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I'm booked for June 2012 to hunt planesgame with Mr. Nolte in Namibia and was wondering if anyone here has hunted with him before?
I'm trying to get an impression on what the area is like, what I can expect in the way of shot distances, and just your overall impression of his operation. This will be my first trip to Africa. The animals on my wish list are Kudu, Gemsbok, Eland, Zebra, Waterbuck, and Blue Wildebeest.
Thank you.
Master Blaster,
I hunted with with Nick back in 2008, and he is a class act. His camp has a comfortable bungalow with ensuite shower. Food is home cooked simple, but excellent fair. He hunts a variety of areas depending on what animals you are after. If you can walk and shoot straight, he will put you on your wish list of mature animals. The mountain zebra is probably the only area you will have to do any climbing, and it is totally worth it. He may be hunting additional areas now, but I am sure you will have a great time. It is a great choice for you first safari.
Good luck.
Thanks for the feedback Rich. Do you think there's a realistic possibility of getting a Kudu, Eland, and Gemsbok on a 10 day hunt there (provided I do my part on the shooting end)?
MP, I hunted plains game and a leopard with Nick and Isabel in 08 and am taking my spouse with me on a return trip this June. Hunted the Caprivi for buff last year, but with Nancy coming along wanted to be certain of a comfortable camp with a great PH. Nick and Isabel are simply wonderful people; they also employ some terrific young PHs. You will be hunting the heart of cattle ranch country and will have an excellent chance to take a really superb kudu. The Omaruru area is one of the few places where you can hunt free range Hartman zebra in their native habitat. It is a great hunt, though as Rich notes, you will have to climb some.
Red Leg, thank you sir for the info.
MB-
Hunted with Nick this year. Just got back in late May. I had Leopard, Kudu, Oryx, Springbuck, Hartman's Zebra, and warthog on my list. I originally had also wanted Impala, Wildebeest, and Eland as well but changed my mind once I got there for those animals. The Impala and Wildebeest are only available on high fenced ranches (I wanted only freerange animals) and the Eland I ran out of time for. Eland are a very tough trophy to obtain with Nick if you want to hunt free range animals only.
This was my first trip to Africa to hunt but I have done plenty of other hunting before. I felt that my experience was good. Accommodations were nice...bomas with thatched roofs and ensuite bathrooms. Very nice to stay there for your hunt. Food was simple but good. You'll eat game every night (mostly Oryx) unless you request different. I tried their free range grass-fed beef while I was there and that was good too...In addition vehicles, hunting areas, trackers, skinners, housekeepers, laundry, etc were all excellent.
Of my animals on my wishlist, I shot a huge Oryx (they are everywhere in almost annoying quantities), monster Springbok (maybe one of the largest in Namibia this year), very nice Hartman's stallion, very big warthog (also everywhere), and shot a very old and beautiful Red Hartebeest (not originally on my wishlist but they are gorgeous animals and a fairly tough trophy to obtain - mine was a great hunt). I did not get a Kudu...Nick said I was the first client he's had (ever?) to not get a Kudu when I was specifically after one. I did have a very brief chance to shoot one that was prob 48-50" but he was running and only stopped for about 1 sec and I did not get off a shot. I saw a handful of shootable bulls but nothing spectacular and nothing where I had a decent shot attempt. I think Nick was almost as upset that I didn't get a Kudu than he was that I didn't get a leopard. He was genuinely upset. Rabies has hit Namibia VERY hard and seeing large bulls now is not a given. In fact, seeing many bulls at all is not a given. I was hunting in the thick of the Kudu rut and had real trouble finding animals. If the rabies keeps up for another year or two, either trophy fees are going to skyrocket or there may not be many Kudu to shoot regardless of the trophy fee. I was pretty disappointed, to say the least. Oh well, now I have an excuse to go back.....!! ha ha.
There were a handful of minor-moderate complaints that I had while I was there. Some of these were in Nick's control, some were not. I wish I had some additional experience in Africa to compare this to, but I don't. Overall, I loved my African trip. I'd love to go back sometime in the future. I would probably hunt with Nick again, depending what was on my trophy list. Have a great time and take lots of pics.
CB
Chirurg
Welcome to AH and it sound like you have a good to great time...
If you have some time maybe you could start a new thread about your hunting trip with some trophy pictures.
Please go to the outfitter section on the title bar and fill out a report for your PH for future hunters to review....
Again welcome to AH and may you have some fun...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chirurg
Sorry to hear about the Rabies outbreak still killing kudus in Namibia. When I was there in 2008 they said that 2007 cleaned a lot of kudus out. That sucks for the hard core kudu hunter!
Returned Friday from two weeks with Nick and Isabel Nolte in Omaruru. Nick is, in my opinion, one of the two or three best leopard men in Africa today. He has taken four cats already this year (his 75th total) and would have five had a client not blown a daylight shot. This was my second hunt with him in the last three years and I would recommend he and his camp to anyone without reservation. The Orango Mountains area has indeed been hit by disease among the kudu, but most clients who wanted one have been successfull. Apparently one failed to connect this year after pulling the trigger on an an empty chamber. I did not shoot a kudu, but only because I couldn't find one to beat the 57 I already have - tough chore for anyone. We had a 54/55 practically walk across us. I did shoot an SCI gold medal Oryx among other game. Nick and Isabel are a great location for plains game, and maybe the best spot in southern Africa to mix plains game with a high percentage for a cat with spots. And did I mention, they are wonderful people.
Thanks for the hunt report Red Leg, I appreciate the feed back! Congrats on the Oryx!
I hunted with Nick in 2008 and it was very good. Got a terrific gemsbok and hartebeest, and a decent kudu. The only thing I didn't get was an eland. I did an 8-day hunt.
I can't beleive it's been a year already. In 10 hours I'll be on my way and I'm coming out of my skin!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterBlaster
Good luck and have fun. Make sure you post a description of your hunt when you get back!
Chirurg
What Red Leg said. He is one of the best 2-3 leopard men on the continent. You will have a better chance at a cat with him than almost any other PH. Ans Isabel is a doll!!
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Hope the photos make it- The Cheetah came out 20 yds in front of us running down a small cow kudu. It killed 6 sheep the day beforehand. He was then removed from the gene pool
All of the comments are on the right track. Wonderful people and great hunting in the safest most beautiful country in Africa. Been hunting and visiting Nick and Isabel for 20 years now. 1st or 20th safari you will enjoy your time with them.
Master...How was your hunt? Let us know....
Chirurg