Well I just got home from my first trip to Africa. I hunted with Eugene Erasmus at Intaba Safaris In the Eastern Cape. Let me just say that Eugene and his crew went WAY above what I expected in all areas of the hunt. Bring the east cape some of the concessions were of course high fence but huge areas. We hunted quite a few free range/low fence sheep/cattle operations as well for kudu and a few other animals. The mountain hunting was just incredible. Steep rocky cliffs and thick river bottoms and valleys. We hunted near Fort Beaufort/Adelaide area. I had 5 animals on my list that I really wanted but a few more that it given the opportunity at a trophy I’d consider taking. My original 5 I wanted were kudu, waterbuck, gemsbok, Nyala and zebra. If the opportunity arose I wanted an eland, bushbuck, warthog and an Impala. I also was gonna do a night hunt to try my hand at a jackal, porcupine and whatever else we seen. I’m gonna do a day by day hunt and try to post pics as I go. Gonna be long and new to posting pics so bear with me.
1st day.
We got up early and after a wonderful breakfast we headed to a high vantage point where we could see a big valley for about a mile. After about 30 min we spotted a group of 3 bull Eland. Eugene said there was a good bull but to be patient as we wanted to see what moved out of the bottoms to feed into the warming sun. This ended to be how we started every morning. The animals would just appear into to sunny spots to warm themselves after the cold nights. Amazing how they would just show up out of nowhere especially after u glassed an area time and time again. Well back to the story. I told Eugene I wanted a bull with a big red mop, black face and a big dulap. Horns meant nothing to me. Well soon as the sun came up 2 more big eland bulls came out onto the flat and started feeding. Both were very big but one had just an incredible mop that went half way down its face. I said let’s go! After about a 3/4 mile stock we got into the bottom where they came out of and sneaked up over the ridge. They were all feeding at 130 yards. There was no question which was the bull. His body was much bigger and more blue than the rest. He was lightly quartering to me. I put the Sako 375 H&H where his shoulder met his neck 1/3 up and squeezed. He reared straight up and almost went down. He regained he’s footing and went over the next little ride about 40 yards behind him. We slowly sneaked over the hill expecting him to be lying there but he was standing at the back of the group swaying a little. Eugene said put another one in him. So at 274 yards I dropped him with one well placed quartering shot. Man the feeling when we got up to him and seeing the sheer size of this animal was insane. He was everything I wanted and more!!! First bullet went in perfect and exited about 3” behind the off shoulder. Second bullet hit him in behind the last rib and the bullet was dug out of infront of his off shoulder. Bullet went right through the heart so almost 40” of penetration. I was shooting the 275 gr Hammer Shockhammers at 2640 under 73gr of RL15. Scope was a Leupold vari-X 111 2.5-8x36. Gun is a lefty Sako custom deluxe I bought off a guy here on the fire.
Will continue !
After a photo session and watching how they load these big animals(which is amazing) we decided to get back up to the high point and glass some more. We got up top and within minutes spotted 1 lone gemsbok on the next ridge around a mile away. He believed it was a bull through the spotting scope so if we went. We drove around till we got above him and started the stalk. A few hundred yards later we peeked over the top and he was feeding in some brush just over 100 yards. Put the crosshairs of the 375 on his shoulder 1/3 up and squeezed. 10 yard death run and he crashed and rolled about 30 yards down the hill. Second trophy was down and in the salt. He was a gorgeous bull. Bullet smashed through the front leg bone, through the heart and out the other leg. What a gorgeous animal!
That is gettin' it done right there. Pretty animals and guns. Did you eat any of them, and how do they taste?
Terrific trip and lots of great memories. Congratulations all around.
Bad news........ you've been permanently infected and only proper course of treatment are return trips!!
Congrats on some very Nice trophy's and a great hunt. Thanks for posting. I enjoyed reading your write up. Great pic's too.
Day 6…..
Lots of animals seen but no killing for me! Of course 2 more big kudu bulls spotted. Still no bushbuck. Really wanted the spiral slam. We did spot a big fallow and told Eugene that may be a back up if we can’t find a bushbuck. I big fallow in the mountains would be awesome as well.
Wow, what a hunt! Fantastic animals, and great shooting! Congrats.
That is gettin' it done right there. Pretty animals and guns. Did you eat any of them, and how do they taste?
We got to try all of it! I really liked most. Some more than others. I’m a straight throw a chunk of meat on the fire kind of guy. They made it a multitude of ways. Nothing I didn’t like but some just different. Spices I’ve not tried and such. Like I said very good but different. Most was fantastic though. Man I loved the eland and the kudu tenderloins on the fire. Also the vegetables and soups they made(butternut squash and mushroom soup) was amazing. The bread was on a whole different league! Best bread I’ve eaten in my whole life.
Awesome animals sir, good job.....really like that gemsbok, waterbuck, and nyala......they will make fantastic mounts.
Don't have a waterbuck or nyala myself yet, need to go back sometime.....
Beautiful trophies. Well done!
You got some really excellent trophies, and it looks like there was some good shooting going on. Congrats!
Looks like you had an exceptional 1st African hunt. May your future ones be just as good.
Heck of a trip, it will be hard to top this one! Congrats!
Congratulations.
I enjoyed reading that.
Looking forward to my hunt next year.
Thanks for posting.
What A great hunt, thanks for sharing your story and pics!
Great trip. This definitely gets the ideas flowing.
Congrats rt. I wish I was there with you. What a Trip!!!!
Great write up, great pictures, great animals and great memories….. I think that’s about as good as it gets!
Thanks for taking us along.
Thanks for sharing your adventure.
very nice pictures ! great to read about your hunt to , very nice animals . thanks for posting,Pete53
Man that's lovely country and a great hunt supported by excellent shooting! Well played!
The East Cape is a dramatic landscape.
Awesome account of your hunt and excellent pics of the animals. You got some really beautiful animals and they should make some nice mounts. Thanks for sharing with us. 😁
Congratulations, Africa is a wonderful experience.
We have hunted RSA three times with Niihan Engelbrecht, Hunters Game Safaris. Took 18 plains game animals on these trips. My only regret is that I did not go for a Sable.
Your pictures stir up the desire in me to return. Great pics. Great hunt.
BTW, your first trip is merely a tune up for your successive trips to the “Dark Continent”. MTG
Congratulations on your great hunt. Made memories to last a lifetime.
Great read.
Heck of an adventure.
Thank you for posting.
I agree with 100% on the challenge of hunting zebra. I will take that opportunity every chance I get.
Thank you for posting. Great animals & great pics.
Now, you’re hooked.
Welcome to the club!
Doesn’t matter how many safaris you make to Africa- you’ll never forget or top the first. Congratulations on a great time and nice trophies!
Congrats on a Great Safari!
Thanks for taking us along!!
Doesn’t matter how many safaris you make to Africa- you’ll never forget or top the first. Congratulations on a great time and nice trophies!
I agree that you will never forget your first, but my second trip blew away my first.
Out-freaking-standing! Happy to hear that you had a great adventure.
Nice----Africa is calling me. Bob
great pics and write up, Congrats
Nice----Africa is calling me. Bob
Bob, if you havent been...you owe it to yourself.
Thanks for the detailed write up especially with Scenar results. Great pics! Congrats!
Nice----Africa is calling me. Bob
Bob, if you havent been...you owe it to yourself.
Yes, do it. You will have a great experience.
Nice----Africa is calling me. Bob
Bob, if you havent been...you owe it to yourself.
Bob, you better keep an eye on this ingwe fella........He told me to go to Namibia and he made me go like 5 times.
Trip #2 is planned for 2025 if anyone is interested. Taking the wife and kids this time.
Roy
It may be impolite to ask but approximately how much does a trip like this cost?
PS, I understand if you'd rather not say..
It may be impolite to ask but approximately how much does a trip like this cost?
PS, I understand if you'd rather not say..
Pm sent
Roy
Nice pictures, congratulations.
Nice----Africa is calling me. Bob
Bob, if you havent been...you owe it to yourself.
Bob, you better keep an eye on this ingwe fella........He told me to go to Namibia and he made me go like 5 times.
You're welcome.....
Great pictures and write-up! Thanks for sharing your adventure. The Dark Continent is definitely on my bucket list.
Did you have any issues importing or exporting the suppressor? Could you elaborate any extra steps you took on this process? Congratulations on a great trip. My next trip id like to bring one and have heard conflicting information on it. From no worries to you're going to jail.
We stayed at Afton house and used Mr X for gun permits. Super easy!!! As far as the suppressor I got a 4457 form and took all my paperwork(trust and receipts). Made sure I flew out of Atlanta and had zero issues. I even asked them to be safe and they didn’t care at all. Didn’t want to see anything but the 4457’s
Roy
Did you have any issues importing or exporting the suppressor? Could you elaborate any extra steps you took on this process? Congratulations on a great trip. My next trip id like to bring one and have heard conflicting information on it. From no worries to you're going to jail.
I went into customs right after Roy and there were no issues with suppressors in fact the agent commented on how great it was to see all our paperwork in such good order, in fact Roy was hooked within the first 30 minutes after we left PE. might have to try to talk him into an Elephant hunt
Looks like a great hunt! That eland is special.
Congratulations on a great hunt & writeup, tho your misuse of "seen" bugged me a bit. The auto-corrects/typos didn't so I guess that's on me!
Some really fine critters there.
I'll never hunt Africa, tho we did a 11 day/4 park photo safari a couple years back.
A few days ago, I was working out in the yard, bright sunny day, when I kept thinking I should hear zebras calling...in Alaska...
I have a suspicion that may mean something. Our guide warned us!
once you hunt Africa you will be back, I was with Roy on his recent first trip my second and my wife said when are you going again and I just smiled. Africa is calling me again, she never gives up