03 December 2008, 08:45
tjackOmujeve Safaris, Namabia - 1st Safari
In May, 2008 my Step Dad and I made our first trip to Africa. We hunted with Corne Kruger, owner of Omujeve Safaris. Kathi at Wild Travel made our travel arrangements and everything went off like clock work with the travel, rifles, and luggage.Everything about the experience was beyond our wildest expectations. The guides and staff were great, the accomodations were better than anyplace we've ever stayed, the food was wonderful, and the hunting was exceptional. I'm not certain how this trip could have been more successful.
We hunted on three different ranchs during the 7 days we hunted. Each was unique and enjoyable.
This is one of the rooms at the main Omujeve ranch. I didn't know what to expect because we had left it a little open about staying at the lodge or in a tented camp. I wish my wife had come along to enjoy this place.
The scenery and sunsets were beautiful:
IMHO, all of the animals we harvested were top notch. We had started with the 'list' of things we most wanted to hunt but we ended hunting several animals that we hadn't considered before going. Seeing the animals on the hoof changed our perceptions.
On the second day of the hunt we traveled to the northern ranch and we almost immediately happened upon this tremendous kudu. Corne told me that it was symetrical but that it was really big - it didn't take much convincing for me (I would have gladly shot the first 50" kudu he had me pass on). I didn't make a great shot (the bullet tumbled when it hit some brush and entered sideways low in the front shoulder). After a great tracking job of 30-45 minutes he was located. I later learned that this kudu was well known by the other guides and they all told me what an incredible trophy I had taken.
My Step Dad, Dave, took this incredible kudu two days later.
We both took very nice gemsbuck. I was so entralled with them that I took two - one to shoulder mount and the other for a full rug and european mount.
Neither of us was interested in red hartebeest until we saw them. Then we both wanted to hunt them.
Dave was not allowed to return home without a zebra. I was able to hunt with him that afternoon and we had a really exciting 3 mile stalk before he was able to make a great 250 yard shot just before dark.
Dave took a nice impala (the impala I shot at jumped up and got away - only one little drop of blood and then he was off to the races, hopefully no long-term damage done).
Dave also took an old warrior of a warthog. I had a chance at a big boar but missed the shot as he moved into the bush.
One of the animals that was really intriguing to me was an eland. I was amazed at how big they are. Dave had a bison tag on the Henry Mountains years ago and the eland looked bigger than the bison we saw on that hunt. What a majestic animal.
We spent the final day of hunting chasing springbuck on another ranch at the edge of the Kalahari Desert. When we arrived at the ranch the gate was still locked so we walked in. We almost immediately spotted a great ram about a mile away. We were able to stalk within about 200 yards before we ran out of cover. They told me that this was an exceptional ram for the area. Dave decided to take two springbuck. It was a great way to end the hunt.
I could fill pages with all of the great things that we saw and experienced in Namibia. I can't say enough good about Corne and his operation. The only downside was that I promised my family that I wouldn't do any fall hunts this year so I'm really having withdrawals - it is the first fall I haven't hunted in many years.
Happy hunting.
