Hujambo bwanas

[Old Salt]

I've long perused this forum and figured it was finally time to actually join.

I'm a retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer, Parajumper (intel guy). Lived in Northamptonshire, UK for 15 years and was the only Yank I knew that had a full Firearms Certificate. Everything from skeet guns to 375 H&H. Wife worked in London and had a 2-hour commute so when she wanted to move back stateside to Houston, the answer to any relationship question in Texas is, of course, "Yes dear!" She followed me around the planet for my career so it was certainly my time to follow her. Two years later she tells me she has a large promotion if she goes to the refinery (Chevron oil) in El Segundo. "El Segundo, why, where is that my dear?", I ask. I'm thinking; Dallas, Beaumont, Midland/Odessa... Imagine my surprise when she says, "Los Angeles." I barely squeaked out "Yes dear...". And here I am now in the City of Angels. Right down by the water overlooking LA harbor with a view of the Battleship Iowa and the Queen Mary. Have to admit, this place is ground zero of Crazy Town, and I do miss Texas, but I do love this here weather!

I have spent many years training our partner nation military allies all over Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and, best of all, Africa. I absolutely love the place. I have off road rally raced a Hummer H1 in Morocco and hunted in Namibia. I have trained forces in Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and have dear friends who are Rhodesian exiles.

I'm planning my next hunt for 2020 or 2021. Going after the only thing that gives you the "I hate you" stare ;-) Big fan of double rifles even though I can't afford a good one. My "go to" hunting rifles are a 416 RM Mauser M03 Africa, and a Marlin 45-70 guide gun that is slicker than warm butter. I also shoot a Savage 112 300RUM in a tactical chassis for extreme long range shooting. I have not really shot it since moving to L.A. though. Simply nowhere close to shoot that kind of distances.

I'm seriously thinking of taking the lever gun on my next safari. I'm all ears to anyone who has done it!

I'm a big fan of long dogs, long guns, long gin and tonics, long desert races, long books, and just one damned-fine long legged woman.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Welcome to the posting side.
Good luck with your trip planning.

 

[Lee M]

Welcome Old Salt. Thanks for your service. I did 30 years myself in the US Navy. Flew helicopters for 10 years then intel in reserves for 20. Tell us about your Safaris! Where have you been?

 

[Old Salt]

Hey shipmate!

I hunted in Namibia up in the Damaraland Conservancy. It was fantastic. Proper tented safari in the middle of nowhere. Ten days of hunting and took a total of 21 animals! Not by design, but more by good fortune. I had booked for a trophy Kudu, Zebra, and Gemsbok. But I also added six critters on the cull. It is more about the hunt than the trophy if you know what I mean. So my total package was 10 animals in 10 days. Hard hunting but doable, and a LOT cheaper than going after all trophies. I brought my Mauser M03 375 H&H for use on the big critters like the Eland. I ended up borrowing a Mauser K98 300WM from the PH for the longer range shots.

Imagine my surprise when I show up and the outfitter and PH tell me "well, good news and bad news. The bad news is we are going to wear you out. Good news is the conservancy is having a huge celebration and they need LOTS of meat. You are the bwana here so you get to hunt it all, no extra charge." :-0 So I got to hunt an extra 2 Kudu, 2 Zebra, something like six extra Springbok, 4 Gemsbok, an armload of Ostriches. Also bagged a Jackal. My partner in crime, a retired Royal Navy LCDR, rotor head (like yourself!), came along as a non-hunting observer/camera man/instigator/chief of G&T operations, etc. It was a great time. The Eland on the braai is, hands down, the best meat I have ever, ever eaten. I ended up shoulder mounting the Kudu, tanning two Zebra and an Ostrich (had a pair of handmade boots made out of it for Herself!) as well as Euro mounting the Eland and Gemsbok. The Damara people were fantastic; kind and friendly. The land reminded me much of hunting in AZ and West Texas. Oh, and they were right; my shoulder was plain worn out after ten days of hard hunting!

I could not have planned a better first Africa hunting safari if I tried. The next one will be much more focused on Buff. Might have to go back a third time for a tuskless Ele!

 

[johnvdw]

I've long perused this forum and figured it was finally time to actually join.

I'm a retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer, Parajumper (intel guy). Lived in Northamptonshire, UK for 15 years and was the only Yank I knew that had a full Firearms Certificate. Everything from skeet guns to 375 H&H. Wife worked in London and had a 2-hour commute so when she wanted to move back stateside to Houston, the answer to any relationship question in Texas is, of course, "Yes dear!" She followed me around the planet for my career so it was certainly my time to follow her. Two years later she tells me she has a large promotion if she goes to the refinery (Chevron oil) in El Segundo. "El Segundo, why, where is that my dear?", I ask. I'm thinking; Dallas, Beaumont, Midland/Odessa... Imagine my surprise when she says, "Los Angeles." I barely squeaked out "Yes dear...". And here I am now in the City of Angels. Right down by the water overlooking LA harbor with a view of the Battleship Iowa and the Queen Mary. Have to admit, this place is ground zero of Crazy Town, and I do miss Texas, but I do love this here weather!

I have spent many years training our partner nation military allies all over Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and, best of all, Africa. I absolutely love the place. I have off road rally raced a Hummer H1 in Morocco and hunted in Namibia. I have trained forces in Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and have dear friends who are Rhodesian exiles.

I'm planning my next hunt for 2020 or 2021. Going after the only thing that gives you the "I hate you" stare ;-) Big fan of double rifles even though I can't afford a good one. My "go to" hunting rifles are a 416 RM Mauser M03 Africa, and a Marlin 45-70 guide gun that is slicker than warm butter. I also shoot a Savage 112 300RUM in a tactical chassis for extreme long range shooting. I have not really shot it since moving to L.A. though. Simply nowhere close to shoot that kind of distances.

I'm seriously thinking of taking the lever gun on my next safari. I'm all ears to anyone who has done it!

I'm a big fan of long dogs, long guns, long gin and tonics, long desert races, long books, and just one damned-fine long legged woman.

Welcome! Please share some of your Namibian safari pictures

 

[JES Adventures]

Welcome aboard!

 

[cpr0312]

Welcome aboard!

 

[CAustin]

I've long perused this forum and figured it was finally time to actually join.

I'm a retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer, Parajumper (intel guy). Lived in Northamptonshire, UK for 15 years and was the only Yank I knew that had a full Firearms Certificate. Everything from skeet guns to 375 H&H. Wife worked in London and had a 2-hour commute so when she wanted to move back stateside to Houston, the answer to any relationship question in Texas is, of course, "Yes dear!" She followed me around the planet for my career so it was certainly my time to follow her. Two years later she tells me she has a large promotion if she goes to the refinery (Chevron oil) in El Segundo. "El Segundo, why, where is that my dear?", I ask. I'm thinking; Dallas, Beaumont, Midland/Odessa... Imagine my surprise when she says, "Los Angeles." I barely squeaked out "Yes dear...". And here I am now in the City of Angels. Right down by the water overlooking LA harbor with a view of the Battleship Iowa and the Queen Mary. Have to admit, this place is ground zero of Crazy Town, and I do miss Texas, but I do love this here weather!

I have spent many years training our partner nation military allies all over Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and, best of all, Africa. I absolutely love the place. I have off road rally raced a Hummer H1 in Morocco and hunted in Namibia. I have trained forces in Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and have dear friends who are Rhodesian exiles.

I'm planning my next hunt for 2020 or 2021. Going after the only thing that gives you the "I hate you" stare ;-) Big fan of double rifles even though I can't afford a good one. My "go to" hunting rifles are a 416 RM Mauser M03 Africa, and a Marlin 45-70 guide gun that is slicker than warm butter. I also shoot a Savage 112 300RUM in a tactical chassis for extreme long range shooting. I have not really shot it since moving to L.A. though. Simply nowhere close to shoot that kind of distances.

I'm seriously thinking of taking the lever gun on my next safari. I'm all ears to anyone who has done it!

I'm a big fan of long dogs, long guns, long gin and tonics, long desert races, long books, and just one damned-fine long legged woman.

Welcome sir. As to the taking your Marlin 45-70 I would urge you to do so and have fun hunting with it. I took mine on my very first safari and would say it was the object of much interest. Everyone in camp wanted to shoot it and asked a lot of questions about the cartridge.

 

[Lee M]

Wow. I’ll take that “Bad” news any day. What a great experience! I’m heading to Namibia in 22 days. Can’t wait. Do you have any pics you can share?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Welcome to AH Old Salt! Great intro, looking forward to having you on the posting side.

 

[Rob404]

Welcome to AH +1 on the long legged woman

 

[Kowas Adventure Safaris]

Welcome @Old Salt

I loved your intro...

I hope you find what you are looking for!

My best,
Jacques

 

[spike.t]

Hi welcome aboard

 

[Limcroma Safaris]

Welcome @Old Salt & a sincere thank you for your service!

Let us know if we can assist in your safari planning. In the meantime, enjoy the AH.com Forums.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Welcome to the forum sir. If we can be of any assistance, please let us know.

All the best with your planning. It is all part of the process and fun.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH !

I have to agree with you Eland on the braai is the best meat I have ever tasted.

 

[Old Salt]

Thank you all for the kind words. I'm a bit of a writer so I do have a full report with pics. I'll attach it here. My favourite pic, and the one I use on my personal card, is where I'm in the distance walking up to the Gemsbok with the rifle over my shoulder.



"They say I am a cynical adventurer of low breeding and no education. That
is not true; I am a cynical adventurer of low breeding with an excellent education."
*Sir Walter Raleigh

 

[Old Salt]

I've got a whole trip report but it's saved as a .docx file and I can't quite figure out how to upload it yet. I'm a bit of writer so it's quite long but fun :-0 Here are some pics in the meantime.

At the time, I had just come from teaching in Uganda and had a huge West Texas mustache and chops. All the local kids would stare and point at me, calling me "Stanley!" (as in Henry Morton Stanley). The first time a stray 'tache hair poked the misses in her nose while kissing me she made me shave it off!!


The Kalahari Ferrari!

Singing with Mr. O

One of the many Springbok

This is my favourite pic. I use it on my personal cards.

Camp

Old Warty

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Welcome to AH! Long Beach does at this time of year have it's advantages over Houston (and Phx where I live).

 

[Old Salt]

The gang around the bush tv

This Blue Wildebeest was my first African kill. She was for the pot but as far I was concerned, my first trophy ;-)

Big dude and the best eating steak I have ever eaten in my entire life.

Little feller!

Kudu curls

Mr. Stripes