HartzView Hunting Safaris
My wife Luann and I just returned from a trip to HartzView hunting safaris on a 7 day plains game hunt in South Africa and we both had an absolute blast! We are from the United States and I have hunted in several states and in Canada multiple times and the hunt at HartzView was the best hunting trip I have ever been on. The staff and the owners made you feel like a member of the family and your every need was taken care of during our safari. After hearing the horror stories from different people here in the states about African hunts gone bad I had concerns prior to arriving in camp, but soon realized that HartzView was a first class operation and when you were told something they made it happen.
Day 1:
We started out day one exploring the ranch and glassing game, with this being our first time to Africa we were fascinated with the African animals and the scenery. The first animals that were seen were a group of blue wildebeest on a ridge sky lined by the rising sun. We also saw giraffe, zebra, springbok, sable, warthog, and eland. After lunch Frank, our tracker spotted a large blue wildebeest bull that was very wide and we started out on our first stalk. To get the wind right we had to climb to the top of a ridge and make a wide swing to avoid spooking the bull, we proceed to a point overlooking the valley where the wildebeest bull should have been but were unable to spot him. We glassed for almost an hour and watched impala, warthog, and some small wildebeest but nothing close to the trophy quality available at HartzView so we contacted the truck who picked us up and were off again. We were heading back to the lodge just before dark and we spotted a large springbok in the brush and decided to attempt a stalk. We were close to the springbok several times but due to the thick vegetation never had a clear shot. We ended the day around a warm campfire with cocktail and a five star meal.
Day 2:
On day two we proceeded to the ridges and glassed the valleys for game, we saw numerous animals but nothing that was big enough to attempt a stalk. We were changing locations mid morning when Jacques turned and said baboon! He quickly had Joe stop the truck and Jacques said shoot if he sticks his head out of the canopy again. I had not seen the baboon but was ready to take the shot when he made the mistake of taking another look around, and with one shot my first African animal was on the ground! After taking photos we proceeded to the next area to glass and spotted a troop of baboons across the valley, after identifying the largest baboon Jacques set up the shooting sticks and I took the big male at 250 yards with one shot. After retrieving the big male and taking photos we loaded up the land cruiser and returned to the hunt. On our way back to the lodge for lunch a herd of impalas with one good ram crossed the road and proceeded up the hill into an opening approximately 125 yards away, the ram was quickly identified by Jacques and I took the shot. The ram bolted at the shot into the thick brush so we started tracking him and found him in a thicket, the ram was dispatched with another shot and the first trophy on my hit list had been taken.
After lunch we spotted a Gemsbok and attempted a stock but bumped him in heavy cover and did not see him again but spotted a heard of wildebeest. We stalked the wildebeest for several hundred yards and spotted a large bull. We eased into position on a ridge above the bull and Jacques set up the shooting sticks for the shot. At the shot the bull went down but soon got back onto his feet and took off. We went to the other side of the ridge and Jacques set up the shooting sticks again for a follow up shot. I settled the crosshairs on his shoulder and squeezed the trigger only to hear a click, the ammunition failed to go off and by the time I chambered another round the bull was on the move. Jacques and Frank tracked the bull to another thicket but I was unable to get another shot off. The remainder of the day was spent searching for the bull but we never were able to find him.
Day 3:
On day three right after lunch we started checking out water holes for zebras and found a large stallion with a group of mares at a water hole that was situated in thick cover. We attempted our first stalk but were unable to get into position to make a shot before the group of zebra's disappeared into the thick cover. Frank our tracker followed the zebra and we worked our way through a large group of eland and gemsbok undetected. We spotted the group of zebra numerous times but were not able to identify the stallion and set up for a shot so the stalk continued. We finally spotted the zebra across an opening in the brush and set up for the shot through an opening in the thick vegetation. When the stallion stepped into the opening a gemsbok moved into the shooting lane, finally the gemsbok fed past the opening and I was able to take the shot. Bullet, Jacques Jack Russell terrier took off at the shot and was on the trail of the zebra. Bullet quickly located the zebra and we set up for a second shot but the zebra went down and only one shot was required. We set up and took photos of our trophy and finished the day driving and glassing the ranch for game.
Day 4:
On day four after lunch Braam, the ranch owner, joined us and we decided to hunt springbok so we headed for the open pastures on the ranch to glass and find a mature ram. After looking at hundreds of animals a mature ram was located and we stalked to within 200 yards of the animal and set up the shooting sticks for the shot that went just over the rams back. The ram bolted at the shot and I thought that was the end of that hunt but Braam said we would be able to get back on him so we headed back to the truck and drove to the heard. We spotted the mature ram with a group of smaller rams on the fringe of the heard and started stalking them on foot again. We managed to get to 182 yards and set the shooting sticks up for the second shot at the ram. The second shot was good and the ram only ran a few feet before going down for good. We made it to the ram just in time to see the hair on his back stand straight up, and to smell the sweet honey like aroma that the springbok emits. We set up and took photos and headed out to drive and glass the ranch. Just before dark we spotted a good kudu bull on a ridge and Frank, Bullet, and I headed out to try and get a shot. We slowly stalked to the area that we had last seen the bull but could not spot him again. Frank pointed to a ridge adjacent to the area we had last seen the bull so we quietly headed up to see if we could spot the bull from the higher elevation. After glassing the brushy terrain Frank spotted the tip of a horn and after more glassing we determined that there were two kudu and they were headed back our direction. Frank set up the shooting sticks as the first kudu made it to the shooting lane and motioned for me to wait for the second larger kudu. It happened fast and I shot when the second bull stepped into the narrow opening in the brush. Buy the time the rifle settled back into the shooting sticks the gray ghost had faded back into the brush and I asked Frank if we had a good hit. I looked up to see a big smile on Franks face about the same time that Bullet started barking so we headed down the hill towards the sound. The kudu had been hit through the heart and was dead when we found him. We set up and took photos in the dark and headed back to camp after a great day of hunting.
Day 5:
On day five we were joined by Braam's son Ruin and we set out to hunt gemsbok. We would drive to from waterhole to waterhole and walk the last ï½¼ mile and glass for animals. Just before lunch Frank went to check a small group of trees to see if any gemsbok were utilizing the shade. We soon heard from Frank on the radio and set out to the treed area to start our stalk. When we reached Franks position we were able to see the small group of cows and one good bull under the trees but due to the density of the brush were unable to get a shot. We watched the gemsbok for several minutes before they started feed and moving off. We flanked the gemsbok for several hundred yards and spotted a cow in a small opening where we could set up for a shot if the bull walked into the opening. As soon as the cow entered the dense cover the shooting sticks were set up and the rifle was rested in the cradle the bull stepped into the opening, stopped broadsided and looked directly at us and I took the shot. The bull staggered at the shot, swirled and left going the same direction that he had come from. We walked to the spot where the bull had been standing and found dark lung blood and bone fragments so we knew I had made a good shot. We listened for Bullet who had started tracking the gemsbok at the shot but heard nothing, which is a good sign because Bullet only barks when he finds a live animal. We started tracking the gemsbok and found more blood and tracks. Bullet soon returned and took us straight to the gemsbok bull. The photos were taken and we loaded the bull and headed back to the lodge for lunch.
Day 6:
On day six we started out glassing the open areas of the ranch looking for blue wildebeest. After about an hour in the field we spotted a big bull in an area that Frank thought we could make a stalk work so we parked the truck and Frank, Bullet and I struck out. We followed the wildebeest for several hundred yards through groups of blesbok, springbok, and red hartebeest. We finally had reached a point where we I could take a shot so Frank set up the sticks and I placed the gun in the cradle. I had a clear shot but a blesbok was in front of the wildebeest bull making a shot impossible. After several minutes the blesbok moved out of the way but another blesbok had feed into a position behind the wildebeest bull so we had to wait until the blesbok cleared the bull before making the shot. The wildebeest was facing us so all I had a head on shot but the rifle was rock solid in the shooting sticks so I touched it off and put the bull on his haunches. Before a second shot could be fired the bull was gone with Bullet hot on his heels. Frank and I headed out and were following the sign when we heard Bullet barking, he had found the wildebeest and the bull was still alive. We come upon Bullet and the Wildebeest and I was about to take another shot when the bull collapsed, Bullet started nipping at the bull'shocks and he got on his feet again. As I was about to take another shot and the bull went down again and Bullet started circling going from the bull's tail to his head making it impossible to take another shot, the bull expired shortly after going down and I had another trophy on the ground.
I have always heard that the wildebeest was the poor man's buffalo but did not really understand it until after the hunt. The bullet hit the bull head on in the center of the chest and he still managed to run ï½¾ of a mile and then fall and get back on his feet twice. Of all the animals that I have taken the Wildebeest is by far the toughest animal and should be on everyone å¡—it list that goes to Africa. I had drawn blood on a wildebeest bull the second day of the safari and did not expect the opportunity at another bull, but because of Braam and his determination to make every client happy he insisted I take another wildebeest and I am so happy that he did, they are magnificent animals and a challenge to hunt.
Day 7:
The only animal left I had to hunt was a warthog so I thought we were going to be watching water holes on the last day of my safari waiting on warthogs to water. We had not seen many warthogs during the safari and the ones we had seen were small so Braam called and asked if I would be interested in a blesbok instead of a warthog. My wife jumped on that offer before I could say a word, she says that the warthogs are ç ¥gly and really thought that the blesbok was cool, so needless to say we were off to hunt blesbok! We spotted a group of blesbok in the same area that we had killed the wildebeest the day before and started our stalk. We had only been on foot for a few minutes when we spotted the blesbok ant the foot of a hill feeding. We worked our way to a small patch of trees to get in range and set up the shooting sticks and waited on the blesbok to feed through a small opening in the brush. Just as the ram was about to enter the opening something spooked the group and they come running towards us. I asked Frank which one was the shooter and he said the lead animal, as the ram ran past I took the shot. I worked the bolt and asked which blesbok was the ram I had shot and Frank said the third one, I raised the rifle to take another shoot and Frank said to wait he was hit hard. The ram took a few more steps and then turned and went down, I had taken my last animal and the hunt was over. We took photos and loaded the blesbok on the truck and headed back to the lodge. That afternoon we went out on the truck and took photos of the ranch and the different animals that we had seen the last week.
The hunting experience we had at HartzView safaris far exceeded any expectations we had. Every need was taken care of and everything we were told prior to and during the hunt was just the way it was. The hunting was beyond belief and only trophy animals were taken. If you are looking for an easy hunt you need to keep looking, the only animal that was taken off of the truck was the impala, every other animal was taken after a foot stalk, some short, some long, but all were a challenge and all were a hunting experience. We hunted Hartzhoogth Game Ranch which is 20,000 acres of diverse a combination of brushy hills and grassy plains, the animals are self sustaining and truly wild. The accommodations are extremely comfortable and the food is excellent.
I would highly recommend HartzView and plan on hunting there again, there motto is more than a hunt and it truly is. Jacques, Braam, Ruin, Marius, Frank and the entire staff were wounderful and made this one of the most enjoyable trips we had ever been on, I would highly recomend anyone thinking of hunting in Africa to book with HartzView Hunting Safaris.
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