AR Hunt Report, Namibia Plains Game, 2007

PH for this trip was Roy van der Merwe
Property hunted was Otjandaue Farm, Omaruru, Namibia
Owners are Herbert and Diana Svenblad from Norway, who are also present for their own holiday. They speak little English, and I speak no Swedish, so hard to communicate too much with them. (Even though from Norway, their native tongue was Swedish, I'm told, apparently the primary language on their small island.)
Hunt dates were April 4-7, 2007
This short trip was added onto my PAC elephant hunt with Charlton McCallum Safaris. You can read that report here: https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1411043/m/583106556
Species taken: Gemsbok, Warthog, Springbok
Species Hunted but not taken: Mountain Zebra, Red Hartebeest
Species seen but not hunted: Kudu, Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Giraffe, Impala, Blesbok, Duiker, Steenbok, Eland, Baboon, python
Total Cost: $2,000 USD (Daily fees and trophy fees)

Overall a very pleasant and relaxing trip. My first visit to Namibia, and while the terrain and vegetation were different, it reminded me in many ways of a ranch hunt in RSA.

I arrived late (9 pm) on April 3rd in Windhoek, after leaving Harare about noon. Excellent food on the plane, which was very appreciated. A relatively short layover in Jo’berg, and although the flight was delayed more than an hour, it was still an uneventful transfer. Firearm licensing in Windhoek was simple and fast (I was the only hunter with guns), and the Police officer specifically asked if I would compensate him for his great service. A US $10 “tip†(the smallest denomination I had handy) seemed to make him happy, and I exited customs with no issues and was met by Roy. It was about a 3 hour drive to the farm (Ranch, in US terms) where we arrived after midnight. Temperatures are in the high 60’s, and pleasantly cool compared to Zim. Some slight confusion upon arrival as the room key couldn’t be located. Got settled in, and made plans for an early wake-up and hunt shortly after first light.

Guest house, inside and out




“Camp†is the main farm house where Roy lives with his wife (Janet) and two young children (5 year old Runyi and 6 month old daughter, Kaylin.) There is also the Guest House (3 separate rooms) and associated out-buildings (garage, staff quarters, skinning shed, etc.) and outdoor eating area under thatched roof.

Outside eating area


Day 1, April 4, 2007

5:40 am wake-up, and a 6:00 am breakfast. Bacon and eggs, toast, baked tomatoes, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, juice and tea – a veritable feast! We get on the Land Cruiser about 6:30, and drive across the road to the main hunting area. The main farmhouse is on the other side of the main road, and is a high fenced property of about 2,000 acres used primarily as a breeding camp. Hunting is generally not done on this property. The majority of the property is across the road, about 20,000 acres also under high fence.

We see a rather large herd of Oryx right away, and a few springbok before we even get to the rifle range. I take a quick shot off the truck to confirm sights, which are still dead on, so we continue driving. Game is quite abundant, with warthogs scurrying from the roads, gemsbok, wildebeest, kudu and impala spotted frequently. It is a pleasant, mild morning. Clear skies and temps quickly climb into the high 70s, heading for about 90 later in the day. We take a short hike through the bush toward another road looking for oryx, and are closing in on a couple nice bulls when the Land Cruiser arrives to pick us up, spooking the oryx. They had no idea we were into game, and were on schedule as pre-arranged. Oh, well.

Drive some more, seeing game regularly, but nothing exceptional. I am in no hurry to shoot, and am enjoying watching game almost continuously. We see a python near a water hole which apparently just consumed a steenbok, or perhaps a duiker. The snake could hardly move, and the “meal†was clearly visible midway along the snake's body. Very interesting. The snake is about 7 feet long.
We return to the ranch house about noon. We have lunch about 1:00, and we all rest until about 2:00. A couple bankers arrive and visit with Roy and the owners during this time.
A few rain showers and occasional lighting as well. It clears about 2:30, and we head out again to one of the elevated blinds. We park about 200 yards away, and walk up and climb into the blind. Temps have dropped into the mid 70’s with the arrival of the clouds and occasional rain showers. A couple oryx come in to drink, but nothing exceptional. A blue wildebeest beds nearby, and about 5:00 a fair warthog shows up to drink. A pretty good specimen for the area I’m told, so after a brief consultation, I decide to shoot him. A simple shot from the Model 70 Supergrade in 300 win mag, and the warthog drops cleanly at the shot. DRT. I was using handloaded 180 grain Barnes Triple shock at about 3075 fps per the Oehler chronograph.



We take a few hurried pictures, as a thunderstorm is quickly moving our way. We load the warthog in the Cruiser, and proceed to drive the ranch roads in the intermittent rain. Lots of game spotted, but no shots taken, and we return to the house after dark, about 6:45. An excellent dinner (oryx shepherd’s pie) and we relax and discuss the days events. I turn in to my room about 8:45, as I still need to unpack a bit and catch up on rest from the travel day yesterday.

I have been having a problem with a severe rash on my hands which began in Zimbabwe. A very painful inflammation aggravated greatly by the sun. I don’t make the association for another day, but it finally dawns on me this is a reaction to the sun from the doxycycline I have been taking. I had heard reports of sun sensitivity on the forum before, but never experienced it myself. Copious amounts of sunscreen (Avon Skin–So-Soft), and hydrocortisone cream make no difference. I have to keep my hands out of the sun at all times, which is a bit awkward, but the sudden pain when the sun hits them is a good reminder to keep them in the shade. I carry an extra hat most of the time specifically for this purpose. A minor nuisance really, that doesn’t effect the hunt.

Day 2:
Wake up at 4:40 am, for a 5:00 breakfast. Plan to be out of camp a few minutes before light this morning. Clear skies, though it rained overnight. Temps are quite cool actually, in the low 60’s, but quickly warming as the sun came up. We drive quite a few of the roads this morning, seeing quite a bit of game again, but not choosing to pursue anything specific. Some of the bush is reasonably dense, and taller than I expected. Game can disappear readily.
We return to the farm house for lunch and a siesta again about noon, which is Roy’s general plan for each day. We leave again about 2:30 and go sit in a different hide at another waterhole for the afternoon. This is Roy’s preferred afternoon strategy. The rain has left quite a few puddles everywhere, however, and we see very little game coming to water this afternoon. We do drive for the last hour, and spot lots of animals, before the skies open once again and drench us in the back of the Land Cruiser. We get back to camp a bit after dark, soaking wet and a bit chilled from the rain, as the temperatures drop into the high 60’s with the storm. A hot shower, and we are ready for a good dinner and a relaxing evening.

Roy feels some pressure to get me more trophies, despite my insistence that I am just happy to hunt and see animals, and I don’t really need to shoot anything. I am looking for a really good oryx and springbok, and have never taken a hartebeest or mountain zebra, so these are my primary species of interest. I have taken oryx and springbok previously in RSA, so want really good trophies, and not just average animals. The remainder of the plains game present holds little interest beyond watching them, as I have taken several of most of the species previously. I pass quite a few decent oryx, (36 maybe 38â€) but catch occasional glimpses of some we believe to be over 40â€. We just can never catch up and get the shot on these big boys. I am even tempted to take a female oryx that was easily over 40â€, but we never can get a clear shot before she disappears. We spend a bit more time on the truck driving than I generally prefer, but we do see more game as a result, and Roy really wants me to be more successful (shoot more) so we continue to drive.

We relax around the dinner table and bar into the early evening, but conversation is stilted with few people speaking the same language. Roy and his wife speak perfectly understandable English, and I can talk with them easily. Herbert and his wife, along with a close friend of theirs, Lars (an AR forum lurker, so he said) speak Swedish, as I mentioned previously, and a bit of Africaans. Roy communicates with them in Africaans, and of course there is the black dialect spoken with the kitchen staff. It seems no more than 3 people can entirely understand anything that is spoken, which can make for difficult small talk. Roy’s kids join us each evening for dinner, and provide an interesting diversion. Runyi, a very active 5 year old girl speaks excellent English, a testament Roy says to the power of television, even in the African bush. We pass a generally quiet and reflective evening, and I turn in again early. A light rain is falling.

Day 3:
This is my last full day hunting, so we elect to focus hard on the Springbok and Oryx this morning. It is partly cloudy and about 70 this morning. The Land Cruiser has a flat tire, so we are delayed a few minutes in camp changing it before we leave. We also had a flat the first day. This thorn bush is very hard on inner tubes!
We see a few oryx, but again nothing spectacular. We make a stalk on a small group of Springbok. The smaller males come right by us in the jess (20 yards) but the older male stays safely behind a screen of bush. They finally work around us and pick up our scent, blowing off into the bush. We return to the vehicle, and drive some more. We spot a lone oryx not far off the road, and Roy gives the go ahead to shoot, saying it is decent though not huge. I drop it cleanly with one shot at about 75 yards. DRT. We are a bit disappointed to see it is actually a female, and not particularly large, but I am primarily interested in a flat skin, so not a big issue.



Roy is a bit embarrassed, I think, and immediately offers to have me shoot another oryx at reduced price. Fine with me, so we load the oryx and continue hunting. While I know we have passed numerous bigger oryx, I understand mistakes can be made, and after all, I’m the one who pulled the trigger. I also know Roy is almost desperate to please me, and was putting more pressure on himself to get me a good trophy than necessary. In the end, he encouraged me to shoot a less than average sized animal, due to his own fear I would be unhappy if I didn’t shoot more animals. Most of Roy’s previous clients have been European, and he was trying sometimes a bit too hard to please one of his first American clients. It is hard to fault his enthusiasm, and genuine desire to please. With a bit more experience, he will probably realize some people really don’t care about the body count, and just want to have a great hunt.
We continued hunting, this time on foot through an area known for good springbok. (The cruiser took the oryx back to the skinning shed, as the day was rapidly warming to the mid 90’s.) This area is quite flat and open, and we spot several groups of Springbok in the distance. We close to within about 250 yards, but they know we are there and are getting nervous. I take a kneeling shot, and inexplicably miss cleanly. I would have loved to use a set of shooting sticks, but still have no excuse for the miss. I’m a bit disappointed at myself, but we take up the trail and go in pursuit. It is hot and clear, making sure I suffer for my poor shooting. We intercept the group again about a mile or so further on, although this time at about 300 yards. This time my shot connects, but a bit low in the brisket, so not immediately fatal. The Springbok is seriously hurt, however, so we close to about 150 yards in the wide open pan, and I drop him cleanly with another shot. The Triple Shocks made a fair mess of this springbok, so we don’t get very many good pictures. I am pleased with the horns (if not my shooting), as this is the biggest springbok I have taken.

Springbok


We return to camp for a late lunch about 1:30. We are back on the truck and hunting again by 3:30. Lots of game seen again, but no shots taken. There are relatively few hartebeest and zebra on the property, so I elect to concentrate on another good oryx, which are plentiful. The big ones are always a bit more difficult, however. A spectacular sunset, with rain clouds on the horizon again. Unfortunately I didn’t spend enough time on the photos to do the sunset justice, so I only have my memories. We return to camp again after dark, and Roy puts on a delicious, traditional Braii for dinner. Superb!

Day 4:
We can only hunt for a few hours this morning, as we need to leave for the airport about 9:30. We drive the roads looking for some of the big oryx again, but only find average specimens, and I elect to pass. All too quickly the hunt is at an end, and it is time to head for the airport. I have been gone from home now for 2 weeks, however, so I am ready to get back to my family.
The drive back into Windhoek and out to the airport is a little slower than expected, but my first look at this country in the daylight. It is amazingly similar to parts of southern Utah, or even Arizona and Texas. Very arid, and definitely a bit more mountainous than I expected, with considerably better roads than in Zimbabwe. The roads are similar again to some rural areas of RSA. We arrived at the airport about 12:20 for my scheduled 1:45 departure. A bit later than recommended, but we weren’t really in any panic.

That was until I approached the check-in counter, and saw the flight was now due to leave at 12:45. The ticket agent informed me I was the last to check-in and I still had to turn my firearms permit into the police. I did manage to get checked in and clear customs in about 10 minutes (a record for anywhere!), and raced out onto the tarmac at about 12:35. As I jumped on the plane, they slammed the door behind me and immediately taxied and took off. Thank God for a small airport. I can’t believe the bone-headed mistake we made arriving late, and almost missing this flight. It took me all the way to Jo’berg to relax again. I’m not sure why the flight time changed, but there was some confusion the previous weekend as they changed to daylight savings time. I should have confirmed my flight time by phone the evening before, as Gracy Travel always recommends. It all turned out well, but could have been a major disaster. My luggage even made the flight!

Flights back always seem to be longer, and the stopover delay in middle of the night was lengthy. As a result, I landed in Dulles too late to make my connection to Denver and SLC. The next flight was only a few hours later, so I arrived back home around dinner time Sunday evening. In all, a “short†41 hours from Namibia to home.


Windhoek International Airport (This is the whole thing - it is tiny)

Summary:
I enjoyed my short visit, and had a relaxing trip. It was a nice way to unwind from the elephant hunt. I didn’t shoot many animals, but that was not the main objective. I would like to return and hunt Namibia again. It is a totally different experience hunting a farm in either RSA or Namibia, as compared to the tribal lands or a concession in Zimbabwe. I really prefer hunting dangerous game, but both are pleasant trips. There was very little interaction with Roy’s black staff, who were used solely around the house. A black tracker and driver could have been extremely helpful. I also missed not having shooting sticks, but that may be just my way of not taking the blame for my occasionally poor shooting!
Roy tried exceptionally hard to please me during this trip. It was evident he hadn’t been hunting professionally for long, but he is a nice guy who is earning his stripes.



Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the well-written report. My son and I are planning a Summer 2008 report and you've fanned the fires.

Matt

Is there a website for this Outfit?

Bob,

Their website is www.otjandaue.mine.nu

Bill

Bill,

I have collected yourt PAC elephant hunt and put it all together in one report on our Hunt Report Page.

Bill's PAC hunt report

Thanks, Saeed.
I appreciate you collecting and moving it.
Bill

Bill,

Congrats on a successful safari... Hope to see you in Dallas or Reno..

Mike

Congratulations! That is one hell of a Springbok!

It is great to see the airport pics, I failed to take any pics of it. It is funny that it is out by itself with nothing around.

Glad you had a great time and thanks for sharing. Makes we want to be there.

Wayne

Well done, llamapacker. That gemsbok is nothing to be ashamed of. Nice photo's, too. They made me nostalgic to return.
Dave

Great report and really cool pictures of your trophies. Just makes me itch even more to return to Africa in general for another hunt.
Willi

Bill- Thanks for the report and pics. SBT and I hunted the same place in May of 2004. Stayed in the same house as you did! The management has changed since we were there but sounds like the hunting is still very good! I shot a great wartie at the waterhole with the "on the ground blind" and a nice Blue Wildebeest and Oryx at the above ground blind. Also shot a 54" Kudu. Spent 8 days tracking Eland but never got one. SBT got a great Damara Dik Dik and a nice Steinbuck and Duiker. We had a real good time.

Thanks for bringing back the memories!!

By the way, was a fella named David still working there? He was kind of the head mechanic , grounds keeper and so on. Real nice kid.

John

John,

David still works on the farm. He seemed a pleasant chap, but I did notice that he and Roy (PH) didn't get on real well.
There have been a number of renovations to the farm lately, but all in all it is still the same farm. Glad to hear you had a good trip in '04.
Bill

Hi Bill

Thanks for your well written report about Otjandaue and me.I would just like to say that I wasn't embarrassed at all about the Oryx, I was surprised that it was a female because I only had a glimpse of her before she dissapeared behind the bush, but I could see in that brief moment that it was a decent size Oryx. I make the offer to all my hunters to shoot a second Oryx at half price due to the number of Oryx we have and the little rain we had this year, I had an Italian hunter now who shot a 41 3/4 " Oryx bull and he also shot a second Oryx. Your Oryx was 36 " what is still a good Oryx, but I did want you to shoot a bigger one because I know you have a 36 " Oryx, unfortuanately we didn't have enough time. I want to apologise to you if I tried too hard to please you, I did want to please you as your my client I feel hunters pay a lot of money to come here and that I want to give them value for money, I will definately try and ease up a little on keeping the client happy part, I didn't realise that I did it that strongly, I appreciate your honesty.

We have a new website www.otjandauehuntingsafaris.com

Thanks again for your great report and your honesty and I really enjoyed hunting with you.
Please do not be affended by my reply,it is not an attack on you at all, I just felt that you got the wrong idea with the Oryx and that I wanted to set it straight.

Regards

Roy

Great report and congrats on the Springbok, he looks like a toad! LDK

Roy,

No problem. I'm sure everyone on the forum likes to hear the PH's point of view. Enjoy the AR forum.

Bill

Thanks for sharing your hunt and pics with us.

Great report! I am especially glad to hear it.

Due to the fact the my sister, brother-in-law and I will be hunting with Roy for 12 days starting in Mid-July this year.

Roy........don't ease up on the "keep the client happy" part till after we leave!