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A rumour is making its round that an American tourist (age 65) got gored and killed by a Gemsbok / Oryx at Thomas Goldbecks farm. | ||
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YIKES!! If true, it just goes to show you that the old saying of "the dead ones are the ones that will kill ya" never rang truer for this gentleman.. If true, condolences to his family.. | |||
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Oryx kills American STAFF REPORTER AN American visitor to Namibia died at a farm in the Gobabis area after he was gored by an oryx on Thursday. The gemsbok attacked the 65-year-old American between 08h00 and 09h00 on Thursday, the Namibian Police reported on Friday. A Police spokesperson, Sergeant Stephan Nuuyi, added yesterday that it was reported that the man had set out on a walk with the aim to take some photographs earlier that morning. He apparently encountered the gemsbok, got too close to the animal, and was attacked and killed. The incident happened at farm Avitra along the Gobabis-Nina road, the Police reported. | |||
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Hard to figure. He must have surprised it. | |||
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Does anyone know whether he was a hunter or an eco-tourist? analog_peninsula analog_peninsula ----------------------- It takes character to withstand the rigors of indolence. | |||
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The report is very sketchy, I must say. He walked a bit to take photo's, got to close to a Oryx, and got killed in the process.... To be honest, the closest I got to an unwounded Oryx in 20 years of hunting, was in about 30 yards, and when he noticed me he ran as fast as he's legs could carry him. Most other experienced PH's and hunters, I think, will agree that this animal is only dangerous when cornered or wounded..... Strange indeed, would love to hear more of the story.. www.infinito-safaris.com Charl van Rooyen Owner Infinito Travel Group www.infinito-safaris.com charl@infinito-safaris.com Cell: +27 78 444 7661 Tel: +27 13 262 4077 Fax:+27 13 262 3845 Hereford Street 28A Groblersdal 0470 Limpopo R.S.A. "For the Infinite adventure" Plains Game Dangerous Game Bucket List Specialists Wing-Shooting In House Taxidermy Studio In House Dip and Pack Facility In House Shipping Service Non-Hunting Tours and Safaris Flight bookings "I promise every hunter visiting us our personal attention from the moment we meet you, until your trophies hang on your wall. Our all inclusive service chain means you work with one person (me) taking responsibility during the whole process. Affordable and reputable Hunting Safaris is our game! With a our all inclusive door to door service, who else do you want to have fun with?" South Africa Tanzania Uganda | |||
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The first person killed by an exotic on a game ranch in the USA was a cowboy on the YO ranch in Texas. He got off his horse, and attempted cut the throat of a wounded Gemsbok, and was goared for his trouble. Gemsbok are very dangerous when wounded or cornered, or think they are cornered. This is most likely what happened here. The Gemsbok probably felt threatened and percieved the dirrection of the cameraman his only escape route! The Gemsbok will back into a heavy thorn bush, and kill full grown lions as they try a frontal attack.  They AIN'T whitetails! ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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Africa's Big 6? | |||
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This feisty female twice chased us back to the truck.  | |||
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We are seeing more and more accidents with wildgame most of them due to the inexperience of tourists who go to the bush with any training or to the overexperienced rangers and hunters sportmans and phs this is happening here too with pumas ,wild boars and bufalos ,we must remember that a snake or a gemsbok are not pets ,unfortunately on TV i daily see so called bushmen playing with snakes ,alligators and dangerous game.JUAN www.huntinginargentina.com.ar FULL PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF IPHA INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS ASOCIATION . DSC PROFESSIONAL MEMBER DRSS--SCI NRA IDPA IPSC-FAT -argentine shooting federation cred number2- | |||
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Hmmmmm....I'm paid to be skeptical. I'd like to find the black box on this deal. Yes, gemsbok are very stout critters (I've shot about 15 of them and been on hand for the demise of at least another 10). And like any other wounded critter they can be real nasty. But there better be evidence of a gemsbok vs. man fight plus photos. On his camera or of the crime scene by the po-po's. Is this the African version of a "musta been suicide" situation ? (let's blame it on a gemsbok and call it good) Or did some transient from Angola rob the guy and stab him? I'm not ruling out that it happened, but I'm not going to believe it at first blush. Certainly not because that's what the media was told (been there, done that!) Note to self: ever want to off somebody? then stab them with a horn and make it look like a critter did it. | |||
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Try Buff........that is garuanteed to take more killing than a Gemmie... Matt, you put it much better than I ever could..We Afrikaners struggle to get something over, sometimes....  Truth is, as you said, I have seen a lot of them killed, and to be honest, how do you corner an unwounded Gemsbuck in Namibia, the FARMS are so huge, compared to SA. You guys always rub it in, so I would LOVE to get the whoel story. Maybe he went for a stroll in a Boma...... Still a very dodgy report. Check out my posting on Big Mamma www.infinito-safaris.com Charl van Rooyen Owner Infinito Travel Group www.infinito-safaris.com charl@infinito-safaris.com Cell: +27 78 444 7661 Tel: +27 13 262 4077 Fax:+27 13 262 3845 Hereford Street 28A Groblersdal 0470 Limpopo R.S.A. "For the Infinite adventure" Plains Game Dangerous Game Bucket List Specialists Wing-Shooting In House Taxidermy Studio In House Dip and Pack Facility In House Shipping Service Non-Hunting Tours and Safaris Flight bookings "I promise every hunter visiting us our personal attention from the moment we meet you, until your trophies hang on your wall. Our all inclusive service chain means you work with one person (me) taking responsibility during the whole process. Affordable and reputable Hunting Safaris is our game! With a our all inclusive door to door service, who else do you want to have fun with?" South Africa Tanzania Uganda | |||
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Perhaps I should elaborate a little. Rural Law enforcement officials like to rule things suicide rather than have a "Who Dunnit?" murder case. Open murder cases can take a lot of time and effort and really put limited budgets in a bind. And the rural Namibian Police also have the tourist factor and international press to deal with. Would be bad ju-ju to have a tourist from a country with a powerful 24/7 media turn up dead at the hands of an unknown assailant. It's much better to attribute the incident to a gemsbok that decided to run amock. Case closed nice and neat. By the way, I've been in Namibia seven times. I've seen some of the Angola refugee camps with several hundred squatters living in them. I've been in the middle of no-where and had them pop up out of the bush going cross country. The binos around my neck represented double what they could hope to earn in a year. This guy out strolling about with cameras on his neck probably didn't have a rifle over his shoulder or a leather-tough PH alongside him. So it makes the "he was killed by a gemsbok" story a little suspect. | |||
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No need to go to all that trouble in Owyhee County, Idaho: illegal/drug mule with a bullet through the brain pan = "natural causes" LD  | |||
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I have hunted/killed one gemsbok. It too tried to come for me. My rifle had a fixed 6X scope on it. When I shot the animals it ran 20 yards and fell and layed still. As we approached it suddenly tried getting up. We were coming to it from the back side so we had time to get away as it was also badly sick from my shot. The problem was now that we were so close I was too close to see it through the fixed power scope for another shot. Remember this is happening very quickly and all I can remember is seeing a lot of blurry buckskin colored hair. The bull was thrashing its head up and down trying to raise up off the ground. He was half way standing up pretty fast and heading our way. The PH had a .44 Ruger revolver which I asked him for and then I was able to solve the problem right away. He was definitly making a deliberate effort to get us. ~Ann   | |||
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In 1995 I was minding my own business sitting on a rock in the waterberg mountain area after a bit of a recon walk on the property when a gemsbuck bull was walking straight towards me without noticing me. He came real close 20m and suddenly stopped and saw me. At first I thought he was going to run away but he started stamping a hoof and swaing his head. I felt uncomfortable and loaded my 303, he came closer still showing agression and swaying his head. At 10 meters I dropped him with a bullet in his chest hitting the spine as well. This was on someone else's property so I knew I was going to pick up shit from shooting a gemsbuck without prior arrangements. Anyway taking a look at the gemsbuck I saw a deep gash just above his right leg from the front. It wasn't my bullet hole, looked like the gemsbuck was in a fight and got stabbed by another gemsbuck. The reason why he was so pissed I suppose. Also how I got away from the owner shooting him. That is how I shot my one and only gemsbuck so far. He was old but had very short horns 30". I have a lot of respect for them seeing other people hunt and shoot them they are tough. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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They are pretty tough and that's for sure. To paraphrase ForrestB, the one I shot was harder to kill than Rasputin. Hit him through both lungs at 200 yards with a 225 grain TBBC from a .338 Win. Mag. He just shrugged and ran off. Followed him through fairly thick mopane scrub. Found him hunkered down about 15 yards away under a mopane, with his legs folded under him, almost like he was bedded. Back-pedaled quickly, as he turned his head toward us, and shot him again, behind the shoulder. No reaction whatsoever! Racked the bolt and shot him again, through both shoulders. He let out a roar, rolled onto his side, and kicked and struggled to get up, while raking his horns back and forth to keep us away. Did this for a good long while, then lay still and finally died. Then again . . . I once met a Namibian game rancher who culls them with a .243 Win. But he takes only head shots, so as not to ruin any meat. Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Had a similar experience in the Kalahari. Came across a female lying down in the grass. Drove up to her and she just lay there watching us. When the tracker got off the vehicle she tried to get up and come for him so a 180gr from my .30-06 into her brain put and end to that. Turned out her hind leg was broken with bone protruding through the skin. She must have stepped into a hole or something and been suffering a lot as the wound had already gone septic and she had lost a lot of condition. Regards, Chris Troskie Tel. +27 82 859-0771 email. chris@ct-safaris.com Sabrisa Ranch Ellisras RSA www.ct-safaris.com https://youtu.be/4usXceRdkH4 | |||
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...there is certanly something about gemsbock`s attitude and toughnes - although simbolically - Namibia has even put it in their coat of arms:  | |||
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My name is Dave Jones, the gentleman that died is my uncle. He was on safari with Astra Game Farm at the time. The story we got is that he was out walking in an area the owner told him not to go. He was by himself with only his camera. The gemsbok's horn hit him in the left thigh and tore his femural artery and entered his abdomen. They said they noticed he was missing when he did not come to breakfast. Went looking for him and found him and then later killed the gemsbok. I have never been to Africa, but I have hunted big game in America all my life. The story has never made sense to me. He was 65 years old. IF he was out by himself, he certainly would not have gone far from camp. We have also received a different version of the story. That is that my uncle and the PH he was with were chasing gemsbok in their vehicle. A gemsbok was hit with the vehicle, rolled over the hood and struck my uncle. This version makes a little more sense, but still hard to believe. We have heard this version from two completely unrelated sources. If there is anyone out there that can shed any light on this incident I would greatly appreciate the information. Thank you. | |||
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CDL, I'm sorry for your family's loss. It's hard to reconcile the two very different reports you've received regarding your uncle's death. It would seem there should be some "official" accident report filed by/with the Namibian authorities. Please let us know what develops. Forrest ______________________________ "Truth is the daughter of time." Francis Bacon | |||
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CDL, Sad to say, but in Africa "Shit happens." Very sorry for your loss. Our small prayers are with your family. Mike -------------- DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ... Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com | |||
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If a gemsbok was hit by a vehicle and approached wounded or stunned it is quite likely an accident could happen. This scenario would be no different to approaching a wounded gemsbok to closely before it is dead. However the wound being on the left thigh of your uncle would correspond with him sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle. If a gemsbok stuck from the left side of the vehicle through an open door. Seems more probable than an unprovoked attack. CDL. Sorry for your loss. | |||
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The death of a drug mule is by natural causes no matter how he dies! I say when he is cought with drugs feed it all to him, and if he dies, he must have had more than enough for personal use, and is automaticlly a dealer! If he doesn't die from the drugs,shoot him, because he's a worthless drug addict!  ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith | |||
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Sorry for your loss, Dave. I hope you get the straight story someday, but I would not bet on it. People in the tourist business are (correctly) afraid of US lawyers and bad publicity. I find it unlikely that a healthy, unwounded gemsbuck would make an unprovoked attack on a human. I'd think that some human interaction instigated the event, so some version of your "auto accident" story is probably closer to the truth. Don_G ...from Texas, by way of Mason, Ohio and Aurora, Colorado! | |||
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I am very sorry for your loss, Dave. My condolences to your family. Ken | |||
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Dave You and your family are in my prayers. I hope that you get to the bottem of this. TerryR | |||
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Dave, Please accept my sympathy at your loss. May I suggest that you contact the Windhoek newspaper, The Namibian, to follow up. The editor, Gwen Lister, is a solid journalist who won't hesitate to get to the bottom of things. The website, which has contact information, is http://www.namibian.com.na Regards, Tim | |||
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I had a very unusual experience with an Impala of all things. To cut a long story short, said Impala took a 196gr bullet from an 8x57 JR under the spine, shrugged it off and was grazing as if nothing had happened when we found it two hours later. Took another through the shoulder. Went down but head kept coming up, and at one point it stood up but then fell down again. I was out of ammo. Decided to wait it out. After 10 mins or so, snuck up on it, head now down but still breathing. Fell on it and knifed it twice. Tracker took over and held on to horns. At this point, Impala stood up and tracker almost lost it. I grabbed other horn and the impala, which was very strong, fought with both of us for a minute or so. I threw it to the ground like a steer and we both sat on it for another 5 mins before it finally died after some more knife work. Post mortem showed first shot passed over chest cavity but under spine. Second shot was deflected by shoulder joint and exited neck. Knife wounds to lungs caused demise. Russ Gould - Whitworth Arms LLC BigfiveHQ.com, Large Calibers and African Safaris Doublegunhq.com, Fine English, American and German Double Rifles and Shotguns VH2Q.com, Varmint Rifles and Gear | |||
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I believe your story 100%. Happened to me a couple of years ago when guiding someone. He gutshot the Impala, and the end of the story was also near as dramatic as yours. I did not take a rifle with me(one of the reasons why I never go into the bush without one anymore) and I did not check his gear. The guy only took three rounds with him, and to make a long story short, ran out of ammo. The ram was big, and had a lot of fight in it. It ended in a bad way, I wish to never experience again, as I'm sure you would neither Russ? Charl van Rooyen Owner Infinito Travel Group www.infinito-safaris.com charl@infinito-safaris.com Cell: +27 78 444 7661 Tel: +27 13 262 4077 Fax:+27 13 262 3845 Hereford Street 28A Groblersdal 0470 Limpopo R.S.A. "For the Infinite adventure" Plains Game Dangerous Game Bucket List Specialists Wing-Shooting In House Taxidermy Studio In House Dip and Pack Facility In House Shipping Service Non-Hunting Tours and Safaris Flight bookings "I promise every hunter visiting us our personal attention from the moment we meet you, until your trophies hang on your wall. Our all inclusive service chain means you work with one person (me) taking responsibility during the whole process. Affordable and reputable Hunting Safaris is our game! With a our all inclusive door to door service, who else do you want to have fun with?" South Africa Tanzania Uganda | |||
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Dave, you may want to contact Elbert Long who lives just north of Big Spring. He hunted the same ranch the previous week. From what I've heard, the same gemsbok had repeatedly charged their vehicle as they left the main compound to go to other consessions to hunt. There was no hunting allowed in the compound where the hunters stayed. Lots of rumours are floating around. Even some on here. My deepest sympathy for your loss. I knew Mark and he was a very good hunter. I'll sure miss hearing about his Merkels and GSP's, we are both bird hunters. Texas Verminator Verminator Predator Calls Pro Staff | |||
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Hi to all, the story of Russ made me admit with myself that this is the reason because I bring with me a Lothar Walter dispatcher. It is a .22LR barrel worked in shape of a rifle cartridge with a firig pin. you put the .22 Lr cartridge in the barrel, you close the dispatcher with the firing pin, you put it in the rifle, get cose to the animal and shoot, better if you shoot to the base of the crane. I am thinking about the possibility to chamber a .22hornet instead a .22Lr. bye Stefano Waidmannsheil | |||
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