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Cranky, unpredictable and easily enraged. And so are the buffalo. 'Half a world away and a different year we’re walking after Cape buffalo. And walking and walking. Down in the swampy grasslands and reed beds, up into the lofty sandveld forests, the msassa seed pods bursting like gunshots as you walk through cathedrals of shadow. Its winter in Zimbabwe, with the grasses dried to tawny gold, the great elephant tracks laid in summer’s mud now dried hard in the mopane country. At first glance the … [Read more...] about Inyati III

The old dog is dry and sleeping, the fire is crackling, rain drumming on the tin roof. Time to clean up, sip a dram and remember. Peter P. Ryan www.faraway.co … [Read more...] about At day’s end

Argentina's partridge are the last great secret for wannabe gentlemen. A pleasant stroll in a vast flat field with a nice double and a good pointing dog or two - what could be better? Perdiz are not partridge at all but a form of tinamou, related to rheas and the other large flightless birds. You can see it in their head structure and movement, though the size is obviously much different. They are also very possibly the finest game bird to grace a dining table. If big city chefs knew about … [Read more...] about The Gringo’s Perdiz

Most elephant are easy to get up on in thick cover, if you have the wind. If it swings the advantages suddenly lie with him - he can cut through thick jesse or thorn like butter, you can't. This is an aggressive investigation, not a charge. He still looked pretty big through the viewfinder... Peter P. Ryan www.faraway.co … [Read more...] about Up Close and Personal

Ingwe is not stupid. Leopards know us of old and while happy to stay out of the way, living up in the rocks and picking off antelope or village dogs, he is not afraid of us in a pinch. Wounded or just hassled they will charge quickly and silently. The Matabele regarded killing a leopard as a test of manhood. It was done using a club and a thorny branch as a primitive shield. The first rule of loving history is that you don't get to change it to suit modern tastes - whatever people may say from … [Read more...] about Ingwe

The end of a long day playing bwana in the mopane with CZ .458. A cold Zambezi lager looks pretty good at this point. Peter P. Ryan www.faraway.co … [Read more...] about Sundowner time