My wife and I returned yesterday from our second South African safari. Species taken were waterbuck, red hartebeest, zebra, sable, and nyala. I also got to dart a cow buffalo that had been injured so that a veterinarian could work on the wound. Photos of all but the zebra follow:

Sounds great but I can't see the piccies...

FB

Yeah, I know. Me dumb about posting pictures. I'll try again. If it doesn't work this time, I don't know what to do.

Hartebeest:
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=287120&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500



Nyala:
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=287130&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500


Sable:
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=287133&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500


Waterbuck:
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=287135&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500

Great stuff, Patrkyhntr!

Now how bout some details?

Where in RSA? With whom? etc.

Cheers,
Canuck

Hey pat,

that's reat and well done. The more I see of Nyala the more I want to add them to the list!! The list is getting too big tough!!!

Congrats, and it would be great to get some details.
FB.

Some details:
We hunted with Intrepid Safaris Africa, an outfit run by Phillip Du Plessis. Location for most of the hunting was near the city of Nylstroom (renamed Modimoile?). The buffalo was a darted hunt.

There will be many more details when I have time to do the writing.

Those are some nice animals. They are going to look great on your wall.

Nice trophies! Good photo work too. The grin on your face tells the whole story.

Regards,

Mark

patrkyhntr

Fantastic.
Congratulations,
You got wonderful trophies.

Was You aiming shooting so many games?
Which one are You the most proud of?
Which one was the hardest to get?

Thanks much for the photos!

After returning from my first safari in RSA a week ago, you aren't helping me get over my urgency to go back!

In reply to jbd, I actually didn't have sable on my list, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. Also, I haven't heard of anyone who has had the opportunity to do a darted buffalo hunt (and who also survived the experience), so I couldn't pass that one up either. The only animal I had on my wish list that I didn't get was a warthog. We just didn't see any worth my while.

Phillip's website is as follows fir those who might have some interest in doing some research. He already has some of my photos up on the site.

Intrepid Safaris website

Very nice trophy animals across the board. Congrats.

Your rife looks like a Weatherby with a brake on it. What caliber did you use?

One of the PA boys comes through again. Excellent!!!!!
Dulcinea

mr, the rifle is indeed a Weatherby. I bought it in 1991. It is the "cheap little Vanguard" model, but it shoots very well. The Swarovski scope is worth three times what the rifle is (LOL). In a moment of weakness, I had a muzzle brake installed. Shortly after that, I started asking "what?" all the time. I am considering getting it removed and the barrel recrowned.

Dulc, a whole lot of outfitters and safari operators would be out of business if it wasn't for us PA deer hunters. I am just one of the good ol' boys from the mountains of PA that got lucky and is able to afford to do this neat stuff. The Africa bug has bitten me, and recovery is not in sight.

And finally, the zebra stallion.

I personally don't know of anyone who has ever recovered from the Africa bug. Once you have been bitten it's life threatening (Threatens your livlihood, your marriage, your thinking, your finances, etc. etc.)

I can't tell you how many times I almost bought a Weatherby, but growing up on Elgin Gates will do that to you.

The only Weatherby I now own is a Japanese Mark XXII tht puts five of about any decent .22 Long Rifle into one hole at 50 yards and has done so since 1973.

The Vanguard is a Japanese Howa that has been sold under many marques. It's a good, accurate rifle and shoots straight no matter whose name might be on it.

So, anyway, what caliber did you use?

The rifle is chambered in .300 Weatherby, mr. I handload for it. The load used was Kodiak 200 grain bonded core soft point bullets, 83.0 grains of IMR 7828, and Remington 9 1/2 M primers. Cases are Weatherby. All five kills were one-shot. We recovered two of the bullets. The other three exited on the off side and left a significant exit wound. When I get a chance, I'll take a photo of the bullets and scan it in.

Oh, what the heck. Here is the photo of the two bullets. They were 200 grain bullets. One weighed 132 grains after recovery and the other 140 grains. Diameter of one was just shy of .8 inch and the other just over .7 inches. While I am impressed with the expansion, I am not impressed with the weight retention. On my last safari, I used the 200 grain trophy bonded bullets. They didn't expand quite so much, but they retained much more mass.

Patrkyhntr

Looks like you had a grand old time judging by your cheese eating grin. Nice stuff. All you guys coming back from trips are making green with envy. BTW you have PM.

Great hunt! Congratulations! I see forward to more details..
Niiiice looking animals, BTW...

I know alot of people think the Sable is tops, but I really like the looks of that Nyala.

Looks like a fantastic trip.

Great trophies Patrkyhntr, the grin says it all, a hell of a Safari! Congratulations.

The story on the darted buffalo hunt is done. My wife finished the first edit, and allows as how it could be read by others now. If you would like to read the story, send me an email.

I contacted SCI to see if they would be interested in the story and the response I got was as follows:
They are very interested, and would pay me the grand sum of $25 US dollars for all rights to the story. I will be including this story in my second book, so I am reluctant to sign away rights. I will give it away to anyone who wants to read it, however, assuming that you understand the copyright laws and will not try to infringe on my copyright.
George

Thanks for the offer, email on its way.