HotspurHodge
New member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2025
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 36
- Location
- England
- Member of
- Corrinium Rifle Range. UK
- Hunted
- South Africa
My first African Hunt
I have just completed my first hunt with @MPETI SAFARIS OUTFITTER in South Africa and I can say, without a doubt, it was the best week of my life!
Since a child I have always been around guns, my father was a big shot gun fan and was a great shot at home in England, always bringing pheasants, ducks and geese home and winning trophies at clay pigeon shoots etc and I fell in love with shooting. Firstly getting into clay pigeon (not as good as dad) and then into shooting rabbits with a .22 rimfire on local farms. Marriage and children put a stop to that for many years but when the kids grew up and left home I decided to re-apply for a firearm licence as I knew a few farmers and asked permission to shoot on their land.
And so it began, my love for shooting grew and grew along with my collection of rifles!
More and more land owners allowed me to shoot vermin and pests from rats and rabbits to foxes and muntjac and Roe deer. I have a collection of rifles, moderators, day and night vision and thermal scopes and spotters. It’s fair to say I’ve spent a lot of money (my wife doesn’t know how much I’ve spent but I tell her everything is £300 and I’ve gotten away with it so far) but it’s worth every penny! I love shooting!
However I felt something was missing.
My very good Canadian friend Dean had been to Africa to hunt twice before (an extremely knowledgable and accomplished hunter, I’m in awe of him to be honest) and he was talking about a third hunt. The fire had been lit in my heart. I had to come to Africa.
So, 18 months ago, I asked Dean if he’d mind me coming along, I knew nothing about hunting in Africa or Plains Game or Cape Buffalo or cull animals etc but Dean was really happy for me to join him. He recommended I bring my own rifle as he hired an outfitters once before and it wasn’t the same as using your own. I was worried about bringing a rifle through Heathrow Airport and numerous others too but the decision was made, I’ll bring mine!
I decided Plains Game was my best option for a few reasons but mainly because I wanted to hunt a variety of animals. I wanted a Zebra for the hide to have made into a rug and a rifle slip, an Impala for a European mount and a Warthog for the tusks maybe for a coat hanger or to be made into a knife handle. I also paid extra for a Nyala.
Dean had shot Plains Game before and this time he wanted Buff!
While Dean started researching and speaking to different outfitters, I started researching which calibre rifle would be best for my hunt.
I already had a Sako .308 at home but after watching and reading lots of reviews I decided on 30-06.
In the UK it’s not a simple process to add a different calibre on your licence and it took 4 months to do so. We need to pass certain criteria and have good reason and have an interview with the police firearms officer etc etc but I was granted the calibre and I started looking at rifles.
I’m a thumbhole fan, all of my rifles are thumbhole, they just suit me.
Firstly I look at aesthetics, if it doesn’t look nice I won’t buy it. Then I try the fit. I came across a Mauser M18 Pure Max and loved it, I added a Steiner Ranger 4-12x56 scope and A-Tec H2 moderator.
Meanwhile while Dean had been researching on Africa Hunting he had come across an outfitter called Mpeti Safaris, he’d been talking to Conrad Fick the PH and really liked him. He put me in touch too and through WhatsApp we set up a group.
Dean came to visit us in England a few weeks later and we set up a video call with Conrad, we hit it off straight away, he was so easy to talk to and made us feel really welcome.
Although I was hunting plains game and Dean was hunting Buff I wanted to spend the hunt with Dean and asked if that was possible to do both together. Conrad said it was no problem. We decided there and then we wanted to shoot at Mpeti.
I joined a local rifle range, called Corrinium Rifle Range in Cirencester, England, to practice at different distances as much as possible, this was invaluable to me as the owners of the range have hunted in Africa many times and even organise trips.
They gave me brilliant help and advised the ideal bullet type and grain for the Mauser. They advised European ammo for a European rifle and I tried Norma Ecostrike 165G. Believe me they are awesome. A fantastic bullet.
I’d only ever shot off a bipod, roof of a truck or from a tripod with a clamp and I knew I needed to start shooting off sticks. I bought some PH Jagt sticks from Corrinium along with a ‘step on strap’ for stability. I was told the PH might take the Micky about the strap (he did) but believe me it was brilliant.
So we were ready for the trip, thankfully Dean had been in touch with a company called Afton Safari Lodge, he’d heard about them through AfricaHunting.com and because we were going on a safari in Kruger after our hunt and needed somewhere to store our rifles for 10 days, Afton not only organised this but also sent someone to meet us at Johannesburg airport, in our case it was Mr X! It sounds dodgy but he was great! He took us through customs to collect our rifles, then to the next customs office as we had another flight to Richards Bay to meet Conrad. Then he took us to the next check in desk and sent us on our way, after the hunt we would return to meet him so he could store the rifles at a local gun shop until we came back from the safari. It was seamless.
(On a side note, after our safari we stayed at Afton for one night where our rifles had been safely returned, it’s a really nice guesthouse full of hunting trophies and a shop full of great stuff. There’s a swimming pool and the food is fabulous! They will then take us to the airport for our return trip and guide us through the customs process. Believe me this is priceless and was worth every penny!!)
So we got on the plane for the next leg of the trip. We landed at Richard’s Bay to meet Conrad, we already had a rapport with him as we’d been talking to him for months through WhatsApp but there’s always that thought in the back of your mind that you might not gel with someone.
Well that concern was gone in the first minute, his enthusiasm, charm, charisma and wit (especially the wit) was amazing. We were laughing and chatting straight away. He and his colleague Ruan helped us through the customs process and grabbed our luggage and rifles and we were on our way to Mpeti (via a snack shop to buy biltong!)
We arrived at the guesthouse to drinks and snacks where we met Henno the apprentice. The friendliest, most helpful kid I’ve ever met.
We were shown to our rooms, got kitted out had a safety briefing. If Conrad or Henno saw anything worth looking at there was to be a click of the fingers and the truck would stop to have a good look. Within an hour we were on the first hunt. Henno driving, Conrad on the back of the truck with us, rifles and sticks ready, Diesel the dog excited and good to go. I was so excited but nervous too, I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.
Literally within minutes there was a click of fingers, Henno stopped the truck and Conrad checked what he saw, an Impala. A really big Impala.
We reversed the truck out of sight.
“Russ, get your rifle, follow me, Dean follow Russ” said Conrad, we carefully walked through the bush looking for the ideal shooting spot followed by Henno who was filming the whole thing.
We stopped, Conrad put up the sticks, I put my foot through the strap and pushed down, the sticks were solid. Conrad talked me through everything, what to aim at, making sure safety was off, telling me to wait and then when to fire. Boom! Perfect shot! Just in front of the shoulder. Heart and lung. Dead before he hit the ground. My heart pounding.
I’ve shot plenty of animals at home but wow, this was different. This is Africa!
We made our way over, 94 meters to be exact. Through his binoculars from the truck Conrad thought it was a great animal and he confirmed it when we got to him. 23” horns and really wide too. A perfect European Trophy!
Lots of photos were taken by Henno, all from different angles to get the perfect shot.
After a celebratory beer and talk about what just happened we loaded the Impala onto the truck and carried on.
There were plenty more sightings that afternoon but they weren’t the right size or shape or age. Conrad and Henno are very particular about what’s good and what’s not so good….and I liked that.
That evening was all about resting, eating, drinking and talking around the fire pit. Rules were explained about the rest of the week. Mainly about ‘fines’ given to anyone making mistakes, all light hearted of course. ‘Fines’ are shots of alcohol to be consumed on the evening of the errors made during the day.
The day started off with a drive to find Buff and we came across two pretty quickly, I had no idea what a Dugga Boy was until that day but I do now. We reversed the truck back for a minute or two and parked up.
“Dean, you’re up, get your rifle, Russ follow Dean and stay close”
Gulp!
We stalked and tracked and stalked and tracked for a very long time but didn’t quite get close, never the less it was so exciting, just to be part of Deans Buff hunt was enough in itself!
Lunchtime came and back to the lodge we went. Fully refreshed we ventured out again and after a long drive we came across my Nyala, a big impressive boy, once again we parked up and walked back to where he was standing, luckily he was still there, Conrad set up the sticks, my foot went into the strap and once again Conrad talked me through shot placement, timing and safety and once again boom, another perfect shot and kill. And again photo’s and footage taken by Henno and this time Conrad called in a few employees to come and collect the Nyala due to its size, there was no way it was going in the truck!
That afternoon we had another search for the 2 buffs but sadly no luck. From memory Henno had a couple of fines, I can’t remember why but it’s fairly standard for the apprentice to make a mistake or 2!
More drinks, food, chat and laughter that night.
Day 3 was upon us and it was buff hunt time again, we drove to a watering hole with trackers this time. Doctor and Mandla were amazing, don’t get me wrong, Conrad and Henno are brilliant trackers but these guys were awesome. They pointed the way through very thick bush following fresh dung and telling us what to do and where to go until we came across a herd of Buff. Heart rates pounding we got close enough for a shot and Dean was getting ready on his sticks, Conrad behind giving instructions and Henno on the camera.
Was it time? No. The wind suddenly changed, it blew our scent straight to the herd and within milliseconds they were gone, into the thick bush. Was it a disaster? No, it was incredible!! The hunt would go on.
Then came my turn to get a fine!
Driving back to the lodge Conrad gave a click with his fingers, he’d seen a magnificent Warthog, huge warts, huge tusks and a male in his prime. No stalking or tracking required as we walked up behind a bush and there he was just standing there. Sticks ready, foot in strap and the usual advice given about shot placement. He was perfectly in my sights and I pulled the trigger……..I lurched forward, nothing. The safety was still on!!! Damn!! By the time I’d taken it off the pig had ran away.
“That’s a fine mate” said Conrad…Jaegermeister from memory!
You are allowed to appeal the fine and if successful you don’t have to drink it. If denied you have to drink 2!
Conrad made a speech detailing the charge but I didn’t appeal. Guilty as charged sir!
Day 4, Zebra day!
After our usual breakfast and plenty of coffee we set out, Conrad driving, Henno on the back of the truck unsure what the day might bring, after a morning of plenty of sightings, but not the right sort, we stopped for a bbq and drinks on top of a hill overlooking the Jozini Dam, an incredible view!
After eating we set off once more and within minutes we came across 2 Giraffe, 2 warthog and 4 Zebra. We stopped the truck,
“Russ, you’re up!” Conrad set up the sticks and strap, Dean and Henno stood behind filming.
“Look at his shoulder, look at the badge on the shoulder, like a Mercedes badge, aim just below the badge, wait, wait, ok ready when you are!”
Bang! Perfect shot again, the Zebra ran for 10 seconds but went down, Diesel was sent to check it out but it was dead before hitting the floor. Wow, what an experience.
It was a strange one as we were all sure it was male as I took the shot but when we got to him there were no balls! Then Mandla said it IS a male, just without balls and he might’ve lost them in a fight when he was younger.
It made me feel even better about the kill as he wasn’t able to mate anyway! He was named Zoe the male Zebra.
That night there were more fines, both Henno and Dean were charged, Dean twice I think! He appealed both, he failed one and won one.
Day 5 Buff day!
After a morning of no Buff we stumbled upon a very sick Warthog it could barely walk and Conrad said I should put it out of its misery so I did. I liked that, it showed compassion.
We had lunch back at the lodge and Ruan rang Conrad to say he’d seen the 2 Buff’s from day 2. They weren’t far from the lodge. This was great news and we all jumped in the truck and set off quickly, picking up Doctor and Mandla on the way. We stopped 5 minutes from the sighting and set off on foot. Conrad, Mandla,Dean, Henno and me at the back. We all stayed very close together, Conrad whispering instructions to us all, making sure we were all safe, all doing the right thing, Mandla tracking, checking fresh dung, broken branches, smelling the air, listening for any sound. It was amazing to watch.
After what seemed like 2 hours we were there, 25 meters away from 2 huge Buff, Christ it was exciting! Also scary as hell. All of us sat on our arses in thick bush, Conrad, Mandla and Dean whispering to each other, me and Henno just behind, Henno telling me what to do, where to sit etc.
We sat there for at least 30 minutes, waiting for the ideal shot, the one Buff turned and walked away, this wasn’t a disaster because he was the younger, smaller one. The one we wanted was staying still but his shoulder was behind a thick branch. Dean had to sit and wait for him to move. All of us trying not to move an inch, which was really difficult as when you’re kneeling down for a long time you start getting pins and needles.
Suddenly it happened, the Buff stepped forward, just a few inches…
“Dean, take the shot” said Conrad
Boom! The .404 Jeffrey hit exactly the right spot, the buff stumbled, moved forward a few feet, started moving towards us…
“And again Dean!” Said Conrad
Dean stood and took the second shot freehand, Boom, once again a great shot. Down he went. We waited, Diesel ran over but knew not to get too close. A very clever dog!
After a few seconds the Buff let out his last bellow and Conrad checked the eyes to make sure he was gone. Diesel now knew he was able to assess the kill. We spent a long time with that animal, talking about what just happened. It’s a strange few minutes after the kill, you almost forget certain parts of it, you have to ask the others ‘exactly’ what happened. Which way did it move?, what did it sound like?, where did I move to? But it all comes back after a while. Maybe the Adrenalin blocks it out for a minute or two. I remember Dean standing over the Buff, the smile on his face but also the respect for the animal was obvious to see. A truly wonderful experience and something to never forget.
Lots of drinks and celebrations were had that night. No fines, just congratulations all round, mainly for Dean but also for the team effort from everyone.
The next day Conrad took us to a disused wooden cabin next to a watering hole, it was a hot day and he said we’re bound to see Warthog, he wasn’t wrong. After waiting a couple of hours watching all sorts of wildlife taking a morning drink the perfect pig showed up. We were sat high up in the lodge and Conrad said a shot through the spine at the back of the head/neck while he was drinking was the best option. He started to drink and I shot, once again a perfect shot.
My quota had been taken but we had a day left and I wanted to shoot some more so I paid extra for a couple of cull animals the next morning. Once again my rifle performed well and I didn’t miss. Later that day we all went Tiger fishing which was great fun.
I’m yet to decide exactly what sort of taxidermy I’ll be having but we went to the taxidermy shop in town and they will email us soon and also have a payment plan in place to spread the costs.
What an amazing week we had, Africa truly has my heart and I’m already planning my second hunt, I’m fairly sure it’ll be for Buff so another application to the firearms unit will be submitted soon!
A special shout out goes to Mpeti Safari’s. Henno and Ruan took us to Richards bay but our flight home was cancelled, I called Conrad and he rang the lads who came back, they arranged for a specialist company to courier our rifles to Afton, then found an alternative flight out of Durban, drove 2 hours and booked us into a hotel, stayed overnight themselves and drove us to the airport the next morning. What an amazing gesture. We were so grateful. We got to our connecting flight with 5 minutes to spare!
Africa was the most amazing trip of my life, to spend it with Dean was an honour and to hunt with Conrad, Henno, Ruan, Doctor and Mandla at Mpeti Safari’s was a dream come true!
Thank you Africa
I have just completed my first hunt with @MPETI SAFARIS OUTFITTER in South Africa and I can say, without a doubt, it was the best week of my life!
Since a child I have always been around guns, my father was a big shot gun fan and was a great shot at home in England, always bringing pheasants, ducks and geese home and winning trophies at clay pigeon shoots etc and I fell in love with shooting. Firstly getting into clay pigeon (not as good as dad) and then into shooting rabbits with a .22 rimfire on local farms. Marriage and children put a stop to that for many years but when the kids grew up and left home I decided to re-apply for a firearm licence as I knew a few farmers and asked permission to shoot on their land.
And so it began, my love for shooting grew and grew along with my collection of rifles!
More and more land owners allowed me to shoot vermin and pests from rats and rabbits to foxes and muntjac and Roe deer. I have a collection of rifles, moderators, day and night vision and thermal scopes and spotters. It’s fair to say I’ve spent a lot of money (my wife doesn’t know how much I’ve spent but I tell her everything is £300 and I’ve gotten away with it so far) but it’s worth every penny! I love shooting!
However I felt something was missing.
My very good Canadian friend Dean had been to Africa to hunt twice before (an extremely knowledgable and accomplished hunter, I’m in awe of him to be honest) and he was talking about a third hunt. The fire had been lit in my heart. I had to come to Africa.
So, 18 months ago, I asked Dean if he’d mind me coming along, I knew nothing about hunting in Africa or Plains Game or Cape Buffalo or cull animals etc but Dean was really happy for me to join him. He recommended I bring my own rifle as he hired an outfitters once before and it wasn’t the same as using your own. I was worried about bringing a rifle through Heathrow Airport and numerous others too but the decision was made, I’ll bring mine!
I decided Plains Game was my best option for a few reasons but mainly because I wanted to hunt a variety of animals. I wanted a Zebra for the hide to have made into a rug and a rifle slip, an Impala for a European mount and a Warthog for the tusks maybe for a coat hanger or to be made into a knife handle. I also paid extra for a Nyala.
Dean had shot Plains Game before and this time he wanted Buff!
While Dean started researching and speaking to different outfitters, I started researching which calibre rifle would be best for my hunt.
I already had a Sako .308 at home but after watching and reading lots of reviews I decided on 30-06.
In the UK it’s not a simple process to add a different calibre on your licence and it took 4 months to do so. We need to pass certain criteria and have good reason and have an interview with the police firearms officer etc etc but I was granted the calibre and I started looking at rifles.
I’m a thumbhole fan, all of my rifles are thumbhole, they just suit me.
Firstly I look at aesthetics, if it doesn’t look nice I won’t buy it. Then I try the fit. I came across a Mauser M18 Pure Max and loved it, I added a Steiner Ranger 4-12x56 scope and A-Tec H2 moderator.
Meanwhile while Dean had been researching on Africa Hunting he had come across an outfitter called Mpeti Safaris, he’d been talking to Conrad Fick the PH and really liked him. He put me in touch too and through WhatsApp we set up a group.
Dean came to visit us in England a few weeks later and we set up a video call with Conrad, we hit it off straight away, he was so easy to talk to and made us feel really welcome.
Although I was hunting plains game and Dean was hunting Buff I wanted to spend the hunt with Dean and asked if that was possible to do both together. Conrad said it was no problem. We decided there and then we wanted to shoot at Mpeti.
I joined a local rifle range, called Corrinium Rifle Range in Cirencester, England, to practice at different distances as much as possible, this was invaluable to me as the owners of the range have hunted in Africa many times and even organise trips.
They gave me brilliant help and advised the ideal bullet type and grain for the Mauser. They advised European ammo for a European rifle and I tried Norma Ecostrike 165G. Believe me they are awesome. A fantastic bullet.
I’d only ever shot off a bipod, roof of a truck or from a tripod with a clamp and I knew I needed to start shooting off sticks. I bought some PH Jagt sticks from Corrinium along with a ‘step on strap’ for stability. I was told the PH might take the Micky about the strap (he did) but believe me it was brilliant.
So we were ready for the trip, thankfully Dean had been in touch with a company called Afton Safari Lodge, he’d heard about them through AfricaHunting.com and because we were going on a safari in Kruger after our hunt and needed somewhere to store our rifles for 10 days, Afton not only organised this but also sent someone to meet us at Johannesburg airport, in our case it was Mr X! It sounds dodgy but he was great! He took us through customs to collect our rifles, then to the next customs office as we had another flight to Richards Bay to meet Conrad. Then he took us to the next check in desk and sent us on our way, after the hunt we would return to meet him so he could store the rifles at a local gun shop until we came back from the safari. It was seamless.
(On a side note, after our safari we stayed at Afton for one night where our rifles had been safely returned, it’s a really nice guesthouse full of hunting trophies and a shop full of great stuff. There’s a swimming pool and the food is fabulous! They will then take us to the airport for our return trip and guide us through the customs process. Believe me this is priceless and was worth every penny!!)
So we got on the plane for the next leg of the trip. We landed at Richard’s Bay to meet Conrad, we already had a rapport with him as we’d been talking to him for months through WhatsApp but there’s always that thought in the back of your mind that you might not gel with someone.
Well that concern was gone in the first minute, his enthusiasm, charm, charisma and wit (especially the wit) was amazing. We were laughing and chatting straight away. He and his colleague Ruan helped us through the customs process and grabbed our luggage and rifles and we were on our way to Mpeti (via a snack shop to buy biltong!)
We arrived at the guesthouse to drinks and snacks where we met Henno the apprentice. The friendliest, most helpful kid I’ve ever met.
We were shown to our rooms, got kitted out had a safety briefing. If Conrad or Henno saw anything worth looking at there was to be a click of the fingers and the truck would stop to have a good look. Within an hour we were on the first hunt. Henno driving, Conrad on the back of the truck with us, rifles and sticks ready, Diesel the dog excited and good to go. I was so excited but nervous too, I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.
Literally within minutes there was a click of fingers, Henno stopped the truck and Conrad checked what he saw, an Impala. A really big Impala.
We reversed the truck out of sight.
“Russ, get your rifle, follow me, Dean follow Russ” said Conrad, we carefully walked through the bush looking for the ideal shooting spot followed by Henno who was filming the whole thing.
We stopped, Conrad put up the sticks, I put my foot through the strap and pushed down, the sticks were solid. Conrad talked me through everything, what to aim at, making sure safety was off, telling me to wait and then when to fire. Boom! Perfect shot! Just in front of the shoulder. Heart and lung. Dead before he hit the ground. My heart pounding.
I’ve shot plenty of animals at home but wow, this was different. This is Africa!
We made our way over, 94 meters to be exact. Through his binoculars from the truck Conrad thought it was a great animal and he confirmed it when we got to him. 23” horns and really wide too. A perfect European Trophy!
Lots of photos were taken by Henno, all from different angles to get the perfect shot.
After a celebratory beer and talk about what just happened we loaded the Impala onto the truck and carried on.
There were plenty more sightings that afternoon but they weren’t the right size or shape or age. Conrad and Henno are very particular about what’s good and what’s not so good….and I liked that.
That evening was all about resting, eating, drinking and talking around the fire pit. Rules were explained about the rest of the week. Mainly about ‘fines’ given to anyone making mistakes, all light hearted of course. ‘Fines’ are shots of alcohol to be consumed on the evening of the errors made during the day.
The day started off with a drive to find Buff and we came across two pretty quickly, I had no idea what a Dugga Boy was until that day but I do now. We reversed the truck back for a minute or two and parked up.
“Dean, you’re up, get your rifle, Russ follow Dean and stay close”
Gulp!
We stalked and tracked and stalked and tracked for a very long time but didn’t quite get close, never the less it was so exciting, just to be part of Deans Buff hunt was enough in itself!
Lunchtime came and back to the lodge we went. Fully refreshed we ventured out again and after a long drive we came across my Nyala, a big impressive boy, once again we parked up and walked back to where he was standing, luckily he was still there, Conrad set up the sticks, my foot went into the strap and once again Conrad talked me through shot placement, timing and safety and once again boom, another perfect shot and kill. And again photo’s and footage taken by Henno and this time Conrad called in a few employees to come and collect the Nyala due to its size, there was no way it was going in the truck!
That afternoon we had another search for the 2 buffs but sadly no luck. From memory Henno had a couple of fines, I can’t remember why but it’s fairly standard for the apprentice to make a mistake or 2!
More drinks, food, chat and laughter that night.
Day 3 was upon us and it was buff hunt time again, we drove to a watering hole with trackers this time. Doctor and Mandla were amazing, don’t get me wrong, Conrad and Henno are brilliant trackers but these guys were awesome. They pointed the way through very thick bush following fresh dung and telling us what to do and where to go until we came across a herd of Buff. Heart rates pounding we got close enough for a shot and Dean was getting ready on his sticks, Conrad behind giving instructions and Henno on the camera.
Was it time? No. The wind suddenly changed, it blew our scent straight to the herd and within milliseconds they were gone, into the thick bush. Was it a disaster? No, it was incredible!! The hunt would go on.
Then came my turn to get a fine!
Driving back to the lodge Conrad gave a click with his fingers, he’d seen a magnificent Warthog, huge warts, huge tusks and a male in his prime. No stalking or tracking required as we walked up behind a bush and there he was just standing there. Sticks ready, foot in strap and the usual advice given about shot placement. He was perfectly in my sights and I pulled the trigger……..I lurched forward, nothing. The safety was still on!!! Damn!! By the time I’d taken it off the pig had ran away.
“That’s a fine mate” said Conrad…Jaegermeister from memory!
You are allowed to appeal the fine and if successful you don’t have to drink it. If denied you have to drink 2!
Conrad made a speech detailing the charge but I didn’t appeal. Guilty as charged sir!
Day 4, Zebra day!
After our usual breakfast and plenty of coffee we set out, Conrad driving, Henno on the back of the truck unsure what the day might bring, after a morning of plenty of sightings, but not the right sort, we stopped for a bbq and drinks on top of a hill overlooking the Jozini Dam, an incredible view!
After eating we set off once more and within minutes we came across 2 Giraffe, 2 warthog and 4 Zebra. We stopped the truck,
“Russ, you’re up!” Conrad set up the sticks and strap, Dean and Henno stood behind filming.
“Look at his shoulder, look at the badge on the shoulder, like a Mercedes badge, aim just below the badge, wait, wait, ok ready when you are!”
Bang! Perfect shot again, the Zebra ran for 10 seconds but went down, Diesel was sent to check it out but it was dead before hitting the floor. Wow, what an experience.
It was a strange one as we were all sure it was male as I took the shot but when we got to him there were no balls! Then Mandla said it IS a male, just without balls and he might’ve lost them in a fight when he was younger.
It made me feel even better about the kill as he wasn’t able to mate anyway! He was named Zoe the male Zebra.
That night there were more fines, both Henno and Dean were charged, Dean twice I think! He appealed both, he failed one and won one.
Day 5 Buff day!
After a morning of no Buff we stumbled upon a very sick Warthog it could barely walk and Conrad said I should put it out of its misery so I did. I liked that, it showed compassion.
We had lunch back at the lodge and Ruan rang Conrad to say he’d seen the 2 Buff’s from day 2. They weren’t far from the lodge. This was great news and we all jumped in the truck and set off quickly, picking up Doctor and Mandla on the way. We stopped 5 minutes from the sighting and set off on foot. Conrad, Mandla,Dean, Henno and me at the back. We all stayed very close together, Conrad whispering instructions to us all, making sure we were all safe, all doing the right thing, Mandla tracking, checking fresh dung, broken branches, smelling the air, listening for any sound. It was amazing to watch.
After what seemed like 2 hours we were there, 25 meters away from 2 huge Buff, Christ it was exciting! Also scary as hell. All of us sat on our arses in thick bush, Conrad, Mandla and Dean whispering to each other, me and Henno just behind, Henno telling me what to do, where to sit etc.
We sat there for at least 30 minutes, waiting for the ideal shot, the one Buff turned and walked away, this wasn’t a disaster because he was the younger, smaller one. The one we wanted was staying still but his shoulder was behind a thick branch. Dean had to sit and wait for him to move. All of us trying not to move an inch, which was really difficult as when you’re kneeling down for a long time you start getting pins and needles.
Suddenly it happened, the Buff stepped forward, just a few inches…
“Dean, take the shot” said Conrad
Boom! The .404 Jeffrey hit exactly the right spot, the buff stumbled, moved forward a few feet, started moving towards us…
“And again Dean!” Said Conrad
Dean stood and took the second shot freehand, Boom, once again a great shot. Down he went. We waited, Diesel ran over but knew not to get too close. A very clever dog!
After a few seconds the Buff let out his last bellow and Conrad checked the eyes to make sure he was gone. Diesel now knew he was able to assess the kill. We spent a long time with that animal, talking about what just happened. It’s a strange few minutes after the kill, you almost forget certain parts of it, you have to ask the others ‘exactly’ what happened. Which way did it move?, what did it sound like?, where did I move to? But it all comes back after a while. Maybe the Adrenalin blocks it out for a minute or two. I remember Dean standing over the Buff, the smile on his face but also the respect for the animal was obvious to see. A truly wonderful experience and something to never forget.
Lots of drinks and celebrations were had that night. No fines, just congratulations all round, mainly for Dean but also for the team effort from everyone.
The next day Conrad took us to a disused wooden cabin next to a watering hole, it was a hot day and he said we’re bound to see Warthog, he wasn’t wrong. After waiting a couple of hours watching all sorts of wildlife taking a morning drink the perfect pig showed up. We were sat high up in the lodge and Conrad said a shot through the spine at the back of the head/neck while he was drinking was the best option. He started to drink and I shot, once again a perfect shot.
My quota had been taken but we had a day left and I wanted to shoot some more so I paid extra for a couple of cull animals the next morning. Once again my rifle performed well and I didn’t miss. Later that day we all went Tiger fishing which was great fun.
I’m yet to decide exactly what sort of taxidermy I’ll be having but we went to the taxidermy shop in town and they will email us soon and also have a payment plan in place to spread the costs.
What an amazing week we had, Africa truly has my heart and I’m already planning my second hunt, I’m fairly sure it’ll be for Buff so another application to the firearms unit will be submitted soon!
A special shout out goes to Mpeti Safari’s. Henno and Ruan took us to Richards bay but our flight home was cancelled, I called Conrad and he rang the lads who came back, they arranged for a specialist company to courier our rifles to Afton, then found an alternative flight out of Durban, drove 2 hours and booked us into a hotel, stayed overnight themselves and drove us to the airport the next morning. What an amazing gesture. We were so grateful. We got to our connecting flight with 5 minutes to spare!
Africa was the most amazing trip of my life, to spend it with Dean was an honour and to hunt with Conrad, Henno, Ruan, Doctor and Mandla at Mpeti Safari’s was a dream come true!
Thank you Africa
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