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quote:

Originally posted by RM007:

quote:

Originally posted by RM007:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by RM007:
Aug 6 2006 - Sept 1 2006
Erongo Mountains
Omaruru/Namibia
Kuduberg
Reinhard and Stephanie Mosich

This was my 5th trip to Africa and my first to Namibia.
My wife,Lisa was traveling with me, her first trip to Africa.
Let me explain that I wanted her to love Africa as I do,
unfortunatly she does not hunt and not into the outdoor thing.
After several e-mails to both Reinhard and his wife Stephanie
[Stevie] it was decided to sightsee and tour the first 8 days and Lisa would come home and I would hunt the next 16 days.
Flight out of D.C. to Joberg on new airbus with connection to Windhouk. Reinhard and Stevie meet us as we come out of customs and we head NW about 300 km to Kuduberg Farm in the heart of the Erongo mountains.Lots of smoke and haze in the air as many wild fires burning.



Very nice acommendations. Lisa loves it



Next few days we travel to Etoshia park. Lots and lots of game and photo opertunites

We stay at a tent camp outside Etosia and my wife loves it. She is thrilled at every
thing




Dinner at tent camp

After a few days we go back to Kuduberg. The plan is for me to hunt Leopards with Reinhard and for Lisa and Stevie to do some exploring in the mountians on the ranch

I had made plans to use a gun of Reinhards as I didn't want the hassel or worry of traveling with my own guns.
Reinhard supplied me with a Husquvarna 9.3x62
with hand loaded 300 grain Oryx bullets. The gun shoots great, just more travel in the trigger than I am use to.

I brought along a trail camera, varmitt calls and some other toys to try out.
Reinhard had been pre baiting and had two or three Leopards hitting.

Next two days sitting in blinds waiting for Mr Spots. Lots of photos but no oppertunites










Not only Leopards but brown heyna







While I have been sitting in leopard blinds Stevie who is also a Master Hunting Guide has been teaching my wife to shoot


Will wonders never cease? She loves it and tries on her last day to get a steenbuck. No luck.
We start seeing lots of smoke and recieve calls from other farms telling us that huge fires are headed our way. We have to leave to take Lisa to the airport so Stevie is going to drive and Reinhard stays to fight fires if they come over the mountain. Stevie tells me to pack some gear and on the way back we will stop in another area for Eland.
Lisa now wishs she was staying longer and wants to know if we will come back next year. My plan has worked. She is hooked.
Goodbyes at Windhoek, my wife heads home and
Stevie and I head into another area to hunt.

We hunt Eland in an area 3 hrs drive from Kuduberg. First day temp drops, high winds see cow Eland lots of game no bulls. We call
Reinhard and get the bad news wild fires swept over 2/3 rds of the farm. I sugest we head back and Reinhard says no, we can't help and
I have paid to hunt and should stay untill I get my Eland then come back.
Stevie is a great hunting guide and works as hard as any PH that I have hunted with in Africa. Late that evening we are watching a waterhole at last light when we here a loud clicking noise. Stevie tells me the noise is
Eland hoves clicking. A minute later a bull steps into the open with a second following.
Stevie tells me to take the second bull. As I take up the travel in the trigger Stevie hisses
"don't shoot" More bulls coming in each bigger than the last. Seven all together with the last standing a good 5 or 6 inches taller than the others. "Which one I ask?" Stevie tells me that 3 of the bulls have longer horns but the last one, the big one has a much older bull that had worn down his horns.
That was the one for me. The 9.3x62 cracked
the big bull staggered and rolled down the hill. Seventy yard shot and the bull only took 2 steps. eight days in Africa and I had my first trophy. We radioed camp and 45 minutes later 2 trucks arrived with 5 camp stafff and a winch.As it was quit dark no good pictures of my Eland

OK I'm getting the hang of posting with pictures
Please would one of the moderaters please clean up my mess


We head back to Kuduberg wondering what we will find?






http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l149/rm007/CIMG0105.jpg[/IMG]

Before the fire



After the fire

Reinhard was exhausted when we got back. Three days fighting fires and 9 or 10 farms over 140,000 acres burnt.
The only good thing was that the high winds swept the fire so fast that most of the trees didn't burn, mostly grass and brush gone.
The area the Leopard baits were in burnt
so we decided to shoot new bait and see what was left of the game in the area.

Next two days we shoot leopard bait and see lots of game. Reinhard says this was the first fire in the Erongos in over 40 years.

Spot and stalk a few gemsbok no luck. Then everything changes.Big bull gemsbok next morning
175 yrds. One shot DRT.


Notice the burned mts in background

Next morning mountain zebra
110 yrds, one shot, 10 yrds and down
I really like this 9.3x62


No luck on leopard baits and Reinhard is getting calls from people telling him he can hunt on their ranchs. As I want a red hartebeest and a few things that are not in the Erongos we plan a 3 or 4 day trip



80 yrds one shot runs 20 yrds and down


Reinhard with my springbok onr shot 276 yrds

We have seen several kudu but not what I want. I have told Reinhard that I want a very wide bull. We have stalked and glassed several very good bulls but as I have taken kudu on previous hunts I know what I want.

We head back to Kuduberg and check the game trail cameras and it has been party time!
Two or three leopards hit baits 3 and 4 tims a night whill we were gone. Next 6 days mostly
in leopard blinds. Two evenings in a row leopards circle our blind chuffing and not stepping into a opening where we can see them.
Once one leopard on the rocks above us but no shot. During these last few mornings we take wart hogs, jackles, and baboons


Very old warthog




Nice teeth

Love this 9.3x62 every animal one shot kills three DRT, none run for more than 10 or 15 yrds

Then my kudu.
The owner of the farm where everyone stopped the fire is having a party for everyone who fought the fire. Some of these guys drove 200 to 300 km to help out. We decide to attend.
One thing I have to say Namibia has some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Great food lots of beer. I am the 1st American hunter most of them have met as most of their clients are German.
When our host found out I had not taken a kudu yet he demanded we hunt his ranch after lunch and the hunt was on. Five of use climbed in Fritz's truck to drive into the hills above his ranch. After a 20 km drive we stop to glass and look for kudu. Two ridges later we spot six bulls and two dandys, one very wide.
Reinhard and I go after them. We got in a good spot and he tells me to take him. No range finder with me, wasn't planing on hunting today.
Long shot. Kudu jumps kicks like a heart shot whitetail, and starts to run. Reinhard yells he's dead. Kudu keeps running, second shot, bull humps. As he tops the mountian he stops, third shot. kicks hind legs and goes over out of sight. Blood sign on top, we trail for 20 minutes then spot the bull down next canyon.Bad spot. Send truck back to get help to get the bull out.
We take long way around to get to the bull as we are not mt goats. As we get up to the bull he is sprawled out under a small tree. Reinhard says he's dead and turns to shake my hand. Everything goes into slow motion as the bull lunges up and hits Reinhard as he is turning
back toward the bull. It catchs him and throws him 20 feet and runs over top of Reinhard then falls over a 15 foot drop.
One of the scariest moments I have had. I'm holding into Reinhard as he is lying face down on some large boulders. 'ARE YOU OK? DON'T MOVE'
I am yelling. Reinhard looks at me and asks what happened?
He is banged up but seems ok. Everyone starts laughing form relief and climb down to look at my bull.
Twelve and a half inch bases and waiting on an offical scorer for length. What do you think? I'm 6'2" 275 lbs




Ledge my bull fell over



Erongo mountains in distance

No luck on Mr Spots, MUST HAVE 40 PHOTOS FROM TRAIL CAMS

Great hunt - Reinhaed and Stevie are super people would recommend them to anyone. One of the best things about this hunt was getting to meet so many people, not just the camp. And the very best thing about this trip is the wife wants to go back

Sorry last couple of things. Cost 170 euro a day
Only one bullet recovered form the 9.3x62 bullet passed through every thing except my Eland. Bullet found just under the skin, off shoulder. Bullets were 286 grain Oyrx.

a few more photos


Wind changed and eles wind lions


Rare five legged elephant

RM007

‘glad to hear that you had a good time in Namibia. What a pity that you didn’t get that big leopard. I visited Stevie and Reinhard one week prior to your arrival and they were very exited about your coming, something that has become very rare with most people in the hunting industry nowadays.
That is the first time that I heard of somebody being “gored†by a Kudu. I spoke to Reinhard just after he had his biceps serviced in hospital. Everything was spot on again.
Regs Kamaatu

Great report and great hunt. Good job, well done as they say...

My dad was nearly killed in 1988 (I think) by a Kudu bull while a German client was standing next to him. Horn got him in his mouth, and he ended up with a 150 odd stitches, and scarred for life. He started hunting again three days later for Waterbuck....

All animals are potentialy dangerous....
www.infinito-safaris.com

Rm...great report...super photos...Want to know the length of the kudu...Those trail cams are great...
Also want to hear about next years safari and your wife's shooting...

Mike

Thanks retreever.

here are few more photos

Congrats on a fun hunt... that has to be the darkest baboon I have ever seen!

Great report RM007! I've been looking forward to seeing that kudu ever since you told me the story. I won't spoil the suspense by giving the measurements, but I'm damn jealous!

Great report and photos.

Sounds like you had a great trip to a place I one day must go .
I have the same Husky FN 9.3X62 as the one you used and need the trigger set a bit lighter also, otherwise a great old classic rifle.
ozhunter

RM007,
you have a PM.

Regs. kamaatu

P.S. We are still waiting for those measurements!

PM recieved and corrected photos

Wonderful report. Sure makes Namibia seem yet more alluring. I think I need to fool with a 9.3X62 ...
What a fine kudu!

Congratulations on a special Safari with your beautiful wife! You did well in making this a positive experience for her and can only make your future African trips with her that much better.

RMoo7

Congratulations on a wonderful hunt. What camera were you using. It took wonderful pictures. Kudude

Kudude

Used my first didgetal camera on this trip,
it is a Casio EX-Z60. About the size of a small wallet or razor phone. Great for hunting carried it around in my shirt pocket.

Great report RM. I really like the photos of the other-than trophy animals.

Great hunt RM007! I have been to Namibia twice and love it! Glad your wife was keen on it too. Now the next trip she must shoot her first game animal. That's what my wife did this year and now she wants me take her elk and deer hunting!

Anxious to hear what your Kudu measured. Just a guess but I'll say 56".

John

WOW...........Awesome hunt, congrats!!!

Joe -- Your Kudu adventure is in the latest issue of HuntInNambia magazine. Congrats.
Matt

Great photos and story. Very cool that your wife enjoyed it.

Thanks for the pics RM007! Why did you choose S. Africa and not someplace else in Africa? Just curious.

Not S. Africa but Namibia. Hunting somewhere new. I have already hunted Zim, Botswana,
Zambia and S. Africa

Excellent report and glad to hear the wife wants to return. Let us know what your Kudu measured. Good hunting, LDK

Enjoyed your report and your pics!

RM007,

Excellent report and great hunting, congratulations.

Thank you for sharing,
Roland