SOUTH AFRICA: Hunting Kwalata

MikeCon

New member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Media
9
Articles
1
Hunting reports
Africa
1
Well I never thought I would go to Africa, I just started hunting 3 years ago. My wife just finished her Masters and we decided to go to Africa. I told her I would go If I can hunt (She also likes to hunt). I was not sure we could afford the hunt but then got in the mail a coupon to visit Africa from CostCo of all places. The price was half as much as I thought.

As fate would have it, that same day I saw Colorado Buck's show about hunting in Africa at a place called Kwalata. So I contacted them. Jaco Strauss, my PH, got back to me with pricing on a plains game hunt. I then realized that I could hunt 5 plains game for the same price as 1 ELK out west and I didn't have to do the drawl. It was a no brainer for me - minus the thought of that very long flight.

Jaco gave us the best time of year to come and that is September. As it turns out, we were the only one's there in camp that week. I do use the term "camp" loosely because it was more like a hotel and it seemed like we had a private staff of 12 or more just for us. It was a great experience over all and after 2 weeks it was more like leaving family then leaving a hunting camp or hotel.

One thing I learned from my first hunting outfitter was to get references and I did. I also joined SCI and went to a few meeting which was great because many of them knew and hunted with Jaco both at Kwalata and other places in Africa. It was also great because I learned so much about the trip and what to be prepared for - as much as you can.

I can't say enough about this and will probably write more about each hunt but. But our first night was amazing because we saw kudu and Wart Hogs eating about 20 yards outside our room.

The first full day we were exhausted but we went to the range sighted in our gun and went out to get a kudu - the first thing on my list. This was not included in my package but I really wanted one. Of course if we saw something else, we would go for it. We spotted lots of animals but not a kudu in the morning. We came back for lunch, took a much needed nap and went out again. The second half of the day was awesome. If you want the type of hunt where you just shoot of the back of a truck then you don't want to hunt with Jaco. It is a physical hunt. We drove to the top of some hills, got out, left our packs and started walking the mountains (so much for flat plains game). The tracker, Willie - best eyes ever, stayed in the jeep. We hiked for a few hours and saw a kudu on top of the next mountain. He had his head back and we didn't think he was a shooter. We walk down that hill and around to the other side and back. We were total exhausted (some from jet lad but mostly as we learned later the altitude), dripping with sweat and you can see that in the picture. Jaco turned to me and said, we should get off this mountain because it is going to get dark really fast.

Just as he said that we turned and saw the kudu who had been watching us for the last few hours. Only now he was looking down at us from 350 yards away and we all noticed he was a shooter. As I said, I had only been hunting for 3 year and my longest shot was probably 75 yards (no long shots in VA). So we made a plan to get down this mountain and go into the ravine between the two mountains and behind a big pile of rocks. Now we are shooting up the hill, 250 plus yards and a straight on shot. The picture is still seared into my brain of the sun setting and this very old kudu looking down on us. I started to over think, since this was going to be my longest shot to date - I have take longer later in the trip. Jaco put me at easy very quickly and said, take the shot; it's your first day and if you hit it great if not we go home and try again tomorrow. I said ok and pulled the trigger. Perfect shot and it went straight up in the air. Less than 24 hours in Africa and I shot my first kudu - Now to find it.

Since it was starting to get dark, we split up and found it very quickly, the only issue is now it's getting really dark and all 3 of us left our flash lights in the truck. We radioed for Willie and had to keep using the flash of the camera so he could find us. Did he bring flash lights - no he brought toilet paper???? More on that later.

We left Willie and the kudu there and started walking in pitch black dark for about a mile to the road - not bad for the first 24 hours in country. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

watermark.php
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mike welcome to the sight I am sure other regulars will jump in here as well, to welcome you! Thanks for being so kind and I really look forward to hosting you and Nancy again in 2013.

Will see you in the US again next year.
My best always.
 
Welcom to the forum Mike, you will love it here. Looks like Jaco came through again...:)
 
Mike welcome to AH! You picked a great guy in Jaco. Enjoy the the sight and can't waiting for the rest of the story........
 
RickB, thanks for the compliment.
As always my best
 
Mike Welcome to AH! I'm Glad your trip was a success and Jaco proved to be a fine host and PH, Great Kudu can't wait to hear the rest of the story. Toilet paper???
 
Well the second day we woke up very tired but ready to start the day's adventures. The best part of every morning in Kwalata other than the much needed coffee was jumping into the truck with my buddy "Binga" only 11 months old and we got to see him learn to be a great tracker just during our trip. Binga and I kept each other warm on the very cold morning heading out on the hunt in the back of the jeep.

We scouted around all morning to looking for our next trophy and were heading back for lunch and all the sudden Willie stopped the jeep and said something to Jaco who then turned to me and said grab your gun and "Lets go have a look" this meant the hunt was on. Nancy & Willie stayed in the jeep and Jaco and I did our shortest stock - About 50 yards.

He set up the sticks and we both glassed Jaco looking at our next target and me just looking at trees. He told me to get on the sticks and guided me where to look. He said, "Follow that tree that looks like a Y and look just to the left? Okay, now what? Do you see it and I said Yes, I see a bunch of grass? Keep looking. This went on for what seemed to be 15 minutes. Jaco finally said, okay I am going to get to move be ready and he made a noise. Then I was just a little tip of whit move in the grass - a tusk and that is all I saw and I kept loosing it in the grass. Meanwhile I am thinking, how the hell did Willie see this thing 50 yards away, WHILE driving?

Jaco made it move again and while looking through the scope, I could see what I thought was an eye so I said to Jaco, do they have eyes like a elephant or something. I was not 100% I was looking at an eye. He said yes, shoot between them. I said I don't see them just one eye, the left I think and one tip of the tusk. Jaco, said yep, shoot between them and so I did. Got him just under the right eye, no tracking needed - I like this African hunting :). Take some pictures and off to lunch.

I do have to add that Jaco turns from an aggressive hunter to photographer director after the hunt. He starts looking at light, the back ground and even taught us how to use our own camera. It was funny to see the change and see him start to look around to find the perfect shoot once he finds the animal.

watermark.php
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wecome to the forum Mike, seems like you had fun with Jaco !

Very nice kudu.
 
Beautiful kudu!
 
Thanks on the Kudu and yes we had a great time with Jaco. I tried to put a picture of the Warthog & bing in the last post and for some reason it put antother picuter in there so here they are.

watermark.php


watermark.php
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nice Warthog I love hunting them things there so dang ugly you just got to love'm.
 
Welcome to the forum!
Very nice Kudu and Warthog:)
 
Welcome to AH Mike! Thanks for the hunt report and nice to hear that you had a great experience hunting with Jaco.
 
Mike agressive hunter.... maybe!!! professional photographer...well that would be pushing it!!!.

My best always.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,633
Messages
1,131,624
Members
92,723
Latest member
edwardsrailcarcom00
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top