SOUTH AFRICA: First Hunt With Alpha Pride Safaris

[matt vejar]

That warthog is a beauty! Congrats on hunt.

 

[PARA45]

What a wonderful safari, and some fine animals taken, congrats to you and your wife. That warthog is a whopper, wow!!!! That drive from Joburg to the Kalahari is a long one. LOL!

 

[cpr0312]

Looks like a great time was had, and you took some fantastic trophies! Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Nyati]

Congrats on your hunt, seems as you both really enjoyed it, the kalahari is such a magic place !

I have taken about 14 warthogs, but yours is just fantastic.

 

[Karl Johnson]

In all, I'd give Alfa Pride the highest marks. Great lodging, truly fine dinning, lots of laughter and a family atmosphere. Every effort was made to ensure that Tina and I were comfortable, well fed, and most of all had the hunt and memories to last a lifetime. Alfred the Skinner and Steppy the house maid were very nice and helpful. And last but not least, Woffie the tracking dog. My job was to keep Woffie thoroughly unemployed, and we succeeded.

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Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a great safari!

 

[Graham Hunter]

Excellent report. Thanks.

 

[Smitty]

That is the warthog of my dreams! Congratulations.

 

[Smitty]

I thoroughly enjoyed your report. Congratulations on a great trip!

 

[skydiver386]

I can report to you gentlemen, there were plenty of warthog in that area. On one of our bird shoots early in the day, a warthog slowly made his way to the watering point we were shooting over and ate one of the sand grouse we hadn't collected yet. One gulp and it was GONE. Then he walked slowly over to the water and had himself a nice drink to wash it down. I have it on video, but for some reason I can't seem to load it here. Must be something with the file type.

 

[R.M.C.]

Congratulations on a great hunt and report!! Thanks for sharing. That wart hog is the stuff dreams are made of!!

 

[Greenhorn]

Great hunt! What exceptional and unique trophies. A ultra wide Kudu, Huge Warthog, and picture perfect duiker and steenbok. Thanks for the write-up and pictures, I always enjoy reading about others' experiences!

 

[cls]

Congratulations all around, you all took some fine animals. Thanks for write-up and pictures. Well done.

 

[Rare Breed]

After lunch and break for afternoon siesta, we headed to another property to look for Steinbok, but ended up with something completely different. My guide spotted a gray form several hundred yards down the track. I assumed it was a Guinea fowl, but after glassing it for a few seconds my guide whispered BIG Warthog! All I could see was his hind 1/3, the front 2/3 in the weeds, and I whispered "How can you tell?". Cristo looked at me with a big grin and said "I've shot dozens of big Warthog, and this one is BIG!". I whispered "Game On" and we slowly approached him in the soft sand. When we were maybe 60 yards from him I could tell it was a big one. He had his head down feeding on something, and was totally preoccupied with getting his belly filled. Christo put the sticks up and I took aim, but he told me not to shoot till the warthog gets up. We stood for several minutes waiting for a shot, but when the hog kept feeding Cristo whispered "Stay close behind me, I think we can get closer". I thought "What the heck for?", but by that time I was having so much fun I realized I had been grinning for the entire stalk. When we were 30 yards away, Cristo put the sticks out again and we waited. Nearly 10 minutes later the Warthog finally got up and Christo said "Take him". I put the Leupold Firedot on his shoulder and slowly squeezed the trigger. I lost him when the rifle recoiled, but looked up to see him stone still in a cloud of dust.

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well done by you and your lady sir!!! fine animals! i hunted the kalahari this past year as well. beautiful!

 

[Doubleplay]

Thanks for the report.
Well done both and yes that's a very nice warthog!

 

[RockSlinger404]

The next morning it was time for a little Wingshooting over a waterhole. This was the end of the dry season, and you can see for a long distance most of the vegetation is gone. Great amounts of sand grouse and dove became dinner that night, wrapped with bacon of course.

I'm really glad you enjoyed the hunt in SA! As a local wingshooter, the one thing that just really bothers me is the outfitters'/PHs' lack of respect for the bird seasons and numbers. Below is the Northern Cape Hunting Proclamation. Sandgrouse is definitely out of season during Sep-Oct and also note the bag limits. There is no way to obtain exemption for bird hunting as far I'm aware.

 

[PARA45]

I'm really glad you enjoyed the hunt in SA! As a local wingshooter, the one thing that just really bothers me is the outfitters'/PHs' lack of respect for the bird seasons and numbers. Below is the Northern Cape Hunting Proclamation. Sandgrouse is definitely out of season during Sep-Oct and also note the bag limits. There is no way to obtain exemption for bird hunting as far I'm aware.

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These are the things that gets us in trouble in a foreign country, especially when we put all our trust in the PH. Not cool!

 

[Doubleplay]

I'm really glad you enjoyed the hunt in SA! As a local wingshooter, the one thing that just really bothers me is the outfitters'/PHs' lack of respect for the bird seasons and numbers. Below is the Northern Cape Hunting Proclamation. Sandgrouse is definitely out of season during Sep-Oct and also note the bag limits. There is no way to obtain exemption for bird hunting as far I'm aware.

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Good point. However can the seasons and limits be different in the Kalahari region? or they are nationwide?

 

[RockSlinger404]

Good point. However can the seasons and limits be different in the Kalahari region? or they are nationwide?

Sandgrouse are normally hunted in the Northern Cape, however the Kalahari stretches across North West Province as well. Unfortunately still out of season and over bag limit.

This is the latest hunting proclamation that I could find for North West. I'm not throwing stones here, I'm merely pointing to an issue where PHs don't consider feathered game to have any value.

 

[Doubleplay]

Sandgrouse are normally hunted in the Northern Cape, however the Kalahari stretches across North West Province as well. Unfortunately still out of season and over bag limit.
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This is the latest hunting proclamation that I could find for North West. I'm not throwing stones here, I'm merely pointing to an issue where PHs don't consider feathered game to have any value.

You are absolutely right pointing this out, I would, too.
Interesting thing is with the exception of one type rest of the sandgrouse are out of season during the main game hunting season.
I wonder how many hunters are in violation because they have no clue?