SOUTH AFRICA: Re-enter Africa - Hunting Free State & Limpopo Waterberg District June 2025

[JG26Irish_2]

Final thoughts and Lessons Learned on Safari in 2025

There were fewer lessons learned this year having been there before but here goes, what I can share from this years trip:

1. I like Limpopo much more than Free State. I would not return to Free State. It mostly looked like Kansas and of the three concessions that I hunted, two of them were almost like big cow pastures. Very flat and open with only some trees here and there. I like the rugged terrain of Limpopo even if it makes hunting much harder at times.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Final thoughts and Lessons Learned on Safari in 2025

There were fewer lessons learned this year having been there before but here goes, what I can share from this years trip:

1. I like Limpopo much more than Free State. I would not return to Free State. It mostly looked like Kansas and of the three concessions that I hunted, two of them were almost like big cow pastures. Very flat and open with only some trees here and there. I like the rugged terrain of Limpopo even if it makes hunting much harder at times.

Sorry - I accidentally sent this before finished.

Final thoughts and Lessons Learned on Safari in 2025

There were fewer lessons learned this year having been there before but here goes, what I can share from this years trip:

1. I like Limpopo much more than Free State. I would not return to Free State. It mostly looked like Kansas and of the three concessions that I hunted, two of them were almost like big cow pastures. Very flat and open with only some trees here and there. I like the rugged terrain of Limpopo even if it makes hunting much harder at times.
   
   
2. The 7mm/08 was only adequate for Africa. Looking forward, I think something with a bit more oomph is better for PG hunting. 308, 30-06, or one of the smaller magnums would be a better option. The 7/08 worked fine but for me it required too many follow up shots and was affected more by the wind and altitude than my 308 was last year.
   
   
3. DG hunting is NOT the same as PG hunting. There were times when I was almost overwhelmed with emotions when stalking the Cape Buffalo into the thick stuff. I do not usually get buck fever or rapid heartbeat from hunting situations but there were times when I had all I could want and then some. The actual moment when I shot my buff was almost anticlimactic, but that is often the case for me with hunting. The anticipation is more thrilling than the kill shot.
   
   
4. 375HH is adequate for DG but is not optimum at least for Buffalo. It kills them OK but in retrospect, I think something bigger is better as long as you can handle it well. There were times when I wished I had brought a 458 or 416. Buffalo are tough. Mine took four shots and was down in less than 30 sec, but the old bull chose to run from left to right. If he had chose to run at us it would have been interesting. He stopped once and faced us and thought about it but was running out of gas by then and my next shot dropped him after that.
   
   
5. If you plan a Safari anywhere, ask your PH to take you to multiple concessions. It is more fun to experience the terrain and scenery of each new location.
   
   
6. For many reasons most Safari hunters are older. Those who are younger often do not have the money or the time and are also raising a young family and the risks both real and perceived are not worth it. But, if I could offer any advice, it is this. DO NOT WAIT. If you want to hunt in Africa, go now, even if you have to borrow the money. I dearly wish I could have gone in my 30's instead of my late 60's. I will return if health and funds allow but my time is running out fast. I wish I had more.
   
   
7. No matter how fit you are, it is not enough. Exercise and take care of your body, and mind so you have the fitness, endurance and mental mindset for doing things that at times are tough and at times may not be much fun. It will greatly enhance the experience if you are physically up for humping the bush on foot more than riding around in the truck. Both are fun but nothing much beats a foot stalk on live game in Africa.
   
   
8. Take your own rifles and become expert in their use. After your safari they will become prized heirlooms. Memorize their ballistic drops at all distances out to where you plan to shoot. I learned mine from 0-400y but limited my shots to just a bit over 300y on game. You can shoot longer in many cases and many shooters may want to shoot at game at 500, or even 600y. Knock yourself out. I am a better hunter than that and will stalk until, I get inside of the distance where my bullet's impact velocity will exceed 2000fps and my skills with the rifle from the sticks is such that I do not need to consult the ballistic charts or dial drop or windage to hit the animal. Don't get me wrong. I love to shoot at ranges out to 1000y and am often pretty good at it. But, there is no place for that in hunting IMO. You do you and I will not dinigrate you for it. I watched a video today of a Peruvian hunter who took game out to 680y an only once did he have to take a 2nd shot. The man was a very good marksman and appeared to be using 1st class armament. Good for him. If you plan to do the same, bring a big stick and leave the 6.5 Needmore at home, lol.
   
   
9. Choose one ammo that each of your rifles likes and bring only that ammo to Africa. There are too many variables to be putzing around with two or three different loads. This year, I brought four loads for my 7mm/08 and they all printed inside of a 6" circle at 200y off sticks. At 100y they all had POI's within 1" of one another. Even so, those small variables caused me issues in the field and it was a mistake. I did it to learn more about bullet performance on game. Conclusion? Copper monolithic bullets in the 139-140g weight class were very effective on African Plains Game animals. But, I think the bonded lead core options may be just a bit better.
   
   
10. Dangerous game hunting has risks that are very hard to quantify. I was injured while buffalo hunting. Not in the classic sense of getting trampled or gored by a charging bull. No, I went hunting for a bottle of Buffalo Trace during the after action party that night and unfortunately, I found it. It charged and I was forced to "kill it". But, luckily I had my two big brawny PH's to assist me. The problem was that after killing that one, they went back in and got another one. It was not pretty and I know better. Late in the evening, Roger even went home to find a special bottle of Scotch, which may have been really good but I really do not remember, lol. I was pretty wounded the next morning and for most of the rest of the week after. I have healed up mostly now but am still suffering from a bit of an aversion to fine KY bourbon and that is a shame. Some philosopher once said, "That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger." Maybe so. Well, I am still kicking. All we can do is learn our lessons and continue forward. Learn when to say when. Dully noted.

Beware of the Buffalo's Revenge

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[Cowboy777]

Welcome to the club. Good read.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Welcome to the club. Good read.

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Marc, I was just admiring the pics of your buffalo skull taken with Rumano. That was a stud bro! Well done. I hope you had half as much fun as I did. There was one day when we stalked into that thorn thicket where the buffalo tracks were everywhere and the visibility was almost zero. So, close you could hear them and smell them but not see them. I was actually a little bit relieved that afternoon that the buffalo exited stage right that day instead of standing their ground, lol. Fun stuff.

Africa is a magical place but RDB makes it even more special. I like the custom touch with your trophy rifle matching the one you hunted with. Very cool.