SOUTH AFRICA: My Hunt With Game 4 Africa Safaris

[brandondd24]

Day 4
After quick breakfast went looking for bushbuck, no luck.
Did see kudu waterbuck impala baboons and vervet monkeys. No shot at anything. I must add we seen lots of game everyday!
Try again after lunch.
Hunted a little different terrain this afternoon, still at kudu ridge thou. Until now, big hills and pretty thick, now very flat and a little more open.
We stalked within 30 yards of 2 mature waterbuck bulls, would of been a great bow attempt! Wik says nice bulls but we can do better.
After a while Wik says Impala ahead, we start to try getting closer. When we got close enough Wik said the one on the left, I didn't see the one he was talking about, the one I seen was smaller then previous ones we seen! Finally seen the one he was talking about. 200 yards quartering away going uphill. One shot shoulder kill! Nice old mature ram!

 

[Neale]

Nice trophies and a good report so far. What calibre are you using and ammo?

 

[brandondd24]

Day 5
Up at 4am, light breakfast out the door at 5:15. Were leaving earlier to go to another concession. Awesome bushbuck area. 3000 acres prime bushbuck habitat adjoining 15000 acres of flat springbuck blesbok habitat. We seen 9 bushbuck between us and the trackers! There was some action but not by me! You'll have to wait for my hunting partners report!
After the action, went looking for springbuck/ blesbuck. Seen a monster sable, Wik said for sure 40inch, but that opportunity will have to wait for me, checkbook is not that big! Also seen mountain zebra, bontebok, mountain reedbuck, duiker steenbuck kudu.
We stalked some springbuck but they made us and booked! Them suckers are fast!
A group of 9 blesbuck with one bontebuck in it we started stalking. We got to 300 yards from them, Wik told me which was the biggest. I shot a little awkward position but connected perfectly! One shot kill.
Excellent day! Oh and we had eland burgers for lunch over an open fire!

 

[brandondd24]

Neale, I'm using a 7 mm mag. Federal premium 160 grain nosler partitions.

 

[johnnyblues]

Very nice trophies. Excellent Nyala.

 

[brandondd24]

Very nice trophies. Excellent Nyala.

Thanks johnny, he was a very big old Nyala, my hunting partner is a board member for sci in Wisconsin, and a official scorer. His first measurement of him was 67 1/4 inch, making it 1/4 inch from silver medal.

 

[johnnyblues]

Super. I'm waiting to score my black wildebeest and waterbuck just out of curiosity.

 

[brandondd24]

Yes, I'm not entering any animals, but fun to measure.
John Coetzee said remeasure after skin is off and definitely gain that 1/4 inch. So I'm calling it silver if anyone asks!

 

[brandondd24]

Day 6
Went on a game drive last night, with Colin as our guide and the lovely Clare, Colin's girlfriend, as our driver.
We seen a lot of game! Numerous antelope species, 3 porcupines and a caracal! Thanks Colin and Clare!
Went out in morning on kudu ridge property. Looking for waterbuck for Tim, and opportunity for me!
Wik spotted yellow blesbuck, looked like a mile away. Wik spotted a big waterbuck and that was the plan, again, have to wait for tims report!
Went in for lunch then back to hunting. Tracker spotted a big kudu bull, we went on stalk but never seen him. Grey ghost for sure!
Wik spotted the yellow blesbuck again, on the stalk. Chased him the rest of the afternoon. Finally he presented a shot, quartering towards me at 225 yards. 1 shot down. Very happy!
While we were stalking him, jumped 4 impala rams, 3 ran off one stayed laid down looking at us. After I shot the yellow blesbuck Wik asked if I wanted a cull Impala, I knew which one he was talking about. Went back where he was, he was standing barely moving away from us, I put him out of his misery. No teeth left skin and bone and starving to death. Glad I put him down.

 

[brandondd24]

Jerome, notice the hat? Lol!

 

[brandondd24]

Alright guys and gals, I'll finish my report tomorrow night,
Good night
Brandon

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Jerome, notice the hat? Lol!

I did and always enjoy seeing it in action in Africa!

 

[jeff]

Great hunt!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Nyati]

Congrats for a great hunt !

 

[brandondd24]

Day 7
Went to another area today, looking for bushbuck mountain reedbuck. Wik called the terrain savannah veld. Partly open, with bushes and trees.
Around 15,000 acres. Low fence area, sheep farm.
Wik spotted springbuck immediately, we got out of bakkie and started stalking, within half hour I was on sticks, looking at a ram, Wik decided it was a young ram and we left him be. Onwards again.
On a cliff ledge, glossing below and on hills opposite of us. Walking along the ledge had a duiker jump out around 40 yards looking at me, Wik said shoot it! By the time I put a shell in and picked the gun up to my shoulder, it bolted! Oh well.
Continuing on Wik spots a bushbuck below us next to very thick bush. He whispered to load and he was already setting sticks up. I put the gun on the sticks and shot. Dropped him at 220 yards! Happy dance!
Lucky I didn't shoot the duiker or springbuck earlier, wouldn't of had a chance at this bushbuck!
Throughout the day probably seen 50 warthogs, tons of springbuck, some gemsbuck, duiker and the bushbuck.
When we were starting to head back off the property, Wik spotted a good springbuck ram in a group. They started running. We got out of the bakkie and started running after, come up over a hill and there he was, sticks up, I shot and dropped him at 280 yards! Another happy dance!
Great day in Africa with Game 4 Africa!!

 

[brandondd24]

Day 8
It was very hot today, we knew it was going to be so we decided to take a day off from hunting and go to addo elephant park. We already had some very nice trophies, so it was a good break.
Wik drove us to grahamstown where we toured his families butchery shop. Very nice shop, very clean and looks to be very efficient!
We met an employee, Andre, who was taking us to addo, very nice guy, informative and talked a lot which was nice!
On the way there I asked Andre if we could stop for snacks, I had a craving for smoked beef flavored potato chips! Had them last trip in Namibia. We stopped and yes the market had them! Also bought a bag of Fritos, spare rib flavored! And to wash it down, a bottle of sweet litchi flavored water. Very good!
Addo didn’t disappoint, elephants, kudu, red hartebeest, zebra, etc. no lions but it was hot, sure they were laying low!
Ate lunch at a very good restaurant in the park, had a burger with monkey gland sauce, had to try it just cause of the name!

 

[brandondd24]

Day 9
Went back to hunt the same place we hunted day 7
On a stalk for mountain reedbuck for Tim. Didn’t work out. While we watched the reedbuck run away, Wik said to me big warthog, I said let’s go! Everything was perfect for us, terrain wind warthog was moving but feeding at the same time, 2 males together. We shadowed them for a ways, then got into position, roughly 125 yards from them, the smaller one presented himself over and over but the big guy was behind bushes and wouldn’t present. Finally he walked into an opening, Wik said wait, then he said shoot, the pig dropped! Holy monster!
Collected the pig, took pics, went to a shaded spot for lunch. Wik is always glassing even while eating! Well he said very big mountain reedbuck 1/2 kilometer away. I asked if we could get a stalk on him, he said we can try.
Well again everything was working great for us, got within 100 yards, dropped him with one shot! Happy hunter here!

 

[brandondd24]

Day 10
Last hunting day, where did the time go? Always goes way too fast.
Both Tim and I are very content with the trophies we have, so we decided to hunt the main property just looking for duiker, or possibly a big kudu for me! Love kudu hunting!
Went out in the morning, started walking the property looking for duiker. Glassed a very nice area, big plateau ledge that overlooked valley in 3 directions, Wik spotted a duiker, I was on the sticks when another duiker spotted us and ran towards the duiker we were after! Well that one took off also! When it finally slowed and presented itself, it was 320 yards, Wik asked and I said ya I’ll try, aimed above it a little, shot and seen a big dust cloud, clean miss! He ran off, don’t know if I shot above or below him. Oh well, it was still fun trying! A little later a big kudu was spotted by Wik and asked if I wanted to try, I looked at the shot, and said I’d rather not. He was around 300 yards and angling uphill walking away from us. Oh well, don’t want to wound an animal on the last day. Head back to lodge for lunch.
Went back out after lunch to a different part of the property, just looking for anything. Well, we come across a big old eland, Wik asked if I wanted a go at him. Wasn’t thinking about eland. Drove by him, left him. Went to another spot to glass, nothing there. Now I’m really thinking about this eland. So, I asked Wik if he thinks he’s still there, he said we can see, so now were eland hunting!
Went back closer to where he was and start walking, the bush is very tall here, Wik spotted his horns, were being very quiet and staying as low as we can, then Tim watching the horns through his binoculars sees him lay down, it’s getting late in the day so Wik sends the tracker back around to try to get the old bull up. He got up alright and took off! We went after him, I never seen where he went but followed Wik. The bull went around 1/2 kilometer down a steep hill and Wik spotted him. Got into position, sticks set, 180 yards broadside, I shot, felt good. The bull took off like nothing, 2nd shot 220yards, he took off again! 3rd shot 260 yards he dropped! Watched him for a bit he wasn’t moving. We went down to where he was and he was still breathing. Wik said to shoot to finish him, and I shot. Got my eland! Damn then animals can take a lot of lead!

 

[brandondd24]

In conclusion, I loved my hunt with Game 4 Africa, it was an excellent time! Excellent animals, great people, great staff! Top notch! Had a lot of fun a lot of laughs! The Coetzee’s are great people! Wik is a great ph. Excellent at spotting animals and getting you into position for a good shot! I highly recommend them! The only thing I didn’t accomplish, is I couldn’t drink them out of beer! And I tried! Lol !
Anyone that would like more info is welcome to message me here, I will reply.
Thank you Wik for a great hunt, and thanks Colin, John and Amanda for being such great hosts! I will be coming back!

 

[tarbe]

The only thing I didn’t accomplish, is I couldn’t drink them out of beer! And I tried! Lol !

Congratulations on a great hunt!

As a Wisconsin native, you must understand that I am a little disappointed that you did not drink them out of beer! lol

Tim