Hi,
I just came back from a wonderful trip to South Africa with @GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS. Don Laaks was my PH. It was a great experience.
I flew British Airways to Heathrow/Johannesburg and then airlink to East London. No guns, I rented guns from games4africa.
The fly in went all as planned, cannot say the same on the way back!. Arrived to East London around 6pm, Don was there to meet me.
We started the hunt on their new North camp. Originally I was going to do the South African spiral slam (Eland, Kudu, Bushbuck and Nyala), but it quickly escalated into a lot of extra animals!.
We arrived late to a wonderful dinner before retiring for the long 3 days travel. Next morning we went to the range to test their guns.
I was going to use a 375H&H for the Eland and 7mag for the rest of the animals.
First shoot the 7mag from the bench, around 2" high (as zero), then the 375H&H about 3 inch high and 1 to the right.
I then grab the shooting sticks and shot the 375 again, this time it was touching the 7mag bullet hole. All is good, it's time to go hunting.
We started by chasing Eland. They have quit a few of them in this property. Saw some in the distance, and try to put some stacks in others.
At one point we send one of the trackers to see if he can push the elands into a closer area as they were far from any roads in a hilly area.
We start driving to the area we expect to start our stack when we saw another group of males in a more accessible area.
We stack them to within 300 yards. Now Don and Wik (he hunted with us the first day) start the process of checking all the bulls. I think there were 6 to 8 bulls in there.
Several were just laying down and not easy to evaluate. Eventually they settle in two bulls. But there was no shot as they were all very close and laying down. So we wait, what it feel like hours, probably just a few minutes. On the distance some wildebeest start moving, Don say, once they are in sight, the Elands will get up and move, get ready. And sure enough, the Wildebeest cross in front of the Eland about 500 yards and they start moving. Now it was my time to follow the correct bull.
The bull clear the others and was given the go ahead. I put the crosshair lowest 1/3 of the body, just behind the shoulder and pull the trigger (at 283 yards).
I see dust so I think I missed, all elands go running but want all of a sudden collapse in front of a bush, just 15 yards or so from when I shoot. The bullet had gone through the heart. First animal on the salt. Congratulations and pictures followed. Then 2 trackers and 2 skinners to get the huge animal into the back of the cruiser.
We drove back to the camp area to drop the Eland and have some lunch. All food provided was great, and also the facilities at both camps.
After lunch decided to go look for a blue wildebeest, first animal that was not on my original list. We put several stacks that were not successful, being busted by a lone wildebeest or not founding a suitable animal on a large group. Eventually we came across a single animal. Horns look very old. Short stock, sticks come out, now shooting the 7mag, shot is around 130 yards, it's a hit, but the wildebeest runs in circles and stop almost at the same place where I shot. Quickly a second shot and he is down. Two beautiful animals on the first day.
I just came back from a wonderful trip to South Africa with @GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS. Don Laaks was my PH. It was a great experience.
I flew British Airways to Heathrow/Johannesburg and then airlink to East London. No guns, I rented guns from games4africa.
The fly in went all as planned, cannot say the same on the way back!. Arrived to East London around 6pm, Don was there to meet me.
We started the hunt on their new North camp. Originally I was going to do the South African spiral slam (Eland, Kudu, Bushbuck and Nyala), but it quickly escalated into a lot of extra animals!.
We arrived late to a wonderful dinner before retiring for the long 3 days travel. Next morning we went to the range to test their guns.
I was going to use a 375H&H for the Eland and 7mag for the rest of the animals.
First shoot the 7mag from the bench, around 2" high (as zero), then the 375H&H about 3 inch high and 1 to the right.
I then grab the shooting sticks and shot the 375 again, this time it was touching the 7mag bullet hole. All is good, it's time to go hunting.
We started by chasing Eland. They have quit a few of them in this property. Saw some in the distance, and try to put some stacks in others.
At one point we send one of the trackers to see if he can push the elands into a closer area as they were far from any roads in a hilly area.
We start driving to the area we expect to start our stack when we saw another group of males in a more accessible area.
We stack them to within 300 yards. Now Don and Wik (he hunted with us the first day) start the process of checking all the bulls. I think there were 6 to 8 bulls in there.
Several were just laying down and not easy to evaluate. Eventually they settle in two bulls. But there was no shot as they were all very close and laying down. So we wait, what it feel like hours, probably just a few minutes. On the distance some wildebeest start moving, Don say, once they are in sight, the Elands will get up and move, get ready. And sure enough, the Wildebeest cross in front of the Eland about 500 yards and they start moving. Now it was my time to follow the correct bull.
The bull clear the others and was given the go ahead. I put the crosshair lowest 1/3 of the body, just behind the shoulder and pull the trigger (at 283 yards).
I see dust so I think I missed, all elands go running but want all of a sudden collapse in front of a bush, just 15 yards or so from when I shoot. The bullet had gone through the heart. First animal on the salt. Congratulations and pictures followed. Then 2 trackers and 2 skinners to get the huge animal into the back of the cruiser.
We drove back to the camp area to drop the Eland and have some lunch. All food provided was great, and also the facilities at both camps.
After lunch decided to go look for a blue wildebeest, first animal that was not on my original list. We put several stacks that were not successful, being busted by a lone wildebeest or not founding a suitable animal on a large group. Eventually we came across a single animal. Horns look very old. Short stock, sticks come out, now shooting the 7mag, shot is around 130 yards, it's a hit, but the wildebeest runs in circles and stop almost at the same place where I shot. Quickly a second shot and he is down. Two beautiful animals on the first day.
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