See report below....hope you enjoy!

Dr. Tim

Excellent pict. A waterbuck in Thirstland--odd sounding. Look forward to more.

Just got back from an outstanding trip in Namibia. Hopefully, the pictures say it all.


We hunted with Africa Thirstland Safaris and our PH was Kobus Honiball. Kobus is well organized and a class act. We could not have had a better trip if we tried. We left the USA on June 25, 2008 and returned July 11, 2008.


This being my third safari in 4 years I must say, it just keeps getting better! Namibia is awesome and despite what you hear there is still a lot of hunting without the high fences. Although, how you can argue with a hunt behind a fence of 160,000 acres seems odd to me.


Why am I always more relaxed and feel so much better on safari?


Our chalet was very private and the views were great!



The lodge wasn't bad either!




A cold beer in the bush is a friend indeed. Although, I prefer Windhoek Lager or a German Hefe Weizen the Tafel wasn't a bad compromise.


My family and I went through Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Windhoek, Namibia. Let me just say for the record...I much prefer this route over my last two trips to Zimbabwe going through Joberg, RSA. I just don't like the whole Joberg thing. No offense to our South African friends.




Anyway, my wife does not hunt...she shops....


.....but my 4 kids more than made up for it! My 10 year old daughter Megan shot two springbok and it was her first time ever hunting. She told me after she dropped her second springbok at 120 yards..."Daddy, I have the hunting gene too!" It was priceless!

My two boys 18 and 16, and my 13 year old daughter did well too.

All in all, we shot 30 some animals...13 gold medal and 1 silver. All were very nice animals and every hunt was a different experience. We hunted 3 separate concessions, each with it's own unique eco-system and climate. We did a lot of flying in the cessena...13 some hours, but it sure beat driving for days to the opposite ends of Namibia.


My previous 2 trips to Zim were for dangerous game. This time it was all for plainsgame, and we called it our "Bok-Bok" adventure. It was fun, but I have to admit that I prefer the dangerous game hunting in Africa over the plainsgame hunting. Frankly, it's all good, but for a family outing this was the way to go.







Here is my waterbuck...190 yard shot with a 300 Weatherby Blaser R-93 rifle using 180 grain Swift A-frames. Definately my favorite bullet for Africa.


180 grain recovered from the waterbuck.


Blaser R-93s...don't leave home without them!


Megan on her first hunt...a gold medal springbok.


Hannah and her kudu...first time shooting the 30.06...49 7/8 inch bull.



Brandon and his monster eland...shot at 200 yards with the 300 Weatherby...we had about a 2 mile stalk on this one, and finally after belly crawling several 100 yards Brandon got his opening and dropped the bull with a single shot.


Ryan with his trophy black wildebeest...definately the toughest animal we encountered.


African sunrises are always the best.



Brandon's springbok.


The Kalahari...you think you are on Mars!


Gemsbok.


Ryan's zebra...a 250 yard shot off the sticks with the 300...not bad for a 16 year old.


More gemsbok...




Blesbok.


Blue wildebeest.


Steenboks.




Hannah had to get her porcupine.


Brandon's duiker


I think I have really sparked something in my children and I only hope that we can continue the adventures in Africa. Seeing what is going on in Zimbabwe as we speak, just breaks my heart. I hope my boys and even someday my daughters can make it there to experience the wilder side of Africa. Hearing the lions at night and watching out for the jumbos and the "Zambezi Ladies"...there is nothing like it.

Soon Jonathan Hulme and I will be into it up to our necks tracking a big old tusker with Amos and Elious, side by side with our double 500 Nitros at the ready...can't wait for the next adventure! Oh yeah, I have African Fever alright. Namibia was great therapy but I fear my case is chronic! I guess I will just have to continue to receive therapy....

Dr. Tim

For the record...I have been to Africa 3 times now and have yet to see a warthog big enough to shoot. What's up with that? I can hunt and kill the number 43 leopard in the world, but I can't find a warthog...and all you guys shoot them like crazy????

TJB

Great pictures. It's good to see kids interested in hunting!

Pete

Great photos.

Thanks for sharing.

Awesome pictures. I can't wait to introduce my son to Africa in a few years.

The expressions on your kids faces tell all the words needed about your family experience.
Thanks from all of us for introducing them to AFRICA.
Congradulations to you and your family !

Finally!!! Someone on this forum who knows how to use a camera.

Great stuff!!!

Without a doubt the hunting is best way to spend time with your family. I salute you for taking them with you to such a magical place.

You're killing me Doc. That's a great report!

I leave for Namibia in 23 days.

Thanks for sharing that wonderful family adventure.
Jeff

Priceless!
You are a very lucky man Doc to be able to experience such an adventure with your family.

Beats the hell out of a beach vacation to Costa del Sol

Thank you for sharing!

quote:

Originally posted by Arild Iversen:
Beats the hell out of a beach vacation to Costa del Sol

That was my thought as well..
Those pictures really says it all! Awesome.. Congrats on a great adventure and thanks for sharing it with us.

AWESOME Report - I cannot wait to do the same trip with my boys.

Some of the best pictures I have seen in a hunting report.

verynice report and great pictures

Wow. Great pictures. My son and I just got back from Namibia in May and I'm aready planning my next trip (Sep 2009). What a great experence for kids.

Thank you for the replies and many compliments. It is wonderful to be able to share it with people who actually get it. You should hear what neighbors, patients and my kid's friends say about our recent safari!

As to the camera, I bought a Canon SLR digital to replace my "point-and-shoot 4mgpxl cheapie" and I think it was worth the investment. Especially, when you realize it will be a year or so before you will have your trophies on the wall. So now, I can enjoy the photos until the real thing shows up.

Here's a tip for you who take photos at night with flash or use fill-flash on your trophy shots in bright day-light: Ask your taxidermist for some glass eyes, the type they use on your mount. Get an assortment of the size and type of animals you will be hunting. When you pose your animal for the photo, place the glass eye over the animal's eye like a contact lens. This will prevent the flash from giving you the "ghostly silver eye" that is so common in pictures. You can see how this works in the picture of my waterbuck.

Just a little tip to improve on your trophy pictures.

Good luck to all those about to head over!

TJB

Dr. Tim:
You have a privatge message.
Tom

Dr. Tim, if this doesn't sell a lot of hunts for your PH, then I'm missing something. Outstanding photo's and a great report! Congrats to your entire family...priceless is an understatement.
Cheers,
David aka: Warthog slayer

See what I mean! Everyone gets to shoot a warthog but me!

Thanks for the photo David, I wondered what one looks like.

You would think after taking cape buffalo, leopard, eland, kudu and all other kinds of plainsgame...after three trips I could shoot a warthog! Oh well, guess I will have to keep going back!!!

TJB

Hey Doc, I thought only us taxidermists new that trick about the glass eyes in a picture shot of a kill.
Now you let the cat outta the bag
Good for you.!

Well, I hope it is okay that we share the knowledge we gain in the field.

After all, this is an informational web site.

I'll try not to give away all the secrets!

TJB

Dr. Tim, you did ok, but I love those smiles on your children.. Priceless!!! Congrats to all tell Mom good picture taking...

Mike

In anther report I stated "it cant get better than a father son safari", but now I don't know..
Hunting in such a beautiful venue with the whole family all happy and taking wonderful trophy's.

I took my family right after Tim took his. Same outfitter and supposedly the same itinerary. Two very different results. I will post the full story on my return to the USA.

John...what happened? Did I not leave a bigger gemsbok for you? I tried to keep all ours under 40", so you were sure to out do me.

Let me know what happened. Everything seemed fine when we left. PM or e-mail me if necessary.

TJB

Super hunt - super photos - thanks for the report.

Just curious how many out there have taken a Blaser R-93 to Africa?

I was amazed how well mine functioned even with a bunch of Kalahari desert sand in the rails and part of the action. Those things happen when you belly crawl 300-400m stalking up on a trophy springbok.

My impression is that a lot of you on this site don't consider the R-93 an "African rifle". But, after 3 trips I must say I have been pleased with the R-93's performance.

What say ye?

TJB

Great trophies and report. Its good to see a family hunting together. I especially like the father-daughter kudu picture. I cant wait to take my daugther(2 1/2) on a hunt. Good luck on the elephant hunt and with the warthogs.

Greg

Thanks Greg.

I loved your report too. Man that is an awesome waterbuck. You had a stellar "first timer" experience from the looks of it! Nice nyala too.

Dangerous game next time?

Dr. Tim

In about 3 weeks our first child will be born. I, too, hope to take him to Africa and hope he enjoys it as much as I do!

Congrats to the entire family!

Just so you all know my good friend John will be posting a hunt report soon from his trip with Africa Thirstland Safaris.

He followed in our footsteps and had less than expected results. I will let him tell the story, but it serves to remind us...get everything in writing and don't let anything hang out there in the land of ambiguity.

That being said, I encouraged him to share it with you all because the good and the bad need to be discussed in fairness to the "Hunting Brotherhood". I had a great trip, however John did not.

TJB

Doc, Been to the best place in the world 8 times now. The two best times were with my family. They still stand out as the best family trips we have ever taken. They only like the nice lodges no bush camps its a shame. Some of the best pics I have seen on this site. I have taken my R-93 416 on 5 of my trips. Love the gun.
Congrads and get ready to write some more big checks

I just posted my report in this thread.
Lessons learned.

John


https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6321043/m/291105619

Dr. Tim, truly outstanding. Yes, the pics are great and the fam pics are worth the price of the trip. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and great animals a real plus as well.

I just saw you all gave my report a 5 star rating.

Wow, thanks!

I think it is more because of my daughters straight shooting or the pictures and maybe not so much the actual report. I do appreciate the kind remarks. The AR family is a great bunch.

Dr. Tim

Great family hunt!!! Love the photos. Thank you for sharing your trip.

Just a note we had a great experience with Costco today. My wife Tania used the Costco photo center on line today. She emailed a few of our photos to them and enlarged them to 12X12 and 11X14. The picture quality was amazing!!! And better yet the large photos were only $2.99 each. She went down and they were ready in one hour. You may try it with some of your landscape photos they are very nice.