https://imgur.com/a/QpH29ws
Will report when home

For years I had pestered outfitters about a giant forest hog hunt, but could never connect the money and the time. Finally in 2021 I just decided to make it happen before I got too old to go.

I booked a hunt with Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris for 2022. It was originally in an area with just GFH and monkeys. This hunt was postponed due to some "civil unrest" in the area. So I waited until I got the email that they were moving me to a different area and had dates available in april 2023. This was not a good time for me as I had a hunt scheduled with a friend in SA at that time as well as a project at home I would need to return to asap.

But I went anyway, and met my friend after the hunt!

Traveling through two African countries and a long layover on the way home in Addis I decided to use a camp rifle.

Upon arriving in Addis, I checked my air tags and could see that my one piece of checked luggage was still in Chicago. The plan had been that we would leave for the hunt area (Odo Bulu ) as soon as I arrived, but I was informed that it had been raining a lot and they wanted to get an early start the next morning. This gave me some faint hope that my luggage would arrive. Which it didn't. fortunately, I had enough in my carry on backpack or in the pockets of my coat to get me by.

Arriving at camp it was immediately evident that weather was goin to be a problem at least for the next few days as the roads to get out of camp were very wet. And it didn't get any better. we were briefly stuck more than once as well as having to fix the chains. Deep mud and big rock are hard on everything. At one point we all jumped out of the pickup and physically held it on the road from the side as Nassos ground his way up the hill.

On top of all this, we were seeing everything except GFH. Warthog, Bushpig, bushbuck, Nyala, Hyenas ( very briefly a leopard ) and Monkeys as to game.

Finally on the 3rd to last day, while glassing a big canyon we got the call on the radio, GF! So we made our way to where one of the other trackers was and took a seat. It wasn't long before movement and then a very large tusked female with two young cam to a water hole. After she left a small group of female arrived, drank and disappeared. So we waited.

Finally after a half hour or more, we spotted more pigs in some very thick cover. As they started to cross a small opening, I kept my head in the scope until Nassos said there he is. At this moment all I could see was a pig about half the height of a female. I said to Nassos he looked pretty small and he got a little cranky ( don't blame him at this point )so I looked up out of my scope and saw another pig move, a much bigger one but by the time I had eyes on him in the scope I could only see his midsection and not sure where the front leg was so I didn't take the shot . Needless to say, the mood in the air was palpable.

It gets worse. Not long after that we get another call on the radio and off back up the hill we go. Once again, maybe an hour before one of the trackers says there he is. I mover over to his position and look over the cliff. Almost straight down Is a large pig. Im looking at the top of its back and beside it are two small piglets. I ask Nassos if he's sure, he says wait a minute, then says yes, 200 yards. As I begin to focus on the shot, one of the piglets sticks it head under the belly of the pig. I ask Nassos again, He says wait, then says yes shoot. At this moment the pig took one step, I got in a hurry, forgot 200 at steep angle was probably 100 and missed.

As you can imagine, the quiet ride back to camp was not enjoyable. Everybody had worked so hard for that week and I felt I let them down. I did say to Nassos at one point " I know your not going to believe this but I usually don't do this bad

After a night to let it all soak in, in the morning I told Nassos that as it was going to take two days to get everything out of camp (They had to take one rig out then bring the chains back on the horses) that I thought we should just get an early start. And, that I would be back asap.

So, this time I'm prepared. My own rifle and licence for all three pigs and a hyena as well as a bigger backpack. this time In January and the weather was perfect as well as my luggage arrived.

On out first morning out, we saw a small group og GFH with just one young male. Went back to camp for lunch and a nap, then headed to another place. As we walked in and came around the edge of the hill we could see a large group of pigs in the water hole. We got ourselves in a nice position about 65 yards away. Just females and a couple young males. then we see the back of a pig coming up the draw towards the rest of the group. Nassos says very old pig. Eventually he breaks cover just long enough to see that he is a very nice old pig with one broken tusk. Nassos ask if I want him and I say for sure!

He slips his way into the group not giving me a shot, but after a short bit he made his last mistake and cleared the crowd. One shot, he went about 10 yards and disappeared behind a bush. I was reloaded and intent on making the next shot if he appeared on his feet. After what seemed like forever the tracker to my left gave me the high 5 and smiled. Nasso said something like " that only took 11 days"

The pressure is off. The next day we went to a place where one of the trackers had seen a bush pig on the first day. It was a big canyon, 200 plus would be closest shot as well as going to be a hike to get to anything recovered the other side . I could tell Nassos didn't like it. We didn't sit there long before he says "lets go". Back up the hill, in the pick up and to the top. No sooner do we get on top and we run into a large group of Warthogs. I have shot a few of them and recognized there was a good one in the group right away. As soon as I got my head in the scope Nassos asked if I could see him. I said yes and shot. the pig took off, but I saw blood fly. He went about 25 yards with a heart shot.

Now for the bushpig. We spent the next day with no shot. Same thing the next morning. At lunch Nasso was talking about all the different areas to go to and the issues with each one. It had been reported that there had been bushpigs seen at the same spot that I shot the GFH. It was a nice area where the longest shot would be a little over 200 yards, plenty of little open spaces and recovery would not be too difficult. I told him my theory was if there are game in the area , We have 7 days, lets just go to the same spot each day. So we headed there.

Arriving at the area we took a seat at exactly where I had shot the GFH. And so we sat for a couple hours seeing absolutely nothing other than birds and some monkeys off in the distance. then across the swale some female with young Nyalas appeared. As I was attempting to get a photo, I saw in the top of my camera viewfinder movement that looked pig to me. Down with the camera and head in the scope. Pretty soon a female with one young pig appeared, then another larger pig. It was head on to us with its head down. Nassos got out the spotting scope and after a bit said Im sure its a male but I cant tell how big the tusks are. I told him I wasn't worried about tusks as long as it was just not a very young one. He assured me it was mature. By this time he had turned a bit so I had a little more than a straight on shot. Nassos said 176, and I squeezed the trigger . The pig was instantly dead.

Now Nassos if fired up and wants to go call hyenas. He tells me theyll bring the pig and lets get a head start for the pickup. We still had to wait a bit for the crew to arrive with the pig. when they did and Nassos saw the pig I think he was more excited than I was as he said both the color and size of tusks were exceptional. Regardless of any of that I was over the top at having killed all three on this one trip.

Hyenas, we heard them calling almost every day up to this point. On the way to the bush pig, we had stopped and drug part of one of the previous pigs around then hung it in a tree. On the way home with the bush pig, we stashed the truck and turned on the call. About dark one gave a warning cry that sounded like he was within 20 yards and made the hair stand up on the back of my neck! Back to camp we went.

The next morning we were back at the sight before daylight. turned on the call and it wasn't long before it was answered from several directions. As it just got light enough to see with the scope, the tracker nudged me in the shoulder. No need I was already on it. Very close, one shot and my safari hunting was done. It was not a large hyena, and it has fur as soft as a bobcat. the tackers were insistent the there are two kinds in the area but Nassos said he wasn't sure about that . Nonetheless, I have a hyena now.

On both trips I saw an abundance of game as well as other animals. the crew was very professional as well as fun to be around. Food was great as well as the rest of the camp. Trophies were handled with great care and have arrived in the USA as of last week. I'm sure in the future I will read my diary of the trip and relive one of my best adventures.

On the road

The daily routine first trip




The big female

More game




Local mode of transportation



Pampered

Bushpig before I put the camera down.

Thanks to those that helped me to figure out how to get the photos up !

Never seen those 3 together (you're missing one though)

Well done!

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Big congratulations !

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Well done. I smell bacon....

Congrats!

Nice shooting !

Nice shooting

I’ve shot three Warthogs in my six safaris to Namibia. After shooting my first one in 2012 I asked my PH if we’d be eating pork to loins that night. His reply was quite surprising- “White people don’t eat Warthogs in Namibia”.

His workers on his ranch get the entire Warthog carcasses and have a big BBQ with them. When I show up in camp they hope I’m successful so their families can feast.

Still struggling with Imgu for the rest of the report.
Actually 505, there are two more and my wife was happy to hear that Red river and desert warthog, please let me know if Im missing one so I can prepare her for my impending absence

Bud, I've shot pigs all over the world and I find it fascinating and interesting who eats or doesn't eat this or that pig.

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Sus scrofa algira! Morocco and elsewhere in North Africa, also known as the barbary wild boar as opposed to the European wild boar. You can shoot them on driven hunts using a shotgun and slugs. A fun hunt!

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quote:

Originally posted by Charlie64:
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Sus scrofa algira! Morocco and elsewhere in North Africa, also known as the barbary wild boar as opposed to the European wild boar. You can shoot them on driven hunts using a shotgun and slugs. A fun hunt!

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I have a friend from Denmark whose is on a driven boar hunt in Tunisia right now….

So im still struggling with imgur.I can't resize photos or post anything other than a link to photos. Had an interesting trip and took some interesting photos and would like to share . If anyone can help I would appreciate it I have done a few before but I can never seem to repeat the process.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:
So im still struggling with imgur.I can't resize photos or post anything other than a link to photos. Had an interesting trip and took some interesting photos and would like to share . If anyone can help I would appreciate it I have done a few before but I can never seem to repeat the process.

Some years ago, I made a tutorial and video about how to use imgur.com to post photos here:
https://forums.accuratereloadi...381019832#6381019832

Later, I concluded https://postimages.org/ is much easier to use. There's a link to a tutorial in my signature below. ("How to post photos on AR")

Here are the three original photos. I sent you a PM with a link to a video showing this done.

Well done with some fantastic trophies! IMO the giant forest hog is one of the most unique and underrated game animals in Africa.

From your photo, I think I recognize that truck. Were you hunting with Nassos?

quote:

Originally posted by PAGuardian:
Well done with some fantastic trophies! IMO the giant forest hog is one of the most unique and underrated game animals in Africa.

From your photo, I think I recognize that truck. Were you hunting with Nassos?

Yes Nassos and the famous chevy. will get more photos and a full report up soon as i figure out a new photo hosting site.

Finished report and put up some photos, not the best, but the best I have

I took a very old GFH while hunting with Nassos a few years ago. He was feeding beside the track in the evening and I just jumped out of the Landrover and bowled him at 20 yards. Too easy! I also saw Desert warthogs on that hunt but didn't realise they were available to hunt so I hadn't bought the license in advance as you must in Ethiopia.

Awesome hunt!!

Wow! I'd never even heard of a GFH. It looks like a cross between a warthog and a bushpig. That's an awesome animal. How are you planning to have them mounted?

Unique! Well done!!!

quote:

Originally posted by gsganzer:
Wow! I'd never even heard of a GFH. It looks like a cross between a warthog and a bushpig. That's an awesome animal. How are you planning to have them mounted?

Hoping to do all full mounts. Pig skins seem to be difficult as I have brought 3 euro boar, 2 wart hog and 1 bushpig home and only have 1 euro boar that was good enough to mount. Have a wart hog and a bushpig in SA that I'm still waiting on for almost a year now, but I really want the 3 from Ethiopia to work out.

The Opel Zoo near Frankfurt has a trio of red river hogs and a babirusa.

I have no idea where you go to get a red river hog on a safari. I am guessing somewhere near the equator in central Africa.

Kind of like that Giant Forest Hog it ends up being a $20,000 pig. But I think it would be a cool endeavor.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
The Opel Zoo near Frankfurt has a trio of red river hogs and a babirusa.

I have no idea where you go to get a red river hog on a safari. I am guessing somewhere near the equator in central Africa.

Kind of like that Giant Forest Hog it ends up being a $20,000 pig. But I think it would be a cool endeavor.

Already booked for cararoone for 2026, red river hog and buff

Was a pair of red river hogs for sale in TX a couple months ago, I think the pair went for around $10,000.

quote:

Originally posted by eny:

quote:

Originally posted by gsganzer:
Wow! I'd never even heard of a GFH. It looks like a cross between a warthog and a bushpig. That's an awesome animal. How are you planning to have them mounted?

Hoping to do all full mounts. Pig skins seem to be difficult as I have brought 3 euro boar, 2 wart hog and 1 bushpig home and only have 1 euro boar that was good enough to mount. Have a wart hog and a bushpig in SA that I'm still waiting on for almost a year now, but I really want the 3 from Ethiopia to work out.

I’m confident Nassos and the ERVS team will take good care of the hides. My GFH hide came back in great shape and now I get to enjoy that full body mount every day, albeit, my wife was less excited to see him come home

Congrats and the GFH is a brute and lots of character

Fantastic!

I am awaiting for the area to reopen before I do this hunt!

I did hunt with Jason in 2023. Was an amazing experience. Loved the fact that ERVS has 100% control of you from the time you land till you depart. No subcontractors.

Congratulations on a unique hunt and great trophies!

Great story on a very unique hunt!!
Thanks for sharing!!