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

[Hammergun]

Very nice hunt report. Your photography and writing are excellent! I have hunted the Waterberg with Riaan and Henk and you were in good hands. I especially like your attitude towards the hunting. That it's the totality of the experience and not just the killing. I'm quite sure that you will return soon to get your Kudu and I wish you the best of luck. I like your rifle very much.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

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.

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.

When I go back, Ideally, next time, I would like to bring a 416 Rigby bolt action and a 500 Nitro Express (for buffalo).

Oom Franz - Your 275R was a stunning beautiful piece and a perfect choice for PG. Short, and handy is why I chose my little 308 last time and why my 7mm/08 is going this year. I am a cigar smoker too but my Pa preferred a pipe.

When I began prepping for my first Safari, I wanted a 416 Rigby, but had a tough time finding a proper rifle in that caliber. I am picky about that. I wanted a nice, accurate, CRF (Mauser/Enfield) action. My FN 375 was enough for my first trip but after that, I acquired an E R Shaw Custom P14 Enfield in 375HH and a JP Sauer M90 in 458WM. The Shaw rifle is so amazingly accurate that it won the job on Buffalo this year. Thank you for taking the time to share the added details. If Minnesota was closer to Kentucky, I think we could be good friends, lol. Pic of the Shaw rifle below for fun & giggles.

I am not particularly recoil sensitive and would squirrel hunt with the 458, but the really big ones are meant for short range for sure. My PH is a young man but wants a 500NE. I can see why. Somebody asked my PH why they did not take really long shots like at 400 or 500y and his answer spoke volumes. "We do not shoot at long range because we are better hunters than that." I love long range shooting on tgts, but for hunting, I try to get to inside 200y but practice for shots out to 300y. I have never had to shoot a game animal past 202y unless you count Coyotes or Prairie Dogs. Well Done Sir.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Oom Franz - Your 275R was a stunning beautiful piece and a perfect choice for PG. Short, and handy is why I chose my little 308 last time and why my 7mm/08 is going this year. I am a cigar smoker too but my Pa preferred a pipe.

When I began prepping for my first Safari, I wanted a 416 Rigby, but had a tough time finding a proper rifle in that caliber. I am picky about that. I wanted a nice, accurate, CRF (Mauser/Enfield) action. My FN 375 was enough for my first trip but after that, I acquired an E R Shaw Custom P14 Enfield in 375HH and a JP Sauer M90 in 458WM. The Shaw rifle is so amazingly accurate that it won the job on Buffalo this year. Thank you for taking the time to share the added details. If Minnesota was closer to Kentucky, I think we could be good friends, lol. Pic of the Shaw rifle below for fun & giggles.

I am not particularly recoil sensitive and would squirrel hunt with the 458, but the really big ones are meant for short range for sure. My PH is a young man but wants a 500NE. I can see why. Somebody asked my PH why they did not take really long shots like at 400 or 500y and his answer spoke volumes. "We do not shoot at long range because we are better hunters than that." I love long range shooting on tgts, but for hunting, I try to get to inside 200y but practice for shots out to 300y. I have never had to shoot a game animal past 202y unless you count Coyotes or Prairie Dogs. Well Done Sir.

View attachment 681146

Beautiful! Well, if you do happen to make it up here, please let me know. You are always welcome at our home!

 

[franzfmdavis]

Very nice hunt report. Your photography and writing are excellent! I have hunted the Waterberg with Riaan and Henk and you were in good hands. I especially like your attitude towards the hunting. That it's the totality of the experience and not just the killing. I'm quite sure that you will return soon to get your Kudu and I wish you the best of luck. I like your rifle very much.

Thank you! I was just speaking with Riaan and he just landed in Boston. I think he is in the US for a few days.

 

[Hammergun]

Yes Riaan is a busy man.

 

[franzfmdavis]

Oom Franz - Your 275R was a stunning beautiful piece and a perfect choice for PG. Short, and handy is why I chose my little 308 last time and why my 7mm/08 is going this year. I am a cigar smoker too but my Pa preferred a pipe.

When I began prepping for my first Safari, I wanted a 416 Rigby, but had a tough time finding a proper rifle in that caliber. I am picky about that. I wanted a nice, accurate, CRF (Mauser/Enfield) action. My FN 375 was enough for my first trip but after that, I acquired an E R Shaw Custom P14 Enfield in 375HH and a JP Sauer M90 in 458WM. The Shaw rifle is so amazingly accurate that it won the job on Buffalo this year. Thank you for taking the time to share the added details. If Minnesota was closer to Kentucky, I think we could be good friends, lol. Pic of the Shaw rifle below for fun & giggles.

I am not particularly recoil sensitive and would squirrel hunt with the 458, but the really big ones are meant for short range for sure. My PH is a young man but wants a 500NE. I can see why. Somebody asked my PH why they did not take really long shots like at 400 or 500y and his answer spoke volumes. "We do not shoot at long range because we are better hunters than that." I love long range shooting on tgts, but for hunting, I try to get to inside 200y but practice for shots out to 300y. I have never had to shoot a game animal past 202y unless you count Coyotes or Prairie Dogs. Well Done Sir.

View attachment 681146

I agree with your and your PHs thinking. I think the longest shot I’ve ever taken on an animal was 220 yards on a rocky mountain elk. I would’ve preferred to be closer, but there was not enough cover, and I hadn’t seen any bulls for 5 days so I had to take the opportunity. Turned out okay but I would have liked to be inside 100 ideally.

The challenge of getting close is not only fun, but gives the animal a chance to test its defensive tools against my offensive ones.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I agree with your and your PHs thinking. I think the longest shot I’ve ever taken on an animal was 220 yards on a rocky mountain elk. I would’ve preferred to be closer, but there was not enough cover, and I hadn’t seen any bulls for 5 days so I had to take the opportunity. Turned out okay but I would have liked to be inside 100 ideally.

The challenge of getting close is not only fun, but gives the animal a chance to test its defensive tools against my offensive ones.

This shot was from Limpopo on the south end of the RDB Safaris Game Reserve overlooking a pan as we sat in the sun pretending to hunt Baboons on my last day of the last hunt. Holding my 308 topped with an old vintage Balvar 2.5-8x optic. I had lasered the ranges to the expected shooting zones to range 160y out to 245y which were all point blank for the rifle. A bit too pretty to be dragging thru the bush but completely in its element on that day. This rifle has since my acquiring it, never failed to drop my prey with a single shot. That is quite rare.

We sat the PH and I chatting quietly, me totally satisfied after 8 days of extremely successful hunting. I felt like the fat lions that we had nearly stepped on the day prior. They were sleeping off the their kill and had no interest in eating me. Today, I felt the same, caring little if I shot anything.

When we tired of our sitting in the sun, we mounted up in the Land Cruiser and went for one more hunt for a nice Impala ram. After a short stalk, we were on the sticks and took a 180y shot that dropped him after a very short run. Africa is a magical place. I was very pleased to be a part of it and greatly anticipating my return soon.

 

[franzfmdavis]

This shot was from Limpopo on the south end of the RDB Safaris Game Reserve overlooking a pan as we sat in the sun pretending to hunt Baboons on my last day of the last hunt. Holding my 308 topped with an old vintage Balvar 2.5-8x optic. I had lasered the ranges to the expected shooting zones to range 160y out to 245y which were all point blank for the rifle. A bit too pretty to be dragging thru the bush but completely in its element on that day. This rifle has since my acquiring it, never failed to drop my prey with a single shot. That is quite rare.

We sat the PH and I chatting quietly, me totally satisfied after 8 days of extremely successful hunting. I felt like the fat lions that we had nearly stepped on the day prior. They were sleeping off the their kill and had no interest in eating me. Today, I felt the same, caring little if I shot anything.

View attachment 681160

When we tired of our sitting in the sun, we mounted up in the Land Cruiser and went for one more hunt for a nice Impala ram. After a short stalk, we were on the sticks and took a 180y shot that dropped him after a very short run. Africa is a magical place. I was very pleased to be a part of it and greatly anticipating my return soon.

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Your descriptions bring me right back there, which is the mark of a great storyteller!

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Your descriptions bring me right back there, which is the mark of a great storyteller!

It is a wonderful affliction. Something we share. Once Africa gets into your system, it calls you to return. It becomes a part of your being or you become a part of it. The cool, dry, fresh air. The wild bushveld. The people, and the countryside. An exotic blend of sunny San Diego weather, the wild tropical plants and birds of Hawaii, and the wide open spaces of Wyoming or Montana all blended with huge wild animals roaming everywhere. It is strange to feel at home, to feel whole and content in a place you have never been.

I think about Africa every day. I look forward to the haunting call of the Turtle Doves, the smell of Lions that are far too close for comfort, and the smiles of old friends. Africa is a little slice of Paradise all wrapped in a rough, tough, flawed enigma. Beautiful and Deadly.

Africa calls to us; "Come Home. Test yourself old man. Push your comfort zone just a bit more. Come and experience life in its wildest form." I look forward to my return, soon.

Hung Lip Mtn in the Waterberg Range - Limpopo​

 

[Flipper Dude]

“I think about Africa every day.”

This.

 

[PARA45]

I think about Africa every day. I look forward to the haunting call of the Turtle Doves, the smell of Lions that are far too close for comfort, and the smiles of old friends. Africa is a little slice of Paradise all wrapped in a rough, tough, flawed enigma. Beautiful and Deadly.

Africa calls to us; "Come Home. Test yourself old man. Push your comfort zone just a bit more. Come and experience life in its wildest form." I look forward to my return, soon.

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Hung Lip Mtn in the Waterberg Range - Limpopo​

Beautiful words,
And I couldn’t agree more. Every day I walk into my family room and see my mounts on the wall, I get happy and sad. Happy because I’ve been to Africa. Sad, because I’m not there. I’m heading to the Eastern Cape in June, and talk about being anxious