Matfarnsworth
New member
This trip would be my 8th or 9th trip to Africa. And my second trip with Bridger safaris. After hunting with Richard last year I knew I could stop looking for outfitters as I had found mine.
My fiancée would be going on this trip and had never seen Africa so a few tour days were scheduled.
Flights sucked as always but arrived in port Elizabeth a couple hours late but at least we were there. Richard was waiting at the airport.
Day 1:
Plettenberg bay was amazing. Great beach and wonderful views. Spent the day looking at monkeys birds and big cats. Ended the day with a beautiful walk on the beach.
Day 2:
Spent the day touring the coast up to addo and several hours in the park. Stayed at an amazing bed and breakfast on the river. Sorry. All of this days pics are on her camera.
Day 3:
Toured inland a bit were Richard showed us several old churches and boer war sites on the way to the lodge. Arrived at the lodge for a late afternoon lunch/pre dinner and met my PH Will. I met Will last year and was very excited to hunt with him as we have a joint interest in Jagd terriers. He suggested we run to the range real quick and check zeros on the rifles.
After a quick check Will asked if we wanted to head back or go look around the ranch a bit. Cheyenne was excited about getting hunting so off we went.
Right before dark we spotted a great fallow deer and it so happened to be the top of her list so off we went. 1/2 mile stalk later the sticks went up and she made a great shot on her first African animal.
Day 4:
Cheyenne wanted a “piggy piggy” and Will had seen a good one earlier in the week. One thing about Will is he loves to walk. So he parked the truck and off we went.
After about a mile hike he spotted a big pig several hundred yards away and off we went.
Short time later the sticks went up and she made another great shot at about 40 yards.
After a great lunch we decided to go up top and look for a springbuck. It took about 30 minutes to find one and the hunt was on. This one ended up being a long shot but Cheyenne came through at just over 400 yards.
Back at the skinning shed we met up with Richard and his hunters. After swapping stories he was a little disappointed a ritual had been missed. Will didn’t know Cheyenne had never killed anything in Africa. Richard decided she needed blooded 3 times to make up for it. lol. Good fun. It was also his hunters first animal.
Day 5:
I was starting to get a little trigger happy and had brought a new 375 ruger to try out. About 11 Will found a 1 horned cow buffalo and asked if I wanted to try it. I of course agreed. The problem was the herd was 91 animals and stalking up on that one particular buff proved a bit tricky. But eventually we found ourselves 80 yards from her and after a couple quick shots and a couple hours of waiting for all the other buffalo to leave we had her.
That afternoon Will told me he had a neighbor who had a zebra somehow get in with his donkeys the rancher wanted it gone so why not. I can never pass up a zebra hunt. A short drive and a long walk later I glassed the zebra in some thick bush below a dam. The stalk was on.
Will was leading the way followed by Cheyenne myself then the tracker. Will got about 10 yards ahead of us and I noticed the zebra circling. I told Cheyenne to get ready and the tracker said there he is as he stepped out at 30 yards. I said shoot and she did. Zebra down.
Will was a bit surprised at the shot and looked back. He said great shot, but how exactly do you plan on getting it out of here and back to the truck? Oops. I guess leave the PH ing to the PH.
Day 6:
I really wanted a Vaal reedbuck and Richard arranged for us to hunt a huge cattle ranch up county. A super early wake up call and we were off. The downside was it was by far the worst day weather wise of the trip. Wind at over 120 kilometers. Whatever that translates too. I missed a loooong shot about noon and we decided to regroup and have lunch. After talking it over we decided to try another area about a hour away and hopefully the wind was blowing a bit less.
About a hour before dark the tracker spotted a small group and off we went. A quick shot at about 400 yards and I had my reedbuck slam complete.
Day 7:
On the way back to the lodge Will said he wished I could shoot a couple more cow buffalo as he needed to reduce numbers before winter. I told him I had plenty of bullets so let’s do it. So off we went. It didn’t take long to find them and it looked like they had split into a couple smaller groups. We picked a group and started walking. About a hour later we were in front of the Buffalo waiting for them to feed out. Will turned to me and said we could wait there and shoot one within a few minutes or we could stalk into the thick stuff after them. The smile on my face was all he needed and off we went. About 10 minutes later we were tight on the buffalo. When an old cow stepped out at 15 yards Will gave me the green light.
After lunch Cheyenne wanted to do a little bass fishing. Will thought it was a little too cold but was game to try. What a wonderful relaxing evening.
Day 8:
This was our last hunting day and Will asked if there was anything we wanted to do. Cheyenne mentioned she wanted an impala so off we went. It took a bit of looking to find one Will was happy with and the hunt was on.
Cheyenne finished strong with a 300 yard shot on a great impala.
Sitting around after lunch Will commented that I needed another buffalo. Let me get my boots.
It took a lot longer than we expected but right at dark on my last night we were within 60 yards of the herd. A couple shots later and Africa 2025 was in the books.
Can’t say enough good about Richard and Bridger safaris. Food, lodging, communication, and people from the bottom up have all been amazing. I am truly blessed to have met him and to be able to call him my friend.
My fiancée would be going on this trip and had never seen Africa so a few tour days were scheduled.
Flights sucked as always but arrived in port Elizabeth a couple hours late but at least we were there. Richard was waiting at the airport.
Day 1:
Plettenberg bay was amazing. Great beach and wonderful views. Spent the day looking at monkeys birds and big cats. Ended the day with a beautiful walk on the beach.
Day 2:
Spent the day touring the coast up to addo and several hours in the park. Stayed at an amazing bed and breakfast on the river. Sorry. All of this days pics are on her camera.
Day 3:
Toured inland a bit were Richard showed us several old churches and boer war sites on the way to the lodge. Arrived at the lodge for a late afternoon lunch/pre dinner and met my PH Will. I met Will last year and was very excited to hunt with him as we have a joint interest in Jagd terriers. He suggested we run to the range real quick and check zeros on the rifles.
After a quick check Will asked if we wanted to head back or go look around the ranch a bit. Cheyenne was excited about getting hunting so off we went.
Right before dark we spotted a great fallow deer and it so happened to be the top of her list so off we went. 1/2 mile stalk later the sticks went up and she made a great shot on her first African animal.
Day 4:
Cheyenne wanted a “piggy piggy” and Will had seen a good one earlier in the week. One thing about Will is he loves to walk. So he parked the truck and off we went.
After about a mile hike he spotted a big pig several hundred yards away and off we went.
Short time later the sticks went up and she made another great shot at about 40 yards.
After a great lunch we decided to go up top and look for a springbuck. It took about 30 minutes to find one and the hunt was on. This one ended up being a long shot but Cheyenne came through at just over 400 yards.
Back at the skinning shed we met up with Richard and his hunters. After swapping stories he was a little disappointed a ritual had been missed. Will didn’t know Cheyenne had never killed anything in Africa. Richard decided she needed blooded 3 times to make up for it. lol. Good fun. It was also his hunters first animal.
Day 5:
I was starting to get a little trigger happy and had brought a new 375 ruger to try out. About 11 Will found a 1 horned cow buffalo and asked if I wanted to try it. I of course agreed. The problem was the herd was 91 animals and stalking up on that one particular buff proved a bit tricky. But eventually we found ourselves 80 yards from her and after a couple quick shots and a couple hours of waiting for all the other buffalo to leave we had her.
That afternoon Will told me he had a neighbor who had a zebra somehow get in with his donkeys the rancher wanted it gone so why not. I can never pass up a zebra hunt. A short drive and a long walk later I glassed the zebra in some thick bush below a dam. The stalk was on.
Will was leading the way followed by Cheyenne myself then the tracker. Will got about 10 yards ahead of us and I noticed the zebra circling. I told Cheyenne to get ready and the tracker said there he is as he stepped out at 30 yards. I said shoot and she did. Zebra down.
Will was a bit surprised at the shot and looked back. He said great shot, but how exactly do you plan on getting it out of here and back to the truck? Oops. I guess leave the PH ing to the PH.
Day 6:
I really wanted a Vaal reedbuck and Richard arranged for us to hunt a huge cattle ranch up county. A super early wake up call and we were off. The downside was it was by far the worst day weather wise of the trip. Wind at over 120 kilometers. Whatever that translates too. I missed a loooong shot about noon and we decided to regroup and have lunch. After talking it over we decided to try another area about a hour away and hopefully the wind was blowing a bit less.
About a hour before dark the tracker spotted a small group and off we went. A quick shot at about 400 yards and I had my reedbuck slam complete.
Day 7:
On the way back to the lodge Will said he wished I could shoot a couple more cow buffalo as he needed to reduce numbers before winter. I told him I had plenty of bullets so let’s do it. So off we went. It didn’t take long to find them and it looked like they had split into a couple smaller groups. We picked a group and started walking. About a hour later we were in front of the Buffalo waiting for them to feed out. Will turned to me and said we could wait there and shoot one within a few minutes or we could stalk into the thick stuff after them. The smile on my face was all he needed and off we went. About 10 minutes later we were tight on the buffalo. When an old cow stepped out at 15 yards Will gave me the green light.
After lunch Cheyenne wanted to do a little bass fishing. Will thought it was a little too cold but was game to try. What a wonderful relaxing evening.
Day 8:
This was our last hunting day and Will asked if there was anything we wanted to do. Cheyenne mentioned she wanted an impala so off we went. It took a bit of looking to find one Will was happy with and the hunt was on.
Cheyenne finished strong with a 300 yard shot on a great impala.
Sitting around after lunch Will commented that I needed another buffalo. Let me get my boots.
It took a lot longer than we expected but right at dark on my last night we were within 60 yards of the herd. A couple shots later and Africa 2025 was in the books.
Can’t say enough good about Richard and Bridger safaris. Food, lodging, communication, and people from the bottom up have all been amazing. I am truly blessed to have met him and to be able to call him my friend.
