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Kei river safari- fantastic hunt
15 May 2011, 17:47
ozark hunterKei river safari- fantastic hunt
Outfitter: Kei River Safaris
Booking agent: Wade Derby
PH: Andrew Renton
Rifles: Searcy 450 Ne and Winchester M70 375
Game hunted: Eastern Cape Kudu, wildebeast, impala, warthog, blesbok
The hunt was fantastic. We went on the hunt Wade offered two years ago as the Eastern Cape special, and it truly was special. We were canceled in '10 due to the volcano in Iceland and almost missed it this year due to a tornado in St. Louis just prior to our departure. We finally made it to East London and all went great. I chose to get trigger time with my 450 and Andrew work very hard to get the game with the double. We succeeded on haresting all but the Kudu with the double. We hunted five days for the kudu and after a few good stalks in the hills, I concluded that the 450 does not make a good mountain rifle. Had to switch to the 375 and closed the deal on the hardest stalk I've had in three safaris. It was a great hunt. The 450 performed fantastic on all other game. We made some tough and slow stalks, getting in to ranges of 30-70 yards on the other animals. Andrew worked extremely hard to make sure the double was the primary weapon, as I wanted trigger time with the double. The country was beautiful and more rugged than I had anticpated, much like a Mulie hunt in Wyoming than the two previous hunts I've had in Limpopo and Tanzania. Next time I'll get in better shape. All hunts were spot and stalk, nothing from the truck or water holes. We worked for each animal, except blesbok, which just came easy. Most of the areas were low fence, with kudu escaping several times to properties which were not part of Andrew's leases. We also would seem kudu and impala crossing roads as we went out to go to the various concessions, much like a western big game hunt. The lodge was as good as any I've been to and the meals were excellent. The best part of the trip were staff and the Renton's themselves. We arrived to pleasant, professional people and left as members of a family. Great folks. If any of you have any thoughts of hunting the Eastern Cape or wanting an experience that combines the African safari with North American low fence cattle country type hunting, I don't think you could do better than Andrew Renton of Kei River Safaris. I had some camera issues so the photos were pretty limited. Thanks.
15 May 2011, 19:04
graybirdAndrew and Sharyn certainly run a family friendly operation!
Some of their hills, aka mountains!, will test some of the areas I hunt here in Colorado for elk.
Glad to see another successful safari come from Kei River!
Congrats!!!
Graybird
"Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning."
congratulations for the great hunt.
mario
15 May 2011, 23:57
ScriptusDid you have time to check out their gardens?
16 May 2011, 00:31
NicholosiCongrats on a great hunt. To kill most of them with your double must have been a blast but I imagine a challenge as well.
John
Life Member Second Amendment Foundation
Life Member NRA
DRSS
16 May 2011, 00:53
D. Nelsonozark hunter;
Congratulations on your successful safari.
Your Searcy is as beautiful as your trophies! Good Going!
D. Nelson
Congratulations, OH!!
After all the trials you endured getting there it sure looks like it was worth the wait.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Give me the simple life; an AK-47, a good guard dog and a nymphomaniac who owns a liquor store.
16 May 2011, 04:17
postoakGreat hunt! I remember when Wade was offering that deal -- the price was so low that some skepticism about it was expressed. But Wade was just trying to establish himself in the business.
16 May 2011, 19:31
Jeff WemmerPlainsgame with an iron-sighted double!
Hell-yeah!
Great job!
JW
16 May 2011, 19:45
bwanamrmWell done!
On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.
17 May 2011, 13:03
BrettAKSCIquote:
Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Plainsgame with an iron-sighted double!
Hell-yeah!
Great job!
JW
+1
Good show sir!!!
Brett
DRSS
Life Member SCI
Life Member NRA
Life Member WSF
Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter
May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick.
And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too.
May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep.
May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip.
-Seth Peterson
17 May 2011, 16:55
SGraves155Beautiful country. A bit like the Ozarks?
17 May 2011, 18:03
ozark hunterHey, thanks for the nice comments. For those of you with doubles, this was a great way to enjoy hunting with a double and provided a challenge as well. The area in places looked very much like the Ozarks and Wyoming, or a cross there of. Thanks.
18 May 2011, 00:30
Wade DerbyMatt, I am certainly glad you enjoyed your trip. I recall the disappointment we all had when the Iceland volcano put your plans to go last season on hold. It was worth the wait though, congratulations on some hard earned trophies.
Thanks for your trust in me and Kei River, Andrew thoroughly enjoyed your company! Wade
18 May 2011, 07:17
retreeverGood shooting with the double.
Mike
Michael Podwika... DRSS bigbores and hunting
www.pvt.co.za " MAKE THE SHOT " 450#2 Famars
18 May 2011, 10:23
Equinsu OchaGreat looking safari. Andy, his wife and the rest of the Kei River team are top notch. I had a great hunt with them last May for blue duiker, vaal rhebok, nyala and bushbuck. Had a blast!
Thanks for posting your trip. Not too shabby a choice in weaponry!!
18 May 2011, 22:57
dougm58What a great safari!
I really enjoyed my time with Andrew and his family last year too. They really go out of their way to make you feel like family.
Hoping to go back in 2013!!
25 May 2011, 13:51
ANDREW RENTONMatt thanks for the thumbs up,it was a great time spent with you and spiderman,that double was a pleasure to watch perform.
thanks again
07 June 2011, 00:05
ozark hunterAndrew,
It was a blast, will be back ASAP. Thanks for the great safari.
Matt