A fire pit and deck of course...



Croc hunting is accomplished two fold, figure out where the big lizard is frequenting on shore (they, like the Aussie version are VERY territorial) to sun themselves, set up over these spots and wait and the other, find the big lizard and stalk in close enough to shoot. I got to experience both and both have their challenges.

On shooting a croc. There are three generally accepted spot to hit them. Forward of the shoulder, where the spine and head meet (found by following "the smile" back and aiming there) OR striking the brain, to do so you have an area a little larger than and egg to hit in the area just behind the eye. The reality is that if you want to ground the lizard right there and not risk it kicking its way back into the water (and generally being lost) it is the third and hardest option that is required. On trophy fees.... a shot and a miss can cost you the fee (at the discretion of the PH, if he even suspects a wound you will pay), a wounding costs you, a kill but a lost body costs you. The fee is US$3K so there is some small amount of pressure around the shooting part...

Croc hunting hours are however VERY civil, they don't come out of the water till the outside temps rise and the sand etc warms up. So no crack of dawn starts ...

The first avenue we tried was some local knowledge about where a large croc was appearing. It was a good hour upstream from camp...

Our Captain...



Obano....yes, (seeing as he was our tracker) I did at one point ask him if he "had seen any croc tracks yet" as we motored upstream.... I think he was being polite by not answering to start with till he figured out it was humour...



Typical view as we motored around the river. These are actually sandbars that are mid river... just when you think you are "on the other side" (as the sandbar with plant life and such is a couple of KM long) you realise you are no more than the middle !!!



The other significant in habitant of the Zambezi is the Hippo.... and there were lots of them !!!





Where a croc is going in and out of the water is what you are trying to figure... of course till you scurry up there you don't know which it was nor where they are !!!



A little lizard...