NAMIBIA: 2023 Hunt With ZANA BOTES SAFARI

[ve7poi]

Procrastination this past hunting season on writing up my Namibian hunt,
almost like it was postponed from previous year which it was
21 day Hunt with @ZANA BOTES SAFARI for planes game both trophy and cull hunting accompanied by my wife as a50th anniversary trip. I had gotten all permits from EXCOL Canada ahead of time for firearms scopes & 60 rds each rifle so thatpart was pre done 2 months in advance. We flew out of Calgary May05/23 @ 1750 through Frankfurt Germany to Windhoek Namibia with Lufthansa air/ operated by Air Canada we had a 10 hour layover in which we explored the airport. This layover was was a deliberate choice as we were flying with fire arms. A very heartfelt thank you for the Air Canada check in lady who went out of her way to ensure all necessary documents permits for both going and returning flights were in place she even call airline in Germany to ensure it was all correct needless to say it worked out perfectly with no hiccups whatsoever. Our flight to Windhoek May 06 @ 2155 was on Lufthansa air/ operated by EW gmbh arriving May 07/23 at 0800hrs both flights coming and going were on time and pleasant crew members who looked after us very well.

We were met by Zana at the airport where a minor delay occurred while we waited for a replacement vehicle to arrive to transport us to Camp. The arrival with Firearms was simple quick and I must complement the Namibian police officer for an enjoyable experience permit given rapidly with Zana present to ensure all went well. We had a welcome coffee while we waited for Reinhardt – Red Sands films to arrive with our transport and begin filming our hunt.
I cannot say enough about the professional conduct of both Zana as PH and Reinhardt as photographer.
We hit it off and worked like a well oiled machine with precision. The only glitch was me the hunter as although looking calm, forgot to take safety off several times . My defence is I was using a pre 64, made in 1948 so older than me by 3 years Winchester Model 70 in 270 win and when I put my thumb up to check due to its smaller size I missed feeling it still on and had to mentally condition my self to visually look every time after that as I got on the sticks, all went well after that.

 

[ve7poi]

On our arrival at our Base of operation( can't call it a camp ) we enjoyed a quick lunch got our very lovely room and checked rifles my 270 win performed while gremlins showed up while installing scope on my 404Jeffery as quick release clamp screwshad been over torqued in past and chose that moment to fail lucky it had iron sights and as it turned out was never required.


After checking rifles we went for adrive to see what might present itself. Zana spotted a mixed heard of springbuck and Black Wildebeest we stopped got off truck and the hunt started My wife came with us and as we snuck up behind and embankment to peek over saw a picture of grazing animals everywhere. After a time Zana pointed to a very nice old Black wildebeest bull put thesticks up and as I waited for a shot a bigger bull decided that maybe he saw something poking it head over the bank and headed towards us changed his mind turned broad side 50yds and gave me a perfect shot.He ran off with a cloud of dust and gave me a second shot at about 100 yds which Zana said afterwards wasn't needed. A beautiful Bull bigger than the one on my wall at home so Taxidermy bill started to grow first day. Then back to lodge for a dinner prepared by our chef wow its a wonder we didn't gain several pounds with the meals he prepared for us every day.

 

[ve7poi]

Just a note here to explain how our days started and progressed each day.


Up at 6:00am shower etc go to kitchen for fresh brewed coffee and rusks on hunting truck by 7:30 latest and at first light out looking for what we might discover lots of walking stalking maybe getting a shot or not marvelling at the landscape and animals seen. Back to lodge about noon and a big meal with fresh bread salad and Meat dish and sides truly delicious. Then an afternoon nap till 3:00pm during heat of day and then out till dark around 7:00pm and back to a welcome fire a very good beer and a dinner fit for a king each night with a special desert for afterwards.

Usually lights out at 9:00pm getting a good nights rest after averaging 10 miles or more walking in the bush.

 

[ve7poi]

May 09


Morning up early much cooler than anticipated so gave my wife extra coats and went on once walking things warmed up fast. I shot a Impala cull for the meat at the shot the impala dropped and as we walk up to him one step from stepping on horn for safety up he jumped and ran like crazy down hill at about120yds he paused and I took him with a head shot. On closer examination it appears my first shot clipped a branch and partially opened up the bullet deflecting it just beside the spine.

We spotted an old Kudu bull sneaking along so drove past a half km and went looking for him in valley.

And eventually we caught up to him just as Reinhardt had to move to get the shot I pulled the trigger and caused him to miss getting it on film he ran up the hill to top where we tracked him and just as he tried to depart again i put in a shot that dropped him. My first shot was about 3”high through top of both lungs angled forward. An amazing old warrior 40” wide as you can see with rifle resting his horns.

 

[ve7poi]

Back to Lodge for dinner after a wonderful day. And an equally great dinner prepared from game we had harvested the previous days.

 

[ve7poi]

Continuing on the next morning my wife having taken a fall the afternoon before when a thorn bush tripped her up decided to stay and take it easy and stay behind that morning May 10th and
we chased Eland which evaded us all daylong but saw some amazingly twisted trees all in all a
very enjoyable day Im finding it hardto keep the days straight because for the first time i did not keep a log it being probably the most relaxed hunt I have ever taken with nopressure to find any game but to truly enjoy just being there therefore i will record the in the order taken in the finished video produced by Reinhardt @ Redsands films. With Zana and Reinhardt abetter two hunting companions would be extremely hard to find and work along side in tracking stalking and conversations with during the days and evenings my wife enjoying there company and wit as well.

 

[ve7poi]

Next trophy was a beautiful young Hartman zebra ( Mountain ) after first try with safety still on we eventually caught up to them again and collected a beautiful specimen

 

[ve7poi]

Next trophy a Blue wildebeest after being out foxed by the Eland we crept up on he bolted straight away behind a thicket with no shot opportunity we came across a herd of Blue Wildebeest one with an unusual horn caught by eye and so another trophy to mount as i've only kept European mounts from previous safaris.

As you can see his left horn has a distinctive shape to the tip a result of an injury when a calf.

 

[ve7poi]

Next trophy Red Hartebeest an African antelope that runs very much like our Mule deer odd shaped horns that when viewed strait on have a heart shape. After leaving the truck we skirted around a small hill and looked over the rise to see several just grazing along Zana got me into a perfect position and we waited until the biggest one turned broadside at about 100 yds maybe less hefinally presented with a perfect angle for my shot. At the shot he spun around and went behind a bush i thought he had dropped but we positioned ourselves to take a second shot if needed as the herd ran off one turned back to look at where my bull disappeared and then bolted out of sight across the small fold in the land.
On approach we found him behind the bush and my oh my what a super trophy he turned out to be no ground shrinkage if anything he is bigger.

 

[gillettehunter]

Great start to your report. Looking forward to the rest of it.
Bruce

 

[ve7poi]

Remember now this all takes place over21 days so we didn't just go out and shoot something every day during this time we spent a couple of day pursuing Blackface impala andother species as well as jackals at night with rifle and night vision scope supplied by Zana what an absolute blast that was.
Now the Hunt that was the hardest and longest tracking job i've ever witnessed when chasing eland I was presented with a broadside shot at an eland bull that had a small tuff on his forehead good horns just right I thought for a European mount. Well my jinks showed its head again for the forth time and i forgot to check for safety off before looking through scope resulting in a well placed quiet no bang just an expletive from me they took off and getting late we just continued up to where they had turned off.

Surprise the hadn't disappeared into the bush but were feeding less than 50 yds into the bush like down on one knee I went looking for hole through bushes in a scope set on 8xand in that split second i positioned my shot at what i initially thought was centre but turned out to be 4”to the right of centre.


This is where Zana, Moses Reinhardt and myself started the tracking effort which ended at nightfall in the rain.

Next morning after we went back where we had stopped tracking the Eland bull and he had crossed the fenceline and we had marked it.

Prior to that we had lost the trail and had put up the tripod sticks to mark the spot and while heading back to a fence line to get picked up by the hunt truck,we stumbled across where they had crossed. So that morning they went back to where wehad lost the track I stayed and decided to cross over to take a peek and found fresh blood. It took them about 20 minutes to find the sticks and then they saw the track in the daylight and followed it to where we were. From there they tracked it up hill down hill across rocks up a mountain and we could hear him moving on other side I had been wearing a light jacket and was thoroughly over heated. This animal was still going strong after about 5 miles at this point from where blood found this morning Zana and Reinhardt took off after him.Moses and I stood at top of hill where we saw him running then we heard a shot relief flooded me knowing his suffering was coming to an end a few moment later another shot and finally a min or so later a 3shop finally put him down for good. A very tough bull he absorbed 3 375 H&H 300 gr a-frame shots before he quit, plus my first 140tsx 270 round. Yes I know a 270 is light but it worked beautifully on everything else with the 140 Barnes TSX.

I was very lucky that Zana and co are such superb trackers otherwise i would have lost this magnificent bull and that Reinhardt captured it on film a true bonus.

 

[ve7poi]

After that is was time to regain confidence in my shooting skills for my self doubts.
We went after a springbok for the meat and after a short stock over very open ground with just one bush to hide behind we closed to about120yds where I shot and collected this one.

 

[ve7poi]

Next came probably the most difficult shot at approximately 100yds on a Steenbuck Ram.
We had seen himbefore and had tracked him up the hillside visually when hedisappeared we went up to where we had lost sight of him and stoodfor approx 5 min glassing for him as the rest of the party started towalk down at an angle he pooped up from his hiding place in the grassabout 10 feet in front of us with no safe shot he was off like astreak of lightening never paused and ducked into high grass. Sothis is when they told me that he had been shot at several timesbefore and he was a smart one. Round one to him.
Next time wecame into his little arena from opposite way and snuck up to where wehad jumped hime previously and were glassing for him when he showedup on other side of small wash broadside to me i got on the sticksvisually checking safety and got him in the crosshairs at the shot hewent almost straight up spun and dived into the thick grass and wasgone. Had i got him i was sure but him being so lucky before causedsmall doubts until we got to where he had been standing the it wasvery obvious that he had been hit hard. We followed the large bloodtrail for maybe 50 feet and found him an old smart Ram.

Truly a superhunt and to honour him he will be a full mount in the pose where i first met him.

 

[ve7poi]

Next came a cull hunt for Oryx ( Gemsbuck) after a short walk we came upon one hidingbehind some bushes and Zana placed the sticks and waited until itstepped out perfectly broad side and I made a good shot, thats when Zana told me that it take several of these to feed all the workers at the ranch and provides good meals for all the staff, nothing goes towaste ever all is used.
Interesting deformed horn must have been injured when a youngster. So with that now on may 20th now that's 10 animals in the salt.

 

[ve7poi]

Next came a very different species altogether just to bring a little levity to this thread.

He was sitting on my chair back outside our room.

 

[ve7poi]

May 22 first light before we even got onto the truck a special trophy showed up inthe pasture in front of the house about 3 or 4 hundred yards away. Grab your rifle lets go its a monster just out front so off we ran.There crossing the field was a beautiful Lechwe ram so after andapproach to 100 yds i got on sticks and placed cross hairs where hewould be at next full step and as i fired he stepped short looked at us and I'm sure he thought S*** I've messed up. My bullet hit about 2” further forward than ideal the he was into the brush and thorns. A good blood trail was found and after a running shot hit him hard we found him laying down and i fired another to end his suffering. The closer wegot the better and bigger he got there was ground swell on this ram for sure. This along with My mountain Zebra were on my most wanted list for some time and here he was, old and very heavy with beautiful sweep to his horns.

 

[ve7poi]

Next another Cull hunt for meat a spring buck this one is a wonder I got him as just as i was pulling the trigger the tripod shifted on the rocks and a small puff of white hair flew off his throat. Repositioned tripod sticks and took a moving shot further out where Zana said maybe we should chase the to you so there running laughing.

 

[ve7poi]

We went after a couple more Oryx for rations and first on was a perfect shot on the shoulder
second one was a bit different having see a horn move Zana led me to where we couldn't go any further due to thorn bushes and all we could see was it looking at us through a small opening so he said between the eyes, it turns and looks back behind it then at us again and just as it was turning to the left i had the crosshairs on base of ear when Zana said behind the ear as the trigger tripped and down it went i wasn't sure of the hit it as it went down so fast.

Sorry for the blood display but itsthe only photograph taken and you can see bullet hole in ear.

 

[ve7poi]

Finally last trophy taken was a old warthog and staff were very happy that we finally took one as they wanted some fat meat. Was pleased to help out.

 

[ve7poi]

If you have been counting thats 16 but to my everlasting chagrin i blew a shot on an oryx which disappeared and never saw again thus it still counted even though i never recovered the meat for the staff. And one baboon that was recovering from a huge wound to its butt that was mostly healed,he lost the race to get over the hill away from us.
AgainI must state that this hunt was the best experience that I've had super good deal all around staff that truly wanted the best for us food that you would have to go to a 5 star restaurant to get trophies well looked after, the best comradeship meeting both Zana's charming wife and Reinhardt as well both gentlemen basically newlyweds and to my wonderful Wife Margie for traipsing around the globe to be with me in Namibia on our 50th anniversary.

Would we go again in a heart beat we both felt like family when we departed.
If your in Nashville for SCI pleas look him up a very competent young man and super PH

If you want your hunts filmed please consider Redsand films my video is super

Good lordwilling may make it back for a skull cap old dugga boy or own use elephant as Canada closed its border to ivory this Jan 2024 in a truly grievous blow to elephant populations. If the local people do not receive the funds and meat from hunters they will exterminate the herds that destroy thier crops, and the world loses another species.

If any questionsplease feel free to post them i will endeavour too answer themtruthfully.


Just a sample of some of our meals with fresh bread at every meal still warm and a different kind it seemed each time noon and evening

Thank you for a most memorable hunt
Rod & Margie