13 November 2008, 18:16
Staley KeckLimcroma Plains Game Bowhunt/Rifle Safari
Outfit: Limcroma Safaris/Willem Venter SafarisP.H:Jaco Strauss
Owner: Hannes Els
Area:Limpopo Province
Date: July 7-14
Travel: Custom Travel
Animals Harvested:Waterbuck, Impala, Warthog, Kudu, Zebra, Blesbok, Wildebeast
Weapons: Ross 337, Ruger 7mm-08
Well, I'm a little slow learning to post pictures, but I think I have this figured out now and would like to share our first hunt in South Africa. The time seemed to take forever to get here, as we planned to hunt the Limpopo Province of Africa with Limcroma Safaris July 7-14. Now that it is over, the time seemed to go in an instant. We had a blast as first timers over there, and without a doubt it exceeded all of our expectations my wife and I had planned.
The first part of our hunt took place the Venter family on the Matlabas river about 45 miles from Limcroma's main camp. This 9,000 acre concession was loaded with some nice trophy aniamls and some great friends were made as the Venters were gracious hosts.
Day #1 we unloaded gear checked my bow and headed out for a half days worth of hunting, only to see a few kudu cow and impala doe.
Day #2
The second day or first full day of hunting I was blessed with having a huge waterbuck bull coming to water with a few of his lady friends and some younger challengers. Jaco my PH, carefully explained the position of the animal and where I needed to shoot, at 16 yards I touched the release off and about 115 yards later my first African animal, a beautiful animal that I had not had on my wish list, but was more than excited to add!
Day #3 With swirling winds we had to move several times before we found a pit blind that put us to an advantage over the countless variety of animals that were coming in to get mineral and water. A little after lunch a nice impala ram came in by himself, Jaco explained this was an older ram past his prime and that we should take him.
A little apprehensive with their string jumping nature I rushed the opportunity at 24 and took a shot at him, the shot was a little far back, but he was quarting away slightly and he only made 100 yards before piling up. A special thanks goes out to my tracker, my wife Lila who takes all the credit for finding this animal after the shot! Thanks again, dear!
Day #4 I had a bit of bad luck on a monster 10" warthog and shot just underneath catching him with a single bade from my G5 montec. I was pretty bummed about missing a slam dunk on such a nice trophy but there were still several days left. Back to camp for some fine food and a Castle to drowed my sorrow!
Day #5 We hunted a different area of the concession from and elevated blind that overlooked a small tank, this was a nice change as we could see game approach from several hundred yards. Throughout the afternoon we had several nice impala rams com to water, but I was hoping a warthog would come so that I might get a chance to redeem myself.
About 4:30 I caught movement of ash/gray ivory rulling through the thornbrush, a nice 8" warthog was coming in to water. We studied the animal a bit and Jaco asked me if I could miss the shoulder bone of the slightly quartering to us pig.
At 21 yards I released the axis 400 to watch it blast through the boar. Finally my warthog was in the backie (truck) headed to the skinning shed!
Day #6 The last full day for me to bowhunt, My wife had zebra and impala on her menu for the next day at the Limcroma headquarters. Today would have to be the day for a gemsbok or kudu. Late in the afternoon we settled in to an area of the ranch that not had any pressure for a while and setup in another elevated blind. About 3:00 another monster warthog came in to water, Jaco gave me the chance to take him but I resisted wanting a kudu or gemsbok.
About 3:45 my gamble paid off when Jaco glanced out the window and quickly whispered "grab your bow". At 14 yards I looked out the window to see a nice kudu bull drinking slightly quartering away. I eased the pin up the opposite side shoulder and tugged the release. The bull exlpoded over the water trough bounding 3 big tail curled jumps before staggering to the brush some 100 yards away and it was over, my first kudu bull!
Day #7 Last day to hunt as this would be Lila's day to shine. She had praticed shooting her 7mm-08 most of the late spring and summer to harvest a nice mature zebra. We awoke to hear thunder and rain from our thatched roof, I was a little concerned the hunting might be tough with the weather conditions. We loaded our gear and headed for the main camp at Limcroma on our way there the weather conditions improved and by 10:00 after checking her rifle at the bench we were stalking the brush for zebra after a 3 1/2 stalk we were able to close the deal on her zebra.
From the shooting sticks she anchored the nice dark stallion with one shot from her little Ruger 7mm-08 with a 140 grain Barnes TSX bullet, just as she had practiced, way to go! We took the zebra back to camp and had a bite of lunch I had told Lila earlier in the week if I hadn't taken a gemsbok then she could try for one with the rifle, so after lunch we headed for the brush again.
The gemsbok were less than cooperative and after many failed stalks we came up on a nice blesbok, she commented it would make just as a nice trophy so we agreed with Jaco that he needed to be taken and at the report of her little ruger, Lila had a nice trophy blesbock on the ground.
With about 2 1/2 hours of light left Lila said to me, "lets go kill your wildebeast", so Jaco quickly took us to an area of the ranch that could produce some nice wildebeast. Inside the blind we watched as countless waterbucks and an old warthog visited the feeding area but no wildebeast. Slowly I watched the sun fall from the sky and sink into the African bush, sadly it was coming to an end but I was so pumped from all the experiences I had been blessed with over the last several days only a fool could be dissappointed. Then as quickly as my mind floated away Jaco whispered quietly "wildebeast bull coming in" Jaco stated "you must be pin point accurate with your shot", no pressure right! The bull came in to water slighlty quartering away, from inside the blind the thud and position of the arrow confirmed a solid hit and with the help from the tracker Frans found the wildbeast not 120 yards away.
Although the my elusive gemsbok was not taken, there's always next time, another trip to Africa!
Thanks for your time.
