SOUTH AFRICA: Headed to South Africa for a hunt in the Free State and East Cape

[vancewalker007]

Finally through all the hurdles airlines stopping and starting, Rifle permits, bed and breakfast logistics, Covid tests, final packing, getting the rifles checked in etc. and now about to go wheels up out of Newark on a straight flight to Johannesburg. More to come as we progress in the field.

 

[shootist~]

Safe travels!
Looking forward to the adventure.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Good luck on your hunt

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Good luck and safe travels.

 

[cpr0312]

Safe travels and best of luck!

 

[Andrew Short]

Good luck!!! Hope it’s a great trip!

 

[Shootist43]

Dittos on the good luck. BTW that is quite a trophy you have posted in your avatar!!

 

[cls]

Good luck and shoot straight, will be watching for the report

 

[vancewalker007]

The Safari is going grand. When I get back I will give a full report.

 

[vancewalker007]

Sitting at the guest house in Johannesburg waiting to go to the airport to head back to the US. This trip started as a package deal we purchased at a cancer benefit banquet in 2018 to give my wife an introduction to hunting. We spent the last 4 months going to Ben Avery shooting range and shooting steel off Stix and prone. This effort paid off on her very first big game animal, a lone very old very nice Blue Wildebeest. After about a 2 mile walk through the trees across and along a high ridge we spotted the lone Blue. My wife had the strip off her coat and half zip because the temp and excitement of the pursuit had her sweat going good. After 2 failed setups we managed to get a third try at him. She set up on the Stix like we practiced. The PH told her take your time. The bull finally turned more or less broadside at a little over a 130 yards. She steadied on the Stix aiming low on the shoulder and took her shot. I think he went about 20 yards after that. Her adrenaline dump after that went all the way to her toes. I had to hold her up for minute.

 

[Ngonyama]

Nice one .Hope enjoyed your hunt and stay .We’re were you in the eastern cape

 

[shootist~]

Way to go! I'm looking forward to following along.

 

[vancewalker007]

Nice one .Hope enjoyed your hunt and stay .We’re were you in the eastern cape

We ended up staying in the Free State the whole time. Next trip we will hunt in the East Cape.

 

[koodoo62]

We ended up staying in the Free State the whole time. Next trip we will hunt in the East Cape.

How was the United flight?

 

[vancewalker007]

How was the United flight?

The new 787s are very smooth. Going over the flight was about 2/3 full so we all had lots of room. For a 16 hour flight it was pretty good. Coming back it was full. Still very smooth. They ran out of the mid flight snack so our side of the plane didn't get it. Oh well. I ate too much in camp anyway. The biggest issues coming back were security. They tore our stuff apart twice in Johannesburg. One in the security line once at the gate. Make sure you are on top of you Covid tests. You need hard copies with names and dates. Don't take any tools no matter how small through in checked bags. Don't carry on any duty free liquor. Check it. They took my fix it Stix mini tool kit and 2 tiny Allen wrenches in Johannesburg. Also some how 2 of our bags had empty rifle cases in them and that caused a big stir. They even took my empty leather cartridge belt. Frankly the less you carry the better off you'll be. The rifles and ammo were no big deal. I had paper work done 3 months ago.

 

[koodoo62]

The new 787s are very smooth. Going over the flight was about 2/3 full so we all had lots of room. For a 16 hour flight it was pretty good. Coming back it was full. Still very smooth. They ran out of the mid flight snack so our side of the plane didn't get it. Oh well. I ate too much in camp anyway. The biggest issues coming back were security. They tore our stuff apart twice in Johannesburg. One in the security line once at the gate. Make sure you are on top of you Covid tests. You need hard copies with names and dates. Don't take any tools no matter how small through in checked bags. Don't carry on any duty free liquor. Check it. They took my fix it Stix mini tool kit and 2 tiny Allen wrenches in Johannesburg. Also some how 2 of our bags had empty rifle cases in them and that caused a big stir. They even took my empty leather cartridge belt. Frankly the less you carry the better off you'll be. The rifles and ammo were no big deal. I had paper work done 3 months ago.

Thanks for the report. We just got back 3 days ago via Doha with Qatar. We usually fly business with Delta but they cancelled our flight. It looks United business class might be a good option for next year. The trip with Qatar, while nice, is just too damn long. 16 hours from New Jersey to Joburg rather than 30 hours (with the layover in Doha) sounds a lot better.

 

[Ryeboy86]

@vancewalker007

Are you in the Phoenix area? I saw you say you shot at the Ben Avery range.. Haha.. I'm in Yuma, and I'd love to talk to ya about how to go about setting up a trip! Maybe give me some pointers? That's a nice Wildebeast ya got!

 

[shootist~]

Thanks for the report. We just got back 3 days ago via Doha with Qatar. We usually fly business with Delta but they cancelled our flight. It looks United business class might be a good option for next year. The trip with Qatar, while nice, is just too damn long. 16 hours from New Jersey to Joburg rather than 30 hours (with the layover in Doha) sounds a lot better.

I agree. The return flights on Qatar was killer - even with the excellent service in business class. Unfortunately, getting to NJ from my location is time consuming as well.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Are you in the Phoenix area?

I am.......

 

[koodoo62]

I agree. The return flights on Qatar was killer - even with the excellent service in business class. Unfortunately, getting to NJ from my location is time consuming as well.

Fortunately we have a direct flight from Austin to Newark so it would be OK for me. I had to fly Austin to DFW (where the Qatar reception was extremely disorganized) to Doha to Joburg. The reception and repeat security check at Doha on the return flight was also very disorganized.