In early July, I made my first trip to South Africa, or anywhere out of the United States hunting. I went with Lochi Lochner of African Varmint Safaries. We hunted on a concession in the Free State. After deer hunting on my own in Iowa for the last 25 years, this was my first time ever hunting with a guide or outfitter. As many who have posted on this site, I was nervous and worried about a lot of things prior to going to Africa only to find out that everything went smoother than I ever expected.

I intially told Lochi that a Gemsbok was my first priority. I also told him I was interested in a wildebeest. With that in mind, we went to the concession. I was impressed with the beautiful scenery and the large numbers of animals that we saw. Lochi is a devoted predator and varmint hunter and called in a jackal for an easy shot on the first evening. That coupled with the number of animals seen made me think the hunting would be quite easy the next day. Was I ever mistaken! I thought whitetails were skittish but the African antelope, particularily the springbok, compared quite well with them.

During my hunt, I was able to take a nice blesbok, black wildebeest, and a gemsbok. I also shot an African hare. It was a great time and Lochi was an awesome P.H. He was also an entertaining tour guide on the trips we took after the hunt. This was the hunting experience of my life and I can only hope I can return there again some day. I was especially happy that my wife went along with me. She enjoyed it as much as I did.

I am attaching some pictures below.

Congratulations on a great trip! Thanks for the pictures -- very nice.

Congratulations on your hunt. But for the benefit of those on dial-up connections, can you reduce the size of your pictures by 50%? They are quite large for posting on the internet. You should be able to do that on Photobucket. Thanks.

Regards,

Terry

Well done! Bet you are hooked now.

I think I've managed to resize the pictures. This is my first time posting photos so I'm still learning. I'm more comfortable hunting than using a computer.
Jerry

GRR

Thanks for the pictures //

Congratulations to yourself wife and thanks to Lochi for making your dreams comes true

All the best for the future

Regards, Peter

GRR,

The resizing worked, thanks.

That is one fine gemsbok.

Regards,

Terry

You'll be back! Congrats, it's great isn't it? Start saving now. Next year is to pay for taxidermy fees, the next year, back for another hunt.

Jerry, Awesome pictures,makes me wish I was back over there! Great Gemsbuck. I was wondering if you could give some more details of calling in jackals. I got one when I was there but we just jack-lighted it from the LandCruiser. Thanks Joe

Beautiful Gemsbok and great Blesbok, too. I've eaten Gemsbok but never blesbok. How was it (tastewise)?

Dave
OBTW- nice pics!

Congrats on a great trip ,
9 more months for myself to wait, I'm going crazy

GRR,

Nicely done!!

Whereabouts in Iowa are you from? Not many of us safari guys in the state.

Best,
Jeff

Great Gemsbok!! Mind you, the others don't look too shabby either!!!

Rgds,
FB

Congratulations on a wonderful hunt!

Congratulations. From the smiles in the pictures there will be many memories to speak of at future family gatherings. Return soon.

Very nice Gemsbok. The Free State is always nice.

JHROD,
I'm about as far southwest as I can get without being in Nebraska. We live in Council Bluffs.

Almostacowboy,
We had some of the loin from each of the animals. I thought the blesbok was more tender and had a better favor than the gemsbok. The gemsbok seemed a rather tough to me, although with a couple of African beers they all tasted pretty good.
Jerry

I'm GRR's wife. If you're interested in taking your wife to SA, they'll enjoy the trip. It's quite a unique country. I'm glad I got to go along with GRR to watch his dream come true! I enjoyed it as much as he did.

Goosejoe,
I'm hoping Lochi gets on here and talks about calling the jackal in. He is avid predator hunter and has a good setup for calling not only jackals, but the other predators as well. At the time he called the jackal in I think there were at least three others answering him also.

We did at night so it was both eerie and beautiful at the same time. It is amazing when you are in the dark how much you hve to rely on your other senses. The clear night sky in the pith dark in Africa is something to behold.
Jerry

Very nice pictures, would like to hear more details on your hunt.

Thanx Jerry!
Another free … uhmmm … dassie … for you next time! My order book is bulging from this one posting – I will have to give up my day job now and do this full time. Thanx also for not mentioning all the bad things that happened to you.
To all the PHs out there: you wanna experience a great client? – Jerry and Joan is it! Go ahead and recruit them right now! I do this for fun so I am quite fussy who I have as my clients – not to be construed as arrogance please. These folks were simply magic.
There I was, hunting flat-out and having old Jerry pay for it! OK, admitted he was the real hunter who got the buck fever and killed the animals, but I shared in all the fun – for free!
Lochi.

Congratulations, Jerry. Lochi is one fine man and a great PH. I do a little predator calling myself here in upstate New York, but it is nothing like being in RSA with Lochi calling in any number of critters for you. I'm sure you'll be back. I know I will.
John

I'm headed off to SA next week for a hunt that Lochi has arranged and am very excited! Can't wait to be on the ground, seeing the African vistas, stalking the African animals, and enjoying the wonderful hospitality there.

I'm a real wildebeest fan and that is a wonderful trophy you have. It must have been great to have your wife along to share it with. That's the way I want to do it when I go.

Congrats!!

Goosejoe,
I’m sorry, didn’t notice your question.
Predator calling is not nearly as big here as it is in the States, but catching on.
I got my inspiration and technical tips for that from the numerous American coyote sites on the web many years back. I also had a famous Californian coyote caller visit me here in RSA, and I back-packed Arizona in 2001 to day-call with my Internet buddies – great bunch.
Our Canis mesomelas is much smarter than your C latrans though!!
See this link for more on the incredible black-backed jackal.
http://www.affordableafricanhunting.co.za/Children%20of...super_predator!1.htm
Enjoy!
Lochi.

I want a black wildebeast.I want a black wildebeast.I want a black wildebeast!

I am clicking my heals together and I have my eyes closed but I do not seem to be getting anywhere.