26 July 2023, 22:41
reddy375SA Hunt Report
My brother and I had a great hunt with Chris Gunther in Kwa Zulu Natal earlier this year on our way back from an Elephant in Zimbabwe. I have posted previously on his operation as a great place for free range Kudu. As you will see that apart from Kudu he also has a wide variety of plains game species both on his own property which is fenced but is so rugged with huge mountains, valleys and thick bush that its far more free ranging than many unfenced concessions that I have hunted. The hunting style is driving around like elsewhere to cover ground but also using a lot of vantage points to glass from. Once you decide something is worth going after you plan your stalk.
The trophy quality is really very high and often Chris will let you shoot an animal as a non trophy that would be considered a trophy elsewhere! We mostly shot cull animals and took a few trophies as well.
The lodge and accomodations were very comfortable and everything is very tastefully done. The food was all down to earth delicious, wholesome home cooking. Apart from his own property, Chris has permission to hunt on many surrounding cattle farms so literally 1000s and 1000s of acres! These are all totally free ranging with not a game fence in sight and have a lot of game on them as well, Kudu, Eland, Mountain and common reedbuck, etc. Buffalo hunts are done on other large properties in the area so one can really get a full list of species you wish to hunt. Their other property up in Limpopo also has most of all the species found in SA.
A bushpig was high on my wish list and an exciting walk in one evening while the pigs were feeding made the trip for me. I also ended up taking a v. good mtm. reedbuck. Chris holds the SCI #1 which he shot personally years ago.
I will let the pics speak for themself and give you a feel of our hunt. Not everything we took is listed below:
A top 10 mtn. reedbuck am told. As the saying goes better to be lucky than good.
They have excellent Nyala and I could not resist this bull we saw one evening as it was getting late.
Cull wildebeest
Cull blesbok
The Boers circled their wagons and stood their ground against all odds. Tough times and amazing people.
We saw this reedbuck get up and run and then disappear before our eyes, a careful stalk in that direction got him to jump up from some reeds offering a shot at 45 yards!
Apart from the great food, accomodations, personal service (only takes a client or group at a time}, what really sets this place apart is the very rugged terrain and a mixture of thick bush, big mountains, grasslands and a great population of a wide variety of species. This is a proper hunt not a drive around and shoot stuff affair.
Chris also offers cull hunts as well as long range shooting for those interested in such hunts.
Last but not least we did a trip down to Blood river where a few 100 Boers fought off 12,000 [if i remember right] Zulu warriors to the extent that the river where the battle was fought was stained red with their blood. Hence the name Blood river. To stand on such ground and imagine what took place was a solemn moment. A trip to other Anglo Boer battle fields in the vicinity can also be arranged, which will make for a great cultural experience as well.
I will be posting some prices soon.
Thanks for your time.
Arjun Reddy
Hunters Networks LLC
www.huntersnetworks.com
30 Ivy Hill Road
Brewster, NY 10509
Tel: +1 845 259 3628
2023 SHOW BOOTHS:
DSC booth #931
Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (Salt lake city) booth # 319
SCI (Nashville) booth #505