mdwest
AH ambassador
Im not sure how much I'll be able to (or want to) post while we're in camp.. but I thought I would go on and start a hunt report thread as a placeholder and update it as time and bandwidth permit.. We're headed to the airport in a few hours and are on the way to our 2021 South Africa hunt with @Bos en Dal SAFARIS
In mid 2019, a group of buddies and I that do a "veterans" hog hunt in Texas every year started talking about possibly doing a group hunt in Africa. By the end of 2019 we had everything worked out.. 4 of us were locked in, planned on taking our spouses with us, and had dates set for July 2020..
Then that heifer 'rona showed up and dashed all of our plans..
Fast forward to about Feb of 2021.. Things start opening up and international travel and hunting begin to look a little more positive.. Quickly we start to re-group and develop a plan.. The problem was that over the course of about 14-15 months a couple of the guys that committed prior were now "out" and the search was on to see if there were any replacements that wanted to hunt.. The two of us that were still "in" settled on some dates (mid July 2021), and began talking with other veterans that are among our hunting buddy friends.. In short order we had camp filled to capacity again and our "veterans hunt" was back on..
My better half and I are headed to the airport in a few hours.. the rest of our hunting party starts their journey on Saturday morning.. I'm planning on chasing bushpig, steinbok, and I might be convinced to take a kudu if a nice one walks out that I just cant resist.. or, to be honest... what I bag might be completely different.. I dont really have firm or nonnegotiable plans.. I just want to get the hell out of the US for a little while and enjoy the red dirt and the evening fire in South Africa for a bit.. Im perfectly happy to spend this entire trip just hunting whatever the bush provides..
The better half has more specific targets/goals in mind.. she is hard set on bushbuck, eland, and a croc.. and Im sure will pick another something or two before we head home if the right animal presents itself at the right time, etc...
The other three hunters (plus 1 observer) are doing fairly basic/entry plains game hunts.. All are avid, and very experienced north american hunters.. but this will be their first international hunt.. one hunter is after impala, blue wildebeest, warthog, and kudu.. another is after blesbok, red hartebeest, warthog, and gemsbok, and the third is looking at blesbok, impala, and maybe something else once they have a chance to look around and see how things work..
Im on the Qatar Airlines flight from DFW to Doha to Jo'berg. The rest of the party are doing the United route from Newark to Jo'berg. I'll provide feedback/notes on how each flight went once we return.. I will say that Ive flown Qatar numerous times in the past (not to South Africa however) and have always been very happy with them.. They have been a bit of a PIA this time around however with having to deal with them on traveling with firearms.. Im 99% certain everything is sorted out at this point (I know, I know.. should have used a travel agent instead of booking the flights myself...).. but we're planning on getting to the airport extremely early this afternoon just in case..
Im taking my Winchester 70 Classic Stainless in 375H&H on this trip and shooting barnes 300gr TSX hand loads (a few solids are available as well in case we see that steinbok mentioned above).. My wife is taking her trusty VZ24 (98 Mauser) custom that I built her about 4 years ago in .35 Whelen (@Bob Nelson 35Whelen should be proud!
) and is shooting barnes 225gr TTSX hand loads.. The rest of the hunters are using camp rifles..
More to follow as the hunt progresses..
In mid 2019, a group of buddies and I that do a "veterans" hog hunt in Texas every year started talking about possibly doing a group hunt in Africa. By the end of 2019 we had everything worked out.. 4 of us were locked in, planned on taking our spouses with us, and had dates set for July 2020..
Then that heifer 'rona showed up and dashed all of our plans..
Fast forward to about Feb of 2021.. Things start opening up and international travel and hunting begin to look a little more positive.. Quickly we start to re-group and develop a plan.. The problem was that over the course of about 14-15 months a couple of the guys that committed prior were now "out" and the search was on to see if there were any replacements that wanted to hunt.. The two of us that were still "in" settled on some dates (mid July 2021), and began talking with other veterans that are among our hunting buddy friends.. In short order we had camp filled to capacity again and our "veterans hunt" was back on..
My better half and I are headed to the airport in a few hours.. the rest of our hunting party starts their journey on Saturday morning.. I'm planning on chasing bushpig, steinbok, and I might be convinced to take a kudu if a nice one walks out that I just cant resist.. or, to be honest... what I bag might be completely different.. I dont really have firm or nonnegotiable plans.. I just want to get the hell out of the US for a little while and enjoy the red dirt and the evening fire in South Africa for a bit.. Im perfectly happy to spend this entire trip just hunting whatever the bush provides..
The better half has more specific targets/goals in mind.. she is hard set on bushbuck, eland, and a croc.. and Im sure will pick another something or two before we head home if the right animal presents itself at the right time, etc...
The other three hunters (plus 1 observer) are doing fairly basic/entry plains game hunts.. All are avid, and very experienced north american hunters.. but this will be their first international hunt.. one hunter is after impala, blue wildebeest, warthog, and kudu.. another is after blesbok, red hartebeest, warthog, and gemsbok, and the third is looking at blesbok, impala, and maybe something else once they have a chance to look around and see how things work..
Im on the Qatar Airlines flight from DFW to Doha to Jo'berg. The rest of the party are doing the United route from Newark to Jo'berg. I'll provide feedback/notes on how each flight went once we return.. I will say that Ive flown Qatar numerous times in the past (not to South Africa however) and have always been very happy with them.. They have been a bit of a PIA this time around however with having to deal with them on traveling with firearms.. Im 99% certain everything is sorted out at this point (I know, I know.. should have used a travel agent instead of booking the flights myself...).. but we're planning on getting to the airport extremely early this afternoon just in case..
Im taking my Winchester 70 Classic Stainless in 375H&H on this trip and shooting barnes 300gr TSX hand loads (a few solids are available as well in case we see that steinbok mentioned above).. My wife is taking her trusty VZ24 (98 Mauser) custom that I built her about 4 years ago in .35 Whelen (@Bob Nelson 35Whelen should be proud!
) and is shooting barnes 225gr TTSX hand loads.. The rest of the hunters are using camp rifles.. More to follow as the hunt progresses..
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