Nagel family safaris -- arranged by Greg Rodriguez, Global Adventure Outfitters, ggrod@msn.com, www.mbogo.net

August 10-15, 2007 Diedricks African Safaris : Balfour, Mpumalanga and Warmbad, Limpopo Province, RSA
August 15-20, 2007 Blaauwkrantz Safaris : Kirkwood and Mankazana Conservancy, Eastern Cape, RSA

After our first safari together in 2001 with Pieter Diedricks, and a second safari in 2005 by myself at Blaauwkrantz with Philip Dixie, Pamela and I decided to take daughters Alyssa, 15, and Courtney, 12, along with us in 2007.

Upon my successful return in 2005, Pamela said: "Well I want a waterbuck and a gemsbok, and we don't owe the kids Disney World. Let's take 'em to Africa!" So, wheels set in motion and financial picture clarified over the next year-and-a-half, we arrived at Thambo International in Johannesburg August 9. Pieter found us getting our temporary rifle permit finalized and we were off to Balfour in Mpumalanga Province, arriving that evening at Badgerleur Lodge. We were introduced to Doug and Vivian Pullen, Doug's sister, Joy, and family, Byron, Gordon, and Claire.

DAY ONE

After dinner and a comfortable night, tucked up with giraffe and monkey hot water bottle wraps against the chill, we headed to get breakfast sorted out while the kids slept in. A stream and waterhole viewing plain out front of the lodge offered us (and later the girls) an early start to seeing African animals once again as blesbok, eland, impala and various waterfowl made their respective appearances. Discussions with Doug, the owner, and Chris Zealy, his manager, let us know of three good waterbuck Chris had been keeping tabs on while performing farm duties. We also heard all about Doug's involvement in increasing his herd of Nguni cattle, something being revived in RSA.

Pieter teased the girls about checking out the high voltage electric fencing installed to keep hippo and rhino away from the lodge. He also gave his thoughts about the doll-like water bottle covers his first night there. Badgerleur Lodge property measures about 2,000 hectares / 5,000 acres. For comparison the Mabelingwane property was 15,000 acres and our Mason deer lease only 2,000 acres.


First order of business was to check the scopes on Pamela's newly re-barreled (Hill Country Rifle, Co.) .270 Weatherby Magnum Mark V Deluxe with 140-grain factory Barnes-X load (swapped for 140-grain TSX's), and my Remington 721 in .300 H&H with 180-grain TSX handloads. Shooting off sticks at a 50-yard paper springbok target found both rifles still zeroed as at the gun range back home, so we started after a good mountain reedbuck seen while heading to the target. " I want a waterbuck!" she said, but was prevailed upon to take what the bush was providing. What a wise choice that turned out to be!

Gordon, Andries and I whiled away our time waiting for Pamela, Pieter and Chris off pursuing the reedbuck in general hunting discussions with me trying out my various Afrikaans and Xhosa / Zulu phrases. Gordon was informative about various flora and fauna encountered, such as water cabbage trees and the "two-puddly bird" (Black-collared barbet) familiar to me from Bishoftu days in Ethiopia. Losing track of the hunters after the second mountain climbed chasing the reedbuck, we saw the group hastening our way. Pamela needed a granola bar and some water before they returned to investigate fresh waterbuck spoor Chris had just seen.

We actually saw the waterbuck Pamela would take, standing on the crest of a hill looking their way. Pieter and company bumped a couple rhinos, a group of smaller waterbuck males, and an eland or two we saw moving away. The big waterbuck moved as well and we stayed put, anticipating the shot which finally came. Either we were too close to hear both report and impact, or she'd missed altogether. It didn't help when Pieter asked by radio if Andries heard a hit. He came around to direct the Toyota up a stiff incline strewn with boulders, saying nothing whatsoever about the result. As we crested the hill, we saw Chris and Pamela non-chalantly waiting on us. Even a hands-up questioning sign from me showed no excitement from the hunters. Then we saw a big "something" at their feet, and I took the initiative to do the rebel yell for Pamela's success! Yes, Pieter is quite the wag. Score one for him, and another for Chris and Pamela.

26 inches a side with 6 1/2 inch bases makes a good trophy waterbuck bull! Only later would Pieter tell us he'd lost other waterbuck with the straight on chest shot, but Pamela's 140-grain TSX gave no quarter. Dead-eye Pamela strikes again. We took time for pictures and loaded up to go show the kids what their momma just did, and to make plans for a game viewing drive after brunch while Andries took care of the waterbuck.



Pieter Diedricks (PH), Pamela and waterbuck
Badgerleur Lodge, Mpumalanga



Andreis

"No more hiking today!" declared Pamela. Lots of practice walking in her hunting boots in Texas hadn't prepared her for the shortness of breath going up and down mountains. Carrying a small bottle of water helps, but it takes a while to get your lungs to catch up with what your legs are doing. Pieter had me include my soft-cased .300 with Pamela's in the gun rack, saying "Let's see what we can find, Barry!" Maybe Pamela was done for the day?

Off we went with the kids, viewing giraffe, red hartebeeste (One had a bad left rear leg, but good horns Pieter tried to work a deal for me on, but I guess the hyenas would be allowed to take him instead), blesbok, warthog and so on. An eland bull observed in trouble that morning had succumbed to pneumonia, brought on by recent high wind and cold conditions, plus perhaps something tick-bourne. We stopped to help the farm hands load the poor beast on a trailer for processing into dog food, then continued with our game viewing. A pair of gemsbok looked like the bull was "a good one", and Pamela took a shot from a rest at him. She missed high? Off went the intrepid three again -- more hiking for our huntress after all. This time I prevailed upon her for a bit more visible excitement over the 35 inch a side, 6 1/2 inch bases bull taken with a neck-to-heart-out opposite shoulder one-shot kill she made twenty minutes later. This time it will be a flatskin and European mount she decides, and we took lots of pictures with the whole family included. No jokes this time, just two self-satisfied PH's and a proud, happy husband.



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Pieter, Pamela and her gemsbok @ Badgerleur

DAY TWO

Since we were all done with Pamela's two priority animals so quickly, we'd decided over stuffed leg-of-mountain reedbuck at dinner to pack up and leave for shopping in Pretoria with Bella Diedricks and time with Pieter's kids at his home in Warmbaths afterward. On the way Pieter entertained my questions on Afrikaans language points, updated me on flora names like the flame tree is now 'coralboom', euphorbia is
'naboom', etc. He joked about Andries' new involvement with the ZCC (Zion Christian Church) due to a girlfriend, teasing him that since he was only after her we should call it the Zulu Cricket Club instead.

After meeting up with Bella, Lizanne and Marcelle for a cool drink at WIMPY's in the Pretoria mall, we headed out. Instead of gifts -- not knowing the particulars about getting together with the kids -- I'd put 10 bucks for each in an envelope given to Bella. Perhaps she would give a good exchange rate from $ to Rand, being the family bank manager. Philip was at home preparing for guests, and I got to know Marcelle a bit on the way to Warmbaths, hearing about the 'spreekkoor' he is in and other school happenings. Great kid!
I also explored shipping options and dip & pak details with Pieter, wanting to use Mike Rex in Port Elizabeth for a joint shipment to ABX Logistics in Houston after finishing up at Blaauwkrantz. We also had to make a plan for what to do the rest of our five day safari with Pieter!

While still in Pretoria we revisited Dr. Mauritz Coetzee at L&W gunshop, checking on RHINO bullets and
making arrangements to acquire a copy of NYATI on the way back to fly to P.E. In Warmbaths, while Pieter picked up his new cell phone I bought a handy knick-knack bag from Agnes, a street vendor. I
coaxed a bit more English practice out of Marcelle, attempting to make him in exchange my Afrikaans tutor.

We saw the blue wildebeeste wallow in Pieter's front yard, admired his self-designed and -built home, met
up with Philip, now almost 16 and serious about taking care of safari clients. I saw the dip & pak facility and met Jan, Pieter's other tracker/skinner. We finished up the day after everyone got back from Pretoria.
Courtney and Lizanne hit it off -- she usually misses out because it is mostly "just boys" on safari. We
watched a DVD by the local Mel Brooks, Leon Shuster, "Mr. Bones" and found out plans for visiting DeWilt
cheetah project would have to wait, the next day having already been booked up. Missing their own Airedale, Justin, the girls enjoyed the Irish terriers Snorre, Jerry and the heir-apparent to Snorre's throne, Zak immensely.

DAY THREE

Today, Sunday, was Pieter and Bella's anniversary. Taking two vehicles, boys and girls separated, we headed out touring Pieter's main hunting property near Potgeitersrus, Vista Vistas, about 6,000 acres. Radio Jacaranda was
the choice, not RSG which I listen to on my computer, along with Radio KuduFM out of Namibia. Would
it be kudu today or bushbuck? I had my .300 H&H along just in case.

We hiked down a canyon to a waterfall, then back up to the Land Cruiser. With the kids on the roof rack
and Philip driving, Pieter, Bella, Pamela and I goofed around hanging on back or seated around the coolbox.





Down in the valley floor, and I do mean down, we enjoyed the Crocodile Camp site observing Albertus' new transplant, a small crocodile, along with jacana, fish eagle, whiteface ducks and much more at the dam. The kids carried on while we got the braai ready, then joined in for lunch. Driving onward we got closer to Oliphant Kop, which fascinated Alyssa and the other shutterbugs. Pieter stopped for us to show
the kids leopard tracks of a mother and cubs, something I never saw as a kid in Ethiopia. No bushbuck ever appeared, but we saw lots of animals including giraffe. After admiring the hunting camp back on top the property, we included a few snaps of a giraffe capture being made ready to move a batchelor group of males to another property, keeping the gene pool mixed. A long curtain funnel ending in the transport vehicles is used, the subjects being chased by helicopter.

Owing to a bit too much teasing, including using a pet name Marcelle came up with for Courtney (when she wouldn't stop rattling on), I found that I know how to apologize to my daughters in six languages! We'd had a long day by the time we drove back to Warmbaths. Pieter stopped our vehicle for me to photo a guy's gate with two concrete kudus seen on the way up, complete with a few pot shot bullet holes. Aieesh!



Marcelle, Lizanne and Courtney at Crocodile Camp



Courtney at Pieter's hunting camp in the Waterberge, Vista Vistas, Limpopo Province









Views from "Pietersburg"



Fascinated by Oliphant Kop



Giraffe capture prep

DAY FOUR

Philip, Lizanne and Marcelle's long weekend was over so off to school they went as we headed up to DeWilt's cheetah project at Shingwedzi Wildlife Ranch. We already did more living in three days than a whole year back home. On the way up we saw a grey ghost kudu bull (Yes, they look grey-blue, unlike the East Africa or Eastern Cape varieties!) and a good 17" bushbuck which Pieter took as promising for our return tomorrow to hunt exclusively for bushbuck in the Waterberge.

The kids had related a crazy "Mad-Lib" from the day before involving thongs worn "outside", of course,
according to Courtney (who can't quite imagine otherwise). Now, Pieter was talking Pamela into assassinating a problem male Chachma baboon raiding his ma's tuin (garden) at mid-day. We had some fun discussing skin preparation options, ending up in a special thong for Pieter. My quandry was -- do we
prepare it with hands still on or not?? As you see, we were all getting along quite well. Pieter kept teasing about what kind of meat was being served to the kids at dinner. Since it was all new to Alyssa and Courtney, they weren't quite sure, even if it tasted nice.

We spent the morning seeing the animals from a canvas-sided hardtop lorry, followed by the obligatory curio shopping. First we heard a short lecture about cheetah in particular, and the breeding projects for cheetah and wild dog caried on at DeWilt's. The feeding tour commenced with chickens for cheetah, then onward to
view African wild cat, serval and caracals, former pets being turned over to them. Various poultry products were dispensed at each cage, the most spectacular sight being the caracals leaping three meters in the air to grab the chick or duckling being thrown. (All feed was prepared, from whence I know not.)

The astounding part was in the wild dog enclosure. Eukanuba sponsors feeding trials used to study nutritionally what aids in wild dog propagation, survival, etc. Although disconcerting to see feed pans, the behavior was still as in the wild -- deafening! Warned not to extend limbs outside the walls of the lorry for any reason, we simply shook as the dogs howled, bellowed, squeeked and roared as they went after the food. Professional hunters later confirmed that it is typical behavior, carried out at a kill site where an animal is not only demolished in a few minutes, but does so in full shock including all the noise.

The cheetah enclosure was much tamer by comparison. We saw rhino, nyala, giraffe, blesbok, etc. as we finished off the tour and headed to finish up our photos and purchases. Since school lasts only to 1 p.m. we needed to get back. I wanted to go with Bella to get some biltong and drop off film for development, picking up a couple more disposable cameras for the girls and have a wrap at KFC with the kids at lunch.

Pieter and Pamela ended up four-wheeling while Bella and the kids helped me and the girls curio shop in town. I got a pair of earrings for Pamela, made from a little gourd but personally dubbed Ngqongqothwane
earrings a la "Mr. Bones". "There will be no smashing and smoking of these, please!" I told her back at Pieter's home. His ma never called to say the baboon had shown up, so no thong for him after all.

Around the fire while Pieter prepared gemsbok fillet, I fixed Marcelle's whacky eyeballs sunglasses and we checked out a hippo skull Pieter had cleaned up -- the client only wanted the tusks. Of course, Pieter had Courtney believing (almost?) that she was eating lion's tail along with boerwors hot dogs at dinner.





DeWilt's cheetah and wild dog project.

DAY FIVE

Pamela and I went bushbuck hunting with Pieter at Mabote (pronounced 'mah-booty' or perhaps 'my boetie'), an agricultural property with great patches of riverine drainage / canal below an upstream dam that holds lots of baboon and bushbuck waiting to feed on irrigated crops when the men aren't looking out. In fact, by simply walking each side they are usually seen. However, everything being so dry meant secretive behavior on the bushbucks' part which continued on the Eastern Cape later on. We took panoramic pictures of the surrounding mountains, and enjoyed simply hunting, whether waiting in chairs by the canoes at the dam, slogging through reeds to cross over the other side and hunt back, or ride around in the afternoon re-checking where we'd spent the morning walking. We saw one dark ram with his head up, and another lighter ram who defied being driven to us by Andries and simply left on his knees after crossing into high grass. The field used to be in tobacco cultivation but was now fallow. No Limpopo bushbuck for me, but I really enjoyed just hunting them instead of using a checklist collecting approach.

Listening to baboons "Yahoo!" (No, Google! we said) up the rocks, watching babblers, crested barbets, African stone chats, wagtails, rock pigeons and so on allowed me to continue re-visiting my childhood.
We settled up the bill that night, working out taxidermy details and packing for the morning flight to P.E.
I prevailed upon Bella for one of their WIMPY promotional mugs I'd been enjoying my morning Five Roses, Glen and Joko teas in, enscribed "Live Every Moment". That's what it was like being with Pieter again, and marrying Bella has obviously been a good thing, too. Maybe there'll be a future hunt all together again.





Mabote views
__________________________________________________________________________

DAY SIX

In Pretoria we picked up my copy of NYATI thanks to an arrangement with an L&W employee. We saw green pigeons peeking out of bushes on the median / verge along the way -- truly serendipitous for me.
On the plane we prepared the girls for "what's next". I told them it was their turn to be M&M fairies, passing out packets of "American Smarties" to staff during the day at Blaauwkrantz while we were on morning hunts. Alyssa and Courtney were to enjoy sleeping in, reading and getting to know their way around yet another lodge. Philip Dixie was his usual efficient self at airport pickup, seeing to our various needs in town before we stopped at a STEERS for drinks and burgers. Back at the lodge at last, I saw to it that guns were checked for zero and we all were off to Spitskop to see where I got my first kudu. It rained a bit and I got to know Jackson, our 69-year old spry tracker, some, using any excuse to try a Xhosa phrase. He just grinned and indulgently played along. The property had been placed off limits except for return clients, which later proved advantageous in a big way!

We watched the Springboks play Namibia getting ready for World Cup Rugby in France. (At this writing I just saw the American team give a good showing against the 'Bokke. I saw it on 'Versus'. We searched Outdoor Channel listings for Pieter's hunt with Kelly Davis in October sometime. Kelly is on Northwest Hunter TV Sunday afternoons.) Dinner was kudu fillet, which Mamma Trinette prepared especially for me as well as a room full of hunters and observers either newly arrived or just wrapping up successful safaris with Arthur's various PH's. Barry Long with client Paul Manos took a 54 3/4" tips out kudu. Eric Daniell (brother Sidney runs the Daniell cheetah breeding project down the road across from Spitskop entrance) does a lot of PH work at Blaauwkrantz now, and his client, Paul's father-in-law Jack Pollock took a 6" steenbok! Wayne and Lynda Martin were in from northern Canada, totally wiped after 32 hours flying -- ouch, eh? Francois Rudman would be doing the guiding honors for what turned out to be a grand experience.

DAY SEVEN

Sandwiched between morning hunt without the kids and the afternoon hunt altogether, we visited the Daniell Cheetah Breeding Project. Both hunts were back in Spitskop where we saw many 'jong wan' kudu bulls and cows. Philip wouldn't settle for just any bull although I was ready to shoot and show him what I'd done to improve since the 2005 trip. My PH is English (Pieter, Pamela's PH is Afrikaans) and always amuses me with some new expression. Sidney Daniell had lost 26 sheep to stock thieves who dressed them at night and loaded the carcasses for sale to friends or whatever. Philip's empathetic response? "That's a shambles, man!" He later on at Addo cracked me up again. A couple ladies were asking how to get to a certain spot, from our vantage point near signs advising "Beware Of Lions". He helped with their plan, then added (since he thought they intended a pit stop in the bushes before going on), "Mind the growling!"

We even encountered a skunk at close range as we glassed from various points walking the spekboom.
Returning for brunch we saw, out in the open, an aardvark making a run for his home. This is an extra-ordinary sight, and they are huge! We gathered up the kids and headed out to pet the cheetahs, something we promised and promoted before the trip. (At DeWilt's they were definitely not tame, but there are two brother cheetahs at Daniell's of recent Hollywood fame -- a Disney offering, I believe.) Curio shopping started and ended the visit, in between which we got to pet cheetahs and hold three-week-old lion cubs. Bonus!







Daniell's cheetah project with a bonus



Star



Alyssa (front) ; "Lion kisses, Daddy!"


Back at Spitskop, this time with the whole family we continued to see young ones until we stopped to glass a couple bulls. Rounding the back of the truck I noticed a shiny "V" to the right of where Jackson and Philip were looking. Long sticks were settled for me and I locked in to what we ranged at 281 yards. The bull looked at us long enough to turn around and climb a slight rise to re-appear quartering towards me. If I shot higher/lower/slightlyleft or right it still meant a good shot. We heard "Boom!....Ka-the-WHUPP!" and I knew it had gone through a whole lot of something. "Great job, Dad!" I heard the kids saying, and we sent Jackson to make sure. My second kudu needed a finisher to the heart to send him along, but the first shot like my bull was good enough.

I took photos of Jackson doing the African gut. The only part that was messy was when he chased the liver -- his supper. We dropped him off at his house and it was "Enkosi na bulela mhlekhazi Jackson" from me with a R50 tip. Back at the lodge Mamma asked how it went, then taught me "Een skud is 'n dood skud." One shot is a dead shot. (Kinda like the Indian saying, "One shot -- meat. Two shots -- maybe. Three shots -- heap %(*^#!") We felt like we were still being smiled upon. The kids struggled with the adult (fancy) food and atmosphere, but that was to change again as we made plans to "do" Addo Elephant Park and go up to Philip's place in the Winterberge where Zani, Jane and Jack awaited them.

First, however, we had to make plans to go get two kudus in the morning. Arthur would crew-lead one bunch, getting six or so farm hands together to carry out Wayne's by stretcher, while our five would see to mine using a "sail" newly designed for the purpose. I had picked up in 2005 that Aapi, a superb tracker and a farm foreman for Arthur Rudman was a Christian brother. Picking up a Xhosa Bible for him off the internet, I was ready to give it to him before we split up to get kudus. Also, I had rigged up my own blue uniform shirt with BLAAUWKRANTZ in white letters, learned to sing the "Tschotscholosa" song on Kudus and Caracals, a video that starts at Blaauwkrantz with Mr. Arthur, and was ready to sing it to myself. A CD by Ladysmith Black Mambazo taught me the phrase "Sobonan' ezulwini".



Barry's second Blaauwkrantz kudu, this time
together with family



Jackson, Philip, Barry and 2nd kudu

DAY EIGHT


I gave Aapi the Bible which Arthur explained in Afrikaans had something to do with thanks for tracking my wounded bushbuck and carrying out my first kudu two years before (he thought). I just wanted to be an encouragement, having found out he is a local youth minister and had recently come through a bad health experience. He had to ask Arthur the next day if we could meet when I came back, but we already were scheduled at Springvale to hunt mountain reedbuck and bushbuck before departure for the USA. It must have been so strange to see a crazy white guy dressed in your uniform shouting out "See you in heaven, brother!" in Xhosa at the start of a hectic work day.

We did in fact haul my second kudu out, but there was more huffing and puffing than singing. The leader tried a couple times to join in, but we had our hands full. Still, I had a blast and didn't fall down more than once. Pamela took lots of SLR pictures and a few digital snaps to record my dream coming true, singing the train song while transporting an Eastern Cape kudu once again down Spitskop to the waiting bakkie.

The girls had been good M&M fairies, including the phrase "ukutya ichocolati!" in their morning mission.
They helped get the laundry sorted out so we could leave more clean hunting socks behind for the staff.
And, they were ready to see the animals at Addo and then head on to Philip and Zani's in the Winterberge.

We'd get more time with Mamma Trinette upon our return to shop P.E. and fly home. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to add to my Afrikaans under her tutelage, showing her off to my family and hearing about yet another kudu in her tuin. (A lady hunter has taken care of "the rogue" since our trip.) I got a smile or two from the kitchen ladies -- uMama Kiliwe, nanny Xlaba and cook Lizzie. Its funny how your hearing own language and name make so much difference in relationships. Benj is Barry's tracker, and would come along with us since Barry and Tinks Long are Philip's neighbors. My friend Nceba had gone to work in town, and I missed him, but Benj was a good replacement. Jeffrey works with Francois and Jackson with whoever needs him.





Getting ready to "Tschotscholosa"






Well, I tried to help!





"Sail", 8 ft. fists-to-toe / nose-to-tail, 50" left + 44" right



Philip Dixie rangefinding 280 yards shot past dry, forked sticks/tree



Mamma Trinette and the new hire -- not!




Addo (Cain't touch me -- nyahh!)

DAY NINE

Settling in nicely at the Dixie's modified Cape Dutch architecture home, the kids got a good dose of fireball Jane and little brother Jack. These kids are so beautiful! Zani's meals were much to their liking, and we had to keep the M&M's hidden until mummy could say "when". Alyssa and Courtney still had fairy duty, but with cartoons on TV and the younger ones commanding so much attention and time they couldn't be bored. I enjoyed once again hearing fiery-necked nightjars, much like the montane nightjars in Ethiopia.



Jane and newborn Jack (2005)

Jack Dixie

In the morning we decided to have Pamela hunt mountain reedbuck first there on Philip's farm. We glassed them up the opposite mountainside, then loaded up for the drive around. Getting ready to head back, the wind becoming quite stiff, Philip saw a good ram and came back to fetch Pamela for a downhill shot off short sticks. Now, I'd shown her everything Philip taught me and her range results were perfect. But, shots with Pieter after zeroing were all off him -- arm or shoulder. A quickly made set of sticks from cane at Benj's hands did the trick. Her 6 1/2" "old man" reedbuck was down to a bag of bones with wobbly or missing teeth. All the same my "helping" Benj haul him uphill was a chore! The flatskin would go on Alyssa's bed and the European mount can join others at our home once KAROO Taxidermy sends it to us.

We saw Knysna louries (turacos to me) on the way back for something to eat. Mountain driving is an experience, particularly if someone's roads are left very basic. Philip's are good, but others made us use the 4-wheel-drive to full extent. Either way it takes quite a bit to get up, down or across a range. At lunch, Jack wasn't too sure of the beard I was letting grow, but he gave me "high fives" anyway. Jane decided the girls were on summer vacation because "they are hiding from their teachers!" She took a shine to my hand-held Freecell game which I told her she must go to school to find out how you do it. "Give me this game. I know how to play it. Of course I do." Then I turned the sound on, showed her how to push 'NewGame', then deal before I'd talk through a step or two for her. "Okay, let me play, please" she'd say, push the buttons, make noise, try a couple moves and declare, "Yep. I won again!" Great attitude, huh?

Evening plans were to hunt Barry's place, part of the gated community called Mankazana conservancy. Philip's place, Springvale, was mountain high and in sheep production while Barry and Tink's was valley low and put to avocado cultivation with citrus, an old alfalfa field being a draw for good bushbuck. However, only a young ram plus a few females were glassed up the hillside as we listened to cattle breaking cane nearby.





Pamela's "old man" mountain reedbuck from the Winterberge. PH Philip Dixie.

DAY TEN

The wind overnight put me in mind of sea billows rushing down the mountain tops to the farm and animals below. The strange thing is it was warm, not cold wind. Still it takes weight off the stock and wild animals alike. Today was the Sunday for church at the conservancy, held once a month by a circuit-riding preacher in a Presbyterian church built in the 1800's. The ladies got ready to go while we men got an early start for bushbuck at Autry, hoping to be done in time to attend. High amongst the turpentine bush and 'vrot' roads we got no co-operation from game but had a good hunt nevertheless.

With Pamela along to sit for bushbuck at Glen Wood I got a good report on the sermon and other morning goings-on. The kids were home-sick and looking forward to having home-cooking. Zani and Pamela made plans to do chicken-fried venison with springbok and fallow deer venison, which helped a lot at dinner. We remarked at all the tandoori oven-like termite mounds strewn over the landscape, each with their aardvark tunnel opening in front. Before settling down for the bushbuck, uphill at what turned out to be 260 yards my third shot found its mark on my own old man mountain reedbuck. Philip was enthused about its horns and red neck hair so I'll get it shoulder mounted. The backskin can be added to Alyssa's flatskin for a "pushme-pullyou" effect, since the rounded tails when split look almost like fluffy fans. After ranging the distance at 260 yards (post-shooting, mind) Philip says, "So, Barry. Now you're shooting them at distance?" I truly like the guy and hope to reprise kudu hunting along with successful bushbuck pursuit in the future.





Barry's mountain reedbuck. His, not hers!
Philip, Barry and tracker Benj





Springvale /Mankazana conservancy views

DAY ELEVEN

No Eastern Cape bushbuck either, but I was glad for all the hunting we both did. We made a plan to get up very early, take Jane to her uncle's in Adelaide for school and make it to the P.E. condos in time for Zani's tee time (to be followed by a meeting after golf). Philip would take over with Jack until Jane was done with school. Rough duty -- not. Benj got some nice warm clothing as a thank you and left us at Barry's. Tip money for PH and tracker would follow after settling up Arthur's bill at the condos when Trinette came along, traveler's cheques were signed and assigned, etc.

After more familiarity with WIMPY's we shopped for our last curios with Lynda and Trinette and learned how to call a taxi for our morning ride to the airport. Bill settled and thank you's complete we said goodbye after Trinette told me how touched Aapi was with my gesture of friendship. I hope he can have Arthur email me. We talked about our trip, reviewing pictures already developed and laughing as we decided on supper on our own. Jimmy's Killer Prawns was our choice for something simple -- fish and chips. It was good but service on all-you-can-eat night was too slow. Not much to complain about over the best two weeks we've spent together. What a grand experience for the Nagels, bringing me full circle on my desire to hunt Africa.



24 hours from Port Elizabeth to Clute


Recollections :

Sights : "fruit salad" colored, frozen freshener cubes in convenience store loo
DOOM (South African "RAID")
Rafias' white cap [Zimbabwean cook ("Rafiki")] in Bellas kitchen
Marcelle's air pistol w/ backwards .22 empties vs. rubber darts
Philip Diedricks helping Pieter figure out his new cell phone @ 80 kph
no Koos or Nceba this time
street vendor Agnes
Mamma se tuin (Trinette's garden)

Impressions : I'm still a biscuit!
God's been smiling on us : flights, weather (no hurricanes), opportunity, kids' interests include our hunting, variety of personality and experiences, once-a-month-church was on our Sunday at Mankazana

Words & phrases : cap = keps, hat = hoed, tarpaulin = sail
"Marcelle, stopit!"
boerdry = farming operation
Ek het nie gehoor die boesbok blaf nie. (I didn't hear the bushbuck bark.)
As ek is Oom Barrie, is jou my neffie? (If I'm Uncle Barry, are you my nephew?)
Pieter's African name, Jabulani, "the joyful one"
Yebo!
"My prince!! (from Mr. Bones)
Onthou jou my? (Remember me?)
Drag your lip (cf. heels)
"That's a shambles, man!" "Mind the growling."

Tastes : Wellington's Sweet Chilli sauce
codfish fish & chips ( = kingclip, hake, snoek or whiptail?)

Sounds : "Lion kisses, Daddy!"
Winterberge wind, fiery-necked nightjars
Boom...Ka-the-WHUPP!
"Great job, Dad!"

Nice photos.

I love the brick and stone work at that camp.

I'm glad to see more families hunting together, especially with younger children. Your time in together in Africa will be a memory always to be treasured by them and you.

Great pics, also.

Namibiahunter
http://namibiahunter.angelfire.com

Nice Family. Great Pictures. The Dagga Boy hitchhiking down a paved road is plain wrong though...

Jeff

Looks like a great family vacation. Congrats on the trophies and kudos for involving the whole family. You have created a lifetime of memories for all!

Great to see the girls out there on safari too!! Congratulations...great photos.

Regards, D. Nelson

Great pics, Barry. It is nice to see the whole family having fun like that. Last time I came home from the cheetah facility, my arms looked like they'd been through a meat grinder. One of the year-old males took a liking to me and played a lot rougher than I wanted.

Oh, and you were lucky to see the buff at Addo. I've probably been 7 or 8 times and I've only seen them 3 times.

Hey, my favorite outfitter!

Greg, I'm up to DAY NINE so far in the write-up. Trying to get done before graveyards Friday.

Cheers, and how's our Chloe doing? I keep checking the blog details.

Barry

She's doing well. Today is her 9th birthday. 6 months ago, we weren't even sure if she would make it this long, much less be doing so well, so we're pretty happy.

Barry,

A most excellent hunt report!!! Thanks for taking the time to write it and sharing it with us. Looks like you and the family had a great time! Congrats on the fine trophies too! Also, please say hi to Pamela for me and give her my regards.

Most sincerely,
-Bob F.

PS - I want to go back!!

Hey, Bob!

Vista Vistas looks great. I'll have to wait another five years or so to go back. Now I have two kudu but no Limpopo bushbuck like yourself. Guess you heard about Snorre.

Near as I can tell Northwest Hunter TV is Sunday afternoons. I don't get Outdoor Channel so will miss Pieter and Kelly Davis' show. Wish I could get a tape!

I may add pix and append a table at the end of the write-up later on, but you are right about it taking time. Thanks for noticing.

Cheers, and see you in January at HSC! (Pamela says 'hi' back.)

Barry

Enjoyed your pictures.

Its always interesting to see the details of various lodges and camps in Africa.

They seem to build each part to fit the function and view using locally available materials.

Palmer

Outside the major cities there's no zoning, etc.
They can (and do ) do whatever they please building their own homes, lodges, farms and so on. It's great when someone knows how to marry environment to architecture and functionality.

Barry