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With a couple of days of down time whilst in Joburg, we decided to fly up to Namibia to stay with friends on their gamefarm near Dordabis and get in a last wingshoot of 2014 and maybe some hunting and spend shared time with friends.


Here some photographs and short texts.


We packed two shotguns – a 12 and a 20, both Brownings – and two rifles a .30-06 and .416, both CZs one scoped and the big one on iron sights





A very comfortable lodge on a 6.000 h farm with great views and plenty of game but tricky, walk and stalk hunting











We arrived early afternoon, unpacked and went for a drive. We were looking for gemsbok, wildebeest, hartebeest, springbok and warthog and anything else that presented itself ie anything and everything basically.


Bennie, PH, climbing to glass for game





It was not long before we were stalking a springbok (for the table), which was interrupted by a warthog and then back onto another springbok – if that makes sense. I took a young, fat ram with the .30-06 and albeit one for the pot, we took a few pictures


The smell of cotton candy






I was quite pleased with this shot as a ‘meat shot’












We then tried to get onto a herd of gemsbok but the wind was fluky and gave us away so we called it a day and took a slow drive thru the farm back to the lodge. We saw kudu, Burchells and Hartmanns zebra, blue and black wildebeest, red hartebeest, gemsbok, springbok, impala, blessbok, ostrich, warthog, steenbok, duiker, hare and various birds from vultures to hornbills.

Our second (and last) day saw us up and out early for some sandgrouse and dove shooting at one of the many pans on the farm. It is always a joy to shoot sandgrouse especially working with Rocky, the lab Deutsch-Drahthaar X.





With just the two of us shooting and the birds coming in from everywhere over such a large area it was tough, long shooting but nevertheless we had fun and managed a dozen plus birds between us.






A bird in the hand …






We then had a go at the guinea fowl …











And then putting the shotguns away we went back to the rifles …






We had a great stalk on a herd of 20 plus black wildebeest with a cracking herd bull with me carrying the .416 loaded with 450 grain Norma African PH softs – overkill on a black wildi hell yes and fun doing it! At less than 25 meters and with the .416 on the sticks and me waiting for the bull to step clear from the cow behind him the wind suddenly swirled and the herd – without even looking in our direction – took flight and were away as one in full gallop! Another stalk on a good red hartebeest bull but also without success and it was brunch time.

After a short rest, we went out again and Anja went back to bird shooting – albeit with the .30-06 – and my wife dropped a fine young ostrich for the pot







He showed us a middle toe! These nails can do damage!









We then sat a while for a large warthog that Bennie had picked up on the trail cam but the pig did not show and we ended up shooting birds at a small water splash taking a few more sandgrouse and doves.






And we then finished the day off with a G&T whilst enjoying a fantastic sunset followed up by a springbok steaks braai and SA Chocolate Block shiraz!





Early the following morning we dropped some birds at a taxidermist (a new one for us) to be mounted and we caught the midday SAA flight to Joburg. Check-in with the gun cases was super easy and done in minutes and we had time for a draught Windhoek beer in the lounge before the flight!

Taking off it was good to see rain clouds building up bringing the promise of much needed rain!





This would be our last Africa hunt of 2014 but we will be back in Namibia in 2015 for sure!

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Great shooting. Thanks for sharing. AIU

What a pleasant few days away with friends. Very refreshing.

Looks very relaxing! Hope you had a fine time. It certainly looks like you did.

My kind of fun hunting!

Relaxed hunting with friends and no pressure is always the very best kind. Well done.

Charlie you did it again ,great safari congratulations .