Hi Folks,
Just returned from a 10 days plainsgame hunt in RSA with Pierre' Van Tonder. The trip can be described in 1 word= "Great!". I'm still having some severe jetlag which I wasn't expecting so please be patient.
We hunted 2 days in the Free State then went to Kwa Zulu Natal, I remember asking if snakes or insects would be a problem and was assured that it would be fall and the weather cool so it shouldn't be a problem. Imagine my surprise when I woke up at 2-AM and felt a "crawlie" on my arm. I got my flashlight (generator was turned off!) and saw a nice scorpion perched on my forearm! Coming from Ohio I'm not too familiar with scorpions but after I shook him (or her?) onto the bed and scooped him up in an empty film cannister everything was fine.
The next day the 2nd PH, Monte', stopped the land cruiser and jumped out to chase a "night" adder with the shooting sticks, after subduing the snake I took some pictures and was assured it was really "rare" to see snakes at this time of year, so I was really surprised when we were walking along the top of a ridge and I saw a snake right under where my boot was going! I immediately "levitated" my way over the snake and gave a little "Whoa!" whereupon Pierre' said "what?" and I said "Snake!" He dutifully made a "good" snake out of him with the shooting sticks and I got pictures of my very first "mountain" adder.
I practiced and practiced my shooting, from sticks, kneeling,sitting you name it I practiced until I thought I was more than ready, but nothing could truly prepare me for actually seeing my first warthog in my scope! We first saw it about 1/2 mile away and jumped out of the LandCruiser and began a stalk. We kept looking up this little hill where we last saw it but couldn't see much in the 3-4 foot grass. We kept working our way around this little knob and glassing up the hill when I looked over Pierre's shoulder and saw this big warthog coming right towards us about 40 to 50 yards away! I pointed him out to Pierre' and he took one look thru the binos and said "Shoot him!" Well I pull my rifle up and looked thru the scope at the now only 25-30 yards away warthog and all I could see was warthog shoulder and thought how can you miss? I yanked and shot right over top of him! Nothing that I can think of could have prepared me for seeing my first warthog thru my scope! I'll report on my other hunts as soon as I can.
Joe

Sounds great. I'm looking forward to hearing more and hopefully seeing some pics!

Goosejoe,
Congratulations on your hunt! I hear Pierre is an excellent PH so I am sure your hunt went well. I look forward to hearing more of your adventures and checking out your pictures...you didn't find any seed ticks in KZN did you? While I missed out on the snakes and scorpions, I did get a case of tick fever after chasing nyala in Zululand just west of the Umfoloze River. Sickest I've ever been in eight trips to Africa! Cipro cures all ills, eventually. Glad you made her back and look forward to hearing more.

I hunted with Pierr'e last year in RSA in the Kwazulu Natal and also in Zimbabwe on a Buffalo hunt. He has visited my home in the states, and I got to take him wild hog hunting before he took me hunting in Africa. In my opinion, he and his wife Anneli are the very best at what they do. I am returning to Africa in July of this year to hunt with Pierr'e in Tanzania. Glad you had a good trip. What else did you kill besides snakes bugs and Warthogs??

Sounds like you had a great time. We'll look forward to seeing the pictures.