SOUTH AFRICA: Our Hunt With Hartzview

CVanderploeg

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First of all I want to thank all of you on here with so much knowledge to share. I have been stalking these forums for a year and a half or more. My father and I have talked about hunting Africa for about as long as I can remember. Life happens and time goes by fast. My father is in his mid 60's and has had some health issues. If we are going to go we have to go soon, so we start getting serious.
We book the hunt with Hartzview safaris for a seven day hunt. Travel express and riflepermits.com help us get there.
It was early August and I have the task of getting my father to the other side of the world. The flights and paperwork are flawless. They did a great job for us.
We fly to Joburg and overnight. We stay with Journey's Inn and they were incredible. We had a great meal of lamb chops and a couple drinks at the honor bar. They even brought us hot water bottles for our beds on a cool night. It was so nice especially as tired as we were. The next day...on to Kimberly.
We land at night and get pick up and head to the camp. Hunting starts the next morning. Our adrenaline is at an all time high even though we are exhausted. Even when we arrived way past dinner time there was a great dinner waiting for us.
The next morning we go to the range to check our rifles. I have a 375H&H with a lower power scope. I am on. My father who happens to be blind in one eye and limited vision out of the other. Can't hit anything. My heart starts to sink. He could hit his target just a few days before... I turns out his scope is broken. They loan him a rifle for the hunt.
He is hunting from a hide. He is not very moble. Two open heart surgerys, replacement knee, limited mobility, and fairly deaf...on top of being drug through airports half way around the world. This is not a propblem for them as they put him on a hide over water.
My first day hunting was one of my worst days ever. I saw lots of great game but could not shoot. I missed two impalas clean at 120 yards and I wounded a blue wildebeast. I was as low as I can be. I can shoot. My rifle hits..But not that day. I had lost confidence in myself and my gun. I know my gun if fine in my heart. So it is just me. I left a wounded animal in the field. At this time I was at a very low point.
The next day Ockert gets to camp. This is the PF I will hunt with for the rest of my trip. He helped my climb out of my low and suggested I used a rifle with a more powerful scope and he loaned a 300 winmag to me. We went to the range and then out hunting.
After that gained my confidence back and here are the results…

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I could go on forever about this hunt. The people at Hartzview are incredible. Ockert, Jacques, and the rest are second to none. The accomidations were fantastic. We ate like kings. The chef Herbert is a master of his craft.
We plan on going back in 2016 and hunting with them again.
 
Welcome to AH and thanks for the report. That waterbuck of your dad's is awesome as are your other trophies! Good on you too for getting your father over to the hunter's promised land.

If you have any questions about anything between now and your next trip, please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact info is in my signature.
 
Hi, sounds like you had a great time love the the waterbuck and springbok.
 
If you can go on forever about this hunt you just feel free to do so. :)
I can relate to those bad days shooting when you wonder if you even know how to work a rifle.
Safari's are often full of lows and highs.
Glad you guys made it through and you got it done.

Congratulations to you both.
 
First, welcome to AH. Great first post!

Thanks for sharing your hunt.

Nothing better than a father/son hunt. Congrats.

All the best.
 
Fantastic trophies. That Waterbuck, man oh man!

Great spending time like that with your Dad!

Thanks for sharing.
.
 
Welcome to AH. I see this is your 1st post. nice

Nice start on a good report.... and as Paul Harvey would now for the rest of the story.

Pictures of the trophy's are nice with some great trophy's taken. (y)
 
Thanks for the great report!

That Waterbuck is to die for. All of the trophies are very nice....but that Waterbuck got my eyes bugging out! Wow.

Did I mention I like that Waterbuck?? :)
 
Welcome!

So glad you got to go with your dad! That, is the trip of a lifetime!
 
That is a great report. I am so glad to see you get your father out there. All of your trophies look outstanding. Thanks also for the review of the outfitter. First hand recomendations are great for the uninitiated such as myself.
 
Welcome to AH CVanderploeg! Glad your Dad got to make the trip with you makes it all that more special. And as for the shooting we all have those days last year I was using my friends rifle a 243 and his reloads made several shots the first day and couldn't hit a thing" lol I blamed his reloading" the next day same rifle same reloads and it seemed I couldn't miss blame it on the jetlag! Thanks for sharing your report and awesome trophies with us. Congrats to you both!
 
Nice report and great pictures. I head out with Hartzview next summer. Can't wait.
 
Awesome hunt! Please congratulate your father on a fine Waterbuck!
 
Great trophies! Super glad you were able to share your dreams with your dad................Once again this site and a great AH supporting company help to fullfill dreams! Well done Jacques and team!
 
Thank you for a such good report and congratulations for your good trophies.....!!!!
 
As my first PH said, anybody can have a bad day, but just one OK ! :LOL:

Congrats for a great hunt and fine trophies, a good thing you shared it with your father, you will always remember this hunt (y)
 
Tanker of a Waterbuck! Congrats to you guys on a great trip and welcome to AH.
 
Chad thank you for taking the time to post the report on AH! We truly enjoyed having you and you dad in camp and especially enjoyed the interesting talks with your dad and his knowledge about guns and the history of them!

Thank you for putting your trust in Hartzview Hunting Safaris and we are looking forward on having you guys back in camp soon!
 
what a thrill to be with your dad on this trip. Good trophies, but I have to agree with other here, that is some Water buck.
 

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