..go to Afrika unless you are prepared to come back.. Been home for a week now, and I am already started saving up for a second return.
Ok...I have now been on for first journey to Afrika and I was last year contacted by Andrew McLaren Safaries regarding a ethical hunt, which I requested.
I didn`t asked any other operaters really after concidering McLarens offers + some corrospondances we did. I relied 100% upon his descriptions and guidance, which I normally don`t do in my proffessional life..always get a second oppinion. I think however my judgement was correct after a few e-mails with Andrew and accepted his hunts.
I came on the 23rd of april and had my first hunt the 24th in the morning for a little M´palahunt..
My first african game shot with my .333jeffery. The 300 grain bullet had run lengthwise thrue the animal, and we found the bullet sticking out, dangling in the haires..


Ok..we headed out to Andrews place..typical Vryystadt dirtroads..

crossing the "Vaal"river..


The day after I shot 3 nice Blesboks..this one was nicest shot at some 250m..270Wea!!
The first morning I shot a ol`cow that were laying down for a rest..at evening I got two more within 2 minuttes

We hunted springboks ..seing much but without luck(hunting really).. and Andrew at evening suddenly got a carproblem..two vehicals brokedown..aks his client if hew anted to take a "little stalk" himself in the morning..hahaha..Bingo!!..
This one here was downed at some 350m..that was as close as I could ever come..I am glad the 270 wea is a flatshooting caliber..because I had my crosshair 4" over its back, and yet the bullet struck dowm with a low loungshot!!

We did a little bit of driving going to fifferent places to hunt..
We found this little cat on the road one morning..A Carecal

That day we hunted an ol`Black Wilderbeast cow..and got what we wanted..333Jeffry at 175m using iron sight only..



Sitting around Andrews place for Steenboks these 4 "chickens" came by..

As stated earlier on Accurate reloading we had a Guiniafowlshoot. I had never been on such a hunt before a was natually very excited, how this would take place!!

We went out with 4x4s and scouting for the flocks..

..We incircled the flock by driving and spreading the hunters in a circle, and then moving closer and closer..
..Here a little break..andplanning..

Result after 2 days of hunting..The steenbok in front was shot by me, earlier that morning..

That Guiniafowl shoot was some of the best hunt I have ever participated in..Great hunters from Andrews relationsship was picked out for this annual event. These guys here were all fine sportsmen, and we all had a really really great time, all enjoying our good compays, good foods(Braii). I think I can say for all of them who were there, had an interest in Africa, history, guns, hunting...good food and woman...hahaha
On the guiniafowlhunt, I found this bug...a Wheatcricket..A 12bore65mm is beside the bug..


..snakes in the kitchen..!!! Puffadder..

A gundealr from Durban who on the Fowlhunts had this 8bore Dr with him, wee all could shoot!!!

The .270cal has been blamed for many things..but its a killer in my book..150 grain Nosler Par @ 230 paces measured from Andrews ..One shot and dowm!! Whats the problem??
We wanted to shoot it with the .333cal rifle, but hunting all day, we saw this chance, and the .270wea was the only option..


Waiting for something to happen on a springbok hunt, I took a picture of my rifle resting on a termithill..

..Impala..

Unfortunatly this "ArdWolf" was "bumped" one evening from a hunt..I had to finish it with the .333cal...Sad really

..A Ph is always ready to carry two rifles, shootingsticks,dragging the game so the client can rest..hahaha

One day we desided to shoot warthog. which we had seen the day before..But no luck..I took a "Colabreak" after some 5 hours of waiting near a mudhole..haha

One of the last mornings in afrika, before sunrise..I went on a little "selfstalk", and popped thislittle fellow here..Steenbok

Red hartebeast was shoot the last day..we hunted for a Black wilderbeast, but this one came up..the .333cal did this job here..

Later that day, I finished 3 Impalas with head-shots using only my .270cal.
An important note here: Both rifle I took for this african trip here had I never shot game with before..both were blooded in Afrika really. I takes some time to buildt a confidence with a new rifle, even though these rifles were not new to me, since I have had them for 2-3 years, but getting to know them in the field is something else, than using them just on the shootingrange. The .270wea was really the gamegetter. It took game further out, where the .333cal had lost it breath way back. The .333jeffery is really for a little bigger game then what I got to shoot. Eland, Hippo and small Buffalos would been have been more in the .333jeffery league..
I had 15 days of hunting in SA, and I should have done that several years ago..but I am glad I got started.
We should have been to the bushvelt too, hunting the game upthere...but obvious the "carproblem" compromised it a bit. However Andrew did a spledid job on so many other things, I decided, next time then will be the bushvelt. Andrew was keen in sharing his knowledge about the SA fauna, Boerwar, in its inhabitants, which I benefited a lot from.
His wife Cilia did a bang job on the cocking. If I exclude the braiis, I never recieved the same meal twice in the 15 days I was there!!!
5 Stars for the Cocking!!!!!.
I must say I really came for hunting I wanted.
Not one time could we ever pay gratitude to the car...hahaha.

Well done and nice trophies!

Very nice report and photos Jens. I can certainly relate to the draw of Africa. I'm already planning my second trip there and I haven't even been on my first one yet, which will be later this year.

Congratulations on your hunt. Where will you be headed next or are you still deciding?

Brett

Nicely Done!!! You obviously had a great time.

Great title ... and Oh So TRUE

Looks like you enjoyed your safari.

Identity of species correction:
Your cat in the road is not a Caracal but rather appears to me to be one of the Genet cats. They don't look anything alike.

Sounds like a great hunt, congratulations.

Great report Jens. I see you appreciated Africa for what it is in all its diversity and magic.

I hope you left a springbok for me when I return in 12 days to hunt again with Andrew on the Grassveldt.

I just wish I had your 270 Weatherby.

The cat looked very much like my civit.

Congratulations on a great hunt and Guinea Fowl shoot. It's unfortunate for that Egyptian goose to be flying with the Guinea Fowl.

BTW, that cat looks like an African Civet to me.

Namibiahunter

The cat is a Genet, not a Civet. The pattern is different and the Civet has "Racoon" black mask eyes above a white muzzle and it's ring tail ends in black. They are easily confused.

Congratulations on your first trip. Looks like you had a great time. And as you said ,now you must go back , hopefully many times in the future. I like your rifles , the 270 wby was made for long shots in Afrika.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
The cat is a Genet, not a Civet. The pattern is different and the Civet has "Racoon" black mask eyes above a white muzzle and it's ring tail ends in black. They are easily confused.

LionHunter is quite correct!

This is a Small Spotted Genet [Genetta genetta] There are a few facts that support the statement: (i) The area in which it was found lie well within the natural distribution of the small spotted genet and well outside that of the large soptted genet, as well as outside the natural range of the civit. (ii)The white tail tip is diagnostic for similar looking creatures. The large spotted genet has a black tail tip; but this is not diagnostic as so the civit also sport a black tail tip! Only the similar looking palm civit also has a white(ish) tail tip, but these do not occur anywhere near the Free State.

The unfortunate aardwold suddenly appeared from out of the dark from the grass on the edge of the road and was unfortunately run over by my vehicle - apparently breaking it's back. Humane consideration let me choose the [illegal] option of putting it out of it's pain. The only available rifle was Jens' .333 Jeffery. We left it there!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Looks like you had an excellent hunt. Yep, once you have been to Africa, you are immediately wanting to return. We had initiated our third Safari within half an hour of arriving in camp on our second Safari!

LLS

Congratulations on a great hunt. You really took some nice animals. I too am saving for my return hunts; I hope in August 2010. Africa hunting gets into your blood. I don't think it ever gets out.

Lion Hunter.

Thanks for pointing out the difference. In the picture, the face was not easily seen. I get more comments on my mounted civit cat than any of the other six african animals I have on display in my business.

H Kittle

quote:

Originally posted by h kittle:
Lion Hunter.

Thanks for pointing out the difference. In the picture, the face was not easily seen. I get more comments on my mounted civit cat than any of the other six african animals I have on display in my business.

H Kittle

You are certainly welcome. The confusion is normal but I think we all appreciate being able to properly identify our trophies for admirers and the small spotted African cats are not often seen outside trophy rooms.