SOUTH AFRICA: Early Season Hunt With Lalamanzi Safaris Limpopo South Africa Feb 2020

[Trophyhunter01]

Afternoon pack up a dinner and eat at Justin's house in Thabazimbi before the evening bushbuck hunt. Will be hunting an alfalfa field along the river, get to the property and find a nice place to sit in the grass beneath a tree to watch a nice dark corner of the field till dark and a little after. We sit and watch the daylight end and see two bushbuck females but no rams but a great afternoon and was nice to see some different country and an area that really becomes hilly and what I call small mountains. On the way out of the property on the road in the headlights a nice bushbuck rams crosses the road so the plan was good but the the little secretive antelope decide not to cooperate with the program. Beautiful evening in a nice setting, cool temps and the sound of distant irrigation systems working almost puts you to sleep. I was really glad to get out of the grass as I was not sure what was in there with us sitting on the ground and another reason for wearing long pants tucked in my boots... ; )

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Day 7 last day to hunt before the ride to JB and back home, what a week. The plan today is to hunt another property in the area that had seen some bushbuck in the hilly area towards Thabazimbi, will build a ground blind on a water hole and sit all day and see what comes in to drink. Get to the ranch and check in and grab a couple of chairs and off the water hole, build a ground blind and get ready for the long sit. About an hour in animals start to show with some nyala and then kudu and later in the day around lunch some zebra and baboons come in for a drink. Man it is hot but finally starts letting up later in the day and the nyala are back but more of them and two bushbuck females, it is prime time and the plan is working but the wind is getting light and starting to swirl in the hills and we can hear other animals on the hill sides in the trees but they are not coming down to the water so I think the wind has us this afternoon. We sit till dark and I get to try out the camera on some of nyala in the afternoon light. The plan was sound but again the bushbuck rams decide not to show up. Get effort and long hot sit but again was great to be out and that is how it goes sometimes and why hunting is hunting but what a trip and success I have had but not without the effort of Abri and Justin to keep going and trying to pull off the spiral horn slam. Guess that means I will have to come back again...

All in I would rate my trip a 10 of 10 and would do it again. Accommodations were great, food was more than I could eat and the chef really pulled out all the stops for all the meals. Effort by Justin and Abri to try to complete the slam was terrific. I will be sad to go but as before a good reason to some back and since bushbuck and buffalo both start with a B maybe I can combine those together in a future trip. It has been 13 years since by first trip to Namibia but this trip was to long in the making and could not have turned out any better. Taxidermist came to the ranch, picked up my trophies for further processing and all the paper work for the trip home in a few months. Can't wait to come back some day and take in some more of what this country has to offer the hunter. Off to JB on the long drive and the plane home.
Thanks for reading and safe travels and great hunts.

 

[cpr0312]

Enjoyed the report! You had a great hunt, congrats!

 

[gillettehunter]

Enjoyed the report also. Looks like you had a great trip.
Congrats
Bruce

 

[Chago]

Great report, great trophies. 80 more sleeps until I go!!!!!

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Wow, glad I got this hunt in and back to the US before it hit the fan. I was right on the razors edge of this mess.

 

[enysse]

Congrats! I told you would have a great time!