SAFARI: THE OLD AND THE NEW
Joshua M.Weiner
It had been twenty years since I went on Safari in Zimbabwe, an amazing experience that I had always wanted to repeat. And so this year, I finally returned to hunt in Africa once again.
I had lots of assistance putting my trip together, in particular, Warren Lahaus of Verbius Safaris (formally Halthara). Warren, whom I met at the Vintagers 2008 annual World Side By Side Championships, is a PH (Professional Hunter) in South Africa. He was the sponsor of my safari including all the transfers. I found Warren very helpful in guiding me through my travel needs which went through many changes and adjustments. When finalized, my hunt was a two part adventure.
It started in Zimbabwe, in the Nakasanga area of the Zambezi, where I was to hunt for Cape Buffalo and a non trophy cull elephant. The second half of my hunt was in the Limpopo area of South Africa with Warren. There, I hunted a variety of plaines game: Zebra, Ginsbuck, Impala and Warthog. So, my final target list was Cape Buffalo and non trophy elephant in Zimbabwe, and plains game in South Africa.
It was an eighteen hour flight to Johannesburg, and a two hour connecting flight to Harare, Zimbabwe. Customs was easy at the airport, where Rex Hoets picked me up and took me to a hotel. I caught up on some much needed sleep. In the morning we drove for five and a half hours and arrived the Zambezi Valley. Here I connected with my hunting team for Zimbabwe.
A native of Zimbabwe and a 20 year veteran PH, Barry Van Heerden is the proprietor of Big Game Safaris and was the go-to guy on the Zimbabwe portion of my hunt. Barry hired Rex Hoets, another native of Zimbabwe and free lance PH in Africa, to be my guide. Rex’s almost 20 years experience and calm demeanor was much appreciated in the field. Indeed, by the end of the hunt, we had become great friends.
It was my goal to do this safari in the classical Vintagers style, with a Side By Side gun, iron sights only. My weapon of choice was the L'Atelier Verney-Carron double rifle in 450-400 3". Using this same gun I had placed Third in the Vintagers Stalking Course competition and then using a different load for the Stopping Course; I had placed First. While I also brought along a second rifle, a L'Atelier Verney-Carron in 470 NE which shoots equally well, it stayed in the case the entire trip. I hunted exclusively with the 450-400 3".
All the ammo for my safari was hand loaded. I used Hornady 400g DGS solids and Barns Banded 400g Solids in the 450-400 3". The 470 NE was loaded with 500 g. Barns Banded solids and 500g Woodleigh softs. These bullets, fired at 50 yards, had an average velocity of 2200 fps for the 450-400 3" and 2190 fps for the 470 NE, groups of about 1.5". Both rifles checked out at the range in Zimbabwe and I was ready to hunt.
PH, Rex Hoets and I hunted very hard for eleven days, seeking a Buffalo Dugaboy. We saw hundreds of buffalo during the Safari, but we were looking for one with big bosses and forty inch plus wide horns. However, because of all the rain prior to my arrival, there were numerous small watering holes which provided lots of food and coverage for the buffalo. They were able to feed without traveling any kind of distance. Though we could have closed the deal with several sub 40" Dugaboy’s, in the end we were not able to shoot the Cape Buffalo we were seeking.
On the 4th day of buffalo hunting, we came across a good sized non-trophy bull elephant suitable for culling. (We had passed on dozens of smaller ones earlier in the hunt.) We stalked this elephant for several hundred yards, when suddenly , at 30 yards, we found ourselves in a full and hasty retreat with the elephant on our heels.
We re-grouped and circled down wind pressing our stalk to within 20 yards where the bull elephant turned to face us, ears out. I placed the front sight pin centered on his forehead and fired. A dust cloud shot into the air from the impact point between his eyes. He spun to the right and I fired a second shot. This bullet hit just behind the shoulder dropping him on the spot. As I was reloading the elephant jumped to his feet and started to run. Rex fired his 500 Jeffrey with a solid hit and I fired two more shots into the departing elephant. We both quickly reloaded and took up chase. We ran through the unrelenting thorns after him, and shortly thereafter, we finished what we had started. My first elephant was on the ground.
One 450-400 3" bullet, a Barnes Banded Solid was recovered. It had passed through five and a half feet of animal including both lungs, to lodge under the skin on the opposite side. Rex observed that while my first shot at the brain was centered between the eyes, the elephant had turned his head ever so slightly at the last second. He surmised that I had probably missed the brain by only a few inches. That night, we reviewed the video tape and confirmed the elephants minimal turn of the head. The brain on the elephant for a frontal shot is about two feet back; even a slight turn changes the geometry of the shot greatly. Live and learn!
Craig Magnal, a native of Zimbabwe, was the video camera man on this portion of the hunt. He did a great job, being in there for the shot but never in the way. Craig captured the elephant hunt, our shots and our reloads, as he ran along with us. Since this elephant hunt was a culling one, I was unable to keep any of the elephant products. His filming caught all the non stop action and made the expense of having Craig well worth it.
Early the next morning Barry Van Heerden of Big Game Safaris headed the recovery effort for the elephant. The ivory, leather and all eatable parts were recovered; the ivory and the leather went to the parks department and the meat went to the people of Zimbabwe. It was a huge undertaking, and Barry did not get done until after dark. This allowed Rex and I to go back out in the field and hunt for a Buffalo.
By the end of my 3 week safari, I had collected several impala and a zebra with the 450-400 3". The Hornady 400g DGS solids worked perfectly on the plains game; with pass throughs on all game and a minimum of damage to the meat. The food was greatly appreciated and fed a lot of people.
In the end, Barry added an extra day free of charge in Zimbabwe for hunting the Buffalo. But is was just not in the cards for us. Our undoing was the water; there was too much of it around. But I look at the bright side, I now have something to look forward to on my next trip.
WHO’S WHO
Zimbabwe: Barry Van Heerden
Professional Hunter/Proprietor
Big Game Safari’s
Biggamesaf@zol.co.zw
Rex Hoets
Professional Hunter
Hoetshunt@zol.co.zw
Craig Magnall
Camera Man
Crusty86@hotmail.com
South Africa: Warren Lahoud
Sponsor/Professional Hunter
Virbius Safaris
Virbiussafaris.com
L'Atelier Verney-Carron 450-400 3" Double Rifle
Ken Buch of Kebco LLC
Info@Kebcollc.com
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