SOUTH AFRICA: A Lifelong Report!

[gram2117]

I have enjoyed your stories of hunts and hearing about your dad and uncle. I could care less about proper grammer and rifle calibers (bowhunter mostly). Keep them coming.

 

[jpr9954]

From one hill billy to another, fine writing!!!! I'm enjoying it!!!

I think we are now known as Appalachian-Americans.

All I can say about Ike's growing up is that I'm envious. To be out and about in African hunting as a boy and teen must have been wonderful.

 

[Red Leg]

So do please keep telling us about your adventures in the late seventies and eighties. And just think how well you will put them together at 9 am after half a pot of strong coffee. Would love to hear more about your experiences on horseback. Back around the turn of the last century (before WWI) it was a common way to hunt lion in British East Africa. The literature is full of stories where it didn't go exactly to plan, and the hunter became a permanent resident of Nairobi or Mombasa.

 

[cpr0312]

Enjoying the read also! Thanks for sharing!

 

[jacques smith]

Think there are a lot of us waiting for more Ike. U have just whetted our appetite
Good job with your writing. Never sweat the small shit, just bring it

 

[Tgood1]

Pour another one. Crack those knuckles and continue typing.....please

 

[Aaron N]

All I can say, is that this will be an amazing thread!
If you can take some time to regroup, and try and get down the details to paint us a picture of an Africa only a handful of members here, you included, had the pleasure to experience!

 

[R.M.C.]

Fine job!!! Keep it coming!!!

 

[375Fox]

I have been a hunter for many years.
I was a vocal hunter til i was attacked in 2004 by everybody including animal rights groups on fb. I had death threats and and they contacted my family and business contacts.
But here is my story !
It started in summer of 1978. I was 6 yrs old.
My father and uncle went to south africa in 1946 after ww2. My dad and uncle was on a detail clearing Japanese islands.my dad was a 7th son of 8 children. My dad said they wasn't allowed to carry weapons, to not give away their position, the thinking at the time. My dad was given a throwing knife a commando knife and a piano string with 2 hooks. I have heard many stories about the firearms collected. And the strafes of zero fighters. It all scares the hell out of me. I've never known a fuller man than my father . My father was also selected for detail on the us indiana. I heard many stories here about the attack and the sharks. I wish i had the ability to give the real emotional story. I was not given that. My father would never talk about it much. I only learned things when older guys came over and watched and talked with my dad.
But lets go to to summer of 78. Whe. I was 6 i soaked in the knowledge of my family.
My father and uncle moved to Africa in 47.
I arrived at my uncle's house, for summer break. My uncle like my father came in the 40's after the war. They hunted ivory and other trophy for high paying clients. They hunted with some of the best in history.
The stories ive heard about leopard and lion hunts with 303's and a 3006 is is too many to talk about!
My story starts as a 6yr old.
I seen africa at 6yrs old. Too much too soon. It was mesmerizing! A young boy only experienced by the west virginia and arizona wilderness?
It was like a new life !
My father was a hard man. I grew up to the switch and belt. But he was a fair man and a loving father!
My uncle came for a visit in july 1978. My fathers stories collided with my uncles.
I was offered to spend the summer break with my uncle.
I stepped off the plane with a smell never experienced!
Ths first summer i got a kudu at 50in. At 6yrs old. I knew i was hooked!
In 1978 i returned for xmas break with my parents. I went on fabulous hunts, including a leopard blind hunt.
I went on several hunts the next few years.
I was finally out of the truck at 15.
I completed my first big 5, in 1980. Much cheaper then. Just my uncle and paying a farmer.
Well that is my experience up to 16.
I only futhered it, so far.
Im drunk tonight. Im not too good at explaining thimgs.
But i hope it excites you ?
Im 5 for 5 for except for 1 rhino . And 74 for 100 on buffalo. My life goals.
I really hope i dont get grief from this post.
Ive been out of the game for awhile. But hopefully will finish my life list.
Not as cheap as it was before, but hopefully doable.
Im dumb to to guns except what ive used reloading and the normal safari of these days.
But i gladly help any with general questions?
I have faced many animals. Im sure i have more to give, im just haven't been good with words !

I hope you will be posting some photos to support your stories. I enjoy hearing them but I’ve grown suspicious of these stories. There is one thing that stands out to me so far. Facebook wasn’t publicly available yet in 2004, even in 2007 you still needed a college email address to sign up for it if I remember correctly. I will attribute the typo to some late night drinking.

 

[Edster]

 

[sestoppelman]

I have been a hunter for many years.
I was a vocal hunter til i was attacked in 2004 by everybody including animal rights groups on fb. I had death threats and and they contacted my family and business contacts.
But here is my story !
It started in summer of 1978. I was 6 yrs old.
My father and uncle went to south africa in 1946 after ww2. My dad and uncle was on a detail clearing Japanese islands.my dad was a 7th son of 8 children. My dad said they wasn't allowed to carry weapons, to not give away their position, the thinking at the time. My dad was given a throwing knife a commando knife and a piano string with 2 hooks. I have heard many stories about the firearms collected. And the strafes of zero fighters. It all scares the hell out of me. I've never known a fuller man than my father . My father was also selected for detail on the us indiana. I heard many stories here about the attack and the sharks. I wish i had the ability to give the real emotional story. I was not given that. My father would never talk about it much. I only learned things when older guys came over and watched and talked with my dad.
But lets go to to summer of 78. Whe. I was 6 i soaked in the knowledge of my family.
My father and uncle moved to Africa in 47.
I arrived at my uncle's house, for summer break. My uncle like my father came in the 40's after the war. They hunted ivory and other trophy for high paying clients. They hunted with some of the best in history.
The stories ive heard about leopard and lion hunts with 303's and a 3006 is is too many to talk about!
My story starts as a 6yr old.
I seen africa at 6yrs old. Too much too soon. It was mesmerizing! A young boy only experienced by the west virginia and arizona wilderness?
It was like a new life !
My father was a hard man. I grew up to the switch and belt. But he was a fair man and a loving father!
My uncle came for a visit in july 1978. My fathers stories collided with my uncles.
I was offered to spend the summer break with my uncle.
I stepped off the plane with a smell never experienced!
Ths first summer i got a kudu at 50in. At 6yrs old. I knew i was hooked!
In 1978 i returned for xmas break with my parents. I went on fabulous hunts, including a leopard blind hunt.
I went on several hunts the next few years.
I was finally out of the truck at 15.
I completed my first big 5, in 1980. Much cheaper then. Just my uncle and paying a farmer.
Well that is my experience up to 16.
I only futhered it, so far.
Im drunk tonight. Im not too good at explaining thimgs.
But i hope it excites you ?
Im 5 for 5 for except for 1 rhino . And 74 for 100 on buffalo. My life goals.
I really hope i dont get grief from this post.
Ive been out of the game for awhile. But hopefully will finish my life list.
Not as cheap as it was before, but hopefully doable.
Im dumb to to guns except what ive used reloading and the normal safari of these days.
But i gladly help any with general questions?
I have faced many animals. Im sure i have more to give, im just haven't been good with words !

Did you mean this "Indiana"?

USS Indianapolis Official

The official site of the USS Indianapolis Organization, comprised of Indianapolis crewmembers, their families, and members of the rescue crew.

www.ussindianapolis.com

 

[sestoppelman]

"I (could) care less about proper grammer", well obviously,, LOL.

 

[Ike85123]

Excuse me for being late coming back. My wife had some issues that needed my attention.

 

[Ike85123]

I hope you will be posting some photos to support your stories. I enjoy hearing them but I’ve grown suspicious of these stories. There is one thing that stands out to me so far. Facebook wasn’t publicly available yet in 2004, even in 2007 you still needed a college email address to sign up for it if I remember correctly. I will attribute the typo to some late night drinking.

All I can say is my issues with fb has been atleast 15yrs ago. I didnt keep a diary of the bad things that happen in my life.
But I can say, that ive been sticky sweet noce since ive joined. My issues with fb, made me join here with a light hand. Since that is not working, I might aswell be the redneck hillbilly I really am !
If your just gonna come here and call me a liar, then it isnt worth my time ! I have enjoyed my time on here talking with everyone, read this forum for years before joining.
I was intending to come back on here tonight with a clear head and elaborate this hunt. As it was a 7 week hunt that had much more to cover, as we covered alot of ground and it was a big experience to me.
But I have nothing to prove. So if im just gonna get called out and have to defend myself, it osnt worth it. Im not gaining anything by telling my stories. I guess i will just leave them to tell to my kids.
I would go on to say that about 2 or 3 weeks before this hunt, i had a serious issue with a mountain lion on our farm in az. So I always called this my summer of the cats. But i dont need that story picked apart either. I do live in az and it did happen !
I also have a great story of what i call the buffalo summer. My uncle was in import/export and had contacts in alot of governments. He was selected for many great hunts, becouse of who he was. He helped a govt by hunting with a large group of hunters to kill 1000 buffalo, the country was going through a famine. I would tell this story, how I collected 58 buffalo in 2 weeks. But I dont want to be called a liar, so i wont tell it.
I have a story of what I call the crocodile summer. Wont tell that one either.
I guess bottom line, I have nothing to prove to anyone. You all enjoy your forum. I dont think i will be participating with stories any longer.
Just not my thing, to have every word i say get dissected.

 

[Sarg]

Thank you for the time & the story's you did relay @Ike85123, I know exactly where you are coming from on this reply, done a few things myself but I know most wont believe them as it makes them & their lives look small, so don't tell people mostly !

 

[Dragan N.]

I hope you will be posting some photos to support your stories. I enjoy hearing them but I’ve grown suspicious of these stories. There is one thing that stands out to me so far. Facebook wasn’t publicly available yet in 2004, even in 2007 you still needed a college email address to sign up for it if I remember correctly. I will attribute the typo to some late night drinking.

Not quite, I'm pretty sure that Facebook was fully public by 2006. Maybe even a bit earlier. I might be wrong. It can be really hard to remember minute details like this after close to decades. Just saying...
Now I don't know much about the author but he could very well of had a college or corporate email back then. In which case he may have joined even earlier...

Ike, obviously you have the right to do as you please but I think I speak for many on here when i ask if you would kindly reconsider posting your stories. I think the odds are heavily in your favor in terms of the ratio of people here who believe you and wish to hear your stories vs. the naysers... Just food for thought.

 

[sestoppelman]

Sadly, when a poster comes here and has some some pretty fantastic tales, and then is politely corrected about plausibility of one claim or other, they often will at that point or soon thereafter get offended and want to take their ball and go home.
I have no idea of the claims made here, none, but must admit they do sort of come off as a bit fanciful.
First Big 5 at 8 years old? Uh huh.

 

[Randy F]

Well…I for one would like to hear them anyway. Memories aren’t perfect and embellishments fueled by a couple of drinks or not, we can choose to believe what we will about another’s experience. Whether or not it’s really necessary to call out details of those stories is another discussion entirely.

We enjoy and encourage everyone to share their stories and so should support the effort regardlessly. How many here can prove every word of our reports? Indeed, some of the most famous authors embellish for the enjoyment of their readers. What I believe to be discrepancies, embellishments, or even fabrications, I will keep to myself with a smile.

My 2 cents

 

[spike.t]

My dad came back to the states in the 50s. He was riding a Indian motorcycle in 55, had a drunk driver pull out in front of him at 65mph. He had his hip replaced with plates and pins. He never could keep his balance after that.
So he preferred horseback hunts .
We was after a herd of buff. We ran in to the lions outside of livingstone.
We kept heading north along the river. We had issues with them for many nights. We wasnt sure if it was territorial or what? We fought them and hyenas off every night all the way to kabula.
The first night there, we had them visit us and take a horse . We got 4 of them, about 6am.
Is was the females. There was 3 males of the group close by. I personally took the 3 about 100yrds from camp. First 2 was one shot shot kills from my uncles 470.
The third was my first charge ive had .
I shot the lion at about 100yrds. He made noise and hid in the bush. I got off the horse and walked towards him. He charged at about 75yrds. I did a quick 1,2. He was down. I reloaded, amd went to check him. He was a great black beard beauty!
Was quite exciting for a teenager!
My father and uncle came riding up. They sais I was a man the . Made me take a bite of the heart and use the blood as war paint on my face.
It was very scary. But after, the scary just continued!
Afted that, they looked at me as the great white hunter . Good and bad, i guess.
Becouse of that moment, that is why i have as many elephant as I do.
My uncle from that point, put trust in me!
Better or worse, now it is my experience.

Hi ike...just trying to keep track as you said you were on the sauce so no probs...we all been there...just trying to connect it together as you said you were in Botswana but then say you were outside Livingstone....so had you crossed into Zambia as its Zimbabwe opposite Livingstone...or rhodesia I presume back then , and Botswana border is bit up river from Livingstone?....hope your babalass wasnt too bad ....

 

[375Fox]

We enjoy and encourage everyone to share their stories and so should support the effort regardlessly. How many here can prove every word of our reports? Indeed, some of the most famous authors embellish for the enjoyment of their readers. What I believe to be discrepancies, embellishments, or even fabrications, I will keep to myself with a smile.

My 2 cents

I don’t disagree with you on being respectful. However fabrications shouldn’t be tolerated. There needs to be some integrity on this forum or it’s value disappears. I hope these stories are true, but there are some obvious discrepancies and embellishments which should be expected with drinking, but might also be a sign of something further.