What calibre? (Yet again)

Yepp, when hunting the african bush and its animals, perfect situations are seldom too!
You, Mr. @Borderer will discover, that sometimes 20m shots in this thick bush are more difficult than those beyond 200m.
Anyway, never let You be talked into shots over 150m. Hunting by foot is the essence of african hunting, that what You actually booked and are paying this big money for.

The search, the walk, the stalk, the getting closer and closer to the point, where a good and save shot can be done, that is the real big thing, one is looking for in Africas wide open spaces.
Experiencing the same input, the same nerve taking tension those hunters in the old days did when they were hunting these grounds.
Don't miss that experience by shooting those beautyful creatures big distance, where the animal in Your optics is just an idea, harldy to see, so far away like a ghost.
Get close and then a bit closer, let the heat come up, get Your gun on the sticks, set up your shot and have a hell of a achivement on this wonderful continent.
This experience, if done the right way, will be laser burned into Your mind, remembering this priviledge, You had and were part of for the rest of Your life.
If You're more the 300m plus Type, go to the marines!
I couldn't agree more. I have no interest in long range shooting.

The most memorable shot I have ever taken was an eland at less than 50m after creeping through thorns, then waiting for what felt like an eternity to get a safe shot. No feeling like it.

The 200m+ shots are just a relief that it has worked. Not the same feeling at all.

Long range shooting just feels too disconnected to me.
 
A quick update - the PH emailed me last night to say that the 30-06 is perfect and he wouldn't recommend anything over 8x68 due to the amount of meat damage it causes.
I find it refreshing your PH actually expressed concern about meat damage. My guys always say punch em square in the shoulder but I prefer to place bullets just behind the shoulder to minimize meat damage. "Don't worry about that."
 
I find it refreshing your PH actually expressed concern about meat damage. My guys always say punch em square in the shoulder but I prefer to place bullets just behind the shoulder to minimize meat damage. "Don't worry about that."
I imagine the meat is a small part of the equation for them. Nothing is wasted but you are paying for a trophy and they want that on the ground no tracking required because they don’t know every hunters ability and even the best can get it wrong sometimes
 
I imagine the meat is a small part of the equation for them. Nothing is wasted but you are paying for a trophy and they want that on the ground no tracking required because they don’t know every hunters ability and even the best can get it wrong sometimes
You are correct. His point was that using a rifle too large is unethical due to the amount of wasted meat. I saw someone shoot a warthog a few years ago with a 300grain tsx and there wasn't much left.

Saying that, I have used a 375 H and H on Sable etc and I have seen more damage on red deer from a 270

His personal preference is an 8x68. He is going to email me a booklet he has produced on commonly asked questions and his personal recommendations.

I just have to get approval from my wife. I suspect she would prefer to go and leave me at home instead!
 
You are correct. His point was that using a rifle too large is unethical due to the amount of wasted meat. I saw someone shoot a warthog a few years ago with a 300grain tsx and there wasn't much left.

Saying that, I have used a 375 H and H on Sable etc and I have seen more damage on red deer from a 270

His personal preference is an 8x68. He is going to email me a booklet he has produced on commonly asked questions and his personal recommendations.

I just have to get approval from my wife. I suspect she would prefer to go and leave me at home instead!
8x68 is an interesting cartridge. Ammo is, I suspect, very hard to find on this side of the pond. The 8x68 case has a rebated rim, a characteristic which tends to get a fair amount of negative publicity. The case is also proprietary so no way to modify cases from other cartridges to work in 8x68. You want a 30-06.
 

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mfharoldson wrote on SkullKeeper's profile.
Hello! I saw your post from last year about a missing crate from your hunt in Moz. I am curious how that all turned out? We (my fiancé and I) also hunted in Moz in 2024 and the trophies are being shipped with Hunters Services Limitada. We have some concerns on whether we will get the trophies home or not. May I ask who you hunted with?
 
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