- Joined
- Jul 18, 2012
- Messages
- 471
- Reaction score
- 685
- Location
- Swakopmund, Namibia
- Website
- www.gametrackersafrica.com
- Deals & offers
- 111
- Media
- 446
- Member of
- DSC, SCI, PhASA, IPHA, NAPHA, APHA, TPHA, WSF
- Hunted
- TANZANIA, SOUTH AFRICA, NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE, CAMEROON
A pair of Waterbuck could be seen on a far ridge grazing in the morning sun. My PH Jaco, of Game Trackers Africa, said that the bull had nice horns and we should set up a stalk. We quickly drove to the far side of the hill and slowly crept to the ridge top above were the pair had been spotted. Being careful of the wind and trying not to spook the quarry, Jaco, our tracker Rudy and I crept over the rocky hillside to try to get a shot at the bull. We went to the area where they were last spotted only to discover that they were no longer around. We searched for several minutes and our tracker Rudy went off on his own to find the elusive animals. Rudy soon appeared farther down the hill on a rock outcropping waving his hand for us to come. Jaco and I quickly crept down to the rocky point, where we could see the bull and the cow walking up the side of an adjacent hill. Jaco verified that the bull was a shooter and the range was 210 yards. I settled into a shooting position behind a rock and used a jacket to rest the rifle. The smack of the bullet hitting home could be heard over the muffed report of the suppressed 7mm Remington Magnum I was using. The bull took a couple of steps forward and collapsed. That was the start of the South African safari that I won at the SCI auction in Las Vegas.
My son, Bryan and I took twelve animals over the next ten days of hunting in East Cape. Game Tracker’s Africa put my son and I up at two different lodges in Grahamstown and Graaff-Reinet. My wife and daughter decided to go on photo safari’s and spent several days away. My family and I had a wonderful time in East Cape and in six to eight months we will have our mounts to remind us of our adventure. Our guides think that eleven of the twelve animals harvested will easily make the SCI record book.
The Gemsbok bull was an old warrior with thick bases and ground down teeth and horns. His worn horns will probably make him come up short. Even so, I know that my son will treasure him as a trophy for the rest of his life.
The topology of the games reserves we hunted remind me of the central coast of California and the desert around Ridgecrest. The East Cape area is currently experiencing a five-year drought and game numbers are slightly down due to reduced carrying capacity. My son and I were impressed with the numbers and variety of different game animals on the four – six properties we hunted. We took 1 Waterbok, 2 Impala, 2 Warthogs, 2 Black Wildebeest, 1 Cape Kudu, 1 Bushbok, 1 Springbok, 1 Blessbok and 1 Gemsbok. We easily could have easily hunted more quality animals if desired. The hunts were fair chaise with shooting distances between 70 – 250 yards. Many extended range hunting opportunities were available on the properties hunted. Gunwerks and its crew were being hosted at the two lodges we hunted from during our safari.
South Africa was a good primer for hunting the Dark Continent. My family and I learned many of the ins and outs of going on safari in Africa. My son and I plan to return in the next couple of years. Perhaps next time we will go to Namibia or Tanzania.
John R
My son, Bryan and I took twelve animals over the next ten days of hunting in East Cape. Game Tracker’s Africa put my son and I up at two different lodges in Grahamstown and Graaff-Reinet. My wife and daughter decided to go on photo safari’s and spent several days away. My family and I had a wonderful time in East Cape and in six to eight months we will have our mounts to remind us of our adventure. Our guides think that eleven of the twelve animals harvested will easily make the SCI record book.
The Gemsbok bull was an old warrior with thick bases and ground down teeth and horns. His worn horns will probably make him come up short. Even so, I know that my son will treasure him as a trophy for the rest of his life.
The topology of the games reserves we hunted remind me of the central coast of California and the desert around Ridgecrest. The East Cape area is currently experiencing a five-year drought and game numbers are slightly down due to reduced carrying capacity. My son and I were impressed with the numbers and variety of different game animals on the four – six properties we hunted. We took 1 Waterbok, 2 Impala, 2 Warthogs, 2 Black Wildebeest, 1 Cape Kudu, 1 Bushbok, 1 Springbok, 1 Blessbok and 1 Gemsbok. We easily could have easily hunted more quality animals if desired. The hunts were fair chaise with shooting distances between 70 – 250 yards. Many extended range hunting opportunities were available on the properties hunted. Gunwerks and its crew were being hosted at the two lodges we hunted from during our safari.
South Africa was a good primer for hunting the Dark Continent. My family and I learned many of the ins and outs of going on safari in Africa. My son and I plan to return in the next couple of years. Perhaps next time we will go to Namibia or Tanzania.
John R
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