SOUTH AFRICA: 1st Safari!!!!

[Guster]

Just returned home after my first trip to South Africa. Thank you Legelala Safaris!!!!
This trip exceeded my expectations.
Day 1, after a sleepless night. I was like a kid on Christmas eve, I was actually hunting in South Africa.
After a few blown attempts, we found this great Gemsbok
After a short stalk and the PH put up the shooting sticks, it was go time.I was shaking like a leaf and provided a warning shot, LOL. After attempting to regain my composure, I made a great shot and he only went 50 yards. Walking up to my first South African animal after years of reading magazines & watching hunting shows, brought a tear to this Canadian boys eye. Unreal trophy on my first day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The night on Day 1 , I may have over celebrated a little too much. But what a great feeling to have my first animal in the salt. this trip was 4 years of planning and was it ever worth the wait.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Beautiful animal! Your feelings mirror many others, including mine. Tell us you're not going back.

 

[TTundra]

Congrats! Sounds like it was everything you have been waiting for. Countdown begins to when you book your next trip

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the first hunt! My first animal is SA I also had the same types of feeling! We look forward to more of the report!

 

[CAustin]

Good looking trophy sir!

 

[Nyati]

Very nice Gemsbok !

 

[johnnyblues]

Congratulation's ,welcome to the addiction!

 

[Guster]

Day 2, we went and sat a waterhole and I had heard stories from my buddy about this old, smart Impala ram that would not commit to drink and I was very interested. We sat all morning with several other Impala's and birds coming for a drink . Around 1:30 and with the temperature at 30'C. He finally made an appearance but was very cautious and would not come in for a drink. After drifting in & out of the bush a few times and his need to drink finally won out. he approached the water and the rest is history. I now had my second animal on the ground

 

[Guster]

Day 3, found us in a different area in pursuit of Kudu, we hiked in what they called "Humble Mountain" all day and only found Kudu cows and calves. Near the end of the day we caught up to a good bull and with losing daylight quickly we just ran out of time. the morning of Day 4 we were back and were on tracks first thing in the morning and eventually found the bull and he was to0 young. We headed back down the mountain , when the tracker heard a Kudu bark, we started headed towards the sound and waited. Eventually we located a small group of cows & calves, but no bull. About this time we noticed a bull had stepped out of the brush up the mountain, we began glassing him and decided he was not what he were looking for. A few minutes later I heard " Brent, Sticks, NOW!!!!".
I turned and saw something I had waiting 25 years to see a big Kudu. So a round was sent from about 175 yards and we have hit!!! In the heat of the moment I attempted to send a second round, however I shot this time free hand and blow up a rock about 50 yards in front of the bull. And he is gone!!! After finding one small drop of blood, the tracker goes to work. I'm so impressed watching these trackers do their job. After a few tense moments , my bull is recovered. Now, I'm going to date myself. 25 years ago I was giving a VCR tape about hunting in Africa, and the one animal that stood out to me was the Kudu. Couldn't believe I had just taken a Kudu, I spent the next 10 minutes just taking it all in with this incredible animal. If I never shot another animal on this trip, this Kudu would be all I needed.

 

[Guster]

Congrats! Sounds like it was everything you have been waiting for. Countdown begins to when you book your next trip

2020 has been thrown around already

 

[Hogpatrol]

2020 has been thrown around already

Beautiful kudu. They scream Africa, don't they?

2020? Can you last that long?

 

[cls]

Congrats on a successful hunt, nice critters.

 

[BenKK]

Awesome kudu!

 

[MAdcox]

Love that Kudu!

 

[gesch]

It is quite hard to explain to people the experience. Thanks for your report.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Yup, nothing like a nice Kudu.
Congratulations.

 

[cpr0312]

Kudu of a lifetime there bud... congrats!!!

 

[Adrian]

Superb Kudu! Congratulations!
But I also like that Impala, wonderful old animal.
He might not have the length but those worn down horns tell a story. The right one to take.

 

[Ragman]

Awesome, awesome kudu!!! Congrats on a great hunt so far! And it's great to see a fellow MenOutdoors member on here enjoying Africa for the first time!

 

[Guster]

Day 6. We sat a different water hole with an abundance of baboons.
Sat for 4 hours with only Guineas keeping us entertained. Then around 11:30 we could hear baboons coming.
I have never seen an animal this tuned in to its surroundings. After several minutes of slow calculated moves, I was able to take a 75 yard shot on the big Male in the troop.Wow can they take a bullet.