I had to spend a couple weeks on buisness in Johannesburg late September, tough job but someone has to do it. I was luky enough to fit in at the last moment 6 days of Hunting with Ray Kemp of LaLapa Safaris, www.lalapasafaris.co.za
They are located near East London in the Eastern Cape.

This is the third time I have hunted with Ray as my PH. This was the first time on his property. He has always been very hardworking, knowledgeable PH and become a good friend. I still can not fiqure how he calls most animals within 1/2 inch everytime! He usually spends time with us after Safari Club fishing and Quail Hunting in Florida. This short hunt was limited to his family ranch of around 5000 Acres. He has the exclusive hunting rights on another joining 30,000 acres and numerous other private properties.

I was able to use my new HS Precision 300 RUM with Factory 200gr Partitions. I know you guys hate factory ammo, but I was Limited on time and already had a box. I gave them a try and they shot a 1 hole group and chronographed 3100 fps as advertised.

I was able to better my past Southern Impala with a nice heavy 24" He was in a small group of 4 rams all around the same size. It was the first time Ray has ever said you can pick anyone you would like! We stalked them in very heavy bush and I was able to use my Ultra Long Range Caliber at 15 yds for its first African animal.

My second animal was a very old 36" Eland. We spotted a group of Bulls feeding out in the open. They where close to some trees and the wind was perfect. We made about a short 30 minute stalk and got within 200 yds. All the Bulls where shooters. There where two really good Bulls one had a broken Horn so I choose the one with two good horns. I had a perfect broadside shot at 188 LRF yds. It looked like 500 with the Plains for the backdrop at dusk. If I did not have a LRF I would be telling you guys it was 500 yds. The Eland dropped like he was hit with lightning. After the normal hand shaking, etc. Ray decided to go get the truck before it was dark. As the tracker and myself where walking over to the Eland it got up and started running. I put the second shot on the left side in the rear of the ribs (note bullet hole in picture) and he fell over not to move again. My first shot, which I felt good about, went through the left shoulder maybe a couple inches high broke the right shoulder and broke the skin on the off side. The bullet was actually partially exposed. The partition retained 60% of its weight. We still do not know how that Eland got up and started running like it was never shot.

The next day we had light rain and winds up to about 30-40 mph. We had planned on going after Red Hartebeest, which Raymond seems to hate hunting. We fiqured most of the animals would be out of the wind so we planned on glassing a valley where he knew a heard had been running for the previous couple of days. We spotted a large heard on top of a hill right out in high winds. Every other animal was in the valley out of the wind as expected. We where supprised and luky they did not spot us. We had to back tack to get the wind in our faces so we could make a good stalk. We managed to get up to about 100 yds for the heard on the side of the hill. We could not access all the animals because of the contour of the land. Raymond an I bellied up to a small thorn bush about 20 yards closer. Ray spotted a very big bull bedded looking the other way into the wind. A got in a seated position on the sticks, yes with the usual thorn in the rear, but had no shot because of the grass. So we just sat waiting for him to get up. There must have been over 100 animals all within 50-100 yards looking in all directions. It seemed like an hour but it was maybe 10 minutes before the Hartebeest stood up. Of course it was the same time I took my head off the stock, and of course the Hartebeest choose not to stand still. By the time I got back on him I could see his rump and the left rear of his rib cage. I felt pretty good about the shot because it was so close and I could picture the bullet going ot the oposite shoulder. I fired and the Hartebeest ran about 10 yards and just stopped broadside in the other direction. With all the confusion of a 100 animals running in diferent directions I was not sure if it was the same animal. Ray asked me what the hell I was waitting for because it was either the one I hit or he was so stupid he deserved to be shot. A tree was blocking the shoulder so I put the second shot in the middle of the rib cage and he fell over. I recovered the first bellet in the meat outside his left shoulder! Obviously he was turning faster that I thought or I made the shot a little off the mark. The bullet had retained 65% of its weight. And as called by Ray he was very Heavy and 26".

I felt that with a lesser caliber and/or bullet combination I may still be chasing that animal. Or maybe I mad a poor shot! Any ways always keep your head on the stock while waitting

I was also lucky to harvest a nice Blue Wildebeest, Duiker, Baboon, and was able to cull 10 Impala and 10 Blesbuck for my friends butchery. It was allot of fun just driving around in the truck shooting every couple of minutes. We also hunted Guinea Fowl with shotguns, Spring Hare, Rabbits at night with a 22 Hornet. Needles to say it was a great business trip. My wife is catching to why I do business in Africa and Canada!

I did not get my Waterbuck or a Steenbuck, maybe next year. This my third trip with no Waterbuck. I might add that others in my party have taken nice 28" + Waterbuck, Including this trip. I did give him first shot (Long story)

We are planning on going for Pygmy Antelope and my Waterbuck next year. And looking into makeing it three weeks and go to Namibia. Any Suggestions on Namibia? We will be mainly going for Oryx, I alawys wanted to hunt them in the Kalahari eventhough I have taken a nice 35" in RSA.

Pictures are posted at the following Link. If interested you can contact Raymond through his website or I can send his you phone numbers and email. If you have any other questions about Ray just send me an email I will be happy to answer any questions.

Good Hunting,

Africa 2002

[ 04-07-2003, 20:15: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

tradewinds,
Those are some NICE trophies!
Congratulations!

Tradewinds,
Thanks for the entertaining and informative report, and some outstanding trophy photos.

Was there enough left of the 24" impala, shot at 15 yards with a 300 RUM, to make a photo possible? Good job on the stalking, eh? You got close, then you got a little closer!

Ditto the Oryx in the Kalahari. I'm all ears.

[ 10-07-2002, 18:34: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

Thanks,

Ray has always worked very hard to get you very good old animals. I have shot over 20 African animals with Ray and all score very good.

We had tried for the Impala a couple of days. But the swirling winds in the little valley in which they where feeding made it hard. They kept winding us and the think bush made it hard to get a shot. 60 yards would have been a long shot in this area. It was quite a site getting that close to 4 big Rams!

My Good Hunting buddy went with me on two weeks notice I might add. That was quite a sacrafice he made so I would not have to hunt alone. He shot a 51" East Cape Kudu, 28" Waterbuck, Black Wildebeest, Black Sprinbuck, Common Reedbuck, and a Red Hartebeest.

I will post pictures of my other animals, my buddies animals and some of the camp.

[ 10-07-2002, 21:36: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

Some Photos of Camp and Ray Kemp the PH, and his parents Theo and Diane

[ 10-07-2002, 19:26: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

Some pictures of the Hunting Areas

[ 10-07-2002, 19:46: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

My Buddies animals. Not to bad for a unplanned Hunt with only two weeks notice!

[ 10-07-2002, 21:41: Message edited by: tradewinds ]

Congratulations

What a great hunt. I guess you have been bitten for a new round.

I tried the link to the company, but it doesn't seems to work that well.

Cheers
/ JOHAN