ZIMBABWE: Hunting The BVC In Zimbabwe For Buffalo, John Sharp Safaris Exceeding Expectations

[WAB]

Had the same problems one time with Delta. They checked through to Bulawayo so luckily I had a change of clothes and some toiletries in my carry on as I overnighted in JNB with my gun but no luggage! They also spent an inexcusable amount of time reading their note on gun cases and yes what can be in them. It proves they are untrained on gun handling.
Philip

I can’t tell you how many Delta agents I’ve briefed on their firearms protocol! Luckily I have millions of miles and their highest flight status so they are at least polite and listen to me!

 

[Philip Glass]

Ok - so day 1 was an adjustment day (and praying for 450 Dakota ammo...or the patience to wait for it!).

Day 2 John and I warmed up on a Zebra. Flawless stalk, no drama, quickly dead Zebra with one shot from the borrowed rifle.

We think the ammo will show up at BVC Headquarters on day 3...but we aren't sure when. So we figure on doing some recon in the AM, keeping tabs on deliveries so we can blast up to HQ to get the Dakotas once they are in.

Dave Langerman was gracious enough to lend me his nice .375, which I had zeroed on day 1, just in case. But John was pretty adamant...he wanted me to hunt Buffalo with the rifle I had been training with. I did not fight him on that (I have made a habit of not fighting John...would probably not end well for me).

Besides, we booked for 12 days, not the usual 10. The extra two days were for eventualities just like this. I was feeling pretty good about having those two extra days in the bank about this time!

So we really weren't feeling too much pressure here in the am of day 3. It was another nice, cool, somewhat cloudy day. The kind of day Southern Africans hate for hunting, but guys who grew up in Montana and Wisconsin love!

So John, Jessie (John's Foxie) and I are in front, Isaac, Lovemore and Gift are up top in back and we are doing John's usual 50kph on the dirt roads when we hear a tap on the roof.

Of course, John and I go into scan overdrive and what do you know...we haven't put out Zebra for bait, but we had a Hyena running parallel to the road and about 100 yards to our left.

So I'm staring out the window, enjoying the sighting and John is yelling at me to get out, grab a rifle and hunt that sucker!

By the time I snap out of it, that Hyena is in Fimbiri camp. So we resume tooling down the road and lo and behold, there he is again, paralleling the road.

John reasons at this point that the Hyena really wants across, so we stop, bail, grap the sticks and the 300 and jog down the road in the direction the Hyena was moving. We went as far as we dared - we didn't want to get too close and change his mind on crossing.

No sooner than we get the 300 on the sticks, here comes Mr Hyena. Except the dummy hit the brakes right on the edge of the track. I let fly and heard that beautiful sound of bullet hitting critter.

John had shouted to hold on the top of his back and that is what I tried to do...but I hit him in the spine. Either I allowed for too much drop or I pulled it. Either way, we got to him as fast as we could and put in a finisher.
View attachment 304098
Turned out to be a male...and the good news for Cody? He just inherited an entire Zebra worth of bait!

By the time we dropped the Hyena off at the skinning shed, it was time to go retrieve the 450 Dakota ammo from HQ.

After a few shots to verify the hole still went all the way through the barrel, it was time to hunt buffalo!

Jealous!

 

[Philip Glass]

I can’t tell you how many Delta agents I’ve briefed on their firearms protocol! Luckily I have millions of miles and their highest flight status so they are at least polite and listen to me!

 

[tarbe]

Had the same problems one time with Delta. They checked through to Bulawayo so luckily I had a change of clothes and some toiletries in my carry on as I overnighted in JNB with my gun but no luggage! They also spent an inexcusable amount of time reading their note on gun cases and yes what can be in them. It proves they are untrained on gun handling.
Philip

Honestly, I was more worried about Delta than any Lion or Cape Buffalo!

At least we could shoot a Lion or Buffalo!

 

[John Sharp]

Honestly, I was more worried about Delta than any Lion or Cape Buffalo!

At least we could shoot a Lion or Buffalo!

When it comes to Africa you have to maintain your sense of humour!

 

[tarbe]

When it comes to Africa you have to maintain your sense of humour!

And book those two extra days, so when the airline loses your ammo, you have time to recover!

 

[John Sharp]

And book those two extra days, so when the airline loses your ammo, you have time to recover!

These days you have to book the two extra days just to get your Covid tests!

 

[Firebird]

I have read Ph Sharps book more than once-love it!

Just finished reading this report last night. Then this morning watched an episode of “Hornadys Dark and Dangerous” and there on the “A Little Bit of Everything Today” episode was ph Dave Langerman of Dave Langerman safaris on a successful leopard hunt. Fun to make these small but meaningful connections-thanks for the reports!

 

[IdaRam]

I have read Ph Sharps book more than once-love it!

Same here. Read it twice and loaned it out to my brother to read. A well written and enjoyable read for sure.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

John is a true gentleman and his battered old John Rigby & Co. .470 Nitro Express sidelock ejector has almost as much character as he does.

 

[tarbe]

John is a true gentleman and his battered old John Rigby & Co. .470 Nitro Express sidelock ejector has almost as much character as he does.

John is a treasure. As you said, a true Gentleman. And a true and faithful friend and brother.

I would lay down my life for that man.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

John is a treasure. As you said, a true Gentleman. And a true and faithful friend and brother.

I would lay down my life for that man.

Been 15 years since I last saw him, but does he still prefer Hornady bullets in his .470 ?

 

[tarbe]

Been 15 years since I last saw him, but does he still prefer Hornady bullets in his .470 ?

NO!

John is a committed A-Frame man!

Second choice is Woodleigh.

 

[Rare Breed]

Same here. Read it twice and loaned it out to my brother to read. A well written and enjoyable read for sure.

I too have read it twice. Love the book. I am reading Hunter by J. A. Hunter I just bought which is also a great read

 

[John Sharp]

Been 15 years since I last saw him, but does he still prefer Hornady bullets in his .470 ?

I'm a Woodleigh of Swift A-Frame man.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I'm a Woodleigh of Swift A-Frame man.

Hey, John. Great seeing you here. Didn’t know you’re a member. Woodleigh round nosed steel jacketed FMJ ? Or Hydro ?

 

[tarbe]

I too have read it twice. Love the book. I am reading Hunter by J. A. Hunter I just bought which is also a great read

FYI to all - "Facing Down Fear" is available on Amazon!

 

[Bullthrower338]

“A day without A-Frames is like a day without sunshine Pilgrim!”
-John Wayne

 

[Graham Hunter]

“A day without A-Frames is like a day without sunshine Pilgrim!”
-John Wayne

Frozen Herring works better Cody!

 

[John Sharp]

Hey, John. Great seeing you here. Didn’t know you’re a member. Woodleigh round nosed steel jacketed FMJ ? Or Hydro ?

Thank you - yes I am a member but I don't visit these sites regularly.
I guided Geoff McDonald when he tested the hydros on 5 elephant we shot with different calibres. The penetration was totally amazing - even a friend's WR .318 went right through a dead elephant bull's skull from side to side. As a PH, this bullet in my opinion would be great for shooting a running elephant from behind - but that's all - there's no time to be juggling cartridges when things start to happen.
I don't like bullets that travel right through any animal as there is always the possibility of wounding another one that happens to be standing behind the quarry, but invisible, especially in thick bush.
Except when hunting elephants, where I load two Woodleigh FMJs, I load the first barrel with a Woodleigh soft and the second barrel with a Woodleigh FMJ. I ensure my clients do the same - always using softs, even on buffalo. This way there is little chance of the bullet exiting. The same applies with the Swift A-Frame. Only when the need arises to follow a wounded buffalo into thick bush do I insist on solids.
The best thing that ever happened in our industry was when copper-jacketed, bonded lead-core bullets were invented. There are sadly not many PHs who look at things this way. Consequently, other animals are wounded from time to time...