Perfect first 7 days of a 14 day hunt

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

Just finished the first 7 days of a 14 day hunt. We started off in the Caprivi search for a big tusker. We were seeing elephant on a daily basis. But not even a day into the hunt. We picked up a track that just had it all. Big, deep cracks everything that a hunter would want. The search for this beast was on.
having only been able to catch glimpses of his body after 2 days of tracking. We knew he was a big old bull

We knew that one tusk was slighting broken. But the left hand tusk was just beautiful. Estimating his age at about 50 we knew there would be some weight on that tusk.
We kept on our pursuit. Finally day 3 we located him and was able to get the hunter in position. At 22 yards the hunter took a side brain shot with his 375 and put it down in the spot.

After all the excitement and a successful hunt for the old tusker. We turned our attention to hippo. But the Government gave us call and asked if we would be willing to hunt a buffalo for the community for meat. We immediately said yes we would love to and started the search for buffalo.
We found the perfect meat bull and another beautiful shot with his trusted 375 the buffalo was down.

Our attention then back on finding a hippo. After another day of searching late afternoon we found a hippo on the bank. Slow approach as it was sleeping. We got into a position of about 50 yards. Hunter patiently waiting in the stick. Suddenly the hippo got up on it feet. Looking straight at us. The shot went. And down went the hippo. The 375 did its job again.

With our Caprivi hunt being done ahead of time we are now heading back to central Namibia to continue with a bit of plains game hunting.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow! Yeah that's a heck of a start!!! Congrats!

 

[Ridgewalker]

What a fast hunt! Amazing and excellent trophies!
Thanks for letting us be a part of it. Can’t wait to see what comes next!

 

[Andrew Short]

Wow!!! Very exciting!!

 

[Rubberhead]

Great hunt and stunning photography. Wow.

 

[Probono]

Never hunted a hippo before, What a prize.

 

[VertigoBE]

What a start to a hunting trip! thanks for sharing!

 

[cls]

Great start, well done congratulations to all.

 

[TwoTracks]

Nice work Zana!

 

[R.M.C.]

Geez that sounds like a great hunt!!!

 

[thriller]

How much does that tusk weigh?? It looks enormous!

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Wow! Impressive! Nice work so far keep it up!

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

The adventure continues.
We sat out the first afternoon back in the plains game area searching for Springbuck. We were searched for some bit and we were able to find a good springbuck.

The next morning we set our sights on a Roan. We found the bull we wanted early morning. As clever as Roan are he kept on avoiding us. Not giving us a chance for a shot. We parked under camel-thorn tree and took a lunch break. At 3 o’clock we went started again. A few minutes the trackers told me they see something in the distance. We started our approach and it was him. We got into position and a great shot put down a beautiful bul.

On our way back home we found 2 black wildebeest bulls. And another great shot gave us a beautiful wide cracked up Black Wildebeest bull.

The search now continues for a Eland bull

 

[VertigoBE]

Looking forward to hearing the rest!

 

[thriller]

Wow, this is quite the trip! looks like you boys could do no wrong!!

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

As the hunt continued the Eland turned out be the winner.
With grass everywhere tracking an old Eland bull became extremely difficult. We would cut off rounds and start on the tracks only to be spoiled by tall grass making this giants beasts tracks disappear. Often we would bump a bull or 2. And they would just start that lovely Eland trot that goes for miles.
we might have been unsuccessful on the Eland this year. But it just adds to the story and makes the next one even more special. That is why it is called hunting and not shooting.
But it was a very successful hunt in every way.

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

And as with all stories there is always a twist. Soon after the hunter arrived home I received a call from him saying he is not done with the Eland and he will return soon. As September hit our hunter returned.

We started the search for the Eland again. On day 2 we finally spotted 3 bulls trotting along at at a distance. We set off on their tracks and followed them carefully. With tall grass the tracking was not easy but with exceptional trackers we got it done. Suddenly we stopped as we saw the bulls grazing at 70 yards. I put up the sticks and pointed out the bull we are going to take he laid down his 375 on the sticks. The shot went and I saw the bullet hit at the perfect spot on the shoulder. The perfect Eland jump reaction was there.

We started following the blood trail It continued for miles. Something wasn't right. The bull just kept on going. The day ended with no sign of the Eland bull. The next morning we continued our search. By now the blood traill has stopped and we are getting anxious. We had given up hope. The afternoon we set out looking for something else. I we drove along I made a sudden turn with the vehicle. The asked me what are you doing I replied "this is the last place we had a blood trail of your Eland. I just want to have a look" Suddenly the trackers said stop stop stop there is the eland. We jumped out of the vehicle and there was Alive 40 yards from us behind a bush by road we have driven 100 times over the last 2 days. We put another shot into him and that was enough.

I examined the first shot only to find bullet failure being the cause. It hit at the perfect spot but never even penetrated the rib cage.

The few next days we set off in search of his big reason to return. We had a very angry Rhino that we were hunting. One early morning I spotted him as he was furious with 2 younger bulls and chased them around. We started to track the old man. As midday struck we found him peacefully taking his afternoon nap. We waited and waited for him to get up. As he got up he moved straight away from us. We moved and moved to get into position. Finally we had our chance at about 45 yards. The shot went and the rhino took off. We started on his track. We could follow the blood trail nicely. After about 200 yards in the middle of extremly thick bush the rhino had expired. A perfect shot through the top off his heart with a 375.

A very successful 2nd trip for our hunter. With two beautiful trophies and many miles walked on a well deserved hunt.

 

[Graham Hunter]

What bullet failed.
Not sure what gun to use on an Eland if a 375 can kill a Rhino but not an Eland.

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

What bullet failed.
Not sure what gun to use on an Eland if a 375 can kill a Rhino but not an Eland.

Then Eland was hunted with a 300gr soft point. Believe it was a federal powershok
The rhino we used a 300gr solid also from federal sledgehammer.

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

365 days later our hunter was back. We had a few more boxes to tick. He had set himself a goal to finish his big 5 and dangerous 7.

We had a big task at and and 16 days to get it done.

on list our list was Leopard, Lion and Croc.

The first few days went as planned we down a few plains game and a buffalo to start setting up our baits.

Soon we had all our baits up and the waiting game began. On about day 5 at one of our baits we saw exactly what we wanted to see. But as per usually it is at the one bait we did not have a trail camera.

We scrambled to get a camera up and as we thought the next day on camera we had 2 male lions feeding.
We built our blind and decided to sit that day. We sat from about 16h00-19h00 only to exit the blind and come back next morning. Next morning we were in at 5h00 and could hear the Lion feeding. We slowly waited for sunrise. But the 2 males left just as it started getting light. We decide to have a another crack at it in the afternoon. Our 2 Lions decided not to show themselves. Next morning at 5h00 we were back in the blinds. We sat listening to the 2 big males chomping and breaking bones. Suddenly it got quiet. We could hear footsteps coming towards the blind. Now these 2 big males were right next to blind. Sniffing the blind. I had been sitting with my back against the blind and could feel the Lions nose poke me in the back as he was sniffing us gripping my 470 tighter. But we did not make a move. I only lowered my head thinking that if he bites that does not bite me in the back of the head but somewhere on my back then I can at-least get a shot off.
The males calmly walk back and started eating again. But the pervious time they left again just before light.

After another 2 days in the blind the lions left and did not return to the blind. We started wonder and thinking where can the be.

Fortunately at another bait we had a leopard feeding and decided to make him the next target. It went very smooth and first day in the blind the leopard cam in nice and early and we were able to get a beautiful cat.

We worked to find these Lions again only hearing them in the distance every morning. We decided to take break and look for some more hippo for bait and a Croc.

We spotted a big croc on the river banks and made our approach. We were very fortunate and nothing new of us. We took the shot and perfect brain shot it was.

We also in the coming days got some hippo as baits.

During the next few days our mission was to locate these roaring Lions

We searched high and low and nothing until one day we just heard a call on the radio telling us "QUICKLY QUICKLY COME NOW!!!!"

we rushed of to the area the call came from. It was about 2hours away from where we were but we got there in record time. Only to find the males we have been searching for relaxing in the dry river bed. We made our approach. Our hunter made his first shot count and out another one in for security but the first one did the job.

We had got it done. A beautiful old warrior. We could not believe how it happened.

So our adventure ended with only 2 days to spare. We used the next to days for some relaxing and fishing.

Big 5 and Dangerous 7 done for our hunter.