UGANDA: Sudan Roan With KOS Safaris

JES Adventures

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Our trip started in Port Elizabeth with an early morning flight to Joberg then connected on to Entebbe. I had hunted Uganda back in ‘18 and vowed to go back and take my wife Debra with me as it is an absolutely beautiful country. Mid-year 2022, the Dallas Safari Club Foundation held its annual fundraiser and Ade Langley of Uganda Pro Hunts/KOS Safaris generously donated a hunt for Sudan Roan and fishing for Nile Perch at Murchison Falls.
Since we had plans to be in South Africa for New Years with old friends I thought we would add this on while returning home. I threw my bid out there and luckily bought the hunt so we are off this morning and I can’t wait to get back to Uganda.
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We flew SA Airlink from PE to Joberg to Entebbe and the service was very good. An easy three hours forty minute flight, I caught a nap after lunch. Flights were on time and all of our luggage arrived. We caught a taxi to the Protea Hotel on Lake Victoria, about 10 minutes from the airport. We settled in and went to the lakeside bar for a bottle of wine and the sunset. The breeze off the lake was comfortable and the temperature in the 70’s. After dinner we called it an early evening as our charter leaves at 8:30 in the morning.
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Day 2
We awoke to the alarm and went down for breakfast and found a massive buffet. The bellman loaded our bags in the taxi and we were off to the Kasanjji Airfield for our one hour forty minute flight to camp in the Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve. As I looked out the window of the Cessna 207, I was stunned by the size of Kampala as there was dense development beneath us for the first twenty plus minutes of the flight. It was a beautiful day for flying with a high cloud ceiling and smooth ride.
While we continued flying Northeast, we were constantly over a series of small farms. Towards the end of the journey there were less farms and more wide open spaces.
The plane touched down at the Moroto Airport and could see a Safari car next to the strip. As we stepped off our PH Gareth Lecluse from Zim along with Tom Holloway also from Zim met us with smiles and handshakes .
After we exchanged greetings and signed the arrivals book, we were off on a two-hour drive to camp. Periodically we passed through small villages along the roadway. When we arrived at camp and we’re immediately greeted by Gerald our cook. The camp is in a beautiful setting looking across a sweeping valley towards the distant Mount Elgon.
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We offloaded the bags then headed to the dining veranda for a nice lunch of samosas, cold ham and salad with pineapple for desert. Off in the distance was a small mountain rising out of the valley, all by itself. Gareth said that is Lolekek Hill. WDM Bell used it as a navigation point when hunting in this massive valley.
We talked about the game populations in the reserve and how they have grown threefold since they started working here. This is the only area on the continent you can hunt Sudan Roan and the herds are in excellent numbers.
Gareth said we would go for a drive at three as most of the game is settled in the shade from midday heat.
On our drive we spotted Jackson’s Hartebeast regularly along with Topi, Oribi and Eland. Unfortunately there were no Topi on quota as we saw many. Toward dusk we came upon a large group of Waterbuck but no exceptional males.
Back at camp as the sun set, we had a highball then hit the showers.
Gerald prepared an amazing meal of grilled Eland tenderloin with potatoes, mixed vegetables and a salad. A wonderful first day in an amazing hunting concession.
 
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Day 3

Up at half past five for coffee and toast, Gareth said we would leave at six. The horizon was just starting to come alive as we headed East to some foothills of the mountains. Our goal this morning is Chanlers Mountain Reedbuck which reside in the mountains and hills throughout the area. Just before the sun broke the horizon, one of the trackers spotted a leopard in the grass less than 100 yards from us. He sunk down into the grass when we stopped and as he moved away a second one appeared.

We continued toward the hills and reached the base of the one we would climb. It was about a 200 foot gentle rise to the plateau so we made good time. As we reached the top we jumped a female Reedbuck with a young one. They ran around the hill and we continued up and over the top. A few moments later we jumped the male and on the run, he appeared to be a good trophy but he never stopped long enough to give us a look.

We slowly walked across the top, glassing from time to time. Okelo the tracker stopped us as he spotted some reedbuck about 200 yards away. Gareth told everyone to stay still that he and I would make an approach. It was a group of about five in total there was a male with the group but not fully mature so we passed. As we continued our walk we jumped some Oribi and spotted a Roan bull all alone on the plateau. In all we walked for about 3 1/2 hours before we descended and the vehicle met us around 10 o’clock.

We drove the grasslands in search of Hartebeast and Oribi seeing several of each specie. Around noon we made our way back to camp for lunch and a siesta.

At 3:30 we went for a drive in a part of the concession mostly level in search of Roan, Oribi and Hartebeast. It was partly cloudy with a slight breeze and very comfortable temperatures. Throughout the day we stopped to glass Oribi and Hartebeast but none that were up to Gareth’s standard.

We came across a couple of Roan bulls on separate instances. Both nice but not fully mature, in the 24-25” range. They obviously have been kicked out of the herds by dominant males.

The scenery is amazing and Debra and I enjoyed our time in the back of the landcruiser taking in the sites and sounds of Africa.

Towards the end of the day we came across a large group of Waterbuck, more that a hundred scattered out around us. Many, many bulls but I had taken a very good waterbuck on my last trip to Uganda so after we glassed the herds we carried on.

Just at sunset I asked for a beer as the day was over. We turned down a dirt road and headed for camp as the sun disappeared below the horizon. Not two minutes later, frantic tapping on the roof and there off the road was a herd of Roan slowly walking and grazing contently. As I started scanning the herd of cows and calves I quickly found an exceptional bull and as I said something to Gareth he noticed the bull as well. The bull was fifty odd yards behind the herd. He had long sweeping horns with at least 4” of secondary growth and nice length to his tips. The conversation was short and the decision made to make a stalk and try and get on this bull.

Only Gareth and I proceeded slowly but the bull noticed us and started to move away towards the herd. We got into a position for the shot and I was up on the sticks with the camp rifle, a Sauer 404 in 375 H&H topped with a Zeiss 1-6. I cranked the scope to the max and when the bull stopped Gareth said “160”. I settled the crosshairs and squeezed the trigger. The report of a solid hit and the bull went down. I quickly reloaded and got back on the sticks to look through the scope and the bull was kicking. Gareth said “watch him” and at that moment he was back on his feet and running away. As Gareth told me to shoot I could not get a clear shot however could see the bull holding his right leg so I obviously shot high but damaged the shoulder. Gareth took off at a fast run with me in tow as the bull angled away. The bull stopped, Gareth stopped then I got there and put the rifle on the sticks. He said “306”, not being my rifle and shooting a 300 grain bullet I said “where should I hold, top of the back?” He said “yes” and I let it fly. The report of a hit and the bull was down again. Gareth said “good shot” and we made our way to the bull. Suddenly, he was up again and we were at a trot. The bull was mortally wounded, at this point running on adrenaline then he went down for the last time. We eased up for a finisher and the bull was ours with only minutes of daylight left.
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He is an incredible bull, the longest horns of any of the others three subspecies I have hunted. We didn’t pull a tape on him but I believe he may break 30”, a real monster!

After a quick photo session we loaded the bull and drove to camp. Gerald had prepared an incredible meal of Nile Perch with potatoes and salad. That paired with a nice South African wine, we topped off the evening by the fire with cigars and whiskey. How truly Blessed I feel to be in this magnificent place and having just collected the Sudan Roan.
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Monster roan! I have wanted to hunt Uganda as long as I can remember and I appreciate very much your adventure. Look forward to more of your journeys and wish you the greatest success!
 
Great write up. Very though, and a very nice Roan. I have been trying to reach Abe. Can you DM the best method you used to reach him. I would appreciate it.
 
Well done on the roan, congratulations.
 
That is a great Roan, congrats !
 
Outstanding roan. Seems like a great hunt already. Good shooting.
Bruce
 
Awesome roan, congrats! Looking forward to more!
 
What a beast! Congrats! Looking forward to the rest of the story!
:A Popcorn: :A Popcorn: :A Popcorn:
 
Great trip and write up. Nice to meet you at the Houston SCI show today.
 
That is a heck of a Roan.
Through odd set of circumstances, Ade Langley was my PH at the BVC in Zimbabwe on my first safari. Aa great guy and I hope to hunt Uganda with him.
 
What a wonderful report, thank you very much for taking the time to write this!!
 
Great report, .........I must learn something of the subspecies of Roan....yours is spectacular. Thanks for posting.........FWB
 

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