We took off on the big adventure on July 2, 2008. Indy to Atlanta to JHB. The flight, was perfect. No lost luggage, flights on time, etc. My hats off to Delta! The new 767-400 had their own entertainment centers! Food was very good, and the staff was very friendly.

We arrive in JHB, do the immigration thingy, collected our bags, and a very helpful official led us the back way to the SAPS office, where we met Bruce from Afton guest house. We didn't use a permit assist group, but had all our paperwork done. We were done and out in about 50 minutes, everything was correct and no bribes/payolla needed. Off to Afton where I drank my first Castle, looked at the southern cross, and ate a steak-Awesome!

The next day we were off with the outfitter for the 3 1/2 hr. ride to camp. We hunted with:

www.cruisersafaris.com/

Got to camp, settled in, checked the rifles, then went for a game viewing drive, before dinner. Here was the first animals we saw.



"toto, we ain't in Kansas, anymore."

The firearms we took for the trip, were somewhat "unusual". I took my Marlin .45-70 GG, with 300 gr. nosler part. handloads. My son took aNEF handi rifle .30-06, with Fed. factory loads, and 180 gr. nosler part. My buddy Charlie took his 1895 XLR Marlin, in the new .308MX, and hornady LE ammo. His son took the only normal gun, a Ruger Hawkeye .338 WM, federal accubonds.

Off hunting for my first day in Africa. Mid morning, had this impala come in to a waterhole, at about 50 yds. I put the crosshairs between the shoulder blades and fired. He was on the ground before the gun quit recoiling. Complete pass through from stem to stern.



My ph and I had a discussion about trophies, and I said I was all about the total experience, and not just inches. I would decide what was "big enough". Went to camp, ate lunch, and back out at 2 pm. Craig asked me what I wanted most, and I told him a zebra. We got onto a small herd about 3:30 pm. We stalked them for about 30 min. We got within 80 yds., and Craig thru up the sticks. Which one? The one to the right! BOOM! The zebra peels to the left and was in the bush, instantly. To make a long story short, 1 1/2 hrs later, and 6 more shots, she was down. I uncorked the GG 5 shots, 2 hits, 1 miss, and 2 murdered trees. Damn those animals are tough!



In retrospect, shot placement is everything. I hit her square in the chest, but didn't allow for the slight quartering and only hit one lung on the initial shot. This was the only animal that I recovered bullets from. The bullets worked perfectly.



The next day we were off again for another adventure. About midday, we found a small herd of blesbok. Craig and I sneaked up to about 60 yds. 1 shot he's down, struggles up and tried to run. I led him, squeezed the trigger, and rolled him lie a bunny rabbit.



About 5 pm., we got on some gemsbok. We got within 110 yds. I took the shot off the sticks, and whump, I heard the impact. We trailed him til dark, and got back on him for 3 more miles the next day. The trackers are amazing. We followed him on tracks and maybe 3 drops of blood. It was a high shoulder shot, not the guns fault, operator error. As you know if you draw blood, you pay for it. That little brain fart, by rushing the shot, cost me $925

We went on hunting and got on another group of gemsbok. I was a little spooked, after the previous episode and told Craig I would only take a duck soup shot. Got on him the first time and turned down the shot. 2nd time it was a gimme at 75 yds. One shot to the neck, bang/flop



The fellow with me in the pic is Craig Diplock, my ph.

The next day we went to a huge property to look for kudu. Late in the afternoon, this ole boy came in and 1 shot, he's on the ground before the gun quit recoiling.



The bull was 50", and for me he was "big enough".

By this time I had some more animals to fill on my pkg. The days were flying by. One morning we went to a waterhole to look for blue wildebeast. Had this group of cows show up.



Later, a bigger group came in. About 20 cows and 1 bull. I had to wait til the bull cleared the cows. He was at about 90 yds. When he dropped his head to drink, I lined up the neck between the shoulder blades and let er rip. Again, the bull was down before the gun quit recoiling. I shot so fast that Craig didn't get one ear plugged in time and it rang for over an hr.



We are down to basically my last critter. I had seen lots of warthogs, mostly females, and young. We got on this ole boy one evening, the shot was a gimme 40 yds. Again between the shoulder blades, and DRT! I really like that shot presentation



For those of you wondering, I am not a purist on hunting style, I just like to hunt. I took 3 animals spot and stalk, and 4 at waterholes. I have had feet issues the last 2 yrs. that limits my walking abilities. I can do a couple of miles on the flat, but not all day marathons. My ph was very accomadating, in hunting me within my limits.

For those of you wondering about my son, he walked his ass off everyday and took 7 animals with the handi rifle, .30-06. All 1 shot kills. He doesn't post on the forum, so here is his tropy pics.















The safari was more than expected. Surreal, sensory overload, immediate gratification. To do it with your son, best friend, and his son was HUGE! The trip of a lifetime! I can't say enough good things about Cruiser Safaris, their phs, and staff put together a trip for us that was completely over the top! For more info about them, go to the website at the beginning of the post.

Mad Dog

Nice report! Great pictures. Thanks for posting.

Looks like you had a great time. Great to have your son hunting with you. A lifetime's worth of memories.

MADDOG WHAT A TRIP AND NO LESS WITH YOUR SON.
CONGRADS, GREAT TROPHIES

That was a really great hunt and report. The pic of your son with the zebra and dog is really cool.

RAC, yeah, the pup is named Ricco, and he rode to camp with us. He is a 3 mo. old bloodhound that they are going to train to be a tracking dog. He rode with Dan everyday in the Bakkie, and Dan got him in each of his kill shot pics. He is a little character.

Mad Dog

Excellent report and great photos!!! Thanks for posting.

Phil

That report has got me even more pumped to go!
My wife and I are off on July 31st, first trip to Africa , and with Cruiser Safaris. I also arranged two day trips and a 4D/3N Kruger park tour through Louis at Afton guest house, prior to hunting.

wsquared, you will love it Pieter and all the phs and staff are GREAT! First class meals[ask to try blue wildebeast enchiladas], fantastic accomodations. Make sure you take a good warm jacket and gloves, maybe even a sock hat. We had mornings 30-34 degrees[F], while we were there. Are you hunting a pkg.? If so which one?

Mad Dog

I'm signed up for the 10 day package, with an extra day for a side trip, and an extra hunting day.I'm hoping to add a waterbuck and a bushbuck to the animals on the 10 day package.What are the chances on taking a crack at baboon?

Very nice MD.

I'm dying here, waiting for August 14th when I leave for Namibia.

Great report, nice trophies. There is nothing like a hunting trip with your son. I treasure the memory of mine.
Hrterryow did your buddy do with the XLR? I'm curious about the 308MX.

wsquared, the baboons require a special permit to hunt. We saw tracks, but no baboons on the safari, except along the roads traveling to camp.

Terryr, The .308MX LE ammo was absolutely devastating on blesbok,impala, and warthog. Although he got other critters that were bigger, he lost a wildebeast that was hit right. On his kudu, it fragmented into 3 pieces, and we found that in the carcass, although it didn't exit the hide. Same with the zebra. In my HMO, the bullet is too damned soft for critters above 400 lbs. Doc is a little pissed, and probably will call hornady, because he called them prior to the trip, and they assured him that it would be great on plains game in south africa. I think the .444 or .45-70 would be okay, but I still think they are too soft when money is on the lime.

Mad Dog

Howdy Mad Dog,

I too hunted with Cruiser this past May and my trip mirrored yours - they are a top notch outfit as is Cruiser Bob.

I took 4 trophy animals the first day. It was awesome - Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Impala, and warthog - 338-06 with 210 Partitions were fantastic.

By the end of 10 days I added Kudu, Bushbuck, Blesbok, Hartebeest and Eland.

I gained 10 pounds on the trip - best food I ever had in a hunting camp - love that Kudu sausage.

The hunting camp ran like a clock??

By the way, did Craig have a set of Bog Pod shooting sticks for you to use? I sold him mine before I left.

Adios

Sport

If those were the tripod sticks.....yep!

Mad Dog

Congrats on a great hunt.

You sure got some nice trophies.

great report and it looks like an even greater time was had by all!

Congrats and a pm sent

Thanks for the report Mad Dog. I hunted with Cruiser Safaris in 2006 and am slated to hunt with them again in June of 2009.

Great report, thanks for posting.
My wife and I hunted with Cruiser's 2 years ago and Craig was my PH as well. Seems like they are as good now as they were then. Craig must have upgraded from the Stoney Point bi pods I gave him before I left.
Did you notice what type of camera he was using?

Good on you Maddog. Nice to see lever guns in action. Looks like you had a bloody good time.

Great report, found this through the lever action forum. Unconventional guns with good results. I like how you took responsibility for whatever shots you took, instead of coming up with excuses. I hope to go to Africa some day, maybe take my Guide Gun as well! Heck, maybe the 45-120 and have an old school safari!

Great report, I also hunted with Cruiser in 2007 and had Craig as my PH. What a great hunt and a good bunch of guys to hunt with.

Nice report and great pics. Congratulations.

Great report and beautiful pictures!!! Thanks for sharing.

Mad Dog,

Boy did I enjoy your post! I loved seeing the pictures with the GG and NEF as I am a fan of both. I'm pleased by your report of the outfitter adapting to your hunting style and wishes; and will file Cruiser Safaris away for my African first. Thanks.

Matt

Thank you for the report and the photos. it seems like I will have to live vicarisouly through the posts on this site for a few more years.

Thanks again.

They must do something right, they are completely booked for the 2009 season.

Mad Dog

i enjoyed your report and want to go back myself

Good report. Looks like you guys had a great time. I enjoyed the pictures.

Thanks for sharing, Maddog. Can you give details on your .45-70 loads? Powder, velocity, etc.
Those zebra are tough, no?

Bill, a guy on another forum turned me onto the load.

WW cases
Fed. 210 primers
51 gr. H4198
300 gr. nosler partitions
Lee factory crimp die, full crimp.

avg. velocity over the chrony was 1950 fps.

There are faster loads, but I wanted one that was reliable, and not have issues with pressure spikes, if the ammo got hot. The nosler was designed to expand from 700-2300 fps. All my shots were 35-110 yds. Most were complet pass throughs. We recovered bullets from the zebra, and kudu. These were the 1st bullets I have recovered from any animal. If I were to go again, I'd use the same gun, load, might change the scope over to a leupold rifle scope, with slightly finer crosshairs. The scope on it is a leupold shot gun scope.

Mad Dog

Dog I am still enjoying your pics and stories. I am still planning on going in 2010 and may look harder at cruiser safaris after all the positive posts here. I was looking at Namibia but haven't set anything in stone yet. I just pray I don't have another disaster like I had before the last trip. Health issues stopped me before I got off the ground. That hunt was with Caracal Safaris. So close and yet so far.... reflex264

reflex, for you and others, who may want to hunt with Cruiser in 2010, you should be contacting them by Jan. 09. Bob starts booking the 1st of March for the next years hunt. The only thing you need to initially do, is put the deposit down for the hunt. If any of you have other questions about them, feel free to pm me.

Mad Dog