SOUTH AFRICA: Pawprint Safaris Group Hunt My Quest For A Big Waterbuck

[Art Lambart II]

The Intro:

Just over a year ago Pawprint Safaris offered an eight day “Group Hunt” for AH members only with significantly reduced day fees and trophy fees. After much debate and coordinating with Billc’s Namibia hunt, the group hunt was set for 7-20 thru 7-27-18. Many AH members showed interest in the hunt but due to family commitments or previously scheduled hunts many where not able to make it, soon a group of eight hunters committed to the hunt, @CAustin, @TOBY458, @billc and his son Dakota, @Timbo and his daughter Emily, my dad @Shootist43 and myself.

Planning for the hunt took place on a daily basis coordination with each other over a “group message” on AH and many phone calls to Billc and CAustin. Each of us had different needs and trophies on our list, Charlie was after Hippo, Toby and Timbo where after Cape Buffalo, dad was after the Spiral Slam, Bill and Dakota where bow hunting for Plains Game and I wanted a “Big” Waterbuck. As our planning continued so did our lives, I like to say “Man plans and God laughs” and this hunt was no exception. Timbo sustained a serious foot injury while working at home (there is a thread for it but don’t go looking for it if your squeamish), fortunately he had plenty of time to recover from his injury. His daughter Emily was offered a job in Canada she couldn’t pass on but wouldn’t have the vacation time to make the hunt so our group was down to seven.

Charlie contracted a server case of “Big Double Fever” that was only cured when Toby458 sold him his Merkel 470NE. My dad also had issues of his own, eight weeks prior to departure he discovered his CZ in 404J would not feed from the magazine reliably and needed to be repaired, as a fall back plan he reached into one of his gun safe and pulled out a “Safe Queen” a Mauser 375 H&H. During his first range session he realized to his horror it was a push feed not a controlled feed, yes it’s a Mauser 2000. This turn of events could not be tolerated, a push feed 375 in Africa, never, he cried. So a frantic search for a controlled feed 375 was on, two weeks later a Model 70 Winchester in 375 H&H appeared in the gun safe. Three weeks after that the CZ custom shop returned his fully functional 404J and all was right with the world. I discovered that my beloved 35 Whelen barrel for my T/C Encore would no longer lock to the receiver properly and was not worth repairing. I quickly mounted my custom Bullberry barrel in 300 Win Mag and started my search for an accurate factory load. I tend to be a heavy for caliber guy so I picked the 200 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw @ 2700fps as my load of choice for this hunt.

Days and weeks passed, we made trips to the range, packed, un-packed and repacked our bags until the day of departure. On the eve of our departure we planned and God laughed. Timbo was 6 hours from boarding the plane to South Africa when his mother went into the hospital for emergency surgery, a quick call to Pieter and Timbo’s hunt was rescheduled for next year and are group is down to six. Pieter had his own challenges, this year he acquired hunting rights to a large piece of property they called the “Big 5 Area” because it contained Cape Buffalo and Rhino, this property had not been hunted in several years and has large Eland and Kudu along with several Plains Game on our list, they even built a new blind on the property just for my dad.

The day before we arrived in SA a poacher killed one of the Rhinos and harvested its horn, the South African government closed down the area to hunting while they conducted their investigation as a result no one in our group got to hunt the “Big 5 Area”.

Finally it was time to head to the airport and meet in ATL. Charlie was able to get all of us into the “Club at Atlanta” for free drinks, food and WiFi that actually works. One of the bad things about free WiFi is that you’re Delta App works and when you don’t see your guns loaded on the plane you start to get concerned, when you land and your guns aren’t at baggage claim you know you’re in for a long night. Of the four of us that flew out of ALT only Toby got his guns on time.

After leaving baggage claim we were meet by Carlos and Johan two of our PH’s with Pawprint, after a quick trip to the SAP office to clear Toby’s guns then we headed to Swissport to make arrangements to get the rest of our guns. As it turned out Swissport lost their couriers license and could not transport anything out of the airport, now are only option was to make the 200 mile round trip to OR Tambo ourselves to pick up our guns when they finally arrive.

With nothing else to do we loaded up the trucks and headed off to camp. The next two hours passed quickly as dad and I quizzed Carlos on all thing safari related. When we arrived at camp we meet Pieter and his girlfriend Rindy and sat down to a nice meal. After dinner Pieter introduced us to our PH for the hunt and Carlos drew the short straw and got me as a client. Carlos and I quickly put a plan together for the next day’s hunt and it was off to bed for some much needed sleep.

 

[cls]

Good start....

 

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

Sounds like Delta is having a lot of trouble with firearms this year, second report I've read about them loosing rifles.

Sounds like an interesting start though, can't wait to read about the hunt!

 

[Art Lambart II]

Day 1:

The day dawns cold and crisp, 43 degrees to be precise, it’s a good thing I packed my flip-flops, stone makes a great floor but they are really cold in the mornings, after a quick run thru the three S’s it’s off to breakfast and the internet to check the status of our guns. According the Delta App Charlies guns and my dad’s guns are somewhere over the Atlantic and should arrive this evening, mine show no change in status and could still be in ATL. We change our hunt plans for the day, dad and I will hunt together with both of our PH’s them we will head to the airport at 3:30 to retrieve our guns. Now it’s off the range to do two important things check the zero on our guns and prove to your PH that you can shoot. Wait, what guns, I don’t have any, fortunately, Billc offered me his 300 WM until my guns arrived. After a few shoots and a sight adjustment or two Carlos and I are satisfied and off we go. I had 4 animals on my wish list for this safari a big Waterbuck, a Red Hartebeest, a Springbok and a Black Wildebeests so today we would work on the Waterbuck. We spent the first part of the hunt focusing on dads Zebra, I don’t want to steel his thunder so I’ll let you read the details of this hunt in his report.

Now it was my turn to hunt so we drove the truck to get the wind in our favor then Carlos and I went for a little walk. As we walked I noticed something was different from my last safari, it wasn’t flat, the terrain was hilly, rocky and really thick. I can’t count the numbers of times Pieter, Bill and Charlie told me we would be hunting the mountains but know it was a lot. I heard them because I remember the conversation but I guess I didn’t listen. I walk a lot at work so the most of the hill weren’t a problem but more on that later. You would think the view from the patio of my room would have clued me in to the terrain but it didn’t. On our walk Carlos and I encountered Impala, Wildebeest, Zebra and Giraffe but no Waterbuck. At 3pm we headed back to the truck with a spring in my step and a smile on my face, I was hunting Africa.

At 3:30 Jonathan my dad’s PH, dad, Charlie and I climb into the truck and head to the airport to get our guns. The two hour drive passed quickly for Charlie and me because we slept most of the way. Once we arrived at the airport we headed straight to the SAP office and waited for the officers to arrive, soon a sergeant arrived and slipping into his best “African Accent” Charlie put the smooth on him and he processed all of our paper work within 10 minutes, all we need now are the guns. Shortly after 6pm Charlies then dads guns arrived at the counter but mine were still missing. Its back to Swissport to complain and get some assurance my guns will arrive tomorrow, 90 minutes later with assurances in hand we head to the truck. It’s getting late and we all need to eat so we decide to stop at a KFC, after waiting 20 minutes in the drive thru we order enough chicken to feed four large men, when we get to the window to pay we are told it is an additional 20 minute wait for the chicken but they do have boneless chicken breast done so we could order sandwiches instead. Four chicken sandwiches, fries and drinks later and we are on our way. We arrive back at camp around 11pm to find an empty bar and a warm beds waiting for us.

Two thing made today great day, first I got to hunt with my dad, second it marked the 40th consecutive year dad and I have hunted together, what more could I ask for?

 

[Ridgewalker]

Absolutely wonder just reading you and your dad have hunted together for 40 consecutive years! I felt lucky just to small game hunt a few times with my dad. Never had a kid, grandkid nor son-in-law interested in hunting nor fishing. You’re a good son to make the time for hunting with your dad!

Delta is not getting good reviews here.

OK, enough from the “peanut gallery” (me) let’s hear some successes!

 

[kevin masters]

I know that happy feeling just to be in Africa! Man that is awesome to hunt and be that close with you'r dad!

 

[enysse]

For how much Delta is charging for tickets, the guns should have been taken care of with white gloves.

 

[Royal27]

For how much Delta is charging for tickets, the guns should have been taken care of with white gloves.

After my last two experiences with Delta I'm flying someone else next time unless Delta is like $600 cheaper.

 

[enysse]

After my last two experiences with Delta I'm flying someone else next time unless Delta is like $600 cheaper.

There is nothing outstanding about their service and it is very expensive to say the least. I lost a very nice gun case to them and I still don't feel satisfaction from the experience.

 

[Brent in Az]

Been waiting for the group hunt report. That's a bummer about the gun's. I find it disconcerting, that such a simple thing as getting guns on a plane, can be screwed up by an airline that should have a system figured out.

 

[whitetail]

As I have stated in my Serapa report and finding out about Art and Charlie’s experience while waiting in line at the airport (both in Atlanta and KC), I would consider another airline option besides Delta now when traveling with firearms.

 

[tarbe]

40 consecutive years hunting together! What a blessing.

 

[CAustin]

Keep it coming Art!

 

[Art Lambart II]

Day 2:

5:30 came early this morning and the stone floor was just as cold as yesterday, after my morning routine I headed to the dining room / lounge to meet Carlos and have breakfast. Today is waterbuck day so over my breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, juice and coffee Carlos and I put together a plan. I learned that everything in Africa has to have a plan, you may not follow it very long but at least you know where you started. The first part of our plan was changing rifles. Dad was planning on hunting Eland with his 404J and that left his back-up rifle for me. Dad’s back-up rifle is a highly customized 03A3 Springfield re-barreled in my favorite caliber 35 Whelen, after a few shoots at the range the rifle and I were ready for action. Carlos and I load the truck and head off to a concession about 40 minutes away. The area we were hunting was dominated by a tall, steep, rocky, bush covered hill that rose above the plain by some 1200ft or so. Our plan was to hunt the Bush on the plains surrounding this hill. After getting the wind in our favor Carlos heads off into the bush with me just two steps behind. If you’ve ever hunted behind a PH you soon figure out when they get excited you should get ready. Twenty minutes into our stalk Carlos come to an immediate stop take two steps back, grips me by the shoulder and whispers in my ear “Do you want a Sable?” Sable was not on my list but it was on my dad’s, but only after he had taken the Spiral Slam and a Zebra. Remember at the start of this post I mentioned that Pieter reduced the trophy prices for this hunt, well the Sable was no exception. AH rules don’t allow me to tell you the price but when @CAustin saw it his advice to me was “For that price, if your PH puts you on a good Sable don’t think just shoot”. At this point I haven’t seen the Sable, I don’t know how far away he is, is he in the open or thick cover, I don’t even what he looks like. Carlos easies the shooting sticks around a large bush, I set the rifle on sticks and there he is, large and black with thick sweeping horns standing broad side, looking at me at a scant 80 yards. I slowly disengage the safety, take careful aim at his shoulder and squeeze the trigger and nothing happens, absolutely nothing, no bang, no click, no take up on the trigger, nothing. I re-engage the safety, I disengage the safety and try again and still nothing, my 5 second window is gone and so is my Sable. Carlos look at me with a frustrated look on his face and asks why didn’t I shoot? I tried, I explained, but nothing happened. I examined the rifle and quickly found the problem (yes the gun was loaded). I’m right handed but I’m left eye dominate and can’t wink my left eye so I shoot a rifle left handed. When Carlos spotted the Sable I had the rifle slung over my left shoulder and somehow the bolt handle snagged on the cinch strap of my vest and rotated up, the rifle is now out of battery, the lugs on the bolt are disengaged and the rifle will not fire. I close the bolt handle and look at Carlos and ask now what? With a grin on his face Carlos answers with a steer tone in his voice “Now we Hunt”. What happened next I like to call the Carlos Safari Weight Loss Program. All thoughts of a Waterbuck or any other animal is gone, its Sable or nothing. The rest of that morning we tracked, stalked, ran and crawled in search of that Sable. With no luck on the flat land we decide to take the truck to the top of the hill and work our way down. We tried three time to drive the truck up the hill but each time the road proved too steep and to rocky. After our third attempt Carlos parked the truck at the bottom of the hill, got out of the truck looked at me and said lets go. Go, go where I replied and he simply pointed up, up that steep rocky slope. I’m a 54 year old engineer who prefers the comfort of my recliner to the stair stepper at the gym but as is turns out with the proper motivation a fat, out of shape 54 year old can go places a Toyota truck can’t. Once we finally reached the top Carlos spent a lot of time glassing while I huffed, puffed, panted, wheezed and tried to catch my breath. Once I recovered and our glassing proved fruitless we headed back down the mountain (notice I stopped calling it a hill) to meet my dad, Bill and Dakota for lunch. Somehow we managed to get to the lunch spot first and Carlos noticed a heard of Blesbok in the distance thru the trees and says “Hey Art do you have a White Blesbok because there is a big one in that heard”, I answer no I don’t and off thru the trees we go. The trees and brush gave us cover until we were about 300 yards away after that is was open savanna. We slowly closes the distance to about 200 yards before they all started looking at us, Carlos set up the sticks and said it’s now or never. At this point in the story should point out that currently my family’s preferred scope is a Nikon with their BDC recital, on 8 power with the load we were using the first circle below the crosshair is 200 yards. So I set the rifle on the sticks, check the bolt handle to make sure it was closed, disengage the safety, rest the first circle on his front shoulder and squeeze the trigger. The Blesbok shutters, staggers 10 yards and drops to the ground dead. Carlos and I take pictures, load up my trophy and head back to the lunch spot. Soon the rest of the group showed up from their successful morning hunt and we have a nice lunch in the field. After lunch dad, Bill and Dakota head back to camp with all of the trophies and Carlos and Head back to the bush in search of Sable. We spent the rest of that afternoon stalking, glassing and yes we even climbed that dam mountain again but never saw that Sable again. As night closed in we headed for the truck and ran into the ranch owner and told him about our encounter with the Sable, he said “Oh you saw Hidder” Hidder I asked, “oh yes we gave that Sable a name several years ago, he lives on the mountain and hunters have been trying to take him for the last three years, so we named him Hidder”. The Rancher did tell us that Hidder prefers the water hole at the base of the mountain as opposed to the one on top and that he like to drink in the morning. As Carlos and I drove back to camp we made our plan for tomorrow and wished Hidder a good night’s sleep.


Back at camp we shared the days stories, had a Castle or two maybe three who’s counting and a bourbon or two to toast the days success. Just before things wind down for the evening Carlos tells me that according to is GPS we walked over 20K that day, no wonder I’m so tired. Sleep came easy that night.

 

[Brent in Az]

I hope you got another crack at "Hidder".

 

[buck wild]

does your avatar foreshadow your success ?

 

[kevin masters]

does your avatar foreshadow your success ?

Good catch, and nice sable!! congrats!!!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the blesbok! Look forward to more.

 

[nztimb]

Another attention getting write-up of what is turning into a great hunt. Hard yards indeed.

 

[tarbe]

C'mon Art...it's been 7 hours since you posted on this thread.

Get with the program son!