Safari Company: Tholo Safaris Clive, Linda, and Kim Eaton https://tholosafarisbotswana.com/

Agent: Hunting for Adventure Tom Addleman http://www.huntingforadventure.com/

Travel Agent: Travel with Guns http://www.travelwithguns.com/

PH: Jason Bridger

Hunters: Roger and Sarena Cox Originally we were booked for 8 days
but we added two more because...AFRICA!

Rifles: For this trip we both brought single shots. I
was hunting with a Ruger No. 1 chambered in
9,3X74R handloaded with a Barnes 286 grain TSX
@ 2300 fps. Sarena was shooting a T/C Contender chambered
in 375 JDJ loaded with a Hornady 225 grain SP @ 2350 fps.
Not having hunted much, I had her practice with a 6.5 JDJ identical
to the one she was shooting but loaded with 85 grain bullets.


This is my fifth trip to Africa and Sarena's third. Previously
I have hunted South Africa three times and once in Zimbabwe for buffalo.
We originally had booked to hunt Kanana before it was put up for
sale. Tom called me late last year and said the hunt was being moved to Tholo
but he would refund my money if I did not want to hunt there. I did not think
that would be a problem after checking out Tholo's website.


Travel was on Delta to Johannesburg.
Our flight was uneventful from
Shreveport, Atlanta, and on to J'Burg.
We overnighted at the Afton Guest House.
Even dealing with TSA and the SAP's
was not much of a hassle.

Next morning we took SAA's commuter jet
to Maun. After clearing customs we were
met by Jason's wife Claire for the three
hour drive to Tholo.

We arrived at camp around dark and met by
the staff, the other Ph's, Jason Bridger
and Kim Eaton. Coming in a little later
after us were four Englishmen, Ricky, Jim,
Peter, and Joe all who made our stay there
that much more entertaining. Another hunter,
Brian was finishing up and would be leaving
in a couple of days.

Our accommodations were excellent. In fact
the whole place is run very efficiently and
top notch. The food was incredible and if
there was one complaint it would be I
just couldn't eat it all.







Our house gecko. His name is Bob. Note the missing tail.


Dining room, bar, ect...















Day 1
The next morning we shot our rifles
making sure they were still sighted
in. I told Jason that our goal was
just to have fun but that I would like to take
a zebra stallion, a kudu with his horn
tips flaring out, and an old blue bull
eland with broomed horns.

We start out after eland first.
We had a very fine tracker, Besa
and Cassie, the driver. Both
are San Bushmen and Besa could
track and spot game beyond anything
I could imagine.

We had no luck on eland the first day.
There is more game here than anywhere
else I have been. I managed to miss
a quick shot at a cull springbok with a
broken leg through thick brush. Coming
back we saw some zebra and wildebeest.
A quick stalk, the sticks are up and
I put a bullet through his lungs. A
fine zebra stallion.





Day 2
More eland tracking. We saw several but no chance of a shot. Then Besa spotted a
couple of wildebeest under the shade of an acacia. I took the one that was on the right.
I could have shot him again if I had been a faster loader with my No 1 as he ran
by us. I recovered the bullet and it was a typical Barnes mushroom. Even though
launched at only 2300 fps these bullets expand well.



286 grain Barnes TSX recovered from wildebeest. Muzzle velocity 2300 feet per
second. Recovered weight 285.5 grains.




That night a couple from Utah arrived at camp, Ben and Sandy. Very nice people.

Day 3
Looking for eland again. Later in the morning we approached a dried up pan. Besa spotted a
nice warthog. Jason thinks Sarena should shoot it. Up go the sticks. Sarena was a little
nervous. The warthog stops where she can get the shot off and he hits the ground bang/flop.
Needless to say we were all quite happy. Later we recovered the bullet. It was under
the skin on the other side and broke his offside shoulder. These bullets are a little too soft
in my opinion being cup and core and go into extreme mushroom.





225 Hornady Spire Point. It killed this pig faster than any I have ever
shot. Bang/flop. Recovered weight was 193.4 grains. Muzzle velocity 2350
fps. As it was cup and core, it tends to break up on heavier bone. Next
time, if we bring this rifle again, I think a North Fork 250 grain @ 2200
fps would be the ticket for shots 200 yards and under.




Day 4
That morning, more eland tracking. By now I am thinking we will never get one.
Nobody else in camp is having much luck on them either. We got busted by a
wildebeest and later by an ostridge. Jason sees a bull and puts the sticks in
front of me. I am looking everywhere and cannot see it. Then some movement
and I catch a glimpse and he is gone. Mostly it was head and neck with his
body obscured by brush. When we got back to camp at lunchtime I pulled out
my "Perfect Shot" book and reviewed eland anatomy. I was thinking about a
spine and neck shot and what I would have to do to get a bullet to where it counted.

It was now time to break out the Voodoo. Jason was using a long stick to guide Cassie
down the roads. I asked him what was the Latin name for Eland and told him
to wave his stick like a wand when he said it. Then I did the same. We stopped
by a waterhole looking for tracks that afternoon and found a leopard tortoise. Maybe
a good omen...

Later we find the track of a bull down from the waterhole and started tracking. We had
not walked for five minutes when Jason put the sticks back up. Again, there was an
eland bull in front of me and I couldn't see him. Frustrating to say the least. Jason was
giving me directions in relation to a tree we could both see and I could only see something
that was out of place. But no identifying body parts. Then he picked
up the sticks and moved it 3 feet or so left. "He is facing us." Finally what
seemed like an eternity, I realized he was a lot taller than where I was looking.
I shot him in the neck, right in the dewlap. He immediately dropped. I put another
finisher in him as we didn't want to take any chances he would get back up.

He was what I had asked for. An old gnarly bull, broomed horns, saggy dewlap, and a
red ruff on his head. His teeth were almost worn to the nubs. Not a record book
animal but a perfect bull in my opinion.

"Big eland bull crossed here."












Day 5 Amazing how quickly things can turn around. 24 hours earlier I was
concerned we were going to chase eland the whole trip without the chance to connect
with anything else. We made a couple of walks to some waterholes and on the second
one there was a nice warthog. There is something about the way a pig moves that really
throws off my shots. At least that's my excuse. Anyhow, I shot just a little too far
back. Off he goes with his tail straight up. We repositioned as he ran away and I
was able to reload and fire once more but I missed.

Of course he headed straight for the blackthorn. Jason got his .416 Rigby so we had 2 rifles.
Sarena decided she would stay back after trying to crawl through the blackthorn on her
hands and knees. Up ahead, while crawling with Jason ahead of me and to the left, we saw
him lying down. Jason thought he is dead or dying and then suddenly he got up and ran
off. Jason made a quick shot but missed.

Now came the tracking part. I would have much preferred that my pig dropped at
the shot like Sarena's but we did get to see Besa's amazing tracking skills. We followed
him for almost two hours and I estimate we went around a mile and a half. He was not
bleeding much, just a drop here and there. My thought was we were just going in a
random direction and then Besa would show me a small drop of blood in the sand. We
came out on a dirt track and called the Cruiser around for water. Sarena had found a
porcupine quill. They are supposed to be good luck. We passed by a series of warthog holes.
He didn't go in there. Still traveling. Some meandering. Besa has to stop a few times and
backtrack to reacquire his trail. Finally Jason sees him standing ahead and puts a 416
bullet in his hindquarters.







That evening we spotted a herd of hartebeest. We drove around to get downwind from them.
I had my best chance at a jackal but couldn't shoot because we didn't want to mess
up the stalk. Once we found them Sarena and Besa hung back. One of the cows kept
looking in our direction. A waterbuck bull was chasing a waterbuck cow. Finally
they meandered where we could advance. A bull stepped out in an opening. I took
the shot, reloaded and hit him again before he fell.







Day 6
Morning...we saw a herd of wildebeest running around in circles. Jason wants me
to take a couple of culls. I shot a bull calf and almost got another before they
took off.

Evening. I had made the comment I didn't want any tracking drama today. We go sit
at a waterhole for a gemsbok. Not long after we were settled in we see one loner.
Jason thinks it is a cow at first then changes his mind and says its a bull. I was
wanting a bull with more mass rather than a cow with longer horns as I had already
taken a cow on a previous hunt. I double lunged him standing broadside and he ran
about 1/4 mile. Bullet performance was impeccable. He left a blood trail that I could
have followed blindfolded.



Besa made a flyswatter out of his tail.








Day 7

After admiring my waterbuck hanging on the wall, Sarena has always said she would
like to hunt for one if she ever got a chance. Though coming on this hunt primarily
as an observer, she would get the opportunity. That morning we saw a small herd and
made a stalk. Unfortunately, she was unable to see over the brush where he stood
and she could not make the shot before they left the area.

We spent the rest of the morning looking for kudu. There was a vast area that is
dedicated to cattle. We saw many, many kudu but not one with the tips turned out.
There was a herd of about 20 assorted bulls, cows, and calves that jumped a low
cattle fence. I watched spellbound, at their grace and beauty wishing afterwards I
had been able to record the scene on video.

That afternoon we could see some kudu up the road by a waterhole. We crept up
to them and watched a couple of bulls fight for five minutes. Very cool! Dammit!
Why was I not carrying my camera?!

Later on, while riding down a dirt track we spotted a bull and some cows. A nice bull.
I looked at him through my binos and while he was not perfect with his tips he was quite
nice with heavy mass. Driving past, we stopped, got out of the truck, and Sarena and Cassie
drove off.

The cows knew something was wrong. They kept looking in our direction. Every so
often, Jason would peek over an acacia bush to check them out. Finally to give the
kudu time to settle down, we laid on the ground for about 30 minutes. Then we commenced a
duck crawl up the road to get into position. Right before we were able to get close,
Besa gave me a porcupine quill he found. Then the sticks came up. At the shot, he dropped
but his head was still up. I could not see his body well but shot through the brush
where it would be. I think the second shot was deflected by brush but the third one connected
and he was down.





Another nice kudu. There were many here.











Day 8
We are now alone as the British guys and Ben and Sandy leave camp to go home. Sarena
makes another try at a waterbuck but we got busted by an impala. Later that morning
I shot a cull wildebeest cow. On the way back to camp Besa spotted a boomslang.

That evening we saw another nice waterbuck, possibly the same one that Sarena stalked
earlier. We drove around to the downwind side so we could get in close. Again, we almost
got busted by another impala. We can see the bull through the acacia. Jason and
Sarena left Besa and me to get in closer. Approximately 5 minutes later I heard a shot
and the slap of the bullet. He is down! One more shot for a finisher and Sarena had
her waterbuck.

We looked for bullets back at the skinning shed. Sarena's shot went high and hit vertebra.
It looked like the bullet broke up on the bone though we were unable to find it. I selected
this bullet because I wanted something a little lighter for her to shoot with vs a slower
270 grain bullet. I was also a little concerned a 270 grain would not expand at all. I have
killed several deer and hogs with these bullets but even at a moderate velocity they are just
too soft for larger game. However, I cannot argue with the outcome. If she hunts again it
will be with a different bullet.

Wildebeest cow.






Boomslang






Day 9

Since we pretty much got everything we came for we had a nice relaxing day
of riding around looking for a steenbok for Sarena and another warthog for
me. We saw several steenbok ewes but no rams. Also quite a few gemsbok
which got me thinking about what to do for the last day.

Back at camp for lunch I finally yielded to temptation and got on the internet.
It only works close to the skinning shed. Sarena joined me and then we heard
a shotgun blast. There was a mamba in camp. We had been joking about snakes
all week and I was complaining the whole time I had not seen a mamba. Be
careful what you ask for.

That evening we walked to several waterholes. On the way back to camp, another
nice warthog. We get out of the truck and when the sticks come up I see him
looking at us. Another shot, another running warthog. Light was fading fast and
I was glad Besa is with us. More blood this time but I still had memories of tracking
the first one. We found him piled up about 150 yards from where he was shot.













Day 10.

Last day. I told Jason let's look for a nice gemsbok. Preferably a cow but
any good one would do. That morning we set up a blind by a waterhole. A
couple came in but no shooters. Sarena stayed back at camp. There was a
24 hour virus going around and she was getting it. That afternoon we rode around
and made a few stalks but never got on a gemsbok large enough to shoot. By the
end of the day I also felt like I had something. The next day I felt okay but
Sarena was a little nauseous. Luckily it never got any worse for either of us
on the flight home.

Summary
This place was awesome. I have nothing bad to say. The people, accommodations and
food were top notch. I was thinking that this might be my last plains game hunt
as I want another buffalo hunt plus some more North American hunts but now
I am not so sure. I want to go back to Tholo again and bring some newbie friends
for their first African hunt.

That is a fantastic eland! Congrats.

Very Nice. Tholo is an exceptional place.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that!

Awesome. Great to see Jason. Congrats on a great hunt. You guys shot some great warthogs! Thanks for sharing.

Fantastic pictures, I love that eland!

Thanks for posting.

Some really nice pictures and a great report!

Sounds like you had a great time

Outstanding!

Great hunt and some outstanding pictures!

Nicely done, congrats!

Well done Roger, Im glad you finally connected with the waterbuck!

Very well done! Thanks for posting.

Awesome place Tholo. Looks like you enjoyed it as much as I did. Congrats on a great Safari and thanks for posting.

Very nice report and pictures.

Cheers
Jim

Great Report and pictures! Can tell by the smiles is was fantastic.

Love the eland and the waterbuck.
Well done.

Great story and pictures, wonderful trip. 132 000 hektar is a huge areas. That is so big as one of the largest ran forest areas up here, spread over several counties. Its great the opportunities is there

Nice report and photo's Roger. Good hunting and good people at Tholo!

Roger....way to go....Peter Caroline and I enjoyed you hunt. See you at Shootist this coming week.

Bill, I wish. I tried to drop my 3 day FRA trip starting tomorrow but it was too late. See y'all next year.

Very nice report and pictures. Great trophies. Thanks for sharing.

Nice hunt and great photos!
Thanks for sharing

Beautiful pictures. Nicely done with the Ruger No. 1 in 9.3x74.

Great report! Glad you had a great safari. It was a pleasure working with you.

Great report and I loved all the pictures

It made me wish I was there

Thank you so very much for taking the time to share this hunt with us

Ted

congratulations great report nice pictures .Love the look of that old eland shows a lot of character with those broomed off horns

we had agreat time and wa s nice to meet you both brilliant place, pm

Excellent report. Nice pics, nice trophies, and it's nice to see single shot rifles used. The memories will stay with you the rest of your days.
Thanks for sharing.
Cal