African Adventure

[ncsturkey]

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.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

[tradtusker]

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

[BTH]

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.

[John3]

Does Gene have a website about hunting in Africa?

[paleFace]

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.

[ncsturkey]

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.

[Iron/Mtn]

Rod great job congradulations..........

[Ray Hammond]

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?

[katman]

Congrats, just got back from South Africa myself, reading your story makes me yearn for a return trip, as if I needed an excuse.

[camp thunder]

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.

[ncsturkey]

To all:  Thanks for the comments.  Camp thunder I sent you a PM.  Rod

[camp thunder]

got it and replied.
thanks
ej

[Artemis]

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.

[suNaj]

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

[Artemis]