Great Hunt with Louis and Juan at Spiral Horn Safaris

Outfitter: Sprial Horn Safaris
Spiral Horn Hunting Safaris South Africa
Location: Limpopo province/ mile from Botswana border
PH: Louis Van Bergen/Juan Booyse
Dates: August 31 – September 9, 2010
Hunt: Whatever and relax
Game Seen: Roan, White Rino, Sable, Tessebee, Impala, Blue Wildebeest,Waterbuck,Zebra, Giraffe, Eland, Kudu, Gemsbuck, did I leave anything out????
Game Taken: Tessebee, Zebra, Giraffe,impala
Rifle used: Sauer 200 9.3x62, Blaser R93 308
Optics: Leupold 1.5x5 illum, Swaro AV 4x12

Ahh, this hunt started awhile back. I had planned on hunting with Louis and company June 2009, well best laid plans were shot to hell. My 2009--in short SUCKED!!!! In June my sister-in law was DX with breast cancer (none in their family history,my wife helped with her treatment all summer). Then in Septmeber my mother-in-law was hit head on in a car accident, it broke 32 bones. Then in October my wife was DX with stage IIA breast cancer, my life was pretty low!



I had been in contact with Louis on a daily bases as he had become a close friend. He said take care of your family and the hunting will be waiting for you. I have always wanted to hunt the "brush country" of Africa as it would have a different feel than the east cape.

In June of this year my wife treatment had gone well and she got her first cancer free report, she said get out of here and go hunting your driving me crazy. So a short phone call later to Louis at Spiral Horn, and a call to Delta and I was on my way to Limpopo.

Louis and crew picked me up at the airport and everything went smooth. I had my camera bag stolen in the police office in the airport so pic's this time are a little thin.

We awoke the next morning after a nice meal and stay at Du Du lodge

And off on Spiral Horns Piper 6. It is very comfortable and made a 4hr drive into a 50 min plane ride. Spiral Horn also has a Cessna Caravan at their disposal so larger groups (up to 6 per charter) can be taken care of also.

Little view out the window!



I got the next morning started with a grand Tessebee hunt. Lots of fun on a neat amimal. Shot a really nice bull, I'm very proud of him. He was old and worn down.



My PH Juan and I hunted very hard. It was starting to get hot and the animals were holding up. We had many stalks that ended up with nothing, but how much more fun could you have!!!!

On the 3rd morning our hard hunting paid off with a toad of an impala. I did not even tape him. He is ALOT bigger than anything I have ever shot.



Louis place has tons of good impala. It was nothing to see 6-10 really good rams a day, just getting them is another story!

I hunted for Blue Wildebeest until I was blue, but did not put one in the salt this trip. Juan and I did run into a beast of a Zebra the last day and I could not resist another rug. Let me tell you this guy was tough!!!!!!





We saw a ton of game, on Louis personal farm and on the consessions he hunts around him. We saw Sable, Roan, Buffalo, and Rino. It was just a really fun and relaxing time.

Sable in the shade, its getting hot!!!!



Roan! Hey maybe next time!!!!



Some views looking out into Botswana!



Nice sundowner with the sunset!



Just wanted to say thanks to Louis and Juan making this a great hunt, and to my wife and 2 year old daughter for making me a happy dad!!!!



I also need to add that the pool at Louis place is very, very cold at 11:00pm at night after losing a bet! I need to become a better gambler!

Ed

Excellent report Ed! Sounds like another great hunt with Spiral Horn. Nice work on the tssessebe. Makes me want to go back tomorrow!

That is a excellent tsessebe, impala and zebra!!! Glad you had a great time! And best of luck to you and your families health!

I can't stop looking at that impala. What a monster.

Tom he is a very, very,appealing impala--nice and wide!!!! Juan (Badger) gave me the green light, he did not think twice when he saw it. I hate to admit the other two rams in that bunch looked just as good, but Badger knows best

He almost looks like an East African Impala...that big. Love the width and height.

Fantastic trip! Very nice animals you took. Really love that impala, a once in a lifetime ram for sure! Thanks for sharing.

Congratulations on the great hunt, an outstanding impala and most importantly, your wife's cancer free report. Things are looking up all the way around and she is obviously a very understanding lady.

thread

Hi Ed

Thank you for a wonderful hunt I am very much looking forward to meeting your remarkable wife next year.

Ed I would hope you learnt not to make any bets with a guy on his own farm LOL if not you can just go swimming again it’s up to you LOL.

Thank you for a great time!

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen

505ED
Congratulations. Nice report, good hunt and nice pictures despite losing your camera bag.
Regards,
Popo

505ED ~ Thanks for sharing your hunt report and some great photos - congrats on the beautiful trophies. Best to you and your family!

Ed,

Thanks for sharing the hunt report & the excellent trophy photos, congratulations!!! the impala is a monster .... Louis is a great PH & a friend ... All the best wishes to your family & you .........

Monish

Ed,

First and foremost, I'm glad to hear your wife is doing better. Hope the same goes for your sister-in-law and mother-in-law - may God watch over them and that beautiful daughter too.

Also, thanks for sharing your story, that impala is a real monster, he is an awesome trophy.

nd