Hi folks,
New member here with a report on a first time trip, another member posted earlier on their experience though the same lodge and has inspired me to share our trip as well. A group of 4 tight friends finally found our way to Thabazimbi, South Africa back in August of 2023. Like an earlier post, trip was won through a Friends For NRA auction and was delayed about 6 years because the two that were involved with the purchase were also at the time active the US Military and then covid hit.
Leaving Greensboro, Brad, Marshall, me and Carter are getting our minds straight.
We left North Carolina on a Friday, to Atlanta and Atlanta to Johannesburg. Then a 4 plus hour trip from the airport, but not before fixing a flat tire, at least it was at the airport and not on the side of the road. We finally arrived at the camp in the early hours of Sunday. We were also delayed due to Brad's missing baggage, poor soul spent the entire hunting trip in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers. Hard core, he didn't let it get to him and had a great time anyway. I think his bag did find its way back to him about two weeks after we got back to the states.
A bit about the rifle I took for this trip. I used my Remington Sendero chambered in .300 Remington Ultra Mag and 180 gr. Nosler Partition ammo. Scope is a Leopold, 4 x 12 power, Vari-X 2. So like myself, this unit has a bit of age on it.
Trophy #1 - A great female Gemsbok, taken Sunday morning at an estimated 200 yards, the horns were about 41 inches. This one was in a small group of three that we spotted from a distance, they were on the edge of an open field and thick brush. As we closed in you could tell they were spooked by our presents, but we continued on till we hit a fire break on the other side of that thick bush. Here we got off the truck and into that thick ass brush we go, Shaun didn't waist any time breaking me in, man that African bush and briars is something else. We make it through, staying far enough in the bush in hopes that we are not seen and soon we spot the trio and agree that this was the one to bag. As the sticks are being set in place and I'm setting up for the shot, well guess they picked us out and they bolted. They didn't go that far before stopping, but it positioned them around a corner that forced us out in the open for the shot.
First shot was a good hit, in the right area, just high, way high. It cut her a flip for sure and as she was wallowing around on the ground, I'm making ready to send another round. She gets up and is limping away so I send number two her way, now taking a shot at a moving target at distance is not something I'm comfortable with. At first we thought I had miss because she is now in a trot and into the bush she goes but later on we will find that the second shot hit the right rear leg. Now I'm starting to get that low down, gut twisting feeling that I'm going to have to pay for a wounded animal, what a way to start things off. I'm not seeing a lot of blood to follow, but Shaun kept reassuring me that he will find it. He is pointing at the ground, looking, following, a lot of skills that he possesses that I will never be able to explain. But after about 30 minutes, he pointed her out, laying down is a briar patch. Heck, he had to point her out a couple times as she blended in so perfectly. Shot #3 was right between the eyes, no more tracking and like Elmer Fudd, no more bulwets. The next outing I will have a few extra rounds in my pocket.
Trophy #2 - An excellent Waterbuck, taken Sunday evening, about a 150 yard shot. Horns measured about 31 inches. Was actually out for an Impala, when we ran across this awesome opportunity. There was actually two, this guy and one other, a younger male. They were in a mostly open area with some small trees and patches of brush scattered about and they were giving each other the eye. As we are making our approach, closing that gap and trying to keep positioned behind the overgrowth, they would occasionally glance our way. We would stop during these intervals and when they started starring at each other again, we're closing that gap. We set the sticks up just behind a little twig of a tree and sent one down range that sent this nice bull to it's knees and the other running. He got back up, staggered for about 50 feet and fell down for good.
I'll never forget it, stalking that big bull. A large stand of trees well on the other side of that bull, out in a corner of this huge open area that spanned forever. Then the bark of that big magnum.
I know my face doesn't show it, but I'm on cloud 9 right now and I do believe that Shaun is too. This outing was also a lot less stressful than the morning hunt, I had managed to get me a power nap and was more relaxed this go-round. And check out that sun-set as we are heading back to camp.
Trophy #3 - A wonderful Impala, my last animal for this trip and I hate to admit but it was taken from the truck, so not a lot of story behind this one except to show the effects of too much gun on a steep quartering shot at about 75 feet. This Impala was taken on one of the neighboring farms. I don't recall the measurements.
Entrance wound, nasty!! In the above picture, the exit is small dark spot/hole in the upper neck area, about 3/4 the way down the ear.
A few drone pictures of a Warthog family and the compound, the amenities were nice, the food was awesome, the folks we met were extremely helpful and friendly, we even had a little African pow-wow. We theory enjoyed enjoyed ourselves and would not hesitate to return. Our trophies are all done with the dip & pack and are waiting for a plane ride back to the US, should be arriving in Atlanta in the upcoming weeks.
So much more I would love to share, but think I'm winded.
New member here with a report on a first time trip, another member posted earlier on their experience though the same lodge and has inspired me to share our trip as well. A group of 4 tight friends finally found our way to Thabazimbi, South Africa back in August of 2023. Like an earlier post, trip was won through a Friends For NRA auction and was delayed about 6 years because the two that were involved with the purchase were also at the time active the US Military and then covid hit.
Leaving Greensboro, Brad, Marshall, me and Carter are getting our minds straight.
We left North Carolina on a Friday, to Atlanta and Atlanta to Johannesburg. Then a 4 plus hour trip from the airport, but not before fixing a flat tire, at least it was at the airport and not on the side of the road. We finally arrived at the camp in the early hours of Sunday. We were also delayed due to Brad's missing baggage, poor soul spent the entire hunting trip in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers. Hard core, he didn't let it get to him and had a great time anyway. I think his bag did find its way back to him about two weeks after we got back to the states.
A bit about the rifle I took for this trip. I used my Remington Sendero chambered in .300 Remington Ultra Mag and 180 gr. Nosler Partition ammo. Scope is a Leopold, 4 x 12 power, Vari-X 2. So like myself, this unit has a bit of age on it.
Trophy #1 - A great female Gemsbok, taken Sunday morning at an estimated 200 yards, the horns were about 41 inches. This one was in a small group of three that we spotted from a distance, they were on the edge of an open field and thick brush. As we closed in you could tell they were spooked by our presents, but we continued on till we hit a fire break on the other side of that thick bush. Here we got off the truck and into that thick ass brush we go, Shaun didn't waist any time breaking me in, man that African bush and briars is something else. We make it through, staying far enough in the bush in hopes that we are not seen and soon we spot the trio and agree that this was the one to bag. As the sticks are being set in place and I'm setting up for the shot, well guess they picked us out and they bolted. They didn't go that far before stopping, but it positioned them around a corner that forced us out in the open for the shot.
First shot was a good hit, in the right area, just high, way high. It cut her a flip for sure and as she was wallowing around on the ground, I'm making ready to send another round. She gets up and is limping away so I send number two her way, now taking a shot at a moving target at distance is not something I'm comfortable with. At first we thought I had miss because she is now in a trot and into the bush she goes but later on we will find that the second shot hit the right rear leg. Now I'm starting to get that low down, gut twisting feeling that I'm going to have to pay for a wounded animal, what a way to start things off. I'm not seeing a lot of blood to follow, but Shaun kept reassuring me that he will find it. He is pointing at the ground, looking, following, a lot of skills that he possesses that I will never be able to explain. But after about 30 minutes, he pointed her out, laying down is a briar patch. Heck, he had to point her out a couple times as she blended in so perfectly. Shot #3 was right between the eyes, no more tracking and like Elmer Fudd, no more bulwets. The next outing I will have a few extra rounds in my pocket.
Trophy #2 - An excellent Waterbuck, taken Sunday evening, about a 150 yard shot. Horns measured about 31 inches. Was actually out for an Impala, when we ran across this awesome opportunity. There was actually two, this guy and one other, a younger male. They were in a mostly open area with some small trees and patches of brush scattered about and they were giving each other the eye. As we are making our approach, closing that gap and trying to keep positioned behind the overgrowth, they would occasionally glance our way. We would stop during these intervals and when they started starring at each other again, we're closing that gap. We set the sticks up just behind a little twig of a tree and sent one down range that sent this nice bull to it's knees and the other running. He got back up, staggered for about 50 feet and fell down for good.
I'll never forget it, stalking that big bull. A large stand of trees well on the other side of that bull, out in a corner of this huge open area that spanned forever. Then the bark of that big magnum.
I know my face doesn't show it, but I'm on cloud 9 right now and I do believe that Shaun is too. This outing was also a lot less stressful than the morning hunt, I had managed to get me a power nap and was more relaxed this go-round. And check out that sun-set as we are heading back to camp.
Trophy #3 - A wonderful Impala, my last animal for this trip and I hate to admit but it was taken from the truck, so not a lot of story behind this one except to show the effects of too much gun on a steep quartering shot at about 75 feet. This Impala was taken on one of the neighboring farms. I don't recall the measurements.
Entrance wound, nasty!! In the above picture, the exit is small dark spot/hole in the upper neck area, about 3/4 the way down the ear.
A few drone pictures of a Warthog family and the compound, the amenities were nice, the food was awesome, the folks we met were extremely helpful and friendly, we even had a little African pow-wow. We theory enjoyed enjoyed ourselves and would not hesitate to return. Our trophies are all done with the dip & pack and are waiting for a plane ride back to the US, should be arriving in Atlanta in the upcoming weeks.
So much more I would love to share, but think I'm winded.
