Sorry for the multiple posts of the same thing. I was having trouble getting the pictures in. Maybe the moderators can delete those extra posts?...
Gizmo is the tracking dog if you haven't figured it out.
To answer your question, we had an absolutely great hunt! It was our first time to Africa, so not much to compare to. It is so far over the top of anything we can do back home. We bought a package, added my wife, then 2 extra days. Some touring, and then let the PH know what our priority animals were but to feel free to point out any superb specimens of other species and we would do our best to aim well and squeeze the trigger.
We started out in the Baviaans River area which is Andrews home base and about a 2.5 hour drive from the Port Elizabeth airport. We were taken to the Cowie area for Zebra and Bushbuck but they also have other Species there as well. That is more of a jungle area and on the rainy side of the mountains. Then we also spent 3 days/2 nights in the Karoo or semi desert area and took 3 springbuck, Gemsbuck, Impala and Eland. I missed a nice Steenbuck there as well and we saw a few nice Kudu but were actually too close and they ran off before we could get a shot. It was early April so a lot of greenery everywhere. Our PH was Mark but we also met Tyson and both are good down to earth types and late 30's/early 40's. The guy hunting with Tyson was very successful as well. Mark had a 4 door pickup (Hylex) so could accommodate my wife and I together. Tyson had a 2 door Land Cruiser. These guys are fit and hunt hard but Mark was patient and made sure we were keeping up. Mark has a friend (Dave?) who also guides for Andrew who Mark highly recommended and commented he is a gadget guy and has everything, if you want that. Andrew was guiding another couple as they were return clients and I think requested him. As far as I know, the rest of the guides are younger fellows. Andrew is a great guy and had guided the other hunters to some superb animals, but he has a business to run so I don't think he can guide all the time himself. We were very pleased with Mark and I could also highly recommend Tyson as I really enjoyed his company in the evenings.
I'm sure if you are hunting Buffalo with Andrew in RSA, you will be going to his Greater Kruger area way up North and I believe he has a PH up there who specializes in the Buffalo hunts. That is a long ways from the Baviaans area. So you might be hunting the Umkomaas area for plains game? From what I heard talked about and the Trophies I saw other folks had taken from that area, there are very good Nyala and Greater Southern Kudu there. The Umkomaas is a 7 hour drive South to Baviaans, and the Kruger area looks about that much farther again North of Umkomaas... So unless you want to spend a lot of time on the road, you may want to hunt Kruger and Umkomaas and adjust your wish list accordingly. Andrew responds to email but if he is out hunting it may take a while. He seems to really want to please and I'm sure he will do what he can to accommodate your wishes, but I would suggest you explain the overall big picture, like times and general types of animals you want and any sightseeing you might be interested in, then let him give you more specific advice... Keep things open so he can advise without feeling pressure to offer something difficult to accomplish in the time allotted. I would think you would need an absolute minimum of 2 full weeks and 3 would be better to get to all his areas.
Bob
P.S. We booked through James Jeffrey and he was very helpful throughout. We had booked this before James became the official booking agent on here.
