05 October 2009, 01:55
Tracker49Back from RSA, Kubusi Safaris
Sort of long, but here goes:
Booking agent - EAI Outdoors
Flight arrangements and Insurance - Safari Line
Outfitter - Kubusi Safaris - Stutterheim, South Africa
Stayed at two of their Lodges, Kubusi and XXL
PH - Murray Crous
Tracking dog - Dutch
Tracker / Skinner - Tembuli
Rifles:
Ruger M77 7mm (not used)
Ruger 300 win mag w/leupold VXII scope
Remington 180 gr. factory loads
9/21
Left home in Bitely Mich. in the morning, but was delayed at the airport in Grand Rapids due to flooding in Atlanta. Our flight was supposed to leave at 2:20 P.M., and finally left at 7:00 P.M., too late to make the connection in ATL for J'Burg, so Delta rescheduled us for the next morning. We got my bag and rifle back, but my wife's bag went on the plane to Atlanta. Delta assured us that her bag would be held in Atlanta until we got there the next day and would be on the flight to J'burg with us (not!). We went home (got to bed at 11:00 P.M., and back up at 1:30 A.M. to get to Grand Rapids to make the flight to Atlanta. Called our Outfitter to let him know we would be a day late getting to SA and also re-booked our room in J'burg a day later.
9/22
Re-checked my bag (with the ammo) and rifle through to J'burg, finally left Grand Rapids to Atlanta and arrived at 9:00 A.M., waited until the 8:00 P.M. flight to J'burg. Of course we did not get seats next to each other on the re-book, but did get another person to change seats so I could sit next to my wife when they heard me say that this was our 40th wedding anniversary and safari (nice of them to change with me). This (as all of our flights) was full!.
9/23
Arrived at J'burg on time (one day late). No luggage. Nana, nothing, zilch, but did get the rifle case. Had to go through checking the rifle in process. Had to tip (spelled bribe) the black shirt to take our rifle to SAPS for the necessary paperwork coming into the country. Got a porter and went to the hotel shuttle (tip time). Took the shuttle to the Southern Sun Hotel near the airport (tip driver), met at the door (tip) by a bell hop and escorted to the desk. Had a wonderful meal in the restaurant.
9/24
Returned to airport and went to SAPS to check the rifle back in on the domestic side. Paperwork was messed up (rifle serial number on the SAPS international paperwork for one rifle was wrong, I had two), so back to international SAPS office to get this straightened out and returned to domestic. The black shirt that took us to international and back started complaining instantly how hard he had worked and heavy the gun case was. He healed up quickly after he felt a US $20.00 bill in his hand. Got the paperwork cleared and the SAPS guy loading the gun case came right out and said "I will load your guns, but need money" (another tip/bribe). Got on the SAA flight to East London and away we went.
When we came in for landing at East London the pilot missed his approach and had to do a go around and try it again, made it the second time.
Met our P.H. Murray Crous at the SAPS office and checked the rifle through. No tip this time. The guy said something abour his "Christmas Present" and Murray said you will get it at Christmas, and away we went.
Got to Kubusi lodge @ 2:00 P.M and had lunch. Murray asked if we wanted to rest up or go hunting. I said let's go hunting! I fired one shot from his 308 (all I had was my rifle, no ammo) and away we went.
Spotted 2 herds of Blue Wildebeest and checked the first herd out then the second. Murray said the first herd had the better bull, so we went back after him. After a short stalk we had him looking right at us, but he would not turn for a broad side. After a while he moved, but was behind a bush and another bull walked between us. He finally walked clear and turned facing us again. After a while Murray as ked if I could take him front on in the chest and I said yes. 125 yd. one shot, ran about 50 yd. and piled up.
Murray said he would definately make SCI.
My bag came that night with my ammo, but still no baggage for my wife (good thing we packed a good overnight carry on in addition to our backpacks).
9/25
Early breakfast than out after impala and blesbuck. Spotted a nice impala ram and a short stalk we had the ram in the clear, but once again he was front on to us, and would not turn. Murray asked if I could take him (150 yd) and I said I'll give it a try. One shot, Bang Flop.
We took the impala (not sure if he will make the SCI book, think so but will have to wait until after the drying period to tell for sure) back to the skinning shed and left Tembuli there to do his thing and we took off after Blesbuck. Went to a rise and spotted a heard about a mile off. We got within about a half mile and left the truck and started the stalk. The herd was in a flat area below where we parked so had easy walking for a while and came over the bluff above them. They ran off to our right and we adjusted and by the time we picked out "our" ram and he finally came clear they ran off back to our left, where they started from. Murray decided to stay where we were and see if they would come back. It was quite windy and they were spooky. Sure enough they came back after a while and we started the pick him out game again. Once more they ran off before I could get a clear shot, but our ram stopped and Murray ranged him at 280 yd. I sat and shot off of the sticks. He was facing away and I "spined him", One shot, Bang, Flop (another SCI book). Murrays three legged dog took off like a shot and was on the animal in a matter of minutes, I don't know how he could see him through the grass, but he went right to him
Now I had three animals down in less than 24 hours of being in Africa, What a Rush.
Spent the rest of the day glassing, but nothing on my list. Saw a lot more Wildebeest, hartebeest, giraffe (one newborn calf), Ostrich, Eland and a bunch I probably forgot.
9/26
Out looking for Bushbuck, Warthog & Kudu. Saw female Kudu, but no shooter bulls. Small Warthogs, no shooters. Weather turning cooler.
9/27
Windy and Rain all day, animals not moving much. Spotted on big Bushbuck ram chasing a smaller on off, but did not get a shot the big one. Saw several Kudu cows and calfs, but no shooter Bulls.
9/28
Back in the Mountins again, looking for Kudu and Bushbuck. Spotted an old Kudu Bull in a valley and Murray asked if I wanted him. I said yes and got set up to shoot. Murray went back to the Bakki and got our Camcorder (we had just got out of the truck to look around and did not take it for a change). The bull never knew we were there. He got the camcorder going and I spined the old boy. Once again, one shot Bang, Flop (only 125 yd.). He went 44", another SCI. Murray called back to XXL and they sent 4 guys out to pack the bull out about a half mile to the nearest road down the canyou bottom, but still better than up the canyon walls. My Wife started picking on me about the old man shooting the old bull.
Started looking for Bushbuck again, and found a Ram in a creek bottom about 5:00 P.M. All I could see was his head and neck. We were on a bluff overlooking the creek and I don't know how Murray spotted it. This one was a 100 yd. shot. Bang, Flop another one down! Murray said that I had to wound something to give the dog something to do or he will be getting bored!.
9/29 Our looking for Wart Hog. Saw several small boars and sows with piglets, but nothing big. Finally was working a ridge and Murray spotted a big Boar on the flats down a cliff. We left my Wife, Tracker and dog there and took off down the cliff to get a shot at the hog. We went quite a way down the cliff and set up for the shot, but the hog wandered off a few yards and we had to re-set. Finally got a good shot picture (first and only broadside shot of the hunt) and Murray ranged him at 200 yd. even. I shot and lost him in the scope. Murray said you shot low and missed, let's go and started down the cliff on a run. After a couple of hundered yards (going around the cliff, not straight down) he stopped and grinned and said "we can take our time, you dropped him, just wanted to see what you woul do". We got down to the hog and he was a monster. Murray said 12 ~ 13" on his tusks. One lower tusk is broked off, but that's O.K., he's mine. He will also make SCI. Murray said that the meat off of this one will go for bait, even the locals won't eat this one.
9/30 Only thing left now is a spring buck, so we went to ADDO Elephant Park in the morning and watched the Ele's, Kudu, Warties, etc. for a while, had lunch, then back to hunting.
Went to a different consession that we had been on before and talked to the land owner. He told us where to start and if we did not find anything in that area, to go to another one of his areas. We went to the first area and scouted for a while and found a couple herds of Spring buck. They ran off a few times after we stalked them, but finally got a quartering shot at the head ram. 220 yd. Bang, Flop, hunt over.
Synopsis:
All animals wanted were taken:
Kudu
Blesbuck
Springbuk
Impala
Bushbuck
Added:
Blue Wildebeest
Warthog
Great Outfitter and PH.
Murray really knows his stuff. Can't say enough.
Will post pictures in a few days.
