conclusion of the first hunting day. A really old fighter lies here in knee-high grass. Numerous traces show of old turf wars and one or the other scar suggests that he was also the target of attacks of lions. An excellent launch. Khalid is overjoyed and describes in detail the course of the stalking and the killing of the buffalo. The loading of the bull is routine for our experienced team and then it’s back to the camp.

Just at sunset we arrive at the camp and there we are greeted. Despite the enjoyable beginning of our safari, we are in bed shortly after supper to rest and be fit for the next day. The second day is similar to the previous day. Game drive through the vast savannah and a part of our team is looking for fresh tracks and the other half explores the environment for movements that could close on antelopes or buffalo. And again, Khalid is challenged when we discover a three-headed group of roan antelopes. All three are old and strong trophy bulls. This time I accompany Khalid with his stalking. Very slowly and over again we observe this second largest antelope of Africa. Up to a distance of 90 meters, we stalk closer and Khalid sights the extreme left roan of this group of three. Optimal shot distance for his 9.3 caliber and the Roan antelope breaks down after firing. Already on the second day of our safari, Khalid killed both main game species from Benin. Of course, always a big dose of luck with it, but also the experience of our professional hunters and trackers and over years game management, here are fruits of success. In the afternoon we still see the first Hartebeest and waterbuck, but all female or young animals. Nevertheless, a successful hunting day comes to an end, and we let it end comfortably. The next three days of hunting also show us that we are not here in a fenced hunting farm in South Africa or Namibia and really hunting in the wild. Three days of stalking for hours, with backsliding by a sudden change of wind direction, attentive game or carelessness on our part. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for me, and I know that from my many previous savanna hunts.

However, it is important for my hunting clients to prepare for such a hunt so far that they can handle even those thirsty streaks that a savannah hunt entails and that they do not lose the desire for the further safari. For Khalid and Rodrigo, however, the last three unsuccessful days leave no trace. On the contrary, I have the impression that they absorb everything in and this hunting trip will keep a special positive memory. The sixth day of hunting is again at its best. On this day, we return very successfully to the camp. A West African Hartebeest, a Harnest Bushbuck, and a Nagor Reedbuck could be killed after successful stalking. We were able to detect and shoot the latter two at two different waterholes. Now only the buffalo of Rodrigo falls to complete a completely successful safari.

The last day of our safari is approaching and this time it starts earlier. Today we want to look for the Dagga Boy in the northeastern corner of our hunting zone. The idea does not come from somewhere. Some of the rangers employed by our outfitter, who implemented the anti-poaching program and are busy patrolling the hunting grounds, have just seen a reddish bull at this northeast corner. And just where these rangers last saw the bull, we also find him. An old, mature bull. The red is almost reminiscent of a forest buffalo occurring in the rainforest, but which is much smaller than the Western savannah buffalo. An absolute dream buffalo. This time, Jorge, the professional hunter from Portugal, introduces us. The buffalo stands in the shade of some trees and the wind is excellent for us. I estimate between 250 to 300 meters separate us from the bull. Jorge, tracker Rodrigo, and myself start the stalking. Each step is checked twice. Just no hasty movement or a careless kick now. Suddenly Jorge stops petrified. He makes us understand that we should not move and shows something in the left direction of our stalk. An elephant bull watches our approach. A fantastic experience to experience the elephant so close, but still we are glad when he makes off and pulls back into the dense undergrowth. Finally, we can continue our stalking. Our buffalo seems to have heard and seen nothing of all this. The rangefinder in my binoculars shows 80 meters. After another 15 meters and a tree with perfect rifle rest, Rodrigo is ready to go. The weapon is already unlocked and he just waits until the buffalo shows him his broadside. I can understand that this moment has to fill up like hours for him. Finally, the time has come. Uncovered with the full side of the bull shows up and the finger writhes on the trigger. The red draws immediately and breaks in place in the fire. Jorge keeps track and asks Rodrigo to reload immediately. After another minute, Jorge gives the ok and all-clear and lets Rodrigo secure the weapon. It needs no further shot. A red-colored buffalo with an extremely strong trophy lies in front of us. We give Rodrigo alone for a few minutes with his harvest bull. A sensitive moment that probably every hunter can understand too well.

With this last buffalo we killed on this hunt, we can say that we had a hundred percent success. The passing of Benin ends with a promise from the two hunters. We are infected with the Savannah virus and we promise to see each other again when it says: Savannah hunting in Benin!

The first rhino darted was a mature male. The Arkansas Chapter – Safari Club International “Recovery Team” of (L to R) Gary Acord, Jake Throgmartin, Robert Williams, and the author just a few seconds before the majestic creature takes his short nap.

By Lavon Winkler

As dedicated supporters of Safari Club International (SCI), hunting advocacy, education, and conservation, we work to conserve flora, fauna, and ensure the future of hunting for generations to come. This set the stage for an unforgettable safari.

The saying that, “Africa is forever calling you to return” has proven to be true. After my third safari in South Africa, I was joined by friends Jayke and Krystal Throgmartin.  This wonderful husband/wife team had dreamed of visiting Africa for over a decade, with five failed previous attempts to travel to Africa. Others in our group were Robert Williams and Gary Acord. Jayke, Robert and Gary, along with several others, serve with me on the board of the Arkansas Chapter of SCI. 

However, as planned, our plane landed in Johannesburg for truly an experience of a lifetime, and we stayed overnight at the Afton Safari Lodge which is less than ten minutes from the airport.  As always, the team at Afton welcomed us with open arms and helped us quickly settle in so we could relax and unwind after a sixteen-hour flight.  The next morning, we were picked up by our outfitter and within a few hours were settled into our rooms at the concession.  Normally I like to acknowledge the outfitter for making our stay and hunt a wonderful experience.  While this was certainly the case for this safari, because of the nature of this hunt and for the protection of the wildlife, the outfitter will remain nameless, and our location not disclosed.  Here is why.

Like most hunters, for me, wildlife conservation and the protection from poaching of targeted species is so very important.  For the last ten years I have followed closely the challenges, progress, and setbacks with the white and black rhino populations.  If you have not followed their story closely, you may not be fully aware of the extreme challenges faced by those who are dedicated to preserving and improving the health and numbers of these amazing creatures.   

For years I had dreamed of hunting white rhino.  They can be very dangerous, and I just knew it would be an exciting hunt.  However, I decided against that, partly because of the negative pressure from poachers and partly for the need for improved systems to protect and increase their population.  My interest in “hunting” the rhino, however, changed at the SCI Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023.

While at the convention, I spoke with a South Africa safari outfitter who has a vision for white rhino conservation and is fully committed to doing what he can to ensure the future of these incredible animals.  He described a conservation program that would best provide the opportunity for the white rhinos to be protected and increase in number, and explained how a hunter could be a part of this conservation work. This included darting the animal with the use of Vita Darting, a process by which vitamins and/or vaccines are administered as the first step. The hunter interacts with the outfitter, the veterinarian, and recovery team throughout the entire procedure, offering the hunter a lifelong experience.  I was certain I wanted to be part of the team and when I mentioned it to Gary and Robert they immediately joined in as well.  Jayke did not want to dart a rhino since this was his first safari and he had a long list of plains-game hopefuls.  Still, being serious about the conservation of the rhinos, Jayke committed to helping the recovery team as needed.

When the day finally arrived to dart the rhinos, two mature males and one female, there was much anticipation as to how the day would unfold and, hopefully, be successful.  The entire process was carefully designed to mitigate any stress on the animal.  While a helicopter was available for the safety and wellbeing of the animals, the plan was to do as much of the work as possible on the ground.  The first rhino, a mature male, was darted from the ground, but the second and third required the support of the helicopter.  The whole process was flawless with minimal stress on the animals, the entire team working in unison.

With each rhino, vitals were monitored, microchipping was checked and recorded (one implanted if needed). For some, a tracking device was attached to the ear, the animal was marked as having been darted, and important photos and measurements were taken.  All of this happened in a matter of minutes. While a few pictures were quickly taken of the hunter(s)   

I celebrate there are many great outfitters who are committed to more than just generating profits today.  But how do you find them?  Well, I encourage you to attend the SCI Convention in Nashville and other hunting shows/events and talk to the outfitters about more than just the animals they will help you pursue or the percentage of animals that make it into the record book.  Ask questions and listen closely to their answers.  Then, assess their commitment to investing your hard-earned money into conservation.  We cannot only think about today and selfishly live for the moment.  We must be willing to make investments today to ascertain a fruitful tomorrow.  Had it not been for visionary conservation-minded leaders like Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Paul Kruger, the hunting and fishing we enjoy today in the United States, South Africa, and other corners of the world might not exist.  Roosevelt and Kruger each made investments and sacrifices in the future of conservation, and we benefit over one hundred years later.

History has proven that as hunters, we are in the best position to conserve the natural resources which have been entrusted to us.  We are not only hunters.  We are conservationists.

Hunt Detail Fact Sheet

Year of the hunt and hunting dates: May 12 – 20,  2024

Country were hunt occurred:  South Africa

Hunting area, ranch or concession name: Northern Limpopo – Undisclosed

Outfitter and satisfaction rating: Excellent Rating

Professional hunter and satisfaction rating: Undisclosed – Excellent Rating

Rifle and cartridge details and satisfaction rating: Heym 450/400 89B PH – Excellent rating

Ammunition and bullet details and satisfaction rating: Hornady Dangerous Game – DGX 300gr. Excellent Rating

Riflescope details and satisfaction rating: N/A

Taxidermist and satisfaction rating (only if you have received your trophies): Jim Rice, Cutting Edge Taxidermy – Excellent Rating (past experience from multiple safaris)

For more images by Drew Butterwick, click here.