CM McKenzie
AH enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2018
- Messages
- 438
- Reaction score
- 1,412
- Location
- Sundance, Wyoming
- Media
- 51
- Hunted
- Namibia
This report is a little delayed. It’s been a busy year, and I hit the ground running as soon as my plane landed back on US soil.
Seeing all of the other great reports about @KHOMAS HIGHLAND HUNTING SAFARIS, and after being allowed to achieve my life long dream; I feel I owe a debt of gratitude to Philip Hennings for helping me do so.
Due to the delay in this report my days are not quite as fresh in my mind as some of the other reports, and I’m not near as articulate as some of the good writers here, but I will do my best.
I booked this trip well before COVID started. I was supposed to go two years ago. I ended up having to push the trip for personal reasons, and Philip was very understanding. He completely honored our original contract and prices, even though the second year had nothing to do with COVID travel restrictions.
I will also note my wife went with me as a hesitant participant, but loved the staff, property, and lodge so much; she has already started setting money aside, and planning our next trip to Khomas Highlands.
So here it is:
There is no way around it. The travel time over there is uncomfortable. We started the stop watch when we left our yard in Wyoming. It was 46 hours of travel time when we pulled into the lodge at Khomas.
Philip met us in front of the lodge when we pulled up. He showed us to our room, offered us the opportunity to freshen up, and had two fresh poured beers waiting for us on the bar when we went into the lodge.
I had decided to rent a rifle from Philip, and he handed me an R93 in .300 Win. He told me I would go out and check the zero that afternoon.
I went out with PH Issak, and spotter Shorty to shoot. After I shot, they said we would take a short drive. We immediately ran into a herd of blue wildebeest, and a nice red hartebeest bull. We drove a little further and got onto a small bunch of kudu with a nice old broken horn bull. I decided to pass on the old bull on my first night. We went back to the lodge, and were met with two more beers, and some of the most amazing food I’ve ever had.
On day one of the actual hunt we met at the lodge around 0600. We had a good breakfast, and coffee. We hopped in the land cruiser and were on our way. We headed into the mountains, and got onto a few little bunches of Kudu right away. Issak spotted a bull and told me it was a shooter. He put up the sticks, I found the bull on the horizon, found his shoulder, and squeezed the trigger. I did not see the bull after that, but Issak told me the bull was down. The first animal was an amazing feeling, and I sat with the bull and soaked it in while they tried to figure out how to get the land cruiser up there. We took pictures and headed back to the lodge.
That afternoon we went back to the same area and got a nice bull Oryx.
The second day of the hunt we decided to go after blue wildebeest. There was a big herd of them hanging in the trees. We stalked into them on 5 separate occasions through the day and we could not get a good shot. Issak told me we would leave and try again the following day. Honestly; I was fine with that, as my hunt was already more successful than anticipated, and I did not want the experience to end early.
On day three we went after blue wildebeest again. Issak managed to see some tracks next to the two track that seemed non existent. He told me, they were through the trees, and we put on another stock. We walked for about a mile, and all of the sudden Issak stopped me and pointed to a tree. He told me the wildebeest was there, but all I saw was a tree. He put up the sticks, and I adjusted the scope until I made out a wildebeest through the tree. He told me to take the shot when I had a chance. The wildebeest took a step forward, and I had a shooting lane, so I took the shot. It bucked and kicked for a moment, so I stuck one more round in the neck and anchored it.
We went back to the lodge for another amazing lunch, and finished the day looking for my last animal; a warthog. Thank goodness we did not find a good one; it was way to early to start dipping into my savings.
On day four we went out looking for warthog. We drove around all morning without much luck. Though we did see a couple of good ones, just no good shots. We were about ready to give up for the morning and Issak stopped by some rocks to show us some old bushman paintings before we headed back to the lodge. We just got in the cruiser, and drove about 100 yards when Shorty pounded on the cab. Issak stopped, and Shorty pointed to a warthog. They decided he was good and I should take him. I managed to get a shot at about 300 yards he did a couple of flips and started running right towards us. I’m pretty sure he was just disoriented. I adjusted the scope down to the lowest power and shot him just between the eyes at about 10 yards as he popped through the bushes.
Oh no…. My hunt was over!
Fortunately my wife was addicted by this point. She has been admiring the hartebeest, and decided we should go after one of those next.
We did decide to take the afternoon off. My wife had been talking about taking a horseback ride, and we decided it would be an ideal time for that……
The rest to come.
Seeing all of the other great reports about @KHOMAS HIGHLAND HUNTING SAFARIS, and after being allowed to achieve my life long dream; I feel I owe a debt of gratitude to Philip Hennings for helping me do so.
Due to the delay in this report my days are not quite as fresh in my mind as some of the other reports, and I’m not near as articulate as some of the good writers here, but I will do my best.
I booked this trip well before COVID started. I was supposed to go two years ago. I ended up having to push the trip for personal reasons, and Philip was very understanding. He completely honored our original contract and prices, even though the second year had nothing to do with COVID travel restrictions.
I will also note my wife went with me as a hesitant participant, but loved the staff, property, and lodge so much; she has already started setting money aside, and planning our next trip to Khomas Highlands.
So here it is:
There is no way around it. The travel time over there is uncomfortable. We started the stop watch when we left our yard in Wyoming. It was 46 hours of travel time when we pulled into the lodge at Khomas.
Philip met us in front of the lodge when we pulled up. He showed us to our room, offered us the opportunity to freshen up, and had two fresh poured beers waiting for us on the bar when we went into the lodge.
I had decided to rent a rifle from Philip, and he handed me an R93 in .300 Win. He told me I would go out and check the zero that afternoon.
I went out with PH Issak, and spotter Shorty to shoot. After I shot, they said we would take a short drive. We immediately ran into a herd of blue wildebeest, and a nice red hartebeest bull. We drove a little further and got onto a small bunch of kudu with a nice old broken horn bull. I decided to pass on the old bull on my first night. We went back to the lodge, and were met with two more beers, and some of the most amazing food I’ve ever had.
On day one of the actual hunt we met at the lodge around 0600. We had a good breakfast, and coffee. We hopped in the land cruiser and were on our way. We headed into the mountains, and got onto a few little bunches of Kudu right away. Issak spotted a bull and told me it was a shooter. He put up the sticks, I found the bull on the horizon, found his shoulder, and squeezed the trigger. I did not see the bull after that, but Issak told me the bull was down. The first animal was an amazing feeling, and I sat with the bull and soaked it in while they tried to figure out how to get the land cruiser up there. We took pictures and headed back to the lodge.
That afternoon we went back to the same area and got a nice bull Oryx.
On day three we went after blue wildebeest again. Issak managed to see some tracks next to the two track that seemed non existent. He told me, they were through the trees, and we put on another stock. We walked for about a mile, and all of the sudden Issak stopped me and pointed to a tree. He told me the wildebeest was there, but all I saw was a tree. He put up the sticks, and I adjusted the scope until I made out a wildebeest through the tree. He told me to take the shot when I had a chance. The wildebeest took a step forward, and I had a shooting lane, so I took the shot. It bucked and kicked for a moment, so I stuck one more round in the neck and anchored it.
On day four we went out looking for warthog. We drove around all morning without much luck. Though we did see a couple of good ones, just no good shots. We were about ready to give up for the morning and Issak stopped by some rocks to show us some old bushman paintings before we headed back to the lodge. We just got in the cruiser, and drove about 100 yards when Shorty pounded on the cab. Issak stopped, and Shorty pointed to a warthog. They decided he was good and I should take him. I managed to get a shot at about 300 yards he did a couple of flips and started running right towards us. I’m pretty sure he was just disoriented. I adjusted the scope down to the lowest power and shot him just between the eyes at about 10 yards as he popped through the bushes.
Fortunately my wife was addicted by this point. She has been admiring the hartebeest, and decided we should go after one of those next.
We did decide to take the afternoon off. My wife had been talking about taking a horseback ride, and we decided it would be an ideal time for that……
The rest to come.
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