NAMIBIA: Family Hunt With Orpa Hunting

JOHN GRENZ

AH legend
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South Dakota
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Africa
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NRA, SCI
Hunted
South Africa, Namibia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories Canda
In 2024 started researching for a trip back to Africa. I have hunted different parts of South Africa four times and twice with my son. When I mentioned to him about going again he mentioned the whole family should go. So with the two grandchildren it would be six of us. Started researching here on the forum and started checking out Namibian hunting options. Picked three places for closer research. Decided that with a couple non hunters along we’d prefer north of Windhoek so we could do day trip to Etosha Park. In September of 24 booked with DJS Orpa Hunting because they book one group or family at a time. It’s a working cattle, sheep, and goat farm that is completely low fenced. They do have neighboring farms that are high fenced and do have access to hunt them. All high fenced areas that we visited were huge as in many square miles.
I’m limited mobility having 71 years of use and abuse. So would prefer hunting out of a blind.
Flew the Denver, Frankfurt, Windhoek route and were met by Dirk Smit on arrival on morning of June 8th. After a four hour drive north we arrived at the farm, settled in and headed to the range.
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Granddaughter 11 years old only wanted one animal, a zebra rug for her room. Son decided she would be first up to bat so to the range. We were not taking our own guns so granddaughter would be using a 308 of Dirk’s. First shot nervous so we better try another. Right on the money. Went out for an evening hunt. Saw game but no shots fired. We were all pretty beat from 2 1/2 days of travel. Next day Dirk and her got onto the face of a small dam and she had an 80 yard shot at a stallion. One shot square on the shoulder and she had her rug. Very proud Papa here. Wish I could’ve seen it happen.
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fantastic you were able to take the family on such a wonderful trip!!
Looking forward to the rest of the report
 
Granddaughter had her burchill rug and Papa wanted a hartmans mountain zebra rug. Took a bit of doing but I got one. Two steel knee’s don’t allow kneeling on rocks, but I managed to get low enough to get in the photo. Shooting Dirk’s Winchester 70 in 338 Win mag with 180 Hornadys.
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Excellent!! Thank you for sharing and looking forward to the rest
 
Congratulations to your granddaughter. Perfect shot.
 
Orpa hunting has a deal that if you book a 10+ day hunt Dirk will give a free hartebeest, gemsbok, and cow eland. 14 year old grandson was very happy to say he’d be willing to hunt those so we didn’t have to bother. He’s so thoughtful.
Dirk had a place that he was sure would be good for an eland bull for me. About 3 hours before dark we headed to a blind. One blind the granddaughter, daughter in law, and sweetie, were gonna sit to watch and take photos while Dirk and I hunted another bind a couple miles away. When we dropped them off and they were climbing the ladder Dirk seen a couple bulls a long way out on a cut line heading our way. Change of plans. Dirk hid the truck and we had 5 people in the blind. The bulls very slowly moved in and out of cover but still in our direction. Didn’t see them for a while but at last light stepped out at about 150 yards. One shot and a short run and I had a bull. Dirks son Dirk Jr. was guiding my son and grandson on another property. Radioed them and they came over to see and help load. They sure do make a full load.
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That's a great photo with the whole family. Beautiful eland. That makes for special memories!!
 
Grandson has the biggest hit list and having the worst luck. Animal always stops with brush in the way, or stops behind a female, etc. His trigger finger is getting very restless. Finally on day 4 a blue wildebeest gives him a chance and he drops it in its tracks. Quick trip to the skinning shed and he and Jr go for a long walk and find a good springbok. Two animals down by 10:00 am. Meanwhile son who is recovering from knee surgery we’re heading out with Senior to watch a waterhole for midday warthogs. On the way there Dirk says to my son shoot that pig. My son says he has no tusks. Dirk says SHOOT! Son shoots and it’s an ancient old boar all broken up. Dirk said “need leapord bait, it’s a free one” Then we get a call from Jr about the grandsons springbok and could we pick up their truck and bring it a couple miles to near where the were at. So got a chance for two for one photo son and grandson.
Later in the afternoon son shot a gemsbok to far back. Tracked 3 miles and then herd of wildebeest crossed blood trail and they lost the track.
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Waidmannsheil! Great start.
 
Namibia got hit with an extreme drought in 2024 that really thinned down their warthog numbers. I’ve hunted Limpopo, Free State, and Eastern Cape in South Africa, but even with lowered numbers I’ve never before seen so many pigs as we did on this trip. Midday is warthog time when they’d come to the livestock tanks. Son and I along with Dirk set at one from 11:00 to about 1:30. Dirk always keeps track of numbers of animals. His count in that short time was 76 pigs. He said before the drought it would’ve been 250+ in that time. Set an evening set with grandson hoping for an eland cow for him. Had 3 honey badgers come in for a drink. Dirk has a leopard bait at this spot as his next 2 guys coming to hunt after us want a leopard and each want brown hyenas. I think they are from Romania. We did have a brown hyena come in for a quick drink. Son and grandson did each find warthogs in the next couple days.
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Namibia’s kudu got hit hard by rabies a couple years ago so finding mature bulls was difficult. After a couple of almosts grandson got a chance at a decent bull and got it done in the morning of day 7. Luck seems to run in streaks and his dad got his bull that afternoon. A good bull with deep curls.
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After grandson got his kudu in the salt he and Dirk Jr. went back out on the hunt. They found a cow eland and the 300 Win mag made short work of her. While looking for a way to get a truck in to load her they noticed vultures circling nearby. Checked it out and it was his previously wounded gemsbok that was now pretty cleaned up by jackels and vultures. Well he wanted a skull mount of it, but a shame about the meat.
He’s having a great day so far, but let’s try a late afternoon hunt for a hartebeest bull.
Found one, dropped it, and found out it was a heavy horned cow. He didn’t care one bit.
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