SOUTH AFRICA: 1st Safari No Huge Kudu But Still A Success!

[jlb1036]

Awsome collection of trophy animals
congratulations on you safari just remember start palnning for your second safari .

 

[Axle2010]

Yep! I got a Gemsbok last time, #1 on my list on our first trip. I came within a heartbeat of getting a shot at a mountain Zebra twice last time but it didn't quite work out.View attachment 531070

Dude that's is an awesome Oryx. Congratulations. That was the very first animal we spotted and we spent almost 2 hours stalking in and out of thick brush and ended up less than 50 yards but couldn't get a shot through the brush then a cow busted us

 

[WMU05]

This was my first hunted animal period, not just in Africa...

Amazing! You look like you were made for this.

Congratulations on a great safari!

 

[ILDRHNTR]

Congratulations sir! What a great group of animals that will look amazing on the wall. And fast action at that - 7 animals in 4 days! Where can a fella go in North America and have such an experience - nowhere. Sounds like you are hooked.

 

[Hunt anything]

I love that impala, nothing wrong with that kudu! He is a mature eastern cape bull.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Nice hunt!

I like your selection for your next hunt as well.

 

[Axle2010]

Congratulations sir! What a great group of animals that will look amazing on the wall. And fast action at that - 7 animals in 4 days! Where can a fella go in North America and have such an experience - nowhere. Sounds like you are hooked.

Good Lord no! It cost me less to go on this safari than it would cost to go to Texas and kill ONE trophy whitetail buck. Don't even mention an Elk hunt or, God forbid, a Dall Sheep hunt in the mountains. I am definitely hooked and l hope to make it every couple of years.

 

[typilotguy]

First of all, congratulations!

Second of all, PLEASE "bore us" with all of the details! As you mentioned you are new to hunting, you'll quickly realize (if you have not already) that those details are one of the things that we hunters thrive on!

I believe it was Ruark that wrote in "The Old Man and the Boy" something along the lines of the great thing about hunting and fishing is that you don't actually have to be engaged in them to enjoy them. The enjoyment comes not only during, but sitting back and remembering the pursuit itself.

Once again, way to go. You started out with a trip that many hunters only dream of accomplishing one day. Thanks for sharing!

If you wish to further your hunting career, the lovely folks here on africahunting.com have vast amounts of knowledge and insight. When I started down the slippery slope of dreaming of hunting in Africa years ago, I learned heaps from these folks (and still do!)

 

[Axle2010]

First of all, congratulations!

Second of all, PLEASE "bore us" with all of the details! As you mentioned you are new to hunting, you'll quickly realize (if you have not already) that those details are one of the things that we hunters thrive on!

I believe it was Ruark that wrote in "The Old Man and the Boy" something along the lines of the great thing about hunting and fishing is that you don't actually have to be engaged in them to enjoy them. The enjoyment comes not only during, but sitting back and remembering the pursuit itself.

Once again, way to go. You started out with a trip that many hunters only dream of accomplishing one day. Thanks for sharing!

If you wish to further your hunting career, the lovely folks here on africahunting.com have vast amounts of knowledge and insight. When I started down the slippery slope of dreaming of hunting in Africa years ago, I learned heaps from these folks (and still do!)

OK ok you twisted my arm! Lol. I don't have and friends that hunt so other than a few close family I don't really have anybody to tell the stories to so yall just bear with me cause I'm have to give the shirt version of a couple of them.

 

[Axle2010]

First off was my Blesbuck, the first animal I've ever killed on a hunt and honestly a pretty short story. It was the first morning and we had given up on Kudu, just dropped the trackers off for lunch and headed to the camp ourselves. Johnny saw the group a few hundred yards out in a fairly open field and asked if I wanted one since it wasn't on my main list. I figured it would be a good start and we eased out to a big bush 200 meters from the biggest ram. It was windy but the bush kept it off me well enough to set up on the sticks and drop him in his tracks. I didn't even know for sure what happened cause he dropped in the grass and the herd only ran about 50 yards and stopped but Johnny and Phil were excited and pointing where he fell so I walked out and there lay my first trophy. Nice looking bull with whitened rings and decent bit of mass and I loved it! I was shocked I had no buck fever whatsoever.

 

[Axle2010]

Then after lunch came this big fellow and I wasn't even looking for an Impala. I told Johnny I'd like to get one but wasn't crazy about them and only wanted a true trophy. "I don't want it unless it's one that YOU would shoot for yourself" is what I told him. He saw this guy behind us almost a half mile back on a hillside and bout broke the truck getting turned around and closing some distance. He was all excited telling me how nice the bull was but I hadn't even seen the animals yet in the bush. We stalked the last 400 or so yards until we got within sight of the bull and when I finally put the crosshairs on him I realized how nice he was. He was almost behind a thornbush when I got ready for the shot and I was actually starting the squeeze when he took 2 steps and disappeared. I was honestly shocked that I managed to back off the trigger in the last split second when he moved. (I'm actually a bit proud of the restraint instead of making a bad shot since it was only the 2nd time I had drew down on an animal) We moved left another 30 yards trying to keep pace with him and suddenly 2 females trotted from one bush to another and his head came into view and he froze staring at us. I was given the ok to shoot if he gave a clear shot then he took a side step and faced us head on just clearing the bush and I pulled the trigger centered on his chest and again he dropped in his tracks. This time Johnny, Phil, and the tracked Michael we all excited and talking in Afrikans about how big he was. When I knelt beside him I realized why the Impala is sought after by everyone that goes to SA, he is definitely a beautiful and regal looking animal. He isn't fully dried yet but right now he measures 25" and will be my only shoulder mount.

 

[Axle2010]

I've wanted a Zebra hide for years so this guy was high on my add-on list and this was our 4th zebra stalk when we finally made contact. We stalked for probably 1/2 mile in and out of bush at the base of the hill he and his 4 buddies were on before getting close enough. I have to admit this was a bad shot though. Johnny stopped him with a bark at about 185 meters and I didn't realize that he turned quartering to us, I thought he just turned his head to look cause I was so focused on my point of aim. So the shot was a few inches back and a little low. It got the back of one lung and I believe his liver or kidney but he didn't drop like the others and it was almost dark. We got in him again twice but with the low light couldn't tell for sure it was the right one as he showed no blood at all. We found him first thing the next morning and he was just getting stiff so I hate to say that he lasted all night with a bullet under his far side ribs but he was recovered and intact and will be a great couch cover or rug. I will say too that after all the walking and looking trying to get another shot that we didn't realize how steep the hill really was and my butt was WORE OUT!

 

[Axle2010]

Now this big boy I think I'm most proud of but idk exactly why. I mean he's a beautiful specimen with a great hide and decent horn but it was more the stalk on this one and the shot for some reason. We spotted a small group (6 I think) and drove to about a 1/2 mile and got out to finish on foot. There was a Blesbuck that we were sure was gonna spook them but he finally ran off to the right and got out of our way. We were still out of range when we ran out of cover except for a huge group of those killer 3" thorn carrying bushes so we crawled INTO these viscious bushes that we've been avoiding all week. We crawled hands and knees to within 230 meters of the group and started gassing to see which one was best. This guy was the last to stand and turned out he was the best with awesome stripes and nice horns too. He was facing us almost directly so I put the bullet just inside his left shoulder and there was no doubt when that 300 smacked into him. He ran/staggered/fell for less than 50 yards before going headfirst in the dirt. At the shot we both scrambled out of the thorn-hell we had been crawling in to get another shot but the big boy fell before I could get a follow up into him. It's funny how my favorite two animals were only in my second tier list to start with. Now a Golden Wildebeest is high on my next year's list!

 

[Axle2010]

These little guys gave me a helluva run all week! This was my 6th stalk I think (I did miss the previous stalk from much closer due to wind pushing me around) and we were hunched and bent over for a few hundred yards then on hands and knees for the last 250 and still were a bit over 200 meters when I finally got the shot. The bull was in a herd of about 35 animals so between dodging all those eyes and getting a safe shot at only the 1 animal we finally got him from 200 meters. I told Johnny "dude that was a LOT of work for a little Springbuck!" but it was a great stalk and ended in a pretty darn good shot in those winds. I can't wait to get this little hide back.

 

[LWPhunt]

Congratulations, enjoy the fun planning the next one.

 

[Axle2010]

FINALLY! Turns out this was a 4 day Kudu hunt and we just managed to get some other great animals in the meantime. We walked mile after mile after these awesome animals but the first two shots I had were a pretty fair distance and moving animals so he didn't let me shoot. (BTW I have huge respect for my outfitter/PH) It was crazy that when we finally got this bull it was from less than 100 meters in the last evening about an hour before dark. Talk about a last minute bull! No bs we honestly kind of stumbled on this bull and from first sight until the shot was less than 30 seconds.

 

[bo4elk]

That's a beautiful kudu!

 

[Axle2010]

Last one boys! Lol. This was a last minute add on we decided to get before we headed out to Port Elizabeth. He wasn't as big as the first but still a beautiful Impala and shot from the top of a gorgeous ridge that I hope to get back to on my next trip. He was a bit over 200 meters behind a big bush that had just enough of a "V" in it so I could see his shoulder and neck. At the shot he turned a 180 and ran 50 yards into the bush and fell. Other than the zebra my trackers never did have to look hard for my critters. It was an awesome trip and I can't wait to get back in 25. If anybody needs a great outfitter in a beautiful setting in SA I can't recommend HuntAfricanSafaris enough. Jonny and his crew are second to none and provide an incredible hunting experience. Thanks for reading my stories boys it was fun getting to tale them. One thing is for sure; God willing and the creek don't rise I'll be seeing SA again asap.