SOUTH AFRICA: Bos en Dal SAFARIS #6

[Fatback]

That rhino is awesome. I’ve decided I am going to do a rhino dart hunt at some point in trying to accomplish my Big 5 & Dangerous 7.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the Rhino, its an incredible experience!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Thanks all! The Rhino was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. I am so glad I did it.

6/28 continued.
After the Rhino was back up and on his feet and moved off. We went and had a nice bush lunch and sat with the owner talking and discussing his operation and rehab programs for the rhino. We departed late in the day and went back to Bos en Dal. Arriving about dark. To say we celebrated some is an understatement.

6/30
Gerrit gone for a couple days. Rikus and Francois will be with me. Francois is running camera. I came up with a plan/goal and told them. We have 3 days left to accomplish. Sow we set out at 7am
By 8 we spotted group of Blues all males. Rikus said was a good management in there. Short stalk later and 300 win head shot Blue was down.

We loaded in cruiser and dropped at skinning shed. We found some Zebra and made a stalk. Wind blew that one. Found more blues and another stalk and wind swapped and blew it.
By now it's lunch so to lodge.
Rested till about 2:30 and out.
Looking for buff cows still and any management animals. We made a total of 5 different stalks on blues and zebra with no results. Wind was swapping around crazy all afternoon. We finally spotted some Buffalo about 5:00. Late in day but we gave it a shot. Guess what? Yep wind shifted and gone.
Back camp dinner and some drinks.

 

[AZDAVE]

You are having a fantastic safari! thank you for sharing your adventure. The Rhino is a reason to celebrate.

 

[PARA45]

Wow Mark, what a great adventure and that Rhino, WOW!!!!! Congrats brother, those are some wonderful memories and beautiful animals taken.

For some of us who may be interested, could you please share price, availability and was Bos en Dal who arranged the Rhino hunt. Obviously if you can, if not I understand completely. Thanks!

 

[mdwest]

6/26 View attachment 618030
View attachment 618031


thats the same concession/lodge Gerrit took us to where my wife got her croc.. .there are some huge ones there.. hers was a little over 13'... beautiful property pretty close to the botswana border.. we saw some incredible sable while we were there last time as well..

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Wow Mark, what a great adventure and that Rhino, WOW!!!!! Congrats brother, those are some wonderful memories and beautiful animals taken.

For some of us who may be interested, could you please share price, availability and was Bos en Dal who arranged the Rhino hunt. Obviously if you can, if not I understand completely. Thanks!

I will send you a private message on this.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

7/1
I was up about 4am. Just coukd not sleep. Light breakfast around 6 am
We loaded up along with skinners and left about 6:45 going about 5 miles down the road from camp back looking for Giraffe. After awhile the guys in back spotted them over the tree tops. Plan was made and me a Rikus started stalk. We eased in to a dam area and there were 5 giraffe there. But not the one we are looking for. We made a walk thru the area and nothing. Got truck and started covering ground. We spotted one was looking for. Out and stalk was on. Lost sight of him them cam around a real brushy spot and there he stood. About 50 yards away but all we could see was his head above the tree tops. Sticks up and I settled the illuminated FireDot of the Leupold just under his jawline in neck as he was facing me. The 458 lott dropped him straight down with a crash!
We heard a some thrashing of the legs in bush the quiet. Gave him a couple min and I stayed on sticks in case he stood back up. We moved in and he was down. Ph checked and no eye movements no movement at all when touched. Here is where the dead one will get you!!
I eased in too close I guess looking for where shot hit and he started moving. Backed out. And instead of putting another 458 in him. To Rikus 10mm side arm and eased up to put one behind its ear. When I shot he swung neck and head off ground hitting me just below right knee in shin and sent me flying about 8 feet backwards landing flat of my back. Luckily nothing was broke. But my right knee stayed messed up the next 2 days sometime I could barely walk. But pushed onward.
Now the work began. Getting this huge animal out of here. Rikus had a plan tho. Main farm about 5 miles away. Called for Case Backhoe and 4ton flatbed truck.
Cleared path way to him and loaded to take to skinning shed.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Congrats on some more great stalks and hunts

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Congrats on some more great stalks and hunts

And we are not done just yet!!

 

[meigsbucks]

Luckily you weren’t seriously injured by that giraffe.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

After the Giraffe was loaded it was close to noon. We headed back to camp for lunch and a break. I rested and doctored my leg/knee. Took some pain meds, wrapped knee and headed out about 2pm
I was barley walking and had hard time bending knee but was on a mission with only 1.5 days hunting left.
By 2:45 the 458 lott spoke again!
After a short stalk Big Zebra Stallion was down. The 500 gr Aframe made a hole in him and a blood trail a blind man could follow. Robert was called with ATV and trailer and wasn't real happy to see a Zebra
As they are working on the Giraffe also.

We pressed on! Found buff coming up out of a big thicket. Wind was wrong so we drove a big circle to come up down wind.
By the time we got back they had vanished. But Rikus figured they were headed to area called 5 star. Sure enough when we got near there we found buff.
Out and in the stalk. I can barley walk at this point. Knee will not flex at all. Hurts putting weight on it, but press on slow and steady. We set up in bend of road waiting on them to cross at about 30-40 yards. Sure enough a good cow buff steps out that fit what we looking for. She is quartering to me a little. I go to front of shoulder aiming for center opposite shoulder and let the Lott speak. Cow is hit hard. We here brush break and buff stampede in all directions. As we ease that way we can here a Bull in there around where she might be. He is mad. I am not moving good and can't move fast. I hand my 458 Lott to Francios, Rikus has his 375. I go back to truck and let them go in as I know I can't move fast enough if it goes bad. I hear them start hollering and brush breaking. Bull is standing over cow guarding her. They finally got bull to leave and came and got me. Was a wise choice not to go in they said. Bull was really mad. Rikus said was same bull that was standing over the first cow I took.
Pics taken and Robert called again.
He really wasn't happy now! 3 big animals in one day. Him and Dugga will be busy into the night.

This Buff cow was the 60th animal I have taken in 6 trips with the Bos en Dal Team since 2018 when I did my first safari with Gerrit and Bos en Dal.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

After buff cow was loaded we headed back camp. Nice dinner and fire.

7/2
Last hunting day.
We left lodge about 7am. I am packing the 300 win mag this morning. We saw a mad several stalks on blues and got busted every time. About 9 or so we are headed towards area called 4 ways. More open area and there has been a particular Blue wildebeest bull Rikus has been wanting to get out of herd. No one has had a shot at him yet. We have seen him several times but he is smart. He is running with a herd of Blesbuck. Wes ease into 4 ways and spot him from a distance. Work the brush to within about 100 yards and he spots us and goes thru a patch brush into a large opening. His mistake. Sticks go up and Rikus asked if I had a shot thru the brush between us and him. There is a big enough window I say! FireDot settles between front legs for a frontal shot and he bucked and took off out of sight. We cleared the brush to the opening and he was laying about 90 yards away.
We loaded up after pics and headed to skinning shed. Robert and Dugga were not happy to see us. They are still cleaning up from yesterday. I tell them No More. This was the last one.

We went to lodge for remainder of day. I am done. I started doing some packing and just hanging out relaxing.
I reached my planned goal for this trip

6 safaris with Bos en Dal
61 animals
61 birthday trip
98 total days in camp over 6 safaris

We had nice dinner, drinks and fire, sat and talked about all the hunts.

7/3
Depart day.
Usual stuff done today. Packed said goodbyes. Went by JS Taxidermy discuss what needed to be done.
Brunch about 11am. Depart for Tambo
I am on DL201 and departs late 9:55pm.
Gerrit took me to airport. Here is what I like about Bos en Dal PH's. They just don't drop you off. We had awhile before Delta counter opened. Gerrit and any of his PHs stay with you. We had a hamburger and chatted until ticket counter opened. Bags checked and rifles checked. They stay with you all the way up until security check point.
DL 201 departed on time and flight had a lot of empty seats. I had window and no one next to me. Out of 8 seats in the row I was on only 3 ppl. About 15 or so empty in Premium and coach was about 3/4 full looked like. Flight uneventful.
Atlanta went really smooth. Lots of officers working customs line. Gun room was open when got there. I had 6 hour layover so let everyone go ahead of me. Guys there were cool. No issues. Rechecked thru to Houston with no issues and all smooth.


In closing.
I want to thank all of you for following along. Also to the ones on AH that kept in touch with me prior to this hunt, that knew I was having medical issues and uncertain if I would make the hunt. Your positive thoughts kept me going.

Also to Gerrit,Rikus, Francois and the entire Bos en Dal team for making this trip one of the best I have been on.

 

[375Fox]

Nice report and an interesting hunt. You are really lucky the giraffe incident ended as well as it did. It easily could have resulted in a hospital stay. He must have some really exceptional trophy wildebeest. Those management bulls would be acceptable trophies in many places.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Nice report and an interesting hunt. You are really lucky the giraffe incident ended as well as it did. It easily could have resulted in a hospital stay. He must have some really exceptional trophy wildebeest. Those management bulls would be acceptable trophies in many places.

Bos en Dal has an abundance of wildebeest. I saw several bulls in the 27-29 inch range. One I suspect was 30 in. He was with a herd of cows and off limits at this time. Wanting him to spread his genes.

 

[rosecitymike]

Congrats, what a great trip! The coloring on your giraffe is magnificent!

 

[Graham Hunter]

Great Hunt and Great Report. Thanks Mark.

 

[Houston Bill]

7/1
I was up about 4am. Just coukd not sleep. Light breakfast around 6 am
We loaded up along with skinners and left about 6:45 going about 5 miles down the road from camp back looking for Giraffe. After awhile the guys in back spotted them over the tree tops. Plan was made and me a Rikus started stalk. We eased in to a dam area and there were 5 giraffe there. But not the one we are looking for. We made a walk thru the area and nothing. Got truck and started covering ground. We spotted one was looking for. Out and stalk was on. Lost sight of him them cam around a real brushy spot and there he stood. About 50 yards away but all we could see was his head above the tree tops. Sticks up and I settled the illuminated FireDot of the Leupold just under his jawline in neck as he was facing me. The 458 lott dropped him straight down with a crash!
We heard a some thrashing of the legs in bush the quiet. Gave him a couple min and I stayed on sticks in case he stood back up. We moved in and he was down. Ph checked and no eye movements no movement at all when touched. Here is where the dead one will get you!!
I eased in too close I guess looking for where shot hit and he started moving. Backed out. And instead of putting another 458 in him. To Rikus 10mm side arm and eased up to put one behind its ear. When I shot he swung neck and head off ground hitting me just below right knee in shin and sent me flying about 8 feet backwards landing flat of my back. Luckily nothing was broke. But my right knee stayed messed up the next 2 days sometime I could barely walk. But pushed onward.
Now the work began. Getting this huge animal out of here. Rikus had a plan tho. Main farm about 5 miles away. Called for Case Backhoe and 4ton flatbed truck.
Cleared path way to him and loaded to take to skinning shed. View attachment 618219
View attachment 618220
View attachment 618221

Great trophy, looks like an old bull with nice darker spots. Sorry to hear about your knee, I can't even imagine getting struck by a giraffe swinging his neck like that!

 

[Mekaniks]

Congratulations Mark. Thank You for the great report!

 

[Green Chile]

Glad to hear the giraffe incident wasn't more serious....lucky on that one my friend. We know giraffe are dangerous but how do you explain that back home? The little lamb of a giraffe got me.

You mentioned the wind and I would say it was really a hassle during my hunt in the Waterbergs same time as your hunt. Lots of cold shifting winds...challenging hunting with that storm front. Good times!