Adrian
AH fanatic
Location: Khomas Hochland, Namibia, Farm Heusis.
Outfitter: Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris.
PH: Philip Hennings.
Tracker/Driver: Marius.
Owners: Dietmar and Philip Hennings.
Dates: 2nd to 8th August 2015, five hunting days.
Rifle: Blaser R93 synthetic stock in .300 Win Mag teamed with Zeiss Duralyt 2-8 x 42 and using home loaded 180gr Hornady ballistic tip bullets.
Here goes with my first hunting report on my first hunting trip to Africa. I know some prefer a long and detailed report and other like a short concise bullet point and photo type read so I apologise to those who fall into the latter category.
I will try to provide a day by day report on what experiences I had and accompany my writing with photos along the way. The report will also be for my benefit as I can use this small corner of the internet to look back upon and have it as my personal memory of my trip.
Ok.
We - myself, wife Sonia and daughter Ella flew from London Heathrow to Johannesburg and then on to Windhoek via SAA. We took off from Heathrow at 21:00 on the 1st August and ended up in Namibia just after lunchtime on the 2nd. Not a bad trip and couldn't fault the airline.
Our transition through Johannesburg was aided by some guy who selected us from the international transfers line and led us past the queues and fast tracked us through security. No idea why but we were very glad as our connection time was short and the line was long. At no point did we have to produce our daughter's birth certificate to prove she was ours or were we questioned. I was surprised as the new law requiring the above was quite new in effect.
One point to note, I tried to buy tobacco in Johannesburg to take onto Namibia but was refused because of some duty free laws.
Onto the short flight to Windhoek. I bagged the window seat and spent most of the flight with my nose pressed against the glass looking down onto the wonderful African landscape unfolding below me.
Ella's suitcase was not with us when we arrived but they already knew that because when we went to report it, a form was already filled out for us so a simple matter of providing our luggage barcode and it was promised to be with us the following day. No big deal, Ella had a change of clothes in her hand luggage and she can also wear Sonia's clothes if need be.
Philip was waiting for us as we went through the gates and we loaded up the old Toyota and set off. Saw a baboon and springbok on the drive.
About an hour later we arrived at Farm Heusis owned and managed by Philip's father Dietmar. We piled out and were introduced to Sam the cook and we were taken to our home for the week, a detached cottage with three bedrooms, one en-suite, another bathroom and a spacious and comfortable living/dining area and kitchen.
We arranged to meet for a coffee and some cake a short time later and then it was off to the range. Not too far as it was conveniently situated right outside the farm gates in the dry river bed.
Philip introduced me to the rifle, a Blaser R93 in .300 Win Mag. Never fired a Blaser, anything bigger than my .243 so I was eager to take a few shots.
At 100m my first shot was low, a few clicks of the scope brought it up and then I shot too high. Philip seemed content however and I tried a shot off the sticks and that was my most accurate shot.
I was slightly disappointed but Philip was happy with how I performed and that was good enough for me.
Please note, for Health and Safety reasons, Ella was not holding the target while I shot at it.
Everyone was happy so it was decided to go for a short drive to see what we could see and stop for a sundowner. Philip's friend Carsten was with us and we headed off in the hunting car.
We came across some black wildebeest under some trees and disturbed a jackal which ran off and in turn, it disturbed an aardwolf which chased it off in return.
Reaching a high spot we stopped and Philip mixed a gin and tonic and we washed down some truly superb home made biltong with it. As we stood there taking in the superb Namibian landscape, four red hartebeest appeared on a ridge. On the way back to the farm we also saw two kudu cows.
There is loads of bird life. Guinea fowl are abundant and around the farm the grey lourie 'go away bird' are ever present.
At 19:00 we made our way to the farmhouse for dinner. We were welcomed by Dietmar and we had a drink by the fire before Same served us dinner. Shrimp cocktail followed by hartebeest in mushroom and onion gravy with rice and a pea salad followed by cake and custard for dessert. Bloody lovely.
End of our first day in Namibia.
Outfitter: Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris.
PH: Philip Hennings.
Tracker/Driver: Marius.
Owners: Dietmar and Philip Hennings.
Dates: 2nd to 8th August 2015, five hunting days.
Rifle: Blaser R93 synthetic stock in .300 Win Mag teamed with Zeiss Duralyt 2-8 x 42 and using home loaded 180gr Hornady ballistic tip bullets.
Here goes with my first hunting report on my first hunting trip to Africa. I know some prefer a long and detailed report and other like a short concise bullet point and photo type read so I apologise to those who fall into the latter category.
I will try to provide a day by day report on what experiences I had and accompany my writing with photos along the way. The report will also be for my benefit as I can use this small corner of the internet to look back upon and have it as my personal memory of my trip.
Ok.
We - myself, wife Sonia and daughter Ella flew from London Heathrow to Johannesburg and then on to Windhoek via SAA. We took off from Heathrow at 21:00 on the 1st August and ended up in Namibia just after lunchtime on the 2nd. Not a bad trip and couldn't fault the airline.
Our transition through Johannesburg was aided by some guy who selected us from the international transfers line and led us past the queues and fast tracked us through security. No idea why but we were very glad as our connection time was short and the line was long. At no point did we have to produce our daughter's birth certificate to prove she was ours or were we questioned. I was surprised as the new law requiring the above was quite new in effect.
One point to note, I tried to buy tobacco in Johannesburg to take onto Namibia but was refused because of some duty free laws.
Onto the short flight to Windhoek. I bagged the window seat and spent most of the flight with my nose pressed against the glass looking down onto the wonderful African landscape unfolding below me.
Ella's suitcase was not with us when we arrived but they already knew that because when we went to report it, a form was already filled out for us so a simple matter of providing our luggage barcode and it was promised to be with us the following day. No big deal, Ella had a change of clothes in her hand luggage and she can also wear Sonia's clothes if need be.
Philip was waiting for us as we went through the gates and we loaded up the old Toyota and set off. Saw a baboon and springbok on the drive.
About an hour later we arrived at Farm Heusis owned and managed by Philip's father Dietmar. We piled out and were introduced to Sam the cook and we were taken to our home for the week, a detached cottage with three bedrooms, one en-suite, another bathroom and a spacious and comfortable living/dining area and kitchen.
We arranged to meet for a coffee and some cake a short time later and then it was off to the range. Not too far as it was conveniently situated right outside the farm gates in the dry river bed.
Philip introduced me to the rifle, a Blaser R93 in .300 Win Mag. Never fired a Blaser, anything bigger than my .243 so I was eager to take a few shots.
At 100m my first shot was low, a few clicks of the scope brought it up and then I shot too high. Philip seemed content however and I tried a shot off the sticks and that was my most accurate shot.
I was slightly disappointed but Philip was happy with how I performed and that was good enough for me.
Please note, for Health and Safety reasons, Ella was not holding the target while I shot at it.
Everyone was happy so it was decided to go for a short drive to see what we could see and stop for a sundowner. Philip's friend Carsten was with us and we headed off in the hunting car.
We came across some black wildebeest under some trees and disturbed a jackal which ran off and in turn, it disturbed an aardwolf which chased it off in return.
Reaching a high spot we stopped and Philip mixed a gin and tonic and we washed down some truly superb home made biltong with it. As we stood there taking in the superb Namibian landscape, four red hartebeest appeared on a ridge. On the way back to the farm we also saw two kudu cows.
There is loads of bird life. Guinea fowl are abundant and around the farm the grey lourie 'go away bird' are ever present.
At 19:00 we made our way to the farmhouse for dinner. We were welcomed by Dietmar and we had a drink by the fire before Same served us dinner. Shrimp cocktail followed by hartebeest in mushroom and onion gravy with rice and a pea salad followed by cake and custard for dessert. Bloody lovely.
End of our first day in Namibia.