Day 1: Dragged roads most of the day, total driving approximately 210km. Made one quick stalked to lone bull with cows. His tusks only 35-40lbs, so passed on him.
Day 2: In early morning, saw pack of African wild dogs prior to first stalk – a very good omen for the hunt. Found three bulls on the morning stalk, but largest only approximately 35lbs. with right tusk broken off.
After quick lunch and constantly bothered by Mopane flies, we started out following a 24 inch track around 12:15pm. We caught up to four bulls, largest felt to be a solid 50 pounder. I was persuaded by Buzz to take him. I dropped the bull at 30 yards with 458 Winchester. The right tusk landed in fork of tree, a most unusual position.
Left tusk – 53 lbs.
Right tusk – 55 lbs.
Cigars and champagne that evening!
Day 3: Recovery of bull #1 all morning. We dragged a number of roads again that afternoon.
Day 4: Morning stalk found 4 bulls after 3-4 hour walk and crossing a number of cow tracks. We caught up to the bulls around 1:30pm. One old bull had broken right tusk and cracked left tusk, so passed up. One young bull had only 35-40 lb. ivory, but was truly a giant, towering over the other bulls.
Day 5: Morning stalked tracked 3 large bulls. One of three had broken left ear but good ivory, approximately 50-55lbs, but passed on him.
Afternoon hunt made very short stalk, found one lone bull with many cows in area. His body was very large, but tusks were very thin with quick taper and only 35-40lbs, so passed on him.
Day 6: Rode most of the day, dragging roads, but very little activity all day.
Day 7: Went to far boundary of hunting area and found a very large, approximately 25-26 inch track. Tracked from about 10:15 am until 1:30 pm and found 4 small bulls. Tracked for about one more hour and found a lone bull. Ivory was only approximately 45 lbs, so passed.
Day 8: Found a good track, roughly 24 inches early in the morning around 8:00 am but abandoned this after Eddie found better tracks down the road. The largest track was approximately 25 inches, so started tracking this bull around 9:15 am. Bull crossed into an adjacent block, but found tracks where he exited block around 10:30 am. Started following tracks again at a brisk pace (around 5 km/hr per GPS) and caught up to 5 bulls at 11:30 am.
One bull had very long, thin beautiful ivory, but only 45-50 lbs. Moved to opposite side of group and found an old bull with very thick ivory with no taper except at the point. Went for a side brain shot, but bull turned and faced us. Frontal brain shot at 25 yards was little low and to the right and only rocked bull against the tree. Bull given heart-lung shot by Buzz and knocked down with right hip shot by me.
Left tusk – 64 lbs
Right tusk – 70 lbs.
Cigars and champagne again that night!
Day 9: Recovery of bull #2.
Days 10 – 14: Went after a ration kongoni (?sp., i.e. wildebeest), but all animals seemed to know exactly where shooting boundary is. No luck in getting a shooter.
Day 15: Visited Victoria Falls. The Falls are truly a wonder of the world. This should be a destination for any hunter or visitor to Zimbabwe
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