SOUTH AFRICA: MATTANJA HUNTING SAFARIS For The Last Of The Tiny 10

[AZDAVE]

Fast forward a day from our successful Namibian elephant and sightseeing adventure.

Last year on my wife's Mozambique buffalo hunt I was successful on my Suni and red diker. On day 6 I had a shot at a sharps Grysbok. As I pointed out in that hunt report. He was behind a rock about the size of his body and I shot that rock exactly where I was aiming. Fantastic hunt but still one short to complete the tiny 10.

At SCI I went around and talked to several outfitters and looked here on AH. My friend @Green Chile mentioned he was successful hunting with @MATTANJA HUNTING SAFARIS and that I should contact Dieter and see if the dates would work with our Namibia trip. He was able to work with us on a 3 day hunt with a arrival and departure day bringing to 5 days in South Africa.

After a good nights sleep and nice breakfast at City Lodge we are on a short hop to Polokwane. We see Dieter waiting outside baggage claim, a bit of a run around getting luggage and rifles sorted and we are on the road to the lodge. I will say the lodge is exceptional, food was great and just a class act!

Dieter gets us in a settled. we head to the range and check out his new to him Anschutz 22 Hornet. Nice little rifle, good scope and set triggers, what is not to like. Plus the area we will be hunting the the mountains about 45 minutes from camp didn't need my 500/416 double level of power.

We have a early dinner and head out for the night hunt.

 

[AZDAVE]

On the first night out we enjoyed the the TEMP drop to the point I had to borrow a jacket from Dieter. We were driving through Avacado and Macadamia nut orchards. Start seeing Dikers immediately. We were out for about 3 1/2 hours and saw two Sharp Grysbok. One female and a male that vanished into the brush at the sides of the orchards. We could have shot a whole truck bed of dikers though.

Make it back to the lodge and some sleep. The next morning after a leisurely coffee and breakfast we went out and drove around some of the property at the lodge. My wife had a couple animals she might be interested in (Kudu, Bushbuck, Tessesbe, and Eland) she would kinda see what Africa gave her.

The one thing about the property that left a very big impression in my mind is that there is a river just down from the lodge that has several areas that hold water all of the year. And this being Africa water = crocs. In this several mile long body of water there are ALOT of crocs. Saw some very large ones swimming and many beside as we drove close. This is also one of the few places in South Africa that crocs are listed a truly wild and self sustaining. So If a big croc is on your list you should reach out to @MATTANJA HUNTING SAFARIS.

 

[AZDAVE]

The second night out we hunted another farm across the small valley. Almost immediately we started seeing Grysbok. A number of females and a small male. After about a hour we find a shooter. Nice and relaxed I line up the crosshairs and squeeze the trigger, now remember it has a set trigger. Guess what I forgot to pull the st trigger part of the function. So 15ish LBS of trigger and I pulled the shot high. Lets just say I was disappointed in myself and felt bad for all the work Dieter did to get me an opportunity!!!

Several deep breaths, a shake or two of the head and we start off again looking for a shooter. takes about 50 minutes. The mantra running in an endless look in my brain housing group is "SET THE SET TRIGGER) Dieter says that is a very nice ram you can shoot it and don't forget the set trigger. Bang and a nice grysbok is down and the 12 year process is done.

The first animal I shot in Africa in 2013 was a common Diker and I didn't even know what the tiny 10 was. Fast forward with some learning along the way and very happy and content with this goal completed.

 

[matt vejar]

That’s a very big Sharpe’s!!! Congratulations on your Tiny Ten.

 

[Green Chile]

Excellent. Congrats on finishing your T10. That's a major accomplishment and a nice Sharpe's.

I've been telling AH members that this is one of the best places to get a large croc. They don't have the size of the very largest like in Moz but this is a great place to find one in the 13-14 ft range.

 

[AZDAVE]

The last day of hunting my wife decided if we saw a nice eland she would be interested. This area is unique as it is where the cape eland and livingston eland ranges merge so they have some eland cross for the lack of a better word. I will say that her hunt was captured with one of the best shots I have ever seen. But it is her story to tell and she will be writing a hunt report for our hunt here in South Africa and the Namibian elephant hunt. I am very PROUD of her for all the hard work and desire to hunt africa as much or more than I do. Thank you my wonderful wife!

I want to thank @Green Chile for giving me the information on his grysbok hunt and recommendation for hunt with @MATTANJA HUNTING SAFARIS. BIG thank you to Dieter for working us in on a short safari for a very specfic animal to finish the tiny 10. To all the folks at the lodge that just went a step above. A very classy operation.

 

[AZDAVE]

I would be remiss to not post a couple pictures of the birds.