some pics of My South Africa Safari

[rvtrav]

  Hello to All,
 
 Recently I asked for some advice about a trip to Africa, thanks to all of you who were generous with your advice and opinions, and councel.
 
 It truly was the trip of a lifetime! I could not have dreamed of a better adventure. The hunting, the accomodations, the food and the people were beyond my every expectation.
 
 I was favored with the opportunity to get some (in my eyes) truly spectacular animals, I could hardly wait to share with folks who would enjoy seeing them too,
 
 the jewel of the trip for me was a 57+" Kudu, I'm not a tape measure hunter, but It really impressed me
 
  I really like the colors and the look of Gemsbok, this bull was fighting with a few others and was cool just to see
 
 I got a waterbuck
 
 a Zebra 
 
 a Blue wildebeast, and a black Wildebeast
 

 
 a awesome looking warthog

 
 a Blesbuck

 
 another really nice Kudu

 
 three Impala
 
 a Jackal, a Duiker, and a porcupine, that I can remember, it was one "bucket list" trip, and I got to see so much other stuff, like Cape buffalo, Rhino and Giraffes, the whole trip was just the coolest dream!




 
  Thanks to you'all, Rvtrav
 

[bulletstuffer]

That was a spectacular hunt!  Great photos.


Congratulations!


Bulletstuffer

[rvtrav]

Thank you Bulletstuffer, it was a spectacular hunt.

[Graybeard]

Wow, you must have been rich before that trip. Clearly you must not be now. The taxidermy bill alone will prolly run double my total gross annual income.

[cjensen]

Your list certainly changed since you first put your list together.
Hope I didn't cost you too much.
What was your most memorable stalk?
Outstanding trophies all around.
Taxidermy?
 
 

[rvtrav]

  Hello To all,
 
 Greybeard. your right, my wallet is much thinner now, but it was MUCH, much less than I expected all around, and the taxidermy is pretty reasonable over there compared to where I live. While I may have went a bit overboard, it really wasn't bad, considering if those same species were here in my home state of Utah, I would have to live to be 220 years old to finally draw tags for them through our lottery/bonus point system. 
 
 Yes Cj, things changed a bit once I got there, but I'm glad that I had the opportunities that I did, and got what I did, you never know what the future may hold, this may be an annual pilgrimage, or a once in a lifetime opportunity that I didn't let slip past. only time will tell, if I never get the chance again I will be glad that I dove in with both feet.
 
 The Warthog was a bit of a chase and gave some fight, the big Kudu was magnificent to behold and it was a beautiful day when we went out for it as well. the Gemsbok, was a stalk and a fairly long shot, (closing in on 300 yards) as well as the Black wildebeast. The little springbok hunt turned into a bit of an adventure too. The Zebra and Blue wildebeast were each within a wary herd and made stalking exciting, especially with some Cape buffalo to keep an eye us on during the procedings.
 Each of the Impalas was awesome and we had some walking stalks on two them through a very neat little valley at the base of the waterburg mountains.
  The Waterbuck was just regal to see as well and was kinda a group thing with friendly folks from the lodge along for the adventure, making it a fun hunt too.
  the Jackal was right in amongst a herd of the outfitter's sheep and was kinda a feat of shooting to get it on the run at distance, and duiker was the last animal I got and was a fitting end to an excellent hunt, and an awesome vacation.
 
 Well really each animal has a story behind it and was fun in it's own way, right offhand they all were so unique and special it is hard to say what individual one standsout, I really enjoyed them all, and the entire hunt was just everything I could ever hope for.
 
 I may have to save up for a while but i dearly want to go back, and have another staring contest with that cape buffalo, only without the financial restraints that kept me from pulling the trigger this trip. also we were followed by a large tracked Leopard when hunting the Impala and I passed another really nice Kudu bull, all of wich I hope to have the opportunity to see again.
 
 The Taxidermy is in the works, with mostly shoulder mounts and a Zebra rug, a jackal skin and some porcupine quills.
 
 I'll have to ask you what all that you had done with your Trophies, you had some truly magnificent animals on your safari  as well.
 
  Thanks to all, Rvtrav

[Grumulkin]

I'll have to ask you what all that you had done with your Trophies, you had some truly magnificent animals on your safari  as well.

I have a relatively small room in my home designated as my office.  In said room, I've managed to fit 3 bookcases, a desk, files, a large desk, a guitar and amplifier, credenzas AND I have 13 trophies hanging on the wall.  It's definitely a man cave.


The only trophy my wife permits, yea even wants, in the living room is the Black Backed Jackal I took and had a full body mount made of in the laying position.  It looks very real laying on a footstool and is probably my favorite mount.

[us920669]

Outstanding, man, really great stuff.  That's a super Kudu, but I'm really impressed by the Warthog.  I know how hard they can be to hunt, and yours has got tusks!
I did about half mine in Euro mounts (skull), half with shoulder mounts, so I could still afford a wall to hang them on.
I went back next year for my Buff.  I was supposed to also get a Leopard, and the PH said he had them feeding, but with all the turmoil in Zimbabwe, they got spooked and bugged out.
Thanks for the photos - it gets in your blood, doesn't it.

[us920669]

By the way, what rifle did you take?

[charles p]

Which tastes the best? 

[rvtrav]

 
 
  us920669, I took a Ruger hawkeye (african model) in .375 Ruger. I handloaded ammo for it, using the nosler 260gr partition. I also took a winchester model 70 (80's vintage push feed) in .270 win, using nosler 130 gr partitions. The .375 did the majority of the work, (as CJensen recommended) but I did take a few long shots (around 300 yards) and the .270 accounted for an Impala, a black wildebeast, a blesbuck, and a springbuck.
 
  I've become a real fan of the Ruger, it handled easily and the noslers performed beautifully, and I did take some longer than expected shots with it to excellent effect, it did the job very well.
 
  Charles P, I got to try a lot of the game there, and it all was really good. One night at the lodge my guide Andre did Zebra tenderloins, red heartebeast, and some of the blue wildebeast flamb'e style at the fire pit, while it was all delicious, I liked the zebra, but like I say, it all was really good, none of the "gamey" taste that deer and elk have here, much like lean beef only the zebra was...sweeter to describe it best.