SOUTH AFRICA: 31 Days, 3 Outfitters, White Lion, SS Pro & Chumlet Safaris

[dory]

How are you going to beat that next time ?
Awesome !!

 

[Dr Ray]

The planning for this safari began not long after getting home from my first safari to the Eastern Cape with Karoo Wild safaris. I did write a report on this 2015 trip. https://www.africahunting.com/threads/south-africa-karoo-wild-safaris-hunting-report.26036/


After my first trip I had contracted the Africa disease and had to try and get back. I decided to sell some stuff including a custom built 257 Weatherby and the biggest and hardest decision was to give up smoking. Cigarettes in Australia are extremely expensive and I decided that if I could give up smoking I could save about $4000 per year. There lies my objective, Give up smoking and book myself a trip to Africa. I must admit that if I did not have this as my objective I do not think I would be have been able to cope. ( have I mentioned how many South Africans smoke and how cheap it is)

I decided early that if I went back to Africa I would like to see different parts of the country and new landscapes. I had seen a Cull hunt advertised by White Lion safaris and thought that this would be a good opportunity to get some skins for the floor and experience the Free State.

I also wanted to return to hunt a really good Southern Kudu and SS Pro were advertising a good package deal for some trophy animals and a Kudu in Australian dollars. This was a good value and I thought if I added a few more days to the package I would have a good chance in a once in a life time Kudu. I love Kudu hunting and already had two nice Eastern Cape Kudu.

Lastly I wanted to go to KwaZulu Natal and hunt Nyala in a free range situation and Chumlet safaris were well positioned to offer this type of hunt.

With much communication between these outfitters, dates were set and my dream of a return started to become a reality. All up it was going to be 31 days in Africa. Now only 12 months to wait....wait....wait. I spent far too much time reading hunt reports on AH during the wait period and the anticipation was building.

This trip I was going to take my Remington 300 WSM with lightweight McMillan stock loaded with 180 gr Accubonds and Woodleights. I had shot the accubonds out to about 400 m and had taken it on two deer hunting trips during 2016 and it had performed very well. At the last minute I decided to also take my old Ruger 280 AI loaded with 160 gr accubonds as a backup as it has never let me down and I am confident in its ability. Both firearms have Leupold VX3 4.5-14 with CDS.

At last Thursday 4th May 2017 has arrived and I am driving for 12 hours to get to the airport. I fly out of Cairns in Queensland and then to Brisbane and Perth. Then board the South Africa Airways flight to Johannesburg. We arrive at Johannesburg about 5am but they cannot get the airbridge to work so we are stuck on the plane. After about 40 minutes they decide to get stairs and by the time we are in the clearance area there has been another two international flights come in so the area is packed. I had already arranged for a meet and greet and firearms pre-approval with “Hunters Support” and was glad I did as I had a connecting flight to Bloemfontein at 0800. All went well and I was soon on my way to White Lion safaris.

Sunday 7th May 2017

Arrive at Bloemfontein and am picked up by Jaco who will be my PH for the next week. We immediately hit it off as he is an avid gun nut and likes his long range shooting. He had only just given up smoking and I gave him some moral support by saying that it is not easy and I still feel like having a smoke. ( Did I mention that most people in SA smoke) It was about an hour and half drive through open grass land and corn fields. Finally we started to get into some hills and pulled into the driveway. I was met by Ricus de villiers and his wife Nelia. They made me feel most welcome. Ah, the smell and sound of the African bush, this is why I have returned. I can already feel the disease symptoms subsiding.

I settled into the accommodation and Jaco and I then went out to test the guns. Both were fine and I had a few shots at the 300m gong as some long shots may be required. We then went for a drive and walked up a small hill, on the other side we could see some Zebra feeding uphill and some springbuck behind them. I had 4 springbuck on my list so we waited on the sticks for the springbuck to feed closer but they were very mobile and never gave a shot opportunity. I did not want to take a marginal shot at my first animal and besides couldn’t we find something bigger and closer for my first shot??

This hunt was a cull hunt which included 1 x Blue wildebeest, 2 x Black wildebeest, 1 x Warthog, 4 x Common Springbuck, 2 x Common Blesbuck and 1 x Impala.

We walked around the hill and over the next ridge and spotted some Blesbuck feeding on the flat below. We stalked to within 230m and they started to become restless. I got onto the sticks and took a ewe with a well placed heart shot. She fell on the spot and I had my first African animal and it was not even day one yet.

It was nice to talk with you the other day.
Sounds like a great trip and congratulations.

 

[Dr Ray]

Monday 15th May ( Day 8 )

Woke up early and packed my gear for the airport. The flight from Bloemfontein back to Johannesburg was uneventful and I was soon greeted By Abel and Sam from SS Pro safaris. Abel is Scott’s brother and Sam is an American PH who works with SS Pro. ( Both smoke)

My aim objective was to hunt a Kudu as close to 60” as possible. The area and SS pro are noted for big Kudu and I had many discussions with Scott regarding Kudu and that I would like to spend time walking in the mountains in pursue of a trophy Kudu. It was such a surprise when I received an email from Scott’s wife Sure’ to say that Scott was missing. Unfortunately there was a tragic outcome and the family is still coming to grips with the events. (My thought are still extended to the family. He was a well liked and respected man and I feel privileged to have walked on the same ground as Scott.)

We leave the busy streets and outer Johannesburg and head toward the Limpopo. What a change in landscape from the Free State. About 2 hours into the drive you cross a mountain range and the bush veldt starts. The vegetation became very thick and in another couple of hours a mountain range appears and Abel says it is the Waterberg Range. We started down a drive way and pulled up at the lodge which is tucked away in the foothills of the Waterberg.

Entry to SS Pro safaris


I was greeted by the rest of the SS Pro team, Sure’ ( Scott’s wife), Pieter (Scott’s elder brother and lodge manager and bar keep), Nico ( Young PH with great enthusiasm), Vittorio ( Young PH with a great sense of humour and who I got to know well), Dante’ ( IT and tech support, a role which used to be performed by Abel with a hammer) and a multitude of dogs who I will never remember the names. I settle into my room and then we walk 100 m and test the rifles on the range. All seem OK. Abel suggested we go for a drive and have a look around. We all pile in Abel, Nico, Sam, Vittorio and myself. We see a number of different animals. At one stage a Blue wildebeest runs in front of us and stops 60 m away. We watch it and it finally moves off. There is some smart arse comment from the drivers seat about being on a hunting safari and not a photographic safari. The bush is very thick and visibility is limited, I think, how am I going to hunt this area. Abel said that the bush was thicker than normal for this time of year with late rains and the widespread rain a few days ago will put water back in the creeks and depressions and freshen up the vegetation. Well it wasn’t supposed to be easy. We stop the vehicle in the shadow of a huge sedimentary mountain and open the esky (cooler). Out comes black label beer and shooters for everyone. Great way to start the next 13 days. My primary objective is to hunt Kudu but I also have taken a package hunt that hopefully see me take Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, Gemsbuck and Warthog. If any of these species are encounter while we are out then they are on the menu.
The following are some pictures of the landscape I was to hunt.

Tuesday 16th May ( Day 9 )

The night before Abel asked me if I would be interested in a cull Eland cow and I said I would so a plan was developed to hunt an area about 45 Km NW of the lodge. I was to be guided by Sam, Vittorio and Nico. (1X3Ph’s). Abel was going to stay back at the lodge and catch up with paper work. (He loves doing paperwork) Did I mention that all these guys smoke!!

We enter the farm and the boys immediately look for a suitable tree to drag behind the Bakkie. Later I was to learn that this was to sweep tracks on the road and if any Eland walked across the road we would see which block they are in. The vegetation on this farm was so thick that you would not have seen a giraffe if it was 15 m away. Anyway I thought, lets play this game and see what happens? Well nothing. It was then decided that Nico and I should wait at a watering point while Sam and Vittorio go and look for Eland. It was getting close to midday and some Wildebeest started coming into water. We were sitting under some bushes and at one stage we had about 20 Wildebeest in front of us. Nico motioned me to shoot the Bull that was looking at us at about 40 m but the trophy for me was the skin so I wanted one with better stripes. After a while they got too nervous and moved off. The other boys then arrived and said that they had found the Eland and we were to come. Away we went in pursuit of the Eland and we followed and we followed and we followed eventually going back to the Bakkie and trying to drive around in front of them. We waited in ambush but they were too smart for these 4 stooges.

Sam and I then went back to the water point to wait till dark. Just before dark we could hear the almost electronic hoof click of a mature bull Eland. A sound I will never forget. The sound gets louder and then stops, louder and stops and then we see two young bulls and the most magnificent huge bull Eland with a large brown mop on his forehead. They are large animals and here was a fully mature bull not 30m away. He looks at us but we do not move but he knows something is not right and decides that it is better to leave and come back later when these strange things that are staring are gone. One in particular looks like he has droopy jaw syndrome.

It is nearly dark now and we start to head home and spot a really good Kudu Bull but he soon disappears. A good quantity of Black labels and dinner and I am ready to turn in.

Wednesday 17th May ( Day 10 )

Rise early this morning as we are to travel to a farm about 40 km to the SW. Abel was the PH today and we walked many miles in some prime Kudu habitat but failed to see any Bulls. My discussion with Abel was that I was after a good Kudu that gave you a “wow, that is a nice Kudu” feeling. It was not necessarily about inches but I wanted to hunt hard and spend a lot of time walking the mountains in pursuit of a good trophy. I knew it was a big ask, but that is why I was hunting with SS Pro in the Limpopo and I had 12 days to do it. After walking most of the morning we decided to break for lunch under the shade of a tree. After lunch we drove to the top of a ridge and walked along the side of it and down into the valley below. We hunted hard all day and it was not until just on dark that Abel and I were walking along a track when a Kudu Bull materialised off to the side. He was a good Bull but had one deformed horn. He quickly made his self scarce and disappeared into the gloom. It was time to call it a day and head back to camp for some black labels and dinner.



Thursday 18th May ( Day 11 )

We started off this morning glassing for Kudu from the top of a mountain. We were scanning the opposite hill sides and the flat land below. We could see for many kilometres and noticed Impala, Giraffe, and Kudu on the flats below but the only Kudu bull had one horn. A leopard was sawing ( sounds more like rasping ) in the valley below and making the animals nervous. Abel noticed some Impala below and they were working their way up the hillside and hopefully within range. I got on the sticks and waited as Impala ewes filed past an opening. The ram did not appear and must have used the thick vegetation to his advantage.

We decided to try another area further up the same gorge that held the Leopard. We did manage to flush some Bush pigs but that was all we saw. The morning was getting on so it was back down onto the flats and try for something else. We put in a stalk on some Impala but got busted and then some Wildebeest but they scented us. As we approached a cleared lane (track ) an Impala ram was walking towards us and unaware of our presence. I got onto the sticks and took a front on shot at about 60m and he went down on the spot. He was a nice mature ram with heavy horns. I was happy to take my first animal with SS Pro.

Another vehicle had been dispatched from camp with our Lunch so the Impala was loaded onto that Bakkie and we continued our pursuit for Kudu. In the early afternoon we sat overlooking a water point without luck and then drove to another part of the farm and only saw some Kudu cows and young Bulls. The afternoon turned to darkness and we headed back to camp. On the way back to camp we noticed a light in an open paddock, formally farm land. Abel pulled up and the light appeared to be moving but as far as he knew there should be no one else on the farm. We drive over to investigate and find it is a torch on the ground with and intermittent strobe flashing. ( Hence, looked like it was moving) It is revealed by Abel that this is Scott’s torch he used for leopard hunting and it was lost about 18 months ago. An animal must have stood on the on/off button and turned it on before our arrival. What a coincidence as the battery would not have lasted all night.

Friday 19th May ( Day 12 )

We were up early and glassing from an area known as the “Neck” where there was a pass in the mountain range. We briefly saw a good Kudu in the distance but he was soon swallowed up by the thick bush. As the sun rose animals could be seen warming themselves in the more open patches of bush veldt. We decided to travel to a plateau and have a look up there. We did see some Zebra but after a short stalk they ran and we never seen them again. We walked over to the edge of the plateau and glassed below but did not see anything worthy of further investigation. It was now getting close to lunch so we went back to the vehicle and drove to a kopje that overlooked a salt lick and watering point. Young Nico have given us all a touch of the flu and we had boiled eggs for lunch so between coughing, sneezing, snoring and farting it was no wonder nothing came in while we were there. The afternoon saw us looking for Kudu again on the flats and small rocky ridges that rise out of the bush veldt. We were just going up one of these small ridges and some Zebra were spotted on the top. There was little chance for a shot as they had already spotted us and were making their way for safer ground. Just before dark Abel spotted some Wildebeest feeding toward us and we made up some ground using some prickle bushes as cover. We were standing behind a bush and the Wildebeest Bull became curious about what was making some movement behind the bush in front of him and he moved forward to investigate. (Well you know what happened to the cat) I moved a little to my left and took an offhand shot at about 50 m square into the chest. He turned and ran about another 50m and fell dead into some bushes. It was now nearly dark and I stayed with him while Abel went to get the Bakkie and cut a track in. We eventually got him into the Bakkie and it was back to the lodge for a well earned beer and dinner.

Saturday 20th May ( Day 13 )

I did not know it was day 13 until I began writing this report.

Today it was off to another farm about 10 km away to try and get a Gemsbuck which was on my package list. I was after one with a good skin so either male or female would satisfy my requirements. I was with Nico, Vittorio and Innocent (the tracker and driver) today as well as a dog named “sookie” (close enough to correct name). We stalked into a group of Gemsbuck but they were onto us and moved off. We then spotted a few on the edge of a lane and I set up on the sticks at about 150m. I thought how fortunate this is, we will be home by smoko time.

The target Gemsbuck was facing towards me, maybe a little quartering towards. I placed the crosshairs inside the point of the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. At the shot the boys said that they thought it was good and we would wait a few minutes and go have a look. After they all had a cigarette ( Not me ) we went to where the Gemsbuck was standing and found a little bit of dark blood on a leaf. (Not good ) I started to feel a bit of a sinking feeling in my stomach as the surrounding bush was thick and the wounded animal could have gone anywhere. Vittorio now called for Innocent and the dog sookie to take up the track. For the next half hour we had not found anything except for another small speck of blood. Then all of a sudden Sookie became excited and ran forward and started barking in some bushes. We approached with caution and as we stared into the bush a large Warthog erupted out and nearly cleaned us up with his escape. After that bit of excitement it was back to the business at hand. I was feeling bad about not finding any sign. Gemsbuck was my nemesis last trip and it would appear that it has not changed. It was now a couple of hours after the shot and we had not sighted anything promising until Nico called on the radio that he had just bumped a Gemsbuck that was laying down and it nearly skewered him when it ran past. Vittorrio and I went to Nico and was walking along a track when a Gemsbuck was spotted in the bush and behaving strangely (walking and not running). Vittorio could not make out if it was wounded or not and it soon disappeared into the bush. We ran around to an area where we thought it may be and walked slowly trying to locate anything out of the ordinary. Vittorio then spotted a lone Gemsbuck and after checking said that was the one. I got down on one knee and the Gemsbuck was making its escape so I decided I had to get another bullet into it and fortunately the shot hit the Gemsbuck in the spine and down it went. What a relief after about 3 hours tracking. The first shot had hit the outside of the shoulder and low. Probably only about 2 inches from a good shot but another lesson learnt ( Beware, the frontal shot)

We went back to the lodge for lunch and Vittorio asked if I wanted to have a rest. I said that I was good and I did not come to Africa to rest and we must be back out hunting as soon as possible. We got Innocent to drop us off and we walked around a small mountain range. We caught a glimpse of Zebra and nothing else. The recent rain and thick bush was certainly aiding the animals in concealing themselves. It was late so we called for Innocent to pick us up and head back to the lodge.

Sunday 21st May ( Day 14 )

This morning Abel drove to the top of a mountain and we walked over to the edge where we could glass the other side. As the sun warmed the mountain face we saw a nice Kudu Bull heading high on the opposite mountain. There was also a group of cows with two good Bulls that made their way over the top and out of sight. Abel decided we should continue along the mountain that we were on and we drove the Bakkie up a rocky track and as we neared the top we bumped a group of Kudu with a number of Bulls. We followed them but only caught glimpses as they had split up and were making their way to thicker country. We then spotted some Zebra and followed then over some very rocky and broken ground but never got into a shooting opportunity. They need to call the plains Zebra in this part of the country “Mountain Zebra” as they seemed to only be on top of the mountains. It was now lunch time so we drove down the mountain and had lunch in the shade of a big buffalo thorn tree. After lunch Abel dropped Vittorio and Innocent off and they were to walk over the top of the mountain and scout for Kudu. Abel and I will walk a gorge over the other side. ( where the Kudu were heading this morning) Abel and I had been walking for an hour or more in the bottom of the canyon glassing up both sides. Abel suddenly says “There is a Bull”. I look in the direction he is pointing and there is a magnificent Bull standing on a rock ledge overlooking the canyon below. I get on the sticks and look at him through the scope. He is hard to judge from such an acute upward angle but he is a magnificent, proud animal. I study him but he just has not got the “wow” factor for me and I say to Abel that I would pass. Abel looks at me and asks “are you sure” I think for a while, take another sight picture and reluctantly say “ yes I am sure”. I then take some photos and keep asking myself if I have made the right decision or should I take him. I have another look through the scope at this magnificent animal and say sorry Abel but we have more days. The walk out of the canyon was quiet without a word spoken and when we met up with Vittorio there was an exchange of words in Afrikaans which I interpreted as “ That f#*&ing aussie c#%t just pass up a good Kudu because it did not have the wow factor” Over a lot of beers that night we did clear the air and I started getting a bit of a ribbing about the “wow” factor. It was all good but it really did hit home how much pressure there is at times on both the PH and client after many days spent in pursue of a trophy. I reassured Abel that the Trophy was a bonus and I am really enjoying the way we are hunting.

Kudu mentioned in text that I passed. Photo a bit blurry.


Note: The client is under pressure to perform and shoot well and each day takes it to a higher level. You start to doubt your ability to perform when the time comes and maybe you should shoot the next one that comes along. For the PH there is pressure for him to find the client a good trophy and when he has put in many days of walking and finally puts his client onto a good representative trophy it is hard for him as well when it is turned down.

The Bar where all problems are solved.


It is dark by the time we get back to the Bakkie and we head back for a well earned beer. When we arrive back at camp Pieter says that his good friend Theunis Botha has been crushed by an Elephant in Zimbabwe. Very sad indeed.

More to come

This was great. Looking forward to the next episode.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Man I was really hoping you get your Nyala. Gives you something to look forward to and I have to give you a lot of credit for staying disciplined!

Thanks for the report.

 

[Edge]

Awesome photos and a great report, I enjoyed it immensely!

Good decision on the first Kudu bull, you ended up with something truly spectacular, congrats!

Edge

 

[PARA45]

An amazing trip, and fantastic trophies to go with it. Very commendable that you passed on that kudu (I doubt I would have), but the reward of the one you took made it worth while. Congrats and thanks for taking us along!!!

 

[Kowas Adventure Safaris]

Neale
Cherish your memories...and start planning for your next safari...

 

[Cousin Bongo]

I have hunted with Tyrone Milne/Chumlet Safaris numerous times and will do so my next trip over. I can vouch for Tyrone and his outfit. Everything has always been first rate - same as his expertise and experience. Under Tyrone's guidance, I've taken many outstanding trophies including superb nyala and kudu. On our last hunt together we backpacked into an area for one of the best hunts ever. Chumlet Safaris is highly recommended!

CB

 

[enysse]

Fantastic hunt report!!!! I really enjoyed the hunt report. I would really like to do the hunt for kudu like you did! And I certainly want to go to KZN for a nyala! I would be looking for nyala in the same shape as you!.

 

[Neale]

Thanks for the comments.
Reading others reports certainly helps feed the disease. I have been right with @ Edge with his report even though my internet is so slow it takes forever to load each photo.
I am missing the African bush already even though I live in the bush. I have some recovered projectiles I will take photos of over the next couple of days and post them.

 

[Brett Becker]

Congratulations on a great hunt. What a magnificent Kudu. I certainly admire your ability to stick to and know what you want. I don't think I would been able to pass up the first Kudu in your report. Well done and one of the best reports I have read on this site

 

[rinehart0050]

What an adventure! Congrats on your trophies, on your hunts, on everything! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Outstanding Neale, great hunting in every sense of the word mate.

 

[Firebird]

Add one to all the above positive comments but also think you are awesome to quit smoking and save the money that way. That is huge commitment and resolve-you are tough as hell for making that stick. You truly earned your trophies in more ways than one!

 

[BWH]

That's awesome..... I think that would be amazing to go for a month..... and spend week + with different outfits in different locations..... animals, scenery, experience. Congratulations! What dreams are made of for sure!

 

[Neale]

Thanks @Firebird. I must admit that I thought that I may have broken when I got my Kudu but there was too much adrenalin at the time. I still have cravings that subside when I think about why I am doing it. Hopefully I can save up some more and plan a Buff hunt???