NAMIBIA: My Namibia Hunt 2017

[billc]

Well this has been along time coming and I finally pulled the trigger to go hunt Namibia. I have been thinking of going there since I started hunting Africa. I had been talking with the same outfitter for 6 years and he always answered all my question and stayed with my plan even after years of pushing the trip off. I knew I picked the right place after that fact. I hunted with Pieter delport and it was the right choice in so many ways.

I had Travel express do my airfare and they did another great job. Guns check through from jfk right to Namibia with no problems. I was picked up by Claude and taking right to the lodge and in camp by 1 that afternoon. Claude would be My Ph for the first few days as Pieter was finishing up a hunt with other clients.

Goal was to look for big oryx, springbuck , mtn zebra and eland. I would say goals came through plus some more. I hunted a few areas and the best areas he had depending on what I was after.

We started off on the home ranch looking for oryx the next day. We saw kudu,warthog, red harbeest and plenty of oryx to pick from. After a few stalks and time on the sticks we packed it in for the morning to grab some lunch. We hit the field again by 2 and the search was back on.

After we rounded a corner we spotted a few oryx walking along an open area and we started the stalked. After getting to with in 200 yds I decide I wanted to try my reloads out of the 257. We knew it was not as big an oryx as I was wanting but a very good one. At the prices for oryx I decide I would just take 2 if I saw a better one later. Well I get on the sticks they are 200 yds away and she faces us and just turns enough I knew I could slide a bullet in the sweet spot. I squeeze a round off and down she goes and never moved at all. That 257 amazes me each time with how deadly it can be with that little 100 grain barnes ttsx.

She came in at just under 37" so a very good oryx for sure and a great hunt to.

 

[cpr0312]

Nice start to the hunt, look forward to more!

 

[kathy]

Great start. Forrest

 

[cagkt3]

Good stuff, but where's the pink shirt?

 

[billc]

Good stuff, but where's the pink shirt?

Namibia was not ready for the pink shirt. It would have been to much fashion for my first trip there. LOL

 

[billc]

Day 2 would be back looking for a big bull oryx or kudu. Saw kudu first thing but all bulls that needed a few years. We had a great stalk on some red hartebeest but they got away in the thick brush and tall grass. With the god rains they had the grass was still very tall in june and made seeing the game much harder then normal. We also saw some good bull oryx but none we could say hit the 40" mark. We headed back for lunch and to make the afternoon plans.

So Pieter had seen some good oryx out hunting with the other hunter. So the plan was I would go with Pieter in the afternoon today. We headed out seeing many warthog and some kudu on the way to the spot. We get there and oryx and red hartebeest all feeding all around. A big pig comes out but moves off before I can get a shot off. We look over 30 oryx and work I way for a closer look. Stalking to with in 30 yds of a few oryx as they feed towards us. Now I wish I had taken my bow with on this stalk as I could have had shots at 2 good oryx at 30 yds.

We are now covered up in oryx but none that is what I want now. It is getting dark when we see some red hartebeest feeding towards us and one old male that is a cull animal. So Pieter tells me take that one with a neck shot for meat for his staff. Not one to say no when I am told to shot something I take the shot. Shot is good he goes down and is back up and running in a flash. I get back on him but Pieter tells me he is dead don't shot again. We watch as he falls 30 yds later.

I did not get a picture as it got dark and he was a bloody mess from the neck shot. Here is pictures of the area we hunted them at though. Miles of flat open grass plains with thorn trees.

 

[Jfet]

Miles of flat open grass plains with thorn trees.

That is trophy quality grass for Namibia.

You are not helping me get over the fact that I am not there and I now have to get back to the real world mind set. Enjoy your trip.

 

[billc]

We decide after day 2 that we would go for springbuck on day 3 as it was high on my list for Namibia. This would be a day of high and lows with a few to many lows. I think anyone who has hunted a bunch will understand.

We head out and take the 1 1/2 hour drive to the new area. Right from the start we see some springbucks,oryx and kudu. We head off looking for a good ram when not 5 minutes later pieters eyes get big and he tells me we most get ready and get after this one he has spotted. I can tell it most be good as he is ready to move fast. We go over the cattle fence which is just a little taller then I like to go over and I as I go over I slip and just about take my boys off. LOL We had a good laugh as I balanced myself to save the boys and get over.

Well little did I know that would be the last laugh after we got on the springbuck. WE make the stalk and he is a dandy ram pushing 16". He is some bush but with Pieter view he thought I could take the shot. Gun goes off and nothing at all. I reload take another shot and nothing again and Pieter thinks I am shooting high. I take a 3rd shot and he reacts but off like a rocket.

We go to were he stood and there is blood but not much. I look were he was standing and see to small twigs on the bush are broken were my bullets hit. I was beyond disappointed as I new my 3rd shot was low and we did not have a good chance at finding him. We get the dog in and he gets on some blood and off he goes. We hear the dog and it seems he has the ram gathered up and then nothing. Then he sounds off a few hundred yards away and it means the ram is moving yet. The blood stops and the dog comes back to us and Pieter thinks the ram is running and to fast for the dog. We track but lose him after 2 hours as he is just moving to fast.

We decide to head after another and search for not to long seeing many springbucks and all kinds of other animals. I am trying to shake off the wounded springbuck so I can make the right shot if we find another shooter. Well all of a sudden we spot a group of 6 rams and there is even a bigger ram in the bunch. He may touch the 17" mark and I am thinking my luck has changed and off we go.

We stalk to with in 100yd and they see us and get very spooky. I get on the sticks as they walk around and behind some bushes. I watch as the walk single file out from behind the bushes. He is the last one and Pieter whistles to stop him and then it happens again. I squeeze the trigger and he does nothing. I reload nothing again and he is off. I have no idea what happened or what I did but I missed him clean 2 times.

WE find him again but I can not get a good shot and was so down at this point it just sucked. We watch him run off and I see my dream springbuck go bye bye. We take a lunch break and try and make a new plan as I would hunt with claude in the afternoon so Pieter could take the other hunter to get a impala at a place he only knew.

So we head back out and right away find a nice ram. We make a great stalk getting to within 200yds of another good ram. There is 50 springbuck looking at us so we could go no farther. get on the sticks and take the shot. He goes down and I think my luck has changed. Then 3 seconds later he is up and running like I missed him. I watch him and get ready to take another shot and miss. Claude look him over and see no blood at all and neither do I. At this point I was ready to fall on a sharp stick to easy my pain 3 of us search with 2 dogs and never find a drop of blood or the dogs take up on any.

Claude is like well lets go after another and trying to keep me going. We go to the truck to move around and a nice ram runs right in front of us but I just could not take him from the truck and watch him run off. Claude tells me lets go we will stalk him down. So off we go and chase them till some blesbuck run them off. I was at this point ready to throw in the towel for the day but claude kept me going. We had 2 hours yet and plenty of rams around to chase. So off we go stalk one for 1 1/2 of the 2 hours before we get the shot at him. Get on the sticks and see he is not one of the giants the place has but the stalk was so fun I decide to try and take him. I take the shot see he is hit and he goes one way with all the rest going away. We watch see he is hurt but just walking away. We follow and I had some walking shots but claude was scared if I missed he would run off and I would lose him before dark. We stalk him as walks away for 20 minutes with him never stopping to give me another shot.

We get to within 100 yds and inly have about 10 minutes of light left. I tell claude it is now or never and I will make the walking shot happen. I can just think was he was thinking after the day of shooting I just had but he said we have nothing to lose so do your best when your ready. I get on him he is slowly walking away and just turns enough and I take the shot. He goes down for good and my nightmare day is over.

He is a nice old 14" ram worn down some but I am very happy to have him.

 

[cpr0312]

Very nice springbok!

 

[billc]

So day 4 it is decide we will go back to check for the big oryx. Pieter thinks it is time to switch guns so I get past the springbuck nightmare and I agree. I love my 300 win mag so I was ok switching to it and had no doubt it would get me back on track.

We head off seeing kudu,oryx and hartebeest as we work are way there. First stop nothing much over 37" there so we move on to glass more at another spot 1/2 mile away. We stop and see oryx and hartebeest all over the place. We may have found a bull but Pieter is not sure if he will hit 40" or not. We head out to look him over when I see 4 oryx about 500 yds away from the first group and see what I think is one over 40 for sure. Pieter looks and said that is 40" plus cow and is in a better place to stalk for sure. I am good with that and off we go but still watching the big male to. Well we make it 200yds and the male moves off so big female oryx it is now. We stalk about another 300 yds and then we see one red hartebeest between us and the oryx. We move to within about 50 yds of the red and now have about a 280 yd shot to the big oryx. I decide I will take the shot from there when she turns. She gives me a great shot angle and I take the shot and see she s hit hard but off see goes. I get ready to shot again but Pieter holds me off as he sees she is hit hard and we watch her fall down.

We call the truck to come our way as we go to find her. We look and walking around and can not find her. I am like no way she got away we watched her fall. Then we stand on the back of the truck and see she fell in a small depression and with the tall grass very hard to see.

Lets say when I walked up to her I am sure my smile was from ear to ear. I new she was a monster but she was bigger then I thought. The shot was good and that made me very happy after the springbuck day. She comes in at 42" and was a dream oryx for me.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow, nice oryx!

 

[gillettehunter]

If you hunt long enough your going to miss or make a bad hit. Did you recheck your rifle? Your narrative had me wondering if it could be the rifle that is off. Nice animals so far. That 2nd Oryx is huge Nicely done! Congrats. Bruce

 

[billc]

If you hunt long enough your going to miss or make a bad hit. Did you recheck your rifle? Your narrative had me wondering if it could be the rifle that is off. Nice animals so far. That 2nd Oryx is huge Nicely done! Congrats. Bruce

Sad to say the gun was on it was all me after we checked it at the range. Was just one of those days.

 

[billc]

The next two days the plan was to head some 3 hours away to the eland area and place with some good warthog to that could be bow hunted. My idea of eland is not like most as I like old bulls and do not care about horn length at all. Nice dark hair tuff with short horns is ok with me. I have seen some so called go bulls that were just to young and did not have the body size a true trophy bull will have. Pieter knew what I wanted and that is what we would hunt for.

We get to the ranch later then we thought so we went right to the blind were we may have a chance at eland with the bow plus other animals. We get settled in and 1 hour later the hogs started showing up. In all over 50 pigs had come to drink with 7 of them being shooting size boars. I did wait and got a nice shot at a good boar at 15 yds and the hit was good. He ran off about 100yds and dropped dead.

We also had some other game come in but the trophy eland stayed away tonight.

We ended the night with the badger trying to come get in the blind which I made sure did not happen.

 

[Royal27]

Sad to say the gun was on it was all me after we checked it at the range. Was just one of those days.

Great Oryx Bill! Nice to see the smile back on your face.

Not criticizing here and don't know that it was the issue, but I really only like to shoot one rifle now just to make sure I'm the most comfortable with it and that its the one I've practiced with the most. Little differences in trigger pull and fit can really make a difference, for me.

In the future the only way I will shoot more than one rifle on a safari is if I have a breakdown, or an extreme need, like a big bore for DG and a second rifle for PG and longer ranges.

Again, just me, your mileage may vary.

 

[billc]

That night we look at trail cams to see what areas the eland were drinking at so we could track them down from there. We get some good ideas and make a plan for in the morning. We head out at first light and on the way we see a dust cloud which was from a big group of animals. We stopped and started to stalk the unknown only to find out the tracks showed a herd of blue wildebeest.

We head to the spot we hoped to pick up some tracks and of course they did not drink there that night after drinking there for a week straight. So Pieter makes a plan an heads to the next likely place and sure enough tracks of more then a few bulls and what he thought was 5 bulls with some large tracks. We head of and it is tough going in the tall grass and keeping the wind. We stalk for about a hour never seeing them but seeing the tracks.

Pieter stops and looks back to stop me. I see nothing yet be he starts glassing and tells me they are 100yds in front of us. I look put being beyond a few feet I can not see them yet but hear them move through the long grass. We drop down and crawl on are hands and knees for about 25 yds when I get to see them for the first time. We count 5 bulls at first but then about 50 yds behind them we see 3 more. We get set up and ready as the 5 bulls start feeding to us but the other 3 feed away at first. Pieter checks out the last 3 and sees the one we want and tells me he is the one I am looking for with no doubt. Short horns black face and big hump on his back.

As we wait I get to hear the clicking noise the eland make as they walk towards us. We have eland feeding 25 yds away now with 2 of the 3 other bulls joining the group of 5 with of course the bull I wanted being the one staying away like he knew something was up. He was getting farther away as the other came closer. At one point again if I had my bow with I could have shot at one bull no more then 20 yds. He was a nice bull over 40" but young with no tuff and not a true trophy eland.

After watching for 20 minutes then started getting to close and knew something was wrong and some what spooked off to 50 yds away looking back towards but with the wind they could not pick us out. We watch as they feed off to about 100 yds away and stopped. The bull I wanted was now 150 yds away and still going away. Pieter said just wait he will come back as they are waiting for him now. I have still never really seen him good but just trusted his call on this was the bull I wanted.

Then all of a sudden he start turning and walking towards the others. He pace picked up as he seemed to know something was up for sure. At about 100yds away Pieter whistle and he stops were I have a shot but still not very clear with the high grass. I let the grass scare me some and shot high but the hit was good and we watched him run off. Once again I was ready to shot again when Pieter tells me don't he is dead for sure and just like that he is down with in 60 yds of the shot.

I am dying to see him as I still never really looked him over that well. Lets just say when I got to him he was my dream bull for sure. Short busted up horns with dark black face and a nice tuff for the time of year. Not sure if he is 100% pure Livingston eland but had the marking on his body and face to look like one. Pieter said it was one of the oldest eland and best true trophy he has hunted and he has taken many good bulls.

He is way past his prime and Pieter thinks he is between 18 and 20 years old. He was shocked he made it through the last drought year as you can see he has lost some weight from being older. My dream eland for sure.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on a nice bull eland!

 

[tarbe]

Great report Bill!

Absolutely love the Eland. And that second Oryx....wow. You need a high ceiling for sure!

Tim

 

[IA Monsterbuck]

Great hunt! That eland is huge and I really like that great oryx. I hope there is more to come.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Great hunt and animals. From your photos I can see you had to deal with that harsh Namibia weather...........severe clear