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Hi guys just back from Zim.

Yet again I hunted with Doma Safaris. All in all it was a continuing story of my previous stays there.

PH: Gordon Duncan
Rifle: Merkel double in 9,3x74R with GSFN 265gr FN solids and factory RWS 293gr TUG.

The following is just an excerpt from diary. Some minor changes and adaptations might occur later but roughly as it is I put it up.

16.11.2010

Flight went perfect. Baggage showed up.
Gordon is very optimistic about our hunt and knows about one very old…will see, but sounds promising.
Weather is great and tho there were some minor rains (2 inches) time ago - it only helped because there is a short green grass springing up.

17.11.2010

Had a breakfast at Miller's, saw Richard Harland passing. Picked up a Land Cruiser at mechanic and head for Doma. Stopped at Chinhoy and Lion's Den.
Arrived to Doma, had a pleasant evening off and settled in

18.11.2010

We were off at 4.15, headed to Maninga (upper area), looking for Buff. Found some older (2 days old) tracks first and later on a fresh spoor of a single Dagga Boy, however lost it inside tracks of other Buff – guys do know of that particular Boy and he might surface later on. They tracked him on a couple of previous hunts but couldn’t even see him).

Saw a couple of Duikers, an Oribi and a female Bushbuck.

Oribi

I still feel some pain in my lower spine (from the flight I guess) and since I haven't slept perfect (woke up a couple of times during the night) I still feel rather tired and sleepy but I guess all this will pass once I will be dialed in and a genuine tiredness from all day long following tracks will kick inn resulting in righteous sleep of a dead each evening.
Yesterday some clouds formed and we expected some rain but till morning they were all gone - warm clear morning - Right after 7 a.m. is HOT!
Venus is seen rising above lake and Moon is getting full.
Drove around in the afternoon, saw a group of Waterbuck, behind the airstrip.

19.11.2010

Left for Maninga at 4.30, still full dark, but already very warm, probably 20C+.

Tracks of solitary Daga Boy found, but jumped only at 9.30, temps already well over 30.

Tracked him for 2 and 1/2 hours: 216m ascent, 180m descent all together with return - sum time 3hrs 11min.

Deadly hot on return. Buff smelled us when bedded down in a patch of Jesse and bolted, scout that was staying at vehicle saw it passing not 100m from parked cruiser.
Saw 3 Zebra at Shumba Spring.

20.11.2010

Woke up at 3.30 and headed for Maninga. We reached the place at first light. Weather is overcast with lighntnings seen farther north. Checked a couple of points until we found the track of the Buff from yesterday - again at Shumba Spring.

Shumba Spring

Contenders

Started to follow at app 8.00. Tracked for half an hour when we lost track and it started to rain.

Waiting

Guys needed 1 hour to sort it out, however it turned up that his track merged with tracks of the herd. So to figure it out we looped around on the banks of a river nearby.

Beautiful place, secret, hidden with permanent water, mud holes...haven for Buffalo and Elephant.

When we came around almost full time we found herd tracks much fresher now leaving the area. So without any better idea (no clear sign that Dagga Boy left the group) we followed. Tracks leaded us through walleys and hills, close to the place where scouts from national parks shot a poacher last week. Sad remains still visible - burned remnants of his rucksack next to a patch of dried blood, everything covered briefly with some branches.
Anyway, tracks going through valley and then up the ridge. Group rested a couple of times and moved on. With weather being overcast therefore rather cool Buffalo continued to graze well into a day. Tracks were getting fresher by every minute now and eventually we cought up with tem at thr end of a walley. To get a better viewing point we circled around the slope on the right. That brought us to 130 m from the herd.

They were a group of app. 30 - cows, calves and bulls, of wich all tho big in bodies and horns, looked young with soft bosses. Gordon was looking them over while I tried to take a short vid with my camera.

Elusive Doma Buffalo

Eventualy Gordon discovered an old bull in the middle hooking and beating a lone bush. He pointed him out and asked me if I could take a shot. Eish it wasn't exactly what I have expected, however knowing how quickly a shifting wind can mess things up I kind agreed on making a try. I have rested the rifle on Gordon's shoulder and waited for a clear situation. At the moment a cow moved in, and they changed positions so I had to leave the rifle and grab my bino’s to look it all over. Our bull was spotted just behind one of the cows, standing broad side looking to the right. In that moment they decided they would be leaving through the slope on the left. Cow cleared and bull turned to the left, quartering to the left and his hind part toward us. So I took a hasty aim and let one (265gr. GSFN solid) go. Impact was noticed by loud thud on impact with bull staggering and simultaneously turning to the right and took a hasty retreat. We gave a chase up to the ridge but only managed to see them departing through some scrub down the slope. We checked their path where they have crossed the road and immediately found a blood trail, that looked rather extensive taking in account that it was caused by a solid.

Blood trail

I replenished my ammo pouch from a box that was in my backpack and carried by Joshua this time. Joshua also passed my backpack to Kasirai, since Gordon sent him to fetch a vehicle. We drank some water and hit the track. Wounded animal was still running with a herd but bleeding profoundly. After 100m or so the tracks parted - bull was getting weak and left the group by turning to the left parallel to the slope, while herd proceeded straight downwards. Additional awareness was applied and we proceeded cautiously. After 200m or so we go to the shallow ditch where we got stuck, looking for the tracks. We were munching on the spot for 1/2 minute. That was enough to flush a Buffalo that was laying some 40m away under a tree and some scrub - bit above us. I just got a glimpse of him getting up and departing to the right. I immediately gave him right and left. Depart of the buffalo was so sudden that Gordon hasn't even seen the Buff, while trackers thought that it was eventually a cow. I didn't thought so since animal had all the signs of a bull, especially massive neck. I was also feeling good about those 2 shots. So we immediately took chase. We caught up with the him after another 200m, just beneath a steep 15m bank. Surprisingly Buffalo didn't take a refuge to the left into scrub, but climbed the bank - it was obviously in big pain since it was making subdued short bellows on the way. Once it got on the top of the bank he was behind a thick bush. Seeing Gordon getting in position on the left, I kneeled and waited if it will appear on the right side. It did, obviously very sick staggering. 2 shots to the neck and head respectively between me and Gordon finished him off. Kasirai applauded and we climbed the bank in haste. Man it was steep so we had to climb it with all fours. Incredible how buff made it up there!

All in all, it took us 5 hours, 56 minutes: 272m ascent, 224m descent.

It was a long day!

25.11.2010

Late wake at 6 am. Had some rain in the morning and weather is overcast. We made a last trip to Maninga. We saw some fresh signs of Bushpigs on the road and beagan to talk about them. Lo and behold - not far from there all of a sudden we spoted a group of pigs still roaming around - thanks to the weather I believe. So we jumped out of the vehicle and went after them. Due to terrain and undergrowth it was a tough one. Once we get to them, they were zigzaging and disappearing between bushes. We just agreed on which one to shoot when it ran out of sight. That game repeated a couple of times and they obviously got tired of it, since they began to run. We made a final attempt of flanking across the ridge and couldn't see any of them anymore. All of a sudden a single big animal appeared below us. Gordon nodded and I quickly deliver a right and since animal jumped the fast left barrel, that knocked the beast down. I used 293gr TUG's - first hit low in a chest would do, but why take any chances so the second hit it in the neck. Great, great, old, old boar. How lucky can one get?

Back from a Hill.