ZIMBABWE: Dande Buffalo With CMS August 2026

Day 6

At breakfast Gareth said that we either needed to hunt the buffalo cow for the Parks Department or he would send Owen and the camp manager to do it. They needed it by Friday, and he wanted to make sure we got it done as it was Thursday. So, we left camp with that in mind.

Pretty quickly we found where a herd had crossed to road in the night and followed. Compared to tracking a single or pair of bulls tracking the heard was pretty easy. After a little less than an hour we could hear them feeding in the thick jess ahead. Gareth whispered for me to sit on the ground in front of him and use a small tree as a rest. Once I was in position he started bellowing like a calf in distress. Within seconds we could hear the herd coming our way. I started seeing cows trotting toward us with their heads up looking for the calf. Having a herd of buffalo coming straight at you quickens the pulse!

Gareth directed me to one cow broadside in a lane that didn’t have a calf. I was carrying the 375 and put one right on her shoulder. Off she ran and the herd bombshelled in every direction. We followed up fairly quickly and found her in a thicket, all I could see was her tail, but Gareth had a better view, so I told him to shoot. Once he did, she stumbled into an opening, and I put a finisher in her shoulder. Parks came and did the recovery and that took the rest of the morning.

That afternoon we were checking pans for sable tracks when we saw a lone duiker feeding. I hurriedly got on the sticks and took the shot. It was slightly quartering away and looking back at us and I rushed it. I got the duiker but let’s just say the shot placement was nontraditional and a euro mount is out of the question. We did recover the horn which separated from the skull undamaged both were quite large at over 5 inches each with thick bases. I’ll be making a stand for them when they get home.

The cow.

Enjoying your report!

Fantastic sir, well done!

I haven't hunted buff (yet), but to me yours is perfect.

Congratulations!

Well done Bwana!

Beautifully written. Thank you.

Sorry this got so long wrapping it up this morning.

Days 7 and 8

Both of these were a bit of an exercise in frustration as we would search for sable tracks follow some only to lose them in the grassy areas or when a herd of something crossed them. We would also visit a pan in the morning and see no tracks only to visit the same pan in the afternoon and find tracks hours old. We were just missing them.

On day 8 after finding no tracks at our usual pans we decided to spend the late morning and have lunch overlooking a pan where sable had been drinking sometime mid-day on a regular basis. As we sat there, we saw warthog, impala, baboon, all coming in to drink. At one point impala were drinking less than 20 yards form me which was amazing.

Day 9

We decided to check in on a new area. First thing in the morning we see some impala in thick brush, and I decide to take a shot. No dice the bullet either deflected or I plain missed. Later in the morning we walked a couple miles into a spring and found another group of impalas and I tried again. As we approached where it stood, we found a large branch that the bullet had hit. I don’t think anyone has ever been snakebit on impala like me.

That afternoon we went to one of the solar pans and found fresh tracks. We thought we might know where they were headed based on previous movements to got in the truck to try to get ahead of them. As we got to the main road we saw a herd of sable crossing about 500 yards ahead of us. It was all cows and young bulls. Then as we pulled up the trackers started pounding. There was a bull in the jess. We got off and headed in but they were headed to Mozambique, which was very close by, and it was very thick. Only a couple hundred yards in we heard a snort and caught a glimpse of a large bull running off to the border.

Day 10

Leaving camp, we saw lions in the road. Just for a moment two large males. The trackers said they saw females as well, but I didn’t see them. I had heard some roaring early in the morning before my wakeup and it must have been the same ones.

I really wanted to enjoy Africa on my last day. I told Gareth if we found hot tracks lets follow but if not let’s sit by some water and see some animals. We did exactly that and saw some beautiful kudu bulls that will be real trophies in about 2-3 years. I’m scheduled to be back in August of 2028 so maybe I’ll run into them again.

After lunch I indicated that I wanted to see the cave paintings that exist in the area. So, we took a drive to the other side of the concession and walked in to see them. Pretty amazing to see and even more amazing that no one has any idea who put them there or when.

Departure Day

Leaving was a little bit emotional for me. This is a trip I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. I always wanted to go to Africa and hunt buffalo but always said I wouldn’t until I could afford to do it the way I wanted to. Hunting in a wild area with lion and all the other predators, staying in a tent camp, being truly remote. CMS and Gareth and the Mururu camp met every expectation. I also want to say a few more words about Owen the appy. He was fantastic, always moving whether it was making sure the chairs were set up at lunch or by the fire, he's a great tracker and has one of the happiest attitudes I've ever been around. I truly hope he gets his full license.

I’m booked to go back in 2028 for elephant bull and buffalo, I’m already counting the days.

Also, a note on how great CMS is. I've gotten emails from both Buzz and Myles. They had been getting regular updates from Gareth via WhatsApp. I think they were even more upset that I didn't get the sable than I was, Buzz let me know he's allocated be one on my 2028 hunt with no change to the daily rate which I think is a really pro-move.

Some pics from the final days.

Magnificent safari and great report! Thanks for sharing w us!!!! Safe travels!

Russ16 said:

Day 9

We decided to check in on a new area. First thing in the morning we see some impala in thick brush, and I decide to take a shot. No dice the bullet either deflected or I plain missed. Later in the morning we walked a couple miles into a spring and found another group of impalas and I tried again. As we approached where it stood, we found a large branch that the bullet had hit. I don’t think anyone has ever been snakebit on impala like me.

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Great report! Know the feeling on impala - still finishing my report, but suffice to say I made dozens of stalks over 4 days on impala and it was the hardest animal for some reason. My first two clean misses on them for big game just added to the frustration before I connected.

Awesome report, and congratulations on your Buffalo with a double!

Has me even more excited for our hunt with CMS in August 2028 in Dande.

I enjoyed the report. Congratulations.

Waidmannsheil! Thanks for sharing, really enjoyed reading your report. Only two years and you'll be back, hoping to read a great report as well then.

Good stuff! I’ll be there in July ‘28 for my first safari! Were you happy with the Chapuis? I’m considering buying.

Well done. Sable are few and far between in Dande, makes a reason to go back!

BAY said:

Good stuff! I’ll be there in July ‘28 for my first safari! Were you happy with the Chapuis? I’m considering buying.

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The Chapuis is great. I had JJ put a mount for a red dot on it and it shoots very well. Actually shoots better with my A-Frame handloads than the factory Hornady loads. It is pretty light and easy to carry. I haven't put sling studs on it yet and haven't decided if I will. It was no problem carrying it for 3 days until I got my buffalo but I could see where after day 10 it would be nice to be able to sling it on my shoulder.

I would highly recommend one to anyone considering it.

Great hunt, congrats !

Next will be even better

I have thoroughly enjoyed your hunt report, job well done! These reports help this entire community!