Just got back from another safari with Magnus Crossberg and Ranchero Safari's. This hunt was special as it was with 3 other veterans. It was a 8 day hunt focused on plains game, though 1 vet decided to harvest a cow buffalo too. The main concession is about 30 miles from the corner of Botswana and Zimbabwe. In addition to hunting we had the chance to visit Mapungubwe National part that is absolutely infested with elephants coming from neighboring Botswana. Last year I visited Krueger at the tale end of my hunt. Strong suggestion for anyone would be is to take the time to visit a park if possible. It's just a amazing experience you shouldn't miss.
I was concerned with the full moon but we all did good. The game movement was surprisingly ineffective as we were all into animals every day. The brush seemed more like June than late April which made things a little easier. I harvested; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. My weapon of choice was a 30-06 (my first big game rifle) that I purchased from Montgomery Wards in the mid 80's. This rifle has special meaning to me as I've harvested some many animals with it early in my hunting career. Ammo was Barnes TSX 180 grain. The Barnes ammo didn't perform well on the smaller game, the bullets had zero expansion on a shot through the shoulder of the Impala and Blesbuck. On the Waterbuck, Gemsbok and Wildebeest I had proper expansion and quicker kills with the same shot placement.
Highlight of the trip with the Gemsbok. The area I was hunting them in was incredibly thick and it was serval days of "cat and mouse" before I could put it together. Before I did we had a close encounter with a heard of Buffalo. My PH and I were tracking a small herd of Gemsbok and walked right into a heard of Buff bedded down. There wasn't any incident but finding yourself in the bedroom of 20 Buff's was EXHILARATING for sure! After 3 days we came across two bulls at 200 yards. I only had a split second and put a round downrange at the moment I heard "ta" of my PH saying "take him". I saw the bullet hit his shoulder with a big puff of dirt and the round hitting on the other side of him. We got on blood immediately but quickly ran out of light. Between that, the Buff and the terrible tracking conditions, we decided to pull out and come back at first light. We've all had those long nights.
We came back at first light and I swallowed hard. The tracking conditions went from bad to unreal. The ground was like rock and the blood trail was extremely spotty. The saving grace was one leg was dragging. The tracker Jan was just unreal from there. Words can't explain how difficult this trail was and how unbelievable Jan's skills were. We eventually got through the hard pan and into more sandy terrain, and the blood trail got better. Right about the time we hit more hard pan, Jan pointed ahead. I knelled down and put one through him as he stood quartering away. That was it. My first shot from the evening before was low, front shoulder. I'll never forget the tracking job Jan performed.
For Ranchero (you can find them at Hunting Limpopo South Africa too) They are a 3rd generation family outfit. The accommodations are nice, food is phenomenal and quality of game is fantastic. What's best is the family vibe. You are the only one's in camp regardless of size. You feel welcome as soon as you set foot in camp. Everyone works hard for you. They are just the type of people you want to be around. For me, it's a perfect fit.
I was concerned with the full moon but we all did good. The game movement was surprisingly ineffective as we were all into animals every day. The brush seemed more like June than late April which made things a little easier. I harvested; Waterbuck, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Blesbuck and a Duiker. My weapon of choice was a 30-06 (my first big game rifle) that I purchased from Montgomery Wards in the mid 80's. This rifle has special meaning to me as I've harvested some many animals with it early in my hunting career. Ammo was Barnes TSX 180 grain. The Barnes ammo didn't perform well on the smaller game, the bullets had zero expansion on a shot through the shoulder of the Impala and Blesbuck. On the Waterbuck, Gemsbok and Wildebeest I had proper expansion and quicker kills with the same shot placement.
Highlight of the trip with the Gemsbok. The area I was hunting them in was incredibly thick and it was serval days of "cat and mouse" before I could put it together. Before I did we had a close encounter with a heard of Buffalo. My PH and I were tracking a small herd of Gemsbok and walked right into a heard of Buff bedded down. There wasn't any incident but finding yourself in the bedroom of 20 Buff's was EXHILARATING for sure! After 3 days we came across two bulls at 200 yards. I only had a split second and put a round downrange at the moment I heard "ta" of my PH saying "take him". I saw the bullet hit his shoulder with a big puff of dirt and the round hitting on the other side of him. We got on blood immediately but quickly ran out of light. Between that, the Buff and the terrible tracking conditions, we decided to pull out and come back at first light. We've all had those long nights.
We came back at first light and I swallowed hard. The tracking conditions went from bad to unreal. The ground was like rock and the blood trail was extremely spotty. The saving grace was one leg was dragging. The tracker Jan was just unreal from there. Words can't explain how difficult this trail was and how unbelievable Jan's skills were. We eventually got through the hard pan and into more sandy terrain, and the blood trail got better. Right about the time we hit more hard pan, Jan pointed ahead. I knelled down and put one through him as he stood quartering away. That was it. My first shot from the evening before was low, front shoulder. I'll never forget the tracking job Jan performed.
For Ranchero (you can find them at Hunting Limpopo South Africa too) They are a 3rd generation family outfit. The accommodations are nice, food is phenomenal and quality of game is fantastic. What's best is the family vibe. You are the only one's in camp regardless of size. You feel welcome as soon as you set foot in camp. Everyone works hard for you. They are just the type of people you want to be around. For me, it's a perfect fit.
