ZIMBABWE: My Buffalo Hunt With ZimAfrica Wildlife Safaris

Mike70560 said:

Glad you got your buffalo. Even on a discounted hunt there is no reason not to have permits in hand and in general take care of the client needs.

I will say this, you are a braver man than me. There is no way I would do a two by one 7 day hunt for buffalo much less a three by one 7 day hunt. In that circumstance you and your buddies were extremely successful in taking three buffalo.

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+1.

Congrats.

I am back to this contraption they call a computer.

Thanks AH members for reading the report(s). The Lioness report is posted also. I hope you enjoy them both.

Good or bad, these are all experiences I can cherish. Being fortunate to hunt the great lands of Africa is one I hope all those who want to, can!

Hey, I bought a new gun case that can take the abuse. But, the next PH who walks all over it, will get a great ASS chewing!

Happy Holidays to each of you and your families.

Good to hear from you Velo Dog.

Ya, a 3x1 buff hunt sounds insane.

Sometimes I am a gluten for punishment. This case, it worked out in our favor.

Velo Dog said:

+1.

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Nice Buff would love to hear the rest of the story.

I have hunted out of the same camp and the PH Rusty was there with another hunter. I also had some difficulties but they worked very hard to over come them. I went on a 10 day hunt for elephant buffalo and hippo. Wishful attempt and not really expecting to get all 3 in 10 days. Well I had a wonderful local Black PH named Raphael who I would hunt with again in a heartbeat. He worked extremely hard. Got me the first elephant on day 2 at 15 yards then we went buffalo only saw one buffalo on day 4 and killed it at 70 yards but it was one of the most massive buffalo I have seen. The biggest in camp. Then wanted the hippo a few days went by while waiting for a permit I shot at but missed a crocodile I shot a baboon and a giraffe and then was told there were no hippo permits available the quota was filled. Wayne asked what else I was interested in and I said another elephant would be nice but I could afford it. I told him my buget was up with the fee for the hippo. He got back to me and said there was a problem elephant near a village a few hours away and I could try for that at the same fee as for the hippo. So it's game on. We pick up the government agent on the way get to the village late afternoon. Just like a seen out of National Geographic. All the villagers were happy to see us and my PH grew up in a simular village and spoke the local language. Some villagers took us down the trail where the elephants had been raiding their village from and we meet a bull elephant coming our way and I killed him with my 500 Jeffery. Although every thing didn't go as planed it was one of best of many safaris I have been on. Titus was the camp manager when I was there a very likable fellow. I am trying to set up another hunt with them soon.

"He got back to me and said there was a problem elephant near a village a few hours away and I could try for that at the same fee as for the hippo. So it's game on"

these often turn out to be the best hunts.

Sir you got a great Buff. My take on the booking agent is that he isn't worth what it cost to use him. I take it you would not recommend or use him again.

Roger congrats on the buffalo!

If you had to trucks and an apprentice PH to help out, would that count more as a 3x2 hunt?

A brain shot at 9 yards with a bow is absolutely the craziest thing I've heard of! He may as well just hang up his bow because how do you top that!?

That booking agent should absolutely have figured out all those issues before you left home..... Not worth his salt much less his commission.

I booked our first hunt with James and he made it very clear that if any issues came up to to call him no matter what time it was.

In any case, thanks for sharing the report! Honest experiences shared is what makes this site so valuable. Now I gotta find your lioness hunt report!

Hello AH members. Thought I would post a quick note to all.

Thanks for taking the time to read my report(s).

I've been working many hours in the studio, very, very busy.

Happy Holidays to all.

Very nice buff you got, congratulations! I hunted at the same camp for Buff just a couple weeks before you and my PH was Heath Jardine. He picked me up in Victoria falls and everything was great. Drove out to the camp and started hunting the next morning right in front of camp. I never experienced a problem with permits. He had said something about special government permits for hunting in the park that they were going to try this year but the government was giving them a bit of a run around on them. Unfortunately that may be what you got into.

As for Jeff Martinell I agree that he adds nothing to the hunt. Not much reason to use him.

I think a little of that's hunting . TIA also plays a part.

Gun cases ......never transit Heathrow London.... once saw my case airborne as I waited to get off the plane ....... don't think a buff at its worst could so what those baggage handlers can do.

Roger despite the report, congratulations on the Buff. Hes a beauty. I have learned in my travels, nothing works the way we plan. Every country moves at its own heartbeat and pace. Yes the permits should have been sorted and ready but, nothing goes as expected. Sounds like the guys worked hard putting you in multiple spots for a shooter. The only thing that sounds sketchy is PHs walking on you personal gear. Despite the odds three for three is a pretty good hunt and they look like big boys. I realize none of us were there, but congrats on your good results