SOUTH AFRICA: TANZANIA: Safari 2023 Spiral Slam, Black Death, & Mr. Spots

[Hunting Hitman]

So with short notice and limited options I am now booked on Turkish Airlines from LAX and have received the firearm approval. Nothing is going to stop us from getting back to beautiful Africa and we shall not be deterred. Next update will be en route!

HH

 

[gillettehunter]

Very sorry to hear about the rough start. Glad your booked to continue on. Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Bruce

 

[AES]

IMO, there is too much risk not flying a direct to JB out of the US. Avoid BA for sure. The incremental cost of a US direct is well worth it. Once you grab your gear in JB, options and procedures are easy And many.

 

[Green Chile]

So with short notice and limited options I am now booked on Turkish Airlines from LAX and have received the firearm approval. Nothing is going to stop us from getting back to beautiful Africa and we shall not be deterred. Next update will be en route!

HH

I just flew with guns on Turkish last week through Istanbul. Don’t drink any tap water in Istanbul!

 

[WAB]

I just flew with guns on Turkish last week through Istanbul. Don’t drink any tap water in Istanbul!

How was Turkish with guns through Istanbul? I am booked with them through Istanbul to Cluj in September and am debating taking my own rifle.

 

[Scott CWO]

I have taken guns on Turkish through Istanbul without problems but if your first flight is inside the USA on another airline, make sure you claim and re-check your bag and rifle case directly with Turkish on the flight to Istanbul. I flew Denver to Chicago on AA and then rechecked my bags in Chicago for the Turkish flight. Turkish will not accept guns from other airlines, even their partners. My hunting partner on the same trip didn’t listen to this advice and his AA check-in agent told him he could check his guns all the way through. Guess what? Turkish did not put his gun case on the plane in Chicago and he had to borrow a rifle from the outfitter.

 

[Green Chile]

It worked fine for me but I used Travel Express and they took care of the details.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

It worked fine for me but I used Travel Express and they took care of the details.

I can appreciate that it occasionally works as it has for me as well. I have just grown tired of all of the excuses from BA.
Short Staffed
Strikes
2 hour hold to speak to a representative…
To name a few. I fly them out of convenience as they are partners with American Airlines of which I’m Executive Platinum and never have issues. Unfortunately my status on one airline means nothing on their partner BA so I’m done with them. It may be the shortest flight for me coming from Vegas but enough is enough. And I will remind everyone that I always use travel agents who specialize in hunters traveling with firearms. BA is just rolling the dice and my Safaris are to important for that.

HH

 

[Green Chile]

Your points are valid. I would feel the same way! I’m still looking for the right balance of convenience and cost on Africa travel from Dallas.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Just checked the rifle on at Turkish Airlines in LAX and it took about 30 minutes but very nice and accommodating. I’m sitting in the Star Alliance lounge sipping an Old Fashioned and waiting for the flight.

HH

 

[Green Chile]

Glad it's starting to work. You will really enjoy this trip after all that! Another day and you're sitting around a mopane fire...

 

[AZDAVE]

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Quick Update:
Moving between camps and still taking notes for what so far has been an excellent Safari in the East Cape. 4 hunters have taken 17 animals with exceptional quality.

HH

 

[Green Chile]

Any highlights? Don't leave us waiting...

 

[MAdcox]

Sorry for the rocky start with the airlines, but happy you made it work and sounds like a great hunt started. I am looking forward to the rest of the report.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I have just successfully completed the first part of my adventure with Karoo Wild Safaris. All of us had a great time and took amazing animals on this hunt. This review will occur in multiple posts as we are currently in Tanzania at the Sea Cliff Hotel awaiting bush flight out tomorrow.
Let’s get down to business…

My wife and I arrived in camp 2 days after the father and son we were going with due to the aforementioned British Airways fu*k up and needed some trigger time therapy to help work out some frustrations. By the time we had arrived both of them had harvested Cape Kudu and one Nyala.

They were having a blast and we decided to get in the game so after checking our rifles and confirming zero we headed out.

HH

 

[ILDRHNTR]

The hunt is on! Looking forward to the rest.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I will start by saying that I booked a spiral slam package out of ease. My intention of hunting the East Cape was more of contributing to my tiny ten.

To that end the owner Victor Watson, who would guide us during our stay, came up with a plan based on availability and locations. Our plan was to shoot only gold medal caliber additions to my collection.

First up was Klipspringer. Victor has an incredible knowledge of the areas and had been scouting out different spots prior to our arrival. The first morning we went to just one of those areas and began to slowly climb the hill stopping every once in a while to glass the rock outcroppings. After about 40 minutes we found the Klips with 3 females. As I got into position on the sticks Victor was giving me the yardage and letting me know when to shoot. Whenever I get my first animal in the scope in Africa I get a little nostalgic of my past trips, remembering the awesome adventures of my past and wondering what the future will bring.

Victor snaps me back into the present by calling out 360 yards. Now that’s an awfully long way to shoot at a Klipspringer off of sticks but we have no other options. I wait for the females to clear and give me a clean shot, upon doing so Victor tells me to take him. I slowly squeeze the trigger on my Blaser Success R8 in 300 Win Mag. Success! The Klipspringer drops right were I hit him and my Safari is off to a great start.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

The next day we moved to a different area for Vaal Rhebok and on the way there we stumbled upon a nice group of Red Lechwe. Victor starts pouring over them and sees one that was a shooter so we begin to stalk in for the right shot.
The group was on a plateau so we went down wind from them and slowly made our way up a drainage ditch to come within 120 yards of the group.
I got up in the sticks and he was off to the right side all by himself as I squeezed the trigger. He took a couple of steps and fell over and it was celebration time.

HH

 

[Hunting Hitman]

A little later we get to the Vaal area and begin the search. Victor informed me that he had seen a good one in the area over the previous month but it had given him the slip every time he stopped to glass him. We were rounding a mountain trail when Ciya, our tracker, froze and motioned everyone to get down. We belly crawl to some bushes and get the binos on him and confirm he’s a shooter. The good news is he’s only 320 yards away on the side of the mountain with no cover so sneaking closer is not an option.
Victor asks me if I think I can make the shot to which I roll my eyes at him..of course I can make the shot I tell him! I ease up on the sticks and try to find the 25 lb Vaal in the scope. After. What seemed like forever but was probably 20 seconds I find the Vaal and place the crosshairs behind the shoulder and squeeze. The Vaal rhebok goes down like a sack of potatoes and we begin the hike to get our hands on him and for those who are counting that’s number 6 of the tiny ten.

HH