REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Bongo In The Congo Second Try

[Gerty]

Good luck ! I did my first RSA hunt last year and attended my first SCI convention in Nashville this past winter. I saw a bongo mount and was like "what in the world is that"??!! Looks like a Kudu mated with a nyala. Gorgeous animal.

 

[Green Chile]

The only other orange game animal with stripes is the tiger. Bongos are over the top beautiful.

We don't get very many jungle hunt reports here. I'm thrilled that one of our very experienced forum members is there.

 

[MLindsay]

The forest is unbelievable. I feel more at home there than anyplace in Africa. However, it is not for everyone. I have heard several hunters say they felt claustrophobic.
To be comfortable you must be outfitted correctly and be prepared

 

[Arañuel]

Good luck!!!! Waiting the updates

 

[Nyati]

Wish you the best of luck !

 

[wildwilderness]

exciting times, following along. Hopefully all goes successfully. I would love to get a bongo some day

 

[MontanaPat]

Best of luck Bruce, hope it all works out this time. Looking forward to a great report

 

[Travis2282]

Good luck!!

 

[ActionBob]

The only other orange game animal with stripes is the tiger. Bongos are over the top beautiful.

We don't get very many jungle hunt reports here. I'm thrilled that one of our very experienced forum members is there.

And he is with one if the most experienced and well known PH's in the Forest region.

 

[Green Chile]

Yes...and I was looking at the their website trying to learn more but it's about 1/2 completed. It's still being worked on I think. Instead of text, they have the lorem ipsum used as a placeholder for future text in a website. I would love to know more about their operation. Watching closely here to learn more.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Bonne Chance mon ami!

Shoot straight.
You have a large hurdle to better that Sitatunga!

 

[gillettehunter]

So for you that might come to the republic of the Congo a few travel notes might help. My flight schedule was Denver-Atlanta-Paris-Kinshasa-Brazzaville. Coming out of Paris we sat on the tarmac for 1 hr and 10 minutes waiting for a restroom to be fixed. The “fix” didn’t make it to Kinshasa. No change of plane in Kinshasa. So you just wait an hour or so on the plane. From start to finish the flight from Kinshasa to Brazzaville was 12 minutes.
My flight from Paris to Kinshasa was 75% full. More than half got off at Kinshasa. Then the plane was 90% or more full going on to Kinshasa. Lots of folks making that short flight.
Customs in Brazzaville is always interesting. On this trip at the first stop you scan your passport plus have a photo taken and are electronically fingerprinted. Then downstairs. There they look at your passport, visa and yellow fever vaccination certificate. I was also met there by the company rep who had the letter of invitation, certificate of occupancy (where your staying) and a copy of your passport which was handed to that officer. Then on to the next stop. Again they scan your passport, look at visa , another photograph and electronically fingerprint you again…….
Then into collect luggage. As with any flights make sure you can identify your luggage. Black is the color of 75% of the bags arriving. Mine is green and stood out readily. It was in the last 1/4 th of luggage delivered so I was starting to get concerned. I also recommend taking a picture of your luggage and your baggage tag on it. Also when that luggage tag is put on your bag be sure your final destination is on that tag.
I didn’t get to the hotel until 10 pm. It’s only about 10 minutes from the airport. The restaurant had just closed when I arrived. Luckily they apparently cook food for the bar on the other end of the building. I was able to order a nice meal. Chicken with mushrooms in gravy, rice and a side salad. The tomatoes were freshly picked.

A late but good meal.
I then got up at 4:30 thinking I had a 5 am departure. I checked out of my room and sat with night staff watching TV until 7am. I had realized by 5:30 that we had a failure to communicate and my ride to camp would be tomorrow……. I reread some of my messages and they were slightly confusing. I failed to clarify.
So I checked back in and got the WiFi password to help pass the time. Will be a quiet Father’s day. Tomorrow will be a 12 hour ride all the way across the republic of the Congo. Will be a long day.
Bruce

 

[gillettehunter]

Made it to camp. 13 hrs and 25 minutes. Did have a little excitement along the way. Saw a forest elephant bull alongside the road. We stopped for a picture but he stepped into the forest. Then about 45 minutes later we had a gorilla cross the road. Cool to see him.
They had a big rain the day before I arrived. Road in was wet and muddy. We are about 35 miles in from the paved road. Parts of it are rough. So rough that your guts feel like they are in a blender!!! So green in the jungle.
This morning we are going for a walk. 3 hrs to check 4 salt licks that have trail cam pics of 4 good bulls. I’ll quickly find out if I’m anywhere near in good enough shape.
I’ll attach a couple of pictures of the drive in.
Bruce

 

[dchum]

Oh ya baby! Heating up

Glad you made it to camp safely after that long journey

 

[gillettehunter]

Internet is too slow right now. I’ll try again later…..
Bruce

 

[Sabre]

Good Luck!

 

[BourbonTrail]

Excited for you, good luck Bruce!

 

[Green Chile]

Cool to see the forest ele and the gorilla but the best part...by FAR...is hearing about new rain! It's so critical to the bongo hunting as I've been told by guys with a lot of experience. You're hunting on soft ground...this is going to be good! Just need a little luck.

 

[gillettehunter]

While traveling across the country there were a few things I noticed. First was a little less bush meat being displayed. Saw one cane rat with one guy and a second had a cane rat and what appeared to be a blue duiker. Nothing else that I saw.
Lots of folks selling or gathering firewood. Also a lot of charcoal for sale. Plus the fruits and vegetables in season. Little stands all over.
Like last time lots of people hauling water. Saw a couple of kids maybe 6-7 yrs old each holding one side of a jug of water. Lots of wheelbarrows being used with up to 6 jugs. Really glad I don’t have to haul water at home.
The roads are still in need of repair. Some of the larger broken out areas I seem to remember from 20 months ago. Makes it so caution is needed when traveling. You can be going 70 mph and all of a sudden here’s a big hole in the road. I’ll get to the hunting soon. I promise!
Bruce

 

[Hunt anything]

Nice tease !! Waiting for the meat.