Zimbabwe experience 2013

[Upton O. Good]

Great animals, I didn't know about right and left tusked warthogs, interesting.

Didn't you post something about a zebra story that is untold?

[Rob]

No, I don't think so.  I shot a Hartman's in 2007 that has been one of my favorite trophies and hunts, and a burchells that gave me hell in Zimbabwe in 2012. 

I am still working on my journal.  it is mostly done, but I just have not had time to focus on getting all my planning notes in yet.  here is the story from my Zebra in 2012

Since we planned to look a bit more for a Zebra, Cleopas and Phillemon went about gutting out the Wildebeest.  We loaded it up and drove back to the road we were on.  We were literally turning around the truck at the exact place I started the stalk on the Wildebeest when we saw a small band of Zebra on the other side of the road.  We dismounted and started a stalk.  They were about 1,000 yards away.  We closed the gap quickly and from behind a bush we viewed the group of Zebra.  They were milling around a bushy tree.  I could range the tree, but not the zebra.  Kobus and I discussed this and it we both felt they were 1-2 yards beyond the tree.  The tree was ranging at 160 yards.  Based on my Wildebeest experience I took aim at the quartering Zebra about 3 inches high and squeezed the trigger.  I clearly hit the Zebra and it went about half way down.  Kobus said
“Good Shot!”
This is when things once again started to go poorly.  We walked up on it and it proceeded to stand up and hobble away.  A look through the optics revealed that I had broken a front leg.  We closed the gap to about 150 yards.  I took three shots and missed all three.  I could not believe it.
The Zebra then laid down.  We walked up to about 10 yards and I took the final shot of the trip.  The bullet entered the rear quarter, passed through the body and landed in a dimple under the skin in the neck area.  After some photos Kobus and I did some forensics on the situation while the Zebra was cleaned by the trackers.
The scene of the first shot revealed that the zebra had not been standing 1-2 yards from the brushy tree, but rather it was a full 35-40 yards back from the tree!  So once again what I thought was a close shot, was in reality a farther shot than expected.  This would explain the busted leg.  But what about the three other misses?  Well, between my second shooting position and the Zebra I found at three sets of branches and twigs that were shot to pieces between 50 and 75 yards from the zebra.  Two of them were more like small trees than branches as can be seen in the photos.  Could this have caused deflection?  Well, I don’t know.  My twig rig testing from the summer on the 450 Dakota did not show any deflection when shooting ¼ inch dowels 15 yards in front of a target.  However a 3 inch “tree” might be a different story.  There were clearly lead stains in the wood of the trees so I know that the copper plating on the Swift A-frames had begun to expand.  With a 50 to 75 yard journey between expansion and the target, could it have deflected?  I suppose it could have.  I’ll never really know.  All I can say is that I took my time with all 5 shots.  I know what happened with the first shot, and the last shot went where it was supposed to have gone.  As for the other three… who knows what happened. 

[Rob]

BTW, each of the twig photos is a different one that I hit, and I was shooting my dad's 416 Rigby loaded with Swift a-frames

[Upton O. Good]

Unbelievable, I made the same shot on the Burchell's I killed with the .375. I didn't back track to see if I hit any limbs, I figured I just made a lousy shot.  I love the .375, I plan to use it for everything on my next Africa trip.  I don't think I'm ready for a .416 yet.

Thanks for posting that portion of your journal.  I'm way behind on mine, we're getting ready to move and I haven't had time to dedicate to the stories.

[Rob]

I don't see the jump from a 375 to a 416 as being too much.  The jump to a 460 Wby/450 Dakota, or one of the 500's however is significant.  The 416 Rem Mag is very manageable and a great way to move to a heavier caliber if you so desire.

The 375 HH however is probably the best African cartridge out there.  One could harvest anything in the world with that.  It only falls short if you need to reach out there distance wise.

[MidgetIdjit]

Didn't you post something about a zebra story that is untold?

That was probably me that you're thinking of. 

[Rob]

Now THAT is a good story...

[Upton O. Good]

Can you share your story, Midget?