This is my best Impala to date. 24 inches with good mass. Taken in the Eastern Cape of RSA last year. Initially we were hunting Red Lechwe one morning when I spotted this ram watching us from a ridgeline. I didn't need advice on whether to go after this one, he looked like he had a goal post on his head. He wasted no time in getting out of Dodge, so the race was on. We stalked this ram several hours. Meanwhile, he picks up four buddies in his same age class. Now I've got ten eyes watching me. Every time I zigged, they zagged. Each time I get within 300 yards, steady the cross hairs, they take off before I can get a shot. I kick a group of Nyala out of the thick creek bush and a shooter bull is leading his cows to safety. I'm ready to give up and chase the Nyala, but we stay to the plan. One last stalk I'm thinking, then to hell with this Impala business. They move into an open plains area but make their way behind a large copse of acacia. My chance comes quick: as they come around the right side, the distance in my range finder reads 220 yards. I set my .280 in the shooting sticks and let the lead ram walk into my cross hairs. My rifle cracks. At the thump of the impact he rears on his hind legs and falls back. He's mine. No ground shrinkage, he just gets better the closer I get. I'm impressed not only by his horns, but I remember thinking how sleek and clean this beautiful symbol of Africa is. He was as shiny as a new car glistening in the midday Sun. This just keeps getting better...I don't want to go home Let's see your favorite Impala!

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.

And here he is on the wall:

This is not the biggest impala in the world nor is it the biggest one that I have shot but it was one of the best impala hunts that I ever had.

I hunted this impala for meat and I got it for free as well so that was an extra bonus. It was quiet windy that day and all the game was hiding in the thick stuff. I was walking along a game path that was going to an old dug up dam that was bulid there to hold water wehn it rains. There was really thick stuff all around it and with a movemnet I saw something move on the other side of this dam. I squatted down and sat quiet looking and saw no movement for about 2 minutes. I had to make sure what moved over there and got closer there they were 3 neat looking impalas. Two of them were beauts it must have been 23-24" and the other one had funny shaped horns. The farm I hunted on did a lot of trophy hunting and since I was only hunting for meat I choose the one with the funny horns. In the end the owner was happy that I got rid of his genes.

They all stood looking at different angles knowing that not everything was in place but didnt know what. The distance was about 65m the funny shaped horn ram was at the oddest angel but with my 375 H&H and 270gr hornadys at 2450fps I didnt need to worry about that.

The rifle cracked and the 3 rams dissapeard in the the bushes. I slowly stood up took my time and walked over to the spot where the ram was.
No blood ! I was surprized I took the tracks for 15 meters in the thick bush and there he was lying, it almost took me 10 minutes to drag him from the bush. At closer inspection the horns almost looked like it had one spiral like nyala's or a young kudu bull they were thick and only measured 20 1/2" but were different to any other impala I have seen or shot.

My only impala, taken near Hoedspruit. A small herd was walking along a ridgeline as the sun was about to set, I was looking directly into the sun and the PH was having a difficult time judging trophy size and picking out the best male as there were more than one. The herd hadn't detected our presence and was walking at a fairly sustained pace. I was trying to remember too much stuff at the same time: when looking into the sun what happens to point of impact when looking through a scope? How the hell do I judge the lead on a moving animal? How far away are they (I thought around 150 yards)? When the PH said take the one second from the one in the lead, I put a slow swing into my shot, the impala jumped about a mile high, the herd scattered behind the ridge disappearing from view.

The PH said, "I don't feel good about your shot." He's a real confidence builder that guy. The sun dropped like a lead balloon but was having a hard time catching up with my spirits. Calvin (the tracker) went in one direction, the PH in another. (For the anecdote, Calvin always went almost directly to the animal while the PH always thought it was somewhere else.) My impala had made one jump, probably about 25 yards and no furthur. I had broken both front legs with the 300 grain Nosler Partition and tore some of the heart, but was a little low. The PH said, "Actually that's a pretty good shot if you are interested in keeping the whole skin."

We came across this one while my client and I were hunting in the North-West Province last year. The big ram was so absorbed in a fight he was busy having with another ram that he never even noticed us.

My clt was shooting a Kimber in .308 and the Impala dropped in its tracks. (Shooting distance - approximately 30 yards)

It was great getting such a nice specimen measuring 26" on both horns on our first hunting day.



Another nice impala taken last year August was this one:



We were actually hunting for Kudu when I noticed a flash of red and I decided to take a closer look...

When this fella showed himself (about 50 yards away from us) my client and I whispered: "that's a nice one" almost simultaneously.

The ram measuring just over 24" also went down immediately after taking 180 grains high on the shoulder.

Sept. 2006 - Tanzania, Usangu Safaris

1 TBBC .375 H&H = 1 impala

Nice pics and stories. Impala's sure are sleek animals, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

Not only is this impala my best one, it is the only one (LOL). Taken in 2003 on my first African trip in South Africa.

Here is a photo of one of the Impala I shot last year with my good friend and PH Riaan. We spent our evening hunting separately to see who could shoot the biggest ram....any guess who won?

Here's one I took in 2004 on my first trip to the Limpopo region of RSA.

I never have hunted for horn length, but this big guy came upon us during a stalk for Gemsbok. Had to take him and he's still tied for #8 in the SCI book.

Kate and her first African trophy. 2004, just her and the PH on this stalk!



Dulcinea

This one was shot by a waterhole close to the Stockport border crossing RSA / Botswana by the Limpopo River.
We was looking for warthogs by a natural waterhole, and came sneaking in behind dense thornbush. On the other side of the water ( approx 80 yards ) were two bucks cirkling each other. My PH whispered that the biggest one was an ok buck, and he set up the sticks and I got a clean shot across the water.
Rifle M70 , 375 H&H, 270 gr A-frame.
Not a huge buck, and a narrow set up, but still my first impala, and I think it´s a nice one

My friends with there trophies. Both taken in Limpopo province.

Here is my impala taken in RSA 2005. Not a monster, but I am proud of him.

Some of my impala over the years...

KZN, nice one for that area.



Limpopo Valley, this one was taken taken in the river after it crossed over from Botswana.



Probably my best and also taken with an arrow.



And one camp pet!

Now that's what I'm talking about...good pics and some great stories! I thought the one of little Ms Kate was a great reminder to all of us..take your children hunting! I'll continue this with more game. Good hunting, LDK

Taken in the Limpopo region of RSA. SCI score 55 4/8.



Here's the mount-next to my Hartebeest

this was after endless time stalking a particular herd when we saw this ram , my eyes nearly popped out of my head !! my client , mark , shot it perfectly with a 7mm rem mag at about 65 yards ... it scored 26 1/2... always better to be lucky than good !!

oops sorry , here it is

Wow,

You guys have some beautiful Imapala trophies.

Gerhard

My 11 year olds first big game aniaml other than a feral hog.


Mine with Bow.

Here is a couple I have taken in RSA. When I first hunted impala I had jinx about them. I just could not get one, I would either blow the stalk and just shoot like crap. I finally broke the jinx and now have no problems in hunting them.



Here is a big one that my buddy took, too bad the picture cuts off part on the horns.

This is my first impala, taken in the Okavango Delta in 1998. I used a 30-06 loaded with federal TBBC,s. He is abnormally large for thar area but my guide, Glen Munger had seen him before I arrived. We hunted hard for a week before we finally found him, than one shot and he was down.



My Brother is in the picture with me, unfortunately this was the only time that we hunted together. He passed away before we could return. Needless to say this trophy has sentimental value as well. It hangs in my office today.

These three were taken by my sons and I in 2001. We were back in the Delta hunting with Glen Munger. Jon and Tyler used 30-06's and I used a 300 win mag. These are more representitive of what is there.

Well here are my two from the Selous with Pierre van Tonder...the one on the right is 24 inches...The left one made him look small...Took them with my light rifle 375H&H 300gr. TSX

Mike

here is my first Impala from 2000 when I was in SA working for an outfit. Taken near Vaalwater, SA. I smoked him with a .338 right through his pumper, and he still went about 100 yards before falling into a warthog hole!!


and here is my other ram taken July of last year when my wife and I went on our honeymoon to SA. Taken with a .300RUM near Hoedspruit, SA.


and here is a pic of my wife with her first African animal from that same honeymoon trip. Taken with the same .300RUM. And she did not let me forget who got the bigger of the two impala rams on that trip!! She was excited to say the least!

22" ram from Tuli Block. They were hard hunted there, very skittish and alert, and the toughest critter to bag on my PG hunt. Uru the .375 H&H all purpose rifle struck again:

I feel truly blessed with being able to get this one 2006 after not being able to walk or talk in 2003. I had to relearn everything in physical therapy (even drinking water). I broke my temporal bone (heaviest bone in your head) in 2003 in a car accident. In fact only the right cheekbone in my skull was left unbroken.

The list of what had to be overcome is too long for a post. A picture's worth a thousand words. Gonna remember this Impala A LONG TIME.

TBG...sheesh, that's a tough post to follow!!! Great pic though and congrats.

Here are the two impala I have had the good fortune of taking:

First african animal, 2002 RSA Limpopo province, Landelani Lodge, PH MW deJager, 25 7/8"...



2005 RSA Limpopo province, Landelani Lodge, PH Henk Viljoen, 24"...



Cheers,
Canuck

Congratulations TBG.
I can clearly understand what such a trophy means to you !

My first African animal Wow, what a few years a difference makes!

The last animal taken on my first safari, Eastern Cape 2003

Day 7…April 13, 2004: My mind drifted as the brushy hills passed by at a 70 mph. I was scanning the countryside looking for game much the same as I do when traveling in Texas. I remember thinking this looks like parts of Texas and New Mexico. I was waiting for the appearance of early morning whitetails feeding. The truck slowed a bit as three monkeys ran across the road in front of the Toyota. That ended the day dreams for the morning. We were still in Africa and I wouldn’t be seeing any whitetails!

The morning chill was cooler than normal as we made the two hour road trip to the hunting area. Pompcilla and Lucas road in the back cab to keep from freezing due to the long drive. Reaching the hunting area revealed a more open dryer landscape looking much like the western part of Texas. This ranch consisted of 70,000 acres.

We located a large herd of impala after several hours of picking through many miles of terrain. A good ram was tending his herd under a large tree prompting Jannie to signal it was time for a stalk. Parking the truck we made our way down a slight draw taking advantage of cover to conceal our approach. Well, we concealed our movements from the impala alright but failed to notice the black wildebeest and springbok to our left. They spooked and ran right toward the impala. We were in the process of trying to decide how close we could get, when the wildebeest made the decision for us. The impala bolted out of sight over the ridge as we walked quickly in pursuit. We slowly eased over the ridge. Seeing nothing, we walked over the next ridge to find ourselves on top of a plateau. We found the herd alert and just below the crest at less than 100 meters. We had a good size bush to hide behind. Easing out to clear the bush for a shot, the 30 or so impala took off straight away. Jannie set up the sticks as the trailing dominate ram stopped and turned broadside to see what had caused the commotion.

The ram stood just long enough for a quick 200 meter shot. He collapsed at the 7STW 150 grain X bullet. He was a beautiful trophy with sleek smooth skin and striking muscular features. The shot entered the point of the shoulder and exited behind the far shoulder for good lung and spinal shock.

This Impala was shot by Robin Weaver in the Selous September 2006 with her Vanguard 30-06 and 180 barnes TSX. It was her first African animal. It measures 23 3/4". I messed up. Now she won't let me go hunting anywhere without her, especially Africa. Need to add a new room for all her trophies she's planning to haul back to the house. It's fun to watch her excitement and experience the thrills together.

Here are my 2 from Limpopo- Shot the first one and was very plaesed - 23 1/2". Got him at 72 yards after cutting the group off on their travel route.



Then on the last day of my hunt, I wanted to go out and shoot a wide one and see how close I could get in the brush - 22.5" at 35 yards. It was one of the most fun stalks I ever have done...

2005 Alldays RSA. .300 WSM

Impala had been giving me fits during the first 4 days of the hunt. Seemed that I could never get a clear shot, the wind would change, or Mr. Murphy would somehow show up. We were heading back to camp for lunch when we stopped to check some tracks. Upon getting back into the truck, the battery was dead. Since we were only about 15 minutes from camp we decided to walk. As we were walking a group of femals impalas crossed the road about 100 yds in front of us. As soon as the 3rd one went across the road, I put the gun in the sticks waiting for the ram to cross. After about 1 minute he came trotting across the road and I was able to close the deal, he went 30 yds.

Here are my two: Both in Zimbabwe (Malangani Conservancy) 2005 and 2001 respectively. Both with a 300 Weatherby. jorge

I love the impala with the swept out horns similiar to sitatunga-beautiful trophies!

Here is Tim Hauck form Michigan with a bit of a freak taken in Chewore, Zambezi valley. It is 21" both ways - base to tip, and tip to tip!



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A couple of baits for the Leopard:




A good one just for the fun of it.... Been in the bush too long!