cgdemakis
AH member
2nd safari with Warthog safaris in Limpopo
Last year I took my son to Africa on our 1st safaris and hunted with Warthog Safaris. We had a great hunt and I really enjoyed the place that I booked a follow up hunt this year and just returned June 12. This year's hunt was June 1 through 11. I was with a group of friends all from here in North Dakota. We flew Delta to MSP then to ATL and on to JNB. One hiccup on the way in ATL as we were missing a pilot so takeoff was delayed 1.5 hours, other than that travel was a breeze. I took my Kimber 8400 Mountain Ascent chambered in 300 win mag shooting 180 grain Hornady Superformance SST.
The operation at Warthog is first class all the way. Meals and accomodations are excellent and the camp staff to the PH all the way to the owners, Tiene and Ananja, go out of their way to make you feel at home and comfortable.
On this trip my main targets were Kudu, Gemsbuck, Busbuck, Blesbuck and Red Lechewe. It became quit clear early on that the statement of you don't hunt Africa by the alphabet was going to play out. My PH was Werner and if you go to Warthog or have been there before you want Werner, he's a hunting machine!
After getting a bit of rest after getting to camp at 2:00 a.m. we set out to shoot the rifles and check zeros. While waiting my PH and I started talking about the hunt and my desires. I said that Kudu was a must have this year as the previous year I was unable to connect. The safari with my son was the first 10 days of April and the veld was so thick and there was not much need for the animals to hit feed or water. The kudu didn't cooperate and while we got on some bulls my PH that trip could never get a proper look to see if the bull was good. In our discussion I told him I really wanted bushbuck and gemsbuck and red lechwe was very very high after kudu. We discussed blesbuck, springbuck and impala. I love impala and will hunt one every trip I go over. After seeing the Kimber held the zero after Delta handled it we set out.
We were hunting land that was my PH's family land and just enjoying a drive when we came around the corner to an absolute great kudu with a few cows. We quickly bailed out of the truck and for some reason my round wouldn't rack and the ghost disappeared. Had I been on the highseat by Kudu hunt would have been done in the first 20min of hunting. Just before sunset we surprised another outstanding kudu but couldn't get in position. We took off in an attempt to cut him off as he was heading for the hills. We got infront of him and low and behold he came right at us but the wind swirled and he shifted in the bush and when he came to view all that he gave us was a Texas heart shot, and that is a shot I am not taking on a running kudu bull pushing way up in the high 50's.
Day 2 I hunted the same land and we spotted a huge klipsringer who gave us the slip. Not on my list but it was one you can't pass. As the day was ending we came around a corner to a huge bushbuck crossing an opening from the thickets to another stand. Quickly Werner said its a monster, take him! One shot and down he went.
Day 3 we moved to another concession for whatever we might see. It was bitterly cold, 38F, and I wanted off the back to do some spot and stalk. We came upon a gemsbuck maybe 15 or 20 min into our walk. It was showing just its face and front shoulder in the thick bush. Werner said that it was a good gemsbuck and to put it right on the shoulder. My round went in the crease of the next and out the opposite shoulder and the old cow dropped where she had been standing. As we made our way to where she lay two common blesbuck got up from their beds and quickly the sticks went down and the trailing ram took one round and dropped. We continued to the gemsbuck to take a look and then proceeded to where the blesbuck dropped. Werner asked me if I was interested in white blesbuck and I said if the right one presents itself I would be, I also told him I wanted to go after a common springbuck. We continued walking and come upon a lone white blesbuck. He was hiding in the shadows and when he crossed into the sun I immediately knew this was a taker. Werner said that is a dandy and down he went where he stood. After that we hiked along and soon spotted some common springbuck in with coppers. This group was a hard hunt, we played cat and mouse with them for almost an hour until we finally got on a good common ram. My shot was a bit high and we had to follow up but quickly he was done.
Day 3 ended with a great impala ram near sunset.
Day 4 my PH said we were going to a cattle ranch on the Botswana border as he knew the farmer and he had some big kudu and it was time to thin them down. We spent the day there but only got on one Kudu who was very good but never showed us his tips so Werner couldn't give me the green light. It was very cool to sit by the Limpopo River and throw a rock into Botswana. Ha!
Day 5 we were back to familiar ground that my PH has. The plan was kudu and fairly quickly we spotted a bull and started a 6mi cat and mouse hike through the mountains. The Grey Ghost won again. We checked a water hole near where I got bushbuck and on the way out Werner spotted an exceptional klipspringer who stopped just long enough to be fatal. Warthog has a taxidermist in house who also PH's for them and he looked it over on our return and said it was exceptional, for sure a gold medal klipsringer.
Day 6 began with the sunrise over the mountains. I heard you don’t hunt Africa by the alphabet, you hunt what the bush provides. Today seems to be the day of hunting what the bush provides.
We are hunting closer to camp and it was cold again this morning so Werner drove as I rode shotgun for a good 45min. We spotted a broken old impala ram and he said we could cull it. I said if we see him again i’ll do the heard management. Once on the top of the bakkie we ran into him again about 30min later. One perfect shot in the boiler room and management was complete. Lying next to him was a land snail shell which is really cool! After loading him we sent the driver to the skinning shed and set out on foot to work the wind in pursuit of a red lechwe.
We walked the bush for a good 30min when Werner stopped and pulled up his glass. He said there were red hartebeest and a really good heavy bull. We worked the wind to 50 yards for a clean shot. I had a perfect broadside shot and the bull fell where he stood. While not on my list I have been intrigued by these animals as they are probably the most unique of African game.
Day 7 has confirmed that this is absolutely the you don’t hunt Africa by the alphabet safari for me. I am back with Werner and we are on a concession where my son harvested his zebra ast year. Its very dense bushveld and extremely challenging to hunt. It was bitterly cold again so we got out for a walkabout. Nothing materialized on that walk. As we were heading back toward our entry we came around a corner to a shooter kudu who quickly spooked and vanished into the veld. About 10min down the road Werner spotted a steenbuck, he quickly said its a big big steenbuck and that is all it took for me. Neither of the 2 tiny's I took were on my radar but after having the opportunity the tiny species are a bit addicting. Very cool animals.
The last two days were just for Kudu. I put lechwe on the back burner as I was not going home without a Kudu. On day 8 we didn't get on much but I was able to crack a baboon who stopped just long enough before disappearing into the bush.
Day 9. The animals hold all the cards, you need smarts and a bit of luck to walk into their environment and harvest one.
Today Werner and I left a half hour earlier than usual. We headed out of camp to a ranch I had never hunted that is quite a bit from the main concessions we hunt.
We pulled in and jumped on the back of the bakkie about 7 a.m. and it was bitterly cold again. We were on the back for a good 45min when all of a sudden Werner grabbed me and the bakkie stopped. He caught a glimpse of a face about 70yards in the dense brush. The next 2min took forever as we backed up and moved forward to get a look. Finally we got in position that it was a proper bull but gave me no shot. Werner had me stand up on the elevated chair and put the sticks up to rest. I was now high enough to get a clean view and the bull moved his position enough and exposed his lungs. The hit was strong and the track began. We had very strong blood and tracked him for about 250 yards to a small set of trees where he laid.
Last year I took my son to Africa on our 1st safaris and hunted with Warthog Safaris. We had a great hunt and I really enjoyed the place that I booked a follow up hunt this year and just returned June 12. This year's hunt was June 1 through 11. I was with a group of friends all from here in North Dakota. We flew Delta to MSP then to ATL and on to JNB. One hiccup on the way in ATL as we were missing a pilot so takeoff was delayed 1.5 hours, other than that travel was a breeze. I took my Kimber 8400 Mountain Ascent chambered in 300 win mag shooting 180 grain Hornady Superformance SST.
The operation at Warthog is first class all the way. Meals and accomodations are excellent and the camp staff to the PH all the way to the owners, Tiene and Ananja, go out of their way to make you feel at home and comfortable.
On this trip my main targets were Kudu, Gemsbuck, Busbuck, Blesbuck and Red Lechewe. It became quit clear early on that the statement of you don't hunt Africa by the alphabet was going to play out. My PH was Werner and if you go to Warthog or have been there before you want Werner, he's a hunting machine!
After getting a bit of rest after getting to camp at 2:00 a.m. we set out to shoot the rifles and check zeros. While waiting my PH and I started talking about the hunt and my desires. I said that Kudu was a must have this year as the previous year I was unable to connect. The safari with my son was the first 10 days of April and the veld was so thick and there was not much need for the animals to hit feed or water. The kudu didn't cooperate and while we got on some bulls my PH that trip could never get a proper look to see if the bull was good. In our discussion I told him I really wanted bushbuck and gemsbuck and red lechwe was very very high after kudu. We discussed blesbuck, springbuck and impala. I love impala and will hunt one every trip I go over. After seeing the Kimber held the zero after Delta handled it we set out.
We were hunting land that was my PH's family land and just enjoying a drive when we came around the corner to an absolute great kudu with a few cows. We quickly bailed out of the truck and for some reason my round wouldn't rack and the ghost disappeared. Had I been on the highseat by Kudu hunt would have been done in the first 20min of hunting. Just before sunset we surprised another outstanding kudu but couldn't get in position. We took off in an attempt to cut him off as he was heading for the hills. We got infront of him and low and behold he came right at us but the wind swirled and he shifted in the bush and when he came to view all that he gave us was a Texas heart shot, and that is a shot I am not taking on a running kudu bull pushing way up in the high 50's.
Day 2 I hunted the same land and we spotted a huge klipsringer who gave us the slip. Not on my list but it was one you can't pass. As the day was ending we came around a corner to a huge bushbuck crossing an opening from the thickets to another stand. Quickly Werner said its a monster, take him! One shot and down he went.
Day 3 we moved to another concession for whatever we might see. It was bitterly cold, 38F, and I wanted off the back to do some spot and stalk. We came upon a gemsbuck maybe 15 or 20 min into our walk. It was showing just its face and front shoulder in the thick bush. Werner said that it was a good gemsbuck and to put it right on the shoulder. My round went in the crease of the next and out the opposite shoulder and the old cow dropped where she had been standing. As we made our way to where she lay two common blesbuck got up from their beds and quickly the sticks went down and the trailing ram took one round and dropped. We continued to the gemsbuck to take a look and then proceeded to where the blesbuck dropped. Werner asked me if I was interested in white blesbuck and I said if the right one presents itself I would be, I also told him I wanted to go after a common springbuck. We continued walking and come upon a lone white blesbuck. He was hiding in the shadows and when he crossed into the sun I immediately knew this was a taker. Werner said that is a dandy and down he went where he stood. After that we hiked along and soon spotted some common springbuck in with coppers. This group was a hard hunt, we played cat and mouse with them for almost an hour until we finally got on a good common ram. My shot was a bit high and we had to follow up but quickly he was done.
Day 3 ended with a great impala ram near sunset.
Day 4 my PH said we were going to a cattle ranch on the Botswana border as he knew the farmer and he had some big kudu and it was time to thin them down. We spent the day there but only got on one Kudu who was very good but never showed us his tips so Werner couldn't give me the green light. It was very cool to sit by the Limpopo River and throw a rock into Botswana. Ha!
Day 5 we were back to familiar ground that my PH has. The plan was kudu and fairly quickly we spotted a bull and started a 6mi cat and mouse hike through the mountains. The Grey Ghost won again. We checked a water hole near where I got bushbuck and on the way out Werner spotted an exceptional klipspringer who stopped just long enough to be fatal. Warthog has a taxidermist in house who also PH's for them and he looked it over on our return and said it was exceptional, for sure a gold medal klipsringer.
Day 6 began with the sunrise over the mountains. I heard you don’t hunt Africa by the alphabet, you hunt what the bush provides. Today seems to be the day of hunting what the bush provides.
We are hunting closer to camp and it was cold again this morning so Werner drove as I rode shotgun for a good 45min. We spotted a broken old impala ram and he said we could cull it. I said if we see him again i’ll do the heard management. Once on the top of the bakkie we ran into him again about 30min later. One perfect shot in the boiler room and management was complete. Lying next to him was a land snail shell which is really cool! After loading him we sent the driver to the skinning shed and set out on foot to work the wind in pursuit of a red lechwe.
We walked the bush for a good 30min when Werner stopped and pulled up his glass. He said there were red hartebeest and a really good heavy bull. We worked the wind to 50 yards for a clean shot. I had a perfect broadside shot and the bull fell where he stood. While not on my list I have been intrigued by these animals as they are probably the most unique of African game.
Day 7 has confirmed that this is absolutely the you don’t hunt Africa by the alphabet safari for me. I am back with Werner and we are on a concession where my son harvested his zebra ast year. Its very dense bushveld and extremely challenging to hunt. It was bitterly cold again so we got out for a walkabout. Nothing materialized on that walk. As we were heading back toward our entry we came around a corner to a shooter kudu who quickly spooked and vanished into the veld. About 10min down the road Werner spotted a steenbuck, he quickly said its a big big steenbuck and that is all it took for me. Neither of the 2 tiny's I took were on my radar but after having the opportunity the tiny species are a bit addicting. Very cool animals.
The last two days were just for Kudu. I put lechwe on the back burner as I was not going home without a Kudu. On day 8 we didn't get on much but I was able to crack a baboon who stopped just long enough before disappearing into the bush.
Day 9. The animals hold all the cards, you need smarts and a bit of luck to walk into their environment and harvest one.
Today Werner and I left a half hour earlier than usual. We headed out of camp to a ranch I had never hunted that is quite a bit from the main concessions we hunt.
We pulled in and jumped on the back of the bakkie about 7 a.m. and it was bitterly cold again. We were on the back for a good 45min when all of a sudden Werner grabbed me and the bakkie stopped. He caught a glimpse of a face about 70yards in the dense brush. The next 2min took forever as we backed up and moved forward to get a look. Finally we got in position that it was a proper bull but gave me no shot. Werner had me stand up on the elevated chair and put the sticks up to rest. I was now high enough to get a clean view and the bull moved his position enough and exposed his lungs. The hit was strong and the track began. We had very strong blood and tracked him for about 250 yards to a small set of trees where he laid.
