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Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: Wile E. Coyote on July 22, 2004, 04:17:00 PM
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We just returned from our first Safari. Five days hunting just 30km from the Botswana border and 5 days in the Free State Province. Our PH was Kruger Human of Kudu Trails. Great food, PH's and hunting. I don't have all my pics back but here are a few of myself (Gemsbok (2) and Impala) and T-Bell (Red Hartebeest and Zebra).
Hopefully T-Bell will post some of the pics he has soon.
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/P1010053.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Wayne_Impala_ram1.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Wayne_Gems2.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Tommy_red_heartabeest.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Tommy_zebra1.jpg)
Thanks to all here who helped us in planning and preparing for this trip.
Best to all,
Wayne
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Had a great time - Facilities and PH were fantastic and the game plentiful - Here are a few pictures -
(http://img61.photobucket.com/albums/v187/T-Bell/Africa/Eland.jpg)
(http://img61.photobucket.com/albums/v187/T-Bell/Africa/Impala.jpg)
(http://img61.photobucket.com/albums/v187/T-Bell/Africa/Zebra.jpg)
Regards, T-Bell
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Nice! Those are some great gemsbok.
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guys ,
pics just doesn't do it . talk to us . what you saw ,what you heard what it smelled like ??? what the blinds were like , ground or tree stands . any stalking ?
just lots of info , costs , plane fares , animal prices ,how long were you there ?? you know the drill . everything you want to know if you haven't been there ----- herb
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Wayne , and Tommy , thats great cant wait to talk to yall....I know yall got lots great stories!...WELCOME BACK HOME GUYS!!! mark#78 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Nice!!! How long was the gemsbok?
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Herb,
You are so right! Sorry for just posting hero pics, the experience is so much more than that.
Our first location was in the bushveldt country and the terrain was much like the hill country of southwest TX. Weather was a cool 38 degrees in the am warming up to the mid sixties by evening. The bird life there was incredible and I highly recommend getting a field guide if one makes the trip, it kept one busy during the slow times in the hides. We usually hunted from 7:00am till 11:00am came in for a quick lunch and were back out from 1:00pm till 6:00pm.
Here is a pic of one of the hides we hunted from and a sunrise shot with some guineas.
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/P1010033.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Botswana_bush_am_guinea.jpg)
We hunted in hides such as this and also in elevated thatched hides. The darkness of the hides really worked well in keeping you concealed, and if your movements were slow the game had no idea you were there. Playing the wind was important, as when the wind was right the animals were much calmer, if it was wrong they were wired!
Here's a shot of the bushveldt
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Botswana_bush.jpg)
I think the longest shots taken were around 18yds, with most around 15. You learned to be patient and wait for the right shot. Both Tommy and I recall watching and waiting 45min to 1 hr, till the right opportunity presented itself.
Here are some shots of game from an elevated hide
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Kudu_waterhole.jpg)
(http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/Impala_waterhole.jpg)
There were days I might see 40-60 animals in one hunt and others only 1-5. The areas we hunted had not been bowhunted for some time, one of them had not been hunted since last year, so the game was relaxed for the most part, although after taking something one day, the next day they were a little more cautious.
Happy to respond to any of your questions here or you can shoot me a private email.
Biggie, Congrats on your hunt! Looks like you had a great time. The Gemsbok in the night time pic was 39" and the one in the day was 40".
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welcome back , marc
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Wayne & Tommy
It was fun having you guys out here....as it was in the past with all the others.
I got fired up with the traditional stuff again and try shoot my bow at least once a day since you have left.
Maybe I will start planning that group hunt for 2005 and see whether we can hook up some of those who can't decide to come.
"time to hunt"
Kruger
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Wayne and Tommy,
I've been waiting to hear from you guys to see how you did. Great going! My wife and I are leaving in ten days. Your pictures have me really fired up now...Can't wait to get there and experience Africa. Any last minute advice before we leave? You can Email me if you do. Thanks
Kruger, does that mean we are going to hunt a couple days together with our long bows and recurves? Are Adriaan's Gemsbock as big as the ones Wayne got? Those are huge!
Jack
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Kruger, FYI, you need to add "www" to the web addy link in your profile page. :)
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Congrats Wayne and Tommy, Sounds like yall had great trip!
Welcome back to Louisiana :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Kruger,
Die sebra is werk alreeds - baie dankie !
Man, I had an unbelievable time and can not thank you enough for the outstanding African bowhunting experience you have provided to Wayne and myself.(100% + 2) - The hunting was great as was every aspect of the trip -accomodations, food and company -as Wayne and I discussed - it was like hunting with old buddies-
I think we will try to talk the wives into coming along on the next trip -
I will email you in the next few days -
"maal aan jaag"
Regards T-Bell
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Tommy , I have to find a way and make the trip , it sounds awesome.....marco#78 that trip was made for bowhunting...
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Tommy
Jy moet alles gee....100% + 2.2
I have a bunch of zebra skins ...whenever you call I will fly wih them over.
Was wondering when you would get time to post.
Cheers
K
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Some people have asked what my setup was for africa -
I was shooting a 58 Lb Bighorn Recurve 700gr Hickory Arrows with Magnus and Zwickey Broadheads. It took a little time to get use to the heavy arrows and I practiced daily for several months prior to going and grew confident in shooting this setup. Got complete pass thru double lung and heart on Zebra. Complete penetration double lung on Eland with broadhead stopping on oppsite sholder. Pass thru on Red Hartebeast (shot behind lungs) and pass thru on Impala (shot also behind lung). The only animal that I did not have good results on was a Gemsbok. I hit it in the scapula and did not get any penetration at all. We later spotted the Gems thru Binoculars with rest of the heard grazing as if nothing was wrong and had nothing more than a small fleshwound.
Shot placement is the most importiant factor (In my Opinion)and confidence that you will make the shot is key -
I used a CatQuiver and was happy with the protection it gave my arrows as well as the storage for Binoculars, waterbottle, Camera, Etc.
I am in the process of orgainizing my journal from the trip and will post some highlights as soon as I get a chance -
T-Bell
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Congratulations on the hunt of a lifetime.Africa is on the to do list once I get the boys thru college.
CB
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Glad you guys had a good time. Those are some beautiful trophies. Have you booked another another safari yet? :) Denny
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Denny -
The trip was better than I could have ever imagined. We were discussing the next trip before we got back into the states! I know now why it is said you can never go just once. I'm already saving my coins for the next adventure.
Regards; T-Bell
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Worst off all about this trip...they mentioned that they enjoyed the trip from Botswana to Bloemfontein the most.
I have a great roadside piture to black mail them...wives will pay a lot for that one.
Back to the shooting. I was quite amazed about these guys preparations. I guess it must have taken them a year to build all those arrows. They shot very well and made their luck.Tommy even used broadheads...at times.
Was fun having them. May even consider allowing them back if T-Bell will arrange zebra rug advantages for his Professional Hunter.
Kruger
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We celebrated this weekend with our families by having a dinner party, story telling and a slide show. (Kruger, I wish you Jacques, and Wickus could have been there to share the laughs with us.)Finally got to see everyone's pictures, so here are a few more that were new to me also.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/africa-harvey029.jpg)
One thing that really made the trip special was being able to share it with my dad!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/africa-harvey027.jpg)
Hated to say goodbye, guess its back to work to save up for the next trip!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/Waynelabauve/African%20Safari/africa-harvey044.jpg)
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yall make to ARTAC tommorow night at Ryans...marco