quote:

Originally posted by Safari-Hunt:

quote:

we were just out JACKING AROUND...isn't that the way it usually goes !!!!

I always try and tell my clients the more relax you are with the hunting the luckier you get.

It's your trip your money your holiday enjoy it and the trophies will come in.

Spot on!

Alright Boys: I'm not having any luck getting these pictures downloaded that I have been big-mouthing about. Is there anyone out there that can figure out how to post these things if I e-mail them to you ??????????? send me a line at.... bcolyer@q.com Thanks, Brennan

yeah I can have them on here in a econd if you email them.
chris.thompson71@t-mobile.com

Thanks Steve...thanks Goose: They are already on the way.

my biggest 54" and for me it was great but after seen this i´ll keep trying

bcolyer's pics of his MIGHTY FINE kudu:

bcolyer,

So now what is the story behind that mighty fine kudu. It must be the best looking 60" + I have seen some of them looks out of proportion but yours look perfect.

And he was old enough to pass on those fine genes. Good work

I've just booked a hunt at a place in Limpopo Province where there are 3 different prices for greater kudu: An almost meat-value cost for one up to 53 7/8"; A significantly higher for one bigger than 53 7/8" and a last even higher price for an over 60" kudu.

I know people do not like to pay a differentiated trophy fee: I however like taking clients to such a place: they get what they pay for! It so happens that I've hunted part of this particular property [it is now considerably bigger by incorporating the another large farm!] since 1983, and I 'know' that those big ones are there. Not in abundance to be able to make any sort of a guarantee, but in good enough numbers to have realistic hope of getting one!

Watch this space till after July for photos! [I reasonably hope! ]

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Andrew,

Please let us know how your client goes on that hunt..........I'd sell my soul for a Kudu like that

Cheers,

Blair.

Awesome kudu!

Boys...it is 5:45 am on a fine COLD Monday morning here. I am absolutely pressed out the door for work right now. But....will be back by early afternoon and will give all the details on the Kudu above. Where, When and Circumstances. Gotta run right now, but back soon. Brennan

Simply OUTSTANDING!! Anxious to hear more.

Monster ....Can't wait to hear where that comes from......looks like Limpopo....

The Kudu in the above pictures:
First of all may I say thank you to Shakari and Aspen Hill for posting the pics. Man, I wish I was more computer literate !! I need to learn, it isn't going away.
The Kudu came from the Munnik area, S.A., just north and east of Tzaneen. I was out with my GOOD friend and PH buddy Johan Spies of "SPIES SAFARIS". We were out just whackin' left over quota near the end of the season last September. If you do not understand left over quota...YOU NEED TO LEARN !!!
LESSON #1. When your PH says....try to keep your calendar open....and near the end of the season (yes it may be a little hot), Come over and we'll take some left over quota for a greatly reduced price....YOU BETTER PAY ATTENTION!!!
The big boys are still there. The pressure is off. The bush is usually dry and more open. The hunt is more relaxed. etc. etc. etc.
Anyway, we were having fun, and being opportunistic. Now, I know in my heart Mr. Spies had seen this Kudu before...He knew that bruiser was there...but like the vast majority of the good PH's in S.A and other places.....he would rather see a friend take that old boy than himself. Hell, I've got GOOD African eyes, but didn't even see the thing. I was 10-15 yards away and ALL I could see was a patch of hair on the shoulder. When Spies said shoot...I shot....LESSON #2. IF YOU CAN'T TRUST YOUR PH...who the heck can you trust???? If YOU ever have ambitions of taking first class trophies, you better piss when they say piss. Shut-up when they say shut-up.....and SHOOT when they say SHOOT.
MOST of these boys (and girls) are PROfessionals. That is PRO...PRO...PRO, they aren't just PRACTICING like most of us medical folks. Now....I've had the opportunity to be there a lot. Usually over 3 months ON SAFARI each summer...for a number of years, and most of that, on the working end of the safari. Your PH is one your side !!!!
One more rant and I'll shut up. LESSON #3. I shot this old boy with my .416 Rigby. I shoot duikers and mice with that Rigby. All things being equal....opportunities are few and far between. You better take advantage of any one you get !!!! I had to plow through brush to take this old boy. I would hate to make that shot with my .270 (that I dearly love), or any other "regular" American hunting calibre. Get yourself a proper, heavy, (.375 & up) African calibre. Kill more game, destroy less meat, spend less time tracking...and learn how to shoot it.
Hope I don't sound like a smart-ass...don't mean to. For me...it's just the more you do it, (safari) the more important it is to learn from those many fine Professionals who are fleshing out their living, passion....and sport every day. While I sit here pretending I know how it is done. Brennan
p.s. My next sermon will be on "Why Zimbabweans are like Cockroaches". Which in all honesty, is the ABSOLUTE best compliment, I could ever pay to the old Rhodies who are hanging tough in impossible situations.

Congratulations, Brennan. That has to be one of the best Kudu bulls that I have ever seen. That's a pretty big smile on Johan's face also. What's the story on the rest of your hunt? Kurt

Sir, my hat of to you...some of the best "out of the horses mouth", "sweet&short" advice I have seen on this forum about PG hunting in South Africa, in a long time.

Well done on a great trophy. Not that it realy matters, but I must have missed it, how much did he tape out?

Infinito: In retrospect....the answer to your question is....IT'S NOT WHAT THE TAPE SAID....IT'S THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT PUT A TAPE ON HIM FOR NEARLY A WEEK....that I am most pleased. For the first three or four days, it was the fact that he was just the Kudu of my dreams.....long after my dreams for Kudu had finally abated. For the next few days it was the JOY OF EXPECTATION that we both wanted to hold onto.
Spies and I had DAYS of "looks", and "smiles", and wordless anticipation of the time we would throw a tape on him. In my opinion, that's how your stretch a gift out.....We made the most of it.
Hell yes we put the tape to him....but at the right time !! To answer your question.
62" Long....52" Tip to Tip. Damn, you should have seen the smiles. I can still feel mine.

Brennan...BIG Congratulations to you and I appreciate your humor/philosophy too!!

Well, my December commitment has faded away to the vagaries of the Botswana government changine thier minds, at least for now...so I can now get more serious about hunitng in the proper time of year, the rut...or as Brennan has done...the end of season left overs...and get lucky...that's hunting, and I love it!!
Cheers.

Excelent Kudu BColyer he is sponsored by Viagra because if he doesnt give you a stiffy for 3 months nothing will

Only on the internet are 60 inch Kudu, 45 inch Cape Buffalo, and 40 inch Mule deer a dime a dozen...

Hey Ray: Just got back from the Salt Lake ISE show. Picked up my Kudu horns posted earlier on this thread, they had just come in. Still raw....and stinky from the dip job. While there...no less than 8 guys put a tape on those horns. They are 7 months dry. Still over 60".
Perhaps on the internet they are a dime a dozen, but to the guys like me who know how fortunate we were, those memories are like the T.V. commerical......PRICELESS.

/

We have a 33000 acre concession near the Kruger National Park within a 60 mile radius of Burgersfort, where you have a real good chance for a 60" Kudu. At least you'll be hunting on sizable land, improving your chances.
Contact jaco@gametrackersafrica.com for more details

quote:

Originally posted by Andrew McLaren:
I've just booked a hunt at a place in Limpopo Province where there are 3 different prices for greater kudu: An almost meat-value cost for one up to 53 7/8"; A significantly higher for one bigger than 53 7/8" and a last even higher price for an over 60" kudu.

I know people do not like to pay a differentiated trophy fee: I however like taking clients to such a place: they get what they pay for! It so happens that I've hunted part of this particular property [it is now considerably bigger by incorporating the another large farm!] since 1983, and I 'know' that those big ones are there. Not in abundance to be able to make any sort of a guarantee, but in good enough numbers to have realistic hope of getting one!

Watch this space till after July for photos! [I reasonably hope! ]

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Any pre-season scouting pics, Andrew?

Or sightings.............

This one was taken in Vivo, SA in 2006 by my buddy during the last minutes on the last day of our hunt. They were walking back to the truck when this guy stepped out and was following some cows. The right side went 59 1/2 and left side 58 1/2. Not quite the magic 60 out pretty close.

Very nice bull.

quote:

Originally posted by Ondjamba - GTA:
We have a 33000 acre concession near the Kruger National Park within a 60 mile radius of Burgersfort, where you have a real good chance for a 60" Kudu. At least you'll be hunting on sizable land, improving your chances.
Contact jaco@gametrackersafrica.com for more details

I was in the burgersfort area yesterday visiting one of my friends we saw 3 bulls the smallest at about53" biggest about 57" and that was in about an hour's walking. it was great to see i think its the best area for big kudu by a long way.

we measured 2 that he shot this years one was 54 1/8 " and the other 57"

Coyler your right about that, your one lucky hunter and congratulations...A rare kill in todays Africa, the big bulls are there but they didn't get that big being stupid..

At one time the area around Chinhoyi was the best and my hunters killed several in the 60 plus range every year, the largest being 67 plus but that was some years back and much of that part of Zimbabwe has suffered at the hands of the bush meat market...I have a film that shows over 100 sable bulls in one bunch at Chinhoyi..I shot several in that area that went 60 or near 60 inches..

Today however, the best Kudu we are killing is further North in those secluded areas...Big Kudu are like gold, they are where you find them and just because you shoot a big one on some concession doesn't mean you will get another any time soon...Kudu travel further than most any antelope, they have a very big ranging area, I have seen the same bull a hundred miles apart in 24 hours on one ocassion.

To start with your talking 7 days, and if I wanted a world class trophy of any kind I would at least hunt 2 weeks or more..Time is the criteria for success in hunting..

Today everybody wants a big Kudu. Damn few shoot 60 inch Kudu, so don't go to Africa with unreasonable expectations, that is the best way to ruin a Safari..Then again maybe you will get lucky, that's what its really all about..

The areas surrounding Kruger park such as the Seleti Game Preserve probably have some near 60 inch Kudu, but they are mostly high fenced, even though some of them are big, I think the Seleti is 75,000 acres..

Most of my comments do not include high fenced areas where most 60 inch Kudu are shot today...

/

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
Ray:

There are very few fences that will hold Kudu or Eland for that matter...

This matches the experience related by the farmer I hunted with in Southern Namibia a few years back. In spite of full game fencing, the Kudu came and went as they saw fit. I found that rather amazing.

- mike

Alf,
I don't doubt what you say one bit and I have seen this often...but on ranches such as the Seleti the fences are huge and hot, elephant proof type to keep the 75 elephants in. They also have road gangs riding and repairing the fence on a full time basis, and the area is 75,000 acres so they are probably content to stay. I'm sure you have seen these high dollar operations at work..

Phillip Price with Swartkei has some high fenced areas with very high well maintained fences and he still looses some Kudu, but he also gains a few from time to time..He is always shooting a big one that came out of nowhere!!
However his best Kudu are on his home place of some 200,000 plus acres with a 3 strand barb wire fence on it where the Kudu are free roaming.

/

With kudu you win some you lose some but its good for the area's gene pool that they move around

Well said 375 Fanatic..

Alf,
I suspect your spot on!

One thing I have seen in Africa and that is many homes have a really huge Kudu hanging over the fireplace, most of them are moth eaten and a bit smokey, but they do make ones mouth water, to see what might be a worlds record hanging there because grandpaw Koch shot it...

How I would have loved to hunted Africa in those days, I almost made it but only got in on the tail end I guess, and maybe I missed the boat all together, but at any rate it was better than todays Africa...that said, todays Africa is better than anyplace else on this planet by a long shot.

Ray: So true! That too, is wisdom!

Monster kudus is normally in areas with alot of aloes around when you walk in the veld you can see that they eat the tips of the aloe leaves. keeps them healthy and keeps the ticks away.

Damn 375 Fantastic....That is a GREAT OBSERVATION. I have been walking around witnessing exactly what you said about Big Kudu and Aloe's, and NEVER put two and two together till you just wrote that!! Your stock just went up. Thanks for the insight.

/

The holy grail is alive and well,

I have went visiting a cousin of mine, who has shot a 64 Inch bull on his place, and his son a 67 inch a couple of miles uo the road, so I went visiting,

And in 3 days , they showed me 25 sets of horns in barns, sheds, stoeps ( porches) and farm houses in one block of countryside, but did the stingy bastard organize me the opurtunity , no

and that is why they are so cagey, heolding it againts their chests, very selfish I say , this family of mine.

But I know where it is, and I am starting too get too know some farmers around there,

So I also keep on dreaming,

If I can get the photos scanned in I will post them, but you will your pants,

the 67 was shot by a 17 year old boy on a meat hunt

Quite a number of possible reasons why Kudu would benefit from Aloe -

quote:

Medicinal Uses of Aloe vera

The farmer wanted to know the medicinal value of aloe vera. The data sheet below highlights the medicinal purposes of the plant

Summary:

Features & Benefits

Moisturizes to help promote cell proliferation for healthy skin
Hydrates, moisturizes and rejuvenates the skin by helping to stimulate synthesis of collagen and elastin
Activates fibroblasts to produce connective tissue
Contains naturally occuring antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, zinc and seven superoxide dismutases
Contains chamomile and comfrey extracts, that are traditionally used to promote healthy skin.

This link found in search may tell you a lot more.