predator
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LAST EDITED ON Oct-22-12 AT 11:01PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-22-12 AT 10:17?PM (MST)
First of all, I apologize in taking so long in putting this up. I had stored all my photos online and in order to direct link them, I had to make them publicly viewed. As a result, I had a boatload of public viewable anti-hunting messages posted on my page. So I've spent some time making the photos private.
Anyway! For those of you who are contemplating their first safari and the cost, feel free to ask and I'll answer with what I experienced on this, my first safari. I traveled to Namibia with Blank in mid-may for a mixed bag of plainsgame, and was not disappointed.
We flew Delta from SLC-Atlanta-Joberg, arriving late in the day. Upon the recommendations of many who have gone before us, we stayed the night at Africa Sky. The rooms were very nice, the food outstanding and the proprietor most gracious.
The following morning we boarded SAA for a short flight to Windhoek, Namibia. At first glance, I found it to look a lot like West Texas.
We were met by one of our PH's, Japsie. A short drive later, and we were entering Omujeve. The compound has a main lodge for dining and bragging, and our rooms more like an apartment than a 'room'. Our laundry was done daily for us while at the main lodge.
The terrain at Omujeve really reminded me of the brush country of Texas, only with rolling hills. I think laid out flat, there was a whole lot more ground out there than you think.
The view from my patio:
After settling in, we went to the range to check rifles. I chose not to import my own, as reports of theft at Joberg worried me. Omujeve has many calibers to choose from, and I was offered a 30.06, which made me feel right at home as it is the caliber with which my father taught me to hunt. Blank would be using a .375 that he leaves at Omujeve, affectionately named "Blood and Thunder". It was driving back to the lodge that I saw a most beautiful antelope- sable.
That night, after paperwork and introductions, the "plan" was revealed. We would spend a few days at Omujeve and the surrounding farms, then head to one of the concessions. We had thought we were going to Omatandeka, up north near Etosha, but Corne surprised us with good news. We would be the first of his hunters to try a new concession in the Namib Desert!
Sitting on the deck at sunset and sunrise became a daily ritual for us. Recalling the events of the day and speculating on the ones following. This is one of my favorite pics:
The next morning, we split up in different bakkie's. Joel and I would go with PH Pieter, and Paul with PH Japsie. It was not long before hartebeest were spotted, a large herd with several good bulls. It was the mating season for most of the antelope, another added bonus. We made a stalk that was a fight through thicket and hollow and ended with me on the legs of the sticks shooting through a small opening at over 200 yards.
Soon I was standing over my first African game animal. Beautiful bull, I find the hartebeest a strangely put together guy, but neat nontheless.
We loaded up the bull and carried on down the road. Saw some zebra:
Kudu cow:
THEN we spotted the one animal I really really wanted. Joel thinks I'm nuts, but I find the black wildebeest uniquely beautiful. At first glance, I thought to myself that they look a lot like buffalo or even more like muskox. We dismounted and had a devil of a stalk, having to crawl more than once and wait out a herd of zebra. We had a perfect wind, and came in through a thicket that afforded us cover. The bull fell two steps from where he stood at the shot.
This was a very good bull, with bosses the likes of which Pieter had not yet seen.
2 bullets, 2 animals. Pieter declared that I was truly a hunter, and decided to 'blood' me by painting my face with the bull's blood. Little did I know the meaning of this until the end of the trip.
We now had to return to homebase and the skinning shed. A full lunch and a short nap, and it was time to head back out for whatever might show itself.
Not shortly thereafter, our tracker Jackson very excitedly snapped his fingers for a stop. We all put up our binoculars to see to what he was pointing, completely missing the face of an old blue wildebeest bull staring at us from the brush just a few paces away. He stared long enough for me to get the .375 from Joel, then took off.
What began was a test in patience and the cementing of respect for what I'm told is one of the toughest of the African antelope.
After a game of cat and mouse through wait and bit and big spiders (I never EVER got used to them...creepy little !@)
We finally caught the bull standing broadside across a gully. I shot him right through the lungs, even got a complete pass-through, and he took off bleeding out both sides with us chasing after him. Imagine our surpise when we topped the hill to find lots of blood, and no bull. Then no blood and no bull.
After several hours, calling for more trackers and watching the light fade, finally we found him. He had gone over 800 yards with no lungs, then crawled into the nastiest brush he could find. I was impressed!
It was upon this kill that we found the winch had shorted out. It was not the first animal that required a group effort to load, though I'm not sure the dogs were really helping us. Man, are they fierce little warriors though!
Dinner was a most delicious fare of medium rare gemsbok and fresh vegetables from Omujeve's impressive garden.
It was hard to believe it was only Day 1.
First of all, I apologize in taking so long in putting this up. I had stored all my photos online and in order to direct link them, I had to make them publicly viewed. As a result, I had a boatload of public viewable anti-hunting messages posted on my page. So I've spent some time making the photos private.
Anyway! For those of you who are contemplating their first safari and the cost, feel free to ask and I'll answer with what I experienced on this, my first safari. I traveled to Namibia with Blank in mid-may for a mixed bag of plainsgame, and was not disappointed.
We flew Delta from SLC-Atlanta-Joberg, arriving late in the day. Upon the recommendations of many who have gone before us, we stayed the night at Africa Sky. The rooms were very nice, the food outstanding and the proprietor most gracious.
The following morning we boarded SAA for a short flight to Windhoek, Namibia. At first glance, I found it to look a lot like West Texas.
We were met by one of our PH's, Japsie. A short drive later, and we were entering Omujeve. The compound has a main lodge for dining and bragging, and our rooms more like an apartment than a 'room'. Our laundry was done daily for us while at the main lodge.
The terrain at Omujeve really reminded me of the brush country of Texas, only with rolling hills. I think laid out flat, there was a whole lot more ground out there than you think.
The view from my patio:
After settling in, we went to the range to check rifles. I chose not to import my own, as reports of theft at Joberg worried me. Omujeve has many calibers to choose from, and I was offered a 30.06, which made me feel right at home as it is the caliber with which my father taught me to hunt. Blank would be using a .375 that he leaves at Omujeve, affectionately named "Blood and Thunder". It was driving back to the lodge that I saw a most beautiful antelope- sable.
That night, after paperwork and introductions, the "plan" was revealed. We would spend a few days at Omujeve and the surrounding farms, then head to one of the concessions. We had thought we were going to Omatandeka, up north near Etosha, but Corne surprised us with good news. We would be the first of his hunters to try a new concession in the Namib Desert!
Sitting on the deck at sunset and sunrise became a daily ritual for us. Recalling the events of the day and speculating on the ones following. This is one of my favorite pics:
The next morning, we split up in different bakkie's. Joel and I would go with PH Pieter, and Paul with PH Japsie. It was not long before hartebeest were spotted, a large herd with several good bulls. It was the mating season for most of the antelope, another added bonus. We made a stalk that was a fight through thicket and hollow and ended with me on the legs of the sticks shooting through a small opening at over 200 yards.
Soon I was standing over my first African game animal. Beautiful bull, I find the hartebeest a strangely put together guy, but neat nontheless.
We loaded up the bull and carried on down the road. Saw some zebra:
Kudu cow:
THEN we spotted the one animal I really really wanted. Joel thinks I'm nuts, but I find the black wildebeest uniquely beautiful. At first glance, I thought to myself that they look a lot like buffalo or even more like muskox. We dismounted and had a devil of a stalk, having to crawl more than once and wait out a herd of zebra. We had a perfect wind, and came in through a thicket that afforded us cover. The bull fell two steps from where he stood at the shot.
This was a very good bull, with bosses the likes of which Pieter had not yet seen.
2 bullets, 2 animals. Pieter declared that I was truly a hunter, and decided to 'blood' me by painting my face with the bull's blood. Little did I know the meaning of this until the end of the trip.
We now had to return to homebase and the skinning shed. A full lunch and a short nap, and it was time to head back out for whatever might show itself.
Not shortly thereafter, our tracker Jackson very excitedly snapped his fingers for a stop. We all put up our binoculars to see to what he was pointing, completely missing the face of an old blue wildebeest bull staring at us from the brush just a few paces away. He stared long enough for me to get the .375 from Joel, then took off.
What began was a test in patience and the cementing of respect for what I'm told is one of the toughest of the African antelope.
After a game of cat and mouse through wait and bit and big spiders (I never EVER got used to them...creepy little !@)
We finally caught the bull standing broadside across a gully. I shot him right through the lungs, even got a complete pass-through, and he took off bleeding out both sides with us chasing after him. Imagine our surpise when we topped the hill to find lots of blood, and no bull. Then no blood and no bull.
After several hours, calling for more trackers and watching the light fade, finally we found him. He had gone over 800 yards with no lungs, then crawled into the nastiest brush he could find. I was impressed!
It was upon this kill that we found the winch had shorted out. It was not the first animal that required a group effort to load, though I'm not sure the dogs were really helping us. Man, are they fierce little warriors though!
Dinner was a most delicious fare of medium rare gemsbok and fresh vegetables from Omujeve's impressive garden.
It was hard to believe it was only Day 1.