SOUTH AFRICA: First Safari Hunt Report African Wild Safaris South Africa

[dhoover]

I recently returned from my first safari. It's a trip I had dreamed about since I was a young boy growing up in Western Kansas, but thought would never happen...until it did. My best friend from High School set it up and we ended up with 9 guys for a trip with African Wild Safaris at Leadwood Ranch.

We used Jennifer Ginn at Travel Express for our plane tickets and could not be happier with her service each step of the way. We ended up on the direct flight from Newark to Johannesburg and if you've been you know it's a long time in the air. Paid extra for the mid-level seats and it was worth the money.

We used the VIP service through Africa Sky to get us through customs and Gilbert for our gun permits which was also set up through Africa Sky. Retrieving the guns from the Polce office in the airport took approx. 1 minute so money well spent. Our first night in Africa was spent with Africa Sky and after the long flight and 2 years of being nervous about the trip we all had a little too much fun with the open bar at Africa Sky but everyone still made it onto the shuttle for our flight to Polokwane. Once again Gilbert and his helpers got us through the process and onto our Airlink flight.

Once in Polokwane we were met by some PH's from African Wild Safaris and took the 2 hour drive to Leadwood Ranch in Toyota Land Cruisers which seemed to bring home the fact that we were really in Africa and going hunting.

 

[7mmFan]

great start! Keep it coming.

 

[dhoover]

We arrived at the headquarters about 12:30, moved into our cabins and had a quick lunch. I had paid for a Buffalo/Sable combo and had a strong desire to get out hunting as I felt time was short and 7 days would not be enough.

I took my 375 Ruger which is a Savage 110 bear hunter shooting 300 grain Barnes TSX. It's topped with a Leupold VX5 1-5 with Fire dot. I got my ammo from Choice Ammo in Montana, and it shot well in my rifle. I shot a lot in preparation for this hunt and got a custom dial cut from Leupold for my ammo.

My PH Heinrich du Preez was my driver from Polokwane, and he was game to get out hunting as soon as possible. We saw what I considered a trophy Sable at a waterhole on the drive into camp and I wanted to get after him. We shot my rifle at 50 and 100 yards and no adjustments were necessary.

I was guided 1x1 by Heinrich and Tracker Vusi for the entire hunt. Vusi was not at all interested in Sable hunting as he had found Buffalo tracks near a water hole of 3 bulls, one of which looked big.

If I'm being honest, hunting for Buffalo the first afternoon was intimidating to me. I expected it might take all 7 days to get a good one, if at all. But we got after them and located them about 5:15 pm. It gets dark before 6 so we had to work fast. We got in on the big bull to 80 yards and I had him dead to rights. Heinrich said no way we gotta get close. 80 yards seemed really close enough for me. We worked into 50 yards and they busted us. they took off but not hard as I think they just saw movement and didn't smell us. Vusi and Heinrich took off and I tried to keep up hoping to head them off in a clearing they knew about 300 yards away. We got there, I got on the sticks and win seconds there he was, 25 yards away. He looked like King Kong.

Heinrich whistled to stop him, and I buried the cross hairs on his shoulder and fired. He immediately took off, away from us with the other two smaller bulls. I was in a state of shock. It happened so fast. We heard him crash within seconds and he immediately started the death bellow. It was a feeling I still can't describe. Much like killing a big whitetail or a Dall ram or a giant bull elk but times 10.

He barely makes 40" if you get creative but with a 17" boss and aged at 11 years he's a trophy of a lifetime for me.

 

[Pablo]

Helluva first day! I love looking at all the scars, tattered ears and worn places on the animals. Makes you wonder what all they went through over the years.

 

[dhoover]

We all had a big time the first night celebrating my buffalo including a trip to the skinning shed to see him brought it. They are so massive it's hard to believe.

I did manage to get a good night's sleep after all the jet lag and was up before dawn to hunt Sable. I found out early that Glen, the outfitter would be joining us on the sable hunt so that was fun as well.

We took a long drive and barely got started hunting when we came across a big Roan. I was not really all that aware of Roan before this trip, but I did get a CITES permit before the trip in case I saw one. Apparently, this was a good one, so we put on a stalk, and I promptly missed him at 50 yards on the move. It's difficult to shoot at a moving animal off the two sticks, at least for me and I somehow managed to shoot in front of him.

Two things here to note. 1. you need to have a short memory, much like a star QB if you throw an early pick you got to forget and keep on slinging. I tried to keep this in mind and shake it off. 2. when you spook animal in Africa, you just take up the track and keep on hunting him. Theya re not like an Elk that leaves the country. They go several hundred yards, slow down and start watching their backtrail. We saw this Roan a couple more times and finally got a shot at him from 295 yards away on the top of a small hill. Heinrich ranged him and I had time to dial my scope. The two part sticks are great in this instance, and I was able to make the shot. he went down hard, and we were all much happier than my earlier miss.

Until we got there, and he was gone. There was very little blood but good tracks. We caught up to him standing under a tree about 100 yards later and I shot him again, he again went down but immediately got up and took off. These African animals have tremendous will to live that is unlike anything I have ever seen. We caught him again in 50 yards, I shot, he went down then jumped up on his feet as we approached. He ended up taking 4 shots from a 375 Ruger, all in the shoulder or slightly behind and still clung to life.

Roan are very impressive, tough and beautiful animals. I'm glad I got to hunt them. He measured 30".

 

[Nyati]

Two great trophies, congrats !

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

A big congrats to you, and we are glad we could be a part of this journey!

 

[Mekaniks]

Excellent! Thank you for sharing

 

[Rider717]

Those are two very fine trophies! Congrats!

 

[Adipose]

Great hunt and beautiful animals.

 

[dhoover]

After we got the Roan and it was 10AM I wrongly assumed we would go back for lunch. Glen said this was the only day he could hunt with me, and we were still after Sable.

We drove around for an hour and found a couple Sable Bulls I would have gladly taken but we were after bigger. When we found him, it was obvious. He was big. We stopped about 1/4 mile past him and snuck back. He busted us and we followed him for the next hour, always close but never a shot. Finally, we (Vusi the tracker) found him under a tree about 200 yards away. Again, I was able to get on the double sticks, get a range and make the shot.

All credit goes to my PH Heinrich and Vusi the tracker with a healthy assist from Glen. Those guys can all spot game always know which way the wind is blowing, and they don't give up.

I'm sure this Sable is my best African trophy. measured 47 on one side and 47 1/2 on the other. Far better than I deserve.

 

[Firebird]

You started off big! Congrats on very
Cool trophies. Can’t wait to see what you stumble across next. Thanks for the report

 

[LivingTheDream]

Wow!!! Those are unbelievable trophies!!! Congratulations!! You are getting after it!

 

[Pablo]

Great animals in 2 days!! What are you doing the rest of your trip?

 

[kdenn]

Congratulations. Great trophies for your first safari.

 

[gillettehunter]

Very fine trophies. Congrats
Bruce

 

[frankmissing]

Great trophies)))

 

[ILDRHNTR]

Wow!! Congrats on such great trophies!! The hunting Gods were surely looking down on you for such quick action.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on a great start and thanks for sharing!

 

[dhoover]

Day three was not like the others. We started out early looking for a big Kudu. We got on a track and followed it for about an hour when we came upon a big Eland bull with 4 cows. He was beautiful, unaware of us and feeding about 100 yards away. I was sorely tempted to shoot him but two of my best friends were on this trip and both had Eland as their #1 target animal. There is no way I could shoot him when I had such a great safari going and they didn't yet have an Eland.

I broke the cardinal rule, I didn't take what the bush gave me. My PH and tracker were not thrilled with my decision. I should have listened to them. The hunting gods were not happy. To prove this point, we got on a good Kudu and I missed him. It was a wild shot I am embarrassed to have taken. He busted from the brush on the move, and again I shot in front of a moving animal. My PH and tracker were not impressed. I grew up shooting pheasant and it is a well-known fact that you can't shoot in front of a moving pheasant. I had managed to shoot in front of two trophy big game animals and was fortunate to not have wounded either. I guess I had been reading my own press clippings and thought had somehow become a great shot. It was humbling to make such rookie mistakes.

We hunted the rest of the day an found nothing I was interested in. A few Zebras, wildebeest and ostrich were all we managed to turn up. Meanwhile back at the skinning shed the other guys were doing some major damaged. Everyone got in on the action and that made for a very happy camp.