ligonierbill
New member
Just found wifi here. Made it without issue. Shot red hartebeest, kudu, and oryx. Saw a big mamba from the truck, but we did not stop to take pictures! Details later, but you need to do this. So long from Namibia.
Africa - or Bill's Excellent Adventure (I hope)
- Thread starter ligonierbill
- Start date
stagpanther
New member
Nice! Congrats.
ligonierbill
New member
Done hunting. Killed my springbok yesterday afternoon. I will post pictures and a detailed account after I get home next Tuesday. But to clear up a couple things, according to my hosts the rabies vaccine may have been a waste of money. CDC recommended, so decide for yourself. And the sticks: the set here has a shallow U on top like the Primos sticks, and resting your rifle on it is fine. I was hurrying my trigger release before.
I had 7 hunting days, and lost half a day with the flight delay. But I kiiled my 4 animals with 2 full days left. Can't emphasize enough the abundance of game here. If I wanted to pay additional trophy fees, I could go after impala, black or blue wildebeest, zebra, or eland.
I had 7 hunting days, and lost half a day with the flight delay. But I kiiled my 4 animals with 2 full days left. Can't emphasize enough the abundance of game here. If I wanted to pay additional trophy fees, I could go after impala, black or blue wildebeest, zebra, or eland.
ligonierbill
New member
Photos and summary
Alright, here are the "grip and grin" photos. And some parting notes:
Travel: Return was smooth. At Detroit, an airline guy met me with the rifle and walked me to CBP. He was interested in what rifle I had. Hadn't retrieved my other bag, so I left the key and the 4457 with CBP. When I got back, he handed back the form and asked the usual "fruits and seeds" questions. Professional, but actually friendly. On my way. If you go, find a travel agent that does firearms.
Safari Company: I will throw a pitch for Kowas Adventure Safaris. Obviously a sample of one, but I can't imagine how they would have been better. Really took care of me. Great food and drink. Great accommodations (daily laundry!), friendly helpful staff. Note they have another "camp" in the north where they hunt elephant, buffalo, and crocs.
Hunting: Spot and stalk, and the stalk can be arduous. Depend on your PH. Mine (first black PH in Namibia!) was great. You have enough time to shoot, but "take your time in a hurry". Most shots are not challenging for a competent marksman, but they are not necessarily easy. When the game is down they winch it into the safari car (Toyota Land Cruiser pickup) and off you go for a beer. Game in abundance.
Rifles: I was happy with the 338/200 Accubond setup. The other guy hunting there had a 7 Mag. Based on a few discussions, it sounds like the 300 Win Mag is ubiquitous, no surprise. The oryx in particular is legendary for its toughness. Hit 'em hard, I say.
Snakes: Discussion around the campfire with the owner. The puff adders seem to be the concern, but you almost literally have to step on them. But they won't get out of your way. Cobras, surprisingly, were less of a concern. They usually display, and if that doesn't send you on your way, they spit. Mambas, though. The only good thing said was they're rare. But obviously, a big one like we saw is very dangerous. Just stay close to the PH. They have nasty scorpions, too, but I didn't see any.
Overall, absolutely the "trip of a lifetime". I want to go back - everybody does. My $20k budget (all in, including trophy mounting and shipment) is pretty accurate, but you can do it cheaper. Hunt 5 days rather than 7 with these guys, get skull-and-horns mounts, pick lower trophy fee animals. (The kudu is $2,500, the rest much less.) But, go if you are at all able.
Alright, here are the "grip and grin" photos. And some parting notes:
Travel: Return was smooth. At Detroit, an airline guy met me with the rifle and walked me to CBP. He was interested in what rifle I had. Hadn't retrieved my other bag, so I left the key and the 4457 with CBP. When I got back, he handed back the form and asked the usual "fruits and seeds" questions. Professional, but actually friendly. On my way. If you go, find a travel agent that does firearms.
Safari Company: I will throw a pitch for Kowas Adventure Safaris. Obviously a sample of one, but I can't imagine how they would have been better. Really took care of me. Great food and drink. Great accommodations (daily laundry!), friendly helpful staff. Note they have another "camp" in the north where they hunt elephant, buffalo, and crocs.
Hunting: Spot and stalk, and the stalk can be arduous. Depend on your PH. Mine (first black PH in Namibia!) was great. You have enough time to shoot, but "take your time in a hurry". Most shots are not challenging for a competent marksman, but they are not necessarily easy. When the game is down they winch it into the safari car (Toyota Land Cruiser pickup) and off you go for a beer. Game in abundance.
Rifles: I was happy with the 338/200 Accubond setup. The other guy hunting there had a 7 Mag. Based on a few discussions, it sounds like the 300 Win Mag is ubiquitous, no surprise. The oryx in particular is legendary for its toughness. Hit 'em hard, I say.
Snakes: Discussion around the campfire with the owner. The puff adders seem to be the concern, but you almost literally have to step on them. But they won't get out of your way. Cobras, surprisingly, were less of a concern. They usually display, and if that doesn't send you on your way, they spit. Mambas, though. The only good thing said was they're rare. But obviously, a big one like we saw is very dangerous. Just stay close to the PH. They have nasty scorpions, too, but I didn't see any.
Overall, absolutely the "trip of a lifetime". I want to go back - everybody does. My $20k budget (all in, including trophy mounting and shipment) is pretty accurate, but you can do it cheaper. Hunt 5 days rather than 7 with these guys, get skull-and-horns mounts, pick lower trophy fee animals. (The kudu is $2,500, the rest much less.) But, go if you are at all able.
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i have been there on six hunting trips and every one was total blast, i hunted with the same PH and we became fast friends, it was a give and get relationship. i brought things he needed-wanted from the states that are hard-exspenive to get in africa and it worked out very nice. i say the same thing, if you can go it will be a worth while trip of a lifetime.
ligonierbill
New member
They usually cook the backstraps for supper. Most goes to the locals. No gut piles in the brush - like the old farmers that use everything but the squeal, they take it all. We ate red hartebeest and springbok (mine) and eland. All very tasty.
Seedy Character
New member
Outstanding
ligonierbill
New member
Trophies are up
Just about a year, as expected, and I received my Namibian trophies. Nice job by Trophaedienste in Windhoek and African Shipping Services. Well packaged, no damage. Shipping cost a little more than my roundtrip plane ticket, and the whole deal cost just a little less than my $7k hunt. So, all in I stayed under my $20k estimate, but just. Note the kudu is in my stairwell, the only place in our house with enough overhead for him. That's an issue to consider if you plan to go. Also, you can save a lot of money by going with a European skull mount. My springbok (not pictured) was so mounted to give me something I can hang anywhere. Got the hide, too, in the photo of the hartebeest. The tanned hide only cost $60.
If you are thinking of going, Dallas Safari Club has their convention early in January. My guys, Kowas, will be there, along with literally hundreds of others. They have seminars and such to help plan.
Just about a year, as expected, and I received my Namibian trophies. Nice job by Trophaedienste in Windhoek and African Shipping Services. Well packaged, no damage. Shipping cost a little more than my roundtrip plane ticket, and the whole deal cost just a little less than my $7k hunt. So, all in I stayed under my $20k estimate, but just. Note the kudu is in my stairwell, the only place in our house with enough overhead for him. That's an issue to consider if you plan to go. Also, you can save a lot of money by going with a European skull mount. My springbok (not pictured) was so mounted to give me something I can hang anywhere. Got the hide, too, in the photo of the hartebeest. The tanned hide only cost $60.
If you are thinking of going, Dallas Safari Club has their convention early in January. My guys, Kowas, will be there, along with literally hundreds of others. They have seminars and such to help plan.
