Northern Province 20.3

03 April 2003, 06:16

boha

Northern Province 20.3 - 28.3.2003

I returned yesterday from my first hunting trip abroad; Bandelierkop / Dreikop, Limpopo province, SA. Had the time of my life hunting the bush in March. I zeroed the 404 only two days before leaving.. I hope I get the pictures in.

The second day after tracking kudu bulls half an hour just before dawn, we stumbled opon this gentleman

He ran 30 m after a 400 grs Woodleigh in the shoulder . The next day after a good rain we got a wildebeest after a nice and clean stalk. I saw him behind a cactus but couldnï¿½t place the shot, as I could not see his nose when he was facing us. I said, I can not place my shot, there is a cactus in the way. My PH Ryno Smit said something like well shoot through it.. Then the bull shook his head and I saw the nose. Here`s the cactus

and hereï¿½s the bull (26")

Two hours later I got my impala (22") after a short stalk. There was a rhino behind me when the photo was taken..

The next day we started stalking kudu bulls in the Dreikopies, and they had us walking, I can tell you. What fascinating game! My friend Curt (Boss Nï¿½tondu) got a 54" that evening. Was I stunned..

After long day when outwitted by this grat animal, we climbed a kop for a look (we tried this frequently but the bush prevented us from seeing anything) when this gentleman was interrupted in his late night feeding by a 400 grs up his nose. What luck. My first wharthog was 13" and this was 11".

The kudu had us stalking for a day more. A long days stalk ended in a perfect situation just over a dried river bed, when we found ourselves in their midst. One of them waited too long and turned the wrong way and gave me a chance in an opening, ca 70 m off. He had strange horns, one side was deeply curved 51 1/8 " and the other less curved 48", but they seemed the same length.

I was immensly happy. We worked their home yard in March and had success. I would have been happy with 35 ".

Five animals package and five rounds. Thirty left, so the last day we took turns cutting a tree down. It took seven rounds.

That last afternoon we tried for female kudu, but saw a bull that had us shaking, 58 +. And a 33+ waterbuck. What a finale. I could have taken one of them but my limit was reached. Saw a female kudu the next moment, but it did not seem worth it to take her.

Owe it all to R.Smit. Great friend.
Tino Erasmus, TG Safaris, Bandelierkop, Limpopo Province made it all happen.

Boha, happy in Finland; but the d-n french are still searching for my tuffpack with the 404 in Ch. de Gaulle Airport.

[ 04-03-2003, 20:09: Message edited by: boha ]

03 April 2003, 08:06

DesertRam

Sounds like a great trip, wish I could see your photos.

04 April 2003, 05:10

boha

I tried again. Hope it works
Boha

04 April 2003, 05:47

Aspen Hill Adventures

Great story and great photos!

04 April 2003, 06:20

T.Carr

Boha,

Great story and pictures. It must have been hard to pass on that 33" waterbuck and that 58" kudu.

Regards,

Terry

04 April 2003, 07:55

cchunter

Boha

Congratulations to a succesful hunt in South Africa. I hope you get your rifle back soon.

04 April 2003, 08:13

DesertRam

Now I can see them! Nice animals.

04 April 2003, 11:43

KevinNY

That 33" waterbuck is going to appear in your dreams for years.

04 April 2003, 18:02

boha

quote:
Originally posted by KevinNY:
That 33" waterbuck is going to appear in your dreams for years.

It is true. I cannot concentrate on my work.
The tracker was carrying the shooting sticks behind me and Ryno Smit in front, when Ryno spotted a kudu bull. Behind this smaller bull appeared the big bull. We had the wind very good in our favor, and we had stopped to locate the females and a impalaherd that we had to pass. Ryno was watching him ca 80 m off and wispering thatï¿½s big, ihrr thatï¿½s bigï¿½57", no 58 maybe sixty. Then the waterbuck appeared to our right intending to cross our path, between us and the kudu but got curious and came toward us. I wispered, thereï¿½s something to the right. Ryno lowered his binoculars just so much that he could see the waterbuck, maybe 30 m off to the right. Oh "xx". that`s as big as they come.. Then the buck was satisfied that we were no threat, whatever we were, and turned toward the kudu, that calmed down and began strolling in the waterbuckï¿½s direction. I tell you, he came over to the spot were the waterbuck had stood when he was closest to us. He was magnificent. I looked at the waterbuck still strolling past us in front and at the kudu, and thought the hunt couldnï¿½t have ended better. The wind in our faces, sun moving into the late afternoon and these curled horns. And the waterbucks neck thick as anything and his black horns. Seconds later Ryno said that the female were in an opening to the right only 100 m away. I didnï¿½t even raise the 404. It would have been the wrong thï¿½ng to do. Ryno didnï¿½t even ask me.
You can be sure of what is in my dreams; those two and that buffalo Iï¿½m going to get before I'm too old to hold a rifle in my hands.

Boha

[ 04-04-2003, 14:36: Message edited by: boha ]

07 April 2003, 09:00

RIP

Boha,
Great posts, thanks for sharing! This warms the cockles of my hunter's heart, and keeps my dreams of returning to the Dark Continent alive. Also, thanks to you Fins for Nammo Lapua Oy. High quality stuff.

Could you tell us a bit about that classy 404 Jeffery, like what make/by whom (Mauser), what barrel length, what sort of scope and mount, what powder charge and brass propelled the Woodleighs? Sure hope it has been returned to you.

Cheers!

[ 04-06-2003, 12:06: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

07 April 2003, 20:58

boha

quote:
Originally posted by DaggaRon:
Boha,
Great posts, thanks for sharing! This warms the cockles of my hunter's heart, and keeps my dreams of returning to the Dark Continent alive. Also, thanks to you Fins for Nammo Lapua Oy. High quality stuff.

Could you tell us a bit about that classy 404 Jeffery, like what make/by whom (Mauser), what barrel length, what sort of scope and mount, what powder charge and brass propelled the Woodleighs? Sure hope it has been returned to you.

Certainly. A year ago, when my friend and I began making plans, and saving money, and indoctrinating our wives, I thought of using an ordinary medium cal, but my gunsmith said youï¿½re going to Africa - you must use a real African. He made a promise to make one. So I found two rifles; Husqvarna 640 (8x57) with a FN mauser recievers (the other one is being turned into a 500 Jeff). A 655 mm Lothar-Walther and Recknagel front- and rearsight, plus barrel band. The stock was purchased from Waffen-Schweigert (115 euro!!), Germany; english style, and a perfect form, handles recoil perfectly + Pachmayr old english;
The mount is probably a Swedish army sniper sidemount originally made for the 94 model. It's a bit crude, but returnes to zero every time, and you can field check it with the open sights. The scope is an old Hensoldt 4x32. As clear as the day it left the factory in the roaring twenties.
I worked on the stock myself, and the checkering was finished only two days before departure. Redoil and wax was used for finish. It will get a thorough work over till autumn.

The day before departure we zeroed the rifle; Norma brass (Lapua does not make any, but we are working on it,)Woodleigh 400 grs, Vihtavuori N150 77grs, dead on at 70 m with open sights. Same load but woodleigh 347 grs dead on at 100 m, open sights. The first load should reach appr. 2350 fps according to calculations, but Iï¿½ll cronograph it later.
I recovered three Woodleighs 400 grs.

From left kudu, through spine and shoulder 70 meter weight.ret 193,6 grs, center wharthog shoulder 40 meter w.ret 390,2 grs (!), and right through wharthog forehead 40 meter w.ret 354,7 grs.

What fun.
Boha

Oh, and the rifle is in my gun safe now. The froggy frenchmen at Ch. de Gaulle destroyed my tuffpak in search for contraband. Or whatever, empty 404 brass, I don't know. Next time through Frankfurt. They could have called me before hacksawing.

[ 04-10-2003, 22:19: Message edited by: boha ]

10 April 2003, 15:25

RIP

Boha,
Nice gun! Your matching 500 Jeffery will complete an excellent two gun battery, but the 404 Jeffery is a "battery of one." You must be driving those Woodleigh Weldcores pretty fast to get that kind of expansion.

Amazing that the "froggy frenchmen" (I like that characterization) hacksawed your TuffPak! Horrors! I will avoid all things "french" by all means.
Cheers!

18 May 2003, 10:06

cewe

Hi guys!

Iï¿½m new to the forum but my friend boha led the way so I had to follow -Iï¿½m the one he calls Boss Nï¿½tondu. Well my dear friend itï¿½s Baas and not Boss and your pigs are like five times better than mine! We did have a great hunt with Tino (I hunted with Tino)and Ryno, my plan is to return next year and this time Iï¿½ll be taking the family with me (wife and two boys, 10 and 12). I passed up some really good shots on zebra -next year I wonï¿½t make that mistake.

Cheers,

cewe