Our battery of weapons included for my husband his custom .416 Rem. on model 70 action built by Brockman with a Zeiss 3.5 x 10 x 40 Leupold scope.  I took Thelma; my trusty .375 H&H Pre 64 built by Robar with a Swarovski 3 x 9 x 36 scope.   Paul, my husband’s best friend, took his new Montana Rifle Co.-.416 Rem. H&H.   We all used Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and/or Sledgehammers as the situation required.

We departed Arusha via a four hour air charter to begin our safari in the Mwambezi Camp on the Tanzania side of the Ruvuma River bordering Mozambique.  The airstrip and village were about 45 minutes from camp, and since we were the first clients in the area this year, we frequently encountered bush fences funneling to snares which we regularly tore down.  After 12 days of seeing only cows, calves and immature bulls, we decided to relocate to K5 concession in the Selous.  In both concessions my husband and his PH accompanied by either Paul or me followed every track that looked promising, only to find a bull below the legal limits.  My husband uses the aid of a walking stick to forge and feel his way through thickets and korongos.  He never complained or tired of the hours of fruitless tracking, (can’t say the same for me).  He is still my hero after 38 years of marriage.  He left camp at 6:30 AM and a couple of mornings at 3:00 AM and never returned to camp before 8:00 PM.  (This really eliminated our Sundowner time, for sure.)

Raoul Romani, TBGS owner, had recommended at the time we booked the hunt that our chances for a big bull would be better later in the season, but our dates of August 15 through September 6 fit our schedule.  We should have listened to Raoul, but I never dreamed we wouldn’t even see a legal bull.  Because of my husband’s vision problems we knew we wouldn’t be picky.  We just wanted him to have an opportunity while he can still see enough to shoot, albeit with me or in this case his best friend standing behind him to help guide the muzzle of his rifle to the target.  After that, with a good scope, he can “do the deadly deed.”

During the first ten days in Mwambezi we also had the excellent services of Orlando Cardoso as an additional PH.  Mwambezi is definitely not an area to book for buffalo, we were warned that very few are seen or taken from the area, but both Paul and I took respectable buffalo.  Paul and Orlando tracked a herd for two days and many blistered miles before Paul took what I call a “Helmet Head” bull with a 16” bos.

Similar to what I found in Mozambique last year, there were ample Roosevelt sable, one of which I connected.

We saw Lichtenstein hartebeest, Greater kudu, and bushbuck daily, but not in big numbers or impressive trophy quality.  Impala and hippo were sparse.  I videotaped 2 young lions and a lioness on two consecutive afternoons.  I spent 3 consecutive sessions in a leopard blind very near camp, but the leopard we had on bait was smaller than what I have taken in the past, so I just enjoyed the dinner show which included hyenas.  And, of course we had many other exciting moments and adventure packed days with elephants and other critters that always make a safari memorable.

Once we moved to the Selous we knew the limited days remaining of our safari would also be a pressure factor.  There was no need for any extra gun fire while trying to find an elephant in this sensitive area.  We ignored herds of buffalo, plentiful plains game or baiting cats or crocs.  However, when we were down to the final few days before safari’s end my husband, with the help of Paul, elected to disturb the calm and took a hippo on dry land, off hand at less than 25 yards.  They both proudly reminded me that this was a much more difficult feat than the hippo I had taken in 2001 from the water.  We were all ecstatic, and at this point, an elephant couldn’t have made any one of us more thrilled.

Though we continued a dedicated hunt for elephant through the morning of the day we flew out from camp, as targets of opportunity, Paul collected an excellent impala and warthog and I took a beautiful Nyasaland wildebeest.

I may have been slightly disheartened about not finding an elephant for my husband, but as always, the worst day hunting is better than doing anything else.  And an elephant is a great excuse to go back. The camps, staff and attention to detail from Tanzania Big Game Safaris were excellent.

© September 2006