8 days and counting down— this part sucks

[friendswoodmatt]

With all the personal; crap I have had going on— If I am honest I just wasn’t into this hunt. But, things have a way of clearing themselves up (some good and some sad) and now I find myself 8 days away from a month in Africa. I am getting pumped, my issue now is this is starting to become like Christmas morning — it will never get here— how do you cope?? My stockings have been hung by the chimney with care — and sprayed with permithren. I am stocking up on stick baits and top waters for the fishing part of the program— I feel like I own most of amazon and have pared down the clothes to literally not much more than I would take one a week’s vacation somewhere else — have practiced off my sticks to a reasonable degree of accuracy and now all there is to do is wait for the fat man to show up!!!!
UGGGG—!

 

[jcnelsn1]

With all the personal; crap I have had going on— If I am honest I just wasn’t into this hunt. But, things have a way of clearing themselves up (some good and some sad) and now I find myself 8 days away from a month in Africa. I am getting pumped, my issue now is this is starting to become like Christmas morning — it will never get here— how do you cope?? My stockings have been hung by the chimney with care — and sprayed with permithren. I am stocking up on stick baits and top waters for the fishing part of the program— I feel like I own most of amazon and have pared down the clothes to literally not much more than I would take one a week’s vacation somewhere else — have practiced off my sticks to a reasonable degree of accuracy and now all there is to do is wait for the fat man to show up!!!!
UGGGG—!

What’s on the agenda for the trip?

 

[friendswoodmatt]

East cape 2 different lodges for 12 day’s then addo elephant park then up to limpopo for 5-6 days then to Victoria hotel for 2 days then Chobe river to tiger fish for 2 days — then start at north end of kruger sightseeing driving south for remainder till we go back to Jo-berg — leave Sept. 28 and Return October 29th I think it is

 

[jcnelsn1]

East cape 2 different lodges for 12 day’s then addo elephant park then up to limpopo for 5-6 days then to Victoria hotel for 2 days then Chobe river to tiger fish for 2 days — then start at north end of kruger sightseeing driving south for remainder till we go back to Jo-berg — leave Sept. 28 and Return October 29th I think it is

Awesome. Go big or go home!

 

[R.M.C.]

Sounds like a great trip!!!

 

[Randy F]

It might suck some but I’m here to tell you that to NOT have a month long trip to Africa coming up in 8 days sucks WAY worse.
Best of luck on your trip. Stay safe.

 

[AZDAVE]

Shut your phone off and don't turn it back on till you clear customs at home, leave the tablet or laptop at home, and just let the time melt away the problems. Enjoy your trip and look forward to your trip report in early november.

 

[Ridgewalker]

What an outstanding adventure! I can hardly wait to start reading your report!
Best of luck!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Friendswoodmatt, you say 'we', who all are going? Are you flying off the internal legs, you are jumping around quite a bit?
Are you bringing your own funs, or hiring?

 

[friendswoodmatt]

1. Will try and stay away from phone-but my boat is being hauled out for a bottom job and a bunch of repairs on October 4 — so will need to be on top of it with Capt. overseeing work plus We have livestock and kids and pups so— some contact will be necessary
2. We is Wife and I are going
3. We elected to rent guns because of the different places/ease of it
4. Some of the internal legs are on planes — we were going most via plane— but like Polokwane airport is closed so we are going to need to drive from J-Berg to Alldays — the Vic falls is by truck and then the park is as well

 

[Shootist43]

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Will your wife be hunting as well? You won't need much luggage, your wife on the other hand . . . . . . .

 

[friendswoodmatt]

Wife is killing a Sable and a Kudu, but informed me earlier this week she would like to hold out for animals to be named later as well…. She has been reading all of the lovely stories on here and has learned that often times during a stalk other opportunities can pop up (thanks to everyone for that $$$lol) — She wants to hold the door open for these other opportunities she may not be aware of. She called it situational shopping.
She is packed and has only one nice pair of shoes and one non hunting outfit — she packed for a week and is actually on my tail to get my stuff ready and packed.
She i is a trooper and is at the very least as excited as I am if not more so.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Wife is killing a Sable and a Kudu, but informed me earlier this week she would like to hold out for animals to be named later as well…. She has been reading all of the lovely stories on here and has learned that often times during a stalk other opportunities can pop up (thanks to everyone for that $$$lol) — She wants to hold the door open for these other opportunities she may not be aware of. She called it situational shopping.
.......

You let her learn from enablers on AH?! Situational Shopping, you have got to love that.
You are in serious trouble.
Have an absolute blast.

 

[Shootist43]

Friendswoodmat, she sounds like the kind of wife to have. Count yourself lucky!! BTW, you keep watching that pot and it won't boil for another couple of days. Have you thought about another trip to the range? Do you have access to the calibers you will be using?

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

East cape 2 different lodges for 12 day’s then addo elephant park then up to limpopo for 5-6 days then to Victoria hotel for 2 days then Chobe river to tiger fish for 2 days — then start at north end of kruger sightseeing driving south for remainder till we go back to Jo-berg — leave Sept. 28 and Return October 29th I think it is

I hope you and your wife have a great trip. When you are in the Falls be sure to stop by the 3 Monkeys great place for a beer and people watching!

 

[friendswoodmatt]

Friendswoodmat, she sounds like the kind of wife to have. Count yourself lucky!! BTW, you keep watching that pot and it won't boil for another couple of days. Have you thought about another trip to the range? Do you have access to the calibers you will be using?

Thanks— pot is getting a lot closer to boiling now. I am lucky enough to live on a ranch — I have a 300 yard range off my porch - so a trip is just walking outside— sticks are there and I have practiced with my 22,308, 270wm, 300 wm, 375 hh, 416 rigby. I didnt ask the ph what I would be shooting but I think its a or a 3006 and a 375 and if I decided to shoot a Buff it would be 416 rigby. I think these are the calibers that should cover everything I will be using— I dont own a 30-06 but i have enough stuff around it that I will hopefully be ok. Taking my sticks I practiced with as well. Hopefully this will be good enough.

 

[Shootist43]

Friendswoodmat, it sounds like you are covered, has your wife been practicing as well? What will she be using for her situational shopping? BYW that term may well become a "standard" for all of the huntresses on AH. I for one have been LMAO since I first read / heard the term.

 

[friendswoodmatt]

To be honest she has practiced much more than I have. She hunts once per week here (pigs) to keep sharp as well and to help manage the ranch. I believe she will be using a suppressed 308, and a suppressed 3006. Her groups at 200 off sticks have gotten down to 2” occasionally 3” but from 200 in I feel confident she will be able to get it done.
We picked the PH for the first hunt based upon friends recommendations and meeting/interviewing PH’s. We went to the Dallas show in 2020 and we met a ton of people— but Wolma Kemp with Africa Anways safaris was the guy she “clicked” with— she said she felt very comfortable with him. So we picked him for that.
The other Safari will be with Thaba-Tala safaris in Limpopo— I met Johan Swart on a hunt trade message board and he and his girlfriends dad flew in and stayed at my place for 5 days to get a nice axis. So that hunt started as a trade for a Kudu but has morphed into hunting for kudu and other stuff/fishing and tours. We will be staying at his families ranch and hunting Johan’s concessions in the area. Here is his axis — and one my wife shot.

 

[Shootist43]

From what I've read on AH and seen from my own wife's shooting no one has ever accused a female Texan of being a poor shot. I'm all but convinced there is something in your water. LOL

 

[friendswoodmatt]

In Doha now 16 hours till touchdown in J-berg