I'm new to this African safari game but I wanted to share my first safari with those of you who are interested. I hunted with Dr. Mark Sutherland of Umkanyakude Safaris located in Zululand, South Africa. Mark's place was located just outside of a small town named Hluhluwe.

One the first day Mike (PH) and I spent most of the first part of the day gathering supplies for the week and also sighting in my rifle. We then decided to drive around the property to give me a chance to see the animals and get a feel for what to expect. Later that afternoon we decided to set on top of a hill and spend most of the evening glassing in the attempt to find a 50" plus kudu. Needless to say, the big bull didn't show but we did have a little excitement when Mike fell off his rock when he spotted some kudu cows. Got a little excited I guess? We saw plenty of game that evening including nyala, duiker (red and grey), reedbuck, implala, and warthog; however, none met the standards we had set.

The next day began bright and early looking for the kudu sunning themselves. We spotted two very respectable blue wildebeest but they were not on the menu at this stage of the hunt. Later that day around noon we were headed back to camp to eat breakfast when we spotted some impala just to the left of some giraffe. We decided it would be worth the time to check them out because we had seen a dandy ram in that same general area the day before on our ride around the farm. Once we had gotten down wind of the impala the stalk began. We kept walking and walking and walking. I knew we had to be getting close when all of a sudden we rounded a tree and there stood a giraffe looking at us. We had gone too far and now our scent was blowing staight towards the impala. So quickly we began back tracking when Mike suddenly stopped and quietly whispered "Good impala." I then adjusted the shooting sticks to the correct height. When I looked thru the scope I saw the impala staring straight at us about 75 yards away. He had us begged!! Mike kept asking if I could take the shot and I was really hesitant because this was my first African animal and I didn't want to risk wounding and not getting my animal. After a couple minutes, we decided to get closer. We then crawled on our hands and knees to within about 50 yards and got positioned again. Once again the impala just stood there looking straight at us. I was still hesitant of the shot then he quartered ever so slightly and I squeezed the trigger. When I looked back thru the scope all I could see were two feet sticking straight up in the air and impala running everywhere. I hit the ram on the right front shoulder near his neck and melted him right where he stood. Imapla were getting up within 20 yards right in front of us and the big ram was the only one I ever saw and Mike said he only saw one other. If we would have crawled another five yards, the wind would have taken our scent to other impala bedded in the tall grass. There were approximately 25 impala in that herd and what are the chances of the old ram being the only one standing, plus with him knowing we were there? Not to mention, almost blowing everything by going too far and then almost getting too close. I guess luck was just on my side.



The ram measured just a hair under 23" with 5 1/2 inch bases. I understand this is a very respectible impala especially for Zululand.

The next three days was pretty much the same. Scouting for kudu during the early morning hours and then searching for the other trophy animals on my list later in the day. We had several close encounters with great trophies including blue wildebeest, nyala, reedbuck, warthog and duiker, but nothing seemed to go in my favor.

About the most exciting thing that happened while making a slow stalk along the river bed was encountering a honey badger on Friday morning. I heard and spotted the badger coming from our left and moving slightly away from us at about 15 yards. When the badger got to the road we were walking down, we noticed he was carrying a monitor lizard about twice his length (including tail of course). He then got down wind of us and quickly exited the stage leaving his kill behind. Not only did we see him once but we saw him again. We continued down the road and the badger was coming back to reclaim the kill. Mike said in his 21 years of hunting Zululand that was the first honey badger he had ever encountered. I wish I had a picture to show you but it was one of those days when the camera was left behind in the truck. The badger did come back that evening and get the lizard. Mark and I tracked him for a little while the next morning on another walk down by the river. Later that day Mark and I decided to find where a water line had busted and we figured the animals were watering there because of lack of activity the previous day at a nearby watering hole. We found the busted water line and decided to sit in a ditch about 20 yards from the newly formed water hole. Within about 15 minutes a respectible warthog appeared for his daily mud bath. After some debate about taking the animal because techinically this was my last day to hunt, I decided to harvest the pig. The pig was sitting in the water hole giving himself a bath. I had problems making the shot because first I had a branch that was interfering with the possible flight of the bullet. Then I had a branch that was taking up the top half of my field of view. Not to mention free handed. When I finally felt comfortable about making the shot, I let the rifle ring out loud. The warthog never moved. I hit him in the center of his chest on his right and the bullet passed through and exited out the top part of his chest on his left.



The warthog was not the biggest in the land but he was mine and that was all that counted. Although we never measured, we estimated his teeth at between 8-9".

The rest of the day went pretty much the same as the rest. Seeing a lot of animals but not much success. Then right at dark we were going over to an area where we had seen a monster reedbuck the night before. While in route, we came across a herd of blue wildebeest. Mark and I watched as about 25-30 cows and calves crossed the road when finally the herd bull brought up the rear. I didn't have any experience with judging the difference between wildebeest but I knew he was different than the rest. Mark drove me up to where they had crossed and dropped me off because he has a strict policy of being at least 200 m from any vehicle. Mark drove off as I slowly stalked to a tree to use as a rest. Wildebeest were running left and right and finally I picked out the bull standing to the left of the herd at about 75 yards. I quickly put the crosshairs on his shoulder and dropped the hammer. The huge animal dropped where he stood. Then I heard Mark running up the road shouting, "Put anouther one in him if he tries to get up." At that moment the animal tried to make an attempt to get to his feet but another round entered the right side of his rib cage and exited out the left, putting him down for good.



The bull measured just slightly over 27". No matter how big he was I was just glad the animal dropped and we didn't spend half the night looking for a wounded animal.

The next morning Mark and I decided to go back down by the river and try our luck there again. We were making a stalk on a red duiker when the wind changed and gave us away. Mark had a good feeling about turning around and walking down the river bed. Although, this made much more noise because of the rocks, when rounding a bend in the river you could see about 100 yards down the river channel. We were making our way down the river when we came around a bend and there was a young nyala bull coming down the river toward us. We froze and the bull walked to within 20 yards of us and couldn't have cared if we were there or not. At one point he looked us dead straight in the eye and never thought twice. Then Mark said there is another young bull coming. The second was following the same path and then Mark said, "Good bull, get down." Well, this was when things got interesting. Mark was able to get all the way down but the second bull put his radar lock on us as I was about half way down. I froze and the Mexican stand off began not even wanting to see the large bull bringing up the rear. After about 2 minutes of eye to eye contact, the second bull ran up the river embankment following the first one. Once he got to the top, he let out a bark, which caused the large bull to stop dead in his tracks. The larger bull then barked and the second quickly followed with another bark. A few minutes later the large bull barked a second time. Mark then whispered to me, "Take the shot now or he is going to leave." Well, this was easier said then done because I couldn't see anything but the right horn and his right ear. Mark could see him perfectly but where I was crouched I couldn't see much. After another couple minutes the large bull made his final mistake by trying to follow the other two bulls. He made about 4 steps into a quarting towards me shooting lane about 30 yards away. I didn't even wait for him to stop, once he entered the lane and I pulled the trigger. I hit the animal in the left front shoulder exiting towards the last couple of ribs on the other side. He ran to the top of embankment about 15 yards and piled up.



The nyala measured just under 25", which was smaller then ones I had passed on earlier in the week; however, in my own mind I shouldn't have even came home with this guy.

On our way back to retrieve my nyala, we came across a warthog we had hunted the day before but he gave us the slip. Once again I bailed out of the truck as Mark and the rest of the guys drove on. I ran to a tree and the warthog took off running in the other direction. He came into an opening about 45 yards away and I let off one round. I heard the bullet it, which sounded like someone thumping a ripe watermelon and saw a cloud of dirt come flying off the animal. He never checked up and kept running up a hill and for some reason stopped about 80 yards away and looked back over his right shoulder. I placed the crosshairs on his shoulder and pulled the trigger. I looked back and never saw him again. Mark and the rest of the guys quickly appeared and found the tracks of the large beast but no blood. I was sure I hit him the first and pretty sure of the second shot. I walked up the hill doubting myself and if I had actually hit him the first shot or did I hit the dirt around him. Then I looked up and there he was stone cold dead right where I took the second shot. Turns out, I did hit him the first shot just in front of the left flank and the bullet exited the center of his chest on the right side. The second shot hit him in the neck and exited just under the left side of his chin, which dropped him explaining why I never saw him again after the second shot.



The warthog measured just over 11" and completed my first African safari.

Seven shots and 5 animals with none going farther then about 30 yards after the first shot and 3 dropping where they stood. I guess I could count the last warthog too because technically he did drop, but hey who is keeping count!

Needless to say, I'm already planning my next trip and the new animals I want to include in my trophy room.

Graybird

Congratulations on a great hunt, and a good trip report. I did my first trip to Africa this year. Nothing like it !!!!!

Graybird

Welcome to the forums

Sounds like a great safari.

What rifle did you use? and what calibre? and what Bullet did you shoot?

Cheers,

Andr�

Graybird,

Very nice report. Thanks for sharing your experiences! I bet you're wanting to make a return trip!

Very nice Nyala!! It's gorgeous and it's yours. That's what really counts in my book. I really want to hunt Nyala some day.

I've been twice now to South Africa after a nice Kudu but I haven't gotten one yet. They don't call them the Gray Ghost for nothing. I did get a nice little Bushbuck on my second trip.

And I love to hunt warthogs!

What rifle (it looks like a Ruger) and caliber did you use?

-Bob F.

I used a Ruger MK-77 300 Win Mag. The ammunition used was Winchester's 180 gr. Supreme Partition Gold.

I never found a bullet after taking an animal. I sure wished I would have because I would love to see how well it held together.

This is the first time I have ever used factory ammo with this gun and was quite surprised. Of course, the groupings at the range weren't as great as I would have liked compaired to my self loaded ammo, but I'm not going to complain because it did the job.

graybird

Nice trophies Graybird! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Good show, Graybird. Some nice trophies and a good tale, too. -TONY

Well done on your safari!!
Thanks for sharing the story and pictures. That took care of my African hunting fix for today.

Congratulations on some great animals and your first safari! Your first African safari is always a life changing event for most hunters, welcome to the club. The Hluhluwe area of KwaZulu Natal is a beautiful area with some great game, particularly nyala and red duiker. Hopefully you also had time to visit the local Zulu village for some sightseeing. Glad to hear you had a great hunt.

I also had my first Africian experience near Hluhluwe at a property called Intebane. I want to go back to Zululand, maybe next year, want to hunt Red Duiker and Suni.

Graybird,

Congratulations on your first African hunt. You have taken some very nice trophies. Thanks for sharing your hunt and pictures.

BigBullet

I just wanted to say thank you to those who responded and commented on the pictures. It is certainly something I won't forget in the near future.

Now, I would like to get a few ideas of mounting styles that may add to the usual shoulder mount. As always, include a picture if you can.

thanks, graybird