Well 48 hours till those guys head out to RSA and a Safari compliments of Andrew McClaren safari's and many other donors here on AR...

Mason ask a thousand questions... I hope you get to see up close a really big elephant...

Mike

My kids are still babies but I hope some day to be able to do a father and son hunt.

Enjoy the trip

L

I have to say, I am pleased with Mason. He is prepared and fairly reserved about the whole thing. Excited? Yes. But, excited like a 25 year old, not an 8 year old.

I had always dreamed of making a trip like this with a son that would appreciate it. Saturday, we will.

T-48 and counting.


ChetNC

quote:

Originally posted by Lorenzo:
My kids are still babies but I hope some day to be able to do a father and son hunt.

Enjoy the trip

L

Lorenzo,

It may be a few years off, but if you do that 'father & son' trip with Andrew McLaren Safaris, at least a warthog trophy is on the house for you!

ChetNC,

Cecilia and I are ready for you and Mason. So is Aubs458 and luan. All are looking forward to meeting you and Mason and welcomming you in South Africa.

I note that by now the countdown is done in hours! More exciting now than using days!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

You guys are gonna have a great time and Il looking forward to meeting up with everyone when we come to Luan's.

congratulations again, and good luck! have fun!

heath

The bug is about to bite another poor soul!!!

Keith

quote:

Originally posted by Dulcinea:


The bug is about to bite another poor soul!!!

Keith

A1 +++

Well they should have arrived and are in bed for tomorrows first full day in Africa...

Good luck you guys,

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Well they should have arrived and are in bed for tomorrows first full day in Africa...

Good luck you guys,

Mike

And what a first day it was! I do not want to pre-empt ChetNC's report, but briefly:

The flight good and on time. At OR Tambo they were last into SAPS offices of about 30 hunters, but, Thanks to AUBS458 out first!

First 2 shots with .308 1/2" appart just off the bull. Then two shots with .375, both in the bull! Then off for the management hunt.

Three shots = 3 DRT animals. Taken offhand the first shot after a short stalk at 10.00 = nice DRT impala. Shot two at 11.55 (lying prone with rest) after a long wait for a clear shot at a selected big ran = DRT springbuck. Still lying in the same position shot 3 at 12.03 = DRT impala ram. Then we called it a day!

The American Marines sure teaches their soldiers to shoot! Joung Mason is also a very nice young guy! Really looking forward to the next two weeks!

Today some more non-trophy herd management hunting.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

What a first day! The .308 stayed warm and put meat on the ground quickly. Mason and I are having a WONDERFUL time.
I will not take long to post this morning but suffice to say things have gotten off to an incredible start!

ChetNC

Keep up the good shooting !!

South Africans are wonderful people ( As proven yet again ) I made lifelong friends and lifelong memories on my first trip. Chet, I am sure you and your son will to.

If any of those guys offer you a drink from a bottle wrapped in barbed wire.......run for the hills!

While I have a moment, just wanted to report another great day. Andrew stresses that this first bit is cull hunting but the game made us work today and gave us no easy shots. That's why we call it hunting and not getting, eh? Rather than rush to make kills, we got good plans for tomorrow and have scouted areas for kudu and eland.

Treatment has been first class all the way. The McLarens are great people and have been incredibly accomodating hosts to Mason and I. Andrew has all the right connections here and hunting with Andrew runs quite smooth.
More later,
ChetNC

Hey Alex,

Just wanted to say that it was excellent meeting you and your son Mason, holding thumbs for you guys!!!

Good luck

Wondering how the NC father and son are doing on safari???

Mike

Rudi, I, and our families met up with Alex, Mason, Andrew and his wife with Luan and his family at Luan's place yesterday.

We all had a FABULOUS time and great thanks are owed to Luan for his wonderful hopsitality. We went from early afternoon to about 0130 with tons of good food, booze, company, conversation and laughter and everyone had a fantastic time.

Tally so far is a few springbuck and impala etc but I won't say more too much as I don't want to spoil the hunt report....... I will mention that a certain somebody was heard to say of Andrew, damn, but that man can HUNT!

various curious packages such as umpteen Buffalo and PG targets plus a kisu were exchanged as part of the secret ceremonies and they went off to the KNP this morning with big smiles on their faces......... although it was rumoured that there were a few headaches!

My personal thanks to Andrew and Luan for their kindness, generosity and hospitality and also to everyone there for the fun, laughter and headache!

Luan's place incidentally is SIMPLY STUNNING and I've never seen kudu like he has there. UN-BLOODY-BELIEVEABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - his nyala aren't to be sneezed at either!

Additional thanks to Luan for his fabulous spit braiied bushpig and springbok. Both were great but that bushpig really was something special.

Before anyone asks for pics, I'm not sure but I rather suspect everyone was too 'busy laughing' to take any! - Sorry about that.

Gents, Luan's place has to be seen to be believed. Steve is quite right. There are some excellent animals there and a couple short drives around the place had us in awe.
Few hosts can match luan's expertise is making a complete stranger feel at home. If you need an education on how to throw a spit braai party in South Africa, see luan immediately. He can give a you a phd on the subject in short order. (If you have Zambia on your mind, you need to email him as well. )
His rondavel guest house is first rate lodging. No joke. And his cooking is excellent. But more than anything, luan is just a real good guy. He is the type of guy who ENSURES you having fun. Where did he learn it? The sire was on the premises for a bit as well, and the genetics were evident. luan is good people. Cheers mate.
Unfortunately, the rest of the events under the lapa are entirely secret. Steve has alluded to the transfer of certain items, including a Masai kisu knife to Mason (who will only be separated from it under pain of death at this point. Steve, if you read of a US customs agent with a bad gash to the thigh, just know you had a hand it! ). But, beyond that, I can say no more other than that both Mason and I are suffering from a severe case of Perm-a-grin

<retreever> the chair is against the wall....John has a long mustache.....


Prior to luan's, we did manage to put a cull kudu on the ground when the .375 Ruger performed some open heart surgery. We got some warthog meat for a friend as well, in Limpopo. But, more of that later. That is the meat and potatoes of the hunt report so I'll try not spoil it.



So, a big thanks to luan, Rudi and the rest of the South African contingent, and Steve and Susan, the best Britons around these parts.

Andrew is getting ready to braai here in the Kruger and the hornbills are getting loud so I'll get more in later.

ChetNC - the luckiest guy in Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by ChetNC:
<retreever> the chair is against the wall....John has a long mustache.....
ChetNC - the luckiest guy in Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by ChetNC:
Andrew is getting ready to braai here in the Kruger and the hornbills are getting loud so I'll get more in later.

ChetNC - the luckiest guy in Africa.

You'd better warn him to cover his windscreen wipers...... the hornbills there have a nasty habit of stripping the rubber off for some reason!

Thank you.

Steve chet thank you very much for the kind words it was only a pleasure having you guys around.Even if it results in headaches i finished all my biltong and wors making so the fridge are full and the next braai can be organised.

Rudi Andrew cecilia and every one especialy juanitta and fielies thanks for everyone else i think we enjoyed and had a bit of fun.

Steve if you feel sick i have a great docter in nelspruit just ask if you need the details lol

Regards
Luan

quote:

Originally posted by luan:
Steve if you feel sick i have a great docter in nelspruit just ask if you need the details lol

Regards
Luan

Mate, I think I'd rather put my faith in the local sangoma!

Just an update on ChetNC's hunt:

He fired 8 shots thus far ant it resulted in 8 dead animals! Congratulations.

Mason killed his first dassie with a long shot today! Great going and my personal congratulations to the young hunter!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

I'll second LDKs comment and add that with the background he has, I'd expect nothing less!!!!

Good to hear Mason getting into those Dassies. Good onya mate.

Has anybody heard from Andrew lately on how Chet's hunt went.

We have returned! We got in Saturday and my clock is still on SA time and I am a bit out of whack (Mason evidently is immune to jet lag yet would have been much happier had I left him with Andrew!). But, I will have a hunt report coming up shortly.
The abridged teaser version is- Andrew is "as advertised" and his descriptions of his services are spot on. Aubrey @ Air Charters (.458aubs) performed beautifully. Steve, Luan, and Rudi are as good a folks as you could hope to meet in this life. .308 kills stuff dead. .375 kills big stuff dead. We had a ball.

I promise to get a hunt report up as soon as possible.

Is it time for coffee and rusk or time for another jackal hunt? I don't know.

ChetNC

Welcome back. Glad y'all had a good trip and look forward to the hunt report.

Welcome home guys...Two new African hunters..

Mike

Welcome home Mate. Get some shut eye and get that full report out.

Hunt report posted my friends.
Right Here