NAMIBIA: From The Smallest To The Greatest

[Aaron N]

Excellent write up and great pictures! I especially enjoyed this passage, very well written.

AND SO IT STARTS

Morning, darkness, bright stars and milky way above. I woke up first as usual, and went out to enjoy early morning, and fresh air of the surroundings, and sat in the chair in front of my room. The red eastern horizon has not shown its colors yet. Southern cross is visible in the Namibian sky, it is till dark, and the dawn of new day is just about to rise. Greek Ptolomy was writing of this constellation, in the time when the cross was still visible from Europe, and much much before the precession and equinox of the earth eventually moved the constellation below northern horizons, when it was soon forgotten by contemporary astronomers of Europe.

Then the Southern Cross constellation was rediscovered by first explorers of southern hemisphere around 15th century. And ever since it remained as symbol of Southern sky –an iconic symbol of the far end of the World where very few have ever travelled, becoming equal in importance to early navigators, as well known pole start in the north.

It became my habit in past, when getting across the equator, to check for the southern cross. It brings me to some other time, and another place.

I woke up early as usual, and enjoyed the birth of new day, waiting for the rest of camp to wake up. Christian will move across the camp first, and will start up the coffee machine in messroom for which I eagerly wait, still at dark and surrounded only by orchestra and cacophony of local birds.

Breakfast was light and delicious. And morning coffee was just perfect together with dose of nicotine.

It was time to go.
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[mark-hunter]

Thank you Aaron N. Appreciated!

 

[Colorado cowman]

Great report. Got my juices flowing. I'm heading to Namibia in August for a similar hunt, my first to Africa, including a sidetrip to Etosha.

Thank you

 

[mark-hunter]

Colorado cowman, thanks!
Good luck hunting, and enjoy Etosha!
Hint: There are many great places to see after hunt. When you start planning your safari number 2, check the lodges in Caprivi strip, then Waterberg, Fish river canyon... there is a lot to see, besides hunting!

 

[mark-hunter]

As I am sorting throught the photos, I found some more to share.

 

[mark-hunter]

And few more

 

[mark-hunter]

And some more...

 

[Nyati]

Congrats for great hunt, yes, great despite all the problems, this is hunting, so nothing ever comes out perfect. But in the end you are satisfied

Elands are very special, it took me four safaris until I found the right Eland, but that´s the way it has to be, no compromises.

 

[mark-hunter]

Thanks Nyati!
Yes, this was the best safari ever for me so far! (safari no 3)
When pushed hard, sometimes it pays off. I am more then happy! It was awesome!

 

[Uncle Sauce]

Excellent report, great photos and congrats on getting your eland! Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[mark-hunter]

Uncle Sauce,
Without exaggeration, sharing my report with this community is an honor and pleasure in the same time for me.
Since I joined, I learned so much here.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

But global pandemics, still raged across the World, and my job schedule, was totally chaotic, affected by various quarantines and international flight regulations, making it impossible to plan for any type of private international trip to Africa. Year 2021 was uneventful, for my safari plans.

Long days were passing one by one.

So, I had to wait. And wait I did, for next year.

On the end of 2021, I had a work project in north of Europe, the global pandemics apparently was relaxing, and I started looking for Buffalo hunt in Zim.

Zim (not Namibia) was first choice, because my job schedule was not yet fixed, but to Zim I could fly without visa on short notice, while for Namibia I will need visa, for visa I need time, and that, in still unpredictable job schedule, was not possible to make.

So, I thought, buffalo will go first in Zim, and eland and waterbuck in Namibia on next opportunity.

I was in contact with outfitter sponsor of this forum for Buffalo hunt at beginning of this year, but for target dates in April, I was not able to confirm the schedule yet, and this opportunity slipped away.

So, by March l this year, again, I lost the hopes for safari this year.

Man plans, but the god loughs:

Unexpectedly, and suddenly, my company decided to send me to another project, making my next leave longer than usual, giving me 2 and a half months of next leave at home!

A window of opportunity, and hopes suddenly came back! I could finally see the light on the end of tunnel!

Zim? Or Namibia? What will it be? For Zim, at the moment I was out options.

Putting buffalo plans in Zim, aside (temporarily), sometime late in March, I gave a call to my hunting agent, about options to hunt Eland and Waterbuck in Namibia as it was originally planned in 2020 .

And the answer was, group of 5 hunters has a schedule for one week safari, from May, this year! 6 weeks to go, which gave enough time to make visa, when I get home from job!

From my previous research and readings, I knew the eland is ever moving game, not territorial and will be hunted on tracks, eland is unpredictable in movement and will need dedication of hunter and PH.

Waterbuck is territorial, dependent on his waterholes, and will be much easier to find.

At that moment, I was still at work, and I was to go for my leave in two days. So I took myself 48 hours to decide, and give the agent my confirmation by that deadline, before going home.

Finally, I went for it. And I confirmed.

Then and then,, I was committed and restless.

Alea iacta est!

On arrival home, on the first working day I sent my visa application, photos, documents, and passport to Namibian embassy.

While waiting for the visa, the time was short, and the time was not wasted. Getting the Pelican 1750 case was one thing.

Training for hunt, was another

Training followed from sticks, using 22lr, 308 win, 30-06, and very conservative 375 H&H, mostly with PPU (6 eur / round for Norma SAF makes the round, not for plinking, but more for cold sweating after each shot during zeroing, and it took me 6 shots to zero, not that I am counting). During last training session, rifle was re-zeroed to norma.

As the time went by, in my mind, this hunt will be also field test of the rifle, for the greatest hunt to come later. The buffalo.

In order to have regular night sleep, I tried not to think of forthcoming trip.

Visa and ppt came back within 12 days or so.

One week before the trip, I was ready with full plan: Main goal was to hunt waterbuck and eland. Secondary targets of opportunity was small game: steenbok, duiker, baboon, jackal, honey badger, and similar (baboon is top of the second target list). Also, I wouldn’t mind shooting something for bait, or camp meat.

Second part of trip: The group of 5 hunters will go back home after a week hunt, and I will stay for three more days and take a guide (my PH) to travel to Etosha national park, hoping to get a photo of black rhino, or Etosha ele.
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The trip with Ethiopian arilines was uneventful, long and pleasant. There is no way to get from Europe to hunting grounds of Namibia in less then a day.
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On arrival to Hosea Kutako airport, I just stopped counting the days, and decided to take hunt as it comes, having continuous feeling that the eland will be difficult, and maybe not successful. And if that happened I decided just to live with it.

Gun clearance with help of our PH Filip, was smooth.

In camp, first day, rifles of the group were zeroed, after the lunch.

The hunt will start tomorrow

@Mark hunter
Etosha is an amazing place and sitting at the rock fence near the water hole at night under lights is an amazing sight. We saw both black and white Rhino with calves .
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'll be near your home hunting with him in September. If I miss my mouflon, I'll buy you a beer and you can console me... And laugh!

@hunting Gold
Just don't say I never miss and you will be fine. When you get your sheep mark can buy you a beer to congratulate you.
@Mark Hunter.
Never say I don't miss because as sure as God made little green apples you WILL MISS and live to regret it.

 

[flatwater bill]

Thanks Mark.............enjoyed the report, and the photos. I respect a man that reports his successes and failures.....that makes it real. The terrain looks great for hunting. "grats on a fine eland as well.................FWB

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

THE LAST HUNT

All these days, a full moon is rising early, during late afternoons. As I was told, this keeps game more active at night, while days the animals spend in the bush. One of the reasons of hard tracking and locating eland.

After the lunch, we went out early at 14 pm. New hunting area, at neigbours place. Christian, Tian, and Gregor in the car. On the way to the place we collected another tracker, Thomas.

A large part of this area was burned last year, and this gave opportunity to observe from car at large distances without bush.

But the back side of this coin, is that we can be seen by eland, as well. Nevertheless, I liked the option of longer view that covers much larger areas.

Soon, we saw some elands. Approach on foot was very good, and unnoticed. We came by stalking at 150 meters. But, all of them in herd were too young. Older bull was not with them. So we moved on, back to the car. Two hours of last hunting afternoon were spent. Time is running short by each minute.

In the second scouting we found 5 or 6 eland at large long clearing at some 1.200 meters away. This was too far, to estimate the age and size, and the wind was at our 6. So, we circled with car to get from another side.
20 minutes later, the stalk was on. We went out of car solid distance away for quiet and careful stalk, with wind from good direction.
But when getting to the clearing, it was all empty. And all elands were gone!

How? Why? They must have sensed us? Or was it just a bad luck?

Whatever it was, they were gone!
So we kept stalking hoping to get a glimpse of them again, but to no avail. Only a single springbok kept looking at us from far distance away.

It was late afternoon by now.
The sun, was quietly setting. It was no longer hot. The temperature at 1600 meters above sea level required a light jacket now.

The last day of hunt, was coming to an end. And a week safari, is about to end.

I checked the watch. If I am lucky, I will have only one more try, and that’s it.
If not found, Eland makes another day. Or another year till my next visit.

So, as the sun was closing to western horizon, and the shadows became longer, we made last attempt.

And this was already so late, that I have already lost all my hopes. But, as pure luck would have it, and thanks to thin bush, the herd was spotted.

And full moon was already out with last rays of sun.

To get close, we had to be fast, and to be that we were not particulary quiet. With distance closed, our approach to the herd was not unnoticed. The herd was largest that I saw during previous days, and was maybe two dozen or more. Most of them young and cows. We had no time to lose, as the darkness will come soon. The herd split in two, and first group separated.

A large bull showed up on the left from the remainin herd. And that group was also in movement.
Following happened in next two to four seconds.

Large bull, first on left! Shoot!

It was clearly the largest bull in the group. The strongest. Bluish cape. Strong horns. A mane on top of the head.
I lifted the rifle, to get the aim. He run away from us, turned and then showed his right quarter.

I tried to get the aim just behind the ribs, hoping for diagonal pass through to the vitals.
Then, while getting ready to shoot, when I was just about to send the pill, in my scope vision suddenly a young eland entered, and covered full body of large bull!

I cannot shoot!

They kept running in same quartering direction, away. And the bush cover is only meters away from them!
I raised the point of aim, to the large wide neck of eland bull. Now I could shoot but at that moment he was not fully in clear from young askari. Wounding young was not acceptable.

I heard the voice saying, to shoot!

I would if I could, but my focus was now totally narrowed to the crosshairs and bulls neck, now only obstructed by young elands horn tips.

Then, in lower end of scope vison, I noticed the horns and shadow of body of young eland moved aside to the right, putting large bull in clear.

But the bush in front where to they were running looked too close, and I had no time to change my point of aim, to wider area behind the bulls ribs.

The window of opportunity was short, and when croshhairs where in the center of the neck and unobstructed, I fired!

The large bull, dropped down!
Immediately I worked the bolt, and chambered another round, not losing the sight in the tall grass where he fell.

But all remained still, as the last rays of sun, have disappeared behind the western horizon.
Still looking through the scope, I heard voices in the back. Go! Go to the bull! Check him!
So, I went, with rifle at ready.

And there he was. Majestic animal. It was all over.

My bullet went throught the center of his high neck, and went out through his lower jaw, braking the spine. Dead in tracks.

One week safari, 13 outings and stalkings for eland, ended succesfully in last minutes of daylight, on last hunting day!
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Eland, with full moon shining, above the tree.

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While the boys were pulling eland to the truck in my mind I summarized the last week. The events, that were still fresh in memory, and picutres that I am still seeing when closing the eyes. Waterbuck, the swamp antelope, and the misses, steenbok one of the tiny ten, of the smallest tribe of antelopes, faulty round in chamber, long stalks, climbing the hills, and heat in the sun, and eland the biggest of the spiral horns!

Now I could have a beer. But, first I needed a cigarrete, and I was out of cigarettes for last two days.
Tian then came to me, and said, master take a cigarrete (he rolls his own), and offered me from his pack, so I did.

This was a perfect end of a week in the bush! A perfect safari!
And, then came a moment of sadness as soon I will be going home.

However, in a comforting thought I reminded myself I still have few days left in Namibia, to visit Etosha. And now I looked forward to it.

@Mark hunter.
An excellent read and I'm glad you got your eland.
I still have 2 on my list a blue wildebeest and and eland.
They are magnificent animals and I am happy for you. Hard work pays off with a bit of luck thrown in for good measure.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

...
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@Mark hunter.
Looking at your photos of Etosha the memories of my time there with my wife, son and fellow hunters came flooding back.
I hope you ended your trip with a meal and drinks at Joe's Beer House
Bob

 

[ChasingHemingway]

One of best written hunts I have ever read on this site. Beautifully written as I felt I was right there with you.

Having my 13 year old son read this post before we head to the Dark Continent in a month. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

In a certain sense, and in line with the title of this thread, "From the smallest to the greatest", even the visit to Etosha went in similar spirit.

From steenbok, to the Black Rhino.

Elephants were shy that day. We did not see the elephants.
But I know, sooner or later I will meet with them. At least with a tuskless in Zimbabwe.

On the edge of Etosha Pan

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Thousands of birds:
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@Mark hunter
The elephants weren't shy when we were there.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Great report. Got my juices flowing. I'm heading to Namibia in August for a similar hunt, my first to Africa, including a sidetrip to Etosha.

Thank you

@Colorado cowman
Don't forget Okahanja markets, Nankara tannery, Joe's Beer House.
Check out Ingwe taxidermy they do great work and Christiaan is a great bloke at ingwe.
Have a great hunt mate Namibia is one beautiful country with fantastic people.
Bob

 

[mark-hunter]

@dtarin09
Thank you, sir. English is not my first language, so your comment means a lot to me.

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen
Very nice elephants, thanks for sharing!
Obviously if it wasnt for luck, I wouldnt acomplish my plan. Thinking in retrospect, I must have been helped from above...

@flatwater bill
Thanks, appreciated. Indeed the terrain is fantastic, plains, bush, and mountains dry riverbeds and waterholes....