roverandbrew
AH enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2013
- Messages
- 441
- Reaction score
- 1,225
- Media
- 42
- Hunted
- United States, South Africa, Zambia
Dates: 23 Days, September 2023
Country: Zambia
Outfitter: Takeri Game Reserve (https://takerireservezambia.com/): Mike Taylor (@spike.t)
PH: Pete.
Pre-Trip Admin:
Travel was from my local airport to Philly, on to Doha, and into Lusaka via Qatar Airlines. Local airline (American Airlines) had no issues with my rifle and did the required inspections at the counter and with TSA. Upon arrival in Philly, I was sent to the Qatar ticket counter to fill out a few forms and have the firearm inspected as I was now transitioning from American Airlines to Qatar. There were zero issues, and everyone was friendly. The firearm was checked through to Lusaka at this point. In Doha I visited the Al-Maha (Priority Pass) lounge to shower and relax a bit. Upon arrival in Lusaka, I met with a Zambian Police Sergeant in the airport that Mike had pre-coordinated with to facilitate entry with my rifle. All went incredibly smoothly, and I linked up with Mike outside the airport. I chose to rest overnight at the Protea Tower Hotel in Lusaka so I would have time to exchange money and a few other things before Mike and I drove to Takeri. The Hotel was great with plenty of dining, places to exchange money, and stores for incidentals within walking distance.
The Hunt (Phase 1):
Hunt Days: 7
Weather: Low 60s to mid 90s. Sunny and Dry
Rifle: Highland Stalker in 275 Rigby, Swarovski Z3 3-9x36
Ammunition: 170 Grain Norma Oryx loaded by Hendershots (https://hendershots.net/product/7x57mm-extreme-custom-ammo/)
Drive from Lusaka to Takeri: 8 Hours (departed Lusaka 5:30AM)
Takeri Accommodations: The accommodations at Takeri are great. The area is beautifully landscaped and is comprised of two guest tents with built-in bathroom facilities (hot water) and electricity. The main lodge area consists of a well-stocked bar area, dining room, and seating area. The food prepared by the chef is superb and has very large portions.
Takeri Equipment and infrastructure: Everything was clean and very well maintained. From cruisers to shooting sticks, everything was great.
Day 1: I unpacked, area familiarization drive, and confirmed my zero at 100 yards. No issues.
Day 2: Lechwe and Puku
Day 3: Defassa Waterbuck
Day 4: Bushbuck
Day 5: Sable
Day 7: Bushbuck and Warthog
Day 8: Departed for Lusaka to start Phase 2!
Roll Up: Hunting at Takeri Private Reserve was an amazing and unique experience. Mike has done a wonderful job managing the preserve to ensure it stays completely natural with minimal human impact. Zero trash, fewest trails possible, no debris or man-made structures. The animals are plentiful and healthy. Hunting with Pete (PH) was an absolute pleasure. He is personable and a true professional who works to ensure your time spent at Takeri is unforgettable. I would hunt with Pete anytime and anywhere.
While hunting I began to compare my previous hunts in South Africa with Zambia and came to what I believe is the “Why Hunt Takeri?” proposition. If an African told me they had “Hunted the United States” and it boiled down to a few trips hunting in any southeastern US state, from a tree stand over a food plot for whitetail, I would feel they had only experienced the tiniest bit of what is available. Elk in the Rockies, Moose in Maine, Caribou in Alaska are other experiences that exist. The reciprocal of this would be a client telling his African PH he had “Hunted Africa” when all he had experienced was one or two trips to a specific country hunting the same game on the same terrain. The PH could say but the African experience is a buffalo in Zimbabwe, Sable in Zambia, Bongo in the Congo, plethora of indigenous plains game throughout South Africa. Different foods, attitudes, dialects, plants, and animals all contribute to the experience. The reason you hunt Takeri is because it is extremely well run and hosts phenomenal game indigenous to the area. It’s different!
The Fishing (Phase 2):
Following the hunt at Takeri, Mike (Spike-T) and I departed for Lusaka to pick up my wife who had recently flown in, also via Doha on Qatar Airways, to do a bit of fishing and to visit Victoria Falls with Mike and me.
https://zambezikingfisherlodge.com/
The three of us stayed four days at the Kingfisher Lodge and had a truly unforgettable experience. We fished up and down the Lower Zambezi while observing countless elephant, hippo, and crocs in the wild. From food to accommodations, it was truly a first class experience. My wife and I shared a chalet with a private bathroom that faced the Zambezi, where we were able to see elephant and hippos from our chalet, and where both passed by our chalet during the night. We fished for Tiger Fish on the Zambezi and also caught some huge Cornish Jacks, and enjoyed the spectacular sunsets over the river as we watched elephant on the banks and hippos and crocs in the water.
Victoria Falls (Phase 3):
With fishing complete, the three of us headed to Lusaka to pick up Mike’s wife (Louise) and we all drove to Livingstone for four days enjoying Victoria Falls. We stayed at the Maramba River Lodge, a conveniently located riverfront resort where the food and bar were excellent and where our very comfortable accommodations were safari-style tents with private bathrooms and outdoor showers.
https://maramba-zambia.com/
While in Livingstone / Victoria Falls we waded into the Devils Pool, took a helicopter tour over the falls, cruised the Zambezi on the African Queen, enjoyed sundowners and the spectacular sunset at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, and hiked through the park. The four of us had a great time and my wife and I are truly grateful for the experience.
The Return: After a few weeks on the road, we decided to spend two days in Lusaka prior to returning to the US. I do think it was a good idea to take at least a day to reset before embarking on the long flight home. We again stayed at the Protea Tower in Lusaka and shopped for a few gifts at the “Sunday Market” and walked around the city experiencing what Lusaka has to offer. Lusaka has some really great restaurants and westerners will be especially pleased with the prices. For example, my wife and I had some of the best steaks we’ve ever had at Lusaka’s Prime Joint restaurant, and our bill – for two steaks, appetizers, and cocktails was only about $35.
Mike had pre-coordinated our departure and moving my rifle through the airport was without issue. My rifle and all of our bags were checked through to our final destination with no flight delays and no lost baggage. On our return flight we again flew Qatar Airways through Doha. I will note that security flying into Doha and into the U.S. from Doha was quite high and our two-hour layover was just barely enough time for us to make our flight. I would strongly encourage anyone planning a similar trip to make sure they have no less than two hours in Doha. We had to go through security again after landing in Doha and then yet again before entering our gate lounge for the flight to the U.S. One note on this: the gate security was quite strict and even made me remove my iPad from its Otter case and made my wife remove her Kindle from its case. It’s also worth noting that there is no restroom or water fountain in the gate lounge. When we realized that, we had to leave to find one and then go back through security all over again. We entered the U.S. through JFK in New York and, though the airport authorities at JFK inspected my gun several times, everyone was pleasant, and we had no issues at all. We had a four hour layover at JFK and that was plenty of time for us to clear the rifle, go through customs, and find our gate.
Country: Zambia
Outfitter: Takeri Game Reserve (https://takerireservezambia.com/): Mike Taylor (@spike.t)
PH: Pete.
Pre-Trip Admin:
- 4457 from CPB (120 days old, Same one used in July for Bos en Dal Hunt)
- Flights Booked through Qatar Airlines Website (60 days out)
- Gracy Travel for firearm coordination with Qatar Airlines (https://www.gracytravel.com/)
- Lusaka Lodging was booked at the Protea Hotel Lusaka Tower for transitions. (https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/luntw-protea-hotel-lusaka-tower/overview/)
Travel was from my local airport to Philly, on to Doha, and into Lusaka via Qatar Airlines. Local airline (American Airlines) had no issues with my rifle and did the required inspections at the counter and with TSA. Upon arrival in Philly, I was sent to the Qatar ticket counter to fill out a few forms and have the firearm inspected as I was now transitioning from American Airlines to Qatar. There were zero issues, and everyone was friendly. The firearm was checked through to Lusaka at this point. In Doha I visited the Al-Maha (Priority Pass) lounge to shower and relax a bit. Upon arrival in Lusaka, I met with a Zambian Police Sergeant in the airport that Mike had pre-coordinated with to facilitate entry with my rifle. All went incredibly smoothly, and I linked up with Mike outside the airport. I chose to rest overnight at the Protea Tower Hotel in Lusaka so I would have time to exchange money and a few other things before Mike and I drove to Takeri. The Hotel was great with plenty of dining, places to exchange money, and stores for incidentals within walking distance.
The Hunt (Phase 1):
Hunt Days: 7
Weather: Low 60s to mid 90s. Sunny and Dry
Rifle: Highland Stalker in 275 Rigby, Swarovski Z3 3-9x36
Ammunition: 170 Grain Norma Oryx loaded by Hendershots (https://hendershots.net/product/7x57mm-extreme-custom-ammo/)
Drive from Lusaka to Takeri: 8 Hours (departed Lusaka 5:30AM)
Takeri Accommodations: The accommodations at Takeri are great. The area is beautifully landscaped and is comprised of two guest tents with built-in bathroom facilities (hot water) and electricity. The main lodge area consists of a well-stocked bar area, dining room, and seating area. The food prepared by the chef is superb and has very large portions.
Takeri Equipment and infrastructure: Everything was clean and very well maintained. From cruisers to shooting sticks, everything was great.
Day 1: I unpacked, area familiarization drive, and confirmed my zero at 100 yards. No issues.
Day 2: Lechwe and Puku
Day 3: Defassa Waterbuck
Day 4: Bushbuck
Day 5: Sable
Day 7: Bushbuck and Warthog
Day 8: Departed for Lusaka to start Phase 2!
Roll Up: Hunting at Takeri Private Reserve was an amazing and unique experience. Mike has done a wonderful job managing the preserve to ensure it stays completely natural with minimal human impact. Zero trash, fewest trails possible, no debris or man-made structures. The animals are plentiful and healthy. Hunting with Pete (PH) was an absolute pleasure. He is personable and a true professional who works to ensure your time spent at Takeri is unforgettable. I would hunt with Pete anytime and anywhere.
While hunting I began to compare my previous hunts in South Africa with Zambia and came to what I believe is the “Why Hunt Takeri?” proposition. If an African told me they had “Hunted the United States” and it boiled down to a few trips hunting in any southeastern US state, from a tree stand over a food plot for whitetail, I would feel they had only experienced the tiniest bit of what is available. Elk in the Rockies, Moose in Maine, Caribou in Alaska are other experiences that exist. The reciprocal of this would be a client telling his African PH he had “Hunted Africa” when all he had experienced was one or two trips to a specific country hunting the same game on the same terrain. The PH could say but the African experience is a buffalo in Zimbabwe, Sable in Zambia, Bongo in the Congo, plethora of indigenous plains game throughout South Africa. Different foods, attitudes, dialects, plants, and animals all contribute to the experience. The reason you hunt Takeri is because it is extremely well run and hosts phenomenal game indigenous to the area. It’s different!
The Fishing (Phase 2):
Following the hunt at Takeri, Mike (Spike-T) and I departed for Lusaka to pick up my wife who had recently flown in, also via Doha on Qatar Airways, to do a bit of fishing and to visit Victoria Falls with Mike and me.
https://zambezikingfisherlodge.com/
The three of us stayed four days at the Kingfisher Lodge and had a truly unforgettable experience. We fished up and down the Lower Zambezi while observing countless elephant, hippo, and crocs in the wild. From food to accommodations, it was truly a first class experience. My wife and I shared a chalet with a private bathroom that faced the Zambezi, where we were able to see elephant and hippos from our chalet, and where both passed by our chalet during the night. We fished for Tiger Fish on the Zambezi and also caught some huge Cornish Jacks, and enjoyed the spectacular sunsets over the river as we watched elephant on the banks and hippos and crocs in the water.
Victoria Falls (Phase 3):
With fishing complete, the three of us headed to Lusaka to pick up Mike’s wife (Louise) and we all drove to Livingstone for four days enjoying Victoria Falls. We stayed at the Maramba River Lodge, a conveniently located riverfront resort where the food and bar were excellent and where our very comfortable accommodations were safari-style tents with private bathrooms and outdoor showers.
https://maramba-zambia.com/
While in Livingstone / Victoria Falls we waded into the Devils Pool, took a helicopter tour over the falls, cruised the Zambezi on the African Queen, enjoyed sundowners and the spectacular sunset at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, and hiked through the park. The four of us had a great time and my wife and I are truly grateful for the experience.
The Return: After a few weeks on the road, we decided to spend two days in Lusaka prior to returning to the US. I do think it was a good idea to take at least a day to reset before embarking on the long flight home. We again stayed at the Protea Tower in Lusaka and shopped for a few gifts at the “Sunday Market” and walked around the city experiencing what Lusaka has to offer. Lusaka has some really great restaurants and westerners will be especially pleased with the prices. For example, my wife and I had some of the best steaks we’ve ever had at Lusaka’s Prime Joint restaurant, and our bill – for two steaks, appetizers, and cocktails was only about $35.
Mike had pre-coordinated our departure and moving my rifle through the airport was without issue. My rifle and all of our bags were checked through to our final destination with no flight delays and no lost baggage. On our return flight we again flew Qatar Airways through Doha. I will note that security flying into Doha and into the U.S. from Doha was quite high and our two-hour layover was just barely enough time for us to make our flight. I would strongly encourage anyone planning a similar trip to make sure they have no less than two hours in Doha. We had to go through security again after landing in Doha and then yet again before entering our gate lounge for the flight to the U.S. One note on this: the gate security was quite strict and even made me remove my iPad from its Otter case and made my wife remove her Kindle from its case. It’s also worth noting that there is no restroom or water fountain in the gate lounge. When we realized that, we had to leave to find one and then go back through security all over again. We entered the U.S. through JFK in New York and, though the airport authorities at JFK inspected my gun several times, everyone was pleasant, and we had no issues at all. We had a four hour layover at JFK and that was plenty of time for us to clear the rifle, go through customs, and find our gate.
Last edited by a moderator:
....again I will say it was a real pleasure to have you both come visit...and look forward to hopefully you both coming again, even if just for a holiday...
