SOUTH AFRICA: Hunting With Liam Urry Safaris

[lwaters]

On arrival in South Africa for the first time in May 2014, we were surprised by the sights and atmosphere. After a couple days touring out of the Afton House we headed to Durban and was met by Liam Urry of Liam Urry Safaris. South Africa was completely different to where we had hunted before 'Namibia' a lot more greener and more mountainous. We were after Spotted Hyena, Wateruck, Bushbuck, Impala, Blesbuck and on top of the list was Nyala. We were hunting in the Kwa-Zulu Natal, Liam assured me that this was the best area for Nyala.

We first stayed at the camp Kameelkop, just outside the small town of Dundee, from there we drove to numerous hunting concessions in the nearby area. We hunted two to three days, hard hunting , the bush was thick and the Nyala clever! Finally luck was on our side and I got a shot at a beautiful old bull, he went down with one well-placed shot. On the same day we go an Impala ram as well!

One afernoon we spotted a Waterbuck Bull grazing on the other side of a deep gorge, we decided to take our chances. We left the resident PH and tracker and Anita on this side and stalked around, wind perfect, the others helping us by showing us the direction it was in. We were sure we had him. All of a sudden we looked back at the others and saw them waving their arms and shouting so to us we had blown the stalk and returned! We soon found out that the Waterbuck had moved on, but it was because of an extremely large male Leopard, that was not more than 30 yards from us and stalking the same animal as us!! Even though we didn't see the Leopard this made me realize "THIS IS AFRICA! We then moved camps to a better area for Hyena, the camps name was Chicks Lodge. Here we hunted a beautiful Blesbuck, one very well placed shot and some tricky retrieval by Liam and his Land Cruiser and I had my trophy! We never did get a Hyena or Bushbuck but this just makes it easier to return. I felt I did extremely well for only four days of hunting. We visited the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park on the last day, we were treated by a herd of Elephants crossing the road just 15 yards from us. We had Elephants all around us.

Then for the return to Namibia but thats another story.

 

[lwaters]

On arrival in South Africa for the first time in May 2014, we were surprised by the sights and atmosphere. After a couple days touring out of the Afton House we headed to Durban and was met by Liam Urry of Liam Urry Safaris. South Africa was completely different to where we had hunted before 'Namibia' a lot more greener and more mountainous. We were after Spotted Hyena, Wateruck, Bushbuck, Impala, Blesbuck and on top of the list was Nyala. We were hunting in the Kwa-Zulu Natal, Liam assured me that this was the best area for Nyala.

We first stayed at the camp Kameelkop, just outside the small town of Dundee, from there we drove to numerous hunting concessions in the nearby area. We hunted two to three days, hard hunting , the bush was thick and the Nyala clever! Finally luck was on our side and I got a shot at a beautiful old bull, he went down with one well-placed shot. On the same day we go an Impala ram as well!

One afernoon we spotted a Waterbuck Bull grazing on the other side of a deep gorge, we decided to take our chances. We left the resident PH and tracker and Anita on this side and stalked around, wind perfect, the others helping us by showing us the direction it was in. We were sure we had him. All of a sudden we looked back at the others and saw them waving their arms and shouting so to us we had blown the stalk and returned! We soon found out that the Waterbuck had moved on, but it was because of an extremely large male Leopard, that was not more than 30 yards from us and stalking the same animal as us!! Even though we didn't see the Leopard this made me realize "THIS IS AFRICA! We then moved camps to a better area for Hyena, the camps name was Chicks Lodge. Here we hunted a beautiful Blesbuck, one very well placed shot and some tricky retrieval by Liam and his Land Cruiser and I had my trophy! We never did get a Hyena or Bushbuck but this just makes it easier to return. I felt I did extremely well for only four days of hunting. We visited the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park on the last day, we were treated by a herd of Elephants crossing the road just 15 yards from us. We had Elephants all around us.

Then for the return to Namibia but thats another story.

Keeping in mind that most exciting doesn't necessarily mean favorite, Antia's most exciting part of the trip was her close encounter with a Puff Adder. Each time she has visited Africa it has been fall and I assured her the snakes were hibernating. One evening while walking to dinner without me she was taking in the view. She was stopped short at the steps to dinner by a snake with a hiss. She froze and called for help! Help quickly showed up and told her to stand still. For what seemed like a long time the snake decided to move on in the opposite direction. Once she moved to safety the snake was shot. Anita still loves South Africa but now watches her step. When she arrived home in Kansas, her friend had kept her flowers alive but they were filled with weeds. She now weeds with much greater awareness of a possible Rattlesnake lurking in the flowers. But she is ready to visit Africa again.

 

[bluey]

sounds like a fun trip .
lwaters
is anita getting a puff adder belt made up ?
how cool stalking the same animal as a BAMF leopard

 

[lwaters]

I will now try to upload some photos...

 

[lwaters]

sounds like a fun trip .
lwaters
is anita getting a puff adder belt made up ?
how cool stalking the same animal as a BAMF leopard

She should have had that done or had a hat band made

 

[bluey]

that's some real camo on that serpent ,mate.
cracker nyala ,you must be pleased with him .
you guys got it done ,in very little time ....
thanks for showing all of us

 

[enysse]

Congrats, nice animals, great pictures!

 

[lwaters]

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[Wheels]

Congratulations on the hunt. Really like the nyala.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Cowtown guy]

Did you hunt Chris's place 15 or 20 minutes from Kameelkop? That one picture looks like some familiar terrain.

 

[Cowtown guy]

Great job by the way. Nice pics.

 

[Royal27]

A couple of very cool memories to go with some very nice animals!

I'm weird apparently, I'd love to see a Puff Adder, but couldn't care less about killing it.

 

[lwaters]

The lady that owned the lodge did'nt want to kill it. Another PH there said that she should beings she had young grand children running around the lodge. If it was out in the bush I would say let it go.

 

[lwaters]

Did you hunt Chris's place 15 or 20 minutes from Kameelkop? That one picture looks like some familiar terrain.

We hunted a place about that far away. I don't remember the name but it was pretty rugged. I saw alot of game there gemsbok, zebra, blesbok, impala, kudu, nyala, black wildebeest, common reedbuck and I think a mountain reedbuck. Alot of times several species at one time.

 

[Cowtown guy]

The lady that owned the lodge did'nt want to kill it. Another PH there said that she should beings she had young grand children running around the lodge. If it was out in the bush I would say let it go.

As you get to the landowners house is there a second house about 75 yards away and a shop and skinning area in between them that is set up really nice? If it's the same place that I am thinking of, there is a huge hill right in almost the center of his property with an antenna on it.

Again very nice trophies by the way

 

[lwaters]

That sounds like the place. They made alot of jerky and sausage there and it was between two houses. It was a neat place

 

[Hagar]

Looks like you had a great hunt. Love that Nyala. I went Liam in 2011 he is a great guy and is very serious about getting quality animals. I passed on a Nyala while I was there and have regretted it ever since.

 

[Cowtown guy]

That sounds like the place. They made alot of jerky and sausage there and it was between two houses. It was a neat place

I really enjoyed it there also. Is that where your Nyala came from?

 

[Nyati]

Congrats for a great hunt and nice trophies !

Thanks for sharing.

 

[lwaters]

I really enjoyed it there also. Is that where your Nyala came from?

Yes that is where I shot the Nyala. If I had never been to Africa before I could of shot alot of game right there