Well it has been over a year that I have been reading AR. And with all of the Africa talk that has been going on around here, we (the wife and I) have decided that a trip over there is definately going to happen. We are going in June 2008. With the plan of hunting Buffalo and plains game. It will take that long to save the money. We have not decided where yet, but that will happen down the road.

So with the help of Everybody here on AR we have started training/planning.

So we started having money withdrawn every month (as suggested by AR members)Thank you.

I then purchased a 375 H&H for the trip. I decided that if we are going to do this that I was going to have to start getting use to a larger rifle. And there was NO WAY that I was going that far and then being scared of my rifle. I wanted to become as proficient with that rifle as I am with my regular hunting rifle (30-06). And the only happens from shooting it lots.

We also had to get Erika(wife) out shooting more. As I am a farmer, time is a bit of a problem. That combined with the fact that my farm is too close to the city, so we can't shoot here on the property. So I made a promise to myself that I will get out shooting at least once a month.

So we got out shooting yesterday. We went out shooting gophers with the .22's. We had the other rifles along also. So part way through the day we stopped in a nice area and decided to practice with the bigger rifles.

Now shooting paper/dirt clumps and cow pies is fine for a little while, but that gets boring fast. So when the baby gophers got use to our shooting they started coming out of there holes. That is where the shooting takes on a different level of challenge.

I managed to hit 2 with my 375. And Erika got 1 with her 30-06.



Erika also shot her first badger yesterday. It was about 35 yards taken with the .22




I just wanted to say thanks to everybody that makes this forum possible. It is a wealth of information.

And when the time comes for the Safari, I know that we will be ready for it, because of all of the people on here.


Graylake

mrlexma - unfortunately I won't get drawn this fall for mule deer buck. A mule deer doe is definately in for a surprise though.

dogcat - the "bull" was not charging. I shot him behind the shoulder, as he was feeding past a waterhole that I was watching over.

GrayLake,

2008!!!!! You are a very patient man I dont think I could handle the wait, Have you booked already?

Hallelujah!!!

After many years of jibing from my friends, I finally find a kindred spirit who also uses his .375 on squirrels!!!

Graylake - don't let the naysayers get to you. After all, one has to start SOMEWHERE. (At least, that's what I told them).

No - you do NOT want to hear the story .......

zambian - It is not that I am a patient man. I would go today, if given the chance. It is just that I can't afford to go any sooner.

And yes I have tried to get the wife to take a second and third job, with the intention of going sooner. Her response was not printable.

No I have not booked yet! We are still deciding exactly what we want to hunt. It is getting narrowed down, then it will be deciding on a location or two.

Graylake,

I recommend you and Erika take a shooting course at a school. Perfect practice makes perfect, so you need to learn "perfection".

My wife and I went to one two years ago, and it was Good to let the pros teach her (no frustration from her or me!).

Email me if you want more information.

jim dodd

That is one dead gopher. Good practice, you should try and hit one head on or a Texas heart shot and see if there is even a gopher left to collect.

What are you going to do with the badger? He would make a nice life-size mount. You could put him in a sleeping pose and put him by the front door. See who is brave enough to knock.

You certainly are a patient person. I have a trip in 2006 and I can hardley wait. You must be pretty good at sitting in a blind.

Sevens

hunterjim - I don't have to teach my wife how to shoot, thank goodness. When I met her she was working as a Seasonal Conservation Officer for Alberta Fish & Wildlife. Her main responsiblity was working with black bears, trapping and relocating any of the problem bears in the area. She got sent on a great firearms course through F&W. But I agree totally, if she was not proficient in shooting, then I would definately not be the one to teach her. That would only end up in a divorce.

Her only short fall, is that she has not had much opportunity to pull the trigger hunting, 5 animals so far. But that will be changing over the next few years.

Sevens - I will get a chance to do some more gopher shooting later this summer, I will keep you updated on the preformance results.

The picture does not show it, but the badger was quite rubbed all over its back. It was just left in the field. The reason it was shot, was because of the damage it does to the fields. The large holes it digs, cause big problems for the cows and calves that use this pasture.

As for patience, I have very little. I can only manage about a 1 hr in a blind or on stand. This wait for Africa is just about unbareable.

The only thing that keeps me going is reading about everybody elses safaris here on AR.

Graylake

The best practice for big bore shooting or any hunting is the formitable jack rabbit, he will make you the best of off hand shots..He comes out under your feet and lays waste to the ground...I grew up on jack rabbit shooting off hand at ranges from 10 to 400 yards. I still hunt them with .22 LR, scoped rifle in various calibers or my double rifle in 470 N.E.