We meet the truck and enjoy a cold coke, a few minutes of catching our breath and taking in the beauty of an area I haven’t seen much of yet. It’s well before noon and the air is still crisp and cool. Perfect hunting weather.
It got down into the upper 40’s (F) during the night and will top out in the mid-seventies today. As the days go by temps will gradually warm to mid-fifties at night and mid-eighties late in the day. By Zim standards very enjoyable temps. I’m happy to not be hunting any later in the year
![Smile :) :)](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f642.png)
Doug has a plan and we’re off to an area elephant are likely to be found mid day. You know what they say about plans...
We’ve driven
maybe 10 minutes, round a bend in the two track and all of a sudden, Elephants! In the road, crossing the road, in front of the truck... kind of everywhere. Even in the dead of winter there are still a lot of leaves on the bush and trees in most of the area and that compounded with rounding the bend let us run right up on them. Not exactly what we had in mind, but you play the hand you’re dealt! How far will they go before slowing down? One way to find out. Off we go once the dust settles.
We follow, they keep going. At least the trail is easy to follow. Eventually they slow down and begin to relax. I really don’t remember how long or how far we tracked them but it was a few hours and quite a few miles. We finally catch up and start working the herd. They are a little spread out, little pockets of elephants here and there. We’ve got to sneak in close and get eyeballs on each little group without spooking them or giving them our wind. This is what elephant hunting is all about! What a rush getting in close, playing cat and mouse with these massive critters. As a newbie elephant hunter I’m surprised at times just how close we are able to get without them knowing we’re there. More than once Doug gives the signal to back out quickly and quietly. After giving them a thorough looking over we finally conclude there are no tuskless amongst them and move back to a safe distance. It’s past our lunch time and Jim and I are feeling it! Time for a sandwich and plenty of fluids.
We will rendezvous with the truck, have some lunch and maybe a quick nap and get back to it!
The evening hunt yielded another small bunch of ele we were able to look over and once again, no tuskless. On the way back to the truck we spot a herd of impala with a real nice ram in the group. Doug thinks about 23”. They are in a fairly open area and getting close is not an option. I am packing my .416 Rigby with a 1.5-5x scope. The best we can do is about 175 yards. Unfortunately looking slightly toward the setting sun. Up go the sticks. “Take him if you are comfortable with the shot.” I can’t tell which is the big ram. Doug talks me onto him. “You see the 2 together on the right side?” “Yes.” “You see the one by himself just to the left of the two and just beyond that stump and facing towards us?” “Yes.” “That is the big ram. Take him if you are comfortable.” Boom! I obviously lost him in the recoil, but the shot felt good. Doug has no call. We walk up. No impala, no blood. The trackers go to work. We find where his hooves clawed the dirt as he jumped. A few tense minutes of tracking and we have an impala! The first animal of the safari. There is just one small glitch. See if you can spot it
A beautiful impala ewe with FOUR holes in her!
![Eek! :eek: :eek:](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f631.png)
Yup four.
One in the chest, 1 in the arm pit, one in the belly and one in the back of the hind quarter. In and out, in and out. Quite a trick shot, eh?
What the hell? Where’s the big horns? The thought occurs to us maybe this one was behind the big ram? A camera man is a very valuable part of the team! Time to review tape. Nope, no one standing behind. Either Ryan and I were looking at another impala standing behind a stump, there were quite a few impala and quite a few stumps, or the big ram moved and a ewe stepped into position. I don’t know, but at least we have Hyena bait! Doug decides it’s time to yank our chain a little bit
![Wink ;) ;)](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f609.png)
Jim wants a female impala for a mount with a ram.
“Jim, we have a problem. Dan just accidentally shot our last impala ewe we have on quota. I’m very sorry.” Yer shittin’ me
![Er... what? o_O o_O](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f635.png)
Well, we all had a laugh and took a few pictures.
The ride back to camp gives us a good chill, but the fires are burning in our donkeys and a hot shower feels so good! We shower and gather around the fire for a beer and appetizers before dinner. It was quite a day! The pedometer on my i-phone says 15.7 miles today. My feet say at least 30! I will sleep tonight for sure
![Big Grin :D :D](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/twitter/twemoji@14.0.2/assets/72x72/1f600.png)
I’m sure dinner was excellent and I’m also sure I don’t remember what it was!
Tomorrow morning is going to come early...