Steve-O
AH member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2025
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 34
- Location
- California, USA
- Media
- 4
- Hunted
- South Africa, Zimbabwe, California
My friend and I recently hunted Plains Game in South Africa with @MEYRICK BOWKER SAFARIS. We hunted the last week of May 2026 and had a fantastic time!
This was my third time hunting plains game in Africa, and my second time hunting with Meyrick Bowker Safaris. My previous hunt was 20 years ago, and while I did not intend to wait that long to come back, life, family, kids and work all seemed to conspire to delay my return. My buddy hunted with Meyrick, and much to my delight, my PH was Kevin with whom I had hunted with 20 years ago on my last visit! We saw a lot of game and were able to take some very nice mature animals.
I was after both Black and Blue Wildebeest this trip, along with big warthogs, and my buddy was after Kudu, Nayala and of course, big warthogs. We booked our hunt directly with Meyrick.
Travel: We made and booked our flights and travel arrangement with Travel Express. Darren and Jennifer were responsive and great to work with. Happy to report that all travel went well. We flew Delta to Atlanta and then on to Johannesburg. We did a brief overnight in Joberg at the Afton lodge, which I really enjoyed and will try to visit again. Then early the next morning we caught our flight to Port Elizabeth where Meyrick was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
Accommodations: We stayed at Thornkloof, the Bowker farm/ranch. I found everything to be, in my opinion, excellent. This included the lodging, food, service, staff, etc. And I was very happy to once again be sitting around the fire pit after dinner, enjoying a cold beverage and swapping stories with everyone.
Hunting: Everything was fair chase and good old spot and stalk hunting. I really enjoy good spot and stalk hunting, and my PH Kevin and I spent many hours hiking into good vantage points to glass for game. We took a very nice mature Black Wildebeest bull on day 1 after a few hours of searching, and then about an honest two-hour stalk on foot to get in for a clean shot. Good fun!
A few days later we took a nice Blue Wildebeest bull after several attempted stalks.
Next we turned our full attention to the warthogs, and over the next few days, and numerous exciting stalks, we were able to take two very nice warthogs! I happily spent my last day of hunting out looking for an ever bigger warthog than the two we had already taken. There was one really, really large looking one that we had only gotten a distant glimpse of a few days earlier, but that warthog continued to elude us. Definitely something to look forward to next time.
My friend also had an excellent hunt, taking a very nice Nyala, Kudu and several warthogs. I had a very good time, and I am already planning another trip back.
This was my third time hunting plains game in Africa, and my second time hunting with Meyrick Bowker Safaris. My previous hunt was 20 years ago, and while I did not intend to wait that long to come back, life, family, kids and work all seemed to conspire to delay my return. My buddy hunted with Meyrick, and much to my delight, my PH was Kevin with whom I had hunted with 20 years ago on my last visit! We saw a lot of game and were able to take some very nice mature animals.
I was after both Black and Blue Wildebeest this trip, along with big warthogs, and my buddy was after Kudu, Nayala and of course, big warthogs. We booked our hunt directly with Meyrick.
Travel: We made and booked our flights and travel arrangement with Travel Express. Darren and Jennifer were responsive and great to work with. Happy to report that all travel went well. We flew Delta to Atlanta and then on to Johannesburg. We did a brief overnight in Joberg at the Afton lodge, which I really enjoyed and will try to visit again. Then early the next morning we caught our flight to Port Elizabeth where Meyrick was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
Accommodations: We stayed at Thornkloof, the Bowker farm/ranch. I found everything to be, in my opinion, excellent. This included the lodging, food, service, staff, etc. And I was very happy to once again be sitting around the fire pit after dinner, enjoying a cold beverage and swapping stories with everyone.
Hunting: Everything was fair chase and good old spot and stalk hunting. I really enjoy good spot and stalk hunting, and my PH Kevin and I spent many hours hiking into good vantage points to glass for game. We took a very nice mature Black Wildebeest bull on day 1 after a few hours of searching, and then about an honest two-hour stalk on foot to get in for a clean shot. Good fun!
A few days later we took a nice Blue Wildebeest bull after several attempted stalks.
Next we turned our full attention to the warthogs, and over the next few days, and numerous exciting stalks, we were able to take two very nice warthogs! I happily spent my last day of hunting out looking for an ever bigger warthog than the two we had already taken. There was one really, really large looking one that we had only gotten a distant glimpse of a few days earlier, but that warthog continued to elude us. Definitely something to look forward to next time.
My friend also had an excellent hunt, taking a very nice Nyala, Kudu and several warthogs. I had a very good time, and I am already planning another trip back.
