SOUTH AFRICA: With KMG Hunting Safaris

Dudders

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Having just got back from safari with KMG I thought I would make a start on the hunt report as some may know I was there the same time as two other AH members sand rat and markvm .

BACKGROUND : I was looking for hunting in the uk for sika or red deer during early 2015 those long dark winter nights when a internet search turned up hunting in Africa followed by AH.com which lead to many evenings on AH and outfitters websites working out what kind of a hunt which animals and what were the real costs. Then what can I afford followed by the most important part of all getting the whole idea past the wife, which went remarkably well. The only surprise being she thought it you be a good idea to take our 15 year old son along as well. So as we would say " game on " more research on AH and discussions started with Marius at KMG not long after we booked our first African safari 7 days hunting for two hunters for the following

Kudu, Nyala, Cape Bushbuck, Springbuck, Impala, Blesbuck, Duiker.
About a month later my son decided he would like to shoot a zebra. Marius came back with a price for us so zebra was added on condition he earn the money to pay for it which he did mowing lawns and stripping roof tiles with a builder friend.

DEPARTURE DAY : 28 APRIL 2016

Bags packed clock watching all day 3.00pm say goodbye off to the school collect the boy straight to heathrow park the car into arrivals plenty of time checked in online in the morning over to bag drop passports birth certificate letter for permission to travel with one parent done by our barrister, that's were the problems started it needs to be stamped or my son can not travel so a solicitor is found who comes to airport stamps paper work so one and a half hours later and £300 lighter check in are happy and we are back on our way ( officially no stamp is required on this paper work it is something the airline has added confirmed by solicitor who did the stamp ) hence they have his number handy. board our overnight flight and on our way .

ARRIVAL DAY : 29 APRIL 2016

Plane arrives early, No wait fluffs landing has to have another go now we land 15mins late immigration no problem collect baggage wait only one bag go to luggage handlers no more to come out oh the probably put the other bag straight onto the connecting flight showed them the flight number they looked at us and said RUN we were then grabbed by two guys who lead us through to bag drop jumped queue the girl on the counter looked a bit stern at us looked at the luggage tag GO GO GO ran through airport through security to the gate 5 minutes to spare land at Port Elizabeth how many bags one , two , none. Well both were sat on the carousel relief ( did pack one set of hunting gear each in hand luggage in case luggage was lost ).

Went into arrivals looked around looking for PH a chap stood in the middle of hall boots shorts camo top looks the part went over yes that was Dani our ph and Lloyd, Marius tracker was stood in the corner introductions made out into the rain wet and cold just like home so much for sunny south Africa

We load the bakkie and set off the two hour drive to the lodge. when we arrive at the lodge it is cold wet light rain Dani asked would we like to rest or perhaps try out the gun we were hiring from Marius. So we dumped our kit in our room quickly got changed and went to check out the rifle we were going to use. We used a 308 mauser action with sound moderator with leupold vx scope. We both hit the target and were happy me a couple of inches right of the bull and the boy was an inch high both touching. Dani smiles and says those words we all waited for. So shall we go have alook around. to be continued..

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Looks like a good start to your report. Looking forward to the rest of it. Bruce
 
Looking forward to the rest of the story!
 
So what the heck is this STAMP you were required to have?
A £300 is pretty hefty! OUCH!
Which airline?
We need to add this information to help some of your countrymen avoid this unfortunate encounter in the future.

Great start to your report. It is an adventure already.
 
So what the heck is this STAMP you were required to have?
A £300 is pretty hefty! OUCH!
Which airline?
We need to add this information to help some of your countrymen avoid this unfortunate encounter in the future.

Great start to your report. It is an adventure already.
we travelled with south African airways
the stamp was just a business stamp I think it made it look more official
 
Hmmm.
Sounds like a nice kick back set up to me. Damn.
"Just happen to have a lawyers number right here."
 
Sounds like the beginning of a good story...

we travelled with south African airways
the stamp was just a business stamp I think it made it look more official

Looks like SAA brought a little of "special" Africa to UK!! :ROFLMAO::whistle:o_O
 
@Dudders Thanks for posting... looking forward to the rest of your report!

That whole stamp thing/£300 fee sure sounds suspect!
 
THE FIRST STALK
We jumped into the bakkie Lloyd sat up top in the rain and we headed into the hunting area back past the lodge and along a track on a high ridge with open grass area which fell away into thicker brush on the slopes as we drove along danie pointed out animals like black wildebeest and Impala as they ran across in front of us . Danie " did you want an impala " I replied " Its on the list " the bakkie stopped we all jumped out danie loaded the rifle and handed it over and we were off, danie up front me Lloyd and my boy at the tail we followed them down into brushy area with small clearings moving quickly and carefully through the thorn covered bushes. danie stopped we all stopped up went the sticks he signalled me to move up there was a clear alley way about two meters wide between two areas of scrub which the impala were crossing at about 60 yards. the rifle was up on the sticks ready looking through the scope I watched as the females with young slowly crossed through. unfortunately no male impala showed its self so we moved on following the same group but suddenly there was a commotion in the scrub and the whole group took of down the hillside and over to the next ridge where they stood looking at us for a minute then moved on again. Stalk over we returned to the bakkie and moved off again at this point we decided to talk about want animals we were looking for. A couple of minutes latter a tap on the roof more impala we drove on past down the track pulled up then tracked back to where we had spotted them they were still in the same spot browsing on the bushes on the edge of a clearing over looked by a bush pig hide we used the dam of a dry water hole to move round for a better look it was a group of male Impala we crept forward to about 70 yards and set up the sticks under some bushes I put the rifle ready on the sticks looked through the scope again could see the young males with a good looking ram at the back I said this to danie who replied I think there is a better ram hiding behind the scrub so we waited watching hoping he would show its self. After what felt like ages he emerged dani said " that's the one"
at this point we confirm we are looking at the same ram , danie "when he stands still shoot " ok he stops I place the cross hair center of the sholder off the safety and another ram steps out right behind him danie " don't shoot " we wait and the other ram moves clear, our ram turns towards us and starts to move off left to right I place the crosshairs inside his shoulder think to my self now or never and squeeze the tigger the ram leaps into the air and heads down the slope I follow with the scope and see his shoulder drop just as he goes out of sight. Lloyd confirms it dropped so we go to look it had ran 30 meters and dropped just out of sight and there lay my first African animal a nice Impala ram hand shakes all round and big smiles and relief . At this point I would like to note that the ram dropped right between the wheel marks of a very handy track. So the customary photos were taken quickly now as it was getting dark we loaded up the ram and headed back to the skinning shed where we left Lloyd to do his work and return to the lodge. The others were now all back at the lodge so we had our introductions to the rest of the gang , Marius asked if we saw much on our drive round Dani was like " yes nice Impala " Marius " have you dropped Lloyd" back dani "yeah we left him at the skinning shed " Marius is like what you shot an impala already, Dani " yeah" more big hand shakes smiles and beer. so here he is my first African animal

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That is the way to hit the ground running.
Congratulations on a nice trophy.
 
Keep it coming!
 
Great job!! Leaving in 12 days can't wait to hunt with the team at KMG. What a great start....
 
Looks like a pretty good Impala. Nice way to start the hunt. Bruce
 
Congratulations on a very nice animal!
 
Congratulations, I look forward to the rest of the report. Thank you for posting.

Cheers,

Mike
 
SATURDAY: Woke early this morning really cold not what I was expecting, went straight to the window opened the curtains. It was wet and murky outside got dressed to get warm then got my gear sorted at 6am kicked my son out of bed and went for breakfast. well what I saw next shocked me two hard south African PH in long trousers super thick fleeces and graham junior ph/ lodge manager who looked a bit like the marshmallow man drinking hot coffee trying not to shiver to much, looked more like polar expedition than an African safaris. the only exception being Marius who maintained dress standards through the whole safaris. We had arrived with the first cold spell of there winter great for us brits just like home cold and wet not to much climate adjustment, plenty of ribbing dished out which helped set the standard for the rest of the safaris breakfast was eaten and plans made.
Today we would stay at the lodge concession and look for kudu so danie, me llywelyn my son, (alas louie) lloyd and graham loaded up and we set off we drove out of the concession and used the public roads to get to the far end so not to cause a disturbance .
After about 20 minutes we entered the far end of the concession we drove to a the top of a rolling valley down a dirt track and pulled up. From here we glassed the surrounding area nothing to see and moved off on foot down a newly opened track we continued to glass the opposite hillside and the floor of the valley some of which had recently also been cleared, because of the weather there was no animal movement, light drizzle and breezy as we moved along the new track we could see fresh tracks, how fresh well fresh enough for the sandy soil to still be dry in the light drizzle then fresh spoor with the that unmistakable smell of horse Danie confirms Zebre we continue to move down the track at about 100m along dani stops and points to a footprint on the track Dani "do you know what that is? " no, so starts a guessing game clues required, Big and Black part of big 5 yes Buffalo! back onto the zebra trail about another 30 meters they headed of the track into the scrub heading for higher ground, we started to follow but then decided to go backget the bakkie and get to higer ground above the zebra in the direction they were traveling. We got to the bakkie and drove back to the white house a deserted property at far end of the concession and as if by magic the skys cleared the sun shone and highlighted a group of eight zebra grazing along the opposite valley slope which was a mixture of open areas and medium to thick scrub . We were off Dani sticks in hand louis rifle on shouder me and graham at the rear Lloyd stayed with the truck to watch the zebra a guide us in if we lost them. We moved down a track which lead to the vally floor swapping side to side to conseal our movement from the zebra, we reached the valley floor ther in our path Impala females. We double back and head off down a track that ran parallel with the zebra on our side of the valley looking for a clear window to shoot from. We find a suitable gap opposite the zebra ranged at 150 meters dani sets up I sit back and watch with Graham through the binoculars. The zebra move and dani and louis reset their position and we wait watching through the binoculars, the shot rings out, I hear the impact and the zebra moves forward drops its head stands for a moment and then slowly moves away. I sit watching it walk away behind a bush willing it just to drop, no not happening it stands behind a group of thorn bushes with just its tail visible swishing I think about shot reaction dropped head slight haunch slow to move off conclusion, gut shot. Dani and I look at each other not much said we sit and watch for about 20 mins just to see if it will lay up and I have a talk with louis the out come was the zebra had been a quartering shot he aimed through at the far leg probably the angle was greater than he realised and shot to far back he may also have pushed into the rifle as he shot making the barrel drop sending the shot low.
Dani decides its time to follow up we set off across the valley while graham stays to guide us in if required a couple of later minutes we are close dani signals to stop I crouch down and leave them both to move up the zebra is still stood behind the bush dani tried to set up but a fallen tree blocked louis view as they moved for a better shooting position the zebra took off joined back into the group and were gone. We moved forward to where the zebra had been stood there was a small pool of blood . With what I had seen and my own personal experiences I knew this animal was lost and it felt bad a wounded animal a young lad whos first lost animal would be the one he worked so hard for and the pressure it put on dani. we spent the rest of the morning looking for signs and trying to track the zebra Lloyd graham dani and bolt the dog not a sign so after several hours we broke for lunch and went back to the lodge . On our way the zebra ran across in front of us we all bailed out a group of eight the right number we watched Lloyd thought the third in line was him but no one could be positive ,so we went for lunch and let the zebra settle before continuing the search.
 
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Great report ...looking forward to more . Hope all works out well on the zebra .
Glen
 
bring it on !! Looking good so far
 
Great report thus far , I have said it before Marius @KMG Hunting Safaris , runs and operates a very professional outfit , he is passionate about his business .
Looking forward to the rest of your report.
 
Your story looks very good so far. I'm sure Marius did a very good job for you.
Randy
 

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