Holly and I finally got home at 2AM this morning after 40 straight hours of traveling from Windhoek to Joburg to Paris to Chicago to Cincinatti to Savannah.

We had a wonderful time in Namibia! During 21 days of hunting we traveled more than 4,000 kilometers in the Central Plains, the Kalahari and the Erongo Mountains.

Our PHs, Dirk de Bod and Nicky Nolte were great hosts and very skilled companions in the field and their wives, Rena and Isabel, were charming hostesses. The camps and lodges were spectacular and the food was great; first-class operations all the way!

We had booked a 14 day hunt and planned to spend two days in Windhoek before the hunt and 3 days sightseeing in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay after the hunt ended. Dirk suggested that we stay at his lodge instead of going to Windhoek, so we went straight from the airport to his Central Plains lodge. When our hunt with Dirk ended, we changed our return flight reservations and stayed another 5 days with Nicky and Isabel Nolte at their lodge in the Erongo Mountains outside of Omaruru.

Between us we shot 23 animals; Holly shot 8 and I shot 15.

5 Warthogs; non-trophy hogs for Leopard bait, but Holly shot a huge boar that weighed over 200 pounds.

3 Springbok; Holly and I each shot a 12" ram and I shot another 14" ram.

3 Gemsbok; Holly shot a 40" bull and I shot a 38" bull and a 41 1/2" cow.

3 Red Hartebeest; Holly shot a monster 23 1/2" bull with 12 1/2" bases. I shot two bulls, one 20" and the other 21".

3 Baboons; I'm not sure why, but I really enjoy blasting baboons! I shot one nasty old boar off the shooting sticks at 375 yards, another on the move across a ridge top at 250 yards and a third out of the top of a tree at 200 yards.

2 Mountain Zebra; Holly shot a beautiful stallion for a rug and I shot a big mare for a shoulder mount.

2 Leopards; I shot a 7' male and Holly shot a 6' female, both from the same blind out of the same bait tree two days apart.

1 Kudu; Holly shot a really nice 54 1/2" bull.

1 Damaraland Dik-dik; I shot a 3" x 3 2/16" ram with 1 1/2" bases that will rank #13 in the Namibian record book and in the top 30 in the SCI record book.

We made wonderful new friends, saw spectacular scenery and took some great trophies. We will definitely be going back!

I'll start posting photos and stories in a day or two once I download the 605 digital photos and 7 hours of videotape I took during the trip.

I have heard of Dirk in here before, but never really knew much about his operation. I almost booked with Nick Nolte, but booked with Vaughan Fulton instead. I just returned last Sunday. I would very much like to hear more about both of their operations.

Congratulations on your hunt, and hope to see some of your pictures very soon.

Welcome home Mark, can't wait to learn your impressions of the Omaruru area and to hear about your leopard.

I leave in 21 days and am hungry for news and suggestions.

Welld one it sounds as though you had a great time.

Hey Mark! I am looking forward to seeing the results between you and Holly! Way to go!

Mark,

Welcome home. Sounds like you had a great time. Get some rest, and then post those pictures!!!!

Jim

Mark,

Heck of a trip! Glad you got to the Orongo's. I shot my mountain zebra on a ranch and I wish I hadn't. Good work on the leopards.

Regards,

Mark

Mark, it�s a small world!!!!
I spoke to Isabell yesterday and she was all exited that Nicky broke his old record on hunting leopard with his recent guests. I didn�t know that is was you and Holly hunting with him. His old record was standing on two leopards in four days. Well done on that. From what I heard, you guys must have had a great time. If I didn�t get that wrong, Isabell mentioned that Holly should start up a comedy-show. Seems like Hollys humor made her and Nicky enjoy your company to a maximum. I know that they had hard times building up what they have to this day, but reading between the lines of what Isabell said, it was worth all the effort to host guys like you.
Can�t wait to see the photos.
Regards Kamaatu