wiltznucs
AH senior member
Here’s my report…
A first timer to Africa. Along with me was my wife and two children.
I traveled to Johannesburg on June 17th using the new United Airlines route flying directly out of Newark, New Jersey. Our flight originated out of Tampa and overall was pretty uneventful. The only delay we ran into was a large number of people who had not filled out South Africa’s pre-arrival Covid screening information. The South African site was down and it set our departure back for nearly an hour from Newark. United would not let you board without the confirmation number given by the SA govt site.
Upon arriving to Johannesburg; we made it through the airport without incident. From gate to car in 20 minutes. We stayed at the African Sky Boutique Hotel and they also handled our gun import permits and escorting us through the airport. I give them my highest recommendation. Beautiful place, amazing food, very friendly.
Travel from Johannesburg to the Limpopo area was also uneventful minus a few obligatory roadblocks.
Upon arrival to the Limpopo we met Ken and Virginia Moody and the hunt begin in earnest the following day. My PH was Jannie Nel, my tracker Hans is also a licensed PH so I had a great team.
For this hunt I had booked a seven day cape buffalo hunt as well as building in three additional days for plains game. My “wish list” was Buffalo, Kudu and Sable as my primary targets.
The first seven days of the hunt were committed entirely to Cape Buffalo. The Limpopo concession is quite large and the Buffalo are very much wild.
The terrain there is generally flat or gently rolling hills. Sandy/Rocky soil with waist high grass and scattered dense Mopane thickets. I’m told that the thickets were unusually thick due to some recent rains for my hunt. Water was also in abundance which made patterning from water sources tough too. The Buffs really set up camp in a several square kilometer section that was thick, thick, thick. You could be 30 yards from the Buffs and not even see them. No roads into or out of the block. Made for a lot of walking.
We got into Buffalo on both day one and day two; however, we managed to get busted due to swirling midday winds. Fresh spoor was expertly tracked by Hans. Luck just wasn’t going our way. Day 3, 4 and 5 were rough. The full moon had the Buffs going to water at night and finding fresh spoor proved very difficult. When we did it wasn’t very fresh. We pushed the herd for several hours each day and just never caught up to them.
Day 6 we caught a glimpse of a herd of Bulls at first light and the chase was on. We bumped them three separate times including a late encounter where I didn’t have my gun on the sticks. A positively massive bull at 15 yards. I’ll be honest; after 6 days and laying down lots of shoe leather I was pretty dejected after this encounter. It felt like I might have blown my opportunity. Alas, we still had time.
Day 7 we found the Bulls again. Same story as the early hunts. Blown chances due to changing winds. Hours of stalking for not.
For Day 8 we decided to roll the dice and chase plains game. The Bulls were clearly
cagey from being pressured and we wanted to let them relax. We found my Sable at midday. One shot at 150m from the 300 Weatherby and we were finally on the scoreboard.
Day 9 we found a solid Nyala. 60m shot from the 300 and he was stone dead. The Kudu’s just weren’t cooperating. We saw a few; but, nothing that was mature.
On Day 10 we decided to chase Buffs again. Luck finally went our way. Steady winds, we found them early and got ahead of them. The first Buff appeared at 20 yards. Jannie said to wait for the 2nd Bull. He stepped out but was obscured by the first. The first bull stepped forward and the 2nd turned to give me a quartering toward shot. At 10AM the big bull I encountered on Day 6 was down from a single shot from my Heym 450/400 NE. The Hornady DGX severing the aorta and both lungs. He piled up less than 50 yards from where he was shot.
Vital statistics, 43 7/8” wide. 16 1/2” across the bosses.
That afternoon we decided to chase a zebra. Found a gorgeous one and it in the salt by 5PM.
So I left with two thirds of my “wish list” including an amazing Buff plus a Nyala and Zebra.
That works; the kudu gives me reason to go back again.
I’d give Ken Moody Safari’s my highest recommendation. I’ve hunted throughout the Americas and the experience was beyond compare. We were genuinely treated like royalty. The whole team was warm and receptive to children which really made the experience all the better. The food was amazing and the camp life was fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better group. My PH Jannie is among the most likable people on the planet. Hans is out of this world. I’d have no reservations about using them again.
While on my trip RSA did return to Level 4 lockdown. I would like to take this opportunity to alleviate the concerns hunters may have about this. Obviously, the lockdown is not good. Many businesses are closed. We did not have any issues traveling back-and-forth between Limpopo and Gauteng (Johannesburg). Covid testing was quick and easy. As part of the Level Four lockdown there’s absolutely no alcohol sales whatsoever. There are certainly some black market opportunities; however, perhaps passing through your duty free on the way to RSA is a good idea if you want an alcoholic beverage.
A first timer to Africa. Along with me was my wife and two children.
I traveled to Johannesburg on June 17th using the new United Airlines route flying directly out of Newark, New Jersey. Our flight originated out of Tampa and overall was pretty uneventful. The only delay we ran into was a large number of people who had not filled out South Africa’s pre-arrival Covid screening information. The South African site was down and it set our departure back for nearly an hour from Newark. United would not let you board without the confirmation number given by the SA govt site.
Upon arriving to Johannesburg; we made it through the airport without incident. From gate to car in 20 minutes. We stayed at the African Sky Boutique Hotel and they also handled our gun import permits and escorting us through the airport. I give them my highest recommendation. Beautiful place, amazing food, very friendly.
Travel from Johannesburg to the Limpopo area was also uneventful minus a few obligatory roadblocks.
Upon arrival to the Limpopo we met Ken and Virginia Moody and the hunt begin in earnest the following day. My PH was Jannie Nel, my tracker Hans is also a licensed PH so I had a great team.
For this hunt I had booked a seven day cape buffalo hunt as well as building in three additional days for plains game. My “wish list” was Buffalo, Kudu and Sable as my primary targets.
The first seven days of the hunt were committed entirely to Cape Buffalo. The Limpopo concession is quite large and the Buffalo are very much wild.
The terrain there is generally flat or gently rolling hills. Sandy/Rocky soil with waist high grass and scattered dense Mopane thickets. I’m told that the thickets were unusually thick due to some recent rains for my hunt. Water was also in abundance which made patterning from water sources tough too. The Buffs really set up camp in a several square kilometer section that was thick, thick, thick. You could be 30 yards from the Buffs and not even see them. No roads into or out of the block. Made for a lot of walking.
We got into Buffalo on both day one and day two; however, we managed to get busted due to swirling midday winds. Fresh spoor was expertly tracked by Hans. Luck just wasn’t going our way. Day 3, 4 and 5 were rough. The full moon had the Buffs going to water at night and finding fresh spoor proved very difficult. When we did it wasn’t very fresh. We pushed the herd for several hours each day and just never caught up to them.
Day 6 we caught a glimpse of a herd of Bulls at first light and the chase was on. We bumped them three separate times including a late encounter where I didn’t have my gun on the sticks. A positively massive bull at 15 yards. I’ll be honest; after 6 days and laying down lots of shoe leather I was pretty dejected after this encounter. It felt like I might have blown my opportunity. Alas, we still had time.
Day 7 we found the Bulls again. Same story as the early hunts. Blown chances due to changing winds. Hours of stalking for not.
For Day 8 we decided to roll the dice and chase plains game. The Bulls were clearly
cagey from being pressured and we wanted to let them relax. We found my Sable at midday. One shot at 150m from the 300 Weatherby and we were finally on the scoreboard.
Day 9 we found a solid Nyala. 60m shot from the 300 and he was stone dead. The Kudu’s just weren’t cooperating. We saw a few; but, nothing that was mature.
On Day 10 we decided to chase Buffs again. Luck finally went our way. Steady winds, we found them early and got ahead of them. The first Buff appeared at 20 yards. Jannie said to wait for the 2nd Bull. He stepped out but was obscured by the first. The first bull stepped forward and the 2nd turned to give me a quartering toward shot. At 10AM the big bull I encountered on Day 6 was down from a single shot from my Heym 450/400 NE. The Hornady DGX severing the aorta and both lungs. He piled up less than 50 yards from where he was shot.
Vital statistics, 43 7/8” wide. 16 1/2” across the bosses.
That afternoon we decided to chase a zebra. Found a gorgeous one and it in the salt by 5PM.
So I left with two thirds of my “wish list” including an amazing Buff plus a Nyala and Zebra.
That works; the kudu gives me reason to go back again.
I’d give Ken Moody Safari’s my highest recommendation. I’ve hunted throughout the Americas and the experience was beyond compare. We were genuinely treated like royalty. The whole team was warm and receptive to children which really made the experience all the better. The food was amazing and the camp life was fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better group. My PH Jannie is among the most likable people on the planet. Hans is out of this world. I’d have no reservations about using them again.
While on my trip RSA did return to Level 4 lockdown. I would like to take this opportunity to alleviate the concerns hunters may have about this. Obviously, the lockdown is not good. Many businesses are closed. We did not have any issues traveling back-and-forth between Limpopo and Gauteng (Johannesburg). Covid testing was quick and easy. As part of the Level Four lockdown there’s absolutely no alcohol sales whatsoever. There are certainly some black market opportunities; however, perhaps passing through your duty free on the way to RSA is a good idea if you want an alcoholic beverage.
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