SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo 2026

[45-70guy]

Just figuring out if this is the correct place for this, figured I would share for anyone who cares to see and or know animal activity and weather.

Arrived may 2 into Johannesburg, and make the trek to Northern Limpopo.

may 3 we sighted rifles etc… and did a half day of hunting. TONS of rain came days prior, as in FLOODING. The rivers are very high, so high actually they are pushing back up to the smaller rivers like the crocodile river. Very windy

Lots of access roads are not accessible, but still we saw plenty of game ,Plains game.The road in the picture is the main road which we could drive no problem but the side roads were not this nice.

Tuesday stormy weather started to come in by afternoon, was able to harvest a Gemsbok and a Blesbok before it rained, though 40km from camp we just had sprinkle while at camp ( south ) was hammered again.
Roads just not getting better , very windy.

By Wednesday the mornings were quiet chilly now and animal movement seemed to be slow but there in the early mornings, after about 9:00 the animals were all in the thick canopy areas just grazing and hanging out. Saw a number of eland and zebra , plenty of impala.
Was able to connect on a Nyala after lunch and an Impala just before sunset. Still decent wind. Impala are definitely rutting can hear them whenever close.

Thursday same deal chilly mornings but by 9:00 all animal activity was slow, was able to connect with a zebra and get him in the salt.
Giraffes seem to be unaffected by any of this as we saw them all over , and a few good bulls at that. Eland as well.

Friday chilly morning, and just seemed to be the slowest day. Sighted cow kudu but no bulls, here and there we saw a young bull but not what we wanted. Wildebeest here and there. 10 hours or so of hunting and by sunset connected with a kudu bull. That 10 hour hunt ended within 6 seconds and 3 shots later. Happened fast. Wind not so bad.
The younger bulls we would find with cows. For some reason the bigger bulls normally were not with cows where we were, not sure why.

Saturday, warmer morning clear skies. Wanted to try and access some new area but roads still very muddy and wet, knowing of buffalo and wildebeest on the other side of all that wetlands we wanted to get in. Sable were moving with calf’s, awesome sight to see. By 8:30 we had a good bull down and full sun clear skies.
After lunch attempted to cross some roads, made it through but barely. VERY wet still. Cloudy and a constant wind, all in all good day one in the bush but never got to stalk the wildebeest.

Sunday is now so we will see how this weather holds out, the bush is VERY thick and this rain probably is keeping it that way for a bit until it dries out. Good luck guys enjoy your time out.

I’ll attach a photo or two with just the animals as I don’t know how to edit to block out anyone I don’t have permission to post their picture or should I say I did not ask first.

 

[DAK]

Congrats man! Was in Limpopo about a week before you and we got dumped on most days.

 

[Mekaniks]

Congratulations !! What outfitter did you hunt with?

 

[Datchew]

Looks like a great time despite the rain. And you were blessed with some beautiful skies judging by the pictures.

 

[migrabill]

Are gemsbok making a comeback in Limpopo? When I was there in June of 2024 we didn't see a single one as I was told there was a tick that had decimated their population. It was one of two animals on my list that I was not able to get. It's back on my lost for 2028, hoping they have rebounded.

 

[45-70guy]

Once back I can go into more detail on each of these animals and hunts, we have been hunting hard sun up to sun down but it doesn’t get any better.
As far as bullet performance, we have recovered some of the Northforks but not all, they all look to be perfect mushrooms on all sorts of shots, some into the shoulder blade ( sable, oryx, impala, nyala) and others just tissue.
A 225g SS in .358 ( 35 whelen) at 2650 fps hand loaded using a midrange charge of cfe223.
The zebra I debated as it took a couple shots to maybe try the 250’s next trip around, my 1st shot hitting the front left shoulder ( quartering to me ) and then riding the bone and coming back out. Was enough to slow him down and was bleeding but that specific angle and hit must not have been ideal.
I’ll attach recovered bullets thus far and will measure and weigh them once home.

 

[45-70guy]

Are gemsbok making a comeback in Limpopo? When I was there in June of 2024 we didn't see a single one as I was told there was a tick that had decimated their population. It was one of two animals on my list that I was not able to get. It's back on my lost for 2028, hoping they have rebounded.

So far I’ve seen maybe 20-30 Gemsbok, and right now I’m seeing many cows with fawns. Another 2 hours from here I was seeing not as many all together but good sized males

 

[45-70guy]

I will attach more photos if able to, the service seems to limit the size.
The skies have been amazing, everything has been. Only Tuesday night did it rain a ton, and it’s now Sunday, some of the access roads we have attempted and made it but very very muddy.
We were able to find a good sable herd out where we havnt been all week due to the rain and Cape buffalo. I may need to do multiple posts within this thread to get more pictures to load. Sorry Ive been away too long to be up on best way to do this.
Tons of wildebeest and though I want one we have yet to get a bull to allow a shot. Though I’m very content with what we accomplished and saw at this point that I’m fine with just coming back again some time

Plenty of monkeys that’s for sure
Looks like the north fork recovered bullets picture loaded, as I have many other pictures it’s slow going on the internet side

 

[45-70guy]

We tried to get as far back to the river as we could but the water is still very high, they are thinking by end of next week it’ll be dry enough as no more rain the in forecast from here on out. The bush being still very very thick and this rain nothing has started shedding leaves as of yet but by end of May June timeframe it should start on thin out.
Kudu cows everywhere, some small bulls; and some decent bigger bulls though once I got one then we started to see them all!
That’s how hunting goes. Many animals by the river side but definitely together some multiple bulls at times with cows

 

[45-70guy]

That sable bull was with a herd of cows, he was hanging back and just too sneaky to make it easy, i definitely practiced as much as possible off the sticks but i did not practice shooting through brush like these animals like to hide in! Broad side shots would be ideal, if they gave you any! Most shots were a quartering shot facing me so breaking a shoulder from a chest shot was majority of aim.
The Kudu especially, we would see the big boys but just hidden so well, and many times you’d get the sticks up and they vanish. All in all, awesome hunting, the harder you work for something the more you’ll appreciate it.
One more day to chase wildebeest before I head back, saw all sorts of them again and a few goldens too but the bulls are just too smart to come out in the open.

 

[buck wild]

This is one of the reasons I try to go in August. But looks like you have salvaged a great trip despite the factors set against you.

 

[45-70guy]

This is one of the reasons I try to go in August. But looks like you have salvaged a great trip despite the factors set against you.

this was more of a last minute trip with available openings in may, with an annual fishing trip to Labrador in august and moose hunt in Canada in September it worked out great. Of course I’ll miss the best time of bear season in my home state because of the moose hunt but it’s worth the sacrifice.

First thing this morning we hit the bush, seeing blue wildebeest but no bulls, watched some young ones fight and play. We headed back to the promised land and did some walking though a section we last saw them yesterday evening, after some impala and zebra we didn’t want to spook we did find 3 bulls together, all facing directly at us about 40 yards I took a center chest shot and he dropped on the spot.
The hunting trip was complete with many extra animals so we headed back to camp it was about 8:30am.

 

[45-70guy]

Ok so finally back in the states I should be able to load up more updates.

Bull sable which was with a herd of cows and fawns, was first thing in the morning on Saturday, they were in the thick brush, making it hard to see once they split slightly. The PH could tell the bull was in the back and when he stopped behind a tree I could not see his horns at all, just his body. Quartering at us as soon as he said that’s the bull I fired into his chest, breaking the off side shoulder. He didn’t go far and was limping really bad falling back from the rest, dropping not far from where being shot.
What a magnificent animal these are.
Some recovered north forks , they all looked like this.

 

[Andrew62]

Wow, that sure was a ton of flooding, makes for a real challenge! You've taken some very nice trophies and those Northforks look like they performed flawlessly!

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write these reports and post some pictures, brings back memories for all of us who have been blessed to hunt Africa!

 

[45-70guy]

Wow, that sure was a ton of flooding, makes for a real challenge! You've taken some very nice trophies and those Northforks look like they performed flawlessly!

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write these reports and post some pictures, brings back memories for all of us who have been blessed to hunt Africa!

I have some more but I just landed and had one crazy time with the airports so very tire but I will post more later.
My bags never made the flight as we needed to land in Miami for emergency mechanical failures on the plane. So now bags are being expedited to my house supposedly.
The Northforks were text book performers.

 

[Andrew62]

I have some more but I just landed and had one crazy time with the airports so very tire but I will post more later.
My bags never made the flight as we needed to land in Miami for emergency mechanical failures on the plane. So now bags are being expedited to my house supposedly.
The Northforks were text book performers.

I'm sorry about your luggage drama, on 3 occasions my bags and or gun never made it home on the flight I was on, but it always came the next day. You should get yours tomorrow or the next day.

I just had Hendershots load me some Northforks for both my .308 and .375H&H, I am anxious to give them a try. After seeing your results I am really glad I now have some to try!

 

[45-70guy]

Yes Delta has been very helpful and they should be delivered this morning, I did have my normal checked bag gone through it a tsa lock was missing and the metal lasps broken off which I showed them. Inside looked fine but it also happened on the sundown to that specific bag too. Not sure why

You will love the North Forks, I have been using them for a few years in the 35 whelen and also a 45-70 and they work great, but African game was the true test I wanted to try.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Are gemsbok making a comeback in Limpopo? When I was there in June of 2024 we didn't see a single one as I was told there was a tick that had decimated their population. It was one of two animals on my list that I was not able to get. It's back on my lost for 2028, hoping they have rebounded.

limpopo is a big province, with many various bio zones.
some areas gemsbok do very well, other areas not so well, just depends on habitat (grass types, vegetation etc etc), and conditions. high rainfall years means hi parasite load to follow, but also good vegetation. so its a balancing act
populations in various areas go up and down due to these natural factors

 

[45-70guy]

mid week ( Wednesday) we headed to a spot about 1.5 hours away. Looking for what will be out and about. Early morning we find a zebra, and try to get setup. The tracker getting the sticks setup and zebra spotted very quickly , I was not fast enough onto the sticks so even though I was watching him in the scope I was not ready for the shot and he headed into the bush.
The wind being bad we needed to get all the way around and try to keep the wind in our face. After some time we got around and were headed right to them, but once close to their location we could hear their running or we thought it was them anyways. There also being eland in there that we found out later, we continued on and heard their running again. Seeing a couple eland through the bush.
Deciding we need to try and find them in a more open area because they are onto us. We tracked and tracked and tracked, until eventually they want more open ground, but going way further than we could see them we just followed suit.
Having a small rolling hill as cover we could not see the other side hut could see the giraffes heads , once we created that knoll there were all the zebras. One all alone to the left quartering to us next to a giraffe. I get on the sticks, and take aim on his chest. I’d say maybe just over 100 yards maybe 125. I hit him on the left shoulder, causing the zebras to all run to our right while the giraffes all just hang out. Upon checking his spot of being hit there’s blood , so we follow this for about 300 yards or so, eventually he separates from the rest of the herd.
A few hours into tracking and some serious thought and studying on the 2 trackers part I’m now worried this is lost cause and screwed up the shot. We keep going and going and going. Though the trackers seem to be confident on what they are seeing and the direction of where he went, I am in disbelief as it doesn’t look good.
The sun is now out and it’s pretty hot by the time of year’s standards, we continue in and out of the bush. Sometimes looking at such small details that these guys were picking out. We get back into the bush and myself and one tracker see a Gemsbok bust out from outlet and run to our right, while the other tracker said he saw the zebra run straight ahead of us. He swears it was him so we continue on. Now I’m glad we found him, but thinking maybe that was my only chance to get him. Though he was not running so that built some confidence.
A few hours later, now about 2:00pm we come to a trail, they spot some tracks and mark it in the road, telling me that we should go sit and take a water break. As he will definitely bed down if we stop and can get him when we get back. Sounds way too optimistic to me but I just keep trusting them as they are the pros not me.
After a half hour or so we go back to that crossing and head into the bush, not 100 yards in the main tracker peaks around a canopy covered area and then comes back, grabs me, and says shoot him.
I peak around but cannot see him, he then stands up to walk away, he was 10 yards from me! He was bedded down so only his head was showing but just camouflaged enough for me to not see him. As he escapes I aim center mass and shoot, hitting him and finding fresh blood these guys are lime hounds on a hare. They say fresh blood and he’s not walking right so we will get him. Upon some more walking the tracker finds him again, he’s in more open brushy area, facing away from us I pull up off hand and fire 2 rounds as fast as possible into his rump.
Dropping him about 50 yards from that location.
I was glad we found him and could not leave a wounded animal in the bush, as that would be a huge disappointment.
Those trackers literally took me right to that zebra some how by just being so committed to details that is way over my head.
Upon looking him over we could see the angle of my first shot hit his shoulder but rode the bone and then exited, deep enough to give blood and damage his shoulder but not enough to break it.
I was very relieved that was over and once loaded in the truck I told the guys let’s go to camp and rest for the day. That was enough anticipation and hard work from the trackers part for one day.

 

[gregrn43]

Really enjoyed reading about your hunt. Can't wait till we go next year.