SOUTH AFRICA: 10 Day Plains Game Hunt With Game 4 Africa In May 2016

[huntinlabs]

What taxidermist did you use in Montana?

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I use Wildlife Artistry in Livingston. http://wildlifeartistrymt.com/

I met the original owner and master taxidermist, Dan Quillen, many years ago. Somewhere around 2001 I think, Dan hired Rich Bradberry and they worked together for about a dozen years. They have done a few elk and mule deer for me and a few hunting buddies. Just a few years ago, Dan retired and sold the business to Rich. Rich relocated to a nice, new and larger shop and is continuing the tradition and quality.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm glad you posted this, I had no idea that's the cost to get the trophies back over here.

 

[Lrntolive]

Thanks for posting the shipping costs. At first it seemed like a lot, but then I realized it was air freight. That always cost much more. Anyone have any idea the cost to ship shoulder mounted trophies? Can they go by ocean?

 

[Jason Rodd]

Fantastic report, thank you. Now to get emailing......

 

[Spearhead]

About 11 months ago, @Game4Africa ran an advert here on AH for Kudu special hunt. Having just returned from a hunt in Namibia, which included my youngest daughter, Elise, on here 21st birthday and very first hunt, I had to do some negotiating. Not with the outfitter, but my wife and daughter.

I knew my daughter would be graduating from college in May 2016. My wife and I live in Lagos, Nigeria and all our grown kids live in Louisiana and Texas. I could spend the vacation time and money to travel back to the US for her graduation, or I could offer my daughter another hunting opportunity in Africa by me not going to her graduation. I know, I'm a terrible, self serving safari hunter. My daughter quickly agreed to the deal.

The deal was quickly and easily arranged with Game 4 Africa PH Wik Coetzee. One of the things I appreciated about the deal was the relatively small deposit that they required. We originally planned this hunt for early June and a co-worker hunting buddy of mine also booked for the same time. We all hunted together last year in Namibia. A few months after booking the hunt, my daughter had received two wedding invitations from close friends and both were in early June. (Darn those June weddings!). I emailed Wik and he was able to accommodate a two week shift in our schedule. Eastern Cape, here we come!

View attachment 152437

Elise graduated on Friday the 13th...........hope that isn't a bad omen. My wife is still not happy that she had to endure the 3 hour graduation ceremony without me. Sunday the 15th, Elise flew United from Houston to Lagos, a 12 hour non-stop flight on the 787 Dreamliner. Elise arrived here in Lagos on Monday and will spend a few days here to help get over the 6 hour time difference.

Tomorrow night, we depart Lagos on a South African red-eye flight and arrive Joburg about 5am Thursday and then continue on to Port Elizabeth, arriving early afternoon. I booked my SAA flights back in January and had a great itinerary. A couple of weeks ago, SAA changed their flight schedules and eliminated one of my flights. Now I have a 6-1/2 hour connection in JNB. On a positive note, SAA does an auction deal to upgrade to business class. I bid on just the LOS-JNB leg, since it was overnight. The other flights are short and our return flight to LOS is during the afternoon. I just got the notice from SAA that I was successful and we'll get a decent night's sleep in the comfort of the flat reclining seats in the front of the plane

Stay tune for details, we are Go for launch! (or was that lunch?)

Love the LSU hat your daughter is wearing. That Kudu is absolutely gorgeous. I think I’d fly over just to hunt it’s twin .

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Thanks for sending this to me Dave. Excellent write-up and I’d have made the same choice your daughter did. Hunting over watching me walk across a stage to get a piece of paper.