BOTSWANA: The Botswana Way: NKWE SAFARIS

[matt vejar]

Hunted again with @NKWE SAFARIS near Ghanzi. As luck would have it this hunt fulfilled every Kudu hunters dream with the mythical 63.25 by 62.5 shot on the third evening sitting by a waterhole at a corral on a free range cattle ranch owned by his cousin. Lampie (lumpy) Jaco’s brother was my guide. We saw the bull the day before and I told Lampie anyone would shoot that bull! He was gone in a flash. The weather was very hot and movement was minimal in the the morning, and nonexistent in the afternoons so Lampie decided we shoot sit the next to afternoons and at 5:30 he walked in as Georgie spotted the bull in the bushes. Lampie and I moved maybe 15 feet out to the side to get a clear shot as we were tucked way back into the brush. The bulls were were in full rut and he stood like a statue and gave me the straight on shot in the chest at around 70 meters. He ran maybe 50 yds and was laying with his head up and expired without a second shot. As I walked up I told Lampie that the biggest kudu I’ve shot for sure. We guessed he must me 57 or 58 inches! Drank some beer on the way back to camp to celebrate. On day one I had shot a 25” Impala that Jaco had seen earlier in the year, to say things were going well would’ve been the all time understatement. Back at camp one look at the the bull by Jaco and it was get the tape! I showered while they measured it and when I got back Jaco had me guessing the length. I was sick from something I caught on the plane so I just said is it over 60”. Way over. Everyone was excited and dumbfounded as Lampie later said the biggest one shot around Ghanzi was 65” that a cousin shot. I measured it after the skulls we’re boiled and got the same measurements.

 

[matt vejar]

The next day we went to a fenced ranch of 60k hectares about 30 minutes west of Ghanzi to look for gemsbok and kudu. 2 minutes into the property Impala are running across road into the fence!! A leopard appears on the road and looks at the truck and retracts his steps into the bush. Wholly crap this is an awesome place is all I could think!! After picking up their tracker at the yard we experience game that you only dream about! Big kudu, Impala and gemsbok are abundant. All I can say is it’s the best fenced hunting I’ve ever seen. Erindi and Eden in Namibia are the only hunting preserves even close to this place!!!
We have stalk 4 big kudu bulls but lose them in the thick brush. We get on some gemsbok at a waterhole and sneak in on them. We see some but can’t get a shot. As we turn around to go back to truck to cows are coming towards us through the brush. The second was is good and Lampie says shoot. At 40 yds another chest shot has the cow run 50 yds and drops dead. She later measures 41” by 40”. Great trophy.

 

[matt vejar]

The next day we’re back as I want a big bull also. We had one great stalk on a big one but somehow through the brush the bolt on gun got lifted and before I could figure it out on the sticks he bolted. Later as we drive we see a wide kudu bull on a ridge maybe 400 yds of. We stalked to around 180 meters and Lampie says do you want to shoot. Only his neck is visible above the tall brush. I’m steady on the sticks( my new stable sticks I bought here at AH). At the shot shot he drops and lets out a grunt. Bertie ( Jaco’s son) and Lampie slap my back and say helluva a shot uncle Matt.

 

[matt vejar]

More to come.

 

[buck wild]

that is quite the kudu specimen !!!!

 

[eyedok]

Nice Kudu, awesome area

 

[BourbonTrail]

That kudu is something else. Big congratulations!

 

[matt vejar]

Unfortunately we can’t hunt this ranch my last two days so we go and look for a big gemsbok bull in the fenced area around the lodge. We make a great stalk on a very good bull, but at the last seconds I change my mind and decide I’ll shoot another kudu instead. We head towards the gate to the free range area on the other side where I shot my big kudu’s last year. Wouldn’t ya know it we see a monster bull just off the road on the other side of fence . He runs off but stops some 70 meters away and some how the trackers spot him. I make an off hand shot that hits the bull hard. We squeezed through the fence and find the bull some 60 yds away stone dead. He is very thick and beautiful shape. I couldn’t be happier. It latter tapes 55.5” with 11.5 inch bases.

 

[matt vejar]

I tell Lampie to go home as I’m done hunting with one day to go. We will leave in two days to go to Shakawe fishing. His son Barrand who is ten has been on the truck for 7 days along with Bertie a junior in HS as school was out for Holiday. Everyone is tired as we had been leaving at 4:30 -5:00 on most days to be at the different ranches at daybreak.
The camp is great along with all the staff. It’s my second trip so I tell Godfrey let’s have a big dinner with the staff. Jaco had left the day before as his client had also gone home.
Godfrey is a great human being and as good a cook as there is in Africa. I showed videos to the trackers of leopard and lion attacks around the campfire on my IPhone.A great time was had by all eating Kudu fillets and sausage braii-ed by yours truly. A picture tells the story.

 

[matt vejar]

It was a great hunt! The fishing with Lampie and Ruan in Shakawe was very good as well but I used up all my luck on the big ones back at Ghanzi. I’ll be back again soon as I’ve nothing better than the Botswana Way!!!

 

[uplander01]

Dream Kudu hunt. WOW

 

[Tucketed]

You guys are killing me. Beyond excellent bull

 

[shootist~]

Wow! What a trophy Kudu.

 

[Biddleman]

What an awesome hunt. You're spot on about the Ghanzi area, Jaco and the staff. I can't wait to go back!!

 

[Nyati]

Great hunt, congrats and thanks for sharing !

 

[PARA45]

Wow, what a great safari. Congrats on some fine Kudus. I would have been happy just hunting Kudu.

 

[375Fox]

That’s an unbelievable kudu hunt congratulations. Had anyone ever asked for a dinner with the staff before you? Never seen or heard of that before, nice show of respect.

 

[BeeMaa]

Amazing kudu.

Love the socks...DAD!

 

[matt vejar]

That’s an unbelievable kudu hunt congratulations. Had anyone ever asked for a dinner with the staff before you? Never seen or heard of that before, nice show of respect.

I never asked me and Godfrey just did it!!

 

[WMU05]

Wow. Some amazing kudu right there. Congratulations!