ZIMBABWE: My Most Ambitious Hunt To Date And...

Congrats on an absolute brute of a lion!

What a lion. Congrats!

Congratulations on an amazing lion!

A picture sketched by my wife from inside the tent.

Sourdough said:

Thirty minutes passed. I felt much better and determined that I could safely continue the hunt.

Kriton passed me my RIGBY 450 No 2 double rifle. It was loaded with two 3 1/2 inch shells topped with Woodleigh 480 grain soft nose round nose bullets.

Buzz laid out the plan. We would sneak to the where the lions had been. He would determine which we should take after confirming they were old enough. He would then set up the shooting sticks and I’d shoot the one indicated.

The sneak began.

As they came into view one spotted us, a huge lion, jumped up and began his bolt for safety. This triggered the same response from the second, also a huge lion. The third lion reacted to the second, got up and turned to run away from us. Buzz, not having time to pull the pink bicycle horn from his pocket made a sheep like call, “baaa baaa baaa”. The lion stopped momentarily and turned his head to look back at us.

Not having time to set up the shooting sticks I through the RIGBY to my shoulder. Facing away from us my best and surest shot was his spine. I pulled the trigger. The RIGBY recoiled and the lion dropped to the ground. Unable to get up, and bleeding from the femoral artery Buzz and I pivoted to get a side shot and move in closer. I replaced the spent cartridge on the move. The lion reacted to our move by trying to get up so I took two more shots. That put him down but not yet out. He was now pumping blood from three holes. I reloaded and put another hole in him.

He was certainly dead on the first shot but with dangerous game you don’t take chances.

Buzz was as happy as I when he realized this was the biggest lion he’d taken in his 30 years as a professional hunter.

Wow, what an honor for me. First animal taken with my new double. And the biggest Lion Buzz has hunted (a huge honor for Buzz, his team, and of course me), and what a huge honor for Rigby. The first Lion taken with a Rigby 450 No 2.

Andy shot some fantastic video that you will all have a chance to see in the coming months when the production puts the film together.

On our drive back to camp the team riding in back started the traditional song when a Lion is killed and as we rolled into camp the entire camp was there to join in song. Another honor for me to be sure.

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Amazing experience, congrats! The planning and preparation coming to fruition must be tremendously gratifying. Journey on! I have been communicating with Buzz and hope to hunt with him soon.

Sourdough said:

At one of the bait sites I took out my pink bicycle horn and started blowing on it. It is the finest predator call and I’ve successfully called in critters around the world

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The glory of this hunt contrasts rather dramatically with this statement. I loved this story. Thank you.

The Cape Buffalo Hunt

We weren’t looking for Buffalo but Zebra or Impala to freshen up some leopard baits. We were driving and then walking in what I’ll call East Africa Vlei because the country looks like the pictures we’ve seen of Kenai back in its golden age.

We saw two big hyenas but no zebra or impala. We continued to walk. To our surprise we encountered a herd a of over 150 Cape Buffalo crossing in front of us headed for the teak forest in the hills.

Buzz decided we should head up into the hills and get in front of them, which we did. Once we were above them we stopped and waited. We watched numerous buffs walk by, all too small. Eventually a hard boss buffalo stepped into my view. Not exceptionally big but decent horns and he would make excellent bait (and of course some steaks for dinner).

In the teak forest with heavy undergrowth I could only make out the upper third of his body. I shouldered the RIGBY 450 No 2. He turned his head to look in my direction.

I squeezed the trigger and a 480 grain Woodleigh Round Nose Soft Nose bullet exited the barrel and traveled the 25 yards to the buff as the recoil pushed me back and the barrels skyward. The Woodleigh did its job hitting the buffalo in the shoulder instantly dropping him to the ground. He started his death bellow as I put another round into him and then another.

I got closer and put a fourth round through his heart as an insurance shot. His death bellow ended. Handshakes and congratulations went all around.

The obligatory photos, video and interviews occurred. Kriton, Eddie and I did a Buffalo dance. Then the hard work began. Part of the team headed down hill to cut a road for the hunting car to come up so we could load the buffalo. The remainder of the team got to work skinning the buffalo and cutting it up into bait sections.

Another successful hunt with Buzz and his team along with another first. First Cape Buffalo ever taken with Rigby 450 No 2 double rifle.

Excellent, congrats!!

Wow congrats what a hunt so far I am sure after this hunt that double will always be on your side in Africa.

I’m sorry if you have been asked and answered.

Did you pay for a second bait team to maintain and check bait stations? or are you and Buzz doing that between hunts?

Altitude sickness said:

I’m sorry if you have been asked and answered.

Did you pay for a second bait team to maintain and check bait stations? or are you and Buzz doing that between hunts?

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The concession is so big and the baits spread so far apart that Buzz and crew are putting up and maintaining, but he also has his apprentice Daniel maintaining others (spoiler alert…we don’t need them any longer…story to come).

Excited to hear the rest of the story.


If I can be talked into being the observer or third wheel on a leopard hunt again. It would have to involve additional help with the baits. I did not enjoy the elephant and buffalo tracking taking a back seat to killing, refreshing and checking baits. Just not my thing. Maybe eventually I will enjoy riding and sitting more than tracking.

Sourdough said:

The concession is so big and the baits spread so far apart that Buzz and crew are putting up and maintaining, but he also has his apprentice Daniel maintaining others (spoiler alert…we don’t need them any longer…story to come).

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Maybe I’m reading this wrong but you said “Buzz & the Crew are putting up and maintaining” after saying how big and far apart the baits are.

Why not say “we”? Are you hunting with another PH? Staying at camp or something that you’re not along to help maintain the baits Buzz and Crew are maintaining? I get Daniel is maintaining some, maybe I’m reading into it too much but if hunting with Buzz id have said “we” since I’m out there helping with the baiting any way I can; pulling baits into the tree, carrying the baits, cutting branches to put over the baits, etc

Mtn_Infantry said:

Maybe I’m reading this wrong but you said “Buzz & the Crew are putting up and maintaining” after saying how big and far apart the baits are.

Why not say “we”? Are you hunting with another PH? Staying at camp or something that you’re not along to help maintain the baits Buzz and Crew are maintaining? I get Daniel is maintaining some, maybe I’m reading into it too much but if hunting with Buzz id have said “we” since I’m out there helping with the baiting any way I can; pulling baits into the tree, carrying the baits, cutting branches to put over the baits, etc

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You are reading to much into it. Buzz is my PH and I’m hunting with him and his team.

I however am not hanging the baits myself, that belongs to Buzz’s team. Although yes, I have help pull baits into the trees.

The Leopard Hunt

First evening we are in the blind. The leopard comes in and goes up to the bait. I’m working on getting the camo screen cleared so I can shoot. The leopard takes one bite of the bait turns and departs. I didn’t have time to get on my gun.

Next morning we head out early, before daylight. As we near the blind we see the leopard lying on the ground. Buzz sends Andy ahead to set up his camera. He had been feeding on a lot of the buffalo bait, his stomach was noticeably fat. Leopard gets up and wanders off. We will continue to sit for two hours in case the leopard comes back.

The leopard did not return. So we headed off in search of elephant. Walked on the track of a bull in musk but quickly he joined with cows and they never slowed down. So we abandoned that tracking session. We were back on the road looking for elephant tracks when we received word from Buzz’s appy that another leopard was on camera at nearly the other end of the concession so off we went to investigate. When we got there and looked at the film it was inconclusive so we repositioned the cameras. We broke for lunch and next headed back to the place we were this morning and sit in the blind for the evening.

We rolled right up to the bait in the hunting car so the leopard would see the car arrive and leave. Myself, Buzz and Andy disembarked and headed to the blind. Only Andy and I could really fit into the Blind so Buzz stayed outside in a camp chair.

Andy and I settled in. It was HOT in the blind. I positioned the double and hung the camo netting so it covered the view into through shooting hole.

Ten minutes after 4pm came and went which was when he’d come in the evening before. Then 4:30. Then 5:00. Then 5:15. It was still hot outside, hotter than the day before. I motioned to Andy the sign of a big belly and sleeping. Perhaps the leopard wasn’t hungry after eating all the buffalo that morning.

A light rain started to fall dropping the air temperature. Maybe now the leopard would feed. Then as soon as the rain had started it stopped.

Then it happened. Andy motioned to me that the leopard was here. I peered through the camo netting but couldn’t see him. And then there he was. For me through the netting just an orange blob on the ground.

I reached for the stick I had stuck in the ground next to my chair. I used it to reach on the side where the camo netting was attached to the blind and lifted it free and slowly moved it off the double.

I could now see the leopard clearly. He wandered around the base of the bait licking his lips. Looking alternately at the meat hanging in the tree to directly at us in the blind. Could he see us? Probably. But each time he looked our way we froze and he went back to licking his lips and looking at the meat.

Finally he jumped onto the tree we’d cut and leaned against the bait tree so he could get to the meat. He went to eating immediately and then stepped off and hung midair trying to break some of the meat free he shook and shook giving me no shot. Eventually he let go and dropped to the ground.

The three of our hearts sank as he started to walk away. Was it happening again? Would he not come back till tomorrow? But then he turned around and jumped back up and started eating again.

He was 35 yards away. I settled the front bead of the iron sights into the V of the rear sight and positioned both near the shoulder of the leopard. The perfect shot. The leopard moved a little as he tore pieces of buffalo free. The safety was off and my forefinger rested on the front trigger. No way I would take the shot unless I was 100% sure of my shot placement. I didn’t want anyone to have to contend with a wounded leopard- the chainsaw of the wounded animal kingdom.

Then he sat back on his haunches. That gave me the perfect opportunity.

I pulled the front trigger and the RIGBY 450 No 2 roared to life send a 480 grain Woodleigh Round Nose Soft Nose bullet flying while rocking me back with recoil. When I regained my sight picture the leopard was no longer where he was a second ago. But was he dead? I knew the sight picture was perfect when I pulled the trigger but…..

Buzz stuck his head into the blind smiling ear to ear. Andy turned to look at me also with a huge smile on his face. I knew then that my shot had been true and the leopard was dead.

I passed my double out the blind to Buzz and Andy and I exited. Buzz handed my double back to me and the three of us walked the 35 yards to the leopard.

There he lay in his magnificence. Teeth worn down to almost nothing. Certainly he wasn’t too far off from a long painful death by hyenas.

The rest of the team arrived in short order having heard the shot. Hand shakes, hugs and dancing was the order of the moment.

A huge thunderstorm was developing in the direction of camp so we quickly set up for pictures then loaded the leopard and off we went.

A couple more firsts occurred this day. First ever leopard taken by a Rigby 450 No 2 double rifle. And the first time in Buzz’s career that a leopard was taken with a double rifle with iron sights.

A fantastic hunt to be sure and some epic video shot by Andy. And an unending thanks to the guys and Andy who rode in the back of the hunting car in the torrential downpour getting themselves soaked while they used their bodies to shield my rifles from getting wet.

Day 8 of 21 and three of the Big Four are in the salt. Now we focus entirely on a big Elephant Bull.

Sourdough said:

On day one the first animal we shot for bait was a giraffe. Probably 150 yards away so I used the 1914 Holland & Holland 375 H&H.

Shot him in the heart. He ran about 25 yards, doubled back and then turned in a circle or two and fell over. It was interesting to see blood sprayed onto a tree about eye level.

I’ll keep the skull and some panels. First giraffe I’ve hunted. There are a lot of giraffe here.

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He's a good lad young Daniel, he was the appy on my hunt with CMS, will make a fine PH one day

Sourdough said:

You are reading to much into it. Buzz is my PH and I’m hunting with him and his team.

I however am not hanging the baits myself, that belongs to Buzz’s team. Although yes, I have help pull baits into the trees.

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First Congratulations on a beautiful Leopard and a great Safari. You’re not even halfway through the hunt and already have several great trophies of a lifetime to accompany your others. Hopefully your wife is having as grand a time as you are. Has Richard been joining you? I planned on reading one of his books on the flight over in a few weeks.

Must’ve been me, I was a little confused by your wording of it being a very big area and baits spread far apart. When you said it was Buzz and his crew were baiting I got confused knowing he was your PH in the other stories, why not just say “No we are, with a little help from Daniel”. Must’ve just been how I read it.

How’s the Elephant Hunting going? Any large promising tracks? Y’all covering a lot of ground? When I drove through Matetsi 6 last year, there were elephants and sign everywhere. We saw one really great bull along the boundary we estimated to be every bit of 60 pounds. I know I’m skipping ahead but really want to know more so we can be part of the Safari with you. Never hunted with Buzz or CMS but this has me really wanting to.

Congrats on a great shot

I agree wholeheartedly

Mtn_Infantry said:

First Congratulations on a beautiful Leopard and a great Safari. You’re not even halfway through the hunt and already have several great trophies of a lifetime to accompany your others. Hopefully your wife is having as grand a time as you are. Has Richard been joining you? I planned on reading one of his books on the flight over in a few weeks.

Must’ve been me, I was a little confused by your wording of it being a very big area and baits spread far apart. When you said it was Buzz and his crew were baiting I got confused knowing he was your PH in the other stories, why not just say “No we are, with a little help from Daniel”. Must’ve just been how I read it.

How’s the Elephant Hunting going? Any large promising tracks? Y’all covering a lot of ground? When I drove through Matetsi 6 last year, there were elephants and sign everywhere. We saw one really great bull along the boundary we estimated to be every bit of 60 pounds. I know I’m skipping ahead but really want to know more so we can be part of the Safari with you. Never hunted with Buzz or CMS but this has me really wanting to.

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We’ve tracked a number of elephants but nothing yet. Now that the other three are behind us for the first time we will be able to hunt elephants exclusively. I would love a chance at a 60 pounder but we will see. Going to be fun and exhausting at the same time.