BOTSWANA: NKWE Safaris Flooded Kalahari

[Rare Breed]

Also not if you want to live between crocs and hippos

 

[ACM]

Great report so far! Ready to see that Elan in the salt! Livingstone Eland was at the top of my list for PG when I went to MOZ but we never were able to connect with a bull (too early in the year).

 

[Stetsonham]

Day 3
started off much like Day 2 ended we were back after Eland. This morning though, Jaco was determined to reach a part of the ranch that usually holds them, even if it meant turning the Land Cruiser into a boat. I’ve attached a sped up video so you can see just how much of the ranch was underwater.

Once we finally made it through this makeshift Okavango, we reached the area Jaco had in mind. It didn’t take long as we were watching some giraffes,

Jaco spotted 5–6 Eland bulls crossing an opening. We bailed off the truck, and the Bushmen quickly picked up the tracks where the bulls had entered the trees.
Not 150 yards in, we were right among them. The cover was so thick we’d catch quick glimpses just enough to try getting on the sticks but each time they slipped away. After a few tries, I caught the outline of a bull about 75 yards off. I jumped on the sticks, Jaco glassed him, gave me the green light, and I let it rip. Solid thud. The bull took off. We pushed forward and spotted him again, his head above the brush. I got back on the sticks and sent another round. Another solid hit or so I thought and he bounded off. We were fired up, adrenaline pumping.
We found blood and began tracking, but it was thin. We followed it for four miles before losing it entirely. Still, the Bushmen kept going, reading the tracks like a book. Their skill is unreal my two trackers, Georgie and Jacob, never slowed. We tracked another 4–5 miles through water, grass, and sand, never jumping the bull once. But by midafternoon, we had to pull off for late lunch.
While we ate, the Bushmen kept after it. They only managed another 100–200 yards before hitting rocky ground. With no blood, it was impossible to continue. Later, Jaco told us the Bushmen were frustrated with themselves they take their job personally and want every hunter to succeed. These guys are hard working
Looking back, I think I simply shot too high. Both times, I could only see the upper third of the bull, and with the vitals sitting so low, I must have been in no man’s land. It’s a tough pill to swallow never thought two seemingly solid hits could end without recovery. But that’s hunting.
As if that wasn’t enough, the day had one more surprise. The grinding noise we’d been hearing under the truck all 2 days finaly came to a halt literally. The differential was toast. With so much water and sand, it’s brutal on the vehicles. Two hours before dark, Jaco’s main truck was down. But in true Jaco fashion, after about 15 phone calls, he had a plan. He borrowed a hunting bed rig, modified another pickup to fit it, and got us back in business with only a couple hours lost.
My wife and I spent that evening on the deck, soaking in the view while the rest of the crew hunted. Highs and lows all in the same day.

 

[RichD]

Day 3
started off much like Day 2 ended we were back after Eland. This morning though, Jaco was determined to reach a part of the ranch that usually holds them, even if it meant turning the Land Cruiser into a boat. I’ve attached a sped up video so you can see just how much of the ranch was underwater.

Once we finally made it through this makeshift Okavango, we reached the area Jaco had in mind. It didn’t take long as we were watching some giraffes, View attachment 705935Jaco spotted 5–6 Eland bulls crossing an opening. We bailed off the truck, and the Bushmen quickly picked up the tracks where the bulls had entered the trees.
Not 150 yards in, we were right among them. The cover was so thick we’d catch quick glimpses just enough to try getting on the sticks but each time they slipped away. After a few tries, I caught the outline of a bull about 75 yards off. I jumped on the sticks, Jaco glassed him, gave me the green light, and I let it rip. Solid thud. The bull took off. We pushed forward and spotted him again, his head above the brush. I got back on the sticks and sent another round. Another solid hit or so I thought and he bounded off. We were fired up, adrenaline pumping.
We found blood and began tracking, but it was thin. We followed it for four miles before losing it entirely. Still, the Bushmen kept going, reading the tracks like a book. Their skill is unreal my two trackers, Georgie and Jacob, never slowed. We tracked another 4–5 miles through water, grass, and sand, never jumping the bull once. But by midafternoon, we had to pull off for late lunch.
While we ate, the Bushmen kept after it. They only managed another 100–200 yards before hitting rocky ground. With no blood, it was impossible to continue. Later, Jaco told us the Bushmen were frustrated with themselves they take their job personally and want every hunter to succeed. These guys are hard working
Looking back, I think I simply shot too high. Both times, I could only see the upper third of the bull, and with the vitals sitting so low, I must have been in no man’s land. It’s a tough pill to swallow never thought two seemingly solid hits could end without recovery. But that’s hunting.
As if that wasn’t enough, the day had one more surprise. The grinding noise we’d been hearing under the truck all 2 days finaly came to a halt literally. The differential was toast. With so much water and sand, it’s brutal on the vehicles. Two hours before dark, Jaco’s main truck was down. But in true Jaco fashion, after about 15 phone calls, he had a plan. He borrowed a hunting bed rig, modified another pickup to fit it, and got us back in business with only a couple hours lost.
My wife and I spent that evening on the deck, soaking in the view while the rest of the crew hunted. Highs and lows all in the same day.
View attachment 705936

My hunting buddies and I enjoyed every minute of our time with NKWE on 2023. Has the new property on the north part of the Kalahari opened? We were east of Ghanzi.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I was going to ask if they were checking the differentials for water. They surely put the Toyotas through what would kill a domestic truck in weeks.

How are the flies? Does the rain and standing water impact them?

 

[Stetsonham]

I was going to ask if they were checking the differentials for water. They surely put the Toyotas through what would kill a domestic truck in weeks.

How are the flies? Does the rain and standing water impact them?

Flies were not a problem towards about the middle of the hunt, day four or so started to get a lot of mosquitoes and moths. They actually started to have a lot of malaria in the area and they typically never have any cases. We were actually supposed to go hunt another ranch on day five or six and the owner. An older gal passed away from what sounded like malaria so we had to change plans and hunt a different ranch

 

[Stetsonham]

Day 4
After the tough break on the Eland yesterday, we decided to give that country a rest and switch gears. The plan for the day was Waterbuck. It was about an hour’s drive in the morning, and by the time we rolled in, the sun was just breaking over the trees. This place was loaded with Waterbuck but they’re creatures of habit, only really moving early in the morning and again just before dark. That meant we had a small window to make it happen.
About 30 minutes into working the property, we caught a quick glimpse of a good bull slipping through the brush. We tried to turn him up again, but he vanished as if the ground swallowed him. The rest of the morning was quiet, except for my wife almost getting a shot at a Steenbok. Those little guys are like ghosts one second they’re standing broadside, the next they’ve blinked out of existence.
By midday, we shifted focus. Waterbuck don’t jump fences they crawl under them. We found a well-worn crossing that was clearly being used to move between two waterholes. So, we built a blind, settled in, and waited. A couple of cows came in during the heat of the day, and I was ready with my bow just in case a bull appeared. No luck.

Later in the afternoon, we climbed back into the truck for the evening hunt. Just like the night before with my wife, the bulls didn’t start moving until about 30 minutes before dark. That’s when we spotted him an old bull with a shape unlike any I’d seen, flaring out to the sides almost like a Barbary sheep. Gave him the pass. We pushed on. as most things go in Africa. It’s nothing nothing nothing, stop. There’s one, get on him,… bang …. done and that’s how it was…. Just befor dark. A beautiful 28 inch waterbuck appears out of nowhere.
I’d be lying if I said the events from the day before weren’t lingering in the back of my mind. After a shaky performance on the Eland, this shot carried a little extra weight. I settled in, made it count, and the bullet hit home but this bull was tough. We ended up tracking him a good distance before finally finding him piled up in the brush. It was a good shot, but he went much farther than expected.

We dressed him out and left half the meat with the camp staff at the ranch, then made the long drive home in the dark grinning the whole way. On the way back, we spotted several Bat-eared foxes along the roadside, darting through the grass under the headlights.
By the time we rolled back into camp, Godfrey had dinner waiting. And in true Godfrey fashion, it wasn’t just dinner it was a feast. He has a knack for putting enough food on the table to feed twice as many people as we actually have. Nobody leaves that table hungry, and that night was no exception.

 

[RichD]

Day 4
After the tough break on the Eland yesterday, we decided to give that country a rest and switch gears. The plan for the day was Waterbuck. It was about an hour’s drive in the morning, and by the time we rolled in, the sun was just breaking over the trees. This place was loaded with Waterbuck but they’re creatures of habit, only really moving early in the morning and again just before dark. That meant we had a small window to make it happen.
About 30 minutes into working the property, we caught a quick glimpse of a good bull slipping through the brush. We tried to turn him up again, but he vanished as if the ground swallowed him. The rest of the morning was quiet, except for my wife almost getting a shot at a Steenbok. Those little guys are like ghosts one second they’re standing broadside, the next they’ve blinked out of existence.
By midday, we shifted focus. Waterbuck don’t jump fences they crawl under them. We found a well-worn crossing that was clearly being used to move between two waterholes. So, we built a blind, settled in, and waited. A couple of cows came in during the heat of the day, and I was ready with my bow just in case a bull appeared. No luck.View attachment 706047
Later in the afternoon, we climbed back into the truck for the evening hunt. Just like the night before with my wife, the bulls didn’t start moving until about 30 minutes before dark. That’s when we spotted him an old bull with a shape unlike any I’d seen, flaring out to the sides almost like a Barbary sheep. Gave him the pass. We pushed on. as most things go in Africa. It’s nothing nothing nothing, stop. There’s one, get on him,… bang …. done and that’s how it was…. Just befor dark. A beautiful 28 inch waterbuck appears out of nowhere.
I’d be lying if I said the events from the day before weren’t lingering in the back of my mind. After a shaky performance on the Eland, this shot carried a little extra weight. I settled in, made it count, and the bullet hit home but this bull was tough. We ended up tracking him a good distance before finally finding him piled up in the brush. It was a good shot, but he went much farther than expected.View attachment 706049View attachment 706050
We dressed him out and left half the meat with the camp staff at the ranch, then made the long drive home in the dark grinning the whole way. On the way back, we spotted several Bat-eared foxes along the roadside, darting through the grass under the headlights.
By the time we rolled back into camp, Godfrey had dinner waiting. And in true Godfrey fashion, it wasn’t just dinner it was a feast. He has a knack for putting enough food on the table to feed twice as many people as we actually have. Nobody leaves that table hungry, and that night was no exception.

Very nice waterbuck. And, yes Godfrey prepares amazing meals.

 

[Sideshow]

View attachment 705417
They are beyond Retarded looking, but they really do work. The blue is water within the frames and I guess just keeping level affects your brain or something of that nature? My brother has multiple pairs

Lol four eyes? Or is it six ask him to try one ear plug works a treat!