Outfitter - Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris
PH - Nassos Roussos
Concession - Odo Bulu
Rifle - Bansner’s Custom 300 Winchester Magnum (Rented from ERVS)
Airlines - Ethiopian Airlines
Travel Agent - Travel with Guns (Agent - Patrick Wright)
Game Sought - Giant Forest Hog, Colobus Monkey
Game Taken - Giant Forest Hog, Colobus Monkey
Game Seen - Mountain Nyala, Giant Forest Hog, Menelik Bushbuck, Warthog, Olive Baboon, Colobus Monkey



Introduction

Some animals capture our imagination for inexplicable reasons; the giant forest hog captured mine a long time ago. I have difficulty putting it in to words but from the moment I first saw a photo of another hunter standing beside a boar giant forest hog it became a dream. It took about two decades for the opportunity to manifest but once it became feasible plans were hastily made. Ethiopia has the reputation of producing the biggest and baddest forest hogs throughout Africa and Jason and Nassos Roussos control several top notch areas.

And then there was COVID and Tigray…

The hunt was booked prior to the COVID pandemic and throughout the year there was a great deal of uncertainty whether the trip would materialize. The requirements for flying, entering Ethiopia, and re-entering the United States was a moving target in the months leading up to the safari, however, the process was still able to move forward with a little more red tape than usual.

In addition, in early November fighting broke out between Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy’s federal government and the state of Tigray after rebellion by Tigray which resides in the north of the country. Fighting was reportedly intense during the initial stages with worldwide fear that if it should worsen a full-blown war would start and destabilize the horn of Africa. Fortunately, things cooled off by the time of my safari and the area we would hunt was far from any of the fighting. Unfortunately, my original plan was to visit Tigray or Lalibela in the north, if time provided, to visit the ancient rock-hewn churches. That was a risk that neither Jason or I was willing to take.

Honestly, I’ve had mixed feelings about traveling internationally during COVID. Most of these apprehensions were driven by the real possibility I could be quarantined away from my family in some far off land. Jason was top notch in finding solutions and providing advice and so we were able to keep the safari as scheduled.

Getting There…

Fortunately, I live close enough to IAD which offers a direct flight in to Addis Ababa which made the travel planning pretty easy. Entry in to Ethiopia required a negative COVID PCR within 120 hours of landing. I utilized the Covid Consultants who sent an at home test kit to my door with a FedEx overnight priority return label. Their service was extremely efficient and they have a 24-hour guaranteed turn-around-time from the time they receive your sample (my result was available within 12 hours of them receiving the sample). They provided a cover letter stating the test result as well as the lab report.

As for the flight, it was an unusual experience as the airport was near empty and the Boeing 777 for our flight had many empty seats. I never enjoy flying much, especially long trips, as I can never sleep. Wearing a mask is not enjoyable ever, especially for a long flight, but it is tolerable. I feel guilty complaining at all considering how we have so many front line workers wearing them for 12 hours shifts on a daily basis. Therefore, I shall end my mask whining there…

Upon arrival in to Addis Ababa, I presented my negative COVID test/certificate, visa, and passport and was quickly off to baggage where I was met by Robel, an extremely friendly and witty representative for ERVS. From the airport I was guided through Addis by Nicos, lifetime best friend of Nassos as they grew up in Ethiopia together. It was rush hour so the traffic was a Russian roulette style with darting cars, bikes, and pedestrians moving about in no recognizable or predictable pattern. Ahhh, it was good to be back in Africa.

Nicos took me to meet Nassos and after a quick vehicle transfer we were back in the car for the long ride to Odo Bulu. Originally, I was scheduled to hunt in a concession named Jibat which is west of Addis Ababa. However, in the months leading up to the safari there had been some increased activity near Jibat by the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and Jason decided it would be best for us to come to Odo Bulu instead which is south of Addis amongst the Bale mountains.

The ride to camp was certainly an eye-opening experience as Ethiopia was proving to be much different than countries I’ve hunted before (Namibia and Congo-Brazzaville). Ethiopia is a big country in the horn of Africa but it has a large population of around 110 million. Nassos told me that the majority of these people are under the age of 17 and the population is rapidly expanding. That large population was evident for nearly the entire 9-hour ride to camp with numerous people along the road, litter lining the roads, and extensive agricultural areas. The ride itself was interesting as Nassos got to revisit his prior days as a rally car driver. Rather than a race against other cars, the challenge was dodging goats, donkey carts, and somewhere around 7 million pot-holes. Sadly, as with many other African countries, the fingerprints of Chinese involvement were easy to spot.

Odo Bulu

Odo Bulu resides in the Bale Mountains south of Addis Ababa and it takes 8-9 hours to reach camp by car. Near Odo Bulu, the primary crop is barley. Barley stretch as far as the eyes can see in all directions, including near the peaks of many large mountainsides. Nassos reassured me that the hunting area did not look like this and he was right. As we turned on to the last stretch of road leading to camp, the scenery transformed to forest. Menelik bushbuck darted across the road every few hundred yards until we reach camp settled in a small clearing. Odo Bulu houses a permanent camp with all the amenities anyone could want. Mountain springs fed a large water tank on the hill above the camp and at night the water would be heated for a much appreciated hot shower. Within the dining area was a nice indoor fireplace which was always welcome in the cool evenings and early mornings.

The terrain in Odo Bulu is quite steep with many impressive canyons. The valleys are lined with heavy forest, albeit, not as densely vegetated as the climax forests in central and west Africa. The trees are adorned with a thick moss due to the heavy fogs which blanket the region for large parts of the year. Nassos reports that hunting here is not feasible from June to October due to the limited visibility caused by the fog.

Accommodations for the hunters consisted of canvas tents housed atop a concrete slab. Attached was a private bathroom with stone and bamboo walls. Each had running water in the bathroom which is always a welcomed amenity in camp.





We were always delighted to see the pair of bushbuck who would waltz in to camp for a snack. At points, we could even feed them by hand!




Nassos

My PH for the safari was Nassos Roussos. Nassos is of Greek descent but was born in Ethiopia. He first began as a professional hunter in Ethiopia in the 1970’s and later founded Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris in 1982. Today, ERVS controls 10 hunting concessions scattered throughout Ethiopia with a tremendously wide variety of species and habitats.

It was a distinct pleasure to hunt with Nassos. He proudly quizzed me on his age and I was astounded to learn he is nearly 78. Nassos has a wonderful energy and passion for hunting and Ethiopia and it was an honor to hunt with him and hear of hunting stories from an era now long gone.

Giant Forest Hog

Certainly, the giant forest hog does not get the attention it deserves which I suspect has much to do with his looks. It does not have the raw power and allure of dangerous game nor the prestige and beauty of the spiral horns. However, the giant forest hog has many intriguing features. By scientists, he is considered the largest wild pig species in the world. They exist in a fairly wide area of Africa with a discontinuous distribution ranging from Liberia in the west to the forested mountains of Ethiopia in the east.

Currently, giant forest hog are on license in several countries: Ethiopia, Central Africa Republic, Cameroon, and Liberia. Success rates in Cameroon and Liberia are notoriously low and I am too risk-averse to consider the CAR at this time even though I believe some hunts are still be operated. While in Congo-Brazzaville, my PH told me that when he hunted in CAR the success rate was around 50% but told me that if I wanted one, I should go to Ethiopia.

Wrongfully, I assumed that all giant forest hogs were equal across their distribution. Scientists actually recognize 3 subspecies of giant forest hog which in general become large as you move from west Africa eastward. I’ve heard that in west Africa giant forest hogs do not get much larger than bushpigs of the south, however, as you head in to the CAR and Ethiopia they get much larger.

Hunting tactics vary depending on the area. In west Africa, it seems to me that giant forest hogs are largely taken by chance encounter while hunting something else. In the CAR, hunting for giant forest hog, like many species, is dependent on hunting machans over salines. Meanwhile, in the mountains in Ethiopia hunting can include slowly stalking the bottoms, glassing the hillsides, or hunting over natural salt licks. During my brief hunt we included a little of each method.

In the concession we hunted, the giant forest hogs generally travel in small sounders of 5-6 animals; these consist of a dominant male with several females in most circumstances. Nassos reports that on occasion you may find a second, subordinate male in a sounder. The dominant male is the protector of the group with leopard being the primary predator of giant forest hog in this region. If possible, the goal would be to find a solitary, old male, although, this can be a tough assignment.





The Giant Forest Hog Hunt

On the night prior to our first hunting day, Nassos gave presented me with the game plan for the next few days. He said it takes 5-6 days on average to pin down the giant forest hog in Odo Bulu. “But if we see a big one tomorrow, you must shoot him”. He reports he has had clients in the past not want to shoot on the first day; I promised him that if he told me to shoot I would not let him down.

We awoke early on the first day to head to an area about 45 minutes drive from camp. Our hunting party is large with 4 trackers, federal game scout, regional game scout, as well as Nassos and myself. Slowly we meandered our way down a trail with our presence occasionally announced by the baboons and Menelik bushbuck. A small troop of Colobus monkey entertained us for a few minutes prior to us finding a spot to wait and glass. After a little while, baboons began to create a ruckus and the leaves on the ground came alive in front of our position. I saw two shadowy figures dart through a small opening which the lead tracker confirmed to be giant forest hog. It was a fleeting encounter but we had made that pivotal first step…contact. More forest hog could be heard in close proximity but remained settled in the forest, likely bedded.

With no more sightings, we decided to return to camp for lunch. On our walk out, we inspected a small spring-fed water hole which held promising sign. A small blind was quickly set up with plans for us to return to this spot in a day or so.

For the first afternoon, we headed south from camp after a refreshing nap back at camp. Again we saw numerous bushbuck along the way. After 45 minutes we parked the car in a clearing in the forest. The road we traveled in was only a few years old. Nassos and Jason had cleared this road which was an extremely arduous task. In the past, this area was accessed by horseback and hunters would stay in a fly camp for several days at a time.

From our parking spot, we began to descend a hillside while several spotters headed in the other direction to check another area. Within a few minutes, a whispered yet excited call came across the walkie-talkie. I cannot speak a single word of Amharic, but the excited tones and expressions are a universal language to hunters. One of the spotters had seen a giant forest hog so we quickly raced back up the hillside.

Once back to the clearing the spotter was excitedly gesturing for us to come quickly. A lone giant forest hog boar had just emerged in to the clearing nearby but snuck back in to the thick forest edge just prior to our arrival. “He’s alone. He won’t go far so we will wait”. We set up the sticks with Nassos to my right and lead tracker to my left.

After only a few moments, the boar re-emerged for the forest. It was difficult to judge at first as his head was down behind some brush as he fed from right to left. “Wait until I can make sure he is a good one”. I followed him closely through the scope and awaited further instruction. “He is a good one, but there is some brush. Wait until he comes out some more”. From my position I had a clean opening to the shoulders between two small trees, only the lower third of his body was obscured. I got the green light and settled the crosshairs half way up on the shoulder. At the shot, the boar dropped. “Good, let’s go!” We raced the short 60 yards to the downed boar to find him dead. The shot was a bit high but effective, striking him where the spine meets the shoulders.

What a fantastic beast! He is much larger in body than I had imaged; Nassos estimates him near 600 pounds. His large, bulbous body supported by disproportionately thin legs and covered with long, jet black, coarse hair. The face of this creature is amazingly unique with the large cartilaginous “plates” under the eyes which are found only on the males. At the top of the skull there is a large central depression which could hold a baseball. His symmetric, darkly stained tusks are broomed down after many years of use.







We take many photos and it takes 6 men to load him in to the back of the truck. What phenomenal first day luck…something I am not accustomed to! We all know that last day success makes for a better story so I am sorry I do not have a tale of hard-won success to relate. However, that is how hunting goes sometimes and this was a perfect scenario; only a fool would have passed on this opportunity. A mentor of mine once told me, “Luck favors the prepared”. It is a perfect saying for the effort that the team at ERVS has put in and resulted in this magnificent animal. The spotters had been scouting this area and seen this boar several times just days prior to my arrival.

Colobus Monkey

Now with the weight off our shoulders, we could spend some time looking over the hills for mountain nyala. I had a colobus monkey left on license but we are in no hurry and want to enjoy our time here in Odo Bulu.

We spent the morning looking over the opposite hillside across a steep canyon. Throughout the morning we saw another good boar giant forest hog as well as a nice mountain nyala bull which Nassos estimated around 33 inches. It was a distinct pleasure to watch the bull as he fed across the hill with his wonderful lyre-shaped horns. I’m not ashamed to admit that at a point I sat misty-eyed looking across the canyon. If I end up in Heaven, I imagine this is what it will look like…

Near the end of our morning sit, the trackers took a quarter of the giant forest hog to hang for leopard bait near the stream at the bottom of the canyon. Jason is hunting another area with two clients who will be coming here in a few days and they have leopard on license. Nassos says a large male has been working this area and hopefully with the fresh bait the incoming hunters will have a chance.

Now we would slowly head back towards camp looking through the treetops for colobus monkey. Anytime you discuss hunting a monkey, whether with other hunters or non-hunters, you get a mixed response. For those who have not tried it, you should. It was really an enjoyable morning of hunting which was reminiscent of chasing squirrels with my grandfather back home in Pennsylvania many years ago.

The colobus monkey is near completely arboreal, only coming to the ground on occasion for water or food. They have a striking coat of long black and white fur as well as a long tail tipped with white fur. In the trees they live in small groups, usually containing an adult male with females and the occasional young male.

We would slowly move along hoping to spot them in the treetops before they became aware of our presence which never really happened. Once they spot you, the game of cat and mouse begins. Most scurried through the trees with a full display of acrobatics as they flee; others would quite effective conceal themself against the limbs.

After several failed attempts, we came across a group of 4-5 which contained the largest male we had encountered this morning. After a few minutes of hide-and-seek, he presented himself in the “Y” of a limb and gave me an open shot at this chest. At the shot I immediately noticed the red stain on the white fur of his back and soon after he fell to the ground. I took a few moments to give my thanks and proceeded with the photo session.

I now was faced with a problem I’ve never had before. It was only day 2 and my licenses had all be filled; not a bad problem to have!




Killing Time

Following the colobus, we decided to glass the hillside again in the afternoon for fun and again saw several groups of giant forest hog as well as a mountain nyala. Near dusk, we made the leisurely drive back to camp for another nice evening by the fireplace.

The following morning we would check the leopard baits in hopes that one will feed for the client arriving with a leopard on license. The baits remained untouched. Unfortunately, we had a very slow morning glassing the hillside where we saw the nice mountain nyala bull yesterday. At the bottom of the canyon hangs one of the leopard baits put out yesterday. “100% a leopard is nearby”, Nassos speculated due to the paucity of game seen across the canyon this morning.






Nassos decided for us to try glassing another area as I was hoping to get some photos of the giant forest hogs. We snuck down a hillside which overlooked an opening in the forest that contained a water hole and natural salt lick. No giant forest hogs were sighted, although, the clearing was very active first with bushbuck followed by mountain nyala. The female mountain nyala gradually emerged until 5 stood in front of us but they continued to look back in to the forest off to our left. “Here comes the male”. As he emerged I had the same reaction as I’ve had with all the other spiral horns…breathlessness. He was fantastic! A mature bull but still with some growing to do as Nassos estimated him around 31 inches. We got to spend at least 15 minutes watching him approaching the water, dig his horns into the mud, and chase the ladies.



Getting Out…

With no more licenses, we made the decision to depart early. Given the rapidly changing travel criteria for the U.S. and recent implementation of COVID testing prior to re-entry, I thought it would be prudent to head back to Addis Ababa and arrange to leave early.

Fortunately, Jason was coming to Do Bulu with his clients by charter so we were able to hitch a charter flight back to Addis. The hour flight back to Addis on the caravan was much preferable to bumpy nine-hour road transfer we endured a few days ago. The charter flight also highlighted the extent of impact that agriculture has had on the landscape here in Ethiopia. If the land could be used for farming, it was. Only the steepest canyons and hills were spared which was saddening and alarming.



Once back in Addis, I was reunited with Robel who quickly took me for my COVID testing. Surprisingly, there were numerous clinics and hospitals offering COVID PCR testing in Addis. Several of which offered an “express” service with guaranteed results in 8 hours for an extra cost, including where I was tested at Washington Medical Center. The benefit of paying for the extra service ($130) included being given priority and moving to the front of the line. My swab (oral swab at this site) was done within 10 minutes. I was swabbed mid afternoon so we waited until first thing the next morning to retrieve my results. The service was very professional with a signed and sealed “Negative” certificate.

In the meantime, I checked in to the Radisson Blu hotel in Addis which was a pleasant stay. The staff were tremendously courteous and helpful during my stay and I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone needed to overnight in Addis. A quick call to Patrick at TWG on their 24-hour service line got my flights changed quickly; this is a beautiful service provided by TWG.

A Day in Addis

With a day to kill while awaiting my flight, Nassos and Nicos thought it would be a good idea to have Robel take me on a tour of Addis. So off we went…

We first tried to visit the National Museum of Ethiopia, which houses “Lucy”, but alas it was closed for the day. Robel suggested we go to Unity Park. Unity Park serves as the grounds for the Prime Minister’s palace and includes a small zoo, small aquarium, and the ability to tour the grounds. Unity Park has only been open to the public since 2018 when Prime Minister Abiy came to power. Prime Minister Abiy is well known for his efforts to unify Ethiopia and the opening of Unity Park was very well received by the people of Ethiopia. It was a lovely visit with many historic buildings (ex. the residence and prayer room of King Menelik).







After Unity Park, we headed to Merkato which is touted as Africa’s largest open air market. Within the vast market you can buy anything from plastic bags to coffee and spices to toys and trinkets to a Mac computer. The best way I can describe Merkato is organized chaos. People are everywhere shopping or carrying goods as cars and trucks zig-zag through the pandemonium. Honestly, the chaos made me a bit anxious even though we never left the car and were never in any sort of danger. With time, I began to notice a universal courteous feel throughout the market as people went out of their way to help guide us through the packed streets. The chaos is an accepted and understood part of the market which generates no hard feelings or animosity.



As a final stop, we visited a few smalls shops along the street as I was seeking a few souvenirs. First, we found a Jebena; this is a traditional clay coffee pot which is critical to the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. I was also able to find a small illustrated Bible with several beautifully colored pages and writing on hide pages with leather cover. Lastly, I picked up a hand-carved stone sculpture of King David and the Queen of Sheba. Our day of touring ended here is a prepared for my flight later that night; it was a nice ending to a brief trip to Ethiopia.

Final Thoughts

Ethiopia is a culturally rich experience into which I barely dipped a pinky. It is the only African nation to never be colonized, fending off Italy’s attempts to conquer. The people of Ethiopia are immensely proud of their country with each state carrying its own proud heritage. Ethiopia is divided in to the states of Oromia (the largest), Amhara, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambela, Afar, Harari, Somali, Sidama, ad Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region. I found all the people I encountered to be extremely pleasant.

Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris, owned and run by Jason and Nassos Roussos, is the longest running hunting outfitter in the country which has been in operation since 1982. ERVS exemplifies professionalism and preparedness. Any potential issues, especially those dealing with COVID, were thoroughly vetted by Jason and his team. Ultimately, I had no problems at all with travel during the times of COVID in large part to the finely-tuned machine of the ERVS staff. I tasted only a small part of Ethiopian hunting on this focused trip but Ethiopia has much to offer for those looking for a unique experience and specialized species. If you dream of giant forest hog like I did, look no further! This has to be the finest giant forest hog hunting on the continent with regards to numbers and quality! I would give ERVS my highest recommendation and I hope to return with them for mountain nyala in the future.

The giant forest hog is an unusual but extremely worthy pursuit for any African hunter. It is one of the least well known and least researched large game animals on the continent which I find quite alluring. While he may not be beautiful, I gave him 12 out of 10 on the “cool” factor. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to hunt and kill one; I’m willing to bet that far fewer hunters have taken a giant forest hog as compared to more glamorous animals like bongo, lord derby eland, elephant, leopard, etc.

As always, I have to thank God for all of the blessings he has bestowed upon me. My wife has been tremendously supportive and patient with my travels which leave her home with our two young sons. It is always tough to leave them behind but I hope that my travels and adventures will inspire my boys to dream and seek out adventures in their own lives.

Thanks for the great report and congratulations on a very successful hunt. Love the bushbuck in camp!

Fantastic hunt report and an absolute slob of a GFH! What an amazing trophy. Congratulations and well done. I have a deposit down for a hunt with Jason Stone for Mountain Nyala in March of '22 so your report was timely and appreciated.

Excellent pictures and report it is so sad to see the rapid decline of the forest. I might join bwanamrm and hunt Mountain Nyala in Ethiopia next year so this report was very informative for me as well.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanajay:
Excellent pictures and report it is so sad to see the rapid decline of the forest. I might join bwanamrm and hunt Mountain Nyala in Ethiopia next year so this report was very informative for me as well.

I was discouraged by the overall extent of agriculture in the parts of the country I personally visited. The bright side is that the hunting concessions are well maintained; Odo Bulu was the epitome of conservation through hunting as the forest was pristine. So long as good operators control the hunting concessions, the remaining forests will be preserved. Also, poaching is essentially non-existent in Ethiopia which is a unique feature.

One of my favorite hunt reports. Thank-you so much for going so far beyond the kill and into the culture, country, and people. Please consider an article for the African Hunting Gazette.

To me that hog is a bigger prize than a bongo!

Absolutely fantastic report & hunt, GFH is one of my favorite & wanted animals (just can't be done on my budget) so it was greatly appreciated to see & read your hunt report, nice bit of humor in there to !

I only just recently got a GFH skull from my Taxidermist (I do some work for him) as he knows I collect skulls & will treasurer this skull, no tusks unfortunately but it was a Monster with huge tusks, I stuck a set of Warthog tusks in the skull for now lol

Thank you again for sharing this with us !

Great report!!
Looks like an awesome experience.

Great job from an unsuccessful GFH in Ethiopia hunter!

Thanks for the great report and pictures. Ethiopia is certainly an interesting place that I hope to hunt someday. Congratulations on a great GFH.

Great report! Thank you.

I think now Ethiopia is on my radar for a safari, and I think your PH and company is the one to hire.

Much appreciated!

Thanks for sharing very interesting and congrats on Hog of an Hog.

Wonderful report on an animal and area which I have no experience. Also, nice to read you giving thanks where thanks belongs.
Thank so much for sharing.
Cal

Great report and excellent pics. Sounds like you had a great time. Quite the place to go hunt. Congrats on your success.
Bruce

Awesome Safari.
Thanks for sharing your Experience

Wow! Would I love to do that? Great report and an outstanding trophy.

Well done!

Mark

Great report.

Wonderful report, thanks for the report, pics and details!

Ditto what everyone else has said. What a great experience. Thanks for sharing.

Fantastic. I am so happy for you. Were we around the campfire or in the tree stand when you talked about the giant forest hog?? For me, going on a giant forest hog hunt was just a great idea. Something different, not a kudu or buffalo or leopard... I had the chance to hunt the GFH quite a lot in CAR and I found it so interesting, so strange and very cool. It is not just another pig... Well done again.

quote:

Originally posted by ChristopheMorio:
Fantastic. I am so happy for you. Were we around the campfire or in the tree stand when you talked about the giant forest hog?? For me, going on a giant forest hog hunt was just a great idea. Something different, not a kudu or buffalo or leopard... I had the chance to hunt the GFH quite a lot in CAR and I found it so interesting, so strange and very cool. It is not just another pig... Well done again.

Thank you so much my friend! I remember discussing the GFH with you and how excited you were when talking about hunting them. Your excitement confirmed what I had long suspected...the giant forest hog is truly a special animal!

I broke the news to my wife that I intend to have a full body mount done. Once she forgives me, we can begin to discuss my return to Congo for dwarf forest buffalo!

Lovely report and spectacular hog.

Super report.

Thank you

Thank you for posting this well-written, interesting and informative report! I really enjoyed your excellent writing and photography.

Congrats on your great and unusual trophies, and on your straight shooting, as well.

And congrats overall on a unique safari to a special place, particularly during these trying times.

Thanks for taking us along. Great report and great hog!

Awesome GFH. As much as I’ve enjoyed shooting three Warthogs during my various hunts in Namibia, shooting a trophy GFH would raise the enjoyment level several notches. Well done report and pictures.

Congratulations. Super Giant Forest Hog. Nice to see the tame bushbuck as well.

Arjun Reddy
Hunters Networks

Well done sir. Thanks for the report and pictures.

Thanks for a great report and congrats!

Nice report PA.

Thank you for posting it.

One of the best stories I have read in quite a while. Thanks for sharing. Your respect for the animals you hunted and the people and culture of the country you visited are obvious. Thanks for being such a great Ambassador of our sport.

Great report. Photos of Ethiopia always makes me think ohms King Solomon’s Mines for some reason.

Like all others, I really enjoyed your report and pictures. What great animals you took. Question, if you don't mind. What, if any plans did you have for bringing back either or both of your animals? Any plans for them as far as mounts or skulls? If yes, was it pretty straightforward or are there hoops to hop through to get export/import permits?

Again, thanks for the terrific report. I love seeing/reading about the oddball hunt/road less traveled type adventures.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
Like all others, I really enjoyed your report and pictures. What great animals you took. Question, if you don't mind. What, if any plans did you have for bringing back either or both of your animals? Any plans for them as far as mounts or skulls? If yes, was it pretty straightforward or are there hoops to hop through to get export/import permits?

Again, thanks for the terrific report. I love seeing/reading about the oddball hunt/road less traveled type adventures.

Surprisingly, both are already back in the U.S. and just arrived at the taxidermist. ERVS is a licensed taxidermist in Ethiopia and process/prepare their clients trophies. I got to tour their facility in Addis and it was impressive! For importing, I used the services of Safari Specialty Importers and as always when using them things went very smoothly.

As for my plans, I think I'm going to have both done as full body mounts on a shared base with the colobus up on a small tree/branch looking down towards the GFH. However, I'm open to suggestions from the group here on AR.