I just got back from Namibia last week. Again we, my wife and I, had a very good hunt along with time to go sight seeing this time. We were there three weeks this time. The outfitter is Gausshunt, in Namibia about six or seven hours north east of Windhoek. My wife has never been hunting before, but I decided to let her have a try at it. With the help and support of Hartmut Freyer, one of the two owners of Gausshunt, she made some very good shots on some of the smaller plains game that they have. Her first animal was a very good Blessbock, that is in SCI's gold scoring. Her second animal was a Springbock which also made gold. She took a Warthog, again in the gold. She then took a second Warthog for meat use. She was very happy with Harmut's help and patience in helping her getting these fine animals.
I was hunting on Hartmut's partners place, Hagen. We hunted in blinds and also drove around in his truck, due to his leg, and my knees not being very good after many knee operations. I did not shoot from the truck at all. At the blinds we saw many large bull Kudu's, but they measured between 45 to 50 inches according to Hagen's eyeball measurements. We also were trying for a Leopard as it was getting into his cattle and nobody wants to feed Leopards their next generation of cattle everyday. We would get up at 4:30 in the AM and go and check the bait and look for tracks. As my luck had not changed over the years, the Leopard had been hitting the bait for two weeks before I got there. The day before I started trying for it he quit coming to the bait, and never did come back to it. Later in the morning we came across several bunches of what I thought were great Kudu's, but he insisted they were too young or small. I have a sense of humor that he is still not to familiar with. We had been communicating by E-mail every since I booked the hunt. When I got to Hartmut's place the phone rang and it was Hagen. I talked to him and told him that I really meant it when I had written to him about a 60 inch Kudu. On the phone I again stated that I wanted a 60 incher. Well, there was only silence on the phone. I could just see his mouth hanging open and his eyes bugging out. After about 30 seconds I just had to start laughing, then I could hear him breathing again on the line. We all had a good laugh about that after I had told everyone what it sounded like over the phone.
The next day we went over there to see what we could get. We saw a very old Eland bull that had the blackest face that I have ever seen. We made the move to go behind the dam wall that is on two sides of the field in front of his house. They have a blind, I call it a bunker, that is built in the wall of the dam which is about 15 feet high. We made it into the blind and opened up the windows to see if the Eland were still at the end of the field eating. Well, my luck had changed as the Elands were still in the same place they were when we left the house. The only problem was that they were mixed up with cattle, and Eland cows. I knew that my .338 with Federal premium ammo with 250 grain Nosler partition bullets would most likly go through the Eland so I could not shoot in good conscience. The Eland was facing away from us and did not afford a shot anyway. Hagen told me to wait him out as the thought that he would turn. He did turn now quartering away from us. I took a shot, and the bull ran out into the middle of the field and just stood there, they could not tell where the shot had come from. Hagen said to shoot again. I hit the Eland just to the left of the center line half way up the chest. He made about three steps and fell over. At this point nobody could hear anything as my .338 has a boss system installed on it, and the blind is made from concrete. The noise from the report of the rifle was deafening to say the least, and the second shot only confirmed the deafening roar. Even ear plugs did not do much good in this environment of cement. Hagen shouted for Felix to get the truck and some help from the farm while we went down to the Eland. Now Hagen who had only one leg and I after having four knee operations are a great pair for a sack race and nothing else. We started down to the Eland and an Ostritch started for us. When Hagen spotted it it was only about 75 feet from us. He said "go back, get out of the field". So when we made it back on top of the dam we just stood there looking very dunb. I said "yah, big game hunters afraid of a little bird". We laughed at that. When Felix came in the field with the truck we again started down the dam to the Eland. The Ostritch kept his distance this time. Hagen said if he charges shoot him. Well, I did not want to shoot as he and his mate had a clutch of eggs in the next field. After the picture taking we loaded up the Eland with the help of a winch and took him over to be processed. He will make a great shoulder mount with his black face and very nice horns. I had asked about recovery of the bullet. They told me that is had gone through the shoulder, heart, and was about four feet back in the back of the stomach. Now that is penetration, and I am happy that I did not shoot earlier as there would of been wounded animals for sure.
They had a third PH in camp, or at the farms that had been called in for the Leopard hunt. Still my luck held and we never did get a look at any Leopard. As business called Hagen away for two days I hunted with Felix, a very capable hunter in his own right. We had just gone in for lunch at Hagen's place. Right acorss from the house is the field with a watering hole in it. The field mesures 800 by 600 yards. We were eating and looking at all of the animals coming and gong in the field. He told me to look at the Antelope that was just going to the water. He looked good to me, and Felix confirmed that he was a good one. We discussed going out and trying for him. I said that he most likly would be gone before we could get out there, so we finished our lunch. Then we went out to get the truck to drive over to the field. Well, my luck stil holding, the skies opened up with rain, yes rain in Namibia, and a bunch of it. After about 15 minutes he said do you still want to try for the Impala, I said the worst we can do is not to get anything. He said that he observed the Impala go behind some trees, but that he did not see him beyond that. So we started going out in the field. I could not believe that he was still there. After some jockeying around trying to keep some trees between him and us we finally got within shooting distance. I took him with my now trusty .338, as it was the only rifle I that I had with me this time.
After getting the Impala into processing he asked if I wanted to go out again. I again said the worst we can do it to not get anyhting. We got back into the truck and started out over the mountains. We were going down a two track and came across a Oryx fighting with another Oryx through a fence, much to my surpise. Well, he quit fighting and just stood there looking at us. I asked how big he was and Felix said about 90 cm's. I said to watch your ears and took him through the chest. Felix said it was a "spot on shot". He only went about twenty feet. WE loaded him up and went on. About 4 or 500 yards later we came across yet another herd of Big Kudu's. He said to get ready. They were going up and over a nountaim top. He said do you see the one behind the tree going to the left, I said yes. If he comes out take him. Well, he did make two steps out from behind the tree and I shot. He just dropped, they could not believe it, neither could I. He measured 57 1/2 inches, not too far from the 60 incher that I kidded about. On the way back we came across a good Warthog and I took him. We dropped off all of the game, I don't think that I made any points with the skinners that night as we got back well after dark and they had a bunch of work ahead of them to do. We went to Hartmut's place for dinner. I told Felix what I was going to do. We got there, everyone asked how I had done. I just pulled a empty cartridge from my pocket and started on the first kill, then the second one and so on. We all laughed and had a cold beer, mine non-alcoholic.
The trip was very good and the people over there are very easy to get comfortable with and they have become very good friends to us. If there are any problems in going over there it must be the plane trip as they obviously don't want anyone over five foot nothing and about 125 pounds. I am over 6'1 and not on the thin side. The seats are very narrow and way too close together. With my backside fully in the back of the seat, my knees are tight against the seat back in front of me. When the people in front of us dropped the seat back down it hit my knees very hard. The TV screens don't tilt out enough to be seen fully without slouching down, and you can't do that very well with no leg room. The arm rests don't go fully out of the way when you pull it up. South African Airways should take a picture of a cattle car and have a caption under it stating come fly with us. If I have anyhting to say to anyone about getting over there, don't go through Atlanta. Go instead through Germany. The flight is broken into two different flights of eight hours each and you get a long layover in Germany. My PH had told me of this, but the ticket people don't want to book Namibia airlines as they don't give any kickback to the booking agents, so they don't want to book through Germany or Air Namibia. Other than the flight I could of not asked for a better time, people, accomidations or anything else. If you want to get in touch with them their web sight is www.gausshunt.com.

Namibia is a diamond in the golden ring of hunting, is it not?



The Namibians have a warmth that cannot be appreciated until experienced. I am happy for you and your great good luck!

Hey Mike, sounds like a great hunt! Now you need to post some photos. Did you run into Matt and his son on your trip?

Ann, no I did not see Matt, but he did wind up at Hagen's place with his son after I had left for home. From what I have heard, his son has taken the largest Eland ever taken off of Hartmut's place, I don't have any measurements though. He did send me an E-mail saying how he liked the Kudu that I has taken. He too did not appreciate the South African Airlines sardine can ride from the states to Africa and back. I just got a E-mail from Hagen and Hartmut, they say the cattle are dropping the calves all over the place, and yes, they still have the Leopard around somewhere.

Congrats Mike. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I will see you in Jan at the convention.
Mike S