ZIMBABWE: My Recent Hunt With Dalton & York Safaris

[CZDiesel]

Save Valley Conservancy

 

[Altitude sickness]

Very exciting

 

[JG26Irish_2]

AS,

Thank you for the very well written and detailed hunt report from the Zambezi. Clearly you all had a fantastic safari despite the many challenges along the way. Could you please describe the CEB bullets used in the 308 a little better? They were not familiar to me. I am taking a 308 with me to Africa later this year for a hunt and was interested in them. The Global entry experience is interesting. I applied for it when I got my TSA Pre but it has not yet been approved. I figured I might have it by time to leave for next year's hunt, lol. Sound like Dalton and York lived up to their reputation. Well done.

 

[Altitude sickness]

JG,
.458 Michael let me know about them and sent me some to try out. I had never heard of them either.

Shortly before I left he send me some. They flew great like all CEB’s do. And were devastating on Impala. And I’m sure they would have killed a leopard quickly.
Although they are not gentle on meat.

.308 100gr Flat Base Raptor - 50ct

This .308 bullet was designed with crimping grooves placed precisely for 300 Whisper, 300 Blackout, 300 WT as well as .308 Winchester. These hollow points are designed so that after 1-2" of penetration, 6 blades break off and radiate outward in a start pattern while the base continues on for...

cuttingedgebullets.com

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

That’s great, thank you for answering my question.

If you’re considering a leopard hunt in the future it’s important you ask about bait animals, the quota and costs. Some outfitters don’t give a discount on bait fees and it’s at full Trophy Fee Pricing, others do for female bait animals, and some will do a discount on specific bait species. It’s really going to come down to the operator and the area.

Another thing you’ll need to consider is the number of baits you need, and how often you need to refresh them. The warmer it gets, the quicker a bait spoils and sooner you need a new one. My Zim hunt in November had us shooting a lot of bait for this reason. A good sized Hippo and Buffalo will provide 8-10 baits with one animal, Zebras generally provide 4 baits, Impala provide one. At the $350 @Altitude sickness referenced above, 8 Impala are going to cost you more than 1 buffalo cow.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Thanks Bwana, Dalton is a very driven PH. He is a true hunter and killer.


On the Global Entry

Yeah I was hesitant to give the government tacit approval to use facial recognition on the ID card. But my military retire ID already uses it. And so now I can be tracked in any public space and crowd. But since the military ID already had it without my choice. No further loss of freedom.

Same rationale I had. I did my interview upon return. I learned if you report a trip within a specific timeframe of filing they’ll almost always allow for the interview upon reentry.

 

[Scott CWO]

Sorry for the PPS. I forgot to mention a few details I wanted to mention at the end.

First, my wife just reminded me that the reason she missed the first cow Buffalo was that the CDS turret had been turned. I didn’t notice the turret until the end of the day. Then the close range miss made sense.

Leaving Doha, while going through one of three separate security screening check points and carry on bag scans. Before travel home I pulled 3 scopes from the 4 rifles we took. The .505 Gibbs wore a Riton RMR.

So I’ve gone through many bag screens and X-rays at this point in the trip and now I run into a X-ray machine operator that pulls my bag for further examination. He, in broken English is calling my three rifle scopes. Military equipment and more specifically. Sniper equipment. I explain the rules to him that they are not rifle parts. He calls for supervisor
Number one.
Number one looks them over. I explain that I just came from Zimbabwe. He is in agreement with the original security person. At this point they are saying the equipment is illegal. Supervisor number two agrees with the others. And I am now thinking, best case I will lose an hour minimum and have another $100 bag fee going back to the ticket counter. Worst case my scopes are getting confiscated as military equipment.

So now I’m showing pictures of the rifles next to animals. And telling them repeatedly where I’m coming from. Supervisor number two abruptly says go. So finally, I am on my way. Thinking from now on.

The scopes are insured and not one of a kind. And will in the future stay attached to the rifles. In the rifle cases. When your tired the less hassle the better.


Third,
Before this trip my wife and I applied for the Gobal Entry card. Her entire timeline was quick and smooth. Mine was never approved before the trip. She would sail through every TSA check and eventually back at the OHare customs there were well over 1000 people in the citizen and non citizen CBP line. The Global entry line had zero wait time. She walked up to the booth and sailed through. She collected the suitcases and two rifle cases and waited, and waited while I stood in line. It actually moved well for that many people being screened.
Finally, I’m at the booth and the agent says. Hey I see your Global Entry application is approved. Would you like to do your interview now? I first said no. I’ll deal with that at home. Thinking that I could have used it two weeks ago. He says, are you sure? I’ve got three agents just standing around right over there waiting for interviews. Ok sure why not.

He walks me over and the young officer is very friendly and asks minimal questions, I take a picture, give my fingerprints and away I go.

I find it strange that my trip completion triggers the application approval. But I recieved my card in the mail less than a week later.

The card is definitely worth the hassle but different wait times and approval times are strange. I’m looking forward to never taking my shoes and belt off again for the TSA

Yes, Global Entry will save you a lot of time at US Customs in the future. My application also took longer than my wife’s application but I figured it was because I had traveled internationally a bit more than her. They do review past travel.

Facial recognition seems to be unavoidable now. Denver International Airport recently opened its new security checkpoints all of the checkpoints have it now.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Mtn infantry,

D&Y has quota to allow one cow Buffalo per cat hunt for bait.

 

[Beck]

Gr

Day 2


We wake up at 4:15, I am the first out and about and sit by the fire for the first coffee. Breakfast is at 5:15 and we leave camp at 6:00. We plan to get on Buffalo early to get a cow for bait. They do not hunt herds for the bulls. preferring to hunt the bulls that have left the herd or are running together and skirting the herds.

we cut fresh tracks by 6:30. Finding buffalo or elephant tracks on the road is so easy here that they have the luxury to only choose fresh tracks from that morning or late last night.
The herd covered a lot of ground quickly. We were on fresh spoor all along but it was apparent they were lined out and headed most likely to water. We finally saw where they watered shown in the picture below. The pace slowed and we knew we were close. Trackers Tongai and Gums heard the herd ahead and Dalton confirmed. My wife and I still couldn't hear them. we started to flank them and this took several attempts. While approximately 80 behind and to the side of the herd, 5 oclock from their position we run smack into a group of 3 bulls trailing the herd. They have our number and are staring at us from 50 to 60 yards. The one I see is a tank and a trophy to me. Dalton and Debbie are up in front and I see Dalton throw up the sticks. She quickly gets the rifle on the sticks and they are whispering back and forth for what feels like :5. then the 3 bulls take off on a trot over the hill and away from the herd.

Dalton comes back to me and is very excited and disappointed. apparently the hunt had quickly switched from a cow hunt to a Dugga boy hunt. Dalton shared that he hadn't seen a bull like that in very long time. The old, all white faced and broomed bull was in the shadows of trees and brush and even with Dalton pointing out wear to shoot she did not feel comfortable shooting into what she said all looked the same black.

That bull would be our focus the rest of the hunt. more to come on the hunt for the broomed bull later.

So back to the undisturbed herd. our focus goes back to a cow and bait. after several advances into the herd Dalton gets us in front of the moving herd, (he and his trackers are very skilled at getting to the side or in front of buffalo and elephant depending on the winds or thermals, to allow for an un rushed shot). So now here comes the herd they are very unruly and bumping pushing each other, bellowing and making a large ruckus. finally they settle down line out and are going to come right thru our last set up.

First a cow. Too young pass. then a good bull, dont shoot! then a mature cow, Shoot that cow! now another bull moves in front and she holds fire. The bull moves off and the PH says fire. The 300 grain TSX is on its way 60 ish yards and we hear the bullet slap from her model 70 .375 H&H. She looks to be hit hard and disappears behind bush next to her and doesn't come out. The herd runs off and quickly hear her bellowing. She feet not even 10 yards.

She hit her perfectly in the shoulder. straight up the leg 1/3.


a trail had to be cut for the Landcruiser that took 2 hours. On the way to hang 6 baits from the cow we had a flat tire that was quickly changed. we were only able to hang 3 baits that afternoon.

one was at the famous dinosaur spoor spring. they had a great cat on camera there and he was our main focus the rest of the hunt. More to follow on the Dinosaur spoor cat.

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Great shot! Nice old Cow!

 

[Beck]

great report!