TANZANIA: The Selous With Game Trackers Africa

[Mort Hill]

Every hunter, or at least the majority, have an animal that is their nemesis. There is an allure to most that something like a kudu, or a leopard, or for me, a porcupine, keeps us all coming back time and time again. Great safari and best of luck on your continued efforts for the grey ghost.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@JES Adventures , John Ed, thoroughly enjoying your report. Quite an adventure!

If I understand correctly the problem you had with the Talley quick release mounts (the rear mount was not fully seated), wouldn't this condition cause the rifle to shoot high? So instead of shooting low at the buff, you probably shot over it.

 

[JES Adventures]

@JES Adventures , John Ed, thoroughly enjoying your report. Quite an adventure!

If I understand correctly the problem you had with the Talley quick release mounts (the rear mount was not fully seated), wouldn't this condition cause the rifle to shoot high? So instead of shooting low at the buff, you probably shot over it.

@375 Ruger Fan

I probably didn’t explain it well but here is what I did. I set the rings on the bases with the levers opened a few revolutions. I got the front ring down in the base and tightened the lever. Then, I thought the rear ring was down in the base so I tightened the lever. But, in fact the ring was sitting on top of the base with the lever tightened down. So, that caused the rear ring of the scope to be somewhere between 1/8” and 1/16” higher than the front ring pointing the scope in a downward position.

BTW - Talley’s are great but they can’t account for Operator Error. Also, some testimony to them that the scope stayed on the rifle with only 1 ring having two shots fired from a 416 Rigby!

 

[JES Adventures]

Every hunter, or at least the majority, have an animal that is their nemesis. There is an allure to most that something like a kudu, or a leopard, or for me, a porcupine, keeps us all coming back time and time again. Great safari and best of luck on your continued efforts for the grey ghost.

I hear you Mort, stay with it as I finally got my Porcupine after 33 years! I just don’t that much time left for the E.A. Greater Kudu!

 

[Mort Hill]

I hear you Mort, stay with it as I finally got my Porcupine after 33 years! I just don’t that much time left for the E.A. Greater Kudu!

My quest for a porcupine began quite innocently enough. On a trip back to camp in the Selous some dozen years ago, a porupine meandered across the two track into the scrub. I asked if the PH if we could pursue. He said of course, but by this time and while we gathered our gear, our quarry made good on his escape.

Several safaris later and no success, I again had an opportunity in Limpopo to sit in a blind to secure my trophy. Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for my 18 year old son, as I was about to leave for our evening sit, my son returned and I conceded my hunt so that he could go. He wound up with a bush pig, and I ended up with another reason to return to Africa.

This year, I went for a 10 day night critter hunt and a sure opportunity to cross paths with my nemesis. Again, 10 nights of night hunting, sun down to sun up, and great success on my primary target species, but not a porcupine to be found. Tracks and quills. But no opportunity. Again, another reason to return.

No remorse. No hard feelings. Just another notch for my nemesis, and a greater desire for the next trip back to Africa. Just not another 21 years to success I hope LOL