SOUTH AFRICA: Hunt With Africa Hunt lodge

[Jettech]

Well I'm going to try my best to tell about my trip. It may not be the best writing just to warn you.

Well the day finally came for my son and I for our first Safari. We departed Atlanta on Friday May 7th a little late due to cleaning and catering running behind. Once in the air for the 14 1/2 hr flight we ate a quick meal and was able top get a good 7 hrs of sleep in. We landed in JNB the next day at 530pm. cleared customs and grabbed our stuff. AHL PH's met us and off we went to the lodge. after about a 3 hr ride we arrived at the lodge aaround 11pm. Had a quick bowl of homemade soup and a beer then settled in for the night to get some sleep.

Next day we woke up at 645am went down and had breakfast (bacon, french toast, sausage and tomato slices). From there off to the shooting ranges to check that to 300 was shooting where it was supposed to.. Everything was good so we headed out to start the hunt. It was not 30 mins in we got caught in a downpour. Worked out that we did not get far from camp so we went back and ate a quick lunch(Ham and cheese sandwich's) as the rain passed. Then it was right back out looking for Impala and Sable. The impala all where starting to rut so we came across a nice trophy pretty quickly. It was making all kinds of grunting and noise. My son was up on this one. He took a shot at 100 yards and it ran about 40 yards and was down just inside some thick cover. Some quick pictures and a ride back to the skinning shed and we was back out looking for Sable. Driving around saw some Sable right off the bat but not what we was looking for. Patience paid off and we got on a nice mature Sable. I took the shot at 150 yards. It looked like a good hit but it took off running. Tracker my Ph and my son and I was off thru the bush following a blood trail. I am amazed at how well the tracker can follow a trail. After a good 5 mile track we got up on him again standing in a watering hole. I was able to take one more shot and end the track. After we got up to him we saw the hit was good but the bullet just did not perform. More pictures and back to skinning shed. The sun was setting by this time so back to camp. to sit around fire and drink some Black label and Castle lite. Dinner for the night was Blesbok casarole witth carrots, squash, and salad. After dinner i tried my first African brandy with coke by the fire. must say for a beer person it was very good. Jet lag made me call it a early night at 930.

 

[Jettech]

Monday morning up at 6am and down for breakfast (wildabeest Sausage, Eggs and toast). Decided to change up ammo due to previous day on sable. Quick trip to range for slight adjustments and off to a new property to look for Kudu, Zebra, Blue Wildabeest. Spent the morning driving the area and nothing wanted to come out of the thick bush. Everything is still so green from all the rain they had. Decided to stop for lunch and get a new game plan. While eating lunch watched some curious baboons 400 yard up a road sit there checking us out. After lunch it was back at it. Alot more looking with no luck. We did see a good Kudu but before we had any chance it was gone and never could get back on it. Sun is setting so back to camp for dinner and drinks. Dinner tonight is Minced KUDU with a banana sauce, rice and peppermint desert bowl. After dinner sat around fire and made plans for next day while my Son did some school work he was missing.

 

[Jettech]

Tuesday up at 6 again for breakfast (omelets with sausage and toast. Today we are headed off to another property that is about 45 min from camp. This new property looks awsome. Today we are lookng for Zebra, Kudu, BLue wildabeest and Gemsbok. Shortly in we came across a good size group of Gemsbok. Put on a small stock and got to about 150 yards before they started to get a little uncomfortable and started to move. Picked out a nice male in the group and took the shot. Ran 30 yards into the thick stuff for a short track. Quick pictures and back at it. After a little while we saw some Zebra down a trial off the truck and on foot we go. Followed tracks for a good 5 miles before we got busted and they headed out in a hurry. I heard them running but never could see them thru the thick stuff. Zebra amaze me how stealthy they are. Had a quick lunch Gemsbok cheeseburger then Back to the truck and continue the hunt. Not long after we crested a hill and spotted a lone Blue wildebeest bull with a female making its way across a opening. Got down and got in a good spot for my son to take a shot. When he finally stopped my son took a shot at 250 yards. It took off in a hurry over the hill. Got up to the spot and did not see any blood. We saw the direction it ran so we just kept combing back and forth and eventually found it 100 yards from where it was hit. Quick pictures and was headed out to call it a day as it was starting to get later. On way out PH spotted a KUDU in some thick stuff. We decided to stop and check it out. About all you could see was side of his face. We could tell he was a male but not how big he was. We decided to circle around down wind and see if we could get up closure and see what he looked like. By the time we circled and got around he had stepped out in more open area. I was happy with him and decided i wanted to take a shot. Took aim shot and he dropped right where he stood. Walked closure and one more shot as he still was moving and did not want to loose him. Quick pictures as it was about to get dark. Load all 3 in the back of the Ford Ranger and headed 45 mins back to camp to drop everything and skinning shed and get dinner. When we got back power shedding was in effect from 7-9 so dinner was a little behind but after such a great day I was pumped. So drinks around the fire and some apps. DInner was then served. Gemsbok snitzle(by far my favorite meal), Spinich, potatoes and salad.

 

[gesch]

Nice report. Great looking trophies. Thanks for taking me along. Your friend, Brian

 

[Jettech]

Wed back up at 6 for breakfast and back out to same property to try and find a Zebra and a older Nyala for my son they have seen lately causing issues with some younger ones. Spent first part of morning finding zebra and stocking them and then losing them and starting over. Finally we saw a good group and was able to stay on them for about 5 miles and they crossed a trial as we stepped out a gemsbok walked out close to where we saw the zebra go. We froze in our tracks and Gemsbok walked off quickly and did not blow our stalk. a minute later one of the zebras stepped out for a 50 yard shot. It took off after being hit in a hurry but only went maybe 40 yards. Finally the one I have spent every day trying to get on is on the way to the salt. Some pictures and and it was off to see if we could located the Nyala. They had a pretty good idea where to locate it because they have seen it pretty much everyday down by the river that is on there property. After a drive down along the river we spotted it in the same area they have seen him. He was off in some super thick brush with some females and a young male. It was hard to see anything but his head and horns. We did some moving around to get downwind better and was able to fine a opening thru the thick stuff which presented a perfect shot. Son took the shot at 100 yard and it went all of 10 yards and it was over. We decided a picture down by the river out of the thick stuff would look good. After we got all loaded and grab a quick sunset picture it was off to camp. Dinner tonight was homemade chicken msoup for app and Nyala lasagna with salad and garlic bread for dinner. I feeling a little bit adjusted so tonight is a good night for drinks by the fire and talk about the week so far and plans for up coming days. Down to my last animal on my list. Plan is to go to another property sat with a different PH for it. Tomorrow we will tag along with my cousin who is also hunting for his cape Buffalo hunt.

 

[Jettech]

Thursday slept in till 7 then breakfast and off with my cousin and his PH to try and get a cape buffalo. after 1 1/2 hr drive down the worst potholed paved road i ever been on we made it to the property he would be hunting on. We spent the day driving and glassing but never saw but one quick glance of the tail end of a small bull running into the brush at full speed. After the sunset it was back down the teeth jarring road to camp for Sable stroganoff with mashed potatoes, white corn and Salad. Tomorrow will be a down day for my son and I so drinks around the fire tonight and watching some rugby sounded in order.

 

[Jettech]

Friday another day to sleep in till 730 and off to the range to make sure the 375 HH is on. 2 shots and stacked them on each other so we are good to go for tomorrow. Son and I took a trip to the National park and predator park not to far down the road to do a day of sight seeing. then back to the lodge for Red Hartebeest carpaccio, grilled Kudu backstrap with sweet potatoes white corm and salad.

Saturday morning up at 630 breakfast and then off to another New property to hunt giraffe. Spent about 2 hrs trying to locate a group of giraffe. once located we proceeded to try and work our way into 50 yards. They did not like that and kept moving away. Finally we was able to work our way behind some cover and discuss which mature bull we wanted. I took a broad side shot and hit it. started a slow walk and loaded and put another in it. It then took off in a good run with us running behind it to get another shot if possible in it. It slowed down and I was able to get one more in it before it went 35 more yards and went down. It probably went maybe 200 yards from the first shot but I was afriad it was gonna make its way up into the mountain and make for a hard recovery. Lucky for us it fell in a nice shaded flat spot. Took some pictures and then skinned and processed it right there for transport. Once we finished up all that we headed back to the lodge for the afternoon. The week was really catching up with me so took a hr nap before dinner. Dinner was A kudu curry with rice dish. later that night we went out and did some rabbit hunting before we retired to bed for the night.

 

[Jettech]

well sunday my final full day. All we came for has been filled and then some. So we decided to tag along with my cousin some more on his hunts. Morning started out hunting a porcupine. I never new they rattled there quils and sounded like a rattle snake in away. Then we went off to hunt bush pig over a bait pile this land owner had been hunting. Ended up only being room for 3 so i went back to the truck to let my son sit and watch the hunt. They watch some small warthogs come and go and then the excitement began. In broad daylight a leopard came out and laid in the bait pile 150 yards away after about 3 mins it got up and decided to walk off within 45 secs it popped back out of the brush within 10 yards and made eye contact with them and then turned and high tailed it out of there.. The PH said on that note we are ending this hunt as that was way to close. As they where walking back to truck the bus pigs came out so they briefly stopped about 250 yards to see if the leopard may take one out. they stayed for a second and quickly left the area so no show was seen. My some thought it was so cool that he was able to experience seeing a leopard up close like that in the wild. He has been telling everyone this trip was very eye opening and what they teach you in schools in the US about these animals and about hunting over there is far from true. Him and I both gained a whole new respect for hunting in Africa and definitely caught the bug and look forward to returning one day in the future. One last dinner over the fire of KUDU, Gemsbok and Giraffe tenderloin with potatoes and corn. Enjoyed a little longer evening of some more brandy and coke along with a few black label beers before calling it a evening.
Slept in a little and then got up and packed everything back up for 3 hr trip back to airport. arrived and the airport with plenty of time to get checked in and look thru all the shops. Delta flight to atlanta departed 10 mins early and arrived in Atlanta the next morning with no issues. Little sleep on the way back as I was still so pumped to tell everyone how great a trip I was able to take with my son and Cousin

 

[Firebird]

Glad to read a hunting adventure for a change. You have some beautiful trophies, congrats on all your success!

 

[Frederik]

Good stuff thanks for sharing your experience you and your son got some fine animals.

 

[VertigoBE]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with your son! Good bonding time and great animals in the salt

 

[rinehart0050]

Congrats on your hunt! Really great giraffe! Love the dark coloration

 

[kdenn]

Thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your success.

 

[Angelo_orygun]

Great hunt! Congrats!! When are you heading back?

 

[Jettech]

Great hunt! Congrats!! When are you heading back?

Definitely is true what everyone says must be something in the water and definitely looking forward to plan another trip!!

 

[cls]

Congratulations all around, some very nice animals. Thanks for posting a report looks and sounds like you guys had a great safari.

 

[Nyati]

Congrats on your hunt and thanks for sharing !

 

[WyoBull]

Great adventure for you and your son. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Did your cousin end up getting a Cape Buffalo?

 

[Trogon]

Congrats to you and your son, sounds like you both had a great adventure, and you both got some really beautiful animals! Enjoyed your hunt report very much, thanks for posting it.

 

[Jettech]

Great adventure for you and your son. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Did your cousin end up getting a Cape Buffalo?

no he ran out of time before he had to get back home. He said that gives him an excuse to start planning another trip. He did check a bunch off his list though.