Thanks so much everyone for your welcome messages. In specific reply to Shootist43 questions, here goes!!
Started hunting when I was 14 on my friends farm near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. They had numerous Vaal Rhebuck, Spring buck and some Impala. I was born to be a hunter I think as the bug bit immediately. First buck I harvested was a Spring buck Ram. Still one of my favourite animals to hunt. I have hunted in Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo and Northern Cape. I have harvested most species of plains game and a few other things including kudu, springbuck, impala, eland, bushbuck, gemsbuck, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, duiker, steenbuck, klipspringer, bush pig, warthog, nyala, lynx, jackal and baboon. Buffalo, sable and roan are a bit out of my pay grade unfortunately. I make sure I try hunt at least 4 times a year, work and family commitments permitting. Going to Durban on business at 1.20pm today and get back on Thursday evening and then leaving at 5am on Friday morning to hunt not far outside Port Elizabeth. Cant wait!!! On the menu is Nyala, Impala, Kudu and Warthog. (not all of them but will see what presents itself)
My go to rifle is my Savage 7mm Rem Mag which I love. I still have my old Parker Hale .243 which I purchased in about 1990. Its a very reliable rifle but my 14 year old son has now claimed that as his own. Been taking him to the range to get him used to it as I want to take him on his first hunt soon. Unfortunately I do not reload my own rifle ammo (I used to reload my own .45 calibre in the 90's when I did practical pistol shooting). I was at the rifle range yesterday checking my scope, for the coming weekend hunt, with some factory ammo (don't want to mention the name of it) but was not impressed. It was a bit erratic. I was sitting there thinking that I really need to start reloading if I want to get better results than that.
My dream.... to own my own game farm in the Eastern Cape and retire from the corporate world..... I am working on that one!
Got the above Kudu Bull on the 12th July this year. (hope the picture posts vertically and not on its side)
Would love to hear more about your experiences