22 November 2004, 22:17
JudgeGKeep your fingers crossed!
So far, so good.
On Wednesday afternoon I got a telephone call from a fellow who has one of those great antebellum quail plantations in South Carolina. He had four of his old college fraternity brothers coming to hunt deer and wondered if I wanted to come for the weekend. I told him I'd have to leave Saturday evening and he said come on anyway, "We need some deer killed."
Not having packed for my elephant hunt and with tickets at 6:10 a.m. on Sunday, I thought about the wisdom of going.. but what the heck. Well, about 5:20 Saturday evening the best buck of my life tried to slip across a powerline where a ditch bisected two food plots. The wise old man was down in the bushes surrounded the ditch, but he couldn't hide 20" of horn sticking up. A loud whistle and he died.
Of course, having to celebrate the buck, I didn't leave South Carolina for my home in Georgia until about 9:00 p.m. and had to drive two hours....
Then packing stuff, going to the office to get the double out of the safe, there... I got to bed for one hour before it was time to go to the local airport. I was dragging my butt.
The trip to Atlanta wasn't too bad, but I still had the dreaded ATL to J'Burg flight. Thank God and Kathi!!!! I had a seat with no one in front of me (just an empty space... not seat) and two more empty seats to my right. I ate the first meal and went to sleep. Then, I was pleasantly awakened at Sal Island (I think to see if I were dead), then slept until 1 hour from J'burg when they turned on the cabin lights.
I'm presently in the Premier Club having a Castle and awaiting word from Optima that my bags are on the Vic Falls flight (which is a part of their service). I haven't even said boo! yet to anyone at the airport (security, customs, the boogie man). I've just been squired around like I was "somebody".
Ya'll good folks keep your fingers crossed for me. If everything keeps going this well, I'll kill a big bull elephant in the Matetsi tomorrow and be Tiger fishing in Lake Kariba by Wednesday.
Wish you were here... well, kinda??
22 November 2004, 23:33
LV Erici wont make it this year. shoot a good one for me.
23 November 2004, 07:55
SBTCongratulations on your deer Judge! I hope you saved some luck for your Jumbo. Can't wait for the report and photos!
23 November 2004, 10:24
jjsJudgeG:
Good luck! Will be waiting for the details of your trip! I
I just got back from Canada last night (not as cold as we needed). You came close on your prediction but instead of a 187 non-typical Whitetail...I took a 201 1/8" non-typical Mule Deer....it is a very big deer!!!!
23 November 2004, 10:28
SBTHey JJS, we better hear about that deer over on Big Game Hunting. A photo would also be appreciated!
23 November 2004, 10:37
JefferyDenmarkKeep your powder dry and have fun hunting Jumbo.
Cheers,
Andr�