Nassos picked us up in Addis Ababa for the 10 hour ride to camp. The ride was fantastic. We traveled through several small villages and some of the most incredible scenery I have ever seen. Mountain Nyala and bushbuck were seen as we neared camp.

The camp is very comfortable, tented under a hard roof.

First morning out (October 10) several female and small male Mountain Nyala were seen. There are numerous bushbuck and bushpig in the area. The Mountain Nyala began barking and the Colobus Monkeys made a warning chatter, which Nassos said was 100% there was a leopard nearby.

Time for lunch and the afternoon hunt.

Sounds wonderfull. I hope you can add some more reports along the way.

Good luck. Using your bgan?

Bryan,
Yes I am it wonderful quick connection !!!
Even in the heavy rain and fog

Great Kathi, you got it all working!!! I look fwd to your reports, and hopefully some pictures along the way.

Savor every minute!

Thanks for the report. Sounds adventurous. Have fun.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Thanks for the report. Sounds adventurous. Have fun.

Plus one.

Look forward to hearing more.

Me too, Kathi !

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Thanks for the report. Sounds adventurous. Have fun.

Plus one.

+2

Good luck, looking forward to next update.

This is shaping up to be one of the better periods on AR. First, we get Saeed's wonderful reports, and now Kathi contributing with her Ethiopia safari.

Thanks Kathi, and please provide regular updates, hopefully with photos.

are you hunting mountain nyala? what else?

Saturday Oct 10th
Afternoon hunt almost cancelled due to very heavy rain followed by thick fog. Nassos decided to go out anyway and the fog cleared and rain stopped.
A huge bodied Mt. Nyala with appx. 36 inch horns was slowly feeding on the oppisite mt. Ridge.
This area is a Bushbuck , warthog and bushpig hunters dream.
They are literally everywhere !!
We have a federal and regional game scout with us. They do not carry weapons.
I was very surprised to learn there is no poaching in the hunting concession. There are no snares, nothing.

Sunday morning Oct 11th

Raining moderatley. I have on video tape a bachelor group of 4 bulls with 2 of them fighting.
This is an amazing country so green and rich with wildlife.
A monster Mt. Nyala was spotted by one of the trackers about 700 yards away, trying to knock a tree over. Nassos says, he is a keeper. Hopefully he can be located to set up for a real shot, the cover is really heavy.
Rick said this is so different than any Africa hunting he has ever done. He says it reminds him of hunting brown bear on the Alaska penninsula. Climb to vantage points and glass. The weather has been pretty consistent rain, fog, wind with a few peaks of sun. Clothes dry due to the dampness. Lotsa of mud

He is having the time of his life, and loves every minute of it!
Colobus monkies are all around the camp, and bushbuck !At night the hyenas are really “whooping it up”
Will try to keep posting up dates.

kat:
Sorry to use your sat time: give us a call upon ur return Re; Dec trip to zim

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to pictures on your return.

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to pictures on your return.

+1 Kathy!! Have a blast and take a million pics for all of us!

awesome stuff kathi , great to have a live report from a place so seldom travelled , thanks for takinmg the time to give it to us ...i have a gan , have always just used it for emails , will try internet from camp this week ..

good luck out there

Ivan,

They're not cheap to run but are worth their weight in gold........

The trick is to turn all the auto updates etc off on your laptop before you log on. Airtime goes much further that way!

Kathi:

Working hard, saving bucks, being frugal has its rewards. Ya'll deserve this trip!

Can't wait to see a picture of the incipient giant Mt. Nyala!

Great posts. I read your update to Ginger today at lunch and you've peeked her interest...at least until I told her the expense...

Have a great trip and good hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan Chick:
kat:
Sorry to use your sat time: give us a call upon ur return Re; Dec trip to zim

Bryan,
Send me a e-mailwith dates ets...
to kathi@wildtravel.net
I am working/vacation and can book from here

October 11th afternoon hunt. Weather changes in a hurry in Ethiopia, blue skies, very warm,no rain. A few bulls were seen across the valley and I hope it worked of putting the video camera up to the spotting scope lens to tape two Mountain Nyala bulls feeding.

Last night the skies opened up. There were torrential rains all night.

October 12th, A.M. hunt, heavy rain and very windy, heavy fog in and out of the valley. One of the trackers spotted a big bull a long way off walking through an opening. Nassos said if the bull reaches the next opening he will most likely come to an opening that was 339 yards away (rangefinder). Nassos then used his rangefinder with the trajectory compensator as Rick would be shooting from a high cliff. Nassos said to hold as if it was a 290 yard shot. The big bull came into the opening and Rick was using a tripod rest and fired. The bull stood for a second then bolted off. Everyone was discussing if the bull was hit or not as no one saw the bullet strike the ground and kick up water. Three trackers went down the mountain and radioed back that they had jumped the bull and there was blood. Rick, Nassos, and the trackers, and game scouts, climbed down the mountain. After a short follow up the bull was located bedded down and Rick finished him. Everyone is very happy in camp. Nassos said the bull is very old. Both his horns are 35 inches with 10 1/2 inch bases.

Now for the hyena, then home. Thanks for all your encouragement. Rick said this was the best hunt of his life.

Congrats to a magnificent trophy.
Well done.
Rgds,
Andy

Congratulations!
Looking very much forward to photos and more stories!

Kathi,
That sounds awesome! congratulations on a successful hunt. Can't wait to see the full report upon you return.

Congrats on a great hunt and animal

Kathi

Wow! Big congratulations. No bushbuck?

Mark

Congrat's Kathi & Rick!

But don't come home yet!!!

As a reminder to just how awesome these animals are, here's the one Marc Watts shot:

CLICK HERE FOR THE PICTURE OF MARC'S MTN NYALA

Congratulations!

+1 Kathi and Rick.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

Mark,

Originally a bushbuck was booked, but with the doubling of license fees (bushbuck now $4,000)
it was cancelled. The bushbuck are everywhere here, and some very big ones.

Well done.

Congratulations Kathi and Rick, will love to see the photos.

Congratulations!

Great news!

Congratulations!

Congratulations! well done!

Outstanding! Can't wait for the pics and the full report! Good luck on the hyena!

Congrats to the lucky hunter!

Congratulations, and thanks for the postings. I look forward to the photos.