Report by: PH Peter Barnard
Location: Selous
Date: 25 September 2006
Client : Tom Bulloch
Day 9, Friday 22 September 2006
Left camp around 6am to go to U3 to check up on the bait that we had hung up yesterday. While driving we found the tracks of three buffalo bulls, so we decided to follow them. We bumped them once in the long grass and they ran like hell. We sat down for 30 minutes to let the buffalo settle down, and then picked up their tracks again. Twenty minutes later we caught up with them, and located a very good bull, Tom shot the bull on the shoulder and he thundered off. We picked up his trail and followed him, and in a thicket we saw him standing, just a black blob, so I told Tom to hit him again. Well Tom hit him good, real good, but it turned out to be a big black tree stump, now a dead tree stump. After a good chuckle we got back onto our wounded buffalo trail again, and 300 yards later caught up to him in the long grass. Tom shot him a couple of times, and he went down, but he sure was a tough old soldier. A magnificent 42 inch buffalo.
After cutting him in half, we were off to check our lion bait. When we got there we discovered that two big male lions had fed on the bait. We hung half the buffalo up, and built a blind about 50 yards away from our bait next to a riverine . We left the area, and came back into the blind at 5pm. 
We sat quietly and right on last light, we could hear the lions down in the creek bed, but instead of them going to the bait, they came down the creek towards us. We both picked up our weapons and turned around to face the back of the blind. Nerves were rocking in that blind, the lions walked within five yards of us, but we could not see them, and luckily they did not scent or see us. By now it was dark, so we called in the vehicle and left our blind to come back and see what happens tomorrow.
Day 10, Saturday 23 September 2006
Tom Bulloch Writing: Up at 4 am, wondering what the lions have been doing all night. Arrive at bait at first light, careful, nervous stalk in. Barefoot last 300 meters. Then there’s a big male, looking at us from the bush. No chance for a shot. Carry on to blind and sit, wait five minutes, then hear them not 60 yards away. Smaller male walks into bush, big male lying ten meters from bait, guarding it from vultures. Lying down, facing us. Wait, wait for shot, he lifts head presenting a chest shot. One shot, he simply rolled over and never moved. Simba kubwa sana! Old, old lion, maybe 10 years or more. Shot before 6:30 in morning. Many pictures, much celebration upon return to camp. Nothing like it in world of hunting. Spent midday relaxing in camp, most enjoyable. Went out late in afternoon, trackers spot good duiker 150 yards off, standing. 
Second shot drops duiker; perfect end to perfect day. .375 seems to be enough gun for duiker. Saw lioness with three cubs on way back to camp, only a couple of km’s distant. Tomorrow back to Rufiji, see if suni herds have migrated in. Tonight, it’s Saturday and there is a lion to celebrate.
Day 11, Sunday 24 September 2006
Peter Barnard writing: Well we all woke up with pretty sore heads, from the late night celebrations over the lion so we left camp pretty late. Decided to head back down to the Rufiji River and look for bushbuck, bushpig and maybe find the ever elusive suni. Any way got down there, saw lots of game on the way, and went for a quiet walk along the river in the thick brush. We finally located a good bushbuck ,and Tom shot a very fine ram. We carried him out, and drove back to MAI or Madaba, but we all had an early night as we’re still feeling a bit rough from the night before.
Day 12, Monday 25 September 2006
This was the last day of our hunt, so off we went looking for the ever elusive suni, not sure if they are extinct or not, could be like trying to hunt a Doe Doe. Anyway went for a long, slow, quiet walk in some real thick bush (supposed to be their habitat) looking for suni. We found none, but did find the odd red Duiker. In the afternoon decided to have some fun and we got Tom’s 22.250 out, and let all the trackers, gun bearers etc have a shot with it at a target about 100 yards away, much amusement to all. Well was a fine relaxing day. And a good end to a fantastic safari.
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