A strictly "Stick and String " affair

[ThomasBeaham]

Well,
While planning my first Africa hunt last year my friends here at AH.com were quick to inform me in advance that my first hunt there would not be my last.
I am here to confirm they were correct.
AH member (and friend) "TOM" has been kind enough to let me share camp with him during his booked date with our friend and PH Louis Van Bergen of Spiral Horn Safaris.
This return trip to hunt with Louis will be a strictly "Stick and String" affair in two regards.
The first portion of my trip will be spent Bowhunting with Tom and Louis. I am especially looking forward to the spot and stalk hunt on a Bowhunting only property Louis has just acquired. Then we will spend some time on Louis' personal property hunting some trophies and culling some management animals. I am interested in seeing the rest of Louis property that I didn't get to hunt during the 10 days I was stalking with a rifle last year.
The second portion of my trip will be spent sight seeing at one of the 7 wonders of the world...Victoria Falls and fishing for several days on the mighty Zambezi.
I can't wait to get back to drink the water.:biggrin2:
Ty

 

[TOM]

I'm looking forward to it Ty! We are going to have a great time!

I can't wait to get some great video footage and pictures to share with everyone when we get back. I'm sure Louis will make sure we have an awesome trip like he always does.

My trophy list is starting to fill up! I plan on doing a lot of spot and stalk hunting as well as some blind. Especially excited about hunting for a bushpig.

 

[ThomasBeaham]

Tom,
I'm so excited I can't sit still.
Since I got back from hunting with Louis last year I have dreamed of nothing but Warthogs and Baboons.
Louis said it's probably because I was "Witched" while I was there. LOL!
Warthogs BEWARE!
and yes....a hunt and fishing report to follow.
Ty

 

[Bushbuck]

Sounds like you guys have a great trip lined up! Good luck on the bushpig and dont forget about the other porkie's that usually show up at the bait at night, they make a great mount and a cool trophy with a bow.

 

[TOM]

C'mon along Bushbuck ...or any other archery member! Its going to be a blast and really fun sharing camp with a fellow AH member.

 

[F.L.A.S.H]

Tom, Ty

I cant wait to meat the both of you

 

[Bushbuck]

here is the other african Porkie you guys should try for.

 

[Bushbuck]

For anyone that may not have seen one of these animals yet, here is a photo I found as an example of how big the quills are.

 

[TOM]

That would be a very cool full mount for sure!

 

[ThomasBeaham]

Tom, Ty

I cant wait to meat the both of you

F.L.A.S.H,
Be there soon. (sooner if I could be):happywave:
Ty

 

[ThomasBeaham]

Bushbuck,
Thanks for sharing the cool pics.
I had a good chuckle thinking about the poor taxidermist working to put a porcupine mount together.
With a sewing thimble on every finger.:biggrin:
Ty

 

[enysse]

I'm jealous of you two going to Spiral Horn Safari....there is always next year for me....can't wait for the great pictures and stories to follow the hunt.

 

[F.L.A.S.H]

Ty

The last month have gone by way to slow for my liking, i wish time could be sped up

 

[LouisB]

Hi guy’s

First and foremost it will be good to have you guy’s over.

Bush Buck thanks for the pictures Tom has been going on about an Ostrich I told him leave the birds alone but still LOL, now you maybe gave him a new idea. I can see it now Tom running around with some vegetables baiting for porcupine LOL.

This one is going to be good.

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen

 

[ndbwhnter]

Sounds like you guys are going to have a great time. Can't wait to read a report and see some photos. Good luck from a fellow "stick-flicker".

nd

 

[TOM]

I'm going to try for some odd species this go round. Bushpig, giraffe, jackal, caracal maybe, possibly ostrich, porcupine if opportunity, etc. I might also throw in a few cull animals to get my recurve skills sharp as well as the compound. Late July can't get here quick enough!!

 

[ndbwhnter]

I hope you get that giraffe on video, I would love to see that. I saw some on my safari last summer and thought about how great it would be to stalk one with a bow.

nd

 

[TOM]

I hope you get that giraffe on video, I would love to see that.

nd

That's the plan! I'm taking my video camera and i know Louis has a nice one. I hope to get some good video and still photos of the whole safari. Going to be experimenting with a few broadhead and arrow combinations as well. PLUS, i'm taking a brand new FOXPRO electronic predator call over....i can't wait to try that!!

 

[bwanawannabe]

Best of luck over there from a fellow archer. I can't wait to hear how things went and see some photos. Good luck with the FOX PRO over there, it should work great for the jackal and caracal, maybe you'll get lucky and call in some of the more obscure small predators like bat-eared fox or genet.
Nice reference photos bushbuck. I never realized the quills were that big on the African variety. Makes the ones over here look like a hedge hog.

 

[Bushbuck]

Certainly we all love to shoot the big animals like Kudu, zebra, sable etc. But a great thing about bowhunting is that the small animals are a real challenge and you can ad a few to any trip and not blow your budget. For me its not the money, but those little guys are fun and a challenge. Porcupine, steenbuck, duiker, jackal, african wildcat, caracal, klipspringer, springbuck, reedbuck, bushbuck, to me are all a huge trophy with a bow. To get a good representative of any of those species with a bow is a feat in itself.
I still have to get a klipspringer one day. It took me seven years of going over to get a chance at an adult male bushbuck within range with my bow. The klipspringer has taken longer.