We came from the other side of the world to hunt again with Buzz Charlton. Two years ago we hunted with him and shot a 40lbs/40lbs elephant in Chirisa.

This time we hunted in an area called Fuller in the Ngamo area (near Victoria Falls). We will concentrate on looking for an over 50lbs bull. It was an early season hunt and we had two days of rain, and the bush was very thick and green. Buzz’s trackers are exceptional and we tracked elephant bull nearly every day and sometimes twice in a day.

Average tracking was around 5 hours, we had packed lunch in the bush at noon.

We saw a lot of elephant and have been charged (mock charge) by bulls and also cows. Buzz’s knows elephant very well and was always in control of the situation. My wife Monique took some extraordinary videos!

During the first ten days I passed several 30lb to over 40lb and also two bulls in the 50lbs range, but with no matching tusks. I wanted a 50lb elephant with matching symmetrical tusks.

Finally on the 11th day we found a great bull after 3 hours of tracking. It was late and the light was going. We estimated it at +45lbs.

Next morning (day 12) we went into the same area and found the tracks of this same big bull. We decided to have a better look at him. One hour of easy tracking and we found him in a group of eight other bull (all in the 30-40lb range).

He had a huge body compared to the other ones. With only two days left in the safari we decided (after maybe 20 minutes of indecision) to take him. One 20 yard side brain shot and I had my big bull weighing…55lb/60lb, well above my expectations.

Great hunt with wonderful guide, trackers and people in camp. We will be back for sure.

Daniel Marhic - New Caledonia

Day 1-12

Tracked up many elephant bulls and past up 2 single tusks that were 70lbs + 55lbs respectively. We had to shoot downmany mock+/ clearys due to the very thick bush and close encounters. Many of the approaches we would be within 12 yards before we could see the tusks of the elephant.

For 5 days we concentrated in pandamasuie on the Botswana border. The bulls were coming in from Botswana into the many pans but after an average of 6 hours tracking per bull we would find they would cross out again. The only bull that we did catch befor getting back to Botswana charge and only stopped after a shot over its head 5 yards from us. We then concentrated in Fuller which is adjacent to the communal lands and we found large concentrations of bulls that at night raided the fields and then came back to our area. Every day was spent tracking good tracks and turning down elephants including the one we eventually shot as time was running out. The bull we shot, we tracked for only 1 hour and gave it a great side brain shot at 15 yards and he went straight down. He turned to weigh more than we expected as he had a huge body and the tusks were 18” at the lip, 3ft + 2 ½ foot out respectively but had 3 foot inside. 55 + 60 lbs.

The TBSH exited the head on Dan’s side brain shot. During the hunt we also saw buffalo, sable, kudu, zebra, impala, leopard, lion etc…