NAMIBIA: From The Smallest To The Greatest

[mark-hunter]

Etosha is an amazing place and sitting at the rock fence near the water hole at night under lights is an amazing sight.

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Here is the story about that rock fence. "The Wall of Punishment".

The extract is from book by Peter Stark "The White Bushman":

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen

Here is the story about that rock fence. "The Wall of Punishment".

The extract is from book by Peter Stark "The White Bushman":
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@Mark hunter
Thank you very informative and I never knew that. A good read
Bob

 

[Jaegger]

@mark-hunter … “Congrat’s my friend on a successful & memorable hunt + some free time for Etosha!”

I know it was a longtime waiting & what fun would an adventure be if everything was always EASY.

A very detailed Trip Report & enjoyable read w/ quality pictures, plus, your honesty on the ‘misses’ shows great character … important takeaways for Hunters young & seasoned! Be good …

 

[mark-hunter]

@Jaegger
Thank you my friend, appreciated!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

You have such an eloquent way of writing, Mark. I enjoyed reading this very much, while sipping on my evening Turkish coffee. Absolutely brilliant hunt. The BRNO ZKK602 is my favorite .375 Holland & Holland Magnum in the entire world. I personally prefer Federal 300Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, but the Norma Swift A Frame can easily match it toe to toe.

Here’s one of my best waterbucks. 220Gr Remington Core Lokt to the heart (behind-the-shoulder broadside shot) from the venerable old .30-06.

 

[mark-hunter]

Your comments, highly appreciated, sir!

 

[mark-hunter]

The faulty round, that failed on steenbok, I put in pocket to keep separated from other ammuntion. On arrival to my room I examined it more closely.
There was only a hardly visible firing pin scratch on the primer.
The round did not go off, because primer was too deeply seated in the casing.
I took it back home, and will try to test it on next range session.

For those who were following my report earlier:

Today I went to the range, and test fired the norma swift a frame, 300 grains, that did not go off when badly needed on steenbok.
After examination, upon failed to fire, there was no trace of firing pin striking the primer.
Not a scracth.
My conclusion at that point was that primer was pressed to deep, and firing pin did not strike the primer.
And then, I decided to test again, on first chance.

Today, at range:
On test firing it surprised me, and in the same time did not.
So, the round was chambered, trigger squeezed and round went off, in a usual manner to same poi as zeroed. (business as usual?)

1. I was surprised because this time it went off, but the question remained why it did not go off, during the hunt when really needed? This, will remain without answer, for time being.

2. I was not surprised, because in my experience, sometimes it happened that old mil surp ammo, vintage 1953 (and similar), sometimes does not go off. Then, on second attempt, it usually does. (8x57, in vinatge k98).
But on the other hand this should not happen with brand new, premium ammo, out of factory, such as norma. (?!)

So, i came to current conclusion, nothing is 100% safe or certain.

Photo of fired subject casing below. (with very good indent on primer)

 

[R.M.C.]

I've had that happen with factory ammo, seems like it will only fuck up if you're aiming at an animal. I just had a Remington blue tip 30.06 round last deer season go Click while I was trying to kill a doe. The round had a faint mark on the primer, and it went off without delay on the second try. I guess it's got something to do with Murphy and his law about stuff happening when you really don't need it lol

 

[mark-hunter]

I've had that happen with factory ammo, seems like it will only fuck up if you're aiming at an animal.

So far, two of us, we had 100% coincidence, on our sample!

 

[Scrumbag]

So far, two of us, we had 100% coincidence, on our sample!

Always a pain my friend.

might also be worth stripping your bolt just to check all clean and nothing there to bind and occasionally give a soft strike.

 

[mark-hunter]

Roger, copy that!

 

[shootist~]

I suggest pulling the bolt apart and checking the firing pin, looking for debris in the firing pin channel, or even a broken firing pin. Something is just not adding up, IMO, so assume nothing...My $.02, anyway.

 

[R.M.C.]

So far, two of us, we had 100% coincidence, on our sample!

I saw it happen once with my buddy Kyle shooting a Smith and Wesson (howa 1500) . He was trying to kill a big tom turkey in my parents hay field with several witnesses. Needless to say the Click!! was met with snickers from the crowd, and more than one person asked if the gun was loaded. The primer had a dent in it, no idea why it didn't go off. It did on the second try. He immediately took the rifle to the local gunsmith and he found nothing wrong with it. Hasn't happened since lol

 

[mark-hunter]

To conclude my safari story from year 2022.

I had trophies shipped home by dip and pack some 6 moths after the hunt, and further to that, it took some 9 more months to complete taxidermy works.

I made steenbok and waterbuck shoulder mounts, and Eland made in Euro scull mount.
Eland is simply too big to make shoulder mount at my limited space at home, but since I am planning to make hunting and trophy room, I also took a cape, and and tanned the eland skin. This will be saved for later to eventually make eland shoulder mount.

Eland scull came broken, so I had to glue together the parts, then I mounted on the plaque and fixed on the wall (DIY job), shoulder mounts made by one of the best taxidermists in the country.

To cut the story short, here are the pix.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

To conclude my safari story from year 2022.

I had trophies shipped home by dip and pack some 6 moths after the hunt, and further to that, it took some 9 more months to complete taxidermy works.

I made steenbok and waterbuck shoulder mounts, and Eland made in Euro scull mount.
Eland is simply too big to make shoulder mount at my limited space at home, but since I am planning to make hunting and trophy room, I also took a cape, and and tanned the eland skin. This will be saved for later to eventually make eland shoulder mount.

Eland scull came broken, so I had to glue together the parts, then I mounted on the plaque and fixed on the wall (DIY job), shoulder mounts made by one of the best taxidermists in the country.

To cut the story short, here are the pix.
View attachment 565279View attachment 565280View attachment 565281

Hey, these are actually pretty classy looking @mark-hunter

 

[mark-hunter]

Thank you hunter habib!

 

[mark-hunter]

Hey, these are actually pretty classy looking @mark-hunter

What I try to do, is to have a stock of spare plaques same type, three sizes.
They are made in a simple manner, then varnished.

Complicated plaque with engraved oak leaves, branches and other details are nice, but if I cannot find the plaque from same maker, then next one will be different.
Such plaques are unique, and I want them all to be the same and uniformed on the wall.

I have seen too much of trophy rooms, with mix of plaque types, and sometimes it looks chaotic to the observers eye

So, I try to have all plaques the same, and this style of plaque anybody can make, it is "repeatable in production.

When my stock is emptied, I can easily get identical ones, and then to varnish them.

You see, below plaque is nice, but also unique. If I have this type on the wall, and try to find exactly the same one 10 years later it would be simply impossible. So I went to simple plain style.

 

[cpr0312]

Not sure how I missed this report, but congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[DieJager]

Very nice Mark, they came out really nice.

 

[Scrumbag]

Looking great, Marko!