Country: Namibia
Dates: May 4-14, 2025
Outfitter: @KOU KUAS ADVENTURES
PH: Emile Kirchner
Apprentice PH: Marnus
Locations Hunted: Bwabwata West Park
Rifle: 416 Rigby
Load: Bullet: North Fork 400 gr SS
Powder: IMR 4350, 92.5 gr
Primer: CCI 250
Case: Norma (sourced from @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION)
I met Emile, owner of Kou Kuas Adventures, in the Rigby booth at SCI Nashville several years ago when I had expressed interest in a free range Roan hunt. He informed me that he only had several on quota each year but did have one available for 2025. Needless to say I jumped at the chance for both the Roan as well as the opportunity to see and hunt the Caprivi and Bwabwata West. Travel, while not arduous, was time consuming as it took four days to get to camp. Flights were Atlanta to Johannesburg on Delta; Johannesburg to Windhoek on Airlink; and Windhoek to Katima Mulilo on Fly Namibia (flight only offered twice per week); and then a four hour drive to camp. Camp is very comfortable, typical East African style tented camp with running water, shower etc. Food was excellent, hearty breakfast, packed lunches for the field, and game meat type dishes in the evening.
Day one started early heading out shortly after breakfast canvassing grasslands in search of Roan. By mid morning we had yet to have a Roan sighting when several Warthogs were seen moving through the grass about a hundred yards away. Maneuvering for a better look, both Emile and I said the same thing at the same time “that’s a big pig” as we observed a boar with two females. Emile asked if I was interested and the stalk was on. Luckily the wind was in our favor and as the animals stopped to feed, we worked to about a hundred yards away for the shot. Following the kill, and not wanting to take the hour or so ride back to camp, we delivered the Warthog to a close by village for them to have as food. Eating lunch in the field and continuing on, the only Roan we saw that day was a female grazing mid afternoon, but after watching her for a while we could ascertain there was no male around.
Day two for Roan was much like day one, riding and scouting grasslands with the only sighting being a young male. Talking to Emile that night, we decided to head out very early on Day three with a plan to make the long drive in the morning to grasslands on the eastern side of his concession. It should be noted that Bwabwata West is just under 700K acres and stretches the Caprivi from the Botswana border in the south, north to the Angola Border with one major east-west highway and the rest either improved or unimproved dirt roads. Emiles camp sits on the Okavango River in the western side of the concession just north of the Botswana border.
As it turns out, we would not make it to the far side of the concession, at least not that day. About halfway there, we spotted a nice Roan on the south side of the road. Believing that the animal was returning from water and heading north to grasslands to feed, we continued on for several hundred yards so as to not spook the animal while we watched and confirmed in our mirrors that he did cross the road and head north. Walking back it didn’t take the trackers long to pick up the trail and we were off. Initially in fairly open woodlands, the terrain quickly gave way to high grass, about eye level, as the trail started a zig-zag pattern confirming the Roan was feeding. We stopped several times when atop any minimally raised terrain in an attempt to spot the animal, but never were able to get sight. After about an hour of stalking, we noticed the Roan was traveling in a large circular path and we had a “feeling” that we were close. Stopping to carefully search the surrounding area we did not initially see anything, but then Marnus whispered “there”. Lead tracker Patrick went down on a knee having not seen the animal, but Emile was quick to pick him up, 60 yards ahead and facing us. Setting up the sticks, Emile talked me onto the animal, first only seeing his horns. The grass now helping us as the Roan obviously knowing something was not right, was unable to see us in the grass. Finding him in the scope proved an interesting undertaking, but I was able to find him and make the shot. Back at camp that afternoon we decided to celebrate by taking Emile’s boat up the Okavango River for some Tigerfish fishing.
With six days remaining, I expressed interest in Red Lechwe and, if we could find an exceptional Kudu. The next morning fate was on our side as we left camp we spotted what had to be over a hundred Lechwe Rams feeding in an open field. Stalking in to a clump of trees for cover allowed us to glass the whole herd, the hardest part keeping track of the good rams as they moved in and through the others. After a close to an hour of observing a stellar ram was identified although it took another ten to fifteen minutes to for him to present us a clear shot.
Now, turning our attention to Kudu, the remainder of the hunt was spent driving, stalking, and waiting by water sources in search of an old large bull. Multiple good Kudu were observed, but both myself and Emile were looking for something better. At one point, we stalked into a natural salt lick after watching an entire herd move through taking in some salt and minerals on their way to the river. We set up and waited for them to come back through. As they did we found ourselves against a termite mound within fifty yards of somewhere between twenty and thirty Kudu. As mentioned earlier, some good bulls, but not exactly the bull we were after. Then on the last day of the hunt, as we were driving down an unimproved road, we broke through some brush and there ahead of us about seventy yards were two Kudu fighting (the rut was in full swing). As we watched it was obvious that one of the bulls was exceptional, an old bull, dark in color, with long deep curls. This was our bull. About that time the other Kudu, who was losing the fight, noticed the truck and bolted out of the area. The old bull stood, looked us and then quickly departed as well. Now the stalk was on. We worked through the mopane woodlands for several hours catching fleeting glimpses of the animal. At one point both Emile and myself were crawling on all fours when we spotted him but he spooked before I was able to get the rifle in position for a shot. Eventually persistence paid off and we found him facing us at 180 yards.
Some final parting thoughts, Emile Kirchner is a true gentleman and was outstanding as both an outfitter, host, and guide. Marnus, the apprentice PH, was incredible as well and I’m very glad that he was part of this hunt, I would happily hunt with him again. Lastly Bwabwata West as well as the entire Caprivi and North Okavango Delta is a very special place and truly worth the effort to get there.
Dates: May 4-14, 2025
Outfitter: @KOU KUAS ADVENTURES
PH: Emile Kirchner
Apprentice PH: Marnus
Locations Hunted: Bwabwata West Park
Rifle: 416 Rigby
Load: Bullet: North Fork 400 gr SS
Powder: IMR 4350, 92.5 gr
Primer: CCI 250
Case: Norma (sourced from @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION)
I met Emile, owner of Kou Kuas Adventures, in the Rigby booth at SCI Nashville several years ago when I had expressed interest in a free range Roan hunt. He informed me that he only had several on quota each year but did have one available for 2025. Needless to say I jumped at the chance for both the Roan as well as the opportunity to see and hunt the Caprivi and Bwabwata West. Travel, while not arduous, was time consuming as it took four days to get to camp. Flights were Atlanta to Johannesburg on Delta; Johannesburg to Windhoek on Airlink; and Windhoek to Katima Mulilo on Fly Namibia (flight only offered twice per week); and then a four hour drive to camp. Camp is very comfortable, typical East African style tented camp with running water, shower etc. Food was excellent, hearty breakfast, packed lunches for the field, and game meat type dishes in the evening.
Day one started early heading out shortly after breakfast canvassing grasslands in search of Roan. By mid morning we had yet to have a Roan sighting when several Warthogs were seen moving through the grass about a hundred yards away. Maneuvering for a better look, both Emile and I said the same thing at the same time “that’s a big pig” as we observed a boar with two females. Emile asked if I was interested and the stalk was on. Luckily the wind was in our favor and as the animals stopped to feed, we worked to about a hundred yards away for the shot. Following the kill, and not wanting to take the hour or so ride back to camp, we delivered the Warthog to a close by village for them to have as food. Eating lunch in the field and continuing on, the only Roan we saw that day was a female grazing mid afternoon, but after watching her for a while we could ascertain there was no male around.
Day two for Roan was much like day one, riding and scouting grasslands with the only sighting being a young male. Talking to Emile that night, we decided to head out very early on Day three with a plan to make the long drive in the morning to grasslands on the eastern side of his concession. It should be noted that Bwabwata West is just under 700K acres and stretches the Caprivi from the Botswana border in the south, north to the Angola Border with one major east-west highway and the rest either improved or unimproved dirt roads. Emiles camp sits on the Okavango River in the western side of the concession just north of the Botswana border.
As it turns out, we would not make it to the far side of the concession, at least not that day. About halfway there, we spotted a nice Roan on the south side of the road. Believing that the animal was returning from water and heading north to grasslands to feed, we continued on for several hundred yards so as to not spook the animal while we watched and confirmed in our mirrors that he did cross the road and head north. Walking back it didn’t take the trackers long to pick up the trail and we were off. Initially in fairly open woodlands, the terrain quickly gave way to high grass, about eye level, as the trail started a zig-zag pattern confirming the Roan was feeding. We stopped several times when atop any minimally raised terrain in an attempt to spot the animal, but never were able to get sight. After about an hour of stalking, we noticed the Roan was traveling in a large circular path and we had a “feeling” that we were close. Stopping to carefully search the surrounding area we did not initially see anything, but then Marnus whispered “there”. Lead tracker Patrick went down on a knee having not seen the animal, but Emile was quick to pick him up, 60 yards ahead and facing us. Setting up the sticks, Emile talked me onto the animal, first only seeing his horns. The grass now helping us as the Roan obviously knowing something was not right, was unable to see us in the grass. Finding him in the scope proved an interesting undertaking, but I was able to find him and make the shot. Back at camp that afternoon we decided to celebrate by taking Emile’s boat up the Okavango River for some Tigerfish fishing.
With six days remaining, I expressed interest in Red Lechwe and, if we could find an exceptional Kudu. The next morning fate was on our side as we left camp we spotted what had to be over a hundred Lechwe Rams feeding in an open field. Stalking in to a clump of trees for cover allowed us to glass the whole herd, the hardest part keeping track of the good rams as they moved in and through the others. After a close to an hour of observing a stellar ram was identified although it took another ten to fifteen minutes to for him to present us a clear shot.
Now, turning our attention to Kudu, the remainder of the hunt was spent driving, stalking, and waiting by water sources in search of an old large bull. Multiple good Kudu were observed, but both myself and Emile were looking for something better. At one point, we stalked into a natural salt lick after watching an entire herd move through taking in some salt and minerals on their way to the river. We set up and waited for them to come back through. As they did we found ourselves against a termite mound within fifty yards of somewhere between twenty and thirty Kudu. As mentioned earlier, some good bulls, but not exactly the bull we were after. Then on the last day of the hunt, as we were driving down an unimproved road, we broke through some brush and there ahead of us about seventy yards were two Kudu fighting (the rut was in full swing). As we watched it was obvious that one of the bulls was exceptional, an old bull, dark in color, with long deep curls. This was our bull. About that time the other Kudu, who was losing the fight, noticed the truck and bolted out of the area. The old bull stood, looked us and then quickly departed as well. Now the stalk was on. We worked through the mopane woodlands for several hours catching fleeting glimpses of the animal. At one point both Emile and myself were crawling on all fours when we spotted him but he spooked before I was able to get the rifle in position for a shot. Eventually persistence paid off and we found him facing us at 180 yards.
Some final parting thoughts, Emile Kirchner is a true gentleman and was outstanding as both an outfitter, host, and guide. Marnus, the apprentice PH, was incredible as well and I’m very glad that he was part of this hunt, I would happily hunt with him again. Lastly Bwabwata West as well as the entire Caprivi and North Okavango Delta is a very special place and truly worth the effort to get there.
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and thank you for sharing
