Namibia October 2020

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I returned from Namibia on October 30th. Hunted with Jan Oloefse Hunting Safaris, where I also hunted in 2013. There is a previous hunt report on that trip. We had a fantastic trip, as usual, but I wanted to focus for now on the travel and current covid situation.

We flew Delta into Dulles, and then Ethiopian Airlines into Windhoek. This is about the only real option right now, and it went very smoothly. Ethiopian service was decent, at least on par with Delta and United and perhaps slightly better. No problem with firearms, and overall the travel experience was as good as could be expected. The flights are LONG.

The country just opened in early October, so we were their first clients since the shutdown. We actually arrived with another couple on the same flight, so two couples in camp. As summer and the short rainy season is starting, this would be there only clients until next spring. They were very happy to have us there, and treated us like kings. It is too bad others didn't take the opportunity to hunt this fall. There isn't government relief or subsidies in Namibia, so the population has been hit very hard economically. Covid in Namibia is nearly non-existent, but poverty is not. We were very happy to contribute something to the local economy. For many, it will be until April when hunters arrive again before they see another pay check.

I will add some photos, etc., in the coming days, but it was great to get back to Africa and enjoy the hospitality, wildlife, and wild places that make Africa so special.

Bill
 
I will include a few quick pictures, but the trip is about so much more than a few animals.

First, a Hartman's Zebra, or Mountain Zebra. I love hunting Zebra, and we spent plenty of time taking two.

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The Roan was one of my main target animals. This is a really solid specimen, and I was very happy to take him, even though it was a bit late for optimal camera light.
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My Wife really enjoyed stalking eland. We stalked many, but finally found one big old bull drinking in a small water hole in a mostly dry pan. Below is a finishing shot, after her first shot anchored the bull.
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It is hard to appreciate their size if you haven't walked up to one.

I'm not sure how the gemsbok got out of order, but this is another quintessential Namibian antelope.
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Cheers!
Bill
 
Just love Namibia and my son was to hunt a roan but will wait till next year now and I agree on the zebra have taken 8 so far and will hunt more next trip to. Awesome pictures and looks like a fun trip
 
Here are a few more photos....

The dik dik in indigenous to only this area in Namibia, and is a cute, tiny antelope.
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Moving on to something a little bigger...
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And finally a few pictures of the accommodations, to let everyone know how much we were "roughing it".
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Another great trip with fine people.

Bill
 
How is the hunting with that outfit from a fenced/fair chase standpoint? From what I've heard there is everything from free range to shooting animals in pens just after they're unloaded from a horse trailer.

I'm definitely not passing judgement either way, just trying to get opinions from people who've been there so I know where to look when I book a hunt.
 
There are some properties in RSA and Namibia that are small enough to bring fair chase in to question. That is not the case with Jan Oelofse Hunting safaris. They own approximately 140 square miles of hunting land. The animals are all born and live in the wild.

It is important to ask these questions before hunting in Africa. Many outfitters talk about large acreage they have "available" to hunt, meaning they might have agreements to hunt multiple smaller properties, sometimes many miles apart. I prefer to stay and hunt on one very large property. A property that also supports most of the big 5 makes this even more special.

Bill
 
My trophies arrived in Chicago on December 1, exactly 30 days after I returned from Namibia. This is highly unusual (QUICK!) for most African outfitters, but what I have come to expect from Jan Oelofse Safaris. I am using Coppersmith to clear the trophies, and then on to Legends Taxidermy. I couldn't be happier with the turn around.
Bill
 
There are some properties in RSA and Namibia that are small enough to bring fair chase in to question. That is not the case with Jan Oelofse Hunting safaris. They own approximately 140 square miles of hunting land. The animals are all born and live in the wild.

It is important to ask these questions before hunting in Africa. Many outfitters talk about large acreage they have "available" to hunt, meaning they might have agreements to hunt multiple smaller properties, sometimes many miles apart. I prefer to stay and hunt on one very large property. A property that also supports most of the big 5 makes this even more special.

Bill
Yeah Jan's property is huge! They were on my short list of people to hunt with. If anyone has seen Hatari, Jan (the original) assisted with the animal handling. Pretty cool experience! I'm jealous and congratulations on a great trip.
 
I'm jealous. Just re-organized the trophy room last night, and as I moved any of the Namibian mounts, I re-lived the hunts and smiled at my good fortune to have spent so many days with good friends hunting. Congrats on a great trip, during a trying year.
 

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