ZIMBABWE: Carruthers & Co 2024 Hunt To The Save

[Kevin Peacocke]

We left early around 04:30 to avoid the mess at Mbudzi roundabout, we being Woods, Daniel and I three abreast in the front of Carruthers. Apart from topping up the gearbox and transfer box, a sort of ritual now, there was nothing else to do. The rest of our group, being Barnie and his 12 year old son Matthew would join us in a few days, so this necessitated taking all the food and drinks with us in the back, canvas sides firmly secured to keep it from bursting out. All good, but forget the rear view mirror.

The Beit Bridge road is now excellent and even through Gutu the potholes have all been fixed. Once one reaches the Masvingo to Birchenough bridge road you know you are in the lowveld and the sweat begins pouring. The lunch break was had under a large roadside shade tree and as Woods put out the bread and bully beef we simultaneously burst into song - "They're eating the dogs....."

 

[AZDAVE]

Have a fantastic safari! looking forward to you report. What are you hunting this trip?

 

[CBH Australia]

Following

 

[Rare Breed]

We left early around 04:30 to avoid the mess at Mbudzi roundabout, we being Woods, Daniel and I three abreast in the front of Carruthers. Apart from topping up the gearbox and transfer box, a sort of ritual now, there was nothing else to do. The rest of our group, being Barnie and his 12 year old son Matthew would join us in a few days, so this necessitated taking all the food and drinks with us in the back, canvas sides firmly secured to keep it from bursting out. All good, but forget the rear view mirror.

The Beit Bridge road is now excellent and even through Gutu the potholes have all been fixed. Once one reaches the Masvingo to Birchenough bridge road you know you are in the lowveld and the sweat begins pouring. The lunch break was had under a large roadside shade tree and as Woods put out the bread and bully beef we simultaneously burst into song - "They're eating the dogs....."
View attachment 646729

 

[Ravensview]

Good luck on your adventure, always look forward to reading of your adventures, when is your book coming out that I hope you will think about writing?

 

[baxterb]

awesome. Have fun.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Although we would be hunting from Hammond section which is way down in the south, we decided to enter the conservancy via the top gate and travel the 100km or so on the dirt road. The tar road via Chiredzi is quicker, but hey, we are on safari!
Pulling into the camp mid afternoon we were greeted by our PH that none of us had previously met, David Mann. Neatly turned out David looked very young, and being newly qualified we weren't sure what to expect. We would be with David for ten days with a buff bull and a cow on the ticket, perhaps a kudu and an eland, and of course some impala. We needn't have wondered, as the story will convey, David is a great PH already. Although none of us is a Ruark, my mind wandered back to the young Harry Selby in the dawn of his career in East Africa and I wondered where life may lead this lad.

No sooner were the dusty bags taken to our rooms than David had us on the hilux on the way to the range. Barnie was first up with his 300 win mag and of course at 50m it was absolutely spot on. Next Woods tried his Ruger No1 with the Leica scope, again all in a plumb radius. Daniel with his CZ 550 375 H&H again plum, but the 120 year old Westley Richards 450/400 hated the ammo Daniel fed it, and the only thing was to set it aside for more load development work back in Harare. Next was the Heym 450/400 and with the left and right almost touching and in the plum, I was greatly relieved. Finally, out came the Diana 350 magnum springer air rifle and everyone had a go. This is a powerful beast and well capable of scatter shot if you don't control it, but bottle top good at 30m on a rest. It's job would be supplying doves.

It was too late to head out, but on the way back to the camp with the setting sun burning the season's dust red we were all at peace with the world and ready for a true African adventure.

 

[Scanos]

Looking forward to the rest, thanks for sharing!

 

[AZDAVE]

 

[IvW]

21 day Safari?.....we waiting......

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I wish 21 days in the Save, but no excuse, I have just been caught up doing a business expansion in Johannesburg, exhausting stuff. Sorry guys.

Our rooms were very comfortable, but the roof fan did little but stir up the hot air under the mozzy net. There was nothing for it but to open the back door leading to the outside shower and the front stable door and hope for the odd cool breeze to whaft in. My deep sleep was interrupted in the early hours by stuff falling off the dresser waking me with a start. Lying there dead still thoughts raced through my mind, surely not a lion, maybe a honey badger, even worse. It was with some anxiety that I switched on the bedside light, and what greeted my blinking eyes was totally unexpected - a python staring back at me! The night guard came in and immediately jumped back, he obviously may have preferred the lion. The python, about eight feet or so now skulked off under the bed, perhaps that was where he usually slept when the room wasn't occupied. That wasn't going to happen tonight though, so with the help of a long stick we guided him out through the window.
With that excitement out of the way I decided to have a really good look around before retiring once more and lo and behold another visitor had entered the bathroom, far scarier to me than a mere python.
The decision was made, heat or no heat, the doors would be securely closed for the rest of this hunt.

 

[CAustin]

Ok that’s a game changer with a snake in the room!

 

[Doug3006]

Kevin, you should have asked the outfitter if it was OK to have pets in your room.

 

[CBH Australia]

Like it would be cool to see a Lion, but not like in your room.
I watched The Ghost and The Darkness to many times.

 

[AZDAVE]

They say python tastes like salty chicken

And spider make a nice crunch when stepped on.

Hunting during the heat of the year has it's special challenges. looking forward to the rest of your report.

 

[Frederik]

Thanks for sharing so far!

 

[Rare Breed]

You know I think we should start calling @Kevin Peacocke ”Commodore”. he dresses the part and there is just something regal about him all in a great way!!!!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The first action morning we rolled out on the hilux at 06:00 and began searching for spoor. Daniel was up first to get his buffalo cow and because of the chance of us seeing a sub-trophy bull (up to 36 inches) I was in the front group too. Just by way of explanation, my objective was a mature old bull, dagga boy if possible, and broken horns or skull cap would be heaven. David our PH was new to the area and so it was a fresh adventure for all of us. We had no idea where the buff would be, or how many. Daniel's objective was a cow to fulfill the 6th buffalo towards his learner PH/Guide license. No trophy required, but the older the better.
At the very first water hole we cut spoor and set off behind the trackers. It didn't take long to catch up to them, but they took off and David decided to head back to the vehicle and locate another group. Hammond is criss crossed by many road tracks and driving down them one encounters tracks quite often. Down go the trackers to assess the age and if the tracks are older than a few hours one moves on. Soon we crossed fresh tracks and everyone de-bussed to begin the stalk. I will just mention that I don't place my Heym double in a slip on the pickup, but rather it resides in a fitted aluminium case where it is utterly immune from bumps or rubs, even if thrown about. The case was custom made, is quite small and has four catches that I think are less hassle than a zip to open and close.
The tracks were fresh, probably a herd of fifty or so, and they were on a slow grazing march, evidenced by the concentrations of dung where they slowed down or stopped. It is amazing how fast the dung glazes over with that black skin, but when it gets to brown you are very close. The Save was extremely dry at this time of year, so visibility was good for us and even better for the buff. As soon as this group was spotted the instructions were out to crouch very low, in single file and inch forward. 100 metres and closing. I glanced back and the rest of the group who were told to hang back were in a line looking on, reminding me of those little critters in the movie Madagascar, I almost laughed! On we crept, stop, creep, stop, and a cow had spotted us. David assessed her to be good and old and Daniel went up on the sticks at about 75 metres. Now they were all looking. She was facing straight on and as the 375 rang out she bucked, ran maybe 30 metres and keeled over. The death bellow came and we cautiously approached, but the rest of the herd milled about for quite a while before departing their comrade and we could get to the old cow. Daniel and I both smelt the hide, it is a truly delightful smell, like a puppy, and it brings another dimension to the appreciation of one's quarry. They are truly beautiful animals.
Back at the skinning shed the heart was found to be exploded, lung damage and the perfectly mushroomed Hornady DGX had ended up in the stomach. A very good shot with his red dot.