SOUTH AFRICA: Waterberg District, Limpopo Province, RSA - April 2025

[Nyati]

Great writing and pics !

Now, what I fail to understand, is how your PH directed you to shoot a kudu which you could not see, hidden behind bushes

 

[BJH65]

Congratulations! Great hunt report and photographs. You had an amazing hunt! When are you going back?

 

[LWood]

Thanks for sharing. Great recap and pictures.

 

[CZDiesel]

Amazing trip and hunt Franz! Memories and stories for a lifetime, let it soak in!

 

[Pablo]

Awesome pictures and writeup! Sorry about your kudu, but that’s a nice sable.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

20 April 2025
Waterberg District
Limpopo Province
Republic of South Africa
Bosveld Jacobs Safaris

My last day hunting was perfect!

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I have a small request. Please tell us about the rifle(s) you used, why they were chosen and the ammunition/bullets deployed and how they performed. I am a bit of a firearms geek and spend lots of time with a variety of rifles and am still learning about which bullets work well on African game.

I believe that there are many adequate solutions but I do enjoy learning about those that work really well. I think I read in your report of the use of a 275 Rigby? (same as 7x57 Mauser) and perhaps later use of a 300 Win Mag? Please share a description.

On my last Safari, I took a matched pair of FN Browning Mauser type rifles in 308 and 375HH. The 308 used 180g bonded and was one shot kill on all five of its animals. The 375 used 300g TSX ammo and required three shots to finish a Blue WB but the first shot killed it.

This year I am doing a different approach. Taking a better 375HH for Cape Buff, Kudu, and Zebra, and also bringing a 7mm/08 which is ballistically identical to the 7x57 for use on smaller PG. But with the 7mm I am bringing 4 different bullets. They are all loaded to the same POI at 200-300y. I am doing this merely to educate myself. It is not an ideal approach but I wanted to experiment on live game as I hunt. I am taking three loads for the 375 but they are all proven. One is for the Buff, and the others for the larger PG. Buffalo and Kudu are my main goals but one must see what Africa chooses to give you.

I talked to my PH after I read you report and he confirmed that they have had lots of rain and the bush veld is green and thick this year. My hunt is not for several weeks which will give things time to dry out some. I enjoyed your report and your photography was simply stunning.

 

[PARA45]

Wow, what a beautifully written report, and some of the most beautiful pictures I have seen here. You sir have quite a talent for taking beautiful pictures. Thank you for taking us along and sharing your wonder adventure.

BTW, this is the most beautiful quote I've read so far:

"Africa bites you and it gets in your blood, and so you never really leave.’ It demands blood, and in exchange you have a chance to draw blood."

If it's ok with you, I'd like your permission to use it, I'd like to make a sign with that quote and put it in my trophy room.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Great writing and pics !

Now, what I fail to understand, is how your PH directed you to shoot a kudu which you could not see, hidden behind bushes

The problem was probably do more to my inexperience and the accidental issue with my turret. I was able to see the top part of the chest and could shoot through some brush at the bottom part of the chest, but I miscalculated and the scope alignment certainly didn’t help.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Congratulations! Great hunt report and photographs. You had an amazing hunt! When are you going back?

We are going back in March 26. and our discussing options for 27 as well

 

[franzfmdavis]

I have a small request. Please tell us about the rifle(s) you used, why they were chosen and the ammunition/bullets deployed and how they performed. I am a bit of a firearms geek and spend lots of time with a variety of rifles and am still learning about which bullets work well on African game.

I believe that there are many adequate solutions but I do enjoy learning about those that work really well. I think I read in your report of the use of a 275 Rigby? (same as 7x57 Mauser) and perhaps later use of a 300 Win Mag? Please share a description.

On my last Safari, I took a matched pair of FN Browning Mauser type rifles in 308 and 375HH. The 308 used 180g bonded and was one shot kill on all five of its animals. The 375 used 300g TSX ammo and required three shots to finish a Blue WB but the first shot killed it.

This year I am doing a different approach. Taking a better 375HH for Cape Buff, Kudu, and Zebra, and also bringing a 7mm/08 which is ballistically identical to the 7x57 for use on smaller PG. But with the 7mm I am bringing 4 different bullets. They are all loaded to the same POI at 200-300y. I am doing this merely to educate myself. It is not an ideal approach but I wanted to experiment on live game as I hunt. I am taking three loads for the 375 but they are all proven. One is for the Buff, and the others for the larger PG. Buffalo and Kudu are my main goals but one must see what Africa chooses to give you.

I talked to my PH after I read you report and he confirmed that they have had lots of rain and the bush veld is green and thick this year. My hunt is not for several weeks which will give things time to dry out some. I enjoyed your report and your photography was simply stunning.

I have the same fascination with these details

For this trip, I only took a Rigby Highland Stalker in .275 Rigby/7x57 Mauser. I brought hand loaded ammunition: Hornady .275 Rigby cases, H4350 41g, CCI 200 primers, and North Fork 175g SemiSpitzer bullets.

I chose this rifle after reading quite a bit about its performance on various different animals. I even read that they are capable of taking down elephants though I’m pretty sure I would never try that.

The rifle is very lightweight and sleek and easy to carry. It has back up sights, which are nice in case my scope got damaged.

Also, it has the romantic connection with African hunting as far as the name and caliber.

When I did my job and put the bullet where I needed it to be, it performed perfectly! I did recover two bullets and I’m going to add a postscript about their weight retention and performance because I remember which was from which animal.

When I go back, I will be planning to bring some larger caliber rifles in addition to this rifle, which I think is perfect for certain animals. I think I would prefer a larger caliber for the bigger body animals as more of a guarantee that they go down with a first shot. Ideally, next time, I would like to bring a 416 Rigby bolt action and a 500 Nitro Express (for buffalo).

 

[franzfmdavis]

Wow, what a beautifully written report, and some of the most beautiful pictures I have seen here. You sir have quite a talent for taking beautiful pictures. Thank you for taking us along and sharing your wonder adventure.

BTW, this is the most beautiful quote I've read so far:

"Africa bites you and it gets in your blood, and so you never really leave.’ It demands blood, and in exchange you have a chance to draw blood."

If it's ok with you, I'd like your permission to use it, I'd like to make a sign with that quote and put it in my trophy room.

Thank you! That is very kind of you and I am touched by your sentiment. The phrases were naturally coming to me while I was there and then I wondered if it would sound silly to others when reading it. I’m glad it does not.

You are certainly welcome to use it anyway. It’s quite a compliment to be quoted!!

My father was a photog journalist and got me interested in photography when I was young. Of course I would’ve preferred to have my SLR film camera with, but since I was focusing on hunting, I did not want to carry another large item around my neck.

 

[Osama Mahdi]

Great writing.
Do you images for the lodge, room, dining area?
How you endup choosing your outfitter?
Kind regards

 

[PARA45]

Thank you! That is very kind of you and I am touched by your sentiment. The phrases were naturally coming to me while I was there and then I wondered if it would sound silly to others when reading it. I’m glad it does not.

You are certainly welcome to use it anyway. It’s quite a compliment to be quoted!!

My father was a photog journalist and got me interested in photography when I was young. Of course I would’ve preferred to have my SLR film camera with, but since I was focusing on hunting, I did not want to carry another large item around my neck.

Thank you! I'll have to say that your dad did a wonderful job getting you into photography. You also have to have a talent to see and capture nature's beauty, not just point and snap a picture. Yes, too bad you didn't have a good camera with you, but I completely understand your point.

 

[BJH65]

We are going back in March 26. and our discussing options for 27 as well

Wonderful! I believe you acquired a handsome Rigby Big Game 416 from Gentz Sporting Arms, will you be taking this for buffalo and plains game on your next safari? I found my 416 Rigby perfect for plains game under 250 yards and of course excellent for buffalo.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Great writing.
Do you images for the lodge, room, dining area?
How you endup choosing your outfitter?
Kind regards

I have some videos of those areas, but I’ll take some still screenshots and post them. I met the PH, Riaan Jacobs,who is also the owner, at a dinner event in Minnesota, and he had a bunch of other previous clients there with him, one of which was a good friend of mine. They all vouched for him, and now I will too!

 

[franzfmdavis]

Wonderful! I believe you acquired a handsome Rigby Big Game 416 from Gentz Sporting Arms, will you be taking this for buffalo and plains game on your next safari? I found my 416 Rigby perfect for plains game under 250 yards and of course excellent for buffalo.

That is great to hear!

I was curious what the practical range of that round would be. I personally like to get as close as possible so I can’t imagine shooting more than 250 yards. If the animal was farther than that, I would probably just wait and look for a different opportunity to get closer.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Great writing.
Do you images for the lodge, room, dining area?
How you endup choosing your outfitter?
Kind regards

I don’t know if these screenshots really do it justice but I can’t seem to upload a video directly from my phone…

 

[franzfmdavis]

Here are a couple more

 

[PARA45]

Beautiful pipes. I’m a cigar smoker, and have been getting more and more into pipe smoking.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Beautiful pipes. I’m a cigar smoker, and have been getting more and more into pipe smoking.

I brought extra for my group. I love it, except for the aftermath when I can’t fully taste good food for 3-4 days.

Funny thing is that I was just over 10 years older than two of my PHs so they started calling me Oom Franz (after Oom Paul, the pipe shape, which is named after “Uncle” or Oom Paul Kruger). Apparently, that is a common term of endearment for someone 10 years older or more. Ha! I should modify my AH screen name to Oom Franz.