ZAMBIA: Classic Sable, Classic Caliber Hunt With spike.t At Takeri Reserve Zambia

[375 Ruger Fan]

After a good nights rest at City Lodge, we had breakfast and checked out about 8:30am on Saturday Sept 23. We walked over to the airport terminal and did our check in for the Airlink flight to Lusaka. The check in was slow. The ticket counter guy could take our two bags, but we had to take the rifle case over to the Airlink Customer Service desk. Once there, that agent said we needed to go the the Firearm/Weapons Check-In Office. I had to get a photo or nobody would believe this:

The flight to Lusaka was a relatively quick 2 hours. Immigrations and customs was quick and easy. Both our bags, the rifle case and the separate ammo case all arrived. The police did open the rifle case and validate the serial number. They also counted rounds of ammunition. From landing to out the door, maybe 30 minutes at most. Mike had a friend, Clinton, pick us up and drive us to our hotel. While checking in at the Protea Hotel Tower, Mike arrived with his client from the past few weeks, AH member @roverandbrew. We got a good download and briefing on what to expect and it all sounded good. Mike took me to the near by mall where there are some money exchange places. I converted some USD to Zambian Kwacha for tipping the staff.

As Bobby (@roverandbrew ) mentioned in his report, the restaurant at the Protea is outstanding and inexpensive. My daughter and I had steaks and a couple of drinks and the tab came to about $35.

Mike picked us up at 5:30am on Sunday, Sept 24 and we started the long drive to Takeri. The hotel packed us a to-go breakfast box, so we had something to snack on during the drive. With a couple of pit stops, a grocery stop at the last chance Shop-Rite super market, various toll booths, construction zones, etc, etc, it took about 7 hours to get to Takeri.

The drive north and west of Lusaka was interesting. Lots of farm land and a lot of building construction along the main highway. Lots of Chinese investment. I can't recall seeing any game animals the entire trip, until we got to Takeri. One could readily see how human expansion is reducing the wild habitant.

Upon arrival at Takeri, the staff greeted us and got us quickly settled into our tents (safari suites!) We met @PeteG, who drove down from Ndola and would be our PH for the week. We went to the rifle range and shot the 7x57 we brought with us. Both Elise and I shot very well from the sticks. I opted not to bring the 404 Jeffery, due to my back injury. Mainly, I didn't want to lug it through airports and I didn't want to absorbed the recoil. We drove around a bit during the past couple hours of daylight and started seeing lots of game. Tomorrow will be the official start of the hunt.

The camp firepit area, with a great view of the Kafue River.

My tent. A similar but slightly larger tent is just beyond this tent and that one was used by Elise.

A photo of the Zambian Space Program booster rocket system, which also doubled as the hot water heater for each tent. Never ran out of hot water! Amazing system.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Sept 25, first day of hunting

Sun up and sunset are right around 6am and 6am. Birds start chirping as it gets light, so hardly needed to set an alarm. Breakfast was 0630 each morning and we rolled out of camp about 0715. Both Pete and Mike were riding with us, along with Pete's driver, Bryan and a tracker by the name of Ernest. One of the nice things about Takeri, you are hunting as soon as you round the bend in the road when you leave camp. No 30 minute or 1 hour drive to the hunting property of the day, you are there and you have all 8,000+acres to yourself.

Shortly after leaving camp, several Lechwe were spotted and there was a really nice male in the group. We got out and upon Pete's instructions, I chambered a round in the 7x57. I was using 160 gr Swift A-Frames that I loaded (2568 fps). The Lechwe were a little jittery and slowly moved deeper into the woods. Pete and Mike, as they would all week, glassed the big male Lechwe and would quickly confer what each one thought. Both ruled this Lechwe was indeed a shooter. Pete and I slowly moved into position and the sticks went up. I had a narrow shooting lane through the lightly wooded area and the distance was maybe 130 yards, a very comfortable distance. However, the Lechwe moved and the shooting lane no longer worked. We repositioned a few yards and got set up. The Lechwe were all slowly moving away and I could the big male about to move through my new shooting lane, still at about 130 yards. I was on the sticks and knew I would have just a brief second or two to make the shot. The Lechwe moved into the shooting lane, perfectly broadside, but continued to move at a slow pace while grazing on grass. I took the shot. Now it would make for a great beginning to this hunting report if I could tell you the Lechwe took half a step and dropped right there. Unfortunately, I rushed the shot and just plain missed. So concluded the first stalk and shot of the day. Everyone back to the cruiser, shows over.

Around 9am, we were driving along and came to a stop. A herd of Sable was spotted about 300-350 at our 9 o'clock position. They were traveling the opposite direction we were, as they were feeding into the wind. We dismounted and started to close the gap and tuck in behind them. There was a big, dark black bull in the group. They moved into some cover and we picked up the pace to close the gap and try to get a sighing on them again. We stalked for about 2 hours, but never got a glimpse of the bull. We radioed for the truck and then did a little more driving around and worked our way back to the lodge for lunch and a nap. That afternoon, we went back out and drove around a different area, seeing a lot of various game but didn't take anything on Day 1.

Day 1 concluded with starters and beverages around the fire and then we went into the dining room for a wonderful dinner prepared by the camp chef, Ronald, and assisted by Dorothy. Food was excellent all week and portions usually too large.


Sept 26, Day 2 of hunting

Shortly after leaving camp, a really nice Bushbuck was spotted. I mentioned to Pete and Mike that my desire and budget was to get Elise and me a nice Sable and then a couple other animals after that. So we passed on the Bushbuck for the time being and continued to cruise for a Sable.

Around 9am, several Sable, including a big bull are spotted out in the middle of a very large, grassy area. They are 600-800 yards away. We are on a road, just inside the forest, so fairly concealed. We dismount, check the wind and make a plan. We will circle around to our right and using some giant termite mounds (the size of a house with mature trees growing on top of them) as cover, trying to get into a better position to stalk in close to the Sable. After about 15 minutes, we are in position to have a good look at the sable, but the wind shifts and the Sable start to move slowly away from us. We then retraced our foot steps and moved back towards the truck. Pete again locates the herd, and more importantly, the large bull. We now walk down the forest road, basically the opposite direction of our first plan. The sable are slowly moving from the middle of the grassy field towards the wood line where we are. From the road, we are about 100 yards inside the woods, beyond that is the large grassy field. We wait a little while and the sable start to filter into the woods. Hunting is a lot of fun when the animals come to you! I am set up on the sticks and the big bull is now 85 yards away and none of the sable are aware of our presence. When the bull offers a broadside shot, I take it. The bull dropped in it's tracks! I cycled the bolt and got on him for a follow up if needed. The bull didn't get back up, but it was clear he still had some life in him. He was on the ground and body was positioned looking straight away from us, not offering a good follow up shot target. Pete and I moved closer and to our left to get an angle. The bull then rolled on his left side, giving us another good view of it's back. So we scurry over to our right and keep closing on the bull. We get up fairly close and the sable is still kicking a bit, so one more shot is needed. I am in awe of this wonderful animal! We drag it out into the open, grassy area for photos and to load it into the back of Pete's cruiser. Like most top notch PH vehicles, there is a winch in the bed of the truck, right behind the cab. Also a roller on the tailgate. All this makes for easy loading of the 500 pound animal. We head towards the lodge for lunch and to drop off the sable at the skinning shed. All the camp workers, including the 10 game scouts (anti-poaching patrol) located in 5 different remote camps around the property, will be happy with the abundance of game meat.

 

[Fatback]

Fantastic sable. Congrats. Looking forward to reading about the rest of your safari.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

For many years now, both college and pro football (US version) have had video review of close plays. We've all seen it, did the runner cross the goal and stay in bounds? Did the receiver catch and control the ball? Was the quarterbacks arm moving forward or did he fumble the ball? The TV audience gets treated to multiple camera angles, replays and super slow motion. Even when we and the announcers think the call will go one way, the referee comes out from under the hood of the sideline TV, strolls out to the center of the field and blows everyone away with: "After further review....."

What does this have to do with hunting? After lunch Mike had strolled out to the skinning shed to see how things were going. Mike came back inside and from the look on his face, I could tell there was a problem.

Mike said the bull was indeed a very old bull. Pete had pointed out during the photo session in the field that the bulls hip joints were protruding, indicating weight lost. The old bull had good secondary growth around the bases and I thought it was a wonderful trophy that anyone in their right mind could be proud of. However, Mike insisted that it was just under 40 inches and he was ruling it a cull, no charge. I repeatedly told Mike he didn't need to do that, I was very happy with it. Mike wouldn't hear of it and said no charge and I was still hunting for another Sable. All I could say is WOW and thank you.

 

[VertigoBE]

That secondary growth on that sable, wow ! That would be trophy enough for me!
But an amazing gesture from @spike.t ! Now that's a man who wants to uphold his reputation for huge sable !

 

[Nyati]

That sable a cull......my hats off to Mike

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Sept 27, Day 3 of hunting

Leave camp around 0700 and spot a good Sable bull at 0730. Attempt a stalk with Elise being the shooter for today, but it didn't work. Later in the morning, around 0900, another good Sable bull is spotted. We dismount and start the stock. Mike and Pete are glassing it and discussing opinions. It looks good to me, standing broadside at about 200 yards, but the sticks aren't going up. The Sable decides to move behind a supersize termite mound and we are all on the move while it is out of sight. The bull reappears on the other side of the termite mound and we are now about 50 yards closer. The sticks go up and Elise steadies the 7x57 and takes her shot. The bull seemed to buckle a bit and drop partially. It recovers and runs behind the termite mound and reappears where we first saw it. It pauses and starts to walk for the nearby tree line and woods. Elise gets off another shot, but it is a miss.

We all move up to the last spot we saw the bull and there are a few blood drops, but not much. We slowly move into the woods and catch a small drop of blood every few yards. I am not optimistic. After tracking through the woods for about an hour or so, I noticed a scratch and some bleeding on Pete's ankle. I point it out to Pete and asked him if we've been tracking him and not the sable. Pete and Mike both think a wounded sable was likely to move towards water (the Kafue River). We break off and head to the lodge for lunch. While there, Mike has the camp manager, Sid, contact all the game scouts and come up with a plan to utilize all the manpower available to make a drive.

The irony of the moment hit me at lunch time. I have a sable bull in the salt that was ruled a cull and I don't have to pay for it. I also have a sable bull, wounded and roaming the bush and I will have to pay for this one. The Good Lord giveth and the Good Lord taketh away.

After lunch, the Mike Taylor liberation army is assemble out in the field. The 10 game scouts, plus all of us set a skirmish line in motion, through the woods and working towards the river. I was somewhat disappointed that no spears beating a shield was going to be used on thus day. Later in the day, we take the cruiser and drive a road closer to the river. Pete spots a sable bull and sees a slight wound on the upper shoulder. Elise and Pete dismount, get on the sticks and finishes off the sable at 4:30 pm.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Sept 28, Day 4 of hunting

Leave camp at 0700. Each morning was cool mid 60s and by the afternoon warmed up to high 80s. Warm and dry sure does beat cold and wet!

0900, we spot a potential Sable bull but decide it's not quite prime time yet. Everyday around 0900 seemed to be the magic time to spot animals. Around 1000, my phone sort of blows up with text messages. It seems we drove to a part of the ranch that is know for occasional phone service. Most of my text messages are from Tim Scott and Vivek Ramaswamy. Geez, give these guys a few bucks and the won't leave you alone!

We head back to the lodge at midday and have lunch and a nap. I was actually thinking about taking the hotter afternoon hunt off, but we loaded up around 1530 and went out on patrol. At 1600, we spotted a Sable bull and dismounted and used the trees and termite mounds to close the distance and get a better look at it. The bull was mixed in with several other lesser Sable. Once I had a clear shot from about 180 yards, I squeezed off a shot and the bull dropped. We watch it for several minutes. Like my first Sable, it stayed down, but it wasn't completely dead either. We moved in closer and one more shot ended it.

After loading up the sable into the truck, there was only about an hour of daylight left. I think Elise and I would have been content to ease back to camp. I think we ended up taking the long way back to camp and came across and very nice Puku. Elise got on the sticks and put a good shot on the Puku from 130 yards. It took off running, but it was hit pretty good. It ran across some short grass and stopped, just before the tall grass. It was at 200 yards now. Elise got back on the sticks and shot very quickly. I thought too quickly to be honest, but the results were hard to argue with. Another good hit in the front shoulder and the Puku went down.

 

[Firebird]

That puku is a monster! Glad you had a very
Successful hunt. Congratulations on all you have reported on this far!

 

[steve white]

160 gr a-frame--probably the best POSSIBLE choice for a 7x57!

 

[Hunt anything]

Absolutely love the puku!

 

[spike.t]

Dave and elise we are very happy you had a great time hunting at takeri. Was nice having a family combo hunt. Sorry again from Pete and myself for the misjudgement on the first sable....it was a lovely old one even so.....but then again all 3 you both took were very old lovely bulls...and happy we found a very nice puku ,and exceptional lechwe for elise. Was pleasure having you visit, and am sure the massages given to your back by mine and petes cruisers helped sort your back out big time ...

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Dave and elise we are very happy you had a great time hunting at takeri. Was nice having a family combo hunt. Sorry again from Pete and myself for the misjudgement on the first sable....it was a lovely old one even so.....but then again all 3 you both took were very old lovely bulls...and happy we found a very nice puku ,and exceptional lechwe for elise. Was pleasure having you visit, and am sure the massages given to your back by mine and petes cruisers helped sort your back out big time ...

Thanks Mike! Yes, the Takeri rehab facility did wonders on my back. However, I don't think I am fully recovered yet, so an additional follow-up treatment may be required.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Sept 29, Day 5 of hunting

Cruising around on a road inside the forest, we came to a stop. Pete says we'll ease through the woods and have a look out into one of the large, open grassy areas. After a short walk of a couple hundred yards, we are at the tree line. About 50 yards out is a large termite mound, acting like an island in a sea of several hundred acres of knee high grass. We can see a group of Lechwe further out, so using the termite mound for cover, we moved out into the field. All of us are peeking around the right side of the mound, and from my vantage point there is an extremely nice looking male on the far right of the group. What I can't see is the even better looking male on the far left of the group, which has the attention of both Mike and Pete. Elise is going to be the shooter, so a few verbal instructions from Pete are whispered and the sticks are going up. The Lechwe are about 140 yards out and they don't have a care in the world. I am standing behind Elise and Pete and will try to video it with my phone. Out of the corner of my eye, at our 3 o'clock position, I glimpse some movement. I turn and look and about 100 yards out and see a guy walking through some taller grass and headed out into the open field. I initially though it was Bryan, our driver, but the color of shirt was different. Just as I am getting Pete's attention, the Lechwe spot the guy and take off. It turns out, the guy is a new game scout and was sort of lost and trying to find his way back to his designated camp. The game scouts typically patrol at night, so walking around during daylight hours is a no-no. Mike gives the young man a firm, fatherly type lecture and sends him on his way.

We head back to the cruiser and drive a little ways down the road and see if we can find the Lechwe again. We dismount and walk through the trees and bush, reaching another open area of several hundred acres of grass. We see a couple Lechwe, but not the entire large group we were looking at before. We again use a large mound for cover and ease closer. This time, we are peeking around the left side of the mound and spot a large male Lechwe and a few females. Elise gets set up on the sticks for a shot that looks to be just under 200 yards. I am glassing over her shoulder and see the big male Lechwe is looking straight at us and not offering a very good target. We wait and wait. Fortunately, Pete being the superb PH that he is, has set us up on the shady side of the big termite mound. Every so often, the big Lechwe appears to be turning, but he is just playing with us. This goes on for quite awhile, so we just wait. Finally, the Lechwe turns to his right, offering a left broadside target. One shot and the Lechwe is down!

Mike and Pete mention that a good Lechwe is anything 24 inches or better. This Lechwe was 30 inches and would qualify for RW.

Later in the day, I shot a warthog so we could have a pig roast.

 

[PARA45]

BTW, well done raising your daughter to like hunting, they are the future of our sport after we are gone. Thank you!

 

[cls]

Congratulations all around, well done. Thanks for posting.

 

[spike.t]

Thanks Mike! Yes, the Takeri rehab facility did wonders on my back. However, I don't think I am fully recovered yet, so an additional follow-up treatment may be required.

Ready when you are

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Sept 30 & Oct 1, Day 6 & 7 of hunting. Oct 2, in Lusaka

We had bumped up to hunting budget limit, so sort of took it easy. We headed back to Lusaka and again spent the night at the Protea hotel.

Oct 3, Airlink flight to JNB, then Delta 201 home

Mike got us to the airport and with just a little bit of bureaucratic red tape, we got checked in. Airlink was able to check our bags through to the US and issued Delta boarding passes. This helped so we didn't have to re-import the rifle to RSA and didn't have to handle our bags in Joburg. The Delta agent at the gate in JNB did reissue our boarding passes on Delta forms.

Oct 4, Arrive ATL (Wednesday morning 0730).

We got off the plane and made a bee line to immigration. The place was empty! We sailed through within a couple of minutes and went to the baggage area. After a short wait, our two bags came off of carousel 2. The secure rifle area is a glassed in area near carousel 1. We got our rifle and dipped our boots and made our way out of the baggage area. We were ticketed for a 3pm flight home, a 7 hour layover that I wasn't looking forward to. Since we cleared so quickly, I looked at the Delta app and saw a 9:25am flight. We checked at the ticket counter near the bag drop off and the friendly Delta agent got us switched in a few minutes. We dropped the bags and rifle, went through the short security line and took the train to terminal D. After a quick pit stop, we found our gate and boarded the flight. Made it home by 11am local!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

A few videos from Takeri

 

[PARA45]

Love the video of the python I like snakes and have not been able to see one in SA.

We went to a lion preserve in Thabazimbi, and they were looking for a big python that had gotten into the park. I helped out looking for the snake, luckily the snake was never found.