SOUTH AFRICA: East Cape Plains Game Safaris Hunt

[enysse]

I just got back today from a hunt with PH Tinus van der Mescht of East Cape Plains Game Safaris. The hunt was nothing short of excellent. We hunted hard and took some amazing trophies. The weather was hot, dry and windy except for the the last two days of the hunt. I have to start 12 hour shifts in the morning for the next week. So I'm going to get some sleep. This lived up to my dreams and expectations.
I came home from my hunt and my refrigerator wasn't working so I had a huge mess to clean up!

 

[Pheroze]

What a welcome home! Ugh. I look forward to the report

 

[gillettehunter]

Why sleep when you could be giving us a hunt report? Glad it was a fantastic trip. We'll look forward to hearing about it. Bruce

 

[BRICKBURN]

Welcome home to that mess.

Glad you had a good time. Look forward to the pictures and report when you get back into this time zone.

 

[cpr0312]

Glad your trip went well, look forward to the report!

 

[CAustin]

Welcome home sir! Glad the hunt was great. Looking forward to your report.

 

[enysse]

The flight and hotel planning was perfect. I had one of my locks on my gun case stop working when I got to Tambo International Airport. I was worried it was going to be a problem but no one said anything. It was a Master lock, brand new, so I will be returning it today after work. Delta airline re-did their over head storage compartments which to me was a great improvement. The screens for controlling movies and lighting (all other gadgets) was greatly improved. I give them praise because it was working very well, service was excellent. Afton House gave excellent for airport pick up and drop off. Cabela's gun case which I bought after my last gun case was destroyed worked flawlessly, no complaints. I used my Winchester Model 70 Super Grade 7mm Rem Mag with Leupold 3.5x10 40 mm scope with 160 gr. Swift A-Frame ammo. I didn't check the zero until I got to Africa, it only needed to be turned two clicks to the left. I took 4 shots and was shooting very well at 100 yds, gun was about 1.75 inches high, zero at 200 yds and -7.5 inches at 300 yds. I did use my guide's gun for some of the animals. He was shooting a Winchester Featherweight in a 30-06 with down loaded 80 gr. Impala bullets. The rifle was dead on at 100 yards. The gun was very smooth, it had a Timney trigger with Leupold scope too. I was a little worried about my shooting because I have not shot much because I have been preoccupied with my job and working my butt off. My shooting during the trip was very good....to excellent in my mind. I don't think I could shoot too much better with practice. My PH had the Primos Trigger Sticks 2 Bipod and it worked well, I would like to try the tripod one out now having used his model and liking the way the rest adjust. I use my Swarovski 10x42 SLC binoculars. They worked well. My eyes are so use to looking at a computer all day that I had a hard time focusing on long distances.

 

[johnnyblues]

Congratulations Eric, looking forward to pictures.

 

[lcq]

welcome back Eric

 

[enysse]

Well on the August 25, 2016, I got up at 3:30 am at the Afton House so I could get to the Tambo international airport early so I could fly out by 6:30 am and be in Port Elizabeth at 8:00 am so we could get some hunting in on day one. Everything went smoothly and Tinus was there to pick me up on time and we to the Kleinriver camp in the East Cape. Beautiful setting in between to large canyons. We ate brunch and went out to sight the rifles in at the gun range. It was warm out, in the upper 80's the wind was blowing pretty good and we drove around the property to see what we could find. Since it was so warm and sunny, we mostly saw impala. Tinus stated there were 3 good nyala bulls on the property but they were most likely in the river ravine and would only come out at last light. So we got up to a high spot on the property and started glassing. It was about an hour before last light and the first very good nyala came out of the river. He was huge on one side, the horn was miss shaped but he looked almost like a young kudu with a nyala body. I was enjoying him walking through the trees eating. I really didn't want to shoot him, I wanted to see what else was on the property first. I didn't have to wait long and another beautiful nyala bull stepped out just north of the first one. One look through the binoculars and I knew I had to find a way to shoot this bull. We where about 300 yards vertical above the bull and at least 100 yards horizontal to the bull. The PH and I decided to circle around and come up from the valley floor and try to stalk close to him using the brush as cover. The plan worked perfectly, we used the wind to our advantage and I was able to sneak with about 75 yard of the nyala. I took one off hand shot with my 7mm Rem Mag and the nyala was down, then the celebrating started. It was beautiful old male with matching horns of 25.5 inches long. A great first day in Africa!!!!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Nice trophy Eric.

 

[Scott Slough]

Well that is one way to start a report .... damn fine nyala!!!!!! Can't wait to see what follows.

 

[Aaron N]

That is a brute! Congratulations!

 

[enysse]

The next day we search for kudu in the brush, but we didn't have much luck in getting close. We saw many kudu but getting close without them smelling us or seeing us was a whole new story. It probably didn't help that they were not in the rut . Lots of glassing, walking and stalking.

 

[enysse]

Hunt big mature kudu never gets old. I absolutely love hunting them. To me there is nothing better to hunt. I will say I do enjoy hunting the tiny 10 but for overall satisfaction nothing beats hunting kudu!

 

[johnnyblues]

Fabulous Nyala. Congratulations.

 

[cpr0312]

Nice nyala! Congrats

 

[Sand Rat]

Great ivory tips on your nayala, good looking animal. Congrats and looking toward to the next installment of your hunt.

 

[jeff]

Great nyala!! Looks like tough hunting in that thick brush!

 

[Tinus van der Mescht]

Great stuff Eric, was great to have you over for the hunt!! It really helps alot when your client can shoot straight!