I still have about 8 people to go through the lodge this year but my daughters graduation is this weekend. So I'm back in the states after a very short hunting season this year in RSA.



I guess that the length of the trip is not the only indication of the enjoyment and experience though. I had two of the best people to hunt with I have ever taken hunting. I also had the worst guy ever. I would like to post a lot about this fella but it would not be very professional. I'll just say that if there were two like him a year I would be stacking food on shelves at a local grocery store instead of being an PH.





I was able to take an animal I have been looking for now about 6-7 years. I finally took a Bushbuck and it's a dandy! At 16" this is one of the biggest bush buck I have ever seen.







In general the first two groups had a much more difficult time then normal, probably the most difficult time in my 12 seasons. The water content on the consessions is so high that game patterns are very abnormal. In other words they can drink in way to many places so that normal patterns of movement are gone. The bush is so green that food is also abundant and very abnormal. In anycase we took the game we needed even though it was a bit more difficult and took longer then normal. We had some unbelievable trophy and some average trophys. we aslo made some really great stalks through the bush to get within range of the animals we needed. I must give credit to the people hunting with me this year as the preperation and equipment was very good.



I still wish I could post the details of the fella who was so "entertaining" this season. I know you would all laugh and at the same time become really disgusted with his antics.





Here is a Bull that will push 60". I should know for sure in a few days time. I have a hutner there now looking for this one!



I saw him the last two evenings I was there and was really going to shoot him for myself he was so huge. Then I decided to let him keep breeding these cows for another week until my hunters arrived.



An exceptional Blue wildebeast





One of the 16 Kudu shot so far this year





Warthogs were tough and many running shots had to be made to collect them





another nice bull



I managed to sneak up on this Genet while sleeping in the fork of a tree.





I bopped him on the noggin and he fell dead. Or so I thought. When I reached to to pick him up he lunged at my hand and actually grabbed the cuff of my jacket. That was enough fun for the evening so I made sure he was not going to get a second chance. As you can see from the death grip I have on his neck( unaware during the photo shoot) I was subconciously worried about him coming to life again!



That's all I need to be a PH attacked and mauled by a 5 pound Genet cat! I'm having this little bugger mounted in RSA lifesize. It's one of the unique extras we find now and then which makes the hunting in RSA so nice.



We also managed to taunt and fool with a 10-12 foot python for a while. There is some good video footage taken of this big bugger trying to bite me. He was spread across the bush sunning and when I got a bit to close he curled under a big bush. I had a hella of time getting him to participate in the photos and video. This was a decent photo but doen not do justice to his size. I'm sure this snake was over 200 pounds. When I grabbed his tail he just pulled me to the bush. When I lost clear sight of his hed I decided to let go!







He was not at all polite to my visitors, nor was he very pleased with me trying to get the photos!



I have tons more pictures but they will have to come over time as this post will be too long to load as it is!



A typical impala ram from the main consession we hunt.







Another, from one of my favorite hunters of the season. This ram ran at full speed for 60-80 yards at the shot and then tried to leap a high section of bush. He died in mid leap and tumbled end over end three times or so. The cloud of dust and flying body was one of the more impressive sights of the year and certainly one of the most impressive of my entire hunting career. I was so pleased that the horns were not broken off this impala after that end over end tumble! I suppose what made it most impressive was that he actually ran closer to us after the shot.





Another nice Blue wildebeast taken after an especially long stalk which was executed perfectly and finished with a longish shot. it was taken while using my hunched over back as a shooting rest.





This bull also ran at the shot but could be heard crashing through the brush when he went down. Jan used a .308 proving that even the "bullet proof" Blue wildebeast can be taken with a smaller cartridge when the shot is placed properly.



Another Blue wildebeast taken during the trip. This one shot with a 8mm rem mag required three shots to finally bring to a stop!





Another Blue Wildebeast shot with a 35 whelen also required three shots to fold up. My finisher with the 458 Lott was taken when the bull was about to crush our little fox terrier that is trained for blood tracking. Our little dog has saved so many trophy fees for hunters now, his worth must be in the many thousands of dollars.







Around the campfire at night.





One of the bigger animals on the consession.





SOme croc's hiding out of the sun.



Our tracking dog Michael on Tatias lap.





My wife and I near the entry of the property. She is a good sport to go hunting with me and my clients for the season and she is also the driver of one of the Safari trucks when we go scouting.

Welcome back! You can't tell us nothing after building that client up so much!

JJ,

You may have had a shorter season than normal, but it was certainly action packed. Congratulations on the nice trophies and condolences on the goof-ball client. I guess every PH needs to suffer one of the those to appreciate the good clients. Thank you for the post from all of us who are not going to be able to hunt Africa this year.

Perry

JJ, welcome back my friend. Nice to see that you had another great season, however short it might have been.

Great pics! Looking forward to some more, c/w stories (hint, hint).

Best regards,
Canuck

ps: And I thought I was the only one that almost drove you to re-stocking grocery shelves.

Jim my friend,

Welcome back. Glad to hear you've had a great time, as usual, in Africa.

I added a few more pictures to the original post. They are in the lower 1/2 of the post now.

Jim: Thanks for sharing the great photos. Your comment about the bad client led me to think...what makes a good/bad client? I sure don't want to be a bad client as I prepare for my first safari in '06. Can you or any of the other PH's list what makes for the good and the bad?
Some things may be obvious, but evidently this guy who made you question your motives for remaining a PH must have been clueless. Fill us in, for the education of those who would like to learn. Thanks, Jim...Scott