Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

My Trip to Africa

Muleyslyr

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Lynnwood, WA.
Thought I'd throw up some pictures of my trip to Africa this last October. I know Moosie's heading over there sometime this summer, give him something to think about for a while.

I spent two and a half weeks back there with my father-in-law who has been there several times, but for me it was my first. Have to say that if anyone has ever thought about going back there it is a must. So hard to try and explain to someone until they actually do it. I was no different. But now that I've been, it was unbelievable what an experience it was.

I won't bore you guys with a bunch of stories, but if anyone is at all interested in going over there I'd be more than willing to help out. The outfit I went with was awesome. Did anything and everything to make sure we had a good trip. Would highly recommend them to anyone.

Anyway....here's some pics in order of when I got em.....

Female Gemsbok. Felt good to just get that first one under my belt. Was a little surreal seeing that in my scope when your used to seeing Deer or Elk.

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Kudu....In my opinion the most beatiful animal over there. I called them the African version of a bull Elk. Very majestic animal.

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Male Gemsbok. If you notice the horns on the Males are generally shorter than on females, but are noticably thicker. This was a good Male. He'll go on a pedestal.

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Then we took a three hour drive and spent 3 days over in the Kalahari Desert. What an unbelievable place that is. Nothing like I expected. Better.

First animal I got over there was this Springbuck. Much like "our" Antelope over here. Very elusive critter.

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Blesbuck. Also a very elusive critter. Probably one of the harder ones to hunt.

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Black Wildebeest. They call this the poor man's Cape Buffalo. It's got horns like a Cape, but obviously is a cousin to the Blue Wildebeest.

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Blue Wildebeest. Tough animal. Not really the smartest critter walkin' the Desert, but they get in herds and can be pretty difficult at times to get close to em' with all those eyes.

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Then came back and hunted the area we orginally started. I was pretty much done with all the larger game animals I was gonna get so I took out the .22 Hornet. Was hoping to get a Jackel which is their version of the Coyote but you usually only catch flashes of em' as they're flying across a dryed up river bed or something.

Anyway I did get this Steenbok. Cute little things. I would see quite a few of them, but they're usually bouncing through the thorn bushes and trees. I'm actually gettin' a full body mount on this dude. That'll look cool.

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So I didn't exactly get everything I was going for, but that's a good thing. Leaves me something to go back for. I'm hoping to go back in 09'. Only a couple weeks earlier so I don't miss deer season over here.

Like I said.....Awesome trip and would say if you have the slightest chance or have the slightest urge to go.....do it!
 
Very cool critters and I bet it would be an awesome trip. What kind of rifle did you use? What critters are on the "to-do" list for next time?

My list would be kudu, nyala, gemsbok, cape buffalo, maybe a zebra....

Hopefully someday it will work out.
 
Cool pictures and looks like a great hunt. I'm kicking myself now for not going down there when I was a bit closer while in the middle east. Maybe someday though.
 
Muleyslyr,

I am in the planning stages right now. It will be about three years out before I actually get there, but I am committed. Thanks for the pics they look great.

Greg
 
Looks like you had a wonderful hunt. I agree Africa is a place everyone should experience at least once.

Details on the rifle and bullets? looks like a pre '64 M70 in 375H&H?
 
Thanks guys.....brings back good memories putting the pics up again.

On the to do list next time.....depends on where I go. I would love to go to South Africa next time. On my list down there would be Eland, Sable, Waterbuck, Impala, and if I could a Cape Buffalo. That would be an expensive hunt though.

Where I was in Namibia they did not have any of those animals. If and when I go back to Namibia I'll want another Kudu, plus a Zebra, Red Hartebeest, and probably some of the smaller critters like a Worthog, Jackel, and Baboon. That would be a fun hunt.

As far as the rifle. I entended on using a Browning .338 with 250gr. Federals. At the range over there before the hunt I could not get the thing to should any kind of consistancy what so ever. I mean I couldn't of hit water with it if I would've thrown it out of a boat.

I ended up using a CZ 550 in the .300 Calibur with 200gr. handloads. Heavy ass rifle but very accurate. I've never really been a big rifle or bullet guy, but seeing how different my rifle reacted over there as compared to over here was amazing. I definately learned a few things about ballestics and what not while over there.
 
Very cool! I'd like to hear more details about the logistics of your hunt. Who did you go with, travel details, did you bring everything back for taxidermy, etc. Also, if you don't mind, what does a hunt like that run?
 
Very cool Muley. Now, I gotta go there! Yup, I'm goin'. Where's my calendar?

Thanks for sharing.
 
Congratulations on your successful hunt. It is hard to express the attraction, but a lot of it is seeing game constantly and the variety of animals sharing the same habitat.

One question - everyone we talked to called the Blue Wildebeest the poor man's buffalo because of how tough they are, as well as how spooky they are in the herd. Also, my PH said they can be "a bit testy" when wounded and so we waited for a while before following up on mine. (Which actually ended up being dead on the ground just out of sight.) There were no black wildebeest in the area we hunted, but aren't they smaller than the blue wildebeest?

I want a gemsbok and a black wildebeest if I go back. And a bigger kudu. I'm happy with the red hartebeest and waterbuck that I took, but I'd shoot more impala and warthogs, as the price is low for those.
 
Wow!!! Seeing these pictures has me even more ready to hop on the plane!!! June can't get here fast enough. Thanks for sharing!
 
Oak....I went with Otjiruse Hunting out of Namibia. I met them through Terry Wagner. www.wagnerworldwidehunting.com My father-in-law had been over there with them twice, once including my wife the year before. For the type of hunt and the quality of animals for their prices you really can't beat em'. As far as the price goes you can find em' on Terry's website. For the eight animals I took it was roughly $4500....give or take. As you know the airfair can vary a lot. I, for the life of me, cannot remember how much I payed for mine.

I flew from Seattle to Atlanta.....5hr. layover. Atlanta to London.....10hr. layover. (Didn't think it would be that bad if I could get a day room....they didn't have any there. :BLEEP: ) Then London to Winhoek.

Way back was Winhoek to Frankfruet.....5hr. layover. From there to Cincinnati....literally ran from the plane through the airport and were the last one on the plane from Cincy to Seattle. The whole travel part of the trip sucks, but no gettin' around it.

As far as the taxi work, I'm having everything done over there with a respected Taxidermist in the area. We'll see....I'm a litte nervous about it.

Calif. Hunter.....that's strange about the "poor man's" buffalo....Blue or Black. I don't know....all those guys are a little backwards if you ask me anyway. ;) What I do know is when I shot my Black Wildebeest he dropped in his tracks. When I got up to him I was a little surprised as I thought they were bigger animals. The Blue Wildebeest was a tough animal. Probably one of my better shots but he still went maybe a hundred yards before tippin' over. Their chests are huge, and your right, they are a bigger animal.
 
Dude !!!!!!!!!! thats all I can say right now... :D

FowlAddict1 that posted above is going with our group too. 4 months and counting down. Thanx for the pics.
 
I'm curious to see how your guys' trip is. I mean as far as weather goes and vegetation for the animals. It was super dry when I went in Oct. and just the beginning of their summer. Mid to high 90's everday. I don't know how those critters survive in that crap with little to no food or water.

Whose all going Moosie....you, fowladdict and anyone else from here?? What's on your guys' list?
 
Nice! Plains game is a 'must do' for me sometime in the future. Thanks for sharing the pics and any more if you'd like! :D
 
Only us from here that you would recognize. My 2 partners at the office, one who posts here sometimes (Deadeye270) and 2 other Friends. So 6 in all.

As far as the "list", I haven't put one together yet. Not sure really. I'm jsut looknig foraward in going. I'm guessing a Kudo, Gemsbuck, etc. standard critters. Maybe a Zebra, something different. I plan to go back in a few years, so I might not wack and stack like I normally would :D
 
Nice pics and nice animals!
I have heard both the Blue and Black Wildebeest referred to as "Poor Man's Buffalo" (but not the White Beared--?). Both can die tough, like most African animals! I've seen a Blue take a shot from a .470, run, get hit again, run and then have to get hit a third time to give it up. My Black took a heart shot from 305 meters, went down, got up, ran, then ran in a circle and went down again, then got up and ran again before doing his last circle run and dying...he was pumping blood with every heart beat and was darn near 1/2 mile from us when finished! (7mmMag with Superior Ammo loaded 175gr). My best Blue collasped in his tracks on his belly sprawled out with an identical shot, but only 225meters, with the same rifle and load! Go figgure!?!
Agree that hunting the Kudu , esp in gray thorn bush, is like hunting Elk and a wonderful trophy!
BTW, Cape Buffalo prices in SA seem to be getting more reasonable and closer to prices in Zim and Zam.
 
BTW II---if you are even considering an African hunt "sometime" in the future, GO !!! SA or Namibia will get you five to ten "trophy" animals for the cost of a guided Moose or trophy Elk hunt....and Sheep are off the wall!
 
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