Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Just Back From South Africa

Hi,

I am new to 24 hour campfire, I joined so I could post about my first trip to South Africa. I went with my brother to Lephalale in Limpopo province. Chris Troskie was the outfitter and Willem van Rooyen was our PH. We stayed in Willem's lodge called Nooitgedacht.

The hunt started off slow as my brother and I were not too keen on hunting from the truck (buckie). Willem was very agreeable to swithing to stalking and stand hunting and setting out from the lodge on foot.

On the first day, my brother bagged a wonderful (record book) Impala while stalking up a dry riverbed.

On the fouth day I got a 50" Kudu. The shot was from an elevated blind, a bad quartering away angle from 74 yards. The 400 grain Barnes Original 45-70 softpoint at 1925 ft/sec broke the last rib, expanged to almost 2x diameter, penetrated 40" and lodged in his neck. Willem thought I hit him too far back, until he heard from the skinner and saw the bullet. Hooray for Barnes bullets!

The next day I took a Blue Wildebeest using the new 400 grain Barnes Buster solid. The shot was from 70 yards. I hit too high (just above the body centerline) on the shoulder. The bull went down at the shot and could not get up. I fired a finisher through the bottom of the chest at close range. Both bullets exited. After this demonstration of the hot 45-70 loads, Willem wants to buy my Marlin 1895!

That afternoon, Willem and I went Impala hunting. The wind was swirling around, so which ever way we walked was downwind. The rut was at full swing, so we had grunting bulls all around us. We probably saw 100 Impala that afternoon. Even though I did not get a shot, it was one of my most memorable hunts.

On my last hunting day, we stalked a nice Impalla that I took at about 100 yards with my TC Encore 30-06.

All of my trophies were past their prime, just as I asked for.

Thank you Chris & Willem for a great hunt!

pics......lot's of pics....how can we hunt Africa vicariously without pics??????????

Lots of pics and a detailed hunting report. Please! Think along the lines of a travel article.

Amen!

Congrats! Seems like a great hunt and the good ol' .45/70 performed well... Nice!

Good for the .45-70[again]. But we need PICS!!!!!
BTW Congratulations!

maddog

I'm waiting for some photos and seem like you had a great hunt. Congratulation

Here is my Kudu



And here is the bullet that performed so well!



The Wildebeest dropped at the shot, but required a finisher. A softpoint would have done it with one shot.



And last, my impala.

I hope you all enjoy these and get your own pictures SOON!

Nice job and great pics.

Great animals. Thanks for the pics.

rej

Nice job and thanks for sharing....oh and welcome to the campfire!

great photos

Just one more guy for me to hate!

Just kidding! Good job! And with a great rifle and cartridge combo. Thanks for the pics, and the story.

thank you, those are magnificent trophies.......

Way to go! I passed on an impalla, so very glad to see you did not. Very nice Kudu with a lovely back mane.
Welcome aboard, and post as many photos and narative as you can.
Randy

I somehow missed your first post, sorry. The 45/70 does not get the respect it deserves, except by those of us who hunt it. I have got six feet of penetration with mine in bull moose, so your kudu stats do not surprise me in the least. I made the same mistake with my wildebeast(black) by shooting too high. THAT PRONOUNCED FRONT END DISORIENTS US! That is my story as my other animals were shot well. I chickened out and went with the flatter shooters, left my 45/70 at home. I am proud of your determination to fair chase. Way to go.
Randy

Welcome to the Campfire. Thanks for the terrific photos.

I booked H&R through our company TARSPORTING.com. He was quite a gentleman to make arrangements for. I admire the 45-70's performance. Congratulations !

JR