ZAMBIA: 2024 Zambia Buffalo With Thor Wildlife Safaris

[Brain1]

August 2024 marked my second hunting trip to my new favorite destination in Africa. PH Thor Kirchner runs a very good hunting company with an awesome area on the Luangwa river. My first hunt with them was in 2022 and set a very high bar.
This trip in 2024 held to that same high standard. We saw many different species every day. Camp was very comfortable and the food was also very good. My goal for this trip was another buffalo. I also wanted a roan. On the ride from Lusaka, Thor mentioned hyena, which started me to thinking. Buffalo are plentiful at Munyamadzi and Kazunga(not sure of spelling). After a few days of hunting, I was able to ground a nice old bull with my Heym double.
After shooting an impala for bait we set up for hyena but the lions ate the bait. A second impala was shot for bait and this one proved to do the trick. A nice male hyena was taken early in the morning.
As for roan, I guess sometimes you just have to admit when you suck. I missed 3 shots at 2 different bulls. I can't blame the rifle but I never tried my 458 at 200+. A man has got to know his limitations. This was exceeding mine. No complaints, this gives me a reason to return. We saw elephants every day, sometimes in camp. I can't say enough good things about Thor and his team. I definitely recommend him to anyone who wants a real hunt.

 

[375Fox]

Congratulations. I’m considering him as an option for Zambia and have exchanged a few emails.

 

[Nyati]

Nice trophies, congrats !

 

[thi9elsp]

Well done. Thank you for sharing.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Thor has a good reputation and you just added to it.
Congratulations on the successes and the not quite yet...

 

[Sarg]

Great work, did you shoot all your animals with the .458Win using .500gr bullets ?

She will shoot 200yds no problem but you must know your drop & have a steady hand/rest, not always easy .

I shot my largest Kudu, Bushbuck, Warthog & much more, including a Cattle killing Croc off a cow while hunting Bushbuck with my normal.500gr load & know a .300gr/350gr TSX would work out much farther !

 

[Brain1]

Great work, did you shoot all your animals with the .458Win using .500gr bullets ?

She will shoot 200yds no problem but you must know your drop & have a steady hand/rest, not always easy .

I shot my largest Kudu, Bushbuck, Warthog & much more, including a Cattle killing Croc off a cow while hunting Bushbuck with my normal.500gr load & know a .300gr/350gr TSX would work out much farther !

Everything shot including the 2 bait impalas with a 458 win mag. The problem is the drop at longer ranges. I should have taken a light rifle for the littler stuff.

 

[Sarg]

Thats great, I use mine for everything to when I only have access to one rifle & I know it shoots well as most .458s do.

200yds is easy - 300yds needs some figuring.

This is ballistic/drop chart for 500gr factory Norma .458Win, my hand loaded 500gr Hornady drop about 8 to 9in also at 200yds & I normally don’t shoot farther than that, I did take it after Mt Reed Buck & Klipspringer once but the Ranch owner said WHAT & insisted I use his .223Rem with 69gr DRT ammo, it did kill my Reedbuck well but as it turned out I got to within 40yds of it !