SOUTH AFRICA: Hippopotamus Hunt With Pawprint Safaris 2017

[CAustin]

Charlie, it sounds like that new #1 is unlucky. I'm sure I can find a good home for it

Nope clearly it is operator Error!

 

[norfolk shooter]

@CAustin sounds like the Hippo made you work for the fact you pissed him off the first day

 

[edward]

charlie,they are starting to shovel dirt on me,time to show the hippo,ive only got a few seconds left,choke,choke.

 

[Ridgewalker]

And the plot thickens! I'm about to fall off my porch reading this!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Sneaky.....

 

[LivingTheDream]

Man sounds like you are in for a hunt. Enjoying the story so far! No sleeping now, don't keep us waiting!

 

[cpr0312]

Deep sound of Ha ha ha ha.... Was it like Jabba the Hut? That's what I heard in my mind.

Yes kinda,.its a cool, unique, and deep sound that gets you perked up quickly!

 

[cpr0312]

Look forward to the next installment!

 

[CAustin]

We'll guys here it comes!

The next day we return to our best vantage point at the lake to watch for our friends to appear. The Sun is warm a the breeze blows very so often. Good sleeping weather. We all take turns watching the reed covered island closest to where we sit behind a wall of tall reeds! Lunch comes and goes with no hippo. Then just at 4:15 we see this now infamous family begin to slip into the water. The bull is last to make his appearance! The all move slowly near the edge of this island. As the bull approaches the end of the reeds Pieter and I discuss distance. We decide to take the shot and try to hit him on the shoulder as he is quartering away from my position! The shot is 170 yards. I can see the bull clearly and the shoulder is a few inches above the surface of the water. The Federal Premium 375 H&H round zeroed at 100 yards will drop 6 inches! I make my calculation and squeeze the trigger.

 

[stug]

Ohhh! You tease!!

 

[Mike B]

Come on! [emoji12].

 

[CAustin]

You see the second island from left to right. I was aiming at the tip of that point for my bull.

 

[CAustin]

My shot is low by possible an inch and Pieter says it was dead on straight but hit the water about 9 feet in front of the beast! I was an inch low folks. I missed again!
Unfortunately it would be my last opportunity at a shot on this HUNT!
Pieter and the team worked hard to get me into a reasonable position to shoot but I just didn't pull it off.
This was the hardest hunt I have ever done! If anyone tells you that hippo hunting free range hippo is easy.......don't drink the Kool-Aid! Yep you might can go to some five acre pond and shoot one at thirty yards but when it is fair chase you don't always walk away with a trophy!

Here I am with a hippo next to the "Hippo Pool" at Pieter's new lodge.

 

[CAustin]

I had a good trip folks and enjoyed myself with Pieter and the Pawprint Safari team. Thanks also to Joe and Max the trackers and to Chris Jan who went with us to the lake every day.
There is always next year!

 

[CAustin]

Looks easy Right? Not really folks! It's kind of like golf when you get to the water hazard........sometimes you put a few into the water before you make the great shot.

 

[Pheroze]

Great report! Thanks...are you booking round 2?

 

[CAustin]

Great report! Thanks...are you booking round 2?

You can lay down your best folks! I will get the RIVER HORSE!

 

[Art Lambart II]

Sounds like you had a great Hunt. The next question is when is next year's safari so I can start planning next year's vacation.

 

[edward]

ok charlie, im not going to croak until you get that hippo,and probably not even then.so there!

 

[rpgoldsby]

Any advice Charlie on a upcoming hippo hunt I have with Pieter?