Gentlemen

SAA changed the flight times two weeks before I left which resulted in a 6-hour layover in Cape
Town. This put me in Windehoek at 4:00 p.m. and a three-hour ride to Gras. This time was well spent as the PH took the opportunity to provide me with an understanding of the conditions and opportunities at Gras and the property near the border of Botswanna (Kalahari Desert). The effort to accomodate me started within 1/2 hour after being picked up at the airport.

Gras is enormous, thus we only covered 10-15% in a long day of hunting. Very soon I became spoiled
with seeing 20 species of game almost all the time. My interest in shooting was limited to only two, but just being surrounded by all types made
my day.

The first day we spotted a Gold Medal Gemsbuck, but decided to check out the others before commiting to it. I shot two Springbucks for
the meat pot just to get in the first shot and to make sure the 300 Win Mg.was right-on. My mouth was agape the whole day just taking in the game and the lay of the land. At the end of the first day we saw a large Gemsbuck with one horn and decided to take it for the market in Windehoek as our first job on day two. Hard as we tried we never saw the animal again. One must understand that the farm has 105 miles along the borders; a large area to find one animal. We flew in the ultra-lite over 1/2 of the area and that took some time at 70mph. We now turned to the herd of Gemsbuck with the big buck. This area lends itself to longer shots. After finding and stalking the big one, I missed a 300-yard shot. DISAPPOINTMENT doesn't describe my mood at that point. Luck was with me, however,and after another hour, I shot the buck through the heart at 320 yds. He didn't run 50 yds. The 300 Win Mg with Federal S. Premiun 180 grs did a job.

The third day I passed-up a Kudu 48" because I wanted to go to the other ranch east of Windhoek
next to Botswanna. The brush was very thick and
most difficult to stalk. The PH spotted a herd moving towards a water hole. The stalk was impossible for they moved on when we were at least 500 yds away, but we sighted another herd
moving in our direction and the wind was with us.
After two hours sitting under a thorn tree we moved about 1/2 mile and the buck moved into range, the PH told me that he thought it would go 50" but no promises; the decision was mine. The thing looked huge to me and I had a clear shot at 170 yds. I had a fence to brace on. I shot the buck in the neck, but did not hit the spine; an additional two shots ended the shoot. It was
almost dark so we left the remainder in a thorn tree. We urinated around the tree to discourage the Jackels, but the cats got the meat overnight.

The remainder of the time I spent in a blind hoping for a larger Kudu,and by gosh one with 55+ horn walked withing 50 yds of the blind, only one horn. We went back two afternoons to take him for meat, but again a no show. At one time there were 20 Kudu in and around the blind.

I shot fowl and rock rabbits while not in the blind.

The large ranches without fences and the large # of different animals has spoiled me as I have been looking at the next trip and the 3000-4000 acre ranches are a turn-off. While in the east
of Namibia we used the San Bushmen; their speech and tracking was amazing, glad I saw that . The change of temps throughout the day plus the oranges off the tree were an added element to the hunt. As a teacher in the field of culture
and related subjects I was in "hog heaven" in seeing the adaptations of the people to their environment. Solar-powered radio telephones next to cooling techniques of 50 years ago kept me intrigued.

I think I need to go back next year because -- JUST WANT TO!!!

Marshall

You never go to Africa just once ! I told you that before you left !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go man go.

Hey shut up ,your making me jealous. A few blokes on this forum mention some fairly long shots on plains game ,which will be my next trip to Namibia. I was planning to take my 308 rifle (which I use in long range target shooting,) thinking that most shots would be under 100 yards. Is the terrain( and most shooting) in Namibia very open, dictating the need for a bigger 30 (say a 300 Weatherby).? For major power at close range I will have a 458 Lott ,but what about the usual plains hunt?
I want Zebra,Wilderbeast,Warthog,Baboon and some sort of antelope. Is it possible in the prevailing terrain to get close to these animals?