ZIMBABWE: First Hunt In Africa, First Hunting Report, Dalton & York Safaris

[Rare Breed]

I don’t think it was a snake bite, but he fell and broke his leg trying to get away from the snake , I could be wrong though.

Wonder what it is about the Omay? I tore my tendon off my left triceps on my first day there with D&Y then you say York has broken his leg? Someone please tell us the story about York's broken leg. @Philip Glass @TOBY458

 

[revturbo9967]

This was a few years ago, it was on TIA

 

[Nyati]

Congrats on a great hut, that Waterbuck is really nice !

 

[abnhog]

Congratulations on your hunt - awesome animals. I’m headed over in July of 2024 to hunt for a bull elephant to complete by Big 5 with D&Y. Reading your report and seeing your pictures just get the juices flowing.

 

[DPHunter4570]

Heck of a hunting adventure! Great report as well. Dalton & York seem like a good outfit and good folks. I enjoy their YouTube videos done with Andy Buchanan, some really great stuff.

 

[Rare Breed]

This was a few years ago, it was on TIA

Anyone know the TIA episode

 

[revturbo9967]

Anyone know the TIA episode

He didn’t break it in the show, but it shows him in a cast a few times

 

[revturbo9967]

Congrats on a great first hunt and some amazing trophies. What part of CT?

Not sure who you’re using on the taxidermy side in CT but you might want to look at Johnny with Its A Trophy Taxidermy in the Waterford area. He has a ton of experience with African animals and is a great guy. If I lived closer, he’d be doing some work for me.

I live near waterford, but use joe at northeast taxidermy

 

[revturbo9967]

For the days that follow, we spent time looking for kudu. A few times in the mountains, and a few times in other areas. We saw some young bulls one day, but no shooters after the first few encounters. We walked a dry river bed a few times, once encountering a few loud baboons.

Well nobody likes a loud baboon. Dalton set the sticks up and told me to aim for the big one in the middle , I started to squeeze. Well right when I fired he moved and it hit low on the body. But it don’t go far.

After that we continued to look for kudu without luck, I suppose the name gray ghost is fitting. The last few evenings we called hyena . We would set the truck and build a blind around it, then call. Dalton had a thermal scope and would use a spotlight once in sight . On the second to last night, we called multiple areas. We had no luck, until we stopped on the road not far from camp. He started the call and it went for about 20 minutes, then he told me some were moving in. The call continued and he whispered to get off the truck as 2 hyenas were trying to move behind the truck. We crept down the road and he set up the sticks, whispering one was right in front of us, about 30 yards. He turned on the spotlight , and it turned out to be closer to 15 feet. I moved the rifle downwards and as it moved, pulled the trigger. I knew I had missed.

We looked for blood but found none. This was my last shot taken . It felt kind of crappy, but I had shot well all hunt, so I didn’t get too upset about it.

 

[revturbo9967]

A few random pictures

 

[revturbo9967]

We returned to camp very late after the missed hyena, and I figured might as well sleep in as we wouldn’t hunt the afternoon anyways due to their little bbq they throw on the last day.

I spent a lot of time at the shed over the days, so obviously I took pictures.

 

[Hunt anything]

Great hunt and write up, really enjoyed it.

 

[Green Chile]

@revturbo9967

Well done on both the hunt and write up.

My first Africa trip is booked for July with D&Y on a tuskless hunt.

Tuskless is a lot of fun!

 

[revturbo9967]

On the 13th, Wednesday, his camp manager drove me to Harare. The transfer worked out as they needed supplies, so timing was perfect. I went back to the Amanzi lodge for a couple of showers, dinner , and a decent sleep. The next morning I went to the airport and started my long journey home. I made it back home at 9pm Friday, after 2 long flights and a long layover in Doha.

This is where things my not sound similar to other reports. I had a great hunt, better than I could have dreamed, but there was a lot I did not like. I’ve decided to not openly write about those things I was unhappy about and keep things professional, although if someone wants to speak in private, I am more than willing to.

I want to thank all whom have helped me over the years with the planning of this hunt. @375Fox has been especially helpful. I’m glad I pulled the trigger and actually made it happen, and it was a great learning experience for the next time. I’m in the planning stages for my next trip to Africa, I can’t wait to get back.

 

[458JCE]

Thanks for sharing! Outstanding photos and excellent write up. Looking forward to your next hunt report!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Thanks for sharing your hunt. Some great animals.

 

[K-man]

Thanks for the hunt report and congrats on having a good time! I respectfully disagree about not posting about the things you didn't like. It makes a report more valuable to this group and the sport in general if you can tell us the things that didn't go well or weren't quite like you were expecting. It will make everyone ask better questions before booking and may make some outfitters better at meeting customer expectations. I agree it is a narrow line between posting the negative and sounding like you are just complaining. Your choice, of course.

 

[cls]

Enjoyed the story and pictures, you took some great animals. Congratulations and thanks for posting.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I live near waterford, but use joe at northeast taxidermy

Joe is really good too but like a few of the other big shops around the country what he actually does personally is limited. Does Chris still work for him? Last I knew he had 7 or 8 full time taxidermists working for him but that was back around 2010.

Johnny has kinda made a niche for himself specializing in African stuff. He was on the board for DSC NE and SCI for a bit and did a lot of stuff for folks affiliated with both chapters.

 

[Sideshow]

This is one of the croc baits.

Where’s your sense of adventure, get ya swimsuit on