24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
I guess you could call this Part II of my Aug 2022 trip to Botswana. As you’ve possibly read in the other thread I’ve got here about elephant hunting in CT27. I’ve split the trip into two reports. That one with info pertinent to CT 27 and then this one regarding PG cull/meat hunting I did on this same trip. Just to recap a bit……..

Original dates were set last year and I paid the deposit to lock and hold the dates. The intention was for setting up a small group PG hunt to the Tuli block in eastern Bots on a property called Saas Post with Gerhard & Maggie Koch of Koch Safaris. At the time I set the dates, Gerhard was still negotiating for a DG concession 5+hrs farther N known as CT27. I had two guys that were interested in coming but when it came time for them to send their deposits, they got cold feet. They blamed it on the Ukrainian/Russian thing despite it being over 9000 miles and a continent away. Guess it turned out to be a good thing as Gerhard did end up securing CT27 but, several weeks after the DG season had already opened. Therefore, his focus and time needed to switch to this venture and put PG hunting on Saas Post on the back burner. I was still planning on making the trip regardless as I had already purchased my tickets. I wanted/needed to see CT27 and the facilities first hand if possible and I’d like to tag along chasing elephant with Gerhard and crew.

As time ticked closer, Gerhard’s schedule in CT 27 was getting a bit jammed and my getting from the a/p in Gaborone up to the concession area, 7+hrs drive N, was looking like it could be a logistical problem for Gerhard. He already had more than enough pressure on him with the late tender on the concession and I didn’t want to add to that. So, I contacted some friends/neighbors of Gerhard’s, whom I’ve hunted with in the past and whose properties adjoin the Saas Post property. I’ve mentioned them both in my previous Bots reports: Kevin Nell, owner of Darnaway Farm and Wim Biemond, owner of Basinghall Farm. Normally, they are both involved in PG hunting with clients only from Bots or RSA who do hunts in their “self-catering” facilities. Mostly meat/biltong hunting with some limited trophy animals. The trophy animals get very little pressure because the clients are only interested in the meat. Consequently, they do have some pretty impressive trophy animals. They’ve also helped Gerhard when he needed extra PH’s on Saas Post and also additional trophy or cull/management/meat animals.

For those who might not be aware of what “self-catering” is in Africa, you’re basically renting a small tented camp or hard bungalow/chalet with bedrooms, beds, bath/toilet and cooking facilities with basic pots/pans. You bring your own sheets, pillows, towels and food. Both Kevin and Wim have some basic self-catering facilities. Kevin and Lindi have an elevated tented camp with several typical safari tents on the banks of the Limpopo river and Wim has a small basic 2br, 1ba bungalow. Kevin & Lindi also have a small “mother-in-laws” quarters next to their main house that is a converted “rondavel”. What is a rondavel? They are/were traditionally a round grain storage building. They are commonly converted in to one or two bedrooms guest quarters. In this case, Kevin & Lindi’s is just a 1br with closets and private bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. Concrete floors and traditional open beam thatched roof. It was similar in condition to the room I stayed in at Phokjobe Bushlodge but, without heat/ac unit. Queen size bed and the typical daily maid and laundry service. Not fancy, but a damn site more comfortable than a mountain tent in the cold and rainy US during an elk or deer hunt.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Wim's self-catering bungalow.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

So, the plan was, for Kevin to pick me up in Gaborone, they organized my temp rifle import permit and I’d stay in the rondavel next to their house. I’d split my time evenly between hunting with Kevin on his place and with Wim on his place. All I was interested in was culling/management/meat hunting/shooting and primarily targeting blue w/b and common planes zebra and would take a few impala if they needed. As luck would have it, Wim had a meat order for 5,000 pounds of meat for the local butchery the first week I was there. Mostly was for w/b and zebra with a few impala and one kudu.

The rifle I brought this time was one of Lipsey’s special (second run) of Ruger 77’s in the African style in 9.3.62. I had purchased the rifle several years ago new when it came out. Until this trip, it had only taken paper at the range. Loved the handling, was very accurate with pretty much every bullet I tried but, for some reason I saw it as a “tweener” caliber. Maybe a bit heavy for PG and not legal for DG in most countries. However, the caliber also called to me as one of the “classic African” calibers that had a long and storied history going back over 100 years. Many an Afrikaner staked their and their families lives and livelihoods on that cartridge and it’s still very popular there. And now I understand why. Bullets were just simple 270gr Speer Hot Cores pushed to around 2350fps. Sighted in at about 1 ½” high at 100m. This put me just about dead on at 150m and about 2” low at 200m. Meant no mucking about with hold over/under. Just put the cross-hairs in the vitals and squeeze. As long as I did my part 5-shot groups could be easily covered with a quarter at 100m. Scope was just an older gloss, Leopold 2-7 Vari-X IIc.

First animal it was blooded on was a proper walk & stalk blue w/b. It was quartering hard away at maybe 100-110m and I decided to try a bit of a raking shot just where the ribs start and thru to the offside front leg. The impact was incredibly impressive. Usually, the w/b I’ve taken thru the chest, have made a bit of an arched/humped jump at impact. This one, no jumping at all. Just a hard stumble forward that almost put it on it’s front knees. It recovered briefly, stumbled a few meters forward and was down. The bullet had stopped just under the skin at the front of the offside shoulder. I have to say, the reaction on impact was very impressive. I didn't take a photo, but Wim did and I forgot to ask him for a copy.

In fact, every animal taken, the impact was nearly like lightning hit them. Impala taken in the past with 308, 30-06 and 375 Ruger, always seemed to make arcing jump on impact. Same with w/b. With the 9.3, neither jumped, just buckled their legs and would run 25-30m or so and done. Very big entry and exit holes with surprizingly relatively little blood shot meat. Even zebra when hit, their knees would buckle on impact and run a little and done. One large stallion was at a hard angling towards me at maybe 100-110m. It was the angle that puts the front leg bone directly in front of the heart. Hitting it on the outside of the leg just puts the bullet in the guts and a little too far inside and you can miss getting inside the ribs completely. I buggered the shot a bit and hit it right ON the leg bone. The impact actually knocked it back and down on it’s side and it flailed around like a spine shot. It did manage to regain it’s feet but, only moved 40m or so and I finished it with a head shot at 20m.

In the eight days I hunted with Wim and Kevin I ended up taking 38 head. Half were legitimate walk and stalk and half were from the truck. Most were w/b and zebra with maybe a dozen impala and one young kudu bull Wim had a meat request for. Typical was 4-8 head a day.

This was a typical morning. Hard to see but there are two blue w/b under the zebra.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

I did manage to take the best “trophy” blue w/b ever at Kevin’s. VERY old lone bull with both horns broken off short. Not quite a “scrum cap” but close. Turns out his teeth were pretty much gone and he maybe would make it to the coming rainy season but, not much more.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Keven took me to some of his less hunted areas along the Limpopo river. It was surprising to find more than a dozen wire snares set. Some you could tell were recent and some that had been in place for a good while due to how much rust was on the wire and some were well embedded in the tree trunk. Closest village was over 12k away yet, they were coming that far to poach.

With Gerhard and Maggie moving off Sass Post and leaving a bit of gap available for foreign hunters to come into the area, Kevin and Wim are busy getting organized to accommodate a few. I should have there prices and details sorted out before the end of this year. I am already scheduled to go back for 14-days of culling, plus travel time on each end, with a guy in late Aug 2023. Can probably take one or two more if anyone is interested. Accommodations will need to be sorted out with two guys sharing the rondavel (separate beds) at Kevin’s and one or two staying over at Wim’s. The hunting would be shared across both places with most meals either in the bush (lunch) and dinners at Kevin’s. Still a bit to sort out but more than enough time to “make a plan”.

Hopefully, Kevin and Wim will have their daily rates and trophy and cull fees sorted out by the end of this year. Once they do, I'll post them up.

Cross Link to the CT27 Report.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...-of-season-elephant-special#Post17474229

Last edited by M3taco; 10/20/22.
BP-B2

Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 141
B
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
B
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 141
Enjoyed your write up immensely. My father had a pre war 9.x62 that was a beauty, and on the few head of game it was used on, they were all DRT. He wanted to leave it to me, but my sisters husband would have raise hell. So he sold and consigned his rifles and got top prices for them. Your write up certainly feeds ones desire.

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
Thanks Buck. I try to do these to encourage people who've never been but have a desire to, to make a plan and GO!! I really don't care if it's with me or the people/places I go, just GO!

I truly enjoy my time with Wim. If you've read my posts the last couple of trips and hunting with him, you'll maybe remember he has a PHD in Archeology. He and I seem to spend half of our time look at and for archeological sites and artifacts while we're out banging about. This trip, he took me to a place that he had recently discovered that was an ancient religious site that was carbon dated back to over 16,000 years ago. It was where the natives would enter into trances, put their hands into crevasses within the rocks and communicate with their ancient ancestors or put their hands into the carved imprints of various animal species to gain the animals strength/knowledge or imprints carved by deceased relatives to communicate with them or if living relatives far away with them. VERY VERY COOL SITE!!! Based on what he showed and explained to me, a few days later while hunting with Kevin, he took me up into some high outcroppings that overlooked his entire property and beyond the Limpopo river. I actually found some of the same carvings/engravings up there and told Wim about them.

Here is one of them.
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

One of the things I like most is hunting with PH's who are hunting on their own land or at least have been on the concession for a very long time. They know the history of the place, maybe going back several generations and always offer a completely new prospective on things. Same with my friends in Namibia, Jan & Mariesje on their family farm. Jan has one of the best collections of stone age hand tools, spear and arrow points, grinding stones and even some petroglyphs dated back some 15k years. His collection of artifacts has been seen/reviewed/studied by several prominent archeologists who've told him its the best collection they have seen, even in any museums.

That is part of why I always highly suggest you book as many days as you can so you can take your time, be a bit more selective on the trophies you take and be able to see, experience and learn as much you can on a trip.

It amazes me how may people I talk too and always say, "I can't afford it", "its too expensive" while at the same time spending big $$$ on hunting camps, ATV/UTV's, new 4x4 trucks, campers, motorhomes, planting food plots etc. or spending $5-$10k + on 3-7 day deer, elk hunts etc. Yes, an Africa hunt can be as expensive as you want to make it. It can also be as easily affordable as many guided US hunts.

As I say to anyone who's ever wished about going to "make a plan" and do it. It is changing soooooo fast.... get there while you can.

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
Was talking with a friend yesterday on the phone about the trip. He asked about if they shoot so many cull/meat animals they must not have any good trophy animals.

Well, not so. The reason is, the "meat" hunters are only interested in meat at meat prices and not interested or willing to pay a trophy fee just to get meat. Also, they don't allow the hunters to just knock about on their own. Either Wim or Kevin still has to accompany them and don't let them just arbitrarily shoot the trophy heads. Therefore, they do have some exceptional trophy heads.

I saw several kudu that would push the magical 60" mark, impala pushing 30". I have a hard time field judging wildebeest but I can tell a seriously good with with big drops that extend well beyond the ears with high tips that go above the bosses that match or beat the Namibian field gold medal ones we have the the wall in the house. That zebra in the picture above was a really big bodied one with just a few light fighting scars. Fully dressed carcass weight was 202 kilos (445lbs).

Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 3,568
G
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
G
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 3,568
Looks like quite the adventure! One day…

IC B2

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 514
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 514
Gooch
Do all you can put "One Day" Above the top of your list. Don't leave it in your bucket as I had for too many years. The details are irrelevant but because I did just leave it in the bucket, a couple of very important opportunities were missed. I finally listened to M3Taco late in 2019, he helped me MAKE THE PLAN, CoVid tried to derail me but it was only a 12 month delay. I have an over active imagination and had dreamed of hunting in Africa since I could read (I am now 61 yr old) but the experience was Beyond any of my wildest dreams.

As for Trophies available where "meat hunting" is part of the "plan"
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Didn't mean to hijack your thread M3

KDK


I have "CDO". It is just like "OCD" except the letters are in alphabetical order LIKE THEY SHOULD BE!
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 3,568
G
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
G
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 3,568
My goal is to make the trip as a reward for paying my house off. I can’t wait!

Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,095
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,095
Originally Posted by Chuckbuster
Gooch
Do all you can put "One Day" Above the top of your list. Don't leave it in your bucket as I had for too many years. The details are irrelevant but because I did just leave it in the bucket, a couple of very important opportunities were missed. I finally listened to M3Taco late in 2019, he helped me MAKE THE PLAN, CoVid tried to derail me but it was only a 12 month delay. I have an over active imagination and had dreamed of hunting in Africa since I could read (I am now 61 yr old) but the experience was Beyond any of my wildest dreams.

As for Trophies available where "meat hunting" is part of the "plan"
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Didn't mean to hijack your thread M3

KDK
That’s an awesome Impala!

I’m making my first trip in May of 2024 and eyeballing other trips to other overseas locations that I never considered. As bad as the US economy is, compared to the euro and most other economies nows a great time to go.

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 514
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 514
Thanx TLL76,
The waterbuck is an honest 30", and the eland has everything I hoped for. It was a great trip thanx to M3. Where are you in Michigan?

Glad you have a goal Gooch. Stick to it.

To both of you, Read all you can, practice practice practice shooting off sticks, then practice some more. Ask questions, several guys around here have a lot more experience than I do and are very helpful. And have a little extra "in the bank" for unplanned trophy fees in case of targets of opportunity. It makes the decision a lot easier when the budget is not tight. And there will almost certainly be opportunities.

Kevin


I have "CDO". It is just like "OCD" except the letters are in alphabetical order LIKE THEY SHOULD BE!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
Been super busy with life and some work and pleasure travel and two hurricanes since getting back. Have a bit of free time now before Thanksgiving.

Thanks for the pix support, Kevin. Saas Post where we did the bulk of your hunt, like Kevin's farm Darnaway and Wim's farm Bassinghall, is a working game farm as well. They've been doing trophy hunting, meat/biltong hunting and live game capture and sales under Gerhard's direction for the past 15+ years.

Kevin's pix add visual support showing that "meat/cull/live game capture" operations can produce SERIOUSLY good trophy heads - at least in Bots. As I explained above, the local meat/biltong hunters are only interested in meat at meat/cull prices and aren't willing to pay the trophy fee prices for horns and hides they can't eat.

I'm not doing any small group hunts in 2023. However, I AM going back to Bots for two weeks (actual hunting days - not including travel time to/from) starting the end of Aug 2023. Estimated departure date is 21-22 Aug. I am going 100% and have another retired military guy (first timer) 100% and possibly his late 20's nephew going along. Could still take one or two more along as well. We'll be hunting PG in the Tuli block again for sure but, which property we'll be staying is not yet determined. Kevin and Wim are still sorting out prices but they will be in line with previous trips - $350 p/p/d 1x1 daily rate and $250 p/p/d 2x1 daily rate with the table of trophy fees and cull/management fees still being sorted out between them. They are different large farms with differing game populations and everyone will be hunting both places and maybe Saas Post or other neighboring game farms for species they may not have on their farms and they want to make sure their fees are the same between both to keep things a simple as possible. As of NOW, the cull/management fees for impala will still be $100 ea, blue w/b $200 ea. Other cull/management species may also be available and are still TBD based at least in part on the upcoming rains, which have started early already and have been good so far.

Hope to be posting up their full tables of fees by the end of the year and before the "Big Conventions/Show" start early next year.

IC B3

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,669
K
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
K
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,669
I'm glad to see that 9.3 getting some use!

Superb!

Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 51
G
Campfire Greenhorn
Offline
Campfire Greenhorn
G
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 51
Hopefully someday I'll take a similar trip. What an experience

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,839
B
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
B
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,839
I've always wanted to go back and do a cull hunt. I'm not interested in bringing back trophies next time. I just want to get out in Africa and hunt again and get some more pictures. I also would like to get a buff one day but it's the only one of the big 5 that interests me.

I love 9,3s and wouldn't mind taking one next time. I have several jc Higgins 50s and 51s and similar with commercial fn actions and I've always meant to rebarrel one to 9,3x62 but haven't done it. I think the barrels are too thin to reborn to that. I'm such a stainless fan I've been looking for a m70 stainless classic in 270 or 30-06 to reborn.

I wouldn't mind just taking my blr 358 with 250 Speers either. Last time I just used my 375 ruger for everything and first time it was a brno 602 in 375 h&h. The transvaal is one place I enjoy using mid bores. They seem to leave a better blood trail if needed.

Bb

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
I've had a little correspondence with my friends in Bots this morning.

They have been having good rains so far this season and the game is heavily into the calving season. They say the game is fat, slick and very healthy so hunting should be good in 2023.

I'm still waiting for them to finalize their pricing for next year. As of this moment, the two places that will be operating on the S. side of the Tuli block will be Kevin and Wim's farms - Darnaway and Bassinghall respectively. As this is the first year they will be offering international clients trophy and cull hunts directly on their respective properties, it's taking them a little extra time to sort out.

My friend Gerhard, who was managing Saas Post the last 15yrs is going to be be specializing in only DG again this year. He'll be operating out of the CT1 concession which is up on the north-central boarder between Bots and Namibia's east end of the Caprivi Strip.

As of today, I'm planning on a trip to Kevin and Wim's in late Aug 2023. General departure date will be sometime around the 20th or 21st of Aug, three calendar days to get there, then 14 full hunting days split between the two properties. As of today, I have two hunters going and have room to take one more. As I mentioned, I do have the draft of their daily rates and fees, just waiting for them to finalize and confirm before I post them up.

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
M
M3taco Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
M
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 891
One of our group of four going on this trip MAY have to cancel due to an unexpected death in the family and the resulting expenses. He's still not sure either way. So....with the time getting a bit short, I've decided to post up an extra spot if someone would be interested in going. The hard dates already locked in are as follows:

Depart the US on 19 Aug 2023 on Delta via Atlanta
Arrive Jberg on 20 Aug and overnight at the City Lodge Hotel in the airport complex.
Depart Jberg on 21 Aug for Gaborone Bots at 9am on SA Airlink and arrive in Gabs at 10am. We'll be "in camp" just after lunch and in time to eat, unpack a little, check rifles and still get in a late afternoon orientation hunt.

This is a full 14 hunting days, with the arrival and departure days added on each end.

Depart for the US on 5 Sep 2023 and be back in the US early morning of the 6th. Depending on where from Atlanta you're traveling home to, you'll still be home that same day.

IF anyone is interested in going PM me and I'll give you the exact flight dates, times and flt numbers to see if you can still get seats. IF it turns out the fourth guy still can go, you can still make it too. We'll just make it a 5'some instead of a 4'some.

Anyone with questions or wanting more details, PM me your phone number and a good date/time to call and kick it around.

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Originally Posted by Chuckbuster
To both of you, Read all you can, practice practice practice shooting off sticks, then practice some more. Ask questions, several guys around here have a lot more experience than I do and are very helpful. And have a little extra "in the bank" for unplanned trophy fees in case of targets of opportunity. It makes the decision a lot easier when the budget is not tight. And there will almost certainly be opportunities.

Kevin

This is the best advice you'll ever get.....


"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,208
P
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
P
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,208
Just a comment on the OP's mention of using a 9.3x62mm.

I brought the exact same rifle on my latest trip for more Cape Buffalo. Both the safari owner and the PH were pleased to see I had brought it and both asked to have a look at it. On holding it in their hands, the rifle seemed to be a time machine as they'd relate how their fathers and grandfathers shot everything using a 9.3.

They were interested to hear about the current state of the 9.3x62mm in the U.S., and the PH was very pleased when I left my remaining factory ammo with him.


It's you and the bullet, and all the rest is secondary.

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
387 members (204guy, 280shooter, 29aholic, 10gaugemag, 1beaver_shooter, 16penny, 47 invisible), 2,267 guests, and 1,123 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,723
Posts18,400,590
Members73,820
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.119s Queries: 14 (0.004s) Memory: 0.8903 MB (Peak: 1.0646 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 04:46:18 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS