Headed back to Africa in 2016! <<Photos now posted starting P2>>

[Rob]

Some more shots.  Again the villagers came out and helped us. 

[Rob]

All in all a great trip!  Simple an amazing place.  Can't wait to go back again, and I hope someday I am lucky enough to do so.

Just some final photos.  The lake has a huge fishery.  At night it looks like a city forms with all the Kapenta boats.  They shine lights in the water and pull up nets full of little sardine sized fish called Kapentas.

The sunsets, sunrises and moonrises were among the most amazing I have seen!

[carpsniperg2]

Excellent photos as always. Thanks for the write up and congrats. Sorry to hear about the other croc, I know that is one of the toughest shots in Africa from what I have heard. The margin on those croc shots is super small.

What bullets did you end up using?

[bugs n bones]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

[Rob]

I used the cutting edge Bullets.  Non-Con HP's (the BBW#13's).  They work great on plains game.  Evidently not so great on Croc!

[carpsniperg2]

Interesting for sure. I don't have experience with them but I have been looking at picking up some of there line up for my 458 lott. Do you have a picture of the bullet you recovered?

[Rob]

The non-cons are a unique bullet.  They are hollow pointed, but when they impact, they shear off into 6 petals that continue on in a star pattern, while the bullet continues on as a "solid".

I have used them on thin skinned animals and they are amazing.  the entrance hole is usually 2 inches in diameter, while the exit hole is like a pencil.

They were designed for big-bore DG hunting.  I am wondering if I needed a bigger caliber to make them effective on thick/armored skin.  The bullet started as 275 grains, and the piece I recovered was 204 grains.

First photo is the bullet in the croc ear
Second one is the bullet after I removed it
Third is a picture I pulled from Michael on Accurate reloading that shows fired bullets with petals
Last one is also from Micheal at AR, and it shows the card placed inside a bed of newspaper from a non-con shot.  you can see the two main holes from the "solid" with the petal holes in star shapes around the main hole.  He got 28 and 30 inches of penetration with a 420 grain 458 caliber bullet in newspaper.

[carpsniperg2]

Very interesting. I have played with bullets like that from Lehigh in there sub Sonics. I always wondered about penetration of the main core.

[pianoman9701]

Some great animals here. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

[bowhunterforever]

Wow awesome safari

[Rob]

Thanks!  Very memorable trip

[Special T]

Such a cool writeup thank you!!
 
I don't know if you have any insight to the economic situation in Zimbabwe. Are they still operating on the American dollar? About 15 years ago that country went through a bad bout of hyperinflation  and abandoned thier national currency.

I'm very happy you had a trip like that to share with your father in his later years.

[Rob]

It is still bad over there.  They are still on the US dollar, but making noise as though they will go to the Yen - the Chinese are investing heavily.  They paid for  the new airport in Vic Falls. 

Had riots there a month back due to the police and other services not being paid.  They require you to call out all the cash you bring into the country, and search your bags for cash when you exit to make sure you are not brining out more than you brought in. 

Crazy place.

Mugabe tripped at the airport a week or so ago on camera.  He fired several of his body guards as a result. He is over 90 now and just won't die. It is illegal to criticize him in Zim.  Next time you think the US is screwed up, go look at Zim!

[206]

Loved the hippo story and all the pics about it.

[Special T]

It is still bad over there.  They are still on the US dollar, but making noise as though they will go to the Yen - the Chinese are investing heavily.  They paid for  the new airport in Vic Falls. 

Had riots there a month back due to the police and other services not being paid.  They require you to call out all the cash you bring into the country, and search your bags for cash when you exit to make sure you are not brining out more than you brought in. 

Crazy place.

Mugabe tripped at the airport a week or so ago on camera.  He fired several of his body guards as a result. He is over 90 now and just won't die. It is illegal to criticize him in Zim.  Next time you think the US is screwed up, go look at Zim!

Did your guide or PH talk much about it or were they mostly quiet?
How did they get into the hunting business over there?