lhAggie16 said:

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No I'm with Theron African Safaris

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Charlize's outfit?

Not sure… the owner is Gerrie, big 6'6 guy

Went out this afternoon for a spot and stalk instead of the blinds. Really slow until around 4:15 where we spotted two kudu. PH couldn't see how big the bull was but we knew there was a cow. Never had a shot from the truck even if we had a go to shoot. Drove around to get downwind of where we thought they were moving to and got dropped off so the tracker could drive back and push them to us. Dad stayed in the back of the truck and said he could have pulled the trigger but didn't have a PH there to give him the go… the push worked but they cow just never wanted to stop running and the bull just followed. Pictures don't capture how large the animal really is and yet it was so graceful just running right in front of us to cover.

Kept driving around and saw/heard a group of zebras that split up. We got out and chased after them up a hill and just didn't have any luck with positioning. We were upwind chasing them uphill with lots of leaves on the ground.

Kind of sucks leaving tomorrow morning after finally seeing a shootable bull and seeing a couple zebra but hopefully the free state has some more opportunities.

FSGuide said:

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4 said:

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I wish one of you guys would go to SA and hunt a great white shark.

They have those there, too.

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Im taking the family on a day of fishing out of Cape Town while I'm there too. Maybe we will hook one for you

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That will be the greatest OB thread ever if you do.

Anything new?

Sorry for the delay. We had a full travel day yesterday and only had a chance to hunt the last hour of the day. Just finished up our first full day at free state. The rolling blackouts have really affected when we get Wi-Fi so this is the first time I've been able to post.

Stopped at the taxidermist and saw some really cool mounts and gave us an idea of what we would want. Left Limpopo with only the warthog and blue wildebeest and was kind of discouraged really hoping for more animals. Stopped at a big game reserve on the way to free state to avoid some traffic and see some cool animals. Saw a big kudu bull just standing next to the road and was sad to not be able to pull the trigger…

Showed up to free state and our lodge is right in the middle of a lion rehab center. We are quite literally surrounded by ~90 lions. Such a cool experience. They try to convert "domesticated" lions and other animals to be ready for the wild. We bottle fed some cubs this morning, and fed a pride of white lions a zebra we found. Just such an amazing experience and unexpected opportunity to be around these animals.

Very nice.

Holy crap that's awesome, hope you can share pics of that experience too!

So taking y'all back to Wednesday evening, right after we arrived to free state. We met the owner and hopped in his cruiser with our PHs and shortly after found some black wildebeest. There was a good bull in the group that finally turned broadside and I pulled the trigger for about a 200 yard shot. I was shaking the whole time and was pretty nervous I pulled the shot but he reacted as if he got hit. Ran about 50 yards and fell, he was dead when we got up to him. Ended up being quartered away so my behind the front shoulder shot ended up being perfect.

Kept driving and found a really nice red letchwe by the water all by himself. I got out of the truck and tried to cut down the distance and we got to about 150 yards and pulled the sticks out. Pulled the trigger and dropped him. Shot was a little high on the shoulder so I elected to finish him off with a 9mm instead of letting him bleed out. Two shots in less than 30 minutes versus 2 shots in 3 days!

What a beauty of a lechwe!!!!
Your black wildebeest is awesome - super old boy - great boss and look at those eyelashes!

Great rally!!! Can't wait to see what's next!
What caliber are you using?

Thursday morning I split up with my dad to try and keep chasing that kudu. After talking to Gerrie (the owner), he was offering a discount on sable so we were going to chase whichever one we saw first. We traveled to a property that was just absurdly massive and had both kudu and sable. We were doing a spot and stalk with another spotter on horseback trying to find our trophy. We spotted a monster sable and I just knew that I needed to chase it, knowing I wouldn't be getting my kudu this trip. We drove around to try to get uphill of it and walked along a ridge line until we found the bull in a clearing. Got to a point where he couldn't see us and knew where he was walking to so I got on the sticks and waited for him to walk into the clearing. Had about 50 yards and some downhill and just nailed him. Ran for a little bit and passed underneath a tree by the time we got to him. Perfect double lung shot and just a perfect animal.

Wow!!!!
We're gonna need more pics of that sable!

Measured out to 43.25" which qualifies as a gold medal sable.

Thursday afternoon, we heard there was a property with some zebra running around so decided to join my dad to chase them down. After a while, we finally found them and dad took a shot, or a few, and we got his number one trophy. Really a tough animal that is a lot more difficult to hunt than you would believe.

Zebras are s-m-a-r-t.

Good shootin', Tex!

Friday morning, we were back chasing kudu at the same ranch I shot the sable. We checked more in the mountains/bush and spotted some cows in the trees a ways away. The PHs decided it would be best to move on foot and try to find the bull that way. We went up the "mountain" and found a group below us. We finally moved into position and we found the bull. We had really good cover and a great vantage point. We took one last look at him and concluded he was just too small… everything you would look for in a dream kudu hunt without pulling the trigger. So much fun to engage in that chase but that's why they call it hunting.

This afternoon we were chasing some gemsbok we saw while hunting the zebra yesterday. We were driving through the bush when we found the group but we're pretty set on only shooting a mature male. The females have longer horns but they are thinner and they aren't male. We didn't find a bull in the first group so we kept driving around and found another group with a good bull in it. He was different from your typical gemsbok as his horns went wider than normal instead of straight up. Dad liked it enough to shoot and dropped him. Probably the prettiest animal to look at broadside imo with all the different colors going on with the face and body and just really cool horns.

Last day of hunting tomorrow. Looking to shoot an impala and call it quits, the wallet is getting really light… I'll send an update tomorrow evening if the power cooperates and then give a better recap with some more pictures when I get back to the states. I can't recommend this trip or outfitter enough!

All beautiful animals. Lechwe is big! And of course he gave you a discount on a Sable; I've fallen for that 3 times!!!!!

Good luck on the last day. You look pretty happy in those photos. Hunting in Africa with your Dad. You are a blessed man.

Hemingway had trouble with Kudu as well:
"Now it is pleasant to hunt something that you want very much over a long period of time, being outwitted, out-maneuvered and failing at the end of each day, but having the hunt and knowing every time you are out that, sooner or later, your luck will change and that you will get the chance that you are seeking. But it is not pleasant to have a time limit by which you must get your kudu or perhaps never get it, nor even see one. It is not the way hunting should be."

Green Hills of Africa

We are extremely blessed and so thankful to share this trip together! Hemingway's quote is spot on, it really makes that day that much better. And a day in the bush is much better than a day in the office!

"I hunt because I love the entire process: the preparations, the excitement, and sustained suspense of trying to match my woodslore against the finely honed instincts of these creatures. On most days spent in the woods, I come home with an honestly earned feeling that something good has taken place. It makes no difference whether or not I got anything: it has to do with how the day was spent."

Fred Bear

Finished out our hunt this morning with a good impala. We met with the boss and did all of our paperwork and payment. Always a weird time to go through that and definitely the most expensive trip I've ever been on. It's really easy to hunt the animals but when it comes time to pay up, it hurts looking at that total amount. Headed back to DFW tomorrow evening. I certainly don't want to leave but can't afford to stay…

That picture right there is priceless.

You will forget about the cost very quickly. You never know how much time you'll get with your Dad - by the time I could afford a trip for my dad and I, his health has prevented him from ever going hunting again.

Also, Every time I see my trophies in my house they make me smile. Every time. That feeling and those memories are priceless.

It has been 20 + years since my safari and I still look back on it as the best trip I have ever taken. I have been fortunate enough to hunt in British Columbia, Argentina, Mexico, plus eight states in the U.S. and Africa was my favorite hunt.

This is incredibly encouraging. My dad is only 52 and he is really excited for trying to come back. This is really the first thing we have gotten to do together for an extended period of time with just the two of us. I really don't foresee another trip ever being better than this one, but it never hurts trying. I'm just super thankful for the opportunity and how much we got to hunt together. Probably spend 70% of our time hunting together and that just really isn't something we get to do back in the states anymore.

POTD.

Great hunts motivate me to make more money to be able to pay for them. Think about how you can do more to earn more to earn the right to go back again with your dad. It can be quite a motivator. I bet japantiger became an IT millionaire just to be able to afford his million dollar safaris upon retirement

Ya I'm definitely going to need the formula to be able to do that haha

100% this!

I can't be the only one that starts comparing of the costs of things to hunts:

Kitchen remodel - "do you how many elk hunts I could go on?"

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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100% this!

I can't be the only one that starts comparing of the costs of things to hunts:

Kitchen remodel - "do you how many elk hunts I could go on?"

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Teresa (my wife) brings this kind of compare up quite frequently....

lhAggie16 said:

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Finished out our hunt this morning with a good impala. We met with the boss and did all of our paperwork and payment. Always a weird time to go through that and definitely the most expensive trip I've ever been on. It's really easy to hunt the animals but when it comes time to pay up, it hurts looking at that total amount. Headed back to DFW tomorrow evening. I certainly don't want to leave but can't afford to stay…

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Look for the short, athletic, blond Customs agent with the shaved head as you come through customs at DFW. Tell him his dad sent you.

Congrats and thanks for taking the time to journal and post these beautiful pics. And don't worry about 50+ year old guys - we've got a lot left n the tank!

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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100% this!

I can't be the only one that starts comparing of the costs of things to hunts:

Kitchen remodel - "do you how many elk hunts I could go on?"

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After being on several deer leases all over Texas and now having paid for a safari (everything except tips & taxidermy) that I'm taking later this month, I look at it a little differently.

"Do you know how many safaris I could go on for the price of that Whitetail lease??!!"