Africa...

Thanks all, time is a commodity in short supply at the moment but I will keep plugging away at it... !!
 
Wow, great pics; thanks for telling the stories behind them too! So, how did you gents cook up that big guy? Was it good?
 
We know you are back and its all in the past, but since you posting bit by bit and the story is so lively I cant help but say Good hunting! :)
 
Awesome Andy, just AWESOME!!! :cool: Can't wait to see more pics! :thumbup:
 
Andy

Great pictures. If I knew you were in the area we could have had a BUSSE braai and get together.
 
So a small deviation from Africa for a moment... ;) I spent a good bit of time preparing for this trip, especially ammunition as, well, this stands between me and whatever critter decides it wants to eat or trample me...!!! After some reading, Lord there is so much information out there and so very many opinions, I decided on pushing the Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilised projectiles out of my .375H&H. There were some highs and lows with this most notably the groups (a high) and the dud primer issues (a low) but I boarded the plane with 45 rounds of what I hoped was going to be the right mix of penetration vs tissue damage...



I had a loooooong conversation with my PH on ammunition while (I figured out after) he was trying to figure out of I had a clue and could shoot. He is in his 60s and has been hunting all his life (two and four legged game) and has spent LOTS of time of big and dangerous critters. He advocates nothing but "softs" for everything bar elephant. The Barnes and Swift offerings being the ones he was most impressed with. He was unconvinced about my choice ;) We had a bit of a pointed discussion (he lectured ;) ) after the first one I fired at game (he had me shoot some cardboard on the first morning nominally to ensure my rifle was zeroed, more like figuring if I could hit a 12x12 bit of cardboard at 100yds).

So...back to hunting.... after the scouting of the aftenoon before we had a plan (wind and Buffalo willing) of where we hoped to get a shot at the heard. After another good three hour walking (in a bloody looooong loop thanks to the wind) I was starting to get that feeling that we were once again a little late and behind. Literally a minute after this thought I was back down on my hands and knees crawling my way toward them all while hoping I could keep a termite mound between us and that the wind would cooperate...!!!

It seemed the hunting Gods were onside (maybe it was though two virgin goats I threw into the volcano the night before, or just some good luck/hunting) !!! I crawledup the side of a termite mound and started to try and get an angle on the bull. It was a pretty tense 10 or so minutes till he was in a position that I could fire...then he was not...geeeze... yes this went on for about 15-20mins till finally he was there clear in front and mostly behind... a little breathing, a little concentration and BOOM. I was heartened to see him knocked off his feet !!!!! Click'ity Clack and I was ready to shoot again but alas he was up and off with the now pounding herd !!! A hop sip and jump back to ground level and I was watching as they thundered off in a cloud of dust !! No need to ask if I hit him, but I did get asked where, shoulder/heart was the goal and I would bet a nut that is where I hit !! (It was at this point I got the soft vs solid lecture with some expletives about "those things behaving just like a solid and being BS...but I digress...) I could see the bull (just so we are clear, I knew he was no world beater when I settled the crosshair on him, but he was "my bull") and watched him peel off from the back of the herd and start to slow at around 150yds... this let me know he was in fact buggered but we still had to get close and make sure....!!

Off we walked (this was the only time my PH retrieved his rifle from the trackers) and he and the lads made for a large termite mound (that same one I took a picture of them on the day before) to try and get a view as to where he went (hopefully not into the close by forest as that would suck !). They were about 1/2 way up and I was moving forward, around this point I said I had him and he was down, he asked me to put another shot in him for safe measure which I did from about 50yds.

And there he was, after all that bloody work !!!





No word beater... he has weak boss' but I was bloody extatic !!!!

So of course there was a period of copious picture taking etc and then my PH (his name in Boet BTW and we have ended up as good mates) and Thomas (Marijuana) started off on the hour walk back to the truck. Obano started to skin... and much to my ABJECT HORROR he produced and commenced this task with a bloody BEAR GRILLS folder...!!!!



I could NOT have this and offered to help (this is a social faux pas it seems !!) so then I offer Obano my Busse for the task and he gladly accepted, I have to say I did love the look on his face when it sailed through everything he swiped with it... the big grin made my day !!!







So in the distance I could hear the diesel rattle of the Landcruiser approaching, Thomas was out front with his machete clearing the low trees, what I did notice was that it semed to have more passengers than I remember coming out with us (it should have just been the one more guy from camp who stayed with and looked after the truck)...



So our guys got stuck in together...



Thomas' homemade knife (that got continually sharpened on a rock and the spine of his machete)..




While they did so more and more people started to appear (where the hell from I am not sure but to them those shots mean a meal !!).



Head almost off...



A few guys already had a fire going looking to start cooking ASAP !!!



A very bloody Busse :) :)



Now, back to that soft vs solid argument.... I present "The Heart" !! Note the hole... !!!



Boet and I had a further discussion on this ;) and agreed that the Woodleigh's had performed as well as any soft he has seen on buffalo and that there was no good reason this one had gone as far as he had, the first shot was a through and through broadside and the second was through and through 1/4ing from the rear and out the front. Happy that the second was not actually "needed" but better safe than sorry !!!

So there is a pecking order with the meat, I get first cut :) So we grabbed one backstrap for dinner ;) , then our guys get a cut or two for themselves and the rest of the camp, then the rest goes to the locals (Boet supervises to make sure his lads don't take too much to ensure that the locals are as well taken care of as we can)....



I have NEVER seen a beast vanish into component parts as quick as this one did !!!! And let me tell you....NOTHING, not a thing is wasted !!! Thomas (maybe the Mary Jane at play) grabbed his "favourite parts"...the scrotum, its contents and the second stomach...that were to be his evening feast !!!



And back at camp with a few of the cuts they were sharing out among the staff...

 
A vehicle (another great Landcruiser ;) ) from the main camp was out on a stores run so it took my head and cape back to the skinners :)



A "lawn ornament" ;)



Soooooo..... on the drive back and over a relaxing lunch we discussed "what now", from this camp they only hunt Buffalo, Elephant and Leopard (saw one on the drive out !!!).. :) With the distances and difficulty involved we decided initially to go see if we could find a Kudu :) :)

We did have a guest join us for lunch (he was chasing a skink in the meal room)...



I have to say, I really enjoyed my time at this camp, it was quiet with just myself, Boet and a few staff. The evening beers were great as was the conversation and the hunting, well, it was hunting, a bit frustrating at times, hard work at others, challenging and exciting. Despite being hot, dirty and sweaty, I loved it...!!! Each and every moment of it !!
 
Aias said:
Wow, great pics; thanks for telling the stories behind them too! So, how did you gents cook up that big guy? Was it good?
Click to expand...
.... thanks mate.... pan fried, butter and LOTS of garlic and pepper !!!

Gress said:
We know you are back and its all in the past, but since you posting bit by bit and the story is so lively I cant help but say Good hunting! :)
Click to expand...
.... THANKS ... :D

SpyderPhreak said:
Awesome Andy, just AWESOME!!! :cool: Can't wait to see more pics! :thumbup:
Click to expand...
.... thanks mate !!! YOu do your own share of hunting I know !!

marthinus said:
Andy

Great pictures. If I knew you were in the area we could have had a BUSSE braai and get together.
Click to expand...
.... thanks mate !! I did spend a moring in Pretoria bafore heading up to Moz..a BBQ would have been great !

kenash said:
You document your trips so well.

All I can say is WOW!!! And thanks, Man!
Click to expand...
.... I appreciate the compliment mate and you are most welcome !!
 
Andy the Aussie said:
I had a loooooong conversation with my PH on ammunition while (I figured out after) he was trying to figure out of I had a clue and could shoot. He is in his 60s and has been hunting all his life (two and four legged game) and has spent LOTS of time of big and dangerous critters. He advocates nothing but "softs" for everything bar elephant. The Barnes and Swift offerings being the ones he was most impressed with. He was unconvinced about my choice ;) We had a bit of a pointed discussion (he lectured ;) ) after the first one I fired at game (he had me shoot some cardboard on the first morning nominally to ensure my rifle was zeroed, more like figuring if I could hit a 12x12 bit of cardboard at 100yds).
Click to expand...

Great pics.

I am sure that your PH must have told you some of the horror stories about inexperienced hunters coming to hunt Buff with rifles that they simply could not shoot.
For some inexplicable reason people seem to think that you need to shoot Buff with the biggest double you can find. Many of the PH's have had horrific experiences when dealing with situations like this.

It must have come as a welcome relief to your PH to see a well used .375 with hand loaded cartridges being carried by someone who actually knew what they were talking about.;)
 
Great pics AND read:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:...... Gonna be late for work, again dang it !!!!!

....more please!:D
 
Steven65 said:
Great pics.

I am sure that your PH must have told you some of the horror stories about inexperienced hunters coming to hunt Buff with rifles that they simply could not shoot.
For some inexplicable reason people seem to think that you need to shoot Buff with the biggest double you can find. Many of the PH's have had horrific experiences when dealing with situations like this.

It must have come as a welcome relief to your PH to see a well used .375 with hand loaded cartridges being carried by someone who actually knew what they were talking about.;)
Click to expand...
.... we had a number of conversations about his experiences over many years of hunting (and his time during the Bush War). There are some indicators apparently, an introduction that includes "I have a .470 double rifle" is one for instance. "I have been to sniper school" is another !! The last thing they want is a client that "bought a new rifle" just for this trip, or even new boots (my beaten and re-glued horrors must have been a relief) just for this adventure. They really want a hunter who is familiar with his rifle and is comfortable using it, they also want it to be a bolt gun with optics. Doubles make fine back up guns in close on wounded game. The hunter also needs to be able to get the safety off, the cross hair on the target and the bullet away ASAP. Game in Africa DOES NOT stand around and wait !!!

I told him it was my goal to be the client that NEVER got spoken about to another client... ;)

Noxious Fumes said:
Great pics AND read:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:...... Gonna be late for work, again dang it !!!!!

....more please!:D
Click to expand...
... working on it mate...!! Glad you like the pics so far ... :)
 
Andy, thanks so much for sharing your adventures with us! And getting all the cool Landcruiser pics! :) lol
 
Andy the Aussie said:
The last thing they want is a client that "bought a new rifle" just for this trip, or even new boots (my beaten and re-glued horrors must have been a relief) just for this adventure. They really want a hunter who is familiar with his rifle and is comfortable using it
Click to expand...

I can understand how this is. You can go to any outdoors type shop around here the day before firearms deer season and there will be guys buying new "deer rifles." These are the types you hope don't hurt themselves (nor anybody else) and are hunting 100 miles away from your property lol
 
Wow Andy! The pictures are awesome and it makes you feel like you are actually part of it! It looks like you had an awesome trip. Thanks for sharing the pics :D
 
Andy, what an adventure! I figured lots of garlic on the lizard. And just the idea of that buff cookout inspired great hunger... When I was younger, we often had big cookouts--sometimes we'd spit a lamb or two, usually lots of fresh caught fish (my family is Greek). Man, your picks being me back... nothing as wild as Africa, but being in Los Angeles (and away from family) these days affords little opportunity for such dining. Great... now look what you've done... now I want to sit by an open fire and cut strips of sizzling meat with my blade, and have the juices run dow my chin. The genteel neighbors in my affluent, sleepy suburb might be a little horrified!

Such great pictures and story telling... if there is more, I'll be reading on! Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us.
 
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