ZAMBIA: Zambia Safari October 2019

[cpr0312]

Best of luck, sounds like a great time in store!

 

[flatwater bill]

Best of luck..............a lot of thought went into those rifles......screaming wood flows nicely thru the wrists of the stocks, large straight bolts for sure handling without knuckle fatigue, and case hardening on the Mod 98 style bolt releases..........how can you possibly go wrong? Hope the Puku can be cleanly taken with the little Gibbs........FWB

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Beautiful rifles. Good luck in Africa.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Beautiful rifles and like others have said, amazing wood and woodwork.
Good luck on your upcoming safari.

The bolt handles on the rifles don't look like ones I've seen before from AHR and resemble ones from Granite Mountain.
However the action does look to be CZ.
Can you give a few more details about the rifles?

The bolt and action are Granite Mountain Arms. I prefer that action on large-caliber dangerous game rifles.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Best of luck..............a lot of thought went into those rifles......screaming wood flows nicely thru the wrists of the stocks, large straight bolts for sure handling without knuckle fatigue, and case hardening on the Mod 98 style bolt releases..........how can you possibly go wrong? Hope the Puku can be cleanly taken with the little Gibbs........FWB

Thanks for the compliment and the Puku will get a solid...hope I miss the shoulder or the taxidermy bill will be huge

 

[Shootist43]

This has all the makings of a bucket list DG hunt. I’m always amazed at the “eagle eyed” catches AH members make. BTW those rifles are a thing of beauty.

 

[johnnyblues]

Sounds like it’s going to be epic! Look forward to your report. Good luck.

 

[Travis2282]

Beautiful rifles! All I see every time though is the QD levers in weird locations! Haha Best of luck with your hunt!

 

[Hunting Hitman]

First update on my flight from Las Vegas, NV to Heathrow Airport on British Airways. I go to check-in and the female agent was originally from Zambia. BA has so little experience in Las Vegas with guns that I am able to sweet talk them into a very smooth check in...includind no extra charges for rifles or other baggage.
Flight was on time and I'm sitting comfortably here awaiting my connection to Johannesburg.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Beautiful rifles! All I see every time though is the QD levers in weird locations! Haha Best of luck with your hunt!

As many QD mounts that I have used, I have figured out that they just go were they want to and make sure they are extremely tight.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

So I arrived in camp and went straight out to the range to check the zeros on both rifles. Both rifles survived the journey with the same accuracy that they left home with and it was time to go check baits.

Our host Werner had already hung 4 baits with cameras attached and informed me that 3 of the 4 had lions on them. Side note...I always request pre-baiting anytime I got cat hunting.

Upon review the photos 1 of the cats is clearly the nicest and most mature of the 3 and so we begin to plan for this lion. Warner informs me that this lion is a wiley old cat that has been hunted in years past but always gives the hunter the slip. We decide to get out of there as it's beginning to get late and we don't want to disrupt this lions pattern. Comes at first and last light of each day.

The next day we get up at 3 AM to try and drive in at first light in hopes of catching him just as he finished eating. We arrive and he's gone already so we quietly back out to regroup. We decide that at the middle of the day we will comeback and build a hide about 100 yards from the meat.

I will try to post some photos of the hide construction, It always amazes how well they are built, once the intermittent internet works a little better. Now it’s to go sit in the hide for the afternoon lion hunt.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

So I arrived in camp and went straight out to the range to check the zeros on both rifles. Both rifles survived the journey with the same accuracy that they left home with and it was time to go check baits.

Our host Werner had already hung 4 baits with cameras attached and informed me that 3 of the 4 had lions on them. Side note...I always request pre-baiting anytime I got cat hunting.

Upon review the photos 1 of the cats is clearly the nicest and most mature of the 3 and so we begin to plan for this lion. Warner informs me that this lion is a wiley old cat that has been hunted in years past but always gives the hunter the slip. We decide to get out of there as it's beginning to get late and we don't want to disrupt this lions pattern. Comes at first and last light of each day.

The next day we get up at 3 AM to try and drive in at first light in hopes of catching him just as he finished eating. We arrive and he's gone already so we quietly back out to regroup. We decide that at the middle of the day we will comeback and build a hide about 100 yards from the meat.

I will try to post some photos of the hide construction, It always amazes how well they are built, once the intermittent internet works a little better. Now it’s to go sit in the hide for the afternoon lion hunt.

As another member just mentioned pre-baiting is not allowed in Zambia. While I do request were legal, in this case we have a leopard hunter in camp and these baits were being used for him and unfortunately for him only Lions so far on baits....lucky for me!

The hide!

 

[Mort Hill]

Awesome story unfolding. Best of luck on your safari. May your baits be hit and your shots be true!

 

[Hunting Hitman]

So we are now on day 4 of the Safari and the cats are not cooperating so we decide to get some fresh baits for the sites plus this will give me a little trigger time.
We head down to the river for some hippo action. When we get there we see a large group of hippos in a shallow part of the river, and can see one particular large bull with his left tusk sticking through his lip! I know a shooter when I see one and set up for the shot. I waited until their were no hippos behind him just Incase of a pass through and squeezed the trigger on my 375 H&H for the brain shot.
Success!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Man that is one fine hippo! Congratulations!

 

[Hunting Hitman]

We have the Lion back on bait. And so going to go sit in the hide this afternoon and tomorrow morning. He’s an old Warrior that’s been pushed out of the pride. I’m looking forward to a successful sit.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Best of luck!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the nice hippo! Best of luck with the lion!

 

[spike.t]

Nice 505. Wondering What luangwa gma you hunting and who your ph is ...and nice hippo

 

[BRICKBURN]

.......... I know a shooter when I see one .............

I'd have to agree. Good shooting and congratulations on your success thus far.