M Whitley
AH veteran
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2018
- Messages
- 168
- Reaction score
- 896
- Location
- Missouri, USA
- Media
- 116
- Member of
- DSC, SCI, DRC
- Hunted
- RSA, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Spain, Canada
I’m finally posting this because I’ve been “working on this hunt report” the same way I’ve been “working on communication in my marriage”… lots of intention, questionable follow-through, and occasional panicked silence.
Checked a big one off the list in June 2024: a true tusker and a matching pair of ivory that still doesn’t look real when you see it in the photos: 40.5 kg (89.3 lb.) each. We hunted hard, saw an absolutely unsustainable number of elephants, and passed on bulls that would be shooters anywhere in the universe… because we weren’t here for “good,” we were here for great.
We found him on Day 9. And things got western in a hurry.
A side brain shot from the 416 Rigby, a 400 grain CEB solid from about 12 yards ended the hunt and immediately began a very loud, very dangerous, high-speed evacuation drill. Elephants of all sizes and attitudes detonated out of the mopane from every direction at the same time. Fast. Loud. Close enough that I could’ve checked their dental work. If you’ve ever wondered what “being politely reminded you’re not the main character” feels like… it’s that.
Huge credit to Nathan Askew for putting me in the right place at the right time, keeping the standards high, and keeping me calm(ish) when it mattered. This bull's age report came back at 49 years old, which somehow feels both ancient and “still runs the neighborhood and collects rent.”
Big thank you to @BULLET SAFARIS and Nathan for the hard work, patience, and the kind of professional, no-drama safari that makes moments like this possible.
Full report coming… eventually… probably… unless another “bucket list” opportunity shows up first and I relapse into the same level of follow through I bring to marriage communication.
Checked a big one off the list in June 2024: a true tusker and a matching pair of ivory that still doesn’t look real when you see it in the photos: 40.5 kg (89.3 lb.) each. We hunted hard, saw an absolutely unsustainable number of elephants, and passed on bulls that would be shooters anywhere in the universe… because we weren’t here for “good,” we were here for great.
We found him on Day 9. And things got western in a hurry.
A side brain shot from the 416 Rigby, a 400 grain CEB solid from about 12 yards ended the hunt and immediately began a very loud, very dangerous, high-speed evacuation drill. Elephants of all sizes and attitudes detonated out of the mopane from every direction at the same time. Fast. Loud. Close enough that I could’ve checked their dental work. If you’ve ever wondered what “being politely reminded you’re not the main character” feels like… it’s that.
Huge credit to Nathan Askew for putting me in the right place at the right time, keeping the standards high, and keeping me calm(ish) when it mattered. This bull's age report came back at 49 years old, which somehow feels both ancient and “still runs the neighborhood and collects rent.”
Big thank you to @BULLET SAFARIS and Nathan for the hard work, patience, and the kind of professional, no-drama safari that makes moments like this possible.
Full report coming… eventually… probably… unless another “bucket list” opportunity shows up first and I relapse into the same level of follow through I bring to marriage communication.
