SOUTH AFRICA: Bos en Dal SAFARIS April 12-24, 2023

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Hey all here is the start to my full report on latest safari.

Planning for this one started in late January 2023. My friend Robbie had never been to Africa and wanted to go and me accompany him.
Rifle line up: I am shooting Christensen Ridgeline 6.5 PRC with factory Berger 156 Hybrid Hunters with a DeadAir Nomad LT suppressor, also CZ 550 375 HH. Robbie is shooting Christensen Ridgeline FFT 300 PRC 212gr Hornady ELDX.

4/10
I arrived IAH Houston 3.5 hours before flight departure. Qatar airlines business class. Check in was smooth and easy. I had notified Qatar ahead of time with required paperwork and they were ready for me. Check in took about 10 min. and escorted to TSA check. No issues with suppressor. Qatar had copies of paperwork, TSA didn't care. Went to Lounge to relax before flight.
Robbie is flying out of Dallas and we meet in Doha for same flight into Johannesburg.
He had no issues with Qatar check in either. Said went smooth and fast.
Flight over was usual for Qatar, great service and slept most of way.
I will say was surprised upon landing in Doha. For those traveling later on this year!
Doha has major renovations going on at arrivals terminal. All flights deplane on tarmac. You will be bused over to departure terminal to clear security and such. I had booked Al Maha Services ahead of time. It is there meet and greet to expedite thru security checks and escort thru airport. Well worth the cost to me.
Robbie and I met up in Lounge after he arrived. Flight to Tambo was uneventful and slept most of it.

4/12
We arrived Tambo at 3:05 am. Used Riflepermits and meet greet. Sped thru customs and baggage claim and off to SAPS. Gerrit and Rikus were waiting for us in main hall along with RiflePermits representative. We were of to farm by 4:15. It's a 2.5 hour drive to @Bos en Dal SAFARIS.
We arrived at camp and had breakfast waiting for us. After a quick unpack we went ranger and checked rifles. I will be hunting with Gerrit and Robbie with Rikus.
We made drive around looking before lunch.
Afternoon hunt started around 3pm.
Robbie got his first African animal on day one. A nice Blue Wildebeest.

 

[Ravensview]

Sounds like a good beginning

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

4/13
Slept in this morning and didn't leave lodge till around 7:30.
We all started out in different directions
About 9:30 am Gerrit and I came across some Blue Wildebeest. I am doing some cull hunting, there were a lot of cows in heard. After a slow stalk on them a dry cow was picked out and a head shot with the 6.5 PRC dropped her in tracks.

After lunch it was really hot so we stayed in camp till around 3:30 pm.
Gerrit and I went to look for Baboons and Bushbuck on another property close by. It is all low cattle fence and farm land.
Right at dark we came across a monster Warthog. I sure wasn't going to let this old warrior go. Quick stalk and 6.5 was on its mark.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Great start!

 

[Inline6]

Nice to see those Bergers doing work!

Great start so far, looking forward to more.

 

[Trogon]

Outstanding start, Mark, I'm really looking forward to your all of your hunt report! Get some sleep!

 

[WMU05]

Wow, what a pig!

 

[Mekaniks]

Great start Mark. That pig is a stud

 

[Scott CWO]

 

[Houston Bill]

Wow Mark, that is a great looking pig! Can't wait to hear about the rest of the hunt!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Sounds like a fun safari.

 

[Nyati]

Great pig, Mark, congrats

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

4/14
Left out at around 7am.
Today turned out to be a busy and successful day for Robbie.
Around 8am We got radio call from Rikus saying Kudu down in back mountain and in a bad spot. Gerrit and I arrived in about 20 min to there location. Kudu had went downhill into some thick stuff. Pics taken and a 6 man recovery team arrived to get it down to nearest road.

After Kudu was loaded up we all split back up and resumed hunting.
I took an Impala female with a head shot just before we broke for lunch
I did take some pics but pretty gruesome to post!
Robbie got a nice Blesbuck before lunch also.

 

[WAB]

Nice pig Mark!

 

[PARA45]

Wow, that’s a stud of a hog, congrats. Keep it coming.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

After lunch we took break till around 3:00 in afternoon. Robbie and Rikus made a stalk on this heavy horned Impala during the afternoon

Gerrit and I rode looking see what we could find. Just before dark we headed over to the farm fields to look for Bushbuck that are feeding in soybean fields. Just at last light a nice Bushbuck came into the field. Plan was made and 6.5 did its job at 190 yard shot. I I could see above the soybeans was his head and neck. Will need some patching up on cape on left side

 

[PARA45]

Wow, nice Bushbuck, love how thick the bases are.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

4/15
Just usuals day hunting. Lots of animals seen, stalks made on some but none worked out where anything was taken
Gerrit and I checked bushpig baits and set up some blinds by them incase a pattern develops while I am here.

4/16
Usual start to the day.
I got another Blue Wildebeest cow this morning. Worked our way close to the heard and a dry cow was picked out. Head shot with 6.5 dropped on spot

Afternoon spent scouting and looking for animals on Robbie's list. Nothing else taken. Lots of stalks made but nothing came together. I saw a monster Impala and made stalk but got busted in thick bush by Blue Wildebeest that sent everything off running.

 

[Vintageguy]

What a warthog! Great pictures.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

4/17
Usual start. Up 5am and gone by 6:45
Gerrit and I rode and looked. Saw lots of animals including a monster Blue Wildebeest. Made stalk on him but got busted and he was gone. Checked game cameras on bushpig baits.
Robbie and Rikus connected on a Sable and added it to the salt room!

Had a great lunch like always!
We all loaded up and went to another property near by to look for Kudu. Several good bulls spotted but nothing came together for a shot.