SOUTH AFRICA: TIA

[BourbonTrail]

Anyone have a source for pith helmets like these?

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@Kevin Peacocke might, although he wears the flat brimmed type.

 

[Sourdough]

Just back from an excellent hunt in the Free State. Great piece of property and an excellent lodge that is nearly completed.

Not meaning to be a tease but all I’ll post about the hunt is a pic of the recovered solid and say wow. You guys can guess the rest and I will neither confirm nor deny anything else.

 

[kdenn]

Sourdough, Thanks for all your posts and pictures. I've enjoyed these very much.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

@Kevin Peacocke might, although he wears the flat brimmed type.

Unfortunalely I don't have that type. I'll keep an eye out for you though.

 

[Frederik]

Just back from an excellent hunt in the Free State. Great piece of property and an excellent lodge that is nearly completed.

Not meaning to be a tease but all I’ll post about the hunt is a pic of the recovered solid and say wow. You guys can guess the rest and I will neither confirm nor deny anything else.

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I have a good idea but cannot confirm or deny it.

 

[Sourdough]

The final hunt. I guess it was bound to happen eventually. I would take a shot on an animal, have it run off, and not be able to find it. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I had never had any interest in hunting a Golden Wildebeest but when we spotted one whose stripes were darker then average we both agreed we should take it.

This morning was that hunt. After looking over a couple of herds we identified the one.

I sent a 375 H&H DGX and heard the distinctive “whop”. The wildebeest buckled then recovered and took off with the herd.

Over the next few hours we tracked the heard trying to determine if it was still with them or had turned off somewhere.

That proved fruitless so we started driving the track, locating wildebeest herds and glassing them for mine. Probably an hour or longer of that. No joy.

We did finally spot a lone bull that quite likely was the one I shot, but before we could stop the truck to glass him he was gone at full speed.

At noon it wasn’t looking good. The land owner recommended we call in a helicopter, convincing me we’d have a high probability of success.

Finished lunch and headed to the tent for a nap. An hour and a half later I could the sound of the helicopter.

We got to the helipad and watched @HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS climb in with his iron sighted 375. The bird lifted off with Henry looking like a commando (he was loving this).

They swung around and headed out in search of the golden wildebeest. My fiancé and I sought out some shade.

In the time it’s taking me to write this a call came in on the radio that they had found him. Would I be able to get to him and take a shot? No. He was fully energized and running hard.

I cleared Henry to shoot from the helicopter which he did breaking one front leg. Now I had a chance.

The helicopter directed us to the location. After a few times eluding me behind bushes I finally had the opportunity. He faced me head on and I left a round fly. Dumped him right there.

The helicopter landed, Henry hoped off, and we headed to the wildebeest who was this time quite dead.

I took a look at my first shot. Had it been just and inch or so higher and it would have spined him. An inch or so lower and it would have caught the lungs. The shot was a through and through with blood running down both sides of his body.

Glad I opted for the chopper and glad we got him so his suffering was minimal.

 

[degoins]

What a beauty!!! Glad you were able to recover it.

That rifle aint hard on the eyes either.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Yesterday was about seeing a 10,000 acre property in the Kalahari that’s for sale.A beautiful piece of land, lodge and chalets are of good quality. And in the budget. A contender for sure.

And if you purchase it, you won't have to deal with trying to import the lion.

 

[Troubleshooter]

One of the towns we drove through we spotted this business. Apparently you arrange for your funeral and get beef products. I’m unsure which comes first.

Soylent Green perhaps?

 

[Troubleshooter]

Anyone have a source for pith helmets like these?

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Looks like a Zulu Wars period Foreign Service pith helmet. I believe that African Sporting Creations carries something similar. If it's just for display and a less-expensive reproduction is acceptable, you might try International Military Antiques https://www.ima-usa.com/products/british-p-1895-victorian-colonial-khaki-pith-helmet or the Village Hat Shop https://www.villagehatshop.com/prod...ish-foreign-service-zulu-war-pith-helmet.html https://www.villagehatshop.com/product/all/451139-6034/british-pith-helmet.html

I believe the US military also issued a similar dress helmet in the 1880s. You may be able to locate one on a reenactor sutler website.

 

[Troubleshooter]

At noon it wasn’t looking good. The land owner recommended we call in a helicopter, convincing me we’d have a high probability of success.

Serious question, as I don't know the answer. Is it possible for landowners to utilize a small drone with camera to perform the task of locating a wounded animal? Certainly it would be less expensive and more responsive that hiring a helicopter.

 

[Sourdough]

@Troubleshooter Soylent Green! That was exactly our first thought.

Thanks on the hat tips.

The drone idea is brilliant as you can program it (or them) to fly a grid pattern.

 

[Troubleshooter]

The drone idea is brilliant as you can program it (or them) to fly a grid pattern.

Yes, that's why I mentioned it. They are becoming increasingly affordable and capable, so many of the local law enforcement and fire departments have started using them. One could conceivably carry a smaller model in the PH's vehicle. But I do not know whether they are legal to own and operate in the various African nations.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Yes, that's why I mentioned it. They are becoming increasingly affordable and capable, so many of the local law enforcement and fire departments have started using them. One could conceivably carry a smaller model in the PH's vehicle. But I do not know whether they are legal to own and operate in the various African nations.

You can own amd operate them freely but you see very little from a drone and the batteroes on small drones dont last long enough to be effective
Also with a camera on a drone you are only looking in the 1 direction which the camera is facing and you are seeing that on a small screen of a cell phone usually
Also if you are in open grassland maybe drone could work but not in limpopo bush
The helicopter works way better for now
Also the animals generally move for a chopper so you spot the movement
So for now helicopter os way better than drone

 

[Nyati]

@Troubleshooter , very interesting read, bringing back memories.

I was at Serapa in 2010, a friend of mine shot a lioness there, we stayed at the old lodge, the new one was nearly finished.

I have been several times to Kimberley, and can´t say it I really like, I much prefer Bloemfontein.

That pith helmet you like is a military type.

Hope you find your dream farm

 

[Rare Breed]

@Kevin Peacocke might, although he wears the flat brimmed type.

Kevin is the pith helmet king!!!

 

[Sourdough]

On the way to the Intercontinental Hotel (which has the best service of any hotel I’ve stayed at anywhere in the world) we stopped in at Safari Outdoor and of course bought lots of stuff.

 

[Sourdough]

The Intercontinental Hotel. So at least 20 staff greeted us and helped us. One even turned down our bed, put out our slippers, prepared the bathroom, etc. And check out the coffee, tea, hot chocolate station with real china and linen. Never seen anything like this. The mental midgets running the hotels in America could learn from this except they are to busy with their face buried in FaceButt.

Point South Africa

 

[Frederik]

On the way to the Intercontinental Hotel (which has the best service of any hotel I’ve stayed at anywhere in the world) we stopped in at Safari Outdoor and of course bought lots of stuff.

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I was there this morning around 10am and picked up a tin of powder.

 

[Sourdough]

My fiancé found this guy on me, we won’t say exactly where.

A reminder to us to be sure and check ourselves for ticks thoroughly any time we’ve been in the brush, I got lazy and didn’t.