ZIMBABWE: Cape Buffalo Hunt At Gwaiy River Zimbabwe Pics & Story

Hi Folks.
Here is chapter III of my journey :


Oh I beged them to wait minimum a half hour,no chance,after 5 minutes I cant hold them back further and we stalked to the place where the buff stands when I shot.
My rule Nr. 1 when I was shooting buffalos : Mount down the scope after the shot and go with open sight to him.
I never understand hunters with fix mounted scops crwaling through thick cover.
When you have to react quick,you must use your rifle like a shotgun,how can it go with a scope ?
Carefully we stalked to the buffalos last stand and what a suprise: we found……..nothing.
No blood,no hairs,no nothing.
The PH went back tot he place I shot for better briefing our sight. Nothing.
Ok, now it began a new feeling in my hunting life ,we was searching a wounded buffalo.
In my mind, I gave greetings to wife and children and than we stalked carefully through the bush.
The tracker on my right the PH to the left, each 20 yards away from me.

Like when you go searching in a line pheasants with your friends.
The bush was so dry, that you’ve heard everything,not even my Dackel would go there noiseless.
You might don’t belive ,but I had no fear:notworthy::sick:
Rahter I was under pressure like clay-shooting,short before the moment when the clay is coming.
But otherwise I was a greenhorn on buffalo blood track,and a greenhorn seldom knows what he is doing ;)
We followed the tracks with greatest caution and our ears was so important at these walk as our eyes.
Then,after 20 minutes we saw him walking slowly and sick, following his three or four other buff buddies. I’m sure I would have lost him,when my first bullet has been a soft nose.
He had enough and don‘t want to fight anymore .
And I was glad about that.I gave him the rest of my magazine like lightning. Death Bellow while he was standing and than exitus.
And with deep feeling I stood for a wonderful buffalo.A further dream in my life came true.
Buff 1.JPG

A typical strong Hangwe bull.
When the guys was going back to the car to chek out how near they can drive to the buff ; I wished to be alone to hold a wake with my buff.
Zimb Africa can be cold.JPG

(It was cold in the morning)

But my hunter Jerry shaked his head, feared that lions could come and make trouble and let back scout Mathew as bodyguard for me.

You'll never walk alone:sneaky::sneaky:
No, its not the famous song from the soccer fan block of FC Liverpool.
Like wolves following the caribou herds,are lions there, when groups of buffalos in your property.
So sure like Amen in the church.
It sounds romantic,but it isn't.
They can drive out the buffs you are stalking.
In Zambia, I lost a big bull,43" my hunter guessed,the lion hunted them so hard ,that we could not find them anymore( is this really a problem ??)
But it can be very dangerous,when you are stumbling in a bunch of cats.
And than begins an old play: Survival of the fittest :whistle::whistle::whistle::(


Zim another lions.jpg


Zimb another lions II.jpg


Scouts ,by the way :
When you are hunting on state-owned land, an official Game Scout is needed.
Our scout was just a citizen of the other village of the conservancy,therefore privat ground, to guide (and control ?) us and thats all.
But the trouble with Cecils dead, the goverment is thinking about an other way.
It could be, you need for lions and elephant an official Game Scout now on privat property.
Im not sure so is it law at the moment or not ,but I know it was a consideration.
And all hunting quotas on public land, are given by the management of National Park in Zimbabwe.

But back to my buffalo:
Buff2.JPG


Mathew told me about life in his country.
He said,that black bosses are hard bosses.In old times ,they got their money just in time,now he is waiting sometimes three month,could participate by the camp kitchen and the game meat and now this way is gone.Meat will complete sell to town.Only for guests is game meat there.
And when they are sick ,the farmers wife drove them to the clinic,now they have to walk.
The former owner of his farm was a really good fellow, he had to go by the landreform in 2010.
When I heard the name of that guy,I thought a horse is kicking me.
A few days before I flew to Bulawayo,I get in contact over the Internet with him,who is living in Namibia now. Big Game world is a small world.
And Mathew was fighting with his tears when he heard that.

The car came two hours later and we slaughtered the bull to bring him on the pick up with united power.
Zimb bull jerry.JPG


OK Gentlemen, this was my buffalo hunt at Gwayi River.
Would I go again to this property ?
I don’t know it at the moment.
Management was very good

accomodation and food also,
zimb my lodge.JPG


the PH was perfect.
Buff3.JPG



But what I missed was lot of plains game.


When I remember my time in Luangwa Valley- this was the Garden Eden .
But one thing.
When you are hunting with a white PH you are hunting in Africa.
With a black one,you are hunting inside Africa .This makes a big difference .
You feel the iron curtain(or reserve) when white men comes into a village.
And you felt the open hearts when we entered the villages with a complete black stuff.
Mangement of your hunt is the most important thing ,don’t underrate the locals in Big Game Safaris.
It was perfect there and the Atmosphere was like under friends.
They do a lot ,against pocher,bring salt, every month a ton for the animals.
Make water spots and that things.
I‘m sure in two years this property is better than now.


Something what you can bring:

A few working gloves for he tracker,bought in a building supplies store at home.
It costs almost nothing for us and they need it.

Laminte your business cards and bring some some cabel ties also.
And bring that on on your cooked out trophys .
Much better than only a tag number.

Shooting waistcoat.
I was wearing a Beretta shooting waistcoat for clay shooting in a brown/green colour.
They have so deep and wide pockets.Fantastic.
I lost nothing outside that.
And I can tell you we crawled a lot on our nipples and on our knees through the bush.
A tweezers for the thorns is also good.

This year I will go to Africa again hunting……………buffalos, what else ?

Hope my reports don’t bore you

Foxi
 
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Nice bull!
 
Great story and really good hard bossed bull. Congratulations!
 
Beautiful bull Foxi! Thanks for sharing you adventure with us!
 
Thank you again for the report. I especially appreciate your perspective of the changes happening in Zimbabwe.
 
......and waidmannsheil !!! That is a very nice bull.
 
Great story, Foxi good buff !
 
Great report, congrats on the buff!
 
Great write-up Foxi! Thank you.
 
Great write up Foxi. Congratulations on your buff!

I always find it enjoyable reading a description that is probably translated from the original language like the following:

"And I can tell you we crawled a lot on our nipples and on our knees through the bush."

Your English is great. Thanks for sharing your memories with us.(y)


PS: Please don't wait two years to tell us about this years hunt.;)
 
Outstanding report.
I was with you all the way.
I appreciate your perspective and your efforts very much.

Like Wheels said, don't be waiting to write up the next one, please!

Good luck on your hunt!
 
Thank you all guys for the words and the interest to my report.

Brick:
one handicap for me here is the short Edittime.
Its difficult to correct mistakes so quick in a foreign language.For example: we searched the wounded buff not in a line of 20 yards I wrote ,it was 20 feet.....
Sometimes a litte different.But not so important here .
I enjoy here very much the internationality with experienced hunters from the whole world,the harmony and the open and constructive atmosphere .
Be sure,its not a matter of course in a hunting forum.

Wheels,
"And I can tell you we crawled a lot on our nipples and on our knees through the bush."
I m thinking the whole day about your note to this sentence.
I hope there are not to much opportunitys of interpretation in your language :Woot::Wideyed:.

In May I go again on buffalo.
I hope I make no mistake to go so early.
Lot of rain is falling at these days in edge where Im going, and than, all is a green thick jungle.
Normally I love the late,dry summerheat for that.
Buffalos needs lot of water and they have to roam .
And when they are moving, its easier to get one.
But otherwise they haven't heard bullets fly to begin of the season.
Could be an advantage.
And than I make an further little experiment ,I will tell you than.
But successful or not ,I'm back in June with an other buffalo story .
Greetings from Munic
Foxi
 
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Wheels,
"And I can tell you we crawled a lot on our nipples and on our knees through the bush."
I m thinking the whole day about your note to this sentence.
I hope there are not to much opportunitys of interpretation in your language :Woot::Wideyed:.

Every society has "sayings" unique to only them. This is the first time I have read of a stalk in the descriptive way you have written it. It is a very appropriate way of describing the situation. I appreciate your quote. It adds greatly to the story.(y)
 
Great Story Foxi(y)

Writing in English is a challenge for those of us who have grown up with it. When I am writing a report I will write it in a Word Document. I will edit my writing in this document and then cut and paste it onto AH. Keep hunting and most of all keep telling your stories.:A Banana:
 

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