Just home after spending 14 days on a PG safari in Namibia.
We were four hunters and one photographer from Norway who booked directly with Shona Hunting Adventures, owned and operated by our own Johann Veldsman. www.shona-adventures.com

The trip was divided into three parts.
First hunting on a big cattle/ low fence game farm bordering Etosha National Park.


Then spend two days on photo safari in Etosha, and hunt the rest of the time at Johanns place Tualuka Lodge a bit down the road.

After settling in the first day and done the rifle check, Johann came asking if any of us was interesting going hunting PAC lion the same afternoon!
A cow has been killed by lions from the park and the farm manager wanted it taken out.

One of our guys jumped in, and off they went.
A bit later that night they came back with a dead young male lion on the cruiser.
This one was shot by Johann, but the hunter had shot at another one who had gone into the bushes.
Darkness made them hit for camp.

Johann, a happy hunter!


Next morning they went after the other lion and found it dead close by.





What is that for a flying start

I was after mountain zebra on this farm, and after two days of tracking, following, climbing and crawling, I got a good shot at eighy yards.
The zebra went 30 yards and toppled over, dead.


It did get a bit exiting there, couse the zebra was shot not far from the park border, and it was getting dark very fast.
A blood fresh zebra and the wind blowing toward the park and the lions, wanted us to get out of there as fast as possible.
The tracker went for the cruiser, but never came back.
We had to go look for him and found him stuck with a front wheel in a warty hole.
Got it loose, got back to the zebra, no lions there, got him loaded up and went home.

The other guys was also doing fine, and after three days we went to Johanns place the Tualuka Lodge.
This place is like magic, built into and partly on top of granite boulders by a koppi, next to the dry Huab River.
Johanns property has no fences and game come and go as they like






Next for me was a black wildebeest, who had to be hunted on a high fence farm close by, but with a fenced area of 3200 hectares, I had no problems with that.

It took me the day, but late afternoon I got within 180 yards of an old bull and gave him a low lung shot.
He was technically dead, but needed another two to settle down.



Then it was springbok time.
I had three on my whish list and after many hours of spot and stalk I had them.
They where all three angling a bit, therefore the exit wounds in the belly on two of them.




Time for a break in the hunting and Etosha National Park.
Becouse of lots of rain in Namibia, there where water everywhere in the veldt, so waterholes was usually empty of game.
Still we did see a lot of animals and took many pictures.

What really amazed me was the enormous and pan cake flat Etosha Pan, wich covers an area of 4731 square kilometers!

Here we became witness to a small drama when a python killed a jackal and slowly made it dissapear down his throat.
This took place only 23 meters from the roadside.
Unfortnately the grass was so high, that the pictures I took was useless.






Bak to the lodge and my last animal, the kudu!
For two days we stalked the grey ghost without sucess, but late the second day as dusk fell, the eagle eyed trackers spotted a nice bull on a grass flat.

Off the cruiser in a blink, ran to find a place for a clear shot, up with the sticks, rifle on, safety off, crosshears on shoulder, and the deafening sound of a CLICK!

In the heat of the rush I had forgot to chamber a round!
Fortunately, he came clear a few seconds later in a small opening and this short glimps was enough.
A good shoulder shot, and he was mine
Johann, Tjokki and Jonas put in a lot of good work for me to bag this one!




Two more days left of a fantastic hunt, and I just wanted to relax in camp and enjoy the hospitality of Johanns family, and the beautifull surroundings.

But then this smart guy came up with an offer that we culd not refuse
All four hunters was offered to hunt a young gemsbok each for camp meat... free
So next morning boots and hat on and off to the woods.

We soon spotted gemsbok on a broad flat beween two koppis, and after a sucessfull stalk from mopani bush to mopani bush, I was able to give him a bullet behind the shoulder.



I can tell you that this old man was a happy hunter

Among us four hunters we did take 26 animals, including the four free gemsbok´s, and a rabid kudu cow.

Johann Veldsman runs a superb outfit, with demanding but great terrain, a terrific lodge, and perhaps the best of all, include his guests as members of his family at the lodge.
That gave this safari a very special thouch.

We did not bring measuring tape with us, but all animals taken was good ones, some my even reach silver or gold medals after measuring?

For us this was ment to be a fair chase, spot and stalk hunt on free ranging animals, and we got our fair share

Namibia is by far the cleanest and most tidy country I have ever seen, and I have seen a few!

Rifle used was the Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger, loaded with 270 grn TSX.
Scope was the new Zeiss Duralyt in 2-8x42.
All performed superb.

A great thanks to Johann and Vera who set up an unforgettable safari for us frozen Vikings in the sunny and friendly Namibia!

Good stuff...it sure looked green over there!

Congratulations! You took some fine trophies and it looks like you had a great adventure!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures. It was great to see pictures of Johann and Tjokkie.

Congratulations! The pictures are absolutely beautiful!


Mad Dog

Great job, Arild! Beautiful pictures.

Glad you all had a great time!

Well done and some nice trophies. I'm glad you enjoyed your safari.

I owe it to myself to see Namibia in the spring and your photos motivate me more than you know.

Dear Arild

Good to see you had a great hunt.
Even better to see you posting it.

I would be interested in seeing more pictures of the camp. Can you post some.

Thanks Mark

Thanks for nice comments.
And a BIG hug to Ann, who was the one that fixed me up with Johann in the first place

Mark, I will try to post a few more pictures from the Tualuka Lodge.
The place is pure magic!

Thank's for shareing Arild!

Seems like a nice hunt and a great lodge!

Nils-Ole

Hi Arild
Glad you guys made it back safely, really enjoyed hunting with you and the rest of the guys.

What a fantastic kudu. A last minute trophy is always sweeter. Good shooting and outstanding photos.

Mike

Johann, it was a pleasure to be there with you, Vera, and the family.
A memory that will last a lifetime!

Mike, thank you, I bloody well deserved this one after walking, spotting, climbing koppies, stumbling into warthog holes, and running for two days (yes, Johann made me run!)

quote:

Originally posted by Arild Iversen:
Johann, it was a pleasure to be there with you, Vera, and the family.
A memory that will last a lifetime!

Mike, thank you, I bloody well deserved this one after walking, spotting, climbing koppies, stumbling into warthog holes, and running for two days (yes, Johann made me run!)

You forgot to mention kissing the PH's Butt

Just nearly Johann, just nearly!

And I was hoping that that incient would pass in utter silence

Great report Arlid!

You pictures are wonderful and a bit of an inspiration to this bumbling amateur!

Who made you run?

Tell me and i'll go duff them up, they should done the running for you sir!

Best,

Amir

Arild,

Looks like you had a great hunt mate. Hopefully we will see you in the autumn here in the UK and share the stories.

Rgds,
K

Well done. Ur outstanding report and pics are KILLING me, as I'm booked w/ Johann for '13.

Gonna be a long 24 months...

Arild: Thanks for your report. I hunted with Johann in 2007 and would love to go back. Tualuka is in fact a magical place.
By the way Johann, have you put on a couple of pounds?

Congrats on an excellent safari and some great trophies!!!

Congratulations on your hunt. Looks like you guys had a great time. Johann and I found fresh Lion sign in this area while I was there last September. We stalked in on a Eland kill but the Lions were not there. Darn!!!! I had a great hunt with Shona and I'm heading back there again next August.

quote:

You forgot to mention kissing the PH's Butt

Kiri.
Hopefully there will be chance to visit you guys again in the future

Rino.
Ok...nothing serious, but running close behind Johann in high grass, I stumbeled in a warthog hole and banged my head into his butt.
Instinctly I grabbed him in a sort of embrace to steady myself.

The whole situation must have looked pretty hilarious for the tracker following us, and my brother who was filming from the top of the cruiser.

Fortunately he did not catch the insident on film

Arild, sounds like a classic head-butt maneuver! Besides the fortune of it not being filmed you didn't suffer a broken ankle on your trip.

Those of you interested in Namibia should give Johann a serious look!

Congratulations Arlid! That looks like a wonderful hunt!! Beautiful place too. I had the pleasure of meeting Johann and his wife and daughter at the AHG show in Atlanta back in January. I hope to be able to put a hunt together with him in sometime.

Arild. I have said it before, and ill say it again!
Id hunt with you anytime.. BUT you have to walk in front!

Rino, thank you for having so much confidence in me.
And if we ever gonna hunt together some time, this old man will gladly go up front (and set his own leisurely pace)

Adamhunter, hunting with Johann and be part of the family at the lodge, will give you good memories that will last a lifetime.

Arild,

Wonderful report and congratulations on some fine trophies!

David

Congratulations on you hunt. Thanks for sharing. I hunted with Johann last year and had a blast. We are going back again next year. We saw lion sign on my hunt ... see my report.

quote:

Originally posted by dlroxby:
Congratulations on you hunt. Thanks for sharing. I hunted with Johann last year and had a blast. We are going back again next year. We saw lion sign on my hunt ... see my report.

Thank you mate, if money was not an issue, I would go back in a blink, and stayed for as long as possible.

Here is the crew who sang for us when we left.
It actually brought tears in this old mans eyes.



And the baas who saw us off to the hills every morning



The whole atmosphere at the lodge and along the old Huab River made me forget the rest of the world out there, just plain enjoyment