ZAMBIA: Kantanta Safaris - 10 Days In The Luangwa Valley

[WAB]

Nice shot! The Luangwa is a very special place.

 

[kdenn]

Congratulations, great shot and story.

 

[Tucketed]

Wow, that’s a great way to start the hunt. Congratulations on two beautiful animals

 

[SkullKeeper]

Day 1 (CONT). Getting back to Marula camp early we dropped the buff off at the skinning shed and I got to take a little walk around for pictures. It was a great little camp with concrete chalets and perfectly adequate for hunting close to this side of the concession.

After another grand lunch it was nap time ( The heat this time of year at midday isn’t really pleasant to be out in so naps are a good substitute of time well spent!). Up at 3 PM and getting out for the afternoon ride we decided to go check check for tracks at a natural spring. The water was muddy and the fresh tracks of buffalo dictated a walk was to be had. It was already fairly late in the day and a fast pace was underway. With fairly open country we could see for a good distance except for the small depressions and densely wooded gullies scattered about. Roughly 3/4 of a mile later the trackers froze, pointing ahead - black shapes in the tall patchy grass were 125 yards from point. Binos up we glassed what we could see and determining their route Valerio immediately lead us around the group to the bottom of a small high point in which the buff were dropping through a cut only 45 yards away. The wind was in our face - let the parade begin ! We watched them file through one by one, generously separated as well. The first 4 were decent bulls. Only one was really well hard bossed and would’ve been a good candidate for a ride along in the cruiser if I’d not already had one down. The remainder of the procession were mostly young bulls, one being very impressive to only be about 4-5 years old, with a few cows and calves in the mix. We counted 25 buff in that group. What a great way to end the day and an equally great sunset.

 

[SkullKeeper]

....day 2 coming up !

 

[SkullKeeper]

Day 2....
The discovery of a poisoned waterhole the previous day started Day 2 off. Valerio asked if I minded if they cleared out the contaminated water source first thing that morning. Giving up a half day of hunting to save birds and small mammals like duiker was a no brainer. Valerio has almost every staff member at the camp helping to empty the water hole, which subsequently don’t look very big at all until you’re standing in them with a 5 gallon bucket or a shovel. While digging in this entirely spring fed water source catfish were appearing - how in the world did they get here?!?! The men worked all morning and finally got it evacuated around lunchtime. We did find a really nice lion track at one of the two spring heads that was impressive enough to warrant putting up a camera to see if he would return. The midday sun was becoming unruly about 11 AM so we all headed back to camp.

Another fabulous lunch and nap time again.

 

[Hunt anything]

Was the water hole poisoned by poachers or just stagnant? Great report keep them coming.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Was the water hole poisoned by poachers or just stagnant? Great report keep them coming.

Unfortunately By poachers

 

[Ridgewalker]

Already started out highly successful! WOW! Amazing!

 

[375Fox]

How did they identify the waterhole was poisoned? That style of poaching is really sad to me. At least snares can be removed easily and only catch once. I didn’t realize how prevalent poison has become until my last hunt, it’s unbelievable they can still sell and eat the meat. Great report so far.

 

[SkullKeeper]

How did they identify the waterhole was poisoned? That style of poaching is really sad to me. At least snares can be removed easily and only catch once. I didn’t realize how prevalent poison has become until my last hunt, it’s unbelievable they can still sell and eat the meat. Great report so far.

Small birds dead at the water edge are apparently a tell-tale sign AND you can smell the poisoned water. What the poachers do is sit close and wait for birds/small mammals to drink and basically fall out then they immediately kill the animal and pull out the entrails to keep the poison from contaminating the muscle tissue. I’m told the liquid poisons are pesticides.

 

[PeteG]

Small birds dead at the water edge are apparently a tell-tale sign AND you can smell the poisoned water. What the poachers do is sit close and wait for birds/small mammals to drink and basically fall out then they immediately kill the animal and pull out the entrails to keep the poison from contaminating the muscle tissue. I’m told the liquid poisons are pesticides.

Often poison called "Two Step" is used. Its proper name is Temic.
Not sure if thats what was used then, but it is typically extremely effective and nicknamed two step for a reason.

Hope the scouts find out who poisoned the water.
I did a 21 day hunt last month next door to where you were. Fantastic part of the luangwa and great game numbers.

 

[SkullKeeper]

Day 2 (cont)....the remainder of the day was eventful with sightings of impala, some bushbuck (always seeing bushbuck), and duiker (running everywhere). We checked 3 leopard baits and the men covered one with branches to vulture-proof it. There was one water hole close by that was actually a small quicksand pit- yikes! Ain’t nobody got time for that !

No animals were harmed in the making of this second day on safari. One superb , and I mean superb, impala ram crossed ahead of us that afternoon but that wasn’t my mindset at the time, as I was more focused on finding a cooperative bushbuck. The well spent day ended with a drink around the fire pit and another incredible dinner by Chef Pascal. I’ve never gained weight on a Safari before but I could tell that was going to change this go round.

Day 3....
Not an early rise day (but 4:30 is still early enough!) since we were going to take a leisurely ride to check out some water sources and we had already planned to move to the main camp after lunch. We checked a super water source first that was in a small ravine but only found Roan tracks there. It was pretty steep in and out and that may have deterred the heavier buff. We drove on and found some buff tracks - we decided to take them up since they were leading to a good pool of water fairly close by. It was a beautifully dense spring fed “creek bottom” setting. Good water scattered through this low spot with buff tracks, leopard tracks, and lion tracks - if you could only sit there for a full day what you could see! We left that bottom and were almost (as in 10 yards) back to the road when Valerio got punctured by a big thorn just below his knee. It was a straight-in 90 degree poke that fortunately didn’t leave any pieces inside of the wound. A quick makeshift sock bandage and Valerio had the bleeding under control. It was a hole about the size of a regular school pencil and about 1/2 inch deep- Puncture wounds are nobodies friend. The boss made it on the cruiser and tally ho we were off again. Valerio decided we should ride over and check on the previously poisoned water hole that was emptied the morning before. It would be interesting to see if that lion had been back, hoping it was on the trail cam that we had set up. Parking about 300 yards out we walked briskly but cautiously in, the trackers watching ahead with vigilance. Breaking the 150 yard mark we knew the water clean out was successful-one of the men spotted the seven Kudu bulls near the water hole. There was one good shooter bull and the rest weren’t bad at all but a little young still (The one thing I lacked was a Kudu on license. Valerio had applied twice but to no avail- it was the only kink in my hunt). There were some impala spotted at the same time the Kudu started moving about. We were binos up when Timmy, and his iconic quick snapping fingers, pointed yelling quietly “Zebra!!”. Sure enough in the distance behind the impala we picked up the all-but-invisible Grant’s zebra milling about. We moved up a bit quickly and the sticks went up. Valerio and I spotted the best one and the waiting game was on. Scattered mopani trees littered the distance between us, the zebra were moving around slowly and unaware. Two of the four walked left to right and a decent opening was in their path. The targeted one stopped short and turned away, but a few seconds later retraced those steps, back on track. I got on the rifle firm and brought the crosshairs left to meet the slow steady walker. The recoil raised me off of the sticks. I chambered another round as I watched the zebra bolt towards us and then turning again, running parallel from left to right, spotting the more than obvious hit being in the chest just above the elbow. Getting back on the sticks I pulled slightly in front and at the crack of the shot the zebra tumbled. Celebration time again and Valerio seemed to be less conscious of his injury as we made our way forward. After pictures I asked Timmy to show me where the zebra was standing so I could pace off the distance. Finding it I asked Timmy to go locate the spent brass cases and stand there. As I got closer to him I noticed something in my path I couldn’t believe- it was a baseball sized mopani
tree that had a bullet hole through it. The 135 yard shot had gone through the center of the tree a mere 30 yards from my gun barrel. I had wondered why my first shot had hit about 4 inches lower than I thought it should’ve. Now I know why.

It’s hard to believe but the shot was still through the heart (the atrium actually, upon examination at the skinning shed that afternoon). Loaded up and headed towards camp, I was looking forward to a refreshing shower and lunch (which consisted of buff fillets and vegetables !)
Everyone packed the wagons full and after lunch made the one hour journey to the main camp. And what a beautiful camp this was !! Amazing !! Ok now I was feeling spoiled.

 

[SkullKeeper]

 

[BRICKBURN]

Impressive the bullet flew straight after it expanded and took the heart out.
Good luck.

 

[Triathlete3]

What make is that beautiful bolt rifle? Great hunt report.

 

[SkullKeeper]

What make is that beautiful bolt rifle? Great hunt report.

It’s a Dumoulin Safari Sportsman - it needs a bit of shining up but it’s history has it on many safaris before me and I cant bring myself to take away from its veteran appearance

 

[Triathlete3]

It’s a Dumoulin Safari Sportsman - it needs a bit of shining up but it’s history has it on many safaris before me and I can bring myself to take away from its veteran appearance

Thats what appealed to me about it the most, that dull pre-war look that exudes history.

 

[Frederik]

Well done once again.

 

[PerH]

Very good report and the .416 is a good friend to tag along with there.