News From NG-41

Knowing Botswana was about to close down its Elephant hunting Dr. Anthony Bucolo arranged one last safari in this beautiful part of Africa specifically for elephant. The hunt was organized and conducted in NG-41 with John Oosthuizen of Hunters & Guides (hunters@huntersandguides.co.za). Tony and John have shared many a campfire over the past 25 years and together have covered the whole of southern and eastern Africa. Tony had taken a great bull from the delta 3 years ago with John and with some serious effort and maybe a little luck hoped to once again find success in the sands of Botswana.

The conditions in NG-41 and surrounding units have been unusually hot and dry this season and the elephant concentrations and movement were a-typical in everyones opinion. You can't change the weather, it just is what it is. You go to hunt so you rely on the experience of your PH and leave the camp each morning just damn happy to be where you are.

This bull was found just before dark walking through a huge expanse of buffalo grass mid-way through the hunt. Tony took the bull at 60 yards through the lungs and shoulders with 3 carefully placed shots with his Classic 505 Gibbs we put together some years ago. The bullets used were Barnes 525gr Round Nose mono solids that we had Barnes manufacture for us specifically for this rifle and another Gibbs we built for Bryan Walt. These bullets have now accounted for 3 big elephant bulls and despite the lack of any flat meplat have worked flawlessly and feed reliably every time.

Congratulations to both Tony and John on such a successful safari in an area that will no longer be open to hunting in the future. We are truly looking into the opening pages of the Good Old Days.