ZIMBABWE: 12 Days In Zimbabwe With Shangani Safaris

[Graham Hunter]

Sorry about your hunt but not surprised! Wish you had read my original warning when I joined this forum or on hunt report. I got fckd even worse than you. Hard to believe Lloyd is still allowed to operate. Funny thing is there was a Booking Company at HSC 2 years ago that were booking hunts for him. I told them about my experience and they said yes, he was having a tough time back then (97) but he was running straight now. Can't change the spots on a Leopard. He was Chipimbi Safaris then. Lots of bad reports on him. Don't book anything through Blair World either!!!

 

[Ridge Runner]

@Ridge Runner I'm truly sorry you didn't have a good hunt. I hear your side of the story and I get it, but not positive of the difference between your perceptions and reality. We all have "our side" of the truth.

I'm much more willing to concede/believe there is a bad PH in a story than a bad tracker. If a tracker decides to sprint, yell, and launch flares in the air they suddenly know when to belly crawl and get inside 5 yards. The average African Shona or Matebele tracker has skills and judgment that they know how to get in on game. I have watched them walking (what I call running) for literally 9ks after buffalo tracks until they decide that it is now time to walk because they are getting that close.

Had you been successful, you would have wrote that these guys are mystics, sorcerers, and wizards at knowing when to do what. You had a bad-beat, were unsuccessful, and as we all would be on the way home from a bad-beat hunt, extra critical. This isn't to say your critique isn't on to something or that you're wrong, just acknowledge that you're in pessimism mode just as we all have been in this moment.

The extra problem with humans, ourselves included, especially westerners, especially when dealing with Zimbabweans is the Confirmation Bias. Once we start to see a couple things we "think" are dead wrong (and maybe 50/50 of them truly are dead wrong) we start to build a constellation of facts in our mind. A was wrong, B was wrong, C was wrong, therefore everything that comes out of their mouths next is going to be wrong. Our bias is confirmed that since we think they were wrong on A-C that everything coming after is confirmed evidence they suck at every detail and they were complete imbeciles.

I had this happen to me a couple times in Zim, especially on my 2nd and 3rd safaris. Too much bad judgment for things I knew they sucked at (Pre-prep, logistics, mechanical skills, firearm judgment, maintenance) that made me think they sucked at everything. That means you need a new PH. Because you've lost faith and when they need to save your life, you're not going to react, you're going to contemplate...that'll get ya killed.

The amount of jumping off the vehicle and chasing buffalo spoor fast doesn't give me pause. The number of bungled final approach stalks doesn't give me pause either. (My kid had 40 blown stalks on his safari 2 months ago trying to get an arrow off on a clean shot inside 20 yards...it's hunting)

I think also your experiences in SA definitely give you a misconception of Zim because they are as foreign to one another as an Argentina Duck Hunt and an Alaska Sheep hunt. Don't mistake proximity to similarity. Wild Zimbabwe stalks on wild persecuted game in areas with dangerous game are not going to be as amenable to being stalked and shot as SA game that lives in sanctuaries without predation.

I don't know your PH or trackers at all and I'm not dismissing your frustrating, unfortunate story at all. But, I do think you're hot as a hornets nest right now and half of your experiences were pretty normal. Had you killed a buffalo on your first day you would have overlooked, rather than compounded the nonsense you endured.

If you go back to Zim and hunt with the top-rated PH and operator, be prepared that half the things you hated are going to happen to you again. You may also get skunked. It's hard hunting and uncertain success all the while you went in with unreasonable expectations for how quick and easy the success would be. (Buffalo in 4 days, add-on leopard/hippo/croc, plus an Eland)

If you want to try it again, go with a great PH and Operator of which many of us can recommend you some in Zim. Go for 14 days of hunting. Create a long list of animals you'd like to try and an attitude that you'll come back and try again if you don't get all of them. It will relax and de-stress you immensely. It took me 4 hunts to get my cat, 4 hunts to get my klippy, yet some amazing animals came awfully easy. Every time I go back my must-shoot list gets less demanding and the fun-factor and gold medal trophy count goes up. Go to relax and see what fate brings you'll be so much happier with the experience. This is the "safari bum" lifestyle and it really takes the pressure off.

I was only describing the 2 trackers we had for the first 3 days and again on and off till day 9 and 10 when all four trackers were in our hunting party. The fourth day and either or was with us Emmanuel and Samuel were much better as they would periodically stop, look and listen for buff and they didn't crash through the brush, they would look at the trail, pick the direction the buff were traveling and move along an obvious path much quieter and quicker. We were able to get what they, Emmanuel and Samuel, considered to be to comfortably close to elephants. We backed out and away just as quick and quiet as we came in and quickly moved to avoid the elephants as not to spoke them.

That's the difference between 2 somewhat inexperienced trackers and experienced trackers.

When I get to the end of the hunt you can get a better understanding of this.

No spoiler alert,....yet.

 

[WAB]

Near the Moz border way up North? @Kevin Peacocke was he somewhere near Chewore? What strip would be up that way to land a plane?

Karoi?

We landed in Dande and hunted right to the Moz border. That’s great country but tough hunting.

 

[Graham Hunter]

@Ridge Runner I'm truly sorry you didn't have a good hunt. I hear your side of the story and I get it, but not positive of the difference between your perceptions and reality. We all have "our side" of the truth.

I'm much more willing to concede/believe there is a bad PH in a story than a bad tracker. If a tracker decides to sprint, yell, and launch flares in the air they suddenly know when to belly crawl and get inside 5 yards. The average African Shona or Matebele tracker has skills and judgment that they know how to get in on game. I have watched them walking (what I call running) for literally 9ks after buffalo tracks until they decide that it is now time to walk because they are getting that close.

Had you been successful, you would have wrote that these guys are mystics, sorcerers, and wizards at knowing when to do what. You had a bad-beat, were unsuccessful, and as we all would be on the way home from a bad-beat hunt, extra critical. This isn't to say your critique isn't on to something or that you're wrong, just acknowledge that you're in pessimism mode just as we all have been in this moment.

The extra problem with humans, ourselves included, especially westerners, especially when dealing with Zimbabweans is the Confirmation Bias. Once we start to see a couple things we "think" are dead wrong (and maybe 50/50 of them truly are dead wrong) we start to build a constellation of facts in our mind. A was wrong, B was wrong, C was wrong, therefore everything that comes out of their mouths next is going to be wrong. Our bias is confirmed that since we think they were wrong on A-C that everything coming after is confirmed evidence they suck at every detail and they were complete imbeciles.

I had this happen to me a couple times in Zim, especially on my 2nd and 3rd safaris. Too much bad judgment for things I knew they sucked at (Pre-prep, logistics, mechanical skills, firearm judgment, maintenance) that made me think they sucked at everything. That means you need a new PH. Because you've lost faith and when they need to save your life, you're not going to react, you're going to contemplate...that'll get ya killed.

The amount of jumping off the vehicle and chasing buffalo spoor fast doesn't give me pause. The number of bungled final approach stalks doesn't give me pause either. (My kid had 40 blown stalks on his safari 2 months ago trying to get an arrow off on a clean shot inside 20 yards...it's hunting)

I think also your experiences in SA definitely give you a misconception of Zim because they are as foreign to one another as an Argentina Duck Hunt and an Alaska Sheep hunt. Don't mistake proximity to similarity. Wild Zimbabwe stalks on wild persecuted game in areas with dangerous game are not going to be as amenable to being stalked and shot as SA game that lives in sanctuaries without predation.

I don't know your PH or trackers at all and I'm not dismissing your frustrating, unfortunate story at all. But, I do think you're hot as a hornets nest right now and half of your experiences were pretty normal. Had you killed a buffalo on your first day you would have overlooked, rather than compounded the nonsense you endured.

If you go back to Zim and hunt with the top-rated PH and operator, be prepared that half the things you hated are going to happen to you again. You may also get skunked. It's hard hunting and uncertain success all the while you went in with unreasonable expectations for how quick and easy the success would be. (Buffalo in 4 days, add-on leopard/hippo/croc, plus an Eland)

If you want to try it again, go with a great PH and Operator of which many of us can recommend you some in Zim. Go for 14 days of hunting. Create a long list of animals you'd like to try and an attitude that you'll come back and try again if you don't get all of them. It will relax and de-stress you immensely. It took me 4 hunts to get my cat, 4 hunts to get my klippy, yet some amazing animals came awfully easy. Every time I go back my must-shoot list gets less demanding and the fun-factor and gold medal trophy count goes up. Go to relax and see what fate brings you'll be so much happier with the experience. This is the "safari bum" lifestyle and it really takes the pressure off.

I respect your post but I don't think you know Lloyds operation. Your head tracker may have been the washboy, cook or camp attendant the day before. He may have been from Harare and never even seen the bush. I could give you a volume on Yeatman and you probably wouldn't believe it! Just reading this post raises my blood pressure. I would like to see Lloyd again----On this side of the pond!

 

[C.W. Richter]

Chipimbi? Chiridzi?

 

[C.W. Richter]

We passed a small airport near Triangle only close city I can spell and remember another nearby town is Tranagalar(?). When I say close like 2-4 hour drive.

It was a 2+ hour drive through the tribal land and village to get to a river. Seems the area has 3 or 4 major or sub tribes.

If you can find the map that is like the one I saw on the dining/social area wall. There is a tribe that covers the northern part of Zimbabwe I think it list a esat or north, a central and west or south the large I was in is somewhere about the Mozambique border tribal land and around the boundary lines separating the larger tribe lands and another tribal land.

Again Chimopo may not be the right spelling of the nearest town to the lodge.

 

[C.W. Richter]

? " esat or north, a central and west or south the large I was in is somewhere about the Mozambique border" Triangle is in SE Zim. All of Lloyd's camps are E. of this former "Triangle Sugar" oasis. Slightly NE, E, or SE depending upon camp. Nowhere near Dande, etc. where most people hunt in the N. He operates in SE Zim, all near the Moz border, where Wally Johnson once operated across the border. W. of this area along the Limpopo used to be referred to as Greater Kuduland. Lloyd & Sabine live near Chiridzi. Do you not research precisely where you are going, and gauge how long it will take to get there? I would never, ever take someone's word on such a journey. Far better to research it all yourself. -My $2,000,000 Zim (lol$2 USD at one time)

 

[Graham Hunter]

? " esat or north, a central and west or south the large I was in is somewhere about the Mozambique border" Triangle is in SE Zim. All of Lloyd's camps are E. of this former "Triangle Sugar" oasis. Slightly NE, E, or SE. He operates in SE Zim, all near the Moz border. W. of this area used to be referred to as Greater Kuduland. Lloyd & Sabine live near Chiridzi.

He lives (lived ) in Chiridzi. He used to have a Camp near Gonarazou called Navasha? And Sengewe 1. Heard he had changed area's.

 

[C.W. Richter]

He lives (lived ) in Chiridzi. He used to have a Camp near Gonarazou called Navasha? And Sengewe 1. Heard he had changed area's.

Yes. Niavasha, Mkwasine, and another new area farther north, but all along the Moz border on diff. river systems. Each provides better opportunities on specific game.

 

[MarkB]

Your Zim hunt sounds a lot like mine from way back. My first safari had lots of negatives, promised and lied to by a US booking agent, sitting at Vic Falls airport with no pickup person, permits not in camp, missing PH, these things should have been organized prior, having no food or same squash soup and sudza nightly was OK with me. There was a Gov issue??

The hunt was in a wild area and the animals especially the buff were wild, to the point of spooky as hell. But we managed all except leopard and kudu, mostly because we had 18 days to hunt. I learned a ton from that hunt. No agents, talk to the PH who will be my PH, go with the flow, its Africa as they say.

I am somewhat concerned that your hunt was recent and you had some same issues I had in 2004.

My only recommendation is pick an AH Zim PH who is on this site for your next Zim hunt. He will deliver more than he promises. He was my subsequent Zim PH.

MB

 

[Graham Hunter]

Sorry about your hunt but not surprised! Wish you had read my original warning when I joined this forum or on hunt report. I got fckd even worse than you. Hard to believe Lloyd is still allowed to operate. Funny thing is there was a Booking Company at HSC 2 years ago that were booking hunts for him. I told them about my experience and they said yes, he was having a tough time back then (97) but he was running straight now. Can't change the spots on a Leopard. He was Chipimbi Safaris then. Lots of bad reports on him. Don't book anything through Blair World either!!!

Sorry it was 07 not 97. Fat Fingers!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A lot of questions there. That's good. It will or might help others.

I hope answer your questions in order:

Yes. I did communicate with Lloyd Yeatman directly, keeping James and Ed (James' booking agent here in the US) in the loop to ensure there would be no problems regarding flights, covid, pick up and drop off, visa, weapons, ammo, etc.

Unfortunately, I relied on James, and since James and Lloyd have a good repore with each other I respected James assistance in getting me a proverbial last minute Zimbabwe DG hunt.

My expectations through communications with Lloyd was to have a remote tent camp, in an area in Zimbabwe that was totally free ranging of all animals PG and DG in and near camp, thus the reason for bringing my 44 mag as a personal protection/defense weapon in/around camp. There would only be a remote chance for going after hippo and croc, with a much better possibility of getting or at least seeing a leopard while on the buff or eland hunts.

As for the PH Lloyd Yeatman, I vaguely remembered a post on AH, but couldn't find it regarding avoiding him and another fellow when it comes to hunting in Zimbabwe. Check the threads another AH member reposted the thread on my post.

The problem on my part with no disrespect to James Williamson or Buck Mcneely, I should have done a better job of vetting Lloyd. Being close to Mozambique, a National Park, and open Tribal Lands led me to believe this would be a totally free range, no fence, hard hunt for buff and eland.

I asked Lloyd to ensure he understood what type of hunt I was wanting. He saw dollar signs instead of a client and assured me he could meet my needs.

After I finish my hunt report I hope your questions are fully answered and I can better fully answer any further questions you might have.

If you google "Lloyd Yaetman" the negative AH post comes up immediately at the top. The word DANGER in capitals. If you didn't do this then come on, what vetting is that? Ok RR, you are the client, you pay the outfitter to know these things, so if he knew of Lloyd Yaetman and didn't say, or didnt know and didn't investigate then even as you seem to excuse him, he is at primary fault.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Near the Moz border way up North? @Kevin Peacocke was he somewhere near Chewore? What strip would be up that way to land a plane?

Karoi?

No Rook I think this spot is down near Gonarezhou, north of the park boundry.

 

[375Fox]

No Rook I think this spot is down near Gonarezhou, north of the park boundry.

He wrote he photographed giraffes. They only occur in this area along the Mozambique border so I think you have to be correct. There are no giraffes in Zambezi valley or along northern border with Mozambique correct?

 

[375Fox]

If you google "Lloyd Yaetman" the negative AH post comes up immediately at the top. The word DANGER in capitals. If you didn't do this then come on, what vetting is that? Ok RR, you are the client, you pay the outfitter to know these things, so if he knew of Lloyd Yaetman and didn't say, or didnt know and didn't investigate then even as you seem to excuse him, he is at primary fault.

Hopefully others who read this thread can learn something from it. Book directly with an outfitter in the country you want to hunt. Most South African aren’t experts at hunting in Zimbabwe even though many advertise hunts there. No American would call a Texas Whitetail outfitter to hunt elk in Wyoming, so I’m not sure why it’s common to book a Zimbabwe hunt through a South African outfitter. There are too many good outfitters in Zimbabwe not to organize a hunt directly with them.

 

[Gerry Addison]

I'm the person that posted the negative report some time ago on Juan Pace and Lloyd. I hunted the area bordering Gonarazou Park called Navasha. We road the same park border road back and forth every day. Lloyd knew Juan was not licensed to guide in Zim and yet allowed him to take two of us out everyday. I have hunted all over the world filming for a TV show on the Outdoor Channel and this was far and away the most disappointing trip I've ever been on and the only negative report I've ever written on any guide or outfitter. We (the three hunters) were told so many lies it was crazy. After I posted my negative report Lloyd contacted me and offered to take me on another buffalo hunt at a greatly reduced price. I declined and that tells you my feelings about trusting him. As for Juan Pace, I've never met anyone that told so many lies all the while knowing he was going to be caught in the end but didn't seem to care. I truly believe Lloyd was once a very good PH, but he is now in a position of just trying to earn money and will do whatever it takes to get clients and this includes dealing with people like Juan Pace.

 

[fourfive8]

Oh my! I had trouble following all that but yikes. Too bad about the experience.

Of all the trackers I’ve hunted with in Africa, the best have been in Zimbabwe, second only to the Bushmen of the Kalahari in Botswana. Two were poor, regular small village farmers from around Hwange Natl Park who learned the craft by keeping track of their wandering livestock- a very typical learning/training scenario method for the best trackers. They would hunt with their PH during “season” then tend their meager farms off season. I would guess 90% of their annual income was tips from the 3-4 months of hunting each year. The third was actually a game scout who had vision rivaling that of a Bushman. He was from south central Zimbabwe. What you ran into could very well be locals with no tracking skills nor experience. Who knows?

Hard to believe you didn’t know where you were but I guess some pay little attention to such details?? Actually, last time I was in Zimbabwe I could pin point my location by simply turning the locator on in my iPhone. Didn’t even have a local SIM card nor any specialized gps or map app, but it tracked my location very precisely. Just a plain old iPhone 6S.

I almost spit coffee when I read the reference to Buck McNeely!!! His redeeming trait I guess is I think he is a good hearted soul... but as to hunting? I watched one of his video hunts a few years ago where he was moose hunting in Ak. He killed a little bull maybe 40-45”. While doing the post kill hi mom shots and recap he was examining the teeth for wear and age. He explained to the audience and the guide that this was an old bull well past his prime. He could tell that because the bull had worn all the upper incisors completely off. I still chuckle out loud recalling that one. Yep, ole Buck.

I guess I’ve been lucky and never had such an experience in Africa nor the handful of Ak guided hunts for sheep and bears. Careful scrutiny of referenced info and gut feelings have been pretty good guides. I avoid slick pitches, promos, “deals” and too good to be true stuff like the plague. I think a single legitimate bad experience hunt story from the past, would be a huge red flag. Usually pretty easy to separate and distinguish sour grapes bitching from legitimate complaints.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Spoiler Alert coming:

I am adding to Hunting Day 9 rather than as a separate follow up do to what happens on Hunting Day 10 and in trying to keep a chronological order of events.

Before I get to Hunting Day 10, I need to include this in Day 9:

Since this is my first trip to Zimbabwe, I asked Lloyd about tipping. In my mind the only 5 people that deserve a tip are Emmanuel and Samuel the 2 good trackers, Sharon our cook, the laundress, and the 1 skinner left to finish and prep the buff hide for shipment to my taxidermist in RSA.

Later that evening Lloyd provided with a list of names of everyone, except his name, in "camp", with an appropriate USD tip amount and envelopes with everyone's name respectively on each envelope.

Note: As soon as I find this list I'll post it with the pictures. I thought I had put this list inside my journal. With the chaos of unpacking I may have put it in my Safaris file.

Then came my questions to Lloyd:

Why does Aconte, the tribal scout get a tip?
His job is to supervise hunt(s) on his tribal land. Aconte is paid by the. Tribal Council for observing and. reporting to the Tribal Council about. the hunt(s).

Lloyd's response: (not exact quote, but close) Well, he was with us on the hunt.

Why is _____, pump and firewood, on the tip list? This isn't a bush camp. This is a small lodge. He is doing his normal job.

Lloyd's response: (again not exact quote, but close), He is responsible for keeping water in the tank, collecting firewood, watering the landscape, and he helped a little with the skinning.

Why are there higher recommended tips for Emmanuel and Samuel than the other 2 trackers that were with us most of the time?

Lloyd's response: Emmanuel and Samuel have been with me longer and are more experienced trackers.

I thought long and hard over 2 hours and again after waking up early the next morning about to tip or not, and what if any tip would be justified/deserved while looking at the tip list.

This has been an overall bad experience.
Whose at fault?
Me. With only a head shot, off hand, at a buff, I should have not have fired, even though I felt good on making the shot and I was steady, at relatively close range. My mentality was to end this 9 days of BS.

Lloyd's. He is the PH and responsible for the entire hunt going good or bad, and IMO wanting me to shoot any bull to keep from having to refund any money for me not getting a buff.

No eland in the area. He knew this from the start, so why didn't we hunt in the other "camp" area where the eland are known to be in.

IMO Lloyd is seeing dollar signs not a client. He seems to be only interested in me shooting the higher cost animals, regardless of whether they are a real quality animal, or just telling the client (me) ol' that's a real good animal with him knowing and others seeing/judging it as not that good of an animal.

Spoiler alert: Hunting Day 10 gives more credibility to Lloyd only sees dollar signs instead of a client, and his lacking as a PH.

Trackers. Did they do their job? I can find fault with the least experienced 2 trackers, but they did put forth the effort in tracking and locating buff thou they lack experience; IMO a paying client's hunts should not be a teaching tool. This would or should fall back on any PH.

In reviewing Lloyd's recommended tip sheet.....I need to decide:

A. I can be a total ass by not tipping anyone.

B. I can only tip the cook, laundress, and main skinner.

C. Not be a completely total ass by accepting some of the blame for a bad hunt and tip accordingly to who did what, just not in the amounts I had allotted in planning for my Zimbabwe trip.

I chose option C. thus laying the blame of this bad hunt on myself and Lloyd.

Myself, as the client, at best insisting on having 1 of the more experienced trackers be in our hunting party with 1 of the least experienced trackers every day.

Taking time to judge an animal for myself and then getting confirmation from Lloyd if this is a suitable animal to shoot. Note: remember I'm after an animal that has (mainly) body mass, definitely hard bosses, and a "respectable" amount of horn. A "Dugga Boy" worthy of the nickname "Black Death".

Which by day 9 my attitude changed, it deteriorated into shoot anything to end this BS.

I came prepared for all day, long treks into the bush after buff and eland. I should have been more adamant about hunting and less tentative accepting the norm when it came to the daily routine of 2-4 hours in the morning hunting for buff, the 3-4 hour lunch/rest break at the lodge area, and another 1 1/2-2 hours in the afternoon hunting.

I should have called off the buff hunt after the seventh day. The first clue being on day 1 when Lloyd told me, I wouldn't likely get an eland in this area. The second clue was by the end of day 5 we had only encountered 3 (?) Bulls by themselves and a small herd of 7 to 10 buff with 1 "small"/"young yet" herd bull. And not the: plenty, a lot of, quite a few, a number of good, buff in the area.

Lloyd, PH, he knew this hunt is primarily for a buff and an eland. He knows this area is least likely to have any eland. Starting off by pairing the least 2 experienced trackers to begin the hunt. (Spoiler Alert Hunting Day 10.) Not taking time to judge animals, just the money his client pays for shooting the animals. As in not positively identifying the buff we dropped was in fact not the same buff I may have previously wounded. Nor the hippo was a cow with a calf, and not the bull hippo. Samuel identified my shot as a miss. Not wanting to follow up on a wounded buff we had accidentally crossed trails with. Wounded by a previous hunter or fighting with another bull.
(NOTE: I'm not looking for trouble. IMO Regardless a wounded animal DG or PG needs to be quickly and humanely killed, and not let to suffer.)

I pretty much stated my grievance throughout this post about Lloyd.

In the end I did tip, at a reduced amount and having more thoughts on the overall hunt, prior to dispersing their tips , I only reduced the other skinners' and grounds keeper's tips. The tips were out of what Lloyd would have received thus he received a considerably reduced tip. Which should have been none. (Spoiler Alert...the hippo hunt).

I will be adding the buff photo and recommended tips sheet once I get them uploaded to my computer. They are not in my phone gallery.

I'm the person that posted the negative report some time ago on Juan Pace and Lloyd. I hunted the area bordering Gonarazou Park called Navasha. We road the same park border road back and forth every day. Lloyd knew Juan was not licensed to guide in Zim and yet allowed him to take two of us out everyday. I have hunted all over the world filming for a TV show on the Outdoor Channel and this was far and away the most disappointing trip I've ever been on and the only negative report I've ever written on any guide or outfitter. We (the three hunters) were told so many lies it was crazy. After I posted my negative report Lloyd contacted me and offered to take me on another buffalo hunt at a greatly reduced price. I declined and that tells you my feelings about trusting him. As for Juan Pace, I've never met anyone that told so many lies all the while knowing he was going to be caught in the end but didn't seem to care. I truly believe Lloyd was once a very good PH, but he is now in a position of just trying to earn money and will do whatever it takes to get clients and this includes dealing with people like Juan Pace.

 

[Hank2211]

Interesting read. Sorry you were so didappointed in your hunt.

I do wonder about your shot on the buffalo. First, one normally doesn't shoot without the PH being close by. Too many things can go wrong if the PH is as far away from you as you say yours was - 15 yards is way too far apart. Even though it may have looked from where you were standing that he was in the open, it wouldn't be at all clear that he had a good shot or even a reasonable shot. You also were too far apart for any sort of reasonable communication, especially in the presence of an animal as wary as buffalo.

Secondly, I'm not sure that a first shot on a buffalo should be off-hand. You may be a great shot (and form your fist post, it appears you are), but looking through the scope at a dangerous animal and one which you have dreamed about tends to make even the best shots nervous. You want to maximize the odds of success, not reduce them. Most PHs I know would have told you to wait rather than take an off-hand shot as a first shot.

Thirdly, I'm not aware of a PH who would allow a client to take a frontal brain shot on a buffalo (or almost any other animal). It's a very low percentage shot (unless you are an expert) and usually resorted to only when the buffalo is approaching you with a certain amount of anger and speed.

Fourthly, it's never a good idea to make assumptions about what someone else is going to do, as you discovered when your PH said he wasn't ready to take a shot.

Lastly, I find it interesting that you were not charged for that first buffalo - especially in the presence of the scout. In the circumstances, I would suggest he deserved a pretty big tip!

I have been in situations where I have let things bother me for longer than I should have, and the situations have never improved. The moral of the story is, as you said, when something is bothering you, speak up.

Thanks for posting - we can all learn from experiences like yours.

 

[Edge]

Spoiler Alert coming:

I am adding to Hunting Day 9 rather than as a separate follow up do to what happens on Hunting Day 10 and in trying to keep a chronological order of events.

Before I get to Hunting Day 10, I need to include this in Day 9:

Since this is my first trip to Zimbabwe, I asked Lloyd about tipping. In my mind the only 5 people that deserve a tip are Emmanuel and Samuel the 2 good trackers, Sharon our cook, the laundress, and the 1 skinner left to finish and prep the buff hide for shipment to my taxidermist in RSA.

Later that evening Lloyd provided with a list of names of everyone, except his name, in "camp", with an appropriate USD tip amount and envelopes with everyone's name respectively on each envelope.

Note: As soon as I find this list I'll post it with the pictures. I thought I had put this list inside my journal. With the chaos of unpacking I may have put it in my Safaris file.

Then came my questions to Lloyd:

Why does Aconte, the tribal scout get a tip?
His job is to supervise hunt(s) on his tribal land. Aconte is paid by the. Tribal Council for observing and. reporting to the Tribal Council about. the hunt(s).

Lloyd's response: (not exact quote, but close) Well, he was with us on the hunt.

Why is _____, pump and firewood, on the tip list? This isn't a bush camp. This is a small lodge. He is doing his normal job.

Lloyd's response: (again not exact quote, but close), He is responsible for keeping water in the tank, collecting firewood, watering the landscape, and he helped a little with the skinning.

Why are there higher recommended tips for Emmanuel and Samuel than the other 2 trackers that were with us most of the time?

Lloyd's response: Emmanuel and Samuel have been with me longer and are more experienced trackers.

I thought long and hard over 2 hours and again after waking up early the next morning about to tip or not, and what if any tip would be justified/deserved while looking at the tip list.

This has been an overall bad experience.
Whose at fault?
Me. With only a head shot, off hand, at a buff, I should have not have fired, even though I felt good on making the shot and I was steady, at relatively close range. My mentality was to end this 9 days of BS.

Lloyd's. He is the PH and responsible for the entire hunt going good or bad, and IMO wanting me to shoot any bull to keep from having to refund any money for me not getting a buff.

No eland in the area. He knew this from the start, so why didn't we hunt in the other "camp" area where the eland are known to be in.

IMO Lloyd is seeing dollar signs not a client. He seems to be only interested in me shooting the higher cost animals, regardless of whether they are a real quality animal, or just telling the client (me) ol' that's a real good animal with him knowing and others seeing/judging it as not that good of an animal.

Spoiler alert: Hunting Day 10 gives more credibility to Lloyd only sees dollar signs instead of a client, and his lacking as a PH.

Trackers. Did they do their job? I can find fault with the least experienced 2 trackers, but they did put forth the effort in tracking and locating buff thou they lack experience; IMO a paying client's hunts should not be a teaching tool. This would or should fall back on any PH.

In reviewing Lloyd's recommended tip sheet.....I need to decide:

A. I can be a total ass by not tipping anyone.

B. I can only tip the cook, laundress, and main skinner.

C. Not be a completely total ass by accepting some of the blame for a bad hunt and tip accordingly to who did what, just not in the amounts I had allotted in planning for my Zimbabwe trip.

I chose option C. thus laying the blame of this bad hunt on myself and Lloyd.

Myself, as the client, at best insisting on having 1 of the more experienced trackers be in our hunting party with 1 of the least experienced trackers every day.

Taking time to judge an animal for myself and then getting confirmation from Lloyd if this is a suitable animal to shoot. Note: remember I'm after an animal that has (mainly) body mass, definitely hard bosses, and a "respectable" amount of horn. A "Dugga Boy" worthy of the nickname "Black Death".

Which by day 9 my attitude changed, it deteriorated into shoot anything to end this BS.

I came prepared for all day, long treks into the bush after buff and eland. I should have been more adamant about hunting and less tentative accepting the norm when it came to the daily routine of 2-4 hours in the morning hunting for buff, the 3-4 hour lunch/rest break at the lodge area, and another 1 1/2-2 hours in the afternoon hunting.

I should have called off the buff hunt after the seventh day. The first clue being on day 1 when Lloyd told me, I wouldn't likely get an eland in this area. The second clue was by the end of day 5 we had only encountered 3 (?) Bulls by themselves and a small herd of 7 to 10 buff with 1 "small"/"young yet" herd bull. And not the: plenty, a lot of, quite a few, a number of good, buff in the area.

Lloyd, PH, he knew this hunt is primarily for a buff and an eland. He knows this area is least likely to have any eland. Starting off by pairing the least 2 experienced trackers to begin the hunt. (Spoiler Alert Hunting Day 10.) Not taking time to judge animals, just the money his client pays for shooting the animals. As in not positively identifying the buff we dropped was in fact not the same buff I may have previously wounded. Nor the hippo was a cow with a calf, and not the bull hippo. Samuel identified my shot as a miss. Not wanting to follow up on a wounded buff we had accidentally crossed trails with. Wounded by a previous hunter or fighting with another bull.
(NOTE: I'm not looking for trouble. IMO Regardless a wounded animal DG or PG needs to be quickly and humanely killed, and not let to suffer.)

I pretty much stated my grievance throughout this post about Lloyd.

In the end I did tip, at a reduced amount and having more thoughts on the overall hunt, prior to dispersing their tips , I only reduced the other skinners' and grounds keeper's tips. The tips were out of what Lloyd would have received thus he received a considerably reduced tip. Which should have been none. (Spoiler Alert...the hippo hunt).View attachment 405659

I will be adding the buff photo and recommended tips sheet once I get them uploaded to my computer. They are not in my phone gallery.

Regarding Tips, what you posted above is about spot-on for Zim in my experience vs South Africa where you tip the PH, tracker, skinner, cook and maid.

Zimbabwe is a different ballgame. I’ve tipped the Parks Game Scout, local game scout, both of the PH’s trackers, skinner and the junior skinner, the groundskeeper/firewood guy, cook, maid/laundry (who was also the assistant cook)...heck there may have been another person or two in there! All had a part in my Safari and were tipped appropriately.