OVERALL SYNOPSIS OF THE HUNT

I recently returned to Vegas with my wife Karol, after a fabulous hunt with PH Brad Rolston on the Balule Reserve in Northern South Africa adjoining the Kruger National Park and some of its surrounding concessions. I took Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo and Warthog. My wife, who is not a hunter, but joined me on the trip, took a big bull giraffe. Our friends who also accompanied us took Lion, Hippo, Waterbuck, Bushpig and Warthog. What a fantastic time!

DATES AND LOCATION OF THE HUNT:

June 19-29, 2005; Our companion couple, Dan and Karen Hopkins, were there earlier for lion, starting on June 15.

ANIMALS TAKEN:

Male Lion, Bull Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Warthog, Giraffe. Companion Couple took Male Lion, Bull Hippo, Waterbuck, Bushpig and Warthog.

PROFESSIONAL HUNTER:

Brad Rolston of Rolston Hunting (Stella, South Africa) Brad's wife Monica accompanied him and spent her time taking our two wives, Karol and Karen, touring and sightseeing in Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Pilgrim's Rest, Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, numerous jewelry and gold shops, etc.

THE HUNT:

Upon our arrival in Phalaborwa we drove to the Balule Reserve where we met our companion couple Dan and Karen Hopkins. Dan had already taken a huge male lion that had been on bait for 3 weeks. The male lion was 525 pounds with a beautiful ginger and black mane. He had also taken a male hippo that weighed in at 7,000 pounds. The hippo was a problem hippo that had been coming into the lodge area and had posed a danger to the Mathaga Farm owner's own children. Karen had also shot a nice old Waterbuck earlier that had fallen near a bull elephant who did not want to leave the fallen waterbuck. It took some time to convince the elephant to leave so Karen could claim her trophy.

I started my hunt the very next morning of arrival from Phalaborwa for my lion. These were free ranging lions since the fences were down between the Balule Reserve and Kruger. Brad had been baiting two male lion, one which he estimated would go over 600 pounds. That morning I assisted in hanging a fresh hippo quarter at a site that the big male lion had visited, along with fresh entrails and blood. By late afternoon, the big male was within 3-4 hundred yards of the bait and moving in that directiion. By nearly dusk he had moved in, eaten some of the entrails, and laid down about 30 yards from the hippo shoulder waiting for darkness and the full moon in order to feed. At 70 yards I took him with my .375 H&H through the upper heart and severing the aorta. The second shot broke his neck. As we approached him in near darkness I was sweaty and shaking even carrying the .470 NE Double Rifle. Dangerous Game does that to you, believe me! He was a beautiful huge male with a ginger and black mane and was estimated at 605 pounds. His body size and paws were tremendous and it was all that I could do to put my arms around his neck and try to raise his head.

During the next two days we hunted Cape Buffalo and Elephant, seeing no Cape Buffalo and only 30-40 elephant, none that could be taken. On the third day of hunting cape buffalo and elephant we discovered a herd of 80 elephant that had moved onto the reserve from Kruger. We hunted and tracked them through very heavy bush and through two water pans, being moved off at times by their many mock charges and their very irritable attitudes towards us as Mr. Murphy and the wind constantly played with us. The herd contained elephants as young as two weeks up through 35 years old. Finally I was able to get into position to take a shot with my .375 H&H at a big bull estimated at 13,000 pounds from about 80 yards. I shot him directly on the shoulder with a .300 grain trophy bonded sledgehammer and he turned and ran. Shooting him again, he ran into the very heavy bush, along with two cow elephant. The rest of the herd took two hours to disperse. All the while we had thought we had heard him crash to the ground. Just before heading into the thick stuff, Brad had me shoot my .375 three times into a brushpile at the edge of the bush to scare away the two cow elephant. At the shots nine elephants came out of the bush! We then tracked and stalked the wounded bull until dark, getting a single glimpse at him just before dark as he made his way towards Kruger.

We then were up very early the next morning with the trackers and spotters back to where we saw the bull the evening before. Fortunately for us he had not moved back into Kruger but had spent the night wandering through the Reserve and looking for the herd, finally heading in the direction of the herd as it moved in a completely different direction towards Kruger as well. After 15 miles and a full day of tracking the wounded bull, we finally were able to finish him. The bull was estimated to be 35 years old and his tusks between 35 and 40 pounds each. Not a huge bull, but the biggest we had seen and a great trophy after a long and hard hunt.

We then hunted Buffalo for the next two days. After finally finding and stalking two very old dagga boy bulls for an entire day, (Again Mr. Murphy and the wind were with us as we would stalk within 30-40 yards and then the bulls would catch our scent and crash through the heavy bush) we caught up with one of the old dagga boys at a water pan just before dark. When he raised his head from drinking I shot him through the front of his chest from about 85 yards with a .300 grain .375 trophy bonded bear claw. He kicked out his back legs, whirled and ran into the heavy bush along with his companion. We then tracked him, carrying the .375, the .470 NE and a .500 NE. After a bullet from the .500 NE and five more from the .470 NE he was finally done. But not after attempting to come for us and causing us to get behind a tree at one point in time. His spread was 38" (not the biggest bull), but very old and very worn down with good hard bosses. His estimated weight was 2300 pounds. Brad said that I would kill much bigger horned Buffalo in the future, but not one as big bodied as this one.

Here is the best story, though. My wife wanted a giraffe. I told her I was not going to shoot a giraffe and that she would have to do it if she wanted one. My wife is not a hunter. She has never shot a big game rifle ever before. So, at my suggestion, Dan volunteered to teach her how to shoot his Weatherby 30-378 with a nice Swarovski scope. She dry fired it numerous times that evening back at camp. Brad then instructed her on where to shoot the giraffe and with the help of Kevin Robertson's Perfect Shot she studied up for the hunt the next day. Early that next morning she found her big bull giraffe and with one shot right through the heart, dropped him from about 50 yards. We recovered the Barnes-X bullet for her and presented her with the used bullet casing asd well. Her father, who is not a hunter and who is 90 years, old just wanted her to shoot my .375 in Africa to say that she had shot it. Little did he know that she had gone beyond that and shot a big tough old bull giraffe. When he heard about it he just couldn't believe it. Karol's giraffe has been the real headlines story that has circulated among our friends here in Las Vegas. It has also caused her to relect on considering hunting and she definitely wants to return to Africa, as does Karen, Dan's wife. So, I think that we will all be going back again and again over the next few years.

We also took two good warthog and Dan took a Bushpig. We saw so many animals and had others that we could have taken and hunted, but the dangerous game took our priority this time.

Brad is very tops as a Professional Hunter. He is always looking out for you and your safety. He and January, our tracker, did amazing things in finding my elephant after the 15 mile track. Brad is one of us as well, being a member of AR.

I could go on with other stories, but will leave it at this. I have posted the pictures right after DB Bill's response below. Check them out!!

Sounds like you all had a good time.

By the way, world famous Las Vegas Lawyer Bucky Buchanan hunted with Brad Rolston right after we did and took a nice Rhino. Here is a picture of his Rhino.





Here's pictures of my Lion.







Pictures of my elephant.





My warthog.



My Cape Buffalo.



Karol's Giraffe.





Dan's lion.





Dan's hippo.



Karen's Waterbuck.



Beautiful Africa!

























What a great trip with great people, great weather, fantastic animals and a wonderful professional hunter, Brad Rolston, and his lovely wife, Monica.

Sounds like a dream hunt. Congratulations on some great trophies!

Fine trophies...Yes one wants always to go back to Africa...

Mike

Great pics! Thanks for posting!

One doesn't see rhino trophy pics much anymore. Always a pleasure to view them.

Great Hunt and Photos.
Thanks for posting for us.

Very nice trophies across the board.

Congrats and thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Well done, congratutlations, especially on being able to recover your elephant. jorge

Congratulations! That is one fine lion you got!
Interesting areas!

quote:

Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
Great pics! Thanks for posting!

One doesn't see rhino trophy pics much anymore. Always a pleasure to view them.

577 Nitro Express: If you or anyone else has interest in a Rhino, Brad has one more available this year in the 28" front horn class. If interested contact Brad at Rolston585ae@iafrica.com

The even BIGGER question for me is does he have any more Krueger lions on bait and permits for them right now! Damn good cats, Brad!

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
The even BIGGER question for me is does he have any more Krueger lions on bait and permits for them right now! Damn good cats, Brad!

Hi Russell

Thanks for your kind words - much appreciated . Glad to hear that your hunt with your dad and friend in Zimbabwe went so well .
I only have 1 lion permit left , but still have a few bufffalo and rhino available .
Give our "little blue pill friend" Huston my best when you speak to him again .

Brad

Nice lions. Great photos.