SOUTH AFRICA: Pawprint Kalahari Lion & Lioness Hunt

What an amazing way to celebrate a birthday.
Happy 72nd and congratulations on the animals.

Thank you for sharing with us.

I saw what you packed at the beginning of the hunt, but had a few questions.
What did you take but didn't use?
Did you forget or wish you had packed anything?
My wife and I overpacked for our (first) Safari, been taking steps to thin down the list.

Also, I saw that your rifle looks to be a MRC CBE and you are shooting 235 grain TSX's.
I may have missed it but I didn't see where you mentioned what caliber your rifle is.
 
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@Ridgewalker Did you photo shop that pic of you and Pieter he look slimmer!!

I think Pieter has just lost a bunch of weight lately. He had to be rushed to the hospital the week before i got there. Still doesn’t know what the problem was/is. Scary!
 
Yes 375 H&H
I took 3 sets of clothes which i only needed 2...wear one and carry one. Didn’t need rain jacket. If i used their rifle, I could carry everything in 1 carry-on and a daypack.
Very simple. I may try that next year since we will be flying to two countries.

Everyone overpacks their first trip.
 
Taking off from Atlanta!
 
Made it to Denver! An hour wait for the shuttle and an hour ride to be home!

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Was your camera still calibrated for the Southern Hemisphere?:D

BeeMaa...too funny!!! LMAO!

Did I answer your question OK as to what I carry?

Man! A long hot shower sure felt good! I wore the knee high compression socks, but my ankles are really swollen!
 
I think Pieter has just lost a bunch of weight lately. He had to be rushed to the hospital the week before i got there. Still doesn’t know what the problem was/is. Scary!

Oh bugger!! I never knew
 
BeeMaa...too funny!!! LMAO!

Did I answer your question OK as to what I carry?

Man! A long hot shower sure felt good! I wore the knee high compression socks, but my ankles are really swollen!
Yepper, questions answered.
Glad you made it home safe.
Put the feet up, relax, close your eyes...and envision an evening swapping stories around the fire under the star filled sky of Africa.

Edit - Mods gotta leave the picture like that or my comment will just be stupid. (y)
 
Sounds like a great hunt. How is the Pawprint team doing?
Brent, Pieter’s health wasn’t good as I wrote in reply to Norfolk shooter’s question.
Riaan and Johan are both staying pretty busy.
The new place needs some work, but I think it will be pretty nice once it is done. Awesome views from it because it sits on the very top of a hill!
I only saw two of their concessions. One was a wide open plains area with very long shots! The other was designed more for bow hunters.
 
Just a few pictures.
The bow hunting concession.
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A warthog “nest”.
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One of the roads in the bow concession.
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A view off the deck at Pawprint. If you look close, you can just make out two lakes in the bottom of the trees. The closest one is Pawprint’s Bass lake.
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Looking over the Megaleis ridge.
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Phil its a privilege for me to hunt with you every year! Thanks for giving me the honor of being your PH for the past three years. Looking forward to seeing you next year!
Day 3, Thursday, 8/1. Got out at 7:00. Driving and dragging brush along the fence line, suddenly we see the lion hiding in heavy bushes not 10 feet from us as we turn the corner! Driving another 50 yards, we stop and all climb out readying for the hunt! Cautiously we moved toward the corner with Seun dragging me along in the front. Suddenly there he was and before I could finish getting my rifle up, he was gone! We watched his rear as he disappeared into the brush! We walked his tracks zigzagging and circling back occasionally until near noon spotting him on and off, but no chance for a shot! We had walked crossing several blocks. Loaded up and back to the lodge for lunch and a much needed nap!

Up and back out at 3:00. Drug some roads smoothing them out to watch for sign. Stopped near a heavily treed and shaded area. Began our walk. Just entered the treed area when Seun stops the entourage and signals me to quickly come forward. There he is! His massive figure with bushes between us! Seun says to shoot just to the left of the heaviest limb. Not much room to clear at maybe 20 yards away! I try to squeeze the slot between the limbs and left of the biggest...BOOM! The lion let’s out a fearsome roar and takes off to our left! Now the real excitement begins!

Oh so cautiously we slowly move ahead following Seun, William and Johan. Tense moments pass! Twenty yards we move. Then thirty yards. And forty yards...all with minimal blood sign! Suddenly Seun tensely backs up and signals me to step up to him! He points to the “King of the jungle” crouching in the bushes watching the opposite direction from us. Seun quietly says shoot him in the shoulder...BOOM! Again the lion comes to life! I slam another cartridge into the chamber of the 375 H&H as he comes up facing us...BOOM! Into the center of his chest I fire again! He goes limp with a minimal growl. We wait. Seconds seem like hours when we see a final deep exhale. The huge handsome male lion is done. I am exhausted!

Many photos are taken. The skinners are radioed where to meet us. After they take the lion we are off for the start of the lioness hunt for both Toby and myself. Again dragging the roads where they believe another lion and 3 lionesses might have moved. We found fresh sign, but the light again was fading, so we headed back to the lodge. We unloaded and went to the skinning area with a celebratory drink to watch the skinning of an amazingly huge muscular animal! I retrieved two of the bullets. Seun indicated we would have lion for dinner in two to three days after marinating in coke it to help tenderize it.

I size comparison. Estimated at over 400lbs!
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These could do some serious damage!
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Hauling him into a sunny spot for pictures.
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One handsome blond beast IMO!
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Two of the three 235 grain .375 Barnes TSX were recovered. They mushroomed to perfection. I believe the first shot was deflected by the bush causing it to hit too far back. But the lion was too hurt to go far. I am now thinking that since every opportunity I had would have been shooting through brush that a 300 or even 350 grain soft point bullet would have been a better choice. My main reason is because they shouldn’t deflect as much as the stubby 235 grain. Although they probably wouldn’t have dumped as much energy inside due to complete pass through.
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The final end to a very exciting and successful day was a glass of red wine, dinner, a much needed shower, a little writing time and a very comfortable bed.
 
Looking forward to seeing you next year!
The granddaughter and I are really excited about spending time with Executive Hunt Africa team at the Limpopo tent camp! Hopefully your eagle eye daughter will find us another interesting night critter and your son spot us another fine warthog.
I don’t think we will bring any rifles next year, so you’ll need to have that new CZ 375 H&H ready to go! And maybe your 308 for the grand babe.
Have a great hunting season!
 
The granddaughter and I are really excited about spending time with Executive Hunt Africa team at the Limpopo tent camp! Hopefully your eagle eye daughter will find us another interesting night critter and your son spot us another fine warthog.
I don’t think we will bring any rifles next year, so you’ll need to have that new CZ 375 H&H ready to go! And maybe your 308 for the grand babe.
Have a great hunting season!
 
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The granddaughter and I are really excited about spending time with Executive Hunt Africa team at the Limpopo tent camp! Hopefully your eagle eye daughter will find us another interesting night critter and your son spot us another fine warthog.
I don’t think we will bring any rifles next year, so you’ll need to have that new CZ 375 H&H ready to go! And maybe your 308 for the grand babe.
Have a great hunting season!
 

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