knuckleball
AH member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2024
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 48
- Media
- 8
- Member of
- Life member of RMEF, NRA, B&C
- Hunted
- US: Texas, Colorado, New Mexico. Africa: RSA
This trip started in August of 2024 when I bought this trip through an auction at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet in the DFW area. Plains game for 2 hunters on a 10 day safari. This would be my first trip to Africa and because I would never hear the end of it if he wasn't there with me, my son would be my hunting partner. My wife wholeheartedly agreed.
Thanks to this website, I booked the trip through Gracy Travel and had them handle the heavy lifting since I didn't want any stone unturned with the logistics. We flew Emirates in Premium Economy and went through Dubai out of DFW and then on to Joberg. Thank you to Africahunting.com for the huge amount of information and experience I learned through the safari planning guide.
The boy and I were pretty decided on what game to try for. My list was Kudu, Blesbok, Impala and Blue Wildebeest. He wanted Kudu, Gemsbok, Warthog and Blesbok. I would be carrying a sentimental family hand-down pre-64 Model 70 in .300 H&H. The boy carried the same pre-64 model in .308 Win.
Finally, travel day arrived on July 18 and we boarded for Dubai. Typical flight with atypical service and comfort on Emirates. First time I've flown their airline and I was very impressed. I've flown nearly every major American-owned carrier (because of my prior life before retirement) and none of them touch Emirates service. Flights were uneventful and we made it to Joberg on schedule. We stayed an overnight in Joberg at City Lodge and caught our connection on AirLink the next morning to Polokwane. Then the roughly 2 hour drive from Polokwane airport to Dumukwa on the Limpopo River near Alldays.
When we arrived we were met by Owner/PH Bertus Gerhardt and the staff. We had a nice visit, got unpacked and took the rifles to the range to check zero. Everything was in order so our PH for the hunt, Pieter Pretorius put us on the bakkie and we hit the bush. Our first location was a spot and stalk for the first animal of opportunity. Within a half hour, I had a Blesbok in the crosshairs and a shot off of sticks started my first African safari.
We loaded up the blesbok and continued to hunt for a bit longer. We saw lots of various animals in the ensuing hour or so and then headed back to the skinning shed to unload and prep for dinner. Day 1 was in the books.
Day 2 started with my son first up for a shot. We spotted from the bakkie and found a respectable Blesbok for him. Off the truck he went and after about a half mile stalk, he took his first African animal off sticks. He was happy.
Morning temps were in the low 40's. We had the trackers take the Blesbok in to the skinning shed while we continued on foot. Within an hour, found a Blue Wildebeest that I thought would fit the bill. So after a bit of cat and mouse, I found a shot opportunity and made good.
By this time it was lunchtime so we headed in for a good meal and a little relaxation. We left for the afternoon hunt to a different property and because of the heat reaching into the 80's and a lack of rain, we decided to sit on a waterhole in a ground blind. We saw several animals that came in to drink but none were what we were after.
Day 3 saw my son and I split up to hunt 2 different waterholes on the same property. The morning hunt was unsuccessful but the afternoon hunt produced an ancient warthog for my son. His molars were worn flat to his gumline. A true trophy for him, and one he really wanted to take on this safari.
He finished the evening off by telling me that "This is the most fun I've ever had." The trip was complete for me at that point. I didn't care what happened for the rest of the trip.
Day 4 started at the same waterholes because we had been told that several Kudu had been seen in the vicinity. At about 11:45 a very nice impala came in and I had my third animal "in the salt".
It's worth mentioning that immediately after I took the impala, another impala stepped out of the brush after the shot and he was a true trophy to behold: very wide and with horns that swept back almost flat against his neck and back. Extremely unique and true trophy quality. I'll talk more about him in a bit.
The trackers took the impala back to be skinned while the PH and I stayed put and continued the hunt. The late afternoon produced a solo Kudu bull at 165 yards. The .300 H&H did its magic and my main African game goal hit the ground. I think he's a beautiful animal.
The day ended and we went back to camp for a sundowner, celebration and some great food.
Day 5 found us on yet another concession looking for Gemsbok for my son. From the bakkie we found several potential customers but none proved to be cooperative from our stalks. After an unsuccessful morning, we returned to camp for lunch.
After lunch we went back out and sat a waterhole for Gemsbok. Around 1:00, a nice Kudu came in with a huge waterbuck. Kudu was on the list so my son took the nice bull.
Day 6, my son told me he wanted to chase a Golden Wildebeest. After seeing my Wildebeest and seeing a golden earlier in the week, he wanted to try for one of those instead of the Gemsbok. So off we went to find a Golden Wildebeest. Around 2:00 we put the glasses on a Golden Wildebeest at about a half mile from atop a rock outcropping.
The chase was on and for the next 2 hours we played chess with this big guy. Ultimately, my son made a near 200 yard frontal shot that hit the mark. What a splendid animal.
He was all smiles after this and took pictures with everybody. We took the rest of the Saturday afternoon off to enjoy the African sunset and spend time around the fire with Bertus, his family and Pieter.
Hunt day 7, we had each taken the animals we originally came for so I asked Bertus if we could go back after the "swept-back" impala for my son. Of course we got the go-ahead and so we went back to the waterhole where I had shot my impala and we had seen the bigger ram. We got sat down at around 8am and about 10:30, he came in. We were ready. My son had a good rest, the ram was at a measured 165 yards and....boom! Pieter said immediately "You missed." luckily the ram didn't know which way to run and stood looking around for a few seconds. My son lined up again.....boom! This time, they all scattered and disappeared. "You missed again."
I was dumbfounded. My son was shocked. Obviously we've all missed game in our hunting careers and it comes with the territory but twice in 10 seconds from a good rest had his confidence in the toilet. He's a great shot for a 25 year old man. I'm a former firearms instructor and taught him as much as I could about shot placement, breathing, trigger control, etc, etc, ad nauseam. We just were at a loss as to why he missed. We found where both bullets struck the brush and were able to determine that both shots went high over the ram's back. We went back to camp with the intention to come back in the afternoon and try for him again.
Sure enough, he came in but never presented a good shot. The evening ended back at camp with a renewed resolve to get the invincible impala.
Hunt day 8
Spent all day at the waterhole and no impala. Frustrating day but still better than working. Zebra, giraffe and other impala made the day enjoyable.
Hunt day 9
Again, we hit the blind, and again, around 10:45 he showed. We had previously moved the rifle rest in the blind to a more sturdy position and did everything we could to facilitate a good shot. The ram finally presented a good quartering shot and...Boom! The ram sprinted away. Another miss. At that point, my son was frazzled. I was too. I tried my best to make it as lighthearted as possible and relate stories from my own hunting mishaps. A big learning experience was at hand for him.
We decided to head back to camp. Once we got there, I asked to take the rifle to the range. Something I should have done after the first miss (since it was my rifle) to check zero. I put the gun on the bags and squeezed off a round. Vertically inline but 5 inches high of center. For good measure, I shot another round. Both bullet holes touched. I could have kicked myself for not doing this after the first miss. We don't know if the scope got knocked around in the truck or what could have caused the issue but it happened.
My son took it in stride and said "Hey, maybe that just wasn't meant to be my Impala." And so with that, we spent the rest of our time watching the wildlife, eating outstanding food and spending time with new found friends. We could have hunted another day but decided to just take it easy and enjoy the fact that it was a great time spent doing what we both love.
They say after you experience Africa for the first time, before you leave you start planning for the next trip. I'm afraid I fell into that trap.
I should mention that we had a fantastic time with Dumukwa Safaris. The staff was outstanding. Bertus, Elené and their 3 sons and 2 daughters are wonderful hosts. Pieter put us on tons of game every single day. There is everything to be found on their concessions and we saw plenty. Cape buffalo, giraffe, hippo, all manner of plains game, baboon, warthog, you name it, it's there. The chalets we stayed in were very comfortable, hot showers, comfortable beds, daily laundry, everything you'd expect in a top shelf outfit. They are family friendly and go the extra mile. The food was plentiful and very well prepared. We enjoyed eland, wildebeest, kudu, chicken, and beef as main courses. Most cooked over open fire. I just don't think there was anything that could have been improved on.
We left Dumukwa and drove into Polokwane where we had a brief tour of Trophy Solutions for our taxidermy work. They will be handling European mounts of the warthog, both Blesbok, Impala, and Blue Wildebeest. They will also make a rug from the Blue Wildebeest and dip and pack both Kudu and the Golden Wildebeest. My brother is a taxidermist in Brady, Texas and will be doing shoulder mounts for both Kudu and the Golden Wildebeest.
Flights home from Joberg were uneventful but long. I think next time I will opt for the direct from Atlanta but spend the extra money for premium economy or business if possible. 23 hours in the air with 2 flights is a beating even with Emirates wonderful service.
Gracy Travel handled everything perfectly. Not a hitch and kept me perfectly informed.
All in, a wonderful experience. My son is hooked. The best of it all is we experienced it together.
Thank you to everyone here for your insight and knowledge.
Thanks to this website, I booked the trip through Gracy Travel and had them handle the heavy lifting since I didn't want any stone unturned with the logistics. We flew Emirates in Premium Economy and went through Dubai out of DFW and then on to Joberg. Thank you to Africahunting.com for the huge amount of information and experience I learned through the safari planning guide.
The boy and I were pretty decided on what game to try for. My list was Kudu, Blesbok, Impala and Blue Wildebeest. He wanted Kudu, Gemsbok, Warthog and Blesbok. I would be carrying a sentimental family hand-down pre-64 Model 70 in .300 H&H. The boy carried the same pre-64 model in .308 Win.
Finally, travel day arrived on July 18 and we boarded for Dubai. Typical flight with atypical service and comfort on Emirates. First time I've flown their airline and I was very impressed. I've flown nearly every major American-owned carrier (because of my prior life before retirement) and none of them touch Emirates service. Flights were uneventful and we made it to Joberg on schedule. We stayed an overnight in Joberg at City Lodge and caught our connection on AirLink the next morning to Polokwane. Then the roughly 2 hour drive from Polokwane airport to Dumukwa on the Limpopo River near Alldays.
When we arrived we were met by Owner/PH Bertus Gerhardt and the staff. We had a nice visit, got unpacked and took the rifles to the range to check zero. Everything was in order so our PH for the hunt, Pieter Pretorius put us on the bakkie and we hit the bush. Our first location was a spot and stalk for the first animal of opportunity. Within a half hour, I had a Blesbok in the crosshairs and a shot off of sticks started my first African safari.
We loaded up the blesbok and continued to hunt for a bit longer. We saw lots of various animals in the ensuing hour or so and then headed back to the skinning shed to unload and prep for dinner. Day 1 was in the books.
Day 2 started with my son first up for a shot. We spotted from the bakkie and found a respectable Blesbok for him. Off the truck he went and after about a half mile stalk, he took his first African animal off sticks. He was happy.
Morning temps were in the low 40's. We had the trackers take the Blesbok in to the skinning shed while we continued on foot. Within an hour, found a Blue Wildebeest that I thought would fit the bill. So after a bit of cat and mouse, I found a shot opportunity and made good.
By this time it was lunchtime so we headed in for a good meal and a little relaxation. We left for the afternoon hunt to a different property and because of the heat reaching into the 80's and a lack of rain, we decided to sit on a waterhole in a ground blind. We saw several animals that came in to drink but none were what we were after.
Day 3 saw my son and I split up to hunt 2 different waterholes on the same property. The morning hunt was unsuccessful but the afternoon hunt produced an ancient warthog for my son. His molars were worn flat to his gumline. A true trophy for him, and one he really wanted to take on this safari.
He finished the evening off by telling me that "This is the most fun I've ever had." The trip was complete for me at that point. I didn't care what happened for the rest of the trip.
Day 4 started at the same waterholes because we had been told that several Kudu had been seen in the vicinity. At about 11:45 a very nice impala came in and I had my third animal "in the salt".
It's worth mentioning that immediately after I took the impala, another impala stepped out of the brush after the shot and he was a true trophy to behold: very wide and with horns that swept back almost flat against his neck and back. Extremely unique and true trophy quality. I'll talk more about him in a bit.
The trackers took the impala back to be skinned while the PH and I stayed put and continued the hunt. The late afternoon produced a solo Kudu bull at 165 yards. The .300 H&H did its magic and my main African game goal hit the ground. I think he's a beautiful animal.
The day ended and we went back to camp for a sundowner, celebration and some great food.
Day 5 found us on yet another concession looking for Gemsbok for my son. From the bakkie we found several potential customers but none proved to be cooperative from our stalks. After an unsuccessful morning, we returned to camp for lunch.
After lunch we went back out and sat a waterhole for Gemsbok. Around 1:00, a nice Kudu came in with a huge waterbuck. Kudu was on the list so my son took the nice bull.
Day 6, my son told me he wanted to chase a Golden Wildebeest. After seeing my Wildebeest and seeing a golden earlier in the week, he wanted to try for one of those instead of the Gemsbok. So off we went to find a Golden Wildebeest. Around 2:00 we put the glasses on a Golden Wildebeest at about a half mile from atop a rock outcropping.
The chase was on and for the next 2 hours we played chess with this big guy. Ultimately, my son made a near 200 yard frontal shot that hit the mark. What a splendid animal.
He was all smiles after this and took pictures with everybody. We took the rest of the Saturday afternoon off to enjoy the African sunset and spend time around the fire with Bertus, his family and Pieter.
Hunt day 7, we had each taken the animals we originally came for so I asked Bertus if we could go back after the "swept-back" impala for my son. Of course we got the go-ahead and so we went back to the waterhole where I had shot my impala and we had seen the bigger ram. We got sat down at around 8am and about 10:30, he came in. We were ready. My son had a good rest, the ram was at a measured 165 yards and....boom! Pieter said immediately "You missed." luckily the ram didn't know which way to run and stood looking around for a few seconds. My son lined up again.....boom! This time, they all scattered and disappeared. "You missed again."
I was dumbfounded. My son was shocked. Obviously we've all missed game in our hunting careers and it comes with the territory but twice in 10 seconds from a good rest had his confidence in the toilet. He's a great shot for a 25 year old man. I'm a former firearms instructor and taught him as much as I could about shot placement, breathing, trigger control, etc, etc, ad nauseam. We just were at a loss as to why he missed. We found where both bullets struck the brush and were able to determine that both shots went high over the ram's back. We went back to camp with the intention to come back in the afternoon and try for him again.
Sure enough, he came in but never presented a good shot. The evening ended back at camp with a renewed resolve to get the invincible impala.
Hunt day 8
Spent all day at the waterhole and no impala. Frustrating day but still better than working. Zebra, giraffe and other impala made the day enjoyable.
Hunt day 9
Again, we hit the blind, and again, around 10:45 he showed. We had previously moved the rifle rest in the blind to a more sturdy position and did everything we could to facilitate a good shot. The ram finally presented a good quartering shot and...Boom! The ram sprinted away. Another miss. At that point, my son was frazzled. I was too. I tried my best to make it as lighthearted as possible and relate stories from my own hunting mishaps. A big learning experience was at hand for him.
We decided to head back to camp. Once we got there, I asked to take the rifle to the range. Something I should have done after the first miss (since it was my rifle) to check zero. I put the gun on the bags and squeezed off a round. Vertically inline but 5 inches high of center. For good measure, I shot another round. Both bullet holes touched. I could have kicked myself for not doing this after the first miss. We don't know if the scope got knocked around in the truck or what could have caused the issue but it happened.
My son took it in stride and said "Hey, maybe that just wasn't meant to be my Impala." And so with that, we spent the rest of our time watching the wildlife, eating outstanding food and spending time with new found friends. We could have hunted another day but decided to just take it easy and enjoy the fact that it was a great time spent doing what we both love.
They say after you experience Africa for the first time, before you leave you start planning for the next trip. I'm afraid I fell into that trap.
I should mention that we had a fantastic time with Dumukwa Safaris. The staff was outstanding. Bertus, Elené and their 3 sons and 2 daughters are wonderful hosts. Pieter put us on tons of game every single day. There is everything to be found on their concessions and we saw plenty. Cape buffalo, giraffe, hippo, all manner of plains game, baboon, warthog, you name it, it's there. The chalets we stayed in were very comfortable, hot showers, comfortable beds, daily laundry, everything you'd expect in a top shelf outfit. They are family friendly and go the extra mile. The food was plentiful and very well prepared. We enjoyed eland, wildebeest, kudu, chicken, and beef as main courses. Most cooked over open fire. I just don't think there was anything that could have been improved on.
We left Dumukwa and drove into Polokwane where we had a brief tour of Trophy Solutions for our taxidermy work. They will be handling European mounts of the warthog, both Blesbok, Impala, and Blue Wildebeest. They will also make a rug from the Blue Wildebeest and dip and pack both Kudu and the Golden Wildebeest. My brother is a taxidermist in Brady, Texas and will be doing shoulder mounts for both Kudu and the Golden Wildebeest.
Flights home from Joberg were uneventful but long. I think next time I will opt for the direct from Atlanta but spend the extra money for premium economy or business if possible. 23 hours in the air with 2 flights is a beating even with Emirates wonderful service.
Gracy Travel handled everything perfectly. Not a hitch and kept me perfectly informed.
All in, a wonderful experience. My son is hooked. The best of it all is we experienced it together.
Thank you to everyone here for your insight and knowledge.
