Edge
AH elite
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
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- Between dreams and reality
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- Hunted
- PA, OH, NM, ND, AL, FL, MD; Spain, EC/KZN/MP South Africa, Zimbabwe x 2, Mozambique, Cameroon
Great buff, congrats!
Cannot wait for rest of report!Travel day continued: We made it Dar a little early, via a technical stop in Arusha. luckily the guy who works for Jaco that helps with rifle imports was also at the airport early. We go through the conveyor belt line once you get off the plane to get in line for the rapid test required to enter. This test is now $10 vs $25 like it was previously. You fill the paperwork out online and pay before you arrive, which makes it a little smoother going through. The rapid test was quick, results probably in 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure that nobody tests positive (just my opinion and observation).
Go thorough customs and the visa line, etc, then the rifles get checked by a porter, then whisked off to one of the side offices for the police to check serial # and ammo, then pay the ammo tax. Then its off to a hotel for lunch to meet JP, as our charter is set for 3pm as Jaco is flying in from Namibia to meet us and fly with us.
It was raining and hot most of the afternoon, so the upcoming charter flight was a little worrisome in the back of my mind. Luckily most of the weather broke before our flight and the bumps along the 40 minute flight to camp weren't that bad.
A few pics of the terrain, the Rufiji, and the stark difference in the settled land and the game reserve. Took a few of the offloading of supplies and the pilot leaving us in the bush, kinda cool to experience something like this that I've seen on quite a few hunting tv shows but never experienced myself!
A quick celebratory beer and then off to the tents to unpack. Late afternoon we sight in the rifles, both of ours are still dead on! Then a nice dinner and an early night looking forward to getting our 7 day buffalo hunt started in the am.
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Fine looking Buff Charles! Good talking to you this evening.Day 2
We start off this morning headed to the same area we saw the buffalo yesterday, hoping to get a glimpse of that nice bull we were on yesterday. No luck, only lots and lots of zebra. we then head to a waterhole know to have buffalo and pigs. We stop on the road and walk about 200 yards. One of the trackers says mbogo, and the blood immediately starts going. We make sure we work the wind and walk around the bush downwind and come into the water from the far side of where we saw the buffalo.
Once we get in we only see the 1 bull, already laying down in the tall grass with some muddy water. He was feeding but had now laid down as the sun is fully out and starting to get hot. We can see his horns glistening in the sun and a few birds on and off of them. based on the side we can see, he looks pretty good and has the shape that I am really looking for. We are at a tree in the bush probably about 70 yards away from him. occasionally he turns his head and we think he is getting up.This goes on for an hour. Eventually he turns and re-positions himself, where we can see him clearly. JP and I discuss in depth about his age, his shape, the position we are in( great wind, in his bedroom without him knowing, etc). We still don't know 100% what he looks like until he stands. I can see he has a chunk of boss missing which to me is really cool character.
He stands and gives us the straight on look, but still doesn't know we are there. We have a few more seconds of discussion, and I decide this is not a bull I would pass on day 6 or 7, that coupled with his shape and character, it was time to act. He was broadside and I have a really good rest. Squeeze right on the shoulder, he takes 2 steps, hunches down like he doesn't want to move. We both know this was a good shot. I put another in behind the ribs going for the far shoulder now. It hits hard and he is definitely not moving now. Though as many of us know, buffalo are honery and don't give up. He takes 2 steps toward the bush and I put one in the back hip, which drops him. We are all smiles now! We cautiously approach and sure enough he is a tough old guy, make a try to get to his feet, so i put another in him. he drops in his tracks and seconds later the death bellow! So glad I got to hear this, and my first buffalo did not bellow.
When we get to him and see how coated in mud he was, the first thing that comes to mind is this is a true dagga boy, complete with mud caked all over. I am elated and honored to be able to take a lone old bull like this in the Selous! A true dream come true, the rest of the hunt is just gravy now!
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By the time we get him loaded up its noontime, we head back to camp to celebrate. the rest of the day is a blur, we looked for more wildebeest and pigs with no luck.
Here are a few of the rounds we pulled form him. No surprise the 300 grain Federal Premium A Frames performed perfectly once again.
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