SOUTH AFRICA: Fantastic First Safari With Russ Field Safaris

[srmealman]

In July my father and I went on our first African safari with Russ Field Safaris, and it was an incredible experience. We bought the 10 day spiral horn hunt on an auction supporting the Wounded Warrior Fund. We spent 5 days hunting in the East Cape on some of his sole use properties, and then we traveled to the Karoo and hunted for 5 day. When we first arrived Russ had some business in Mozambique so we fell under the care of his PH Lance Charles.

Lance did an exceptional job and worked very hard to get us our trophies. I believe that a great hunting experience is a well rounded trip with good people and has little to do with inches of your trophies. Lance took time to explain the regions we were in talking about the different plants and animal species and really helped us create a fantastic African experience. .The way that Russ and his wife Caroline run their safari operation is top notch. I have been very fortunate in my hunting career hunting with outfitters from Argentina to the Northwest Territories in Canada, and I can honestly say I have never had a better experience than with Russ Field and Lance Charles.

With Lance and Russ's hard work we got lucky and ended up with some trophies we were very proud of.

East cape Kudu

Cape Bushbuck
























Steve Mealman

 

[messmate]

Some nice trophies there Steve...sounds like you you had a ball and great you could do it with your Dad....should remain vivid in the memory bank.

 

[Nyati]

Thanks for the report, congratulations for the nice trophies on a family hunt, which will be unforgettable.

 

[srmealman]

Yes it was pretty incredible...Africa is my blood. So much so my father and I are going to Namibia next year for more plains game fun, and Mozambique in 2013 for Buffalo, Crocs, Hippo, and plainsgame.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Thanks for posting your hunt report and pictures Steve, always good to hear these words "fantastic African experience"...

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Well done smearlman! The bushbuck was my favorite of your pics. It seems if I'm not mistaken your Winchesters served you well. What calibers were you two using? I'm guessing one was a .375, but not sure of the other.

 

[srmealman]

Phil, thanks the Bushbuck is my favorite too. We were putting ona stock for a zebra and happened upon him. I had already taken a pretty good Bushbuck on the first day of our safari, but when I saw him I couldn't pass him up. It one one that Russ our PH said "if you don't shoot him I will you don't see Cape bushbucks like that much".....So I took his advice and never regreted it.

The Winchester worked very well. I was shooting a Model 70 Super Grade .338 Win Mag and my Dad was using a Model 70 .375 H&H Safari Express. We both used BarnesTXS bullets and I never found a bullet I had 100% pass thru on all my animals.

Here are a few more picture







Steve

 

[Bobpuckett]

Steve Sounds and looks like you had a great time glad to hear you and your father had good luck.

 

[enysse]

Congrats, I really like your cape bushbuck too. Glad you had a great trip!

 

[RickP]

I just stumbled onto your report.......

We hunted with Russ' outfit about a year ago for the second time and I hunted with Lance a lot. It was a great time and I too really enjoyed hunting with him. He wasn't afraid to cover miles of ground on foot in an attempt to get a trophy, and since you were in the Eastern Cape, you know how challenging it could be especially for a flat-lander like me.