Dcarr
AH member
- Joined
- May 3, 2019
- Messages
- 28
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- 82
I by chance met the folks from Noorsveld Safaris at The World Deer Expo in the summer of 2017. There booth was across the isle from mine and we visited back and forth. Izak and his sister in law, Maz, were tending their booth and were just very very nice people as most South Africans I've met are. By the weekend I had ask a lot of questions that they happily answered. They ask me by being polite if I'd ever been to Africa which I know by all my questions they knew I hadnt. I told them I had booked a hunt for April of 2018 with Somerby Safaris. By the end of the show I told them if I liked the trip in the spring with Somerby that I would book a hunt with them. Well I posted my report yesterday on here about the hunt I had with Somerby and that I rebooked with them for 2020. My wife ask me why I didnt rebook with them for 2019 and I told her I had told Noorsveld I would hunt with them if I liked it and I had to keep my word.
I had become friends with Izak and Maz on FB and had stayed in contact. Maz who now lives in Atlanta insisted we come by her house before we flew out for our Somerby safari and she would cook us a traditional South African meal which she did. We had a wonderful meal and lots of talk about our trip.
So after our return from Somerby in May I seen on Facebook that Noorsveld was going to attend the Texas Trophy Hunting shows in Houston and Ft Worth which we were signed up for also. I looked them up at the Houston show and got to meet Izak's wife, Merika. She also gave me that sense of somebody I had known all my life. I told them my wife would be attending the Ft Worth show with me the next weekend and I would book a hunt. The next weekend when my wife met them, she too said they were just some of the nicest people we had ever met. We really looked forward to going there on our second safari.
April rolled around pretty fast and before we knew it we were headed back to Atlanta to start our new adventure at Noorsveld. Before we knew it we landed in Port Elizabeth where Izak met us when we walked out of the secured area. He took us and we retrieved my rifle and ammo and headed to his truck. When we got our bags loaded and started to get in he presented my wife with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for our anniversary. I was thoroughly impressed they had picked that up off our Facebook page.
The 2 hour ride was uneventful but the scenery was absolutely beautiful. Seen some game along the way but continuous mountains. It was strange not to see much high fence on our drive. Izak had told me that their place for the biggest part was low fence and free range. I really didnt know what to expect or the quality of our quarry. I wasnt worried to much tho because Noorsveld had posted a management/cull package and Izak had let me switch over to it.
Upon arrival we were treated by Izak's father Deon and his great dane, Marten. Me and that horse of a dog made friends as fast as I had with the family. We got our bags and went into a beautiful lodge and was taken to our room to freshen up before lunch. At lunch we met Deon's wife, Francie and had a delicious South African traditional lunch. Wasnt long and we were out looking for game.
Now I could bore you with the hunting stories but I wont. As most of us know just about any outfitter can put trophy animals in front of you, but not all can provide you with a true African experience.
I took several animals the next few days in the valley around the lodge. But what I remember the most was at lunch each day we were taken to a dry creek bed where a camp fire was built and as we relaxed Izak would cook us a wonderful lunch of kudu sausage over that open fire. It was unbelievable.
The 3rd day, after i told Izak that i was interested in taking some trophies he took me into the mountains where we hunted kudu, eland, wildebeest, blesbuck, waterbuck, and a few other species. We seen lots of big kudu and waterbuck that wasnt to crazy about getting shot at and usually disappeared in the thick thorn trees that was on the mountain. I thought the animals were amazing but nothing to compare to the beauty of the mountains and the continuous breathtaking views. For lunch that day after I had taken a blue wildebeest, we went to a small family cabin they used for the families R&R. Again a campfire was built and the most delicious burger was prepared for us. It was kudu with a little lamb fat mixed in. If the good Lord would have took me I'd have died a happy man. It was just unbelievable.
After lunch we headed off the other side of the mountain where we could once again see the valley where the lodge was at. We stopped not very far down, we took a short walk to look for kudu in a bushy cutout valley. Sure enough there were some kudu that were feeding about 250 yards from us but hadnt detected us yet. The bull was a dandy but after glassing him Izak told me that he needed another year or 2 because his tips pointed out and should point in. However while glassing we seen a bachelor herd of eland bulls laying on the hillside sunning. Izak thought that one or 2 were for sure shooters. As we were making a plan on how to get to them without to difficult of a time the kudus seen us and took off for the cover of the thorn trees. In return the eland got up and took down the mountain at a steady trot. When they did Izak seen one with good mass, a big hairy boss, and a black julip. As we set and watched their decent from the mountain I knew my chances were going away from us. We watched them trot for several miles until they went over a pretty good hill and out of site. We stood there a little bit and Izak said he thought they probably stopped in that valley. We returned back to the truck and headed down to see if we could get on them. We hadnt traveled very far and got to a curve and seen another herd of kudu. The bull stood there looking at us long enough for us to see he was a great old warrior. When he disappeared in a brushy holler of the mountain Izak told me we could go back up to the top and around and should have a 150 to 200 yard shot at him. The only thing was that we only had time for one animal so I had to choose between the eland and the kudu. Well already have taken a cull kudu the day before I opted for the huge eland bull with the beautiful boss.
We started again to head on down and in just a few hundred yards seen a monstrous waterbuck standing all by himself. Again Izak told me I'd have to make a decision. Again I opted for trying to get on the big eland bull. We made our way then on down the mountain and to the area where the eland eent. Izak let our tracker, Koos, out before we got to the valley and told him to walk up on the last hill we seen them go over to see if he could put eyes on them. We went on down and got set up on a hump. Wasnt long we seen Koos and the eland did too and here they came in our direction. I was able to get on the sticks and the old bill for a shot which I took. He donkey kicked when the bullet hit and they all took off. I fired 2 more times at him running hitting him one out of the two. We tracked him for what seemed to be a couple more miles getting another shot at him. We finally got him down at dusk with four 300 mag rounds behind the front shoulder. I was not impressed with the performance of the Weatherby ammo I was shooting.
We hunted several more days on that beautiful mountain. Of a morning I'd visit with Deon about the history of the veld. Of a evening we talked to the entire family about not only the hunting and the land but how the family had built the farm basically with their own hands. It was so interesting to here how they went and found the pine from the US and would tear down a structure to get it. It amazed me how proficient they were at building and how the family had constructed the lodge by hand. Even made the bricks for all the buildings in the compound. Didn't take long to figure out this was probably the hardest working family we had ever met. They even own a farm store and gas station in the nearest town and built it themselves. Francie made and canned the jams and jellies they sold there and even the chutney I fell in love with.
The family told us of all the things they had left to build around the lodge and the cabin in the mountains. I cannot wait to return to see the progress.
I'm telling you this was the hunt of a lifetime. They are not a big commercialized outfitter and farm. Deon and Francie do all the cooking while the two boys, Izak and Gert do the PHing. They are definitely concentrating on quality and not quantity. The worst thing I seen with only the sons PHing they cant handle more than 4 hunters at a time if they will hunt 2x1. I really dont thing this is a bad thing as it is more personable and gives the hunters more of a chance to get acquainted with the Taljaard family. Great people and a great place with very very reasonable prices. I was very surprised when we settled up and the discounts I was given without even asking. Showed me the honesty and integrity of this family.
When we left after 8 days there my wife cried for 45 minutes. I sure didnt want to leave either and we both look forward to returning in 2020 if anyway possible. If not 2021 for sure.
Although Noorsveld isnt highly advertised they are sure worth making the trip for. These folks take care of the smallest details which in return gives you the true African experience. We have made friends for a lifetime there!!!
I had become friends with Izak and Maz on FB and had stayed in contact. Maz who now lives in Atlanta insisted we come by her house before we flew out for our Somerby safari and she would cook us a traditional South African meal which she did. We had a wonderful meal and lots of talk about our trip.
So after our return from Somerby in May I seen on Facebook that Noorsveld was going to attend the Texas Trophy Hunting shows in Houston and Ft Worth which we were signed up for also. I looked them up at the Houston show and got to meet Izak's wife, Merika. She also gave me that sense of somebody I had known all my life. I told them my wife would be attending the Ft Worth show with me the next weekend and I would book a hunt. The next weekend when my wife met them, she too said they were just some of the nicest people we had ever met. We really looked forward to going there on our second safari.
April rolled around pretty fast and before we knew it we were headed back to Atlanta to start our new adventure at Noorsveld. Before we knew it we landed in Port Elizabeth where Izak met us when we walked out of the secured area. He took us and we retrieved my rifle and ammo and headed to his truck. When we got our bags loaded and started to get in he presented my wife with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for our anniversary. I was thoroughly impressed they had picked that up off our Facebook page.
The 2 hour ride was uneventful but the scenery was absolutely beautiful. Seen some game along the way but continuous mountains. It was strange not to see much high fence on our drive. Izak had told me that their place for the biggest part was low fence and free range. I really didnt know what to expect or the quality of our quarry. I wasnt worried to much tho because Noorsveld had posted a management/cull package and Izak had let me switch over to it.
Upon arrival we were treated by Izak's father Deon and his great dane, Marten. Me and that horse of a dog made friends as fast as I had with the family. We got our bags and went into a beautiful lodge and was taken to our room to freshen up before lunch. At lunch we met Deon's wife, Francie and had a delicious South African traditional lunch. Wasnt long and we were out looking for game.
Now I could bore you with the hunting stories but I wont. As most of us know just about any outfitter can put trophy animals in front of you, but not all can provide you with a true African experience.
I took several animals the next few days in the valley around the lodge. But what I remember the most was at lunch each day we were taken to a dry creek bed where a camp fire was built and as we relaxed Izak would cook us a wonderful lunch of kudu sausage over that open fire. It was unbelievable.
The 3rd day, after i told Izak that i was interested in taking some trophies he took me into the mountains where we hunted kudu, eland, wildebeest, blesbuck, waterbuck, and a few other species. We seen lots of big kudu and waterbuck that wasnt to crazy about getting shot at and usually disappeared in the thick thorn trees that was on the mountain. I thought the animals were amazing but nothing to compare to the beauty of the mountains and the continuous breathtaking views. For lunch that day after I had taken a blue wildebeest, we went to a small family cabin they used for the families R&R. Again a campfire was built and the most delicious burger was prepared for us. It was kudu with a little lamb fat mixed in. If the good Lord would have took me I'd have died a happy man. It was just unbelievable.
After lunch we headed off the other side of the mountain where we could once again see the valley where the lodge was at. We stopped not very far down, we took a short walk to look for kudu in a bushy cutout valley. Sure enough there were some kudu that were feeding about 250 yards from us but hadnt detected us yet. The bull was a dandy but after glassing him Izak told me that he needed another year or 2 because his tips pointed out and should point in. However while glassing we seen a bachelor herd of eland bulls laying on the hillside sunning. Izak thought that one or 2 were for sure shooters. As we were making a plan on how to get to them without to difficult of a time the kudus seen us and took off for the cover of the thorn trees. In return the eland got up and took down the mountain at a steady trot. When they did Izak seen one with good mass, a big hairy boss, and a black julip. As we set and watched their decent from the mountain I knew my chances were going away from us. We watched them trot for several miles until they went over a pretty good hill and out of site. We stood there a little bit and Izak said he thought they probably stopped in that valley. We returned back to the truck and headed down to see if we could get on them. We hadnt traveled very far and got to a curve and seen another herd of kudu. The bull stood there looking at us long enough for us to see he was a great old warrior. When he disappeared in a brushy holler of the mountain Izak told me we could go back up to the top and around and should have a 150 to 200 yard shot at him. The only thing was that we only had time for one animal so I had to choose between the eland and the kudu. Well already have taken a cull kudu the day before I opted for the huge eland bull with the beautiful boss.
We started again to head on down and in just a few hundred yards seen a monstrous waterbuck standing all by himself. Again Izak told me I'd have to make a decision. Again I opted for trying to get on the big eland bull. We made our way then on down the mountain and to the area where the eland eent. Izak let our tracker, Koos, out before we got to the valley and told him to walk up on the last hill we seen them go over to see if he could put eyes on them. We went on down and got set up on a hump. Wasnt long we seen Koos and the eland did too and here they came in our direction. I was able to get on the sticks and the old bill for a shot which I took. He donkey kicked when the bullet hit and they all took off. I fired 2 more times at him running hitting him one out of the two. We tracked him for what seemed to be a couple more miles getting another shot at him. We finally got him down at dusk with four 300 mag rounds behind the front shoulder. I was not impressed with the performance of the Weatherby ammo I was shooting.
We hunted several more days on that beautiful mountain. Of a morning I'd visit with Deon about the history of the veld. Of a evening we talked to the entire family about not only the hunting and the land but how the family had built the farm basically with their own hands. It was so interesting to here how they went and found the pine from the US and would tear down a structure to get it. It amazed me how proficient they were at building and how the family had constructed the lodge by hand. Even made the bricks for all the buildings in the compound. Didn't take long to figure out this was probably the hardest working family we had ever met. They even own a farm store and gas station in the nearest town and built it themselves. Francie made and canned the jams and jellies they sold there and even the chutney I fell in love with.
The family told us of all the things they had left to build around the lodge and the cabin in the mountains. I cannot wait to return to see the progress.
I'm telling you this was the hunt of a lifetime. They are not a big commercialized outfitter and farm. Deon and Francie do all the cooking while the two boys, Izak and Gert do the PHing. They are definitely concentrating on quality and not quantity. The worst thing I seen with only the sons PHing they cant handle more than 4 hunters at a time if they will hunt 2x1. I really dont thing this is a bad thing as it is more personable and gives the hunters more of a chance to get acquainted with the Taljaard family. Great people and a great place with very very reasonable prices. I was very surprised when we settled up and the discounts I was given without even asking. Showed me the honesty and integrity of this family.
When we left after 8 days there my wife cried for 45 minutes. I sure didnt want to leave either and we both look forward to returning in 2020 if anyway possible. If not 2021 for sure.
Although Noorsveld isnt highly advertised they are sure worth making the trip for. These folks take care of the smallest details which in return gives you the true African experience. We have made friends for a lifetime there!!!
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