Hi Folks

Our 2017 trophy season is finished and it’s been another cracker of a year. Despite the persistence of dry conditions in the beginning part of the year, the season has seen many outstanding trophies taken and hunting memories made.

The season began very early on January 2nd with the arrival of Ferdinando and Eleanora from Italy for a short four day hunt. Ferdinand has hunted in Africa numerous times before but it was a first Eastern Cape hunt for him. It was particularly hot but we hunted well in the cooler part of the day to take a great blesbok and nyala. Ferdinando was heartbroken to miss an opportunity on the last afternoon to bag a bushbuck ram but we hoped to make amends when they return in mid August for a bushbuck, vaal rhebuck and mountain reedbuck hunt.



William and Sinead joined us from Northern Ireland on their first African trip. They were our first ever visitors from Ireland. On their six day hunt William bagged a kudu, impala, springbuck and warthog. We had close encounters on their hunt with elephant, buffalo and white rhino which William and Sinead enjoyed immensely. We also spent a day in the Addo Elephant Park where we saw buffalo and elephant.




Howard and Magi from Colorado, USA returned to hunt with us on their second hunt with Karoo Wild. They last hunted with us in December 2015 and Howard was successful in hunting a large number of good trophies. This year Howard hunted a world class gemsbok, nyala and waterbuck early on in the hunt. Howard’s good hunting fortune continued when we hunted two impala, a blue and black wildebeest, two steenbok, a warthog, red hartebeest and burchells zebra. It was a hunt to remember with lots of different hunting areas hunted in a variety of hunting conditions. Lindsay and Magi visited Graaff Reinet, the Addo Elephant National Park and Schotia Private Game Reserve where Magi saw lions up close. We look forward to the Smith’s third visit next April!






Rob from Solihull, UK returned for his fourth consecutive hunt with us. This time a springbuck slam was on the wish list and Rob hunted a copper and black springbuck to go with the cape and white springbuck he shot on previous trips. Rob also shot a terrific sable bull and white blesbuck ram with his new .375 Sako. Rob spent time getting accustomed to his new rifle and we look forward to welcoming Rob back next April for a cape buffalo hunt.




In late March we welcomed the Burton family, Tim and Debbie, son Jordan and his fiancé Brooke. Family friend, Colin joined them for a buffalo hunt. PH Arnold and Jordan shot a remarkable 57 inch Cape Kudu. Jordan was looking for something completely different and he certainly got what he bargained for. Although far from a classic kudu bull shape, once officially measured he's expected to be near the top of the SCI book for Cape Kudu. Like Arnold so humbly says "even a blind chicken can pick up a piece of corn once in awhile". Well done to Jordan on an outstanding hunt and once in a lifetime trophy. Jordan also hunted a blesbuck, springbuck, impala, nyala, bushbuck and blue wildebeest.





Colin and PH Craig got a fantastic Cape Buffalo after four days of hard hunting. He followed that up with a red lechwe, kudu and nyala. Colin's luck has certainly changed on this trip.





Tim, hunted with Nibbs and they began their hunt with a great sable. During the course of the week Tim hunted hard and took an eland, springbuck, nyala and bushbuck. He shot a kudu in a part of our property affectionately nicknamed “deepest, darkest Africa” and it took the whole force of the hunting team to recover it from where it lay precariously on a mountain. Tim shot a fantastic waterbuck on the last morning to cap a terrific 10 day hunt.
Lindsay showed the ladies several sites and attractions in the area.







We were joined by Van and Diane of Artistry Outwest Taxidermy Studio in Weippe, Idaho. They have hunted in Africa several times and on this occasion brought their friends Dave and Rich on a 10 day hunting safari. I hunted with Van and Diane. Nibbs guided Dave and Rich on their hunt.
Diane, Van and I made a fantastic stalk on a kudu which resulted in Diane taking her first ever kudu. During the course of the hunt Diane completed her springbuck slam by taking a cape, black, white and copper springbuck. The hunting and stalking was tough at times but Diane persevered and got some terrific trophies. Van was interested in some of the little hunted trophies and we found him a large aardwolf male and two porcupines on some night hunts. He also shot a baboon, kudu, common duiker, black wildebeest and cape eland. Van’s eland hunt was one of the highlights of our year and will forever be etched in my memory.
Dave rode on the right side of our 65% success rate on caracal and bagged a 42 pound tom on the first morning of running the dogs. He also got a first ever kudu and was successful in hunting a klipspringer, gemsbok and cape springbuck. Rich had a great hunt and also hunted a first ever kudu, an impala, springbuck and porcupine. It was a hunt to remember and we look forward to seeing the mounts coming out of the Artistry Outwest Studio.









In mid May, Bob from Nevada, USA returned to Africa for his second hunt in the Eastern Cape. Sable was top of Bob’s list but a red lechwe was the first animal hunted. We had several busted stalks on the first morning but bumped a lechwe bull early that afternoon and Bob made a terrific shot. We travelled north to a concession where he shot a world class sable. During the course of Bob’s hunt we successfully hunted a black wildebeest, common reedbuck and red hartebeest. It was full moon and a big bushbuck eluded us, the big rams only coming out to feed for minutes at a time. Nevertheless it was a great hunting week and we await Bob’s hunt next April when we resume our bushbuck challenge.





Redgie, from San Antonio, Texas made his African hunting trip. He booked a management package and he shot several cull impala, kudu, warthog, springbuck and duiker. He also decided to hunt a blue wildebeest trophy. The stalk was a tricky one but Redgie’s Sauer .300 Win Mag made light work of an animal notoriously difficult to put down. We spent the afternoons hunting kudu and were eventually rewarded with a trophy kudu.

Danilo, Neto and Marcelo travelled to the Karoo from Brazil to hunt with us on a management hunt. They’d hunted in South Africa on many occasions but this was to be their first trip to the Eastern Cape. With Nibbs and myself guiding them we were able to hunt 25 management animals; kudu, springbuck, impala, warthog and duiker. What a fun week!

In mid June we were privileged to welcome Hadrian and Barbara from Austria on their first African plains game safari. It was an excellent hunt with Hadrian hunting impala, burchells zebra and springbuck. Barbara shot a black wildebeest, blesbuck and a kudu. The kudu hunt was as thrilling as usual with Barbara missing a difficult shot on a big bull earlier in the week. She made splendid amends when she got a beautifully dark kudu bull a few days later. Both Hadrian and Barbara shot a few cull animals during their week with us. Another great week of hunting with new friends.




Bill and Gordon from the UK joined us for a 10 day management hunt. During this period Nibbs and Gordon shot 21 management animals, Bill and I shot 23.

In July, we welcomed Garland and his son, Brady, from Wyoming on their first African hunt. Brady hunted a gemsbok, kudu, common duiker, impala, steenbuck and a black wildebeest. Garland hunted a burchells zebra. Between them they shot three big male baboons. They also enjoyed a trip to the Addo Elephant National Park where they saw elephant, cape buffalo and numerous plains game.




Ferdinando and Eleanora returned for their 2nd 2017 hunt. From the heat of January to hunting Vaal Rhebok in August snow, they’ve surely seen it all regarding South African weather. We hunted a spectacular mountain reedbuck on the first afternoon. They took a common duiker on the second day. A snowy two day hunt in Nieu Bethesda resulted in Ferdinando getting the elusive vaal rhebuck. Ferdinando finally got the bushbuck off his back so to speak when he made a great shot on a bushbuck on his last hunting day.






Tim and Teri Nowak originally from Louisianna, and working in Nigeria joined us for their first plains game hunt. What a hunt it was to be. Over the course of the first three days, Tim got a fine lechwe, impala and his most sought after trophy, a sable. He shot a world class eland at Haaspoort before we headed to another concession where we hunted a gemsbok, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, zebra and waterbuck over the course of the next three days. Lindsay and Teri spent one of the days in Graaff Reinet, shopping and visiting the Valley of Desolation. The elusive kudu remained to be hunted and although we’d seen plenty through the course of the week it was only on the second last day that we got an opportunity to take a good one.









Paul from the UK chose to hunt some of the rarer Eastern Cape species with us. He has hunted in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya (pre-ban) on several occasions. We had a cracker first couple of days taking quality black wildebeest, klipspringer and steenbok early on. On the second afternoon we got a truly exceptional mountain reedbuck (longest horn 9.5 inches). Oddly enough common duiker remained elusive but over the course of the next week we successfully hunted waterbuck, blue wildebeest, caracal (with dogs) and black springbok. Paul also took his priority animal, a great vaal rhebuck after a few days of hunting them at high altitude.









Our sincere thanks to everyone that hunted and vacationed with us this year. We remain truly blessed to live and work in an industry that allows us to meet and interact every day with such fine people from all over the world. We hope you have some special memories of your time with us in the Karoo! All the best for the remainder of 2017.

Looking great Vic!

Was Tim's bushbuck taken down on the same property that I got mine? It's a corker!

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
Looking great Vic!

Was Tim's bushbuck taken down on the same property that I got mine? It's a corker!

Hi Frank

No, it's a different one. Further inland and closer to our property. We actually shot two bushbuck that morning there. Father and son each hunting with their own PH. They have different shapes but both were the same length, difficult to believe...

Well done Vic

Congratulations to You, your team and your hunters.

Good luck for next year.

Great collection of wonderful animals. Looks as if you had a cracking season. Well done.