x84958
New member
Introduction: Hello AH community! This is my first AH post sharing my first-time Africa experience! In August 2024, I traveled to Namibia with my highly experienced hunting partner, and we decided to go with @Jamy Traut Hunting Safaris, from all the positive experiences he had on a trip a few years ago. This was my first Africa hunting trip, and my hunting partner's sixth (maybe more?) trip to Africa, so it was great to travel with someone who knew the continent so well from personal experience. I figured I'd share my amazing experiences with this AH forum, and hope it helps someone make an informed decision for their next adventure.
(JAMY TRAUT SAFARI CAMP AT CAPRIVI aka ZAMBEZI)
Arriving at Windhoek: I didn't know what to expect as this was my first trip to sub-saharan Africa. After landing in Windhoek on a transfer flight from Frankfurt, we met with Louw Lotter who was waiting for us just outside of Arrivals security area. All pre-travel communication was really clear and responsive and that was greatly appreciated. We used WhatsApp for the majority of the comms, with several emails from Louw's wife, Kirsten, to facilitate the travel logistics. Louw helped us get our gear onto the back of the Land Cruiser and we headed off on a 4 hour drive to the north en route to the Waterberg Plateau. It was amazing to see the varied terrain as we drove north that reminded me of areas in the southwest US, much like West Texas, NM, and AZ.
Waterberg Plateau: Waterberg is such a mammoth sized plateau that Google Earth/Maps really doesn't do it justice just looking at it from your laptop. It's over 150 square miles of untouched wilderness area. All sandy roads, a few watering holes for the animals, especially in the current drought, and the only human made structures are the permanent camp tents set up by Jamy Traut Safaris. The terrain is varied, but mostly flat and sandy, with a few pockets of red sandstone hills giving us some elevation to see the giraffes walking across the plateau, with their heads and necks just over the vegetation.
The Buffalo: We arrived at the Waterberg camp around 3pm local time and decided to go out and see the terrain, just to get ourselves familiarized, and maybe get a little lucky with something presenting itself on Day 0. We traveled to several watering holes and drove around them to create fresh tire tracks in the sand, to help with tracking the animals the next day. I was just in awe of seeing the land that I only read about online from other hunters and hearing first-hand experiences from my hunting partner. I felt like I was living in the moment, not thinking about work, or the other daily life events that happen back home. It was sorely needed to get back into nature and just see the stars at night. On Day 1, we had a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, with French-pressed coffee and juice. We got outside and verified our rifles were still zeroed after the long flight out. I think we made the PH's feel a bit more secure with our shooting abilities after a few rounds into the target at distance.
We decided to split up to cover different ground. I selected a management buffalo hunt and my buddy chose to go after trophy buffalo. I also wanted to get after Kudu and Eland up on Waterberg, before moving up to Caprivi for hippo, and other plains game. First day for me was a lot of walking for Eland. We'd drive to our separate start points and look for fresh tracks to start the tracking process. I was going after Eland first, so we found the tracks pretty quickly moving away from the watering holes. Nicky Traut was my PH assigned to me - he's a super sharp PH and would gladly work with him again. Nicky is a tall guy, so he can move pretty quickly, and a heck of a tracker. He's one of Jamy's sons who's been working in the industry since he was young so he's fully committed to the PH craft. I found it amazing one can learn so much about tracking in such a short time with a good teacher like Nicky. Time, distance, direction! I think we walked about 8 miles the entirety of the first day - 4 miles in the morning, back to camp for lunch, then out in the bush again in the late afternoon for another 4 miles. We saw a few bed down locations for the elusive Eland, but it was always just ahead of us since the wind wasn't in our favor. So we tried again the second day.
On Day 2, it was more tracking, but in another area, a bit more hilly, and it's really hard to believe that the Eland can traverse that hilly terrain and weigh as much as a bus! After another 8 miles of tracking, we decided to try another technique and find the Eland en route to known gathering locations in the late afternoon/evening. However, as we were set up to wait for the Eland to come to us, we got a text message from Lowu and my hunting partner that there was a old bull buffalo not far from their location, perfect for a management (e.g. non-trophy sized) buffalo. Nicky made a quick decision and we literally left our site with all non-essential supplies behind and jumped into the truck. Nicky was amazing driving the truck the fastest I've ever gone off-road. We arrived about 15 minutes later to the location and a novice like me could immediately tell the atmosphere was so energized with controlled excitement! Lowu and my hunting partner, along with their tracker and game warden, were waiting for us and very aware of the opportunity I had in front of me to get that management buffalo - the first animal I've ever hunted in Africa. I felt that pressure internally since I didn't want to let anyone down. Trust is hard to build, and easy to lose, as the saying goes. I felt the adrenaline kick in when I saw the expressions on everyone's face and you knew this was game time. No more theoretical situations running through my mind. This was going to happen right then and there, or end up in miserable failure.
Our tracker, Panda, was on the old buffalo's track immediately after hopping off the back of the truck. Panda was on a mission to find that buffalo and we all fell in line behind him. He was moving with such precision and efficiency, not wasting any movements or making any sounds to scare off the buffalo. The intensity in the entire hunting party was off the charts compared to what I experienced on Day 1 and earlier in the day on Day 2. We walked about 10 minutes, and there he was, an old buffalo with missing patches of fur and a few scars to show his "life experiences" in the environment. The sun was just starting to touch the horizon so the light was quickly fading. Nicky quickly brings up the sticks and I'm thinking, "This is really happening!" I picked up my PH's spare 375HH and placed it on the sticks, looking through the Leupold straight at the buffalo looking straight back at me, his nose in the air, attempting to discern what was about to happen. I calmed myself to control my breathing and took careful aim. Nicky reminded me to shoot beneath the buffalo's chin to hit the vitals on that frontal shot. Some taller light grass was in the way, but I could still make out the bottom of the torso to the chin. I asked Nicky if I was free to fire, and he looked at Lowu who nodded his head in agreement. Nicky gave the command and I touched the trigger and the round hit the buffalo right in the chest, as we watched it kick its legs into the air. Nicky did the right thing for a novice Africa hunter like me and yelled, "Hit it again!" I pulled the rifle off the sticks and reloaded the next cartridge, and I could see the buffalo taking his initial steps towards us, and I'm thinking, "Holy crap, it's going to charge!" But as I was getting the rifle back on the sticks, the buffalo turned towards my right / buffalo's left, and I could see it running broadside away through the scope. I placed the crosshairs center of mass on the old buffalo and pulled the trigger again. The loud report of the rifle's second shot showed that the round, a solid this time, went straight through both of the buffalo's shoulders and finally brought it down to the ground. I started moving with a purpose towards the buffalo, and let loose a third round through the buffalo's chest to finish the hunt in a satisfying manner, and brought well-deserved peace for the long-lived buffalo.
It was a good night for all of us back at camp that evening. The atmosphere was jovial, the Carlin Black Label was flowing, and I was thankful to have that momentous life experience with the people around me that night.
The Eland: The Eland was so elusive that I was beginning to think the Eland was just a rumor, and that the plentiful giraffes must be putting on Eland hooves to mock the hunters walking around trying to find them! Ultimately, we found the Eland during a late afternoon stalk on Day 4 through the bush, about an hour from sundown. It was the first Eland I've ever seen, and according to the PH's, one of the largest they've ever seen. Waterberg is unique in that the plateau juts out like a peninsula on three sides and keeps the game within its boundaries, and the entire concession is run by a single outfitter, in this case Jamy Traut Safaris. So they have ultimate control over the game and have a wonderful management practice ensuring trophy sized game that you will likely not find elsewhere. Pictures are proof so here's the Eland I was able to take with a single shot from my hunting buddy's 404 Jeffery using Hornady DGS 400 grain ammo out of his beautiful Heym Express:
And you gain a sense of perspective with this photo below. Just compare my finger size with the horns:
The 404 round entered the Eland quartering away from me. The bullet entered about the Eland's midpoint, about where the rifle's trigger is in the picture above, and it traveled diagonally all the way through the torso. The skinners found the round you see above lodged in the Eland's heart. That 404 Jeffery was fantastic to shoot. I know the 404 has more recoil compared to the 375HH, however, on that particular day, at that particular moment, the recoil felt the same. Because of what I've witnessed first hand at the round's effectiveness, I decided to purchase a 404 Jeffery barrel and magazine from another AH member (MannyR) who lives in the Houston area. I was able to stop by his house on a planned long layover in Houston during my return flight home from work, and he was fantastic to engage with. I also checked out Gordy and Sons, the fine outfitter in Houston, and picked up a new Sauer rifle I plan to use in my next Africa hunt in 2025, using that same 404 Jeffery barrel I just picked up. MannyR also had some left over 404 Jeffery Norma PH ammo, which Norma doesn't make anymore, so I gladly purchased those rare cartridges from him. MannyR is definitely one outstanding gentleman! And of course, we ate well with Eland the next day thanks to the awesome chef on Jamy Traut Safaris staff.
Caprivi aka Zambezi: After our time was up in Waterberg, we traveled by truck to Caprivi on a 8 hour drive. We witnessed a few of the towns en route to the new site and noticed how quickly the environment changed north of the Namibian Quarantine Line. Houses quickly changed to mud and thatched roofs and the towns were far and few in between. We stayed at the Jamy Traut Safaris camp site along a river (can't remember the name of the river), and it was frankly beautiful. Exactly what I mentally pictured an African Hunting camp in the 21st century would look like, traditional with modern amenities. There was a Starlink satellite connection for us to use to talk with family back home. The Starlink kit was also up in Waterberg and it works as advertised, in case folks want to be able to remain connected in the modern world. The camp here was just outstanding and mirrored the great amenities up in Waterberg. Every hunter has their own permanent tent structure with a queen sized bed, separate bathroom and shower area, and the tents in Caprivi even had an evaporative cooler inside to stay cool during the heat of the afternoon. It was in the mid-80's Fahrenheit even during the August winter season.
View attachment IMG_2620.jpeg
The camp here was amazing even at night! I distinctly remember hearing the sounds of large animals just outside the tent, and couldn't tell what or where it was exactly - makes your imagination run wild. And you can see forever with the stars above. I took several astrophotography pics using my new phone propped up on the tent post. I can never see this many stars in San Antonio, TX, where I live. The resolution on this website isn't as good as what you can see on camera so you'll have to forgive me and just trust me when I can say you truly see the entirety of the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon.
The Hippo: Jamy Traut Safaris has their own "fleet" of river boats to use for this part of the Caprivi. The river is literally just outside their main lodge tent, and you can see a better picture of the main lodge tent at the top of this post. On our first full day, we traveled by boat for an hour or so downstream to see what hippos we could find both in the water, and along the river bank. We found a multitude of small reptiles, not sure if I can call them crocs (maybe?), and several groups of hippos sitting in the water. The red lechwe were migrating through the area and there were 100s of them on both sides of the river bank. One side of the river is a national park so we couldn't hunt any animals on that bank, however, anything on the camp side of the river (south?) was fair game for hunting. After traveling up and down the river for a couple of hours, we decided to take a hard look at one group of hippos sitting stationary in a deeper section of the river. Lowu, Nicky, and I took up a position on a sandbank about 80 yards from the hippos and the PH's did their difficult job in a very astute manner, specifically, how to identify the largest male hippo just from seeing the tops of the their heads. Black magic and a roll of the dice if I had to do it. Ultimately, we decided on one hippo that seemed to tease us by only sticking up out of the water for just a couple of seconds each time before diving back down. We watched closely to understand that specific hippo's pattern of coming up for air and the general location among the group where it would surface. After 40 minutes of watching and learning, Lowu made the decision that it was the right hippo for us to take. So we laid in the prone with my rifle propped up on a backpack and I zoomed in on the head of the hippo, waiting for it to turn ever so slightly to the left so I can have a full frontal head shot. Another hippo decided to block my aim point just at the last second and it dived back down so I had to reset myself. After another 3-5 minute wait, the hippo came back up and Lowu gave the command to take it. I fired a single shot right between the eyes and the hippo dropped into the water immediately.
I know from reading the book, "The Perfect Shot" by Kevin Robertson, that I was supposed to aim for the inverted arrow just above the eyes, but there was no clean opening for that apex point. I had to imagine the brain's location based on the presentation offered by the hippo. Immediately after the shot, the hippo dropped into the water, and there was a certain amount of doubt regarding if it was good impact or not. The cellphone video Nicky's brother took didn't answer the question and actually created more questions. The bullet struck so close to the waterline that the impact shockwave splashed a huge spray of water up into the air, so it was hard to discern if it was a successful shot. So we went back to camp for lunch, and waited for the hippo to rise to the surface. It was definitely quiet during lunch while all of us just waited for the magical 120 minute mark when the hippo is supposed to rise to the surface due to the fermenting grass releasing gasses in its belly. So at about the 90 minute mark, we set out to see any evidence of a successful hunt. We got back in the boat and traveled just downstream to the hunt site and saw....nothing. It was a really sad moment for me since I had really thought confidently that I hit the mark I was aiming for. Just then, Lowu started to smile, and he pointed at the water, and all I could see was a grey oval shape just breaking the surface of the river exactly at the 120 minute mark. I had no idea that it was the hippo floating belly-up until Nicky congratulated me for a successful hunt. And now I know what an upside down hippo looks like! You can imagine the emotional relief I felt knowing I didn't miss. Here's a few pictures of that moment:
And of course, seeing the local villagers get the meat was special, especially since the ongoing drought there makes it difficult in the Caprivi. I recall after coming back to the US, the Namibian gov't authorized an animal cull to alleviate some of the environmental pressures on the land due to the drought and feed the people. I think it's misplaced altruism from the overseas animal rights activists who think they know better than the local people when it comes to animal conservation. The safari industry rewards many families financially to put clothes on their backs and for kids to get an education, and in more tangible demonstrations through game meat distribution efforts to improve the standard of living in these more remote areas of the Strip. Glad to know nothing ever gets wasted on any of these hunts in Africa.
The Red Lechwe, Zebra, and Impala: This post is already far longer than I planned, but I think the AH community understands the point of this post. Waterberg and Caprivi are very special places in my heart and I'm glad I could experience this adventure while I'm still physically able to and have the time to dedicate to it. Jamy Traut Safaris is a very professional safari outfitter and I'd gladly go on another Namibian hunt with them again in the future. Lowu and his team are phenomenal and I can't wait to linkup with them again at the DSC convention in Atlanta, January 2025. Here's a few final pics to show what Waterberg/Caprivi have to offer if you haven't been there yet. Thanks for reading and hope this post helps other AH members make an informed decision for your next adventure!
P.S. Windhoek is a great time!
(JAMY TRAUT SAFARI CAMP AT CAPRIVI aka ZAMBEZI)
Arriving at Windhoek: I didn't know what to expect as this was my first trip to sub-saharan Africa. After landing in Windhoek on a transfer flight from Frankfurt, we met with Louw Lotter who was waiting for us just outside of Arrivals security area. All pre-travel communication was really clear and responsive and that was greatly appreciated. We used WhatsApp for the majority of the comms, with several emails from Louw's wife, Kirsten, to facilitate the travel logistics. Louw helped us get our gear onto the back of the Land Cruiser and we headed off on a 4 hour drive to the north en route to the Waterberg Plateau. It was amazing to see the varied terrain as we drove north that reminded me of areas in the southwest US, much like West Texas, NM, and AZ.
Waterberg Plateau: Waterberg is such a mammoth sized plateau that Google Earth/Maps really doesn't do it justice just looking at it from your laptop. It's over 150 square miles of untouched wilderness area. All sandy roads, a few watering holes for the animals, especially in the current drought, and the only human made structures are the permanent camp tents set up by Jamy Traut Safaris. The terrain is varied, but mostly flat and sandy, with a few pockets of red sandstone hills giving us some elevation to see the giraffes walking across the plateau, with their heads and necks just over the vegetation.
The Buffalo: We arrived at the Waterberg camp around 3pm local time and decided to go out and see the terrain, just to get ourselves familiarized, and maybe get a little lucky with something presenting itself on Day 0. We traveled to several watering holes and drove around them to create fresh tire tracks in the sand, to help with tracking the animals the next day. I was just in awe of seeing the land that I only read about online from other hunters and hearing first-hand experiences from my hunting partner. I felt like I was living in the moment, not thinking about work, or the other daily life events that happen back home. It was sorely needed to get back into nature and just see the stars at night. On Day 1, we had a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, with French-pressed coffee and juice. We got outside and verified our rifles were still zeroed after the long flight out. I think we made the PH's feel a bit more secure with our shooting abilities after a few rounds into the target at distance.
We decided to split up to cover different ground. I selected a management buffalo hunt and my buddy chose to go after trophy buffalo. I also wanted to get after Kudu and Eland up on Waterberg, before moving up to Caprivi for hippo, and other plains game. First day for me was a lot of walking for Eland. We'd drive to our separate start points and look for fresh tracks to start the tracking process. I was going after Eland first, so we found the tracks pretty quickly moving away from the watering holes. Nicky Traut was my PH assigned to me - he's a super sharp PH and would gladly work with him again. Nicky is a tall guy, so he can move pretty quickly, and a heck of a tracker. He's one of Jamy's sons who's been working in the industry since he was young so he's fully committed to the PH craft. I found it amazing one can learn so much about tracking in such a short time with a good teacher like Nicky. Time, distance, direction! I think we walked about 8 miles the entirety of the first day - 4 miles in the morning, back to camp for lunch, then out in the bush again in the late afternoon for another 4 miles. We saw a few bed down locations for the elusive Eland, but it was always just ahead of us since the wind wasn't in our favor. So we tried again the second day.
On Day 2, it was more tracking, but in another area, a bit more hilly, and it's really hard to believe that the Eland can traverse that hilly terrain and weigh as much as a bus! After another 8 miles of tracking, we decided to try another technique and find the Eland en route to known gathering locations in the late afternoon/evening. However, as we were set up to wait for the Eland to come to us, we got a text message from Lowu and my hunting partner that there was a old bull buffalo not far from their location, perfect for a management (e.g. non-trophy sized) buffalo. Nicky made a quick decision and we literally left our site with all non-essential supplies behind and jumped into the truck. Nicky was amazing driving the truck the fastest I've ever gone off-road. We arrived about 15 minutes later to the location and a novice like me could immediately tell the atmosphere was so energized with controlled excitement! Lowu and my hunting partner, along with their tracker and game warden, were waiting for us and very aware of the opportunity I had in front of me to get that management buffalo - the first animal I've ever hunted in Africa. I felt that pressure internally since I didn't want to let anyone down. Trust is hard to build, and easy to lose, as the saying goes. I felt the adrenaline kick in when I saw the expressions on everyone's face and you knew this was game time. No more theoretical situations running through my mind. This was going to happen right then and there, or end up in miserable failure.
Our tracker, Panda, was on the old buffalo's track immediately after hopping off the back of the truck. Panda was on a mission to find that buffalo and we all fell in line behind him. He was moving with such precision and efficiency, not wasting any movements or making any sounds to scare off the buffalo. The intensity in the entire hunting party was off the charts compared to what I experienced on Day 1 and earlier in the day on Day 2. We walked about 10 minutes, and there he was, an old buffalo with missing patches of fur and a few scars to show his "life experiences" in the environment. The sun was just starting to touch the horizon so the light was quickly fading. Nicky quickly brings up the sticks and I'm thinking, "This is really happening!" I picked up my PH's spare 375HH and placed it on the sticks, looking through the Leupold straight at the buffalo looking straight back at me, his nose in the air, attempting to discern what was about to happen. I calmed myself to control my breathing and took careful aim. Nicky reminded me to shoot beneath the buffalo's chin to hit the vitals on that frontal shot. Some taller light grass was in the way, but I could still make out the bottom of the torso to the chin. I asked Nicky if I was free to fire, and he looked at Lowu who nodded his head in agreement. Nicky gave the command and I touched the trigger and the round hit the buffalo right in the chest, as we watched it kick its legs into the air. Nicky did the right thing for a novice Africa hunter like me and yelled, "Hit it again!" I pulled the rifle off the sticks and reloaded the next cartridge, and I could see the buffalo taking his initial steps towards us, and I'm thinking, "Holy crap, it's going to charge!" But as I was getting the rifle back on the sticks, the buffalo turned towards my right / buffalo's left, and I could see it running broadside away through the scope. I placed the crosshairs center of mass on the old buffalo and pulled the trigger again. The loud report of the rifle's second shot showed that the round, a solid this time, went straight through both of the buffalo's shoulders and finally brought it down to the ground. I started moving with a purpose towards the buffalo, and let loose a third round through the buffalo's chest to finish the hunt in a satisfying manner, and brought well-deserved peace for the long-lived buffalo.
It was a good night for all of us back at camp that evening. The atmosphere was jovial, the Carlin Black Label was flowing, and I was thankful to have that momentous life experience with the people around me that night.
The Eland: The Eland was so elusive that I was beginning to think the Eland was just a rumor, and that the plentiful giraffes must be putting on Eland hooves to mock the hunters walking around trying to find them! Ultimately, we found the Eland during a late afternoon stalk on Day 4 through the bush, about an hour from sundown. It was the first Eland I've ever seen, and according to the PH's, one of the largest they've ever seen. Waterberg is unique in that the plateau juts out like a peninsula on three sides and keeps the game within its boundaries, and the entire concession is run by a single outfitter, in this case Jamy Traut Safaris. So they have ultimate control over the game and have a wonderful management practice ensuring trophy sized game that you will likely not find elsewhere. Pictures are proof so here's the Eland I was able to take with a single shot from my hunting buddy's 404 Jeffery using Hornady DGS 400 grain ammo out of his beautiful Heym Express:
And you gain a sense of perspective with this photo below. Just compare my finger size with the horns:
The 404 round entered the Eland quartering away from me. The bullet entered about the Eland's midpoint, about where the rifle's trigger is in the picture above, and it traveled diagonally all the way through the torso. The skinners found the round you see above lodged in the Eland's heart. That 404 Jeffery was fantastic to shoot. I know the 404 has more recoil compared to the 375HH, however, on that particular day, at that particular moment, the recoil felt the same. Because of what I've witnessed first hand at the round's effectiveness, I decided to purchase a 404 Jeffery barrel and magazine from another AH member (MannyR) who lives in the Houston area. I was able to stop by his house on a planned long layover in Houston during my return flight home from work, and he was fantastic to engage with. I also checked out Gordy and Sons, the fine outfitter in Houston, and picked up a new Sauer rifle I plan to use in my next Africa hunt in 2025, using that same 404 Jeffery barrel I just picked up. MannyR also had some left over 404 Jeffery Norma PH ammo, which Norma doesn't make anymore, so I gladly purchased those rare cartridges from him. MannyR is definitely one outstanding gentleman! And of course, we ate well with Eland the next day thanks to the awesome chef on Jamy Traut Safaris staff.
Caprivi aka Zambezi: After our time was up in Waterberg, we traveled by truck to Caprivi on a 8 hour drive. We witnessed a few of the towns en route to the new site and noticed how quickly the environment changed north of the Namibian Quarantine Line. Houses quickly changed to mud and thatched roofs and the towns were far and few in between. We stayed at the Jamy Traut Safaris camp site along a river (can't remember the name of the river), and it was frankly beautiful. Exactly what I mentally pictured an African Hunting camp in the 21st century would look like, traditional with modern amenities. There was a Starlink satellite connection for us to use to talk with family back home. The Starlink kit was also up in Waterberg and it works as advertised, in case folks want to be able to remain connected in the modern world. The camp here was just outstanding and mirrored the great amenities up in Waterberg. Every hunter has their own permanent tent structure with a queen sized bed, separate bathroom and shower area, and the tents in Caprivi even had an evaporative cooler inside to stay cool during the heat of the afternoon. It was in the mid-80's Fahrenheit even during the August winter season.
View attachment IMG_2620.jpeg
The camp here was amazing even at night! I distinctly remember hearing the sounds of large animals just outside the tent, and couldn't tell what or where it was exactly - makes your imagination run wild. And you can see forever with the stars above. I took several astrophotography pics using my new phone propped up on the tent post. I can never see this many stars in San Antonio, TX, where I live. The resolution on this website isn't as good as what you can see on camera so you'll have to forgive me and just trust me when I can say you truly see the entirety of the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon.
The Hippo: Jamy Traut Safaris has their own "fleet" of river boats to use for this part of the Caprivi. The river is literally just outside their main lodge tent, and you can see a better picture of the main lodge tent at the top of this post. On our first full day, we traveled by boat for an hour or so downstream to see what hippos we could find both in the water, and along the river bank. We found a multitude of small reptiles, not sure if I can call them crocs (maybe?), and several groups of hippos sitting in the water. The red lechwe were migrating through the area and there were 100s of them on both sides of the river bank. One side of the river is a national park so we couldn't hunt any animals on that bank, however, anything on the camp side of the river (south?) was fair game for hunting. After traveling up and down the river for a couple of hours, we decided to take a hard look at one group of hippos sitting stationary in a deeper section of the river. Lowu, Nicky, and I took up a position on a sandbank about 80 yards from the hippos and the PH's did their difficult job in a very astute manner, specifically, how to identify the largest male hippo just from seeing the tops of the their heads. Black magic and a roll of the dice if I had to do it. Ultimately, we decided on one hippo that seemed to tease us by only sticking up out of the water for just a couple of seconds each time before diving back down. We watched closely to understand that specific hippo's pattern of coming up for air and the general location among the group where it would surface. After 40 minutes of watching and learning, Lowu made the decision that it was the right hippo for us to take. So we laid in the prone with my rifle propped up on a backpack and I zoomed in on the head of the hippo, waiting for it to turn ever so slightly to the left so I can have a full frontal head shot. Another hippo decided to block my aim point just at the last second and it dived back down so I had to reset myself. After another 3-5 minute wait, the hippo came back up and Lowu gave the command to take it. I fired a single shot right between the eyes and the hippo dropped into the water immediately.
I know from reading the book, "The Perfect Shot" by Kevin Robertson, that I was supposed to aim for the inverted arrow just above the eyes, but there was no clean opening for that apex point. I had to imagine the brain's location based on the presentation offered by the hippo. Immediately after the shot, the hippo dropped into the water, and there was a certain amount of doubt regarding if it was good impact or not. The cellphone video Nicky's brother took didn't answer the question and actually created more questions. The bullet struck so close to the waterline that the impact shockwave splashed a huge spray of water up into the air, so it was hard to discern if it was a successful shot. So we went back to camp for lunch, and waited for the hippo to rise to the surface. It was definitely quiet during lunch while all of us just waited for the magical 120 minute mark when the hippo is supposed to rise to the surface due to the fermenting grass releasing gasses in its belly. So at about the 90 minute mark, we set out to see any evidence of a successful hunt. We got back in the boat and traveled just downstream to the hunt site and saw....nothing. It was a really sad moment for me since I had really thought confidently that I hit the mark I was aiming for. Just then, Lowu started to smile, and he pointed at the water, and all I could see was a grey oval shape just breaking the surface of the river exactly at the 120 minute mark. I had no idea that it was the hippo floating belly-up until Nicky congratulated me for a successful hunt. And now I know what an upside down hippo looks like! You can imagine the emotional relief I felt knowing I didn't miss. Here's a few pictures of that moment:
And of course, seeing the local villagers get the meat was special, especially since the ongoing drought there makes it difficult in the Caprivi. I recall after coming back to the US, the Namibian gov't authorized an animal cull to alleviate some of the environmental pressures on the land due to the drought and feed the people. I think it's misplaced altruism from the overseas animal rights activists who think they know better than the local people when it comes to animal conservation. The safari industry rewards many families financially to put clothes on their backs and for kids to get an education, and in more tangible demonstrations through game meat distribution efforts to improve the standard of living in these more remote areas of the Strip. Glad to know nothing ever gets wasted on any of these hunts in Africa.
The Red Lechwe, Zebra, and Impala: This post is already far longer than I planned, but I think the AH community understands the point of this post. Waterberg and Caprivi are very special places in my heart and I'm glad I could experience this adventure while I'm still physically able to and have the time to dedicate to it. Jamy Traut Safaris is a very professional safari outfitter and I'd gladly go on another Namibian hunt with them again in the future. Lowu and his team are phenomenal and I can't wait to linkup with them again at the DSC convention in Atlanta, January 2025. Here's a few final pics to show what Waterberg/Caprivi have to offer if you haven't been there yet. Thanks for reading and hope this post helps other AH members make an informed decision for your next adventure!
P.S. Windhoek is a great time!
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By the way, he gets his looks from his lovely mother Rentia. 
