OUT OF AFRICA

[bluebird]

Fantastic story, loved the photos!

[bigbrowndog]

I like the Texas license plate on the Toyota!!! Nice shootin’ Dick. I’m hoping you got a Sable over the Kudu, Sable is one of my bucket list animals.

Trapr

[dougader]

Wow, day 2 did not let up! This is the best armchair hunt ever! Way to go, Dick!

I hope we hear of the other hunters' exploits too.

[markhampton]

Dick, Glad you made it home safely.  Looks like you enjoyed a great hunt.  Congrats!  Looking forward to hearing "the rest of the story" -- and seeing photos.  Well done!

[rangersedge]

Really looking forward to hearing more about your trip.

Do you know why the fires are made on a big round area of concrete?

[contender]

Congrats my friend! The Nyala & Zebra,, (2) critters in 2 days,, Outstanding! The pics are great, the descriptions,, and of course,, the "education" you were giving them on handgun hunters is the icing on that birthday cake they served!
Keep it coming!

Oh, "Welcome Home!"

[bearskinner]

[quote author="rangersedge" source="/post/398777/thread" timestamp="1630900370"

Do you know why the fires are made on a big round area of concrete?[/quote]


I’m not sure why the fire pits are all raised, but it’s pretty warm in Africa most of the time ( especially for a N Idaho boy) I would say there’s nothing like sitting around a fire pit at night, conversing and enjoying the days events, but you sure do not need the heat! A little pile of Acacia wood burn a long time for ambiance.

[sixshot]

Guys, I apologize for the late break yesterday, I had to make a quick trip to the emergency room to get my foot, toe actually, checked out. Six years ago I had some back surgery that didn't go too well & I came out of it with a numb right foot & a couple of numb toes on my left foot & it's caused me a lot of grief. I walk just fine as long as I can see the ground but my balance is off if I look away as I'm walking, it has not been fun!
Anyway, after the first day of bouncing around in the back of the Land Cruiser and standing all day, sometimes with my left foot up on the fender well I had a little problem going on with my boots cramping down on my big toe. I didn't want to let it stop me so I didn't say anything, I wanted to hunt. At the end of the second day I knew I was in trouble, I showed it to Larry & Kristen, who is a registered nurse & she said we have to get you to a Dr.
Well, the closest Dr. was 50 miles to the closest town & the Dr. happened to be Werner (Verner's) mother. Remember Verner owns Motswhere Safari's. That helped get me to the front of a very long, double line. She cleaned it up, gave me some dressings to apply & gave me what turned out to be a couple of very good antibiotics. But the next day I couldn't hunt, too much swelling, I was really bummed. Graphic photo's!


Day 4&5 I was mad at those Gray Hounds, actually Gemsbok & was determined to "Brost" one with one of Kelly's 255 gr bullets & the FA 41 magnum. We saw plenty of Gemsbok but it was mostly the south end of them with the exception of one smaller bull at about a hundred that I could have shot but Tian told me to hold off for a bigger bull. Did I say these things never stop running, it's instant & it's final!
We saw some Warthogs, a very nice Waterbuck & 3 Blesbok that are just like the Gemsbok, they never stop running, ever. Some Black Wildebeest ran across in front of us once with that crazy run that they do plus they look a lot different than the Blue Wildebeest. I already have a Blue Wildebeest from my previous Safari.
Back at the lodge I guess Verner was feeling sorry for this Idaho hillbilly & said he would take me out himself tomorrow for Gemsbok & Kudu, I liked that & I went to bed, not knowing the next day would be one of my best ever. Again, up at 5:30 to a nice glass of juice, then over to the chow line, some hot cereal, a hot, fresh muffin (love those things) some mixed fresh fruit & Verner says it's time to go, yippee!
We jump in his pride & joy, an old but like new 1972 Land Cruiser that is a dream safari vehicle trust me, and he has 2 of them. No top, no doors, just a rugged hunting truck & worth a fortune. Verner is an attorney, he can afford it! We drive several miles & bingo we spot some great Sable and I'm almost in tears I want one so bad! And the problem is, I can shoot one but if I do then I can't shoot a Kudu. Actually I can do both but it's early in the hunt, maybe later, wow!
We drive on & there's about 3 feet of neck watching us, it's 4-5 Giraffe's & a couple of them are huge, bigger than "Tank" Hoover! Half a dozen Ostrich going zipping across a big opening, it's going to be a great day in Africa! And then the heaven's open up & Verner says, look! 700-800 yds away is a big herd of Cape Buffalo and they are giving us the stare down already. Verner says, Dick do you want a Cape Buffalo and I said yes but I can't afford one. He said trade some of your other animals & some cash & make it happen, yikes! We literally sit there in the open African air & negotiate a price! I said I'll take it.
The problem was bullets. My normal routine with the 45 bisley was, first chamber with a 282 gr cast HP, second chamber was a 308 gr LBT powder coated solid. But I only had one of them, then I remembered that I had a 325 gr LBT solid in my pocket that I had been showing the PH's. I had taken a few with me, just in case. The loads were 15 years old & I've taken 3 elk with this load, they go through elk like a chain saw through Tapioca. So I quickly slipped out the HP, plunked in the big 325 gr LBT solid that was now backed up with the 308 gr solid & we went Buffalo hunting.
As we approached the herd they scattered in all directions in the heavy brush & small trees & we made a wide circle & glassed then came back. When we did a large bull charged us off of our right rear fender & he wasn't stopping, Verner had to shift gears to out run him, it was a little goosy for a few seconds. He seemed to like me but he didn't care for Verner!
Now we make another pass & the herd is trying to regroup, we watched & when the right one came across in front of us Verner said, take that one now! I glued the Ultra Dot to the right front shoulder & sent 325 grs of the best I had towards Mbogo. I took the high shoulder shot & I would trade my Jeep to have had video of the reaction of the hit. It really rocked that Buffalo, it went down on one leg & it's nose but got back up & turned away from us & Verner said, hit it again & I dialed up the 308 gr solid as the buff gave me just a slight angle from the left side. I lite the switch about half way back on the ribs, aiming for the vitals & it dropped in it's tracks.
I'm sure the first shot was fatal but you never take a chance with a Buffalo, even through it had a bad case of the Saturday night staggers it was still up so it got the second shot. We approached from the back & Verner said that many people get killed by "dead" Cape Buffalo, so put one down through the spine, between the shoulder blades & I did, but the Buffalo was already dead, I did it, I did it, I did it, yippee!
The skinners did recover the second bullet, lodged up against the right front shoulder, it started out weighing 308 grs & this morning when I weighed it back it weighed 308 grs. This was a water quenched powder coated bullet of my alloy.
Another of my neighbors who was also there but with another hunter told me this was the largest cow Cape Buffalo he had ever seen & he's been on many safari's. He said it could pass for a bull. I am extremely happy. The size of this cow Buffalo speaks for itself.











More to follow, Dick

[dougader]

Outstanding! Cape Buff with a little 45 Colt and some 300+ grain lead bullets.

You scared me for a minute there, Dick. I thought you had a buffalo in your boot!

They say the great Lou Gehrig played ball with broken fingers, a lot. But he loved the game so much he played in pain. Great job for an Idaho potato eater, eh? Cape Buffalo with a pistol.

[sheriff]

WOW! Outstanding job on the buff! Tough break with the toe, but I'm glad you were able to work through it and keep on hunting.

[sixshot]

Guess I need to answer some of the questions before I get too far behind & forget. First let me say that looking back through my diary the shot on my Zebra was 71 yds, not 65 yds. Also the first shot on my Cape Buffalo with the 325 gr LBT solid that I make was a complete pass through, so no recovery.
The elevated Braii, pronounced Bry is many times filled with the red sand instead of concrete and as Mike (bearskinner) mentioned those wood fires burn a long, long time. This time of year it can get cool in the evenings, at least it did for us several times, also in the early morning. But, its just nice to have a fire! Elevated makes it handy for cooking, remember the big African cooking pot in the earlier photo's. One day the chef, and she was a master chef, trust me, cooked up a huge stew that was beyond amazing & she let it cook over the open fire all day long.
On my earlier safari several years ago they had a braii that had a big pipe poured into concrete & then a huge steel rack to put meat on & you could swing in on or off the heat & or check the meat or whatever you had on the rack, very, very handy. I always offered to help......
Rey, Verner owns a huge amount of property and he also has access to much, much more. There were 2 days when I traveled 60 miles to other properties to hunt those dang Gemsbok, took me 5 days but I made them pay! Well, me & FA made them pay! These hunts can be set up so that anyone can be successful, whether you are a rifle hunter, bow hunter, handgun hunter, handicapped hunter, etc. They will make it happen for you. You will get the game you want, they have lots of property & lots of animals. The equipment is top notch, the accommodations are 5 star & the food is as good as anything I've ever eaten & I'm a good judge of eating.
They do your laundry every single day, by mid afternoon it is returned to your ultra clean room & folded neatly, you have a huge shower & tub, the dining area is amazing, the have a big wet bar if anyone needs a few shots of group tightener before bed time, etc. I had a great safari my first time, this one is 10 times better at least. He offers package deals, individual animals, etc Very easy to deal with and they have everything. Elephant, Crocs, not the little kind like I wear but the big boys that swallow Impala! Big Lions, lots of Sable, Kudu, you name it, they have it. Verner plans on being at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City around Feb. 18th for a big show there.
One last thing, the day we were leaving there were 3 guys coming in that planned to shoot 15 Cape Buffalo EACH. Usually they only take 5 each.

Dick

[markhampton]

Great job on the buff Dick!

[kings6]

A Cape Buffalo with a revolver is one of my dream hunts! Good job Dick. I’m living vicariously through you!

[ncrobb]

This is awesome!! Congrats on much success so far and best wishes for a fast recovery. I’m off to find my Peter Hathaway Capstick books now. You have “flung a cravin’ on me”!

[wgg]

I just want to say thank you for taking the time to tell us about each day of your hunt and great job. I have enjoyed reading your posts about your hunts and other aspects of handgun hunting. Please write a book.
Glen