ZIMBABWE: May 2017 Hunt With Mbalabala Safaris

[cpr0312]

Live and learn I guess Charles. Still seemed quite an adventure. I met Lin in Vegas this past year, seemed like someone who would be fun to hunt with.

It was a great adventure Phil! Lin was great to hunt with and I enjoyed my time with him hunting!

 

[cagkt3]

Fantastic report, sorry about the luck with Mr. Spots. Sounds like you still had a pretty good time (minus the mamba part!).

 

[cpr0312]

Sounds like you still had a pretty good time (minus the mamba part!)

Great time and hunt, and yes minus the mamba part!!

 

[Ridgewalker]

I'm sad your report came to an end like a good book. I so enjoyed it! And now Zimbabwe has to go on my bucket list. Beautiful country and Victoria Falls, well I never even considered seeing it until now. I'm getting too old to keep adding to my bucket list!
Thanks for sharing your trip!

 

[cpr0312]

I'm sad your report came to an end like a good book. I so enjoyed it! And now Zimbabwe has to go on my bucket list. Beautiful country and Victoria Falls, well I never even considered seeing it until now. I'm getting too old to keep adding to my bucket list!
Thanks for sharing your trip!

Thank you sir!

 

[buck wild]

I appreciate the time and energy it took to provide us the unabridged report ! I throughly enjoyed it.

 

[Ironhorse375]

Thank you for sharing. What a fantastic time. Many of us felt like we were right along with you. Well done sir.

 

[cpr0312]

Thank you @buck wild and @Ironhorse375 !

 

[cpr0312]

I want to put a bow on this report now.

I would like to thank Lin Stanton @Mbalabala Safaris for hosting me and for his efforts! Lin is a great guy, very knowledgeable, lots of fun, with lots of great areas to hunt. I was only able to see just a small amount of his areas, but hope to see more in the future.

Lin's has access to many different trophies including 6 of the dangerous 7, as well as many plains game options. I would not hesitate to hunt with him again and to suggest to any member on here who is interested in hunting with him to go for it!

I had a great time in what I would consider a wild place! Beautiful country, nice people, great hunting!

Until next time Africa.......

Thank you!

 

[jasyblood]

Thanks for the report Charles. Sorry you didn't get your leopard, but it sounds like you had a great adventure and got some great animals!

I really appreciate you taking the time to tell us the story!

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks for the fantastic report. It was indeed an enjoyable read. Sorry you didn't get the cat. Or the hippo... I know how both of those things can go and have been to those places mentally myself. It's all part of hunting. But sounds like you had a great adventure and you definitely saw some fantastic territory!

I visited with Lin at SCI and he has been on my short list of people I want to hunt with. Great to hear a positive report. Thanks again!

 

[CAustin]

Charles I enjoyed your hunt report and I appreciated the phone conversation this morning. Some folks go several times before they get spots and I'm sure you will try again.
As mentioned this morning I had a day last year that I couldn't hit a barn even if I had been in the darn thing. Misses happen in the world of hunting.
You got a great eland and saw things that many of us hope to see someday. Welcome home buddy.

 

[Mark R]

Thanks for that report. I will look at it in more depth when I get a chance but this brings back memories of our first safari to Africa in 2009. We hunted the same place with Lin and had a ball. The huts now have doors!!!!!

Cheers,
Mark.

 

[cpr0312]

Thank you Charlie!

 

[whitetail]

This was a fantastic safari hunting report, Charles! As we had talked about, it stinks you didn't get Chui, but there will be a next time! You got some great animals and the views (eg, Vic Falls)- spectacular!... For many that have responded to this thread- it appears most know firsthand the degree of difficulty that getting a leopard is. For those that don't, well, it is... And that is even with hounds- believe me- been there, done that... And the amount of rainfall that Zim has had this past year is record setting (I was there in late Feb/early March when the downpours were occuring- makes the bush EXTREMELY green and thick- you can't see anything)... And I'm glad that mamba stayed 30 yards away- yikes (we both hate snakes)!!!!

 

[cpr0312]

This was a fantastic safari hunting report, Charles! As we had talked about, it stinks you didn't get Chui, but there will be a next time! You got some great animals and the views (eg, Vic Falls)- spectacular!... For many that have responded to this thread- it appears most know firsthand the degree of difficulty that getting a leopard is. For those that don't, well, it is... And that is even with hounds- believe me- been there, done that... And the amount of rainfall that Zim has had this past year is record setting (I was there in late Feb/early March when the downpours were occuring- makes the bush EXTREMELY green and thick- you can't see anything)... And I'm glad that mamba stayed 30 yards away- yikes (we both hate snakes)!!!!

Thanks @whitetail !

And yes I'm sure glad that mamba turned the other way!!

 

[johnnyblues]

Excellent eland Charlie!

 

[johnnyblues]

Charlie what a great report. And I certainly feel your pain on Mr. Spots. He and I have a date in the near future God willing. I am sure you feel the same way. You got some great trophies congratulation's on a fantastic hunt.

 

[cpr0312]

Thank you @johnnyblues !

 

[gillettehunter]

What a great report. I love the day by day details. Looks like a great place to hunt. That is a beautiful eland. Makes a very fine consolation prize! Seems like you had a number of females on bait. Any theories on why no toms? If you had it to to do over what would you do differently? We all know getting a leopard is tough. This just reinforces it. A leopard is a true trophy that can be very hard to get. Best of luck on the next effort. Bruce