Thanks for posting all the great pictures...love the sable...but like PHIL the tahr hunt looking like you "earned" him...probably a very rememorable experience! And I would gladly shoot any cape buffalo that looks like yours...very nice!
Enyess, thanks for the positive comments.
Your absolutely right about the Tahr, and anyone who hunts these animals in the terrain provided by the West Coast of New Zealand will earn their Trophy.
This is a hunt I reccomend you do with "young" legs and strong lungs !
The Sable is not a particularly large Trophy, but I am very happy to have him.
The buffalo's Trophy size to me is irrelevant, the hunt experience will live with me as a memory, forever, and is more valuable to me than the size of the horns.
None-the-less, he's a good bull.
A few pics of my coues deer from southern Arizona in 2008 .
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12465&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12466&size=1
Thanks , your very close , it was in the 36's but not B .
My son Chad and I were taking a lunch break after a morning of hard work on the ranch.
We have a feeder set up about a hundred yards from the house so we can watch the deer and anything else that decides to come in.
We had just sat down to eat when I looked up and there is a whole pack of hogs under the feeder. Chad jumps up, grabs the gun and BOOM! One less pest on the ranch.
We decided to let it lay until we finished our lunch and had just sat down when I looked up and there they are AGAIN! Chad once again, grabs the gun and BOOM. One more pest gone.
Now, everyone is always talking about how smart hogs are but I think this bunch was playing hooky on the "if you hear a boom and one of your friends drops dead, don't go back" class, because believe it or not....they came back AGAIN! Chad grabs the gun (again) and now there are three pigs laying under the feeder.
I guess they finally decided this wasn't the best place for an afternoon snack and decided to move on. Leaving us to enjoy a nice, peaceful lunch without fiurther incidence.
Here's Chad with the lunch menu (Three little pigs)
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12467&size=1
Here's the best trophy I every was lucky enough to get with a kudu in the photo too.
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...011-kudu1.jpeg
Here's my best trophy again & her zebra:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...-zebra1-1.jpeg
My littlest:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...11-tiny-1.jpeg
My biggest:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...-eland2-1.jpeg
A pair of twins:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...-pumba1-1.jpeg
My favorite photo of the hunt I won last year with Leeukop Safaris PH Niel Uys:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...reedbokme.jpeg
A Nice Coulumbia Blacktail:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...11-bigboy.jpeg
My trophy & her trophy hartebeest:
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...1-harley1.jpeg
My final post hunt talk with Leeukop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyHnc8T2m0I
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12468&size=1
This bear was the first big game hunt that I ever went on out of state, or rather that my dad ever took me on out of state. It was awesome to have shared such a hunt with my father and I appreciate what he has done to get me into hunting. This hunt was done with dogs and we were looking for bear every day from dawn until dusk. After the 5 days of the hunt we had still not gotten a bear. Knowing we were scheduled to return for an antelope hunt later that year, the outfitter extended the hunt one day for free which I appreciate to this day. On the 6th day of a 5 day hunt, the dogs treed this beatiful color phase bear over a mile down a very steep canyon. This picture was taken in the mountains of New Mexico's Gila National Forest after we packed the bear out of the canyon. Sharing such a special bear over the view of the beautiful mountains with my father is something I won't forget.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12469&size=1
This antelope was taken on a New Mexico hunt that I took with my uncle, my cousin, and my dad. The family experience was terrific and we all took good antelope. I was the second to last to take a shot on this trip and passed multiple good bucks before I shot this one. He scored right around the 78" mark and as you can see was quite close to escaping onto property that we could not hunt. As one of the toughest animals I have ever taken, this big buck dropped on the first shot, got back up and dropped on the second shot and I had to put two more into him while he layed down before he finally expired (all vital shots believe it or not). Hard earned trophy on a great family trip.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12470&size=1
My first mule deer which I shot in Nebraska while hunting a cattle ranch owned by the family of my girlfriend at the time.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12471&size=1
My first "big" whitetail which I shot in Texas in November 2009. 140 class buck with both brows broken off. Not much to say except for how excited I was to have completed my goal of shooting a "big" whitetail...I now return every year because we all know goals like that are never complete for us hunters.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12472&size=1
The 11 point whitetail buck that I took in Nov 2010 on the exact same date as the 10 point from the year before. I consider this my "hard luck buck". A friend and I drove from Michigan to South Texas (30 miles from Mexico) for me to buy a new truck. From there, we rode 10 hours back up to North Texas to spend the evening in Fort Worth and check out the stockyards. While we were in Ft. Worth, one of the trucks was broken into and, by some miracle, they criminals left all my guns and hunting equipment and just stole some electronics. We then drove the 3 hours to where I would be hunting. On the 3rd day, I shot at a nice buck and just plain missed, we all do it eventually. This nice 11 point didn't show up until 5 and a half day through a 4 day hunt. Was a long process to get him but it pays to hunt with a landowner that wants you to get your buck!
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12473&size=1
Finally, I leave the best story for last. In Jan 2009, my father, a friend (Chad) and I traveled to a bowhunting only ranch in Texas. They were hunting hogs and I had paid for a multiple animal hunt. To say the least, the ranch was not as expected and the hunting was quite bad. Dad had to leave early and the guide decided to try to put me on a bison on the last day to salvage my hunt. This cow came into 18 yards and I put a perfect double lung shot on her and the arrow had full penetration. We found the good blood trail but decided to give it a few hours and follow up with dogs, just in case. To make a long story short, during the tracking we thought the dog bells were getting louder instead of quieter. Indeed they were as the hunters became the hunted although we did not see the bison on this encounter. When we did actually find her, as soon as the guide (who decided following up a full-grown bison only required a .30-30 with 3 shots...) shot, she charged but didn't get too close. We gave her a while longer and when we cam on her again it was dark. Chad and I were standing about 15-20 yards from her with lights waiting for the guide to shoot for what seemed like a half hour. After another poorly placed shot, she charged hard this time. All I remember is looking back and seeing the glare of her eyes not 10 feet away as we sprinted through the unfamiliar texas brush. The guide was out of ammo and left us in the dark while he went to get more. Needless to say, I made him follow her up and finish her off by himself after being shook up from the charge. After getting back to camp, the guide and ranch owner disappeared as Chad and I, two midwest deer hunters never having dealt with such a huge critter, were left with skinning and processing the bison by ourselves until 4 am. Lessons learned: do your research on your outfitters, call references, then call some more....and NEVER leave your carry guns at camp no matter what the ranch's firearms rules are ha.
Sorry for the long stories but I hope you all enjoy some of my most cherished hunting memories
Here are a few of my pictures:
Limpopo, RSA. Archery Kudu taken with Intrepid Safaris.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12474&size=1
My wife and I with a Red Hartebeest taken in Southern Namibia with Kum Kum Safaris.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12475&size=1
Old Bull Giraffe taken in South Africa with Intrepid Safaris.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12476&size=1
West Texas White-Tail Deer
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12477&size=1
Thanks! The longest was just at 53.5".
It is not the size of the animal that makes a hunt. I took this animal with my two Canadian friends and my best friend from high school. We have all known each other since we were toddlers. Our families have vacationed together and been very close since we were very young. This was our first hunting trip together. Our fathers took us along so that we could experience the most important part of hunting. Our fathers have hunted together for years and we never understood the wisdom they tried to share. With the smiles on our face we now know what they meant.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12478&size=1
A hunt in Africa has always been a dream of mine, and winning a hunt is probably the only way I would ever be able to go. Here are a couple pics of some of my trophies.
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...lber6ptab.jpeg
My only deer of the 2010 season, a lucky break allowed me a clean shot at this nice tall 6 point. Jackson County, MI
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...11-buck2a.jpeg
My first muzzleloading season buck taken December 13, 2009... a decent 9 point! Taken within 100 yards of the deer from this year shown above!
http://www.africahunting.com/attachm...gallery26.jpeg
My largest walleye to date. 10 lbs caught in the Maumee River in Ohio.
One of my most memorable trophies from my first African Safari this past May. 36" Cape Eland taken after 2 days of stalking. Truly an unforgettable experience!
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12143&size=1
Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
I'll put three pictures of what I did best hunts and has interesting stories.
The swamp deer and the rifle broken.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12479&size=1
That day was hunting with a friend who had never hunted, was his first time, after a good walk of 10 km we saw this beautiful animal in a dry swamp, went to my friend my rifle and he shot a few 100meters, and the shot will too bad, hitting a deer in the leg, shot in the rifle broke the firepin, grabbed the rifle and tried to shoot 3 times and could not, with not more seriously injured animal, the animal was already far away when I decided to take my revolver Dan Wesson 357mag one with only 2 "barrel and started a rapprochement, after 2 hours got a good position and shot a few 60 meters hitting the deer in the head and it came down, was a good hunt!
This was one of my most memorable hunts. I took this beautiful trophy on the last day of my hunt in 2009. I was hunting with one of my best friends and PH Chris VanderWalt at Imphofu Safaris. We took 9 trophies in 6 days and made memories of a lifetime.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12480&size=1
Here are the best pictures from our recent Cameroon Adventure with Mayo Oldiri Safaris. John McLaurin and I had a great time. John took a wide selection of animals with many of them ranking SCI Gold. Mike Currie was an excellent PH and the trackers were awesome. The selection of game was impressive and we had a great adventure.
This was my first adventure to Cameroon!!!
Kevin
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12489&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12490&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12491&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12492&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12493&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12494&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12495&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12496&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12497&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12498&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12499&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12500&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12500&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12501&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12502&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12503&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12504&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12505&size=1
The buffalo.
In 2006 he was hunting buffalo in Brazil was in August and was very hot the temperature was 45 degree C and was very dry, had a local guide who knew where the buffalo were going to drink water when the sun was so hot, it was 12 hours when we were looking for a shadow to rest and eat something, when I spotted about 200 yards a beautiful buffalo in a puddle of water about 100 yards got a good shot, and shot my 375, the shot was good over the animal ran for the tall grass, was very hot, and I are tired and hungry, began to trace the animal for more than three hours, seeing little drops of blood on the grass, suddenly the guide yells "Buffalo" and the animal a few feet hidden among small palm thorn, goes on attack towards me, quickly shot the animal a few feet and he stumbled and shot again then it dropped to less than 5 meters, this time the buffalo fell to the floor and I sat with my legs shaking.
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12481&size=1
http://www.africahunting.com/hunting...e=12482&size=1
It was a great hunt, and never hunted buffalo alone.