SOUTH AFRICA: A Month In Limpopo

[SFRanger7GP]

South Africa, 12 May – 10 June 2022

Part 1: Flight prep; departure and return

I am going to break this trip report into 5 parts. Part one will cover travel, kit used and other common items. 3 parts will be for the 3 different outfits and areas we hunted and part 5 will be a summary and lessons learned. We had purchased 2 of these hunts at DSC 2020 and then the world was shut down. The other hunt was an added-on bonus. We decided to stay a month and do all 3! The rains continued abnormally late for this time of year. The bushveld was still very green and thick making the hunting much more challenging.

Pre-flight, and flight: I went to Alliance airfield outside Fort Worth to get our new CBP 4457 forms signed. The agent was friendly and professional. We did our own travel arrangements with Qatar on their website. Three weeks prior to our flight, I sent copies of passports, CBP 4457’s and ammunition calibers and weights to their special services team via email and they responded in 2 days. When we arrived for our flight, the check in representatives had all our paperwork and were ready to receive us. After getting checked in, Qatar escorted us to TSA where our firearms were checked. TSA was friendly and professional. While boarding at DFW and later in DOHA, Qatar representatives informed us that our firearms and luggage were onboard. We were in a Q-Suite on all legs of our journey and Qatar’s inflight service was 5 stars. There is a reason they receive so many awards.

Arrival JNB: We arrived at JNB. We were asked for proof of COVID vaccinations or test. When we showed our CDC cards the official asked if we had an electronic copy. I showed the electronic copies (with QR codes) on my phone, he said thank you and we were waived through to immigration. Nobody asked for any covid tests or vaccination proof after that. Everyone was friendly and professional, and we had no issues. At luggage, an official picked up our rifle case and told us he would meet us at the police office He asked our names and said Gilbert from Africa Sky was at the office to clear our firearms. We went to the police office and Gilbert cleared our firearms quickly and took us to Africa Sky where we spent the day and that night to recover a bit from jet lag.

Departure and return: We stayed at Africa Sky the night before we returned. We did our covid tests online the day prior to our flight. We took a printout of the test results when we checked in. It did not have a QR code, and it was looked at once by the girl that was checking us in. No one else asked to see it. I had sent our firearms information to Qatar special services about 2 weeks prior to our departure. They responded in 2 days and had my paperwork ready when we arrived at check in. As we know, South Africa made this process more drawn out and complex than normal, so we just smiled and waited patiently. There were no issues and they thanked us for not bringing back brass and ammo. (???) After check in, Gilbert from Africa Sky escorted our firearms through security. Qatar informed us our firearms were on board prior to take off at JNB and Doha. When we arrived at DFW, we got the big X on our Global Entry receipts. The CBP officer asked if we knew why, and we told him we were returning with our rifles. He secured our passports in a plastic box and told us to clear customs in line 2 after we picked up our luggage. A luggage worker picked up our rifle case and escorted us to clear customs. It took all of 5 minutes to clear. All CBP agents were friendly and professional. No issues with any immigration, customs, airline or “covid police” officials throughout our journey.

Kit used:
Rifles:
Rigby Big Game in 416 Rigby with Leica 1-6x24 Amplus 6i optic in Recknagel QD mounts. (me)
Rigby London Best in 275 Rigby with Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 optic in H&H QD mount. (her)
Ammunition:
416 Rigby Barnes 400gr TSX factory ammo (for buffalo and giraffe) 20 rounds
416 Rigby Barnes 350gr TSX handloads (for other plains game) 30 rounds
275 Rigby Norma 170gr handloads, 60 rounds

Other:
Leica 10x42 Geovid range finding binoculars
Leica 8x20 Ultravid black leather
Leica 8x20 Ultravid pink leather
Trader Keith cotton rifle slings on both rifles
Dick Murray leather: rifle shell holders and ammo belt
Rigby skinning knife
Victorinox Swiss army outrider knife
SKB Rifle case for travel
Red Oxx rifle slips
Rifle Cleaning Kit consisting of 1 piece rod, bore snakes, brushes, optic wipes and brush, Rem oil wipes
Boots: Courtney Selous, 5.11 AT Boots, Merrell Moab woman’s
Boyt canvas gaiters
African Sporting Creations 3-piece shooting sticks

 

[shotgungibbs]

Looking forward to hearing it all! Thank you for posting.

 

[Doug3006]

The Rigby is gorgeous! Your kit is proper. I can’t wait to hear about your safari.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Part 2: Berchtesgaden Safari Game Ranch Vaalwater Limpopo
https://berchtesgaden.co.za/ & www.pioneersafaris.co.za

We began our safari with Johannes and Anneke Kleinhans at their safari camp, Berchtesgaden Game Ranch just outside Vaalwater in the malaria free zone of Limpopo. Many consider Limpopo to be one of the hunting gems of South Africa. They picked us up at Africa Sky. Martin Snyman was the PH and Terrance was the tracker. We had hunted with Martin in the past and developed a lasting friendship. When we last hunted with Martin, Terrance’s father was our tracker down in Kwa-Zulu Natal. It was very special to see the lost art of tracking being handed off from father to son. Martin is a PH in Mozambique, but he is also part of the Kleinhan family. He had told us about Johannes and Anneke opening a hunting lodge and asked us to come hunt with them and he would be our PH. We had met Johannes and Anneke before and knew them to be a lovely couple, so coming to their lodge was an easy decision.

Berchtesgaden is a beautiful camp that has individual chalets for guests, a main lodge with bar/social area and dining room, as well as an onsite spa. There is a swimming pool and gymnasium as well. Berchtesgaden is a modern and comfortable lodge that maintains the “safari look and feel”. This is a great destination for families, especially families with children. The lodge sits on approximately 1100 acres, but they have access to other properties, several of which they have exclusive hunting rights. We hunted on the lodge property as well as others ranging in size from 3000 – 7500 acres. The farthest was about a 30-minute drive and the closest was directly across the road from the lodge.

We hunted hard and were rewarded with 5 beautiful trophies. The cold, the rain and the thick bushveld made us work for every animal. I won’t turn down an “easy” trophy, but it sure feels better when you work hard for it. On an easy day we walked 5+ miles and 1 day was just over 10 miles. I would like to share a few special stories of our hunting here.

A story I read in “African Outfitter” magazine turned on my interest to hunt giraffe. We hunted giraffe for 2 days before I was finally able to earn this beautiful, old, bull. How can an animal this size suddenly disappear in the brush never to be seen again? How can you not see to make a shot on an animal this size, less than 50 yards in front of you?! I would have never dreamed hunting a giraffe could be this challenging. After bumping him a couple times, we finally got in close enough to confirm this is the one. From a hidden position in the brush, Martin told me “This will go fast. I am going to step around this bush and set up the sticks. He is facing us trying to figure out where we are. You have 2-3 seconds to put it in his chest.” He made his move and I got on the sticks and put the first shot in his chest crease. His knees buckled and he back up, recovered and started walking away. I never shoot and then observe my handiwork. If it is safe to shoot, I continue shooting until the animal is down. Having said that, I put another shot through the forward part of the shoulders which made him stop, so I put a third shot slightly below the head into his neck. That great sadness and joy that only a hunter can understand spread over me as I watched him fall. This special memory will be with me forever and his last great act on this earth was to provide healthy, organic protein for many people.

My wife wanted a blue wildebeest. We got on a nice, old bull one early one morning and we were soon able to set up the sticks for a close range shot through a hole in the brush. He was facing us with a clear view of his left shoulder and his body angling to our right. The wife and I have a system that most people find amusing. She gets on the sticks, and I move close so I can coach her in Spanish and translate instructions from the PH. She speaks English but is much more comfortable in Spanish, especially when nervous. At the shot, he dropped and immediately got up and did the classic, stiff shoulder-raised leg move and ran away. Me, the PH and the tracker all congratulated her and walked to where he was hit. There was blood and we immediately picked up a clear trail of foamy, pink blood and pieces of lungs. He should be right here….just a little further….lots of blood….what the hell? Easy tracking, he is walking, stumbling and bleeding hard. Where is he? How much blood can he have left? After a couple hundred yards, 2 other sets of tracks joined his and sign showed he was moving faster. Terrence looked around and said he is hit very hard, but he is being pulled by two younger bulls now. We may have a to walk a little longer and the brush is thick (understatement of the day). Maybe we should call the truck to pick up Mama while we sort this. Side note: In Spanish, couples often use names such as Mama/Mami/Mamita and Papa/Papi/Papito as terms of endearment in everyday communication. Everyone from PH’s to trackers and lodge staff picked up on that and started calling her “Mama”. Mama told me, “No, Papi, I started this. I am responsible so I must see this through to the end.” I was so proud of her.

We bumped him several times but could not get a shot as he took us on a tour of the thickest areas of the 4500-acre property. We spotted him laying just inside the edge of a small, open field but before we could get a shot, he again disappeared. I later realized that was one of 5 open fields in all of Limpopo. There was lots of blood and lung pieces where he had been laying. Terrance lost the track in the tall grass but picked it up quickly and it led down toward a small stream. Terrance believed the bull was going to drink and lay in the mud. He wanted to sneak in alone to spot him and then bring us down by the best route. He was gone about 10 minutes when we heard him shout and the bull came busting out of the brush about 50 yards away and came trotting toward us. He was snorting blood from his nose and his left side was covered in blood. I put the rifle on the sticks and told Mama “matalo (kill it)”. He saw us, turned and started running across the small opening. Mama told me to put him down, so I put 2 shots in him before he bulldozed his way into the bushveld and collapsed. We ran forward to see he was finally down and finished. Almost 8 hours and 7.2 miles after the first shot.

Mama was very happy but sad as well. She said this is all my fault, I shouldn’t have taken the shot. Martin explained to her that the bull had a mortal wound but obviously didn’t agree. It did not help that we pushed him hard early, and he joined up with 2 young bulls. There was no way the truck was getting closer than 400 yards and dragging him out would require tremendous effort. It was decided to dress him out and break him down where he fell. This would also allow us to show Mama the results of her first shot. Terrance said he had left his knife roll on the truck, so I tossed him my Rigby knife. Martin was hesitant but I insisted that it is to be used. It performed well. The 170gr Norma oryx bullet from her 275 Rigby broke his left shoulder, destroyed a lung and then exited about midway back and down on his left side. It had sliced his liver open and left about a 4” gash on exit. We put sticks through the holes from my two shots (one high shoulder and last in the neck) to follow the bullet trails. We wanted her to see her shot was good. Up to this point, she had an unbelievable 14-year streak of “bang-flop” kills. She passed the test no hunter wants but will eventually have to face.

We killed 3 other beautiful trophies. One was an ancient and almost toothless zebra mare. The 350gr Barnes TSX bullet exited breaking both shoulders. I had never seen a zebra drop so fast. The other 2 was a white blesbok killed at just over 200 yards and an impala. The blesbok appeared to be wounded and we later saw he had an old bullet wound high on his shoulder. We worked hard for a few other animals, but we just couldn’t make it happen.

We never go just to hunt. We always do other activities and the Kleinhans were happy to organize a tour day for us as they offer an extensive list of other activities. We spent a day at an elephant reserve and a rhino reserve. Great experience that allowed interaction with the animals. At both preserves, the teams explained to visitors how hunting is a big part of conservation. The Kleinhans are great hosts and will make you feel relaxed and comfortable from the moment you arrive. If you are looking for a place to take your family, you cannot go wrong with Kleinhans and Berchtesgaden. My words cannot do Berchtesgaden justice, so please visit their website and feel free to contact me if you have further questions.

https://adventurewithelephants.co.za/

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Part 3: Kuche Hunting Safaris, Ellisras/Lephalale Limpopo, South Africa
http://kuche.co.za/

I bought a rifle from JD Outfitters in Oklahoma a few years ago. When I bought the rifle, he said he was throwing in a surprise and hoped I would use it. Well, I was surprised. There was a certificate for a hunt with Kuche Safaris. I had never heard of Kuche Safaris, but we were wanting to hunt the Limpopo area. Some quick research revealed they are a solid outfit. We met the owner/outfitter, Koos De Meyer and his lovely family at DSC and hit it off. We decided to hunt buffalo as well and planned our trip with them. The pandemic postponed everything. Koos and I stayed in contact, and we were finally able to put it together for this year. Koos’s son, Kobus and another PH, Kevin, picked us up at Berchtesgaden and brought us to the Kuche Safari Lodge. They would be our PH’s for this portion of our adventure.

The lodge has several private rooms and cabins as well as small and large dining areas with bar and social area in the large dining hall. We were in one of the cabins and it was nice and cozy which we really appreciated with the cold and wet weather. There were several other groups of hunters in camp. We had never been in a hunting lodge that had a lot of people. Normally, it is just us. I am happy to say we thoroughly enjoyed it. Every evening we got together and shared stories and made new friends. We especially enjoyed hunters that were on their first safari sharing their stories. With a large camp, you would expect a bit of chaos. However, this camp is run like a smooth, military machine. The family, PH’s and staff provided excellent attention the entire time. We never lacked for anything or felt like “a number”. We felt like we were at a big, family reunion where all the family are hunters and huntresses. All the PH’s that we had contact with were very professional and friendly gentlemen. We were quite impressed. The Chef Roberto and his assistants provided excellent and plentiful meals daily and the recipes paid great respect to the venison.

We hunted areas between 2500 and 50000+ acres. The late rains made the hunting very challenging as the bushveld was still very green and thick. We were fortunate to kill 7 beautiful trophies and I will share a few stories with you.

I met my PH’s early the first morning to hunt buffalo. Mama was fighting a cold, so she stayed in our cabin. Kobus was the Primary dangerous game PH; Kevin was assisting and filming, and Andres was the tracker. I learned through many people that I was with a legendary tracker, and it was an honor and pleasure to watch him work. As we were finishing our morning coffee, Kobus asked what I most wanted in a buffalo. I said old and big boss. Also, I let him know if we get on a good bull, I will not turn it down because it is day one. The property we were hunting was 10,000+ acres. We drove the roads looking for a good track and found the tracks of what Andres said was a big, old bull. We stayed on him for over 7 miles. We were as close as 15 yards from him once and under 40 yards a couple times but just could not make it happen. After bumping him several times, he joined up with some zebra and then another group of buffalo before we decided to let everything settle down a bit. We took a well needed (for me) late lunch break before getting back on the track. An hour or so into it, we came upon a small group of bulls and Kobus told me one is very nice. They disappeared in the thick brush, so we started on the track. Kobus told me they are very relaxed now and should be heading for water so let’s go forward and ambush them on a trail leading into the water hole.

We moved into position, I got on the sticks, and we waited. Kobus explained to me that he would make a call to stop him and tell me where to put my shot. Suddenly buffalo appeared, mostly young bulls and cows, passing by us on their way to water. What seemed like an eternity (probably 10 minutes or so), the bull we were after appeared. Kobus told me to put it on his shoulder when he stopped him. As soon as Kobus did the classic “Braaah!” call, he stopped, and I sent a 400gr Barnes TSX into his shoulder. I quickly reloaded ready to send another and was told to wait as another bull had come up beside him. He took a few slow steps and stopped facing away from us. Kobus told me to send another, so I held at the base of the tail and sent a round into his spine, dropping him instantly. A short moment later, I was overwhelmed with joy and sadness as he let out his “groan of death” and expired. Several buffalo came out of the brush, gathered around him and attempted to pick him up. An old cow in the group spotted us and was greatly annoyed by our presence. She made a few advances towards us as the rest of the group continued trying to revive my bull. The driver had been called to bring in the truck. As he came in, everyone made noise and as the truck moved slowly forward, they all faded back into the brush. I could finally touch my first buffalo.

I hunted for a couple more days by myself as Mama recovered from her cold. I shot an old bushbuck ram, a nice impala and got blown out a couple times by a much larger impala ram. After Mama’s wildebeest experience, I very much wanted to get her a “confidence target”. She was still shaken and was even asking should she use my 416 instead of her 275. I told her she is a great shot and her rifle is more than up for the task. She was ready to go so the rest of the hunt was for her. Kevin was the PH now and with his knowledge and patience, Mama was feeling confident. After a couple of days of blown opportunities on impala, blesbok and warthogs (her favorite animal to hunt), we finally got her on a nice impala ram, and she made a quick kill at about 80 yards. After taking pictures and calling the truck to pick up the ram, we decided to keep hunting as we were seeing lots of game movement. Later that morning, we spotted the big impala ram that had got away from me. Mama got on the sticks and made a spectacular “bang and drop” kill on this big, old ram at around 100 yards.

The next day, we had an open dance card, so we went out looking for blesbok, zebra and the ever-elusive warthog. Mama had pointed at a warthog mount on the wall in the dining hall a couple days earlier and told Kevin she “wanted one like that”. He had around 10” of tusk sticking out. Kevin laughed and said I hope we can find one like that! That morning we tracked and bumped and trailed blesbok the greater part of the morning until we finally got Mama on the sticks for her to take a nice ram. After a quick lunch, we went looking for zebra and she kept asking about a warthog. Late that evening while trying to set up for a shot on a zebra in a herd that had been frustrating us all day, the tracker, Opakie, sets up the sticks for Mama. She gets set up on the sticks and I get ready to coach her onto the target. Neither of us can see a zebra and Kevin is whispering excitedly in Afrikaans. I look to Opakie and he signals directly in front of us. I look down and see a huge warthog head with sabers sticking out both sides not more than 20 yards in front of us in the tall grass. I quickly tell Mama to look down as Kevin blurts out in English “In the face, Mama!” She immediately squeezes the trigger and the warthog is instantly dead with a shot “in the face”. As we walk towards him, his tusks continue to grow. We were all elated and cannot believe the luck we had to find this huge, 12” tusker.

Kuche Hunting Safaris is very active in the conservation shows and graciously provides a lot of donations. If you are thinking about hunting in Limpopo, do not hesitate if you get an opportunity to hunt with them. They have access to a lot of large properties that have plenty of excellent trophy quality animals. They will definitely provide a great safari in a family friendly environment. Talk to them at DSC or some of the other hunting shows that they attend and feel free to contact me if you have questions.

 

[Red Leg]

South Africa, 12 May – 10 June 2022

Part 1: Flight prep; departure and return

I am going to break this trip report into 5 parts. Part one will cover travel, kit used and other common items. 3 parts will be for the 3 different outfits and areas we hunted and part 5 will be a summary and lessons learned. We had purchased 2 of these hunts at DSC 2020 and then the world was shut down. The other hunt was an added-on bonus. We decided to stay a month and do all 3! The rains continued abnormally late for this time of year. The bushveld was still very green and thick making the hunting much more challenging.

Pre-flight, and flight: I went to Alliance airfield outside Fort Worth to get our new CBP 4457 forms signed. The agent was friendly and professional. We did our own travel arrangements with Qatar on their website. Three weeks prior to our flight, I sent copies of passports, CBP 4457’s and ammunition calibers and weights to their special services team via email and they responded in 2 days. When we arrived for our flight, the check in representatives had all our paperwork and were ready to receive us. After getting checked in, Qatar escorted us to TSA where our firearms were checked. TSA was friendly and professional. While boarding at DFW and later in DOHA, Qatar representatives informed us that our firearms and luggage were onboard. We were in a Q-Suite on all legs of our journey and Qatar’s inflight service was 5 stars. There is a reason they receive so many awards.

Arrival JNB: We arrived at JNB. We were asked for proof of COVID vaccinations or test. When we showed our CDC cards the official asked if we had an electronic copy. I showed the electronic copies (with QR codes) on my phone, he said thank you and we were waived through to immigration. Nobody asked for any covid tests or vaccination proof after that. Everyone was friendly and professional, and we had no issues. At luggage, an official picked up our rifle case and told us he would meet us at the police office He asked our names and said Gilbert from Africa Sky was at the office to clear our firearms. We went to the police office and Gilbert cleared our firearms quickly and took us to Africa Sky where we spent the day and that night to recover a bit from jet lag.

Departure and return: We stayed at Africa Sky the night before we returned. We did our covid tests online the day prior to our flight. We took a printout of the test results when we checked in. It did not have a QR code, and it was looked at once by the girl that was checking us in. No one else asked to see it. I had sent our firearms information to Qatar special services about 2 weeks prior to our departure. They responded in 2 days and had my paperwork ready when we arrived at check in. As we know, South Africa made this process more drawn out and complex than normal, so we just smiled and waited patiently. There were no issues and they thanked us for not bringing back brass and ammo. (???) After check in, Gilbert from Africa Sky escorted our firearms through security. Qatar informed us our firearms were on board prior to take off at JNB and Doha. When we arrived at DFW, we got the big X on our Global Entry receipts. The CBP officer asked if we knew why, and we told him we were returning with our rifles. He secured our passports in a plastic box and told us to clear customs in line 2 after we picked up our luggage. A luggage worker picked up our rifle case and escorted us to clear customs. It took all of 5 minutes to clear. All CBP agents were friendly and professional. No issues with any immigration, customs, airline or “covid police” officials throughout our journey.

Kit used:
Rifles:
Rigby Big Game in 416 Rigby with Leica 1-6x24 Amplus 6i optic in Recknagel QD mounts. (me)
Rigby London Best in 275 Rigby with Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 optic in H&H QD mount. (her)
Ammunition:
416 Rigby Barnes 400gr TSX factory ammo (for buffalo and giraffe) 20 rounds
416 Rigby Barnes 350gr TSX handloads (for other plains game) 30 rounds
275 Rigby Norma 170gr handloads, 60 roundsView attachment 474230View attachment 474231View attachment 474232View attachment 474233View attachment 474234View attachment 474235View attachment 474236View attachment 474237View attachment 474238View attachment 474239View attachment 474240View attachment 474241View attachment 474242View attachment 474243View attachment 474244View attachment 474245View attachment 474246View attachment 474247
Other:
Leica 10x42 Geovid range finding binoculars
Leica 8x20 Ultravid black leather
Leica 8x20 Ultravid pink leather
Trader Keith cotton rifle slings on both rifles
Dick Murray leather: rifle shell holders and ammo belt
Rigby skinning knife
Victorinox Swiss army outrider knife
SKB Rifle case for travel
Red Oxx rifle slips
Rifle Cleaning Kit consisting of 1 piece rod, bore snakes, brushes, optic wipes and brush, Rem oil wipes
Boots: Courtney Selous, 5.11 AT Boots, Merrell Moab woman’s
Boyt canvas gaiters
African Sporting Creations 3-piece shooting sticks

Your spouse's rifle is simply exquisite.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Your spouse's rifle is simply exquisite.

Thank you. It was her 20th anniversary gift and Marc did an outstanding job for her.

 

[WAB]

They do build a lovely rifle!

 

[MarkB]

I knew I was going to enjoy this from the opening para, your kit and breaking story down into parts, we called squads. Your rifles and kit are exquisite, the report is great but best of all is how lucky you are to have a spouse along who enjoys and participates on a team safari. Your a lucky man. I look forward to reading more.

Thanks

MB

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I knew I was going to enjoy this from the opening para, your kit and breaking story down into parts, we called squads. Your rifles and kit are exquisite, the report is great but best of all is how lucky you are to have a spouse along who enjoys and participates on a team safari. Your a lucky man. I look forward to reading more.

Thanks

MB

Thank you for your kind words.

 

[Nyati]

I have to confess I am really jealous for that warthog

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Excellent posts. I'll be hunting with the folks at Kuche Safaris next summer with a buddy or two.

 

[chashardy]

Great reports and very nice animals! I also hunt with the Rigby Big Game, 416 Rigby, and will be packing it for a trip to Limpopo in 10 days. I have hunted near Lephalale several times.

 

[kudukid]

You got some exceptional trophies- but that warthog is right up there. Well done to you and Mama

 

[gillettehunter]

I am enjoying your hunt report. You have taken some nice trophies. That warthog is fantastic. Congrats to "mama"!
Bruce

 

[Rickmt]

Great hunt and a killer warthog ! I’m jealous

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Part 4: Quagga Safari Company, Manketti Game Reserve, Lephalale Limpopo South Africa
https://quagga.co.za/

During the 2020 DSC life member breakfast, my friend and PH, Martin Snyman and I were at the bar drinking our breakfast when a donation hunt with Quagga Safari Company was announced by the auctioneer. Martin told me “Larry, I know Clara is wanting to hunt sable. Quagga is famous for big sable bulls and a luxurious lodge. You need to get this.” When the gavel fell, I was the happy buyer of a gracious donation for 2 hunters that included 2 sable bulls. As we all know, the pandemic shut down the world. Erik Visser, the owner/outfitter, and I kept in contact, and we were finally able to complete this adventure.

We met our PH Etienne in Lephalale, and he drove us to the main safari lodge which is situated on the 56,000-acre Manketti Game Reserve. The first day we were given a tour of the luxurious, five-star lodge and settled into our chalet. That evening we did a game drive to see some of the vast area we would be hunting. Mama and I knew getting a big sable bull would be a difficult but rewarding challenge.

Our focus was for each of us to get a big sable bull. Thanks to our PH Etienne’s and his tracker’s skills, hard work and patience, we got that and more. After a couple of 6+ mile days tracking through the thick bushveld and me missing an easy shot, we found a bull laid up in the brush late one afternoon. That morning, I had missed an easy shot. I was embarrassed and am still flogging myself mentally as I made a rookie mistake. I looked at this beautiful beast too hard, lost focus and forced the shot. Thankfully, it was a clean miss. When we got on him again that evening laying up in the brush, I felt St. Hubertus and the hunting Gods were all smiling on us. Etienne set up the sticks and we patiently waited what seemed like 2 days (about 15 minutes, I think) for him to stand up. He stood up and after one 400gr Barnes TSX through both shoulders, my dream sable bull was down.

Mama could not believe the beauty and size of these gorgeous animals. She asked Etienne if her 275 was big enough and he assured her it was perfect. She was nervous but ready, and now it was her turn. Early one morning, we spot a big bull laying down. It seems like she is getting a replay of my hunt minus the initial miss! She gets on the sticks and again, we wait what seems like forever for him to stand up. He stands up and there is brush covering the shoulder. He takes a couple steps and disappears into the brush. Mama looks at us frustrated and desperate and says she did not feel comfortable to shoot without a clear view of his front leg and shoulder. Mama is a great shot but if she does not feel comfortable, she will not take the shot. Also, her view at 5’ above the ground is much different than my 6’ view. I always try and see from her level, but this frustrates some guides and PH’s. Not Etienne. He said better to not take the shot if you don’t feel it. Mama says to me in Spanish “I lost my chance. In this terrain I will never get another opportunity like that.” I tell Etienne and he says, “Not a chance; we will find you a nice bull”.

We got on another bull later that morning but again, he disappeared into the thick bushveld. After one of Lucky’s excellent lunches, we headed back out that afternoon. Etienne said he thinks we should take a quick look where we had seen the big bull that morning. As we cruise that area looking for tracks, we spot a sable moving slowly but steadily through the brush. Etienne says “Let’s go! I think I know where he will cross the trek so we can get a shot.” We get dropped off and he sends the truck away. We move quickly along the trek until Etienne stops and sets up the sticks. He says “Let’s all get in a tight line here. He will cross, stop to look and we will have about 3 seconds”. I whisper to Mama and she starts her breathing exercises to calm herself down. We hear brush cracking, and an eland bull comes out and quickly moves on. Moments later we again hear the brush cracking and this time it is very close. Suddenly it happens; no more than 20 yards in front of us, this elegant, beautiful beast appears. He slowly turns and starts walking away from us. Etienne is providing support for Mama’s shooting arm and calmly whispering instructions that I translate. At about 50 yards. He stops and slowly turns around as if he is trying to interpret what he saw when he first stepped out on the trek. As he stops and presents the perfect broadside shot, Etienne whispers, “take him” and I repeat “matalo”. The 275 cracks and he takes the classic “heart shot” leap into the bush and goes down. Mama almost collapsed from nerves and joy as we all congratulated her. That moment is burned into our minds for eternity.

perfect heart shot

We spent our remaining days touring the Manketti reserve and looking for warthogs or zebra. We saw a few but it just didn’t work out. The last evening, I sat on a waterhole with PH Herman hoping for a big warthog that had been seen in the area. A nice boar came in right before dark. He wouldn’t meet Mama’s standard for a warthog, but he was a nice, big, old boar. I dropped him with the 416 and as me and Herman whispered about going after the zebras we could hear barking close by, a nice female warthog came in and stopped close to the boar. We decided to keep the couple together.

The lodge is five stars, and the food and attention are outstanding. We cannot say enough good things about the hospitality of Eric and the Quagga Safaris family or the exquisite cuisine and contagious happiness of the Chef Lucky. Even with all of this, we still had no doubts we were in Africa. Everything from plains game to buffalo walked within a few feet of our chalet regularly and we saw fresh leopard tracks every day we were out hunting. We even saw hippos in our soup.

Lucky made edible bread warthogs for me; just like the pair I killed!

Mama with her edible sable

Hippo in my soup!

Please visit the Quagga Safaris website, go see them at DSC or SCI or contact me if you have questions.

 

[pamtnman]

Fabulous, thank you

 

[Desperatezulu]

What a superb series of hunts! Thank you for supporting 'our' hunting operations! And thank you for sharing so eloquently and generously.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!