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Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: ncsturkey on August 08, 2006, 05:26:00 PM
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My adventure to Africa began with the news from my orthopedic surgeon Steve Kollias that the last of four rotator cuff operations (3 right, 1 left) would likely result in a renewed ability to shoot a bow again. He is a magic man with pins and screws. I ordered my first recurve and over the next 12 months I bought, traded and sold 12+ bows in my search for something that would hit where I looked. In the process I discovered Warf bows and ordered a riser. The success of that purchase led me to a DAS Kinetic 60” 58# @ 29”. Finally I had a bow that I could tune to my shooting. A hunting bow that would hit where I pointed it not some place high and left. I set up some Carbon Express 350’s with 285 grains up front yielding a 660 grain arrow. I chose the Eclipse 145 grain broadheads. Five months before ordering the DAS I booked a trip to South Africa through Gene Wensel. It was probably a premature decision but it was the driving force that gave me inspiration to keep refining my shooting skills. I adopted a 3 under release and I aim right down the shaft. My point on is 24 yards. With that as background let me say that I had the time of my life hunting with Dries Visser Safari. Nothing I killed will make the SCI list. I made six shots and killed six animals with no wounds. That is my top trophy. I didn’t kill anything until the third day. An unlucky Wildebeest came to water and my first kill with a recurve traveled 70 yards with penetration through both lungs and out the backside shoulder. Three hours a warthog met the same fate. Complete pass through double lung. I was pleased with myself and with the bow. I even thought to turn on the video and get the hog kill captured.
Then I had a dry spell that was broken while hunting with PH Hein Lottering. Kudu was at the top of my wish list and a mature bull made my day. Hein got the entire event on video and even the bull’s collapse. I made a high heart, double lung shot from 19 yards. The bull only traveled 80 yards according to Hein but I stepped the distance at 62 yards. After photos and loading I went back in the same blind while Hein took care of the Kudu. Two hours later a small herd of Gemsbok came to the blind and I collected my second double. Another animal from my wish list. The bull was nearly standing in the same tracks as the Kudu and I was lucky to make another good shot.
Another dry spell and a bit of frustration followed because my third wish list animal, the Impala was not coming to water or salt. Finally on day 9 sitting in the Kudu/Gemsbok blind at 4 PM a herd of Impala came to the blind. Probably 100 animals with at least 12 shooters came to the blind. I was able to isolate a ram and at 13 yards he exposed to me a slight quartering away shot. The 660 grains blew through both lungs. I was Lucky again I suppose. The ram ran, dead on his feet, for 120 yards. That day my radio would listen but not talk so I endured some frustration because at the time I did not know how good the shot was. While waiting for Hein to come for me another lucky event occurred. At 5:15 my agony was relieved. A small herd of Blesbuck appeared 80-90 yards out. My luck was holding and they came to the blind. I looked for the horns with the greatest mass and at 22 yards I shot. Lucky again, this shot found both lungs and I had my third complete pass through and my sixth animal ever with a recurve. Frankly I’m willing to accept the good fortune but there was a fair amount of work that I put in to the shooting. I probably shot at least 300 days over the past year. Not a 100 arrows a day because the old body would not stand the pressure. I adopted a practice that many others use. FIRST ARROW. It is the only one that counts when hunting.
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/109_0910.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/109_0914.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/bb691185.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/eac09241.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/109_0987.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82/ncsturkey/109_0988.jpg)
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well done Rod those are some beautifull animals!
glad you enjoyed yourself and well done on your shooting! booking a hunt is a good motivator to shoot better!
will you go back again? anything you never got the chance to do whilst out there?
cheers and thanks for sharing
Andy
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Good job Rod!
I have a hunt booked with Visser's in about 372 days from now! I'm watching for stories like yours! Those are some nice animals.
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Does Gene have a website about hunting in Africa?
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great job Rod, were you at the citidel or their mountain camp? if Hein is anything like Bennie i know you had a blast. those are some wonderful animals. to be honest i couldn't tell you a record book animal from a non book animal. they are all records in my mind.
JDS3, gene does not have a site specific for africa that i know of, but you can send him an email and i'm sure he will give you any assistance you could possibly need. if i can help you don't hesitate to send me an email. i kept every bit of info that gene sent me, which was invaluable. gene made my trip a walk in the park.
BTH the days will fly by and before you know it you will be on a plane headed to the dark continent. i can't wait to go back myself.
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Rob, I was at the citidel,but we had two hunters who took a week at the mountain camp to shoot a couple of species not found at the Citidel. Believe me these animals are special trophies to me. I plan to go back again as soon as possible. The travel is the real killer in my opinion. That is the only part I do not look froward to.
JDS3 my original contact with Gene was done via his regular web site.
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Rod great job congradulations..........
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congratulations, Rod...I'm booked 7/15/07...something like that. Looking forward to it very much myself.
Were conditions ideal while you were there...or has unseasonable conditions made hunting a little more difficult this season?
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Congrats, just got back from South Africa myself, reading your story makes me yearn for a return trip, as if I needed an excuse.
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great story and trophies.
i must say that it is addicting to read all these stories and look at all the pics.
my trip isnt til 9-07 and the waiting is driving me crazy.
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To all: Thanks for the comments. Camp thunder I sent you a PM. Rod
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got it and replied.
thanks
ej
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great shots! Im tasting Impala steaks just lookin at those pics. Impala and Gazelle are pretty much crawling all over Africa though..... ya cant swing a dead cat oops... bobcat... with out hittin' an Impala.. too bad I was shooting em with my Rebel XT intstead of my recurve.
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Great thread, nice to get all the info on your tackle and the performance on the kills, doesn't sound like the shots were lucky, but skilled:)
Tends to support my belief that a 60# bow with a good broadhead will kill just about anything cleanly except possibly thick skinned dangerous game
sunaj
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