08 Melorani Reports

[Jeff Sample]

My buddy and I leave in 2 weeks. Anybody who has been to Melorani this season want to tell us about your hunt?

Thanks!

[Trad Lad]

Jeff,
Please be sure to post your pictures and story, I am going in June of next year and am anxious to hear how every thing goes this year.
Good luck and shoot straight.
Pip

[LEOPARD]

Good luck with your hunt, Jeff!
I'm leaving for SA in just over 2 weeks! I'll be there for 2 months!    Have fun and be sure to share with us when you're back!  :D

[IndianaBowman]

Jeff, looks like there will be lots left for us!  

[John3]

Jeff,

Make sure you let us know how things are at Melorani.

I am planning a 2010 ten day trip with Melorani.

I do know that they come very highly recommended if you want to spot n stalk. This is why I will book my next Africa hunt with them.

John III

[Limbhanger]

I was at Melorani exactly one year ago and it was fantastic!  They had an exceptionally dry season last year and it was tough on the animals.  However, Stewart reports that with the exception of warthog that the animals did very well.  I emailed Stewart just a short time ago and he had just had his first group go through.  He stated that the hunting had been excellent(what a surprise!).  Make sure to give us a report when you return.  Have a safe trip and make sure to ask Stewart and PH Neil about their new concession.  It's a relatively short trip from Melorani and is "covered" with Kudu.  Good Huntin'!

[Jeff Sample]

Back from Melorani. I had a great trip, and it would be an understatement to say that it was the hunt of a lifetime - and we had a slow week according to Stewart! On one or two days I saw more animals within 20 yards than in 10 years of whitetail hunting in NY State. I'll start posting a day-by-day account of my hunt, with pics, in the next couple of days. I took 4 animals: impala, kudu, nyala and warthog. I had great shots at a big eland and a waterbuck, but these species didn't really appeal to me, at least that early in the hunt when I was hell bent on nyala and kudu!

[Jeff Sample]

Here are a few teasers!

 

 

 

 

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Come on, Jeff! That's bordering on the illegal and immoral side of things - it's been four days since you posted! I can't wait to read your story and see more photos! Well done, anyway!

[Jeff Sample]

OK, here it goes!

Following is a brief account of my 10-day plains game hunt at Melorani Safaris, operated by Stewart Dorrington and located in the Northwest Province of South Africa. Hope you enjoy.

My partner Terry Receveur, his wife Tina and I arrived in Johannesburg around 6 PM on Wednesday, July 16th, on Delta’s 19-hr flight from Atlanta to Jo’Burg, which makes a one-hour or so stop in Dakar, Senegal (total travel time was 28 hrs from my home outside of Harrisburg, PA). My luggage - with my 2 prized Schafer Silvertips - was MIA for a few hours (talk about severe depression). Fortunately, it had made the trip, but was mistakenly sent to the airport “Police Station”, presumably because a baggage handler believed it contained a firearm (firearms are not put onto the general-luggage carousel). We were met outside of Customs by the driver for Afton Guest House, a nearby B&B where we spent the next 2 nights, getting adjusted to the 6-hr time change (which wasn’t that bad) and doing a little sightseeing. About 1 on Friday, Stewart picked us up for the 3-hr drive to the hunting concession, formally a cattle ranch established by Stewart’s grandfather in 1918, but which was converted by Stewart to a game preserve in the early 80s.

As we drove onto Melorani, where Stewart, his wife and 2 young boys and mother Bea also make their homes, we immediately started seeing game: ever abundant impala (some very impressive rams), nyala, warthog, eland, and probably other species that I don’t recall at the moment. I was particularly excited about all of the nyala “just standing around”, as this was the #1 animal on my list, and Stewart has an excellent nyala herd, with some very nice bulls, as I was now witnessing! After meeting some of the staff and depositing our gear in our rooms (thatched-roof rondavels complete with private bathrooms, including showers – see below), we were taken for a short drive in the back of the Land Cruiser by Stewart and our PH, Neil. Again, we were immediately into game, including kudu and waterbuck, in addition to those mentioned above. Then, back to “camp” for drinks around the campfire, followed by an incredible dinner (wildebeest, if I remember correctly), and then some more time around the fire getting acquainted.

My quarters:
 


The view from my rondavel door:
 

The mess building:
 

[Jeff Sample]

Our days started each morning with a few practice arrows into the sand pit behind our rondavels, followed by a simple breakfast from 7:15-7:45. After packing our lunch, it was into the back of the Land Cruiser for the ride to our blind, where we would sit all day, unless a change in wind direction dictated a move to a new blind. The drive out was one of the highlights of each day, as game was everywhere! On the first day we saw just about everything Stewart has on the concession, including white rhino (cow and calf) and an impressive heard of sable, which we were told is the largest free-ranging sable herd in the country. We’d typically get to our blind between 7:45 and 8:15, but animals didn’t come in usually until at least after 9:30, presumably because it takes until 10 or so for the wind direction to settle down. Most blinds, either grass huts (a few elevated 12 or so feet) or miniature cement-and-clay buildings that often looked like termite mounds, were usually at the edge of a pond or small man-made waterhole. Each blind had a salt block, and some a Game Block that the kudu really go crazy for, but most other species pretty much ignore, except for warthog and nyala which sometimes gave it a few licks. Shooting holes were about 8” wide, 18” high, with shots anywhere from 10-20 yards – though through these holes things appear closer than they actually are. Pick-up was around 6 PM, followed by the nightly recap of the day’s happenings around the campfire, and gourmet dinners that included wildebeest, impala, eland, kudu and zebra (which by the way is the best meat I’ve ever tasted!).

Typical scenes on the drive out:
 

 

Day one to follow later today.

[Jeff Sample]

DAY ONE

The trip out was unbelievable. Without having set foot in a blind yet, I knew that I would be back here some day. After dropping Terry and Tina off at their blind, we continued a mile or so more to mine: a grass & stick hut on the edge of an old road, lined with trees on both sides, and fields beyond. This was one of the few blinds that I hunted that was not next to a waterhole, but I had the salt block and what was left of a Game Block in front of me (given the chance, the kudu will devour one of these in little more than a day). A group of kudu cows were the first to show, followed by a group of bulls. While none of the bulls was a shooter, I could actually feel (honestly) the presence of another animal just out of my line of sight to the left. Peeking through the side window, which I had covered with black netting to keep as much sunlight out as possible, I could see a huge kudu bull, just standing on the road, refusing to come closer (the wind was perfect too). Over the next few hours, he did move back and forth out in front of me at 40 yards, in the trees, but he never would come in with the others. Then, finally, he came in and briefly stood broadside at 21 yards, which was beyond the 15 or so yards I was most comfortable with, in light of the less than full confidence I had shooting at that distance through the 8x18” hole; the wounding rule also added to the intimidation I felt, especially on the front end of the hunt. They eventually moved off, and then returned once or twice, without another shot opportunity.

Except for the bird life (including a mature male ostrich) and a few small warthogs moving through the area, things were pretty quiet until the last 45 minutes of the day, when a very nice (i.e., monstrous) eland bull wandered in and stood broadside at 15 yards. If you have never seen one of these beasts in the flesh, think Brahman bull! Unfortunately, I just couldn’t bring myself to drop the string on an animal that looks more like he belongs in the barnyard. He was soon followed by the return of the kudu cows and a couple other animals that (when they finally walked into my line of sight) turned out to be a zebra mare and what was probably her foal from the previous year. No shot though.

 

The other main event of the day was my introduction to the kudu “bark”. After I thought they had moved off, I snuck a granola bar out of my pack. What I did not realize was that a lone cow was standing unseen off to my left, and when I snapped off a bite, I got the shock of my life when she barked a warning. Actually, I would not describe it as a bark at all, but a very deep guttural growl – the kind you might imagine a big hungry leopard would make!!! Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up for sure. As I was to find out later, when a kudu cow barks (the bulls actually do it too), no one questions the reason, and every species around you will flat out disappear in a hurry, leaving you very alone, despite the fact that only a moment before you where surrounded by 20-40 animals!

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Thanks, Jeff! That's better! I haven't had a good read yet, as I need to hurry off to work, but I will as soon as I can! Keep it coming! Cheers, Ben

[Tilzbow]

Keep it coming Jeff! I remember the blind you were in on your first day. I saw a huge warthog from that hide but I'd already shot one.

[Tilzbow]

P.S. - How was the warthog population? I heard many left Stewart's place last year due to drought and were shot by farmers.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Well, an exciting read so far!

[Jeff Sample]

Tilzbow,

You are correct. The drought in '07 was particularly good for the hunters, but tough on the warthogs: they either starved, or were shot when they went off the property to feed on the neighbor's crops, as they are the one animal that can get through the fence, by going under it. I only saw two shooters, one of which I was lucky enough to take on the last day.

[Jeff Sample]

DAY TWO

Sunday found me sitting in a blind next to a small waterhole, which was to be a hotbed of activity. Things got started with a breeding herd of impala, with a really nice ram that ran himself ragged running off nearby bulls attempting to drink, and keeping his ewes in line. The first of two times that he gave me a shot was when he initially came in for a brief drink; unfortunately, he was standing in front of several ewes. Later, he chose to offer me a 10-yard shot, but just as what would turn out to be the biggest nyala bull I would see during my hunt was coming straight to the water. No way was I going to blow a shot at the nyala, but unfortunately he drank quartering towards me, and then left promptly afterwards with his nose buried in the rear end of an nyala ewe. No shot. What a bull!

 

 

At one time I had kudu, nyala, waterbuck, a herd of tsessebe cows (who actually bedded down), ostrich, warthog and impala surrounding me at this blind, all at the same time! The highlight of the day was certainly the big nyala bull, as well as a large one-horned waterbuck that was taking forever to come in, but once a group of kudu cows showed up, he came in at a trot. The warthogs were an interesting study. Despite their relative abundance and relatively low trophy fee, taking a decent boar is not a given, as many who have hunted them will probably confirm. They are especially nervous, and are very, very suspicious of the blinds, with their little black holes. When drinking, they will almost invariably do so facing the blind from the farthest point possible (the reason for the brush piled at the far end of the small waterholes we hunted over), always keeping their eyes peeled on the blind. Their hearing is something to behold as well, as once while a sow and little one drank at 18 yards, my stomach made a low growl that I could barely hear – they turned inside-out getting out of there! Also, once they have finished drinking, 9 times out of 10 they will bolt, running off with their tails straight in the air, so you had better take the very first shot offered! They are also notorious for jumping-the-string, so longer shots are not advisable given their relatively small “kill zone”.

 

 

The day ended with a small group of impala rams coming in (2 of which were real dandies), but I never had a clear shot.

[Jeff Sample]

OK, here is what I know you're all waiting for! Story of Day 3 to follow.

 

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Nice wavey Silvertip, Jeff! A beaut animal, too.