SOUTH AFRICA: African Cape Safaris April 2017

[Dave Lowe]

Thank you!

 

[Lrntolive]

A great report. I'm sorry for the loss of your wife. I've lost too many friends to cancer.

I am glad it has given you the drive to live your life to the fullest. You will run out of health long before you run out of money.

 

[vancewalker007]

Still Tuesday

On our various expeditions after Red Hartebeest, I observed an interesting trio of Zebra. Two with large heads and thick necks and shadow striping that shined as brownish gold in the sun and a somewhat smaller one with little to no shadow stripes. I was fascinated by these Zebra, but could not positively verify that any of them was a stallion. I suggested to Proppie that we go see if we could as we were scheduled to visit a farm with larger numbers of Zebra the next day. To be clear, these were the only three Zebra on this property and they were in an area with hundreds of yards of open space. Stalking anything here had been difficult. We knew that we were going to have to get gangster on this one.

I just took a break to grab a Red Stripe. Now, alcohol is involved in telling the rest of this story.

We had NuNu drop us off away from the Zebra and continue driving. Proppie and I stealthily made our way to a group of four or five trees growing close together. The Zebra slowly started making their way towards us and Proppie was able to identify one of the larger Zebra as a stallion. They were moving with a group of Springbok and the stallion stopped about 175 yards from and facing me. From a sitting position, I discharged one round into his chest. I lost the stallion in recoil, but observed the racing Zebra and Springbok run by us to our right. It was then that my first rifle problem occurred. I could easily lift the bolt, but not retract it. I had to whack the bolt handle to get the case out of the chamber. Keep in mind, all unfired rounds still easily cycled through the action. If I fired a round during the day, I at least knocked the major fouling out of the barrel and relubed. I definitely made it a point to remove what fouling I found in the chamber. The extraction problem would poke it's head up randomly in the future. I necksize all of my ammo and had never had this happen before. After returning home, I fired some factory Nosler .30-06 through my weapon with no reoccurrence.

Proppie was yelling that he was down, but I didn't know where he was. After being struck, he had run across our front to our left about 50 yards before piling up dead. NuNu was able to recover the bullet for me later and he indicated that it had taken out the heart and lungs. This was my best shot of the trip. View attachment 183729 NuNu took the truck and returned to the farm to get additional gentlemen to assist us with loading the stallion. He brought back three. Proppie told me that everybody liked Zebra as there were certain delicacies that they particularly enjoyed. I think it was from this that my bullet was recovered the next day. I'm saving the backskin of this Stallion and having a wall pedestal mount made. Sadly, I don't think the lighting in my home will bring out the gold reflection that I saw from the sun. View attachment 183730

As you may have found doing some research when you got back, just neck sizing can lead to these types of sticky fired round situations. It is usually 1 of 2 issues: 1) shoulder not being bumped, 2) case body not being resized. I ran into this with a 300 WSM and started full length resizing with bushing dies forthwith. Never had the problem again, even with brass fired 5-6 times. This brass now only fails with loose primer pockets, which there is no solution for other than tossing it and getting some new brass. Looks like you had a great hunt otherwise, congrats.

 

[rinehart0050]

Outstanding report! Congrats on your hunt and your trophies- warthogs are tough. I never saw one standing still. For mine, I got a lucky snap shot as one scurried along a hillside at about 60 yards.

 

[Blue Skies Hunting Adventures]

Great report Nate, glad I could help make your trip so wonderful. Keeping living life to the fullest my Friend.
Thanks!
Brian

 

[Vanguard2279]

Everyone:

Thank you for reading and your comments.

Lrntolive: Thank you. Prior to the cancer, we had planned a long, happy life together. She is with me every day and everywhere I go.

vancewalker007: I suspected that so I full length resized all of my brass. It was odd as I have never had this issue with any brass that I've necksized. I haven't had a chance to run any resized rounds through my rifle yet, but I hope the problem is rectified. Thank you for pointing that out, though.

Brian: Thanks for being a great booking agent. I'm planning for 2020. I'll give you a call soon.

 

[dory]

Thanks for the write up .
The cape really interests me as a hunting destination .
Your hunt has backed that up .
Cancer is the scurge of modern society , it has taken to many friends much to early .
I like your courage .
Cheers Dory .

 

[Delta5Cav]

I enjoyed the pictures and the story.

 

[Delta5Cav]

Sometimes you can get away with just neck sizing the brass, but it needs to be fired from the same gun. If its not out of your firearm, then it needs to be full re-sized. I had a friend that was having the same issue.

 

[Vanguard2279]

Delta5Cav: I follow that rule concerning necksizing and only use brass fired in a specific rifle. It was just odd as this portion of brass had been necksized and reloaded less than other batches where I had no problems. I'll see how the brass works now that it's been full length resized. If the problem persists, I utilize new cases and go from there. I appreciate the advice.

Dory: Thank you. You will enjoy the Eastern Cape. Very few high fences (never saw one) and the feeling that you are truthfully in a free range area. I don't count low cattle fences that virtually everything can get over or under. Admittedly, at times I missed the comparatively shorter ranges of the Limpopo.

Caeli was the brave one. She made AQI's hit list when she was in Baghdad. Admittedly, it's a pretty big list. That would bother many people. She was fearless, but cautious. She also wasn't a hunter, but she would have been with me every step of the way.

There are a lot of choices for outfitters in the Cape. I'm glad I chose African Cape Safaris just for the personal touch of being on a working farm and the fact that the owners were the ones doing the cooking. Natalie is from Zimbabwe and Kevin hunted as a PH for her father. There is a lot more to why I liked it. By the way, Natalie makes a great macaroni & cheese. Oh yeah- they have a great selection of wine and beer.

I am especially grateful to Proppie for his knowledge of history. You definitely get a very different vibe in the Eastern Cape compared to the Limpopo. Eventually, I'll hunt the KZN and Free State. Barring disaster, I think I'll have the time.

For my first hunt, I wanted to eliminate as many things that could go wrong. Cruiser safaris picked me up at Afton and dropped me at the airport after a visit to Highveld Taxidermy. Journeying to the Eastern Cape was adding a wrinkle to the plan. Two additional flights (JNB-PLZ-JNB). African cape picked me up at the airport and took me back after a stop at Splitting Image taxidermy. I'm glad I did it. I'm not as concerned about making the trip more complicated.

Apparently, the guy who ran the brai at Afton Guest House has left. The two hunters bound for Namibia and I drank beer (thanks, Annalise!) in the kitchen instead of worrying about food. The next time, I'm ordering a pizza from Debonair's.

Be strong, ya'all. Enjoy this life that we've been given.

 

[Vanguard2279]

And, I just noticed that I am an "AH Senior Member". Hell yeah! I don't know why I'm so proud, but I am. Thank you to whomever makes those decisions.

 

[Bill Kossmann]

What a great, straightforward account of your adventure. Thank you for sharing!

 

[PARA45]

Congratulations!!!!!! Outstanding report, and some fine looking trophies!!!!!!

I don't know anyone who has not been touched by cancer. I've lost family and friends alike. Sorry for your loss, and my deepest condolences. I am sure your wife enjoyed your trip as well, and prob laughed at your misses. God bless her.

If you ever find yourself in the GA area, let me know, my humidor is always well stocked. We'll light one up or two cigars and talk smack about our hunts. LOL!

 

[Vanguard2279]

PARA45: Thank you. I appreciate your kind words. I definitely want to get out that way sometime. Outside of transiting through to JNB, the last time I spent time in GA was in the late 80's and being at Ft. Benning.

To clarify, I am having a shoulder mount done for the Blesbok. It's backskin was so beautiful I feel compelled to have it tanned as well.

I'm already plotting my return to African Cape Safaris. This is where developing patience would be a good thing. Definitely 2020. I am getting ready for Moose in Newfoundland in September. That should be an adventure.

 

[flyfishaz]

Great report. Thanks for sharing.
"Can I get you a cap for your beer? It's going to evaporate."--Proppie
Proppie was one of the PH's in our hunting party. AWESOME guy!!

 

[PARA45]

Well Vanguard2279, we have yet another thing in common besides hunting & smoking cigars, we are brothers in arms. I've been in the AF for the last 34 1/2 years, and this Jan, I'll finally be hanging up my ABUs for some type of civilian attire. LOL!!!! Great quail & turkey hunting here.

 

[Vanguard2279]

PARA45: Congratulations! That's a long time to serve. My wife was a squadron commander at Goodfellow when the cancer was discovered. She PCS'd back to Vegas for treatment and was medically retired on 04/27/15 at 17 years 11 months and 19 days. Sadly, she passed 40 days later.
Drop me a line if you get to Vegas.

 

[PARA45]

Thank you! I don't know where all those years went. Will definitely do! Thanks!

 

[CAustin]

Congrats on a fine hunt sir! Thank you for sharing your story with us all.

 

[Vanguard2279]

CAustin:

Good luck on your Hippo hunt with Pawprint.