Jfet
AH legend
June 21: Kowas, Namibia
I have read on this forum that a well placed shot can trump both calibre and bullet type.
June 20 found us landing in J’berg bright and early in the morning. It is amazing to fly towards the sunrise. We were in J’berg for several hours until our 1:15 flight to Windhoek. We arrived in Windhoek around 3:30 and begin the process of off loading and heading to baggage claim. (Note: At this point tell your 20 year old son to put the GoPro Camera in his backpack. That almost caused a problem before we got into the building. Evidently they don’t want you videoing at this point of the terminal.)
The process of claiming your firearms is very simple just make sure you have a printed copy of the letter of invitation from your host. They are not fond of a digital letter that is on your cell phone. It worked out though. We were able to leave Windhoek with all of our bags and all of our rifles.
Kowas is located about 80Km south of Windhoek. It is a farm that is owned and operated by Danie and Ansie Strauss. The farm consists of 16,000 hectares of land that is part of the 400,000 hectares of the Dordabis Conservancy. It is a grassland savannah that receives around 10 to 12 inches of rain a year on average. It is the average part that can get you. Fortunately, this past spring and summer made up for the previous several years. The grass is tall, the ponds have water, and the animals are healthy. It is a land that requires great people to survive there. People that work very hard all the time. People that will go to great lengths to help their neighbors. People that are extremely gracious to visitors and guest. The Strauss are those type of people.
This morning after breakfast, we headed to the range and checked our rifles. PB put on a shooting clinic. She hates to practice but put her in a situation where she has to perform in front of other people, well step back and enjoy the show. When you stand on the sticks for the first time in front of the PH’s and put the bullet in the very center of the target there are grunts of approval and nods of respect. The looks of concern and doubt were reserved for me and the boys.
After the gun check we toured the farm and viewed the game then we came back for lunch and proceeded to get our equipment ready and head out to hunt. The boys were paired with Claud as their PH. PB and I headed out with Matheus. I have told the boys that they have to submit a report on their trip but you know what its like when dad tells you to write about something. J
Matheus took us to the southern part of the ranch. We were in search of Hartebeest and Zebra. PB did not want to be up first. She really preferred that I kill the first animal but then a big old Burchell Zebra stallion stepped out of the bush and the hunt was on. Matheus simply did not give PB a chance to get nervous. We redirected the truck back into cover and moved into a better position to use the wind but in doing so we uncovered a herd of springbocks and black wildabeest which caused us to have to change our path. We were working through a brushy flat that was easy to walk through but provided adequete cover for the three of us to work to 100 yards from the zebras. We stopped behind an acacia tree. Maltheus leaned around the tree to insure that the stallion was visible but a mare was staring at our location. We were stacked behind the tree and the mare could not see us but with all the rain there is plenty of material on the ground that now goes crunch and pop. She had heard us. We stood quietly for 15 minutes. (This is code for I don’t know how long but it seemed like forever but it was not forever so 15 minutes seems reasonble.) The mare relaxed and Maltheus stepped around the tree, set up the sticks, and PB was up. I was standing behind the tree staring intently at an ant running up the bark. I was not going to mess this up. The tree probably has scorch marks from where I was staring. Then the shot was made. I heard the bolt work and I looked over to see my wife ready to deliver a second shot. She never came out of battery. Then Maltheus quietly whispered, “It is good. We will wait a moment.”
With one well placed shot PB had done what she had worked very hard to do over the last 18 months and that is harvest a zebra.
I have read on this forum that a well placed shot can trump both calibre and bullet type.
June 20 found us landing in J’berg bright and early in the morning. It is amazing to fly towards the sunrise. We were in J’berg for several hours until our 1:15 flight to Windhoek. We arrived in Windhoek around 3:30 and begin the process of off loading and heading to baggage claim. (Note: At this point tell your 20 year old son to put the GoPro Camera in his backpack. That almost caused a problem before we got into the building. Evidently they don’t want you videoing at this point of the terminal.)
The process of claiming your firearms is very simple just make sure you have a printed copy of the letter of invitation from your host. They are not fond of a digital letter that is on your cell phone. It worked out though. We were able to leave Windhoek with all of our bags and all of our rifles.
Kowas is located about 80Km south of Windhoek. It is a farm that is owned and operated by Danie and Ansie Strauss. The farm consists of 16,000 hectares of land that is part of the 400,000 hectares of the Dordabis Conservancy. It is a grassland savannah that receives around 10 to 12 inches of rain a year on average. It is the average part that can get you. Fortunately, this past spring and summer made up for the previous several years. The grass is tall, the ponds have water, and the animals are healthy. It is a land that requires great people to survive there. People that work very hard all the time. People that will go to great lengths to help their neighbors. People that are extremely gracious to visitors and guest. The Strauss are those type of people.
This morning after breakfast, we headed to the range and checked our rifles. PB put on a shooting clinic. She hates to practice but put her in a situation where she has to perform in front of other people, well step back and enjoy the show. When you stand on the sticks for the first time in front of the PH’s and put the bullet in the very center of the target there are grunts of approval and nods of respect. The looks of concern and doubt were reserved for me and the boys.
After the gun check we toured the farm and viewed the game then we came back for lunch and proceeded to get our equipment ready and head out to hunt. The boys were paired with Claud as their PH. PB and I headed out with Matheus. I have told the boys that they have to submit a report on their trip but you know what its like when dad tells you to write about something. J
Matheus took us to the southern part of the ranch. We were in search of Hartebeest and Zebra. PB did not want to be up first. She really preferred that I kill the first animal but then a big old Burchell Zebra stallion stepped out of the bush and the hunt was on. Matheus simply did not give PB a chance to get nervous. We redirected the truck back into cover and moved into a better position to use the wind but in doing so we uncovered a herd of springbocks and black wildabeest which caused us to have to change our path. We were working through a brushy flat that was easy to walk through but provided adequete cover for the three of us to work to 100 yards from the zebras. We stopped behind an acacia tree. Maltheus leaned around the tree to insure that the stallion was visible but a mare was staring at our location. We were stacked behind the tree and the mare could not see us but with all the rain there is plenty of material on the ground that now goes crunch and pop. She had heard us. We stood quietly for 15 minutes. (This is code for I don’t know how long but it seemed like forever but it was not forever so 15 minutes seems reasonble.) The mare relaxed and Maltheus stepped around the tree, set up the sticks, and PB was up. I was standing behind the tree staring intently at an ant running up the bark. I was not going to mess this up. The tree probably has scorch marks from where I was staring. Then the shot was made. I heard the bolt work and I looked over to see my wife ready to deliver a second shot. She never came out of battery. Then Maltheus quietly whispered, “It is good. We will wait a moment.”
With one well placed shot PB had done what she had worked very hard to do over the last 18 months and that is harvest a zebra.
M, wife can relate to just getting stuck on "good morning Madame, what can I make for you?" What?!?!? Was someone else really going to assume the role of short order cook? Note to self- "I think I'm going to like this!" 
