Excellent experience with Chattaronga Safaris

[John Havard]

The wife and I returned April 29 after spending 21 days touring around SA, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.  I had originally decided to not do any hunting while on vacation but after negotiating with my better half we agreed to devote three days at the end of our trip to hunting as long as the accommodations at the hunting camp were nice.  We were staying at some pretty up-scale photo safari camps prior to this, so Chattaronga would have a lot to live up to.  It did not disappoint.

Neil Summers, owner of Bowhunting Safari Consultants, suggested the Krugers' operation at Chattaronga.  He said their hunting was very good but their camp was especially nice - exactly what we were looking for.  As it turned out, Neil came to visit the Chattaronga operation while we were there.  He had just completed a successful bow hunt for elephant in Zimbabwe so it was good to see him.

The Kruger family treated us as if we were long-time friends and made us feel like we were home.  I can't stress enough just how nice Philip and his lovely wife Tasmin, along with Philip's dad Johann and his wife Leanna were to us.  It's a class operation all the way run by class people.

The hunting was great too.

Here are a few photos of the camp:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maxwell]

very nice indeed-  love the pics

[John Havard]

Thanks maxwell.  We took over 3000 photos using three different cameras during our trip and a few actually turned out fairly well.

Given the limitations of only hunting for three days and also given that April isn't the optimum time of year to be hunting I'm very pleased with what I got.  I wanted a zebra more than anything but also would have been pleased to get a kudu and/or gemsbok.  I was actually drawing on a +/- 52" kudu (according to my PH) when a wildebeest walked in front of him and ruined the opportunity.  Later that same evening was when I got the wildebeest (shown below).
 
 

[John Havard]

While staying at the Dulini Camp in the Sabi Sands area (shares a fenceless border with Kruger Park) we had the rare opportunity to watch a leopard take down and kill an impala ram.  We watched the stalk, the takedown, and then our ranger drove us the 50 yards over next to the kill as it was happening.  I videoed the whole thing using my DSLR.

This first video begins perhaps 20 seconds after the leopard took down the impala.  It lasts just under a minute.  You will see the impala struggle to its feet and the ensuing wrestling match between the impala and female leopard ends up with the impala directly under my camera.

 

I shut down the video only long enough to re-adjust the focus and zoom on my DSLR (maybe 15 seconds) and then started video recording again.  The second video, below, shows the remainder of the kill.  While the impala was kicking its legs I could have reached down and held them.  The gray blob you will see in the lower left corner of the video is my knee.  I was literally shooting directly straight down with my camera.  This second video is just under 5 minutes, so from takedown to dead impala perhaps 6 minutes passed.  During the kill the only thing we could hear (other than each other saying things like "holy cow!") was the labored breathing of the female leopard.

 

[Ray_G]

Beautiful lodge and accommodations, John.  A wife would surely be comfortable and pleased there.

Pretty neat to see a top predator in action.  Six minutes to kill, makes a good arrow kill seem very merciful.  But such is nature and the life of predator and prey.  Thank you for sharing and looking forward to any additional posts from your 3000 - wow.  By the way, congrats on the zebra and wildebeest.

[coaster500]

Holly smoke John great pictures!!! That leopard encounter is once in a lifetime for sure!!

Beautiful Wildebeest and Zebra and your arrow looks like it went exactly where you wanted it  

You got my blood pumping I leave wednesday and can't wait  

[John Havard]

Here are a few more photos:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[fmscan]

John, Thanks for taking us along. Some wonderful pictures to help with the memories. Congradulations on a great trip with your lady.

[NW Jamie]

John,
Thank you for sharing the pictures. Looks like you had a fine time both hunting and with your camera.

[Ragin Bull]

John,  Congrats on some fine animals on your hunt.
It looks like you and your wife enjoyed the trip.
Thank you for sharing some of your beautiful pictures with us.

[John Havard]

Besides the Chattaronga operation (and my ACS RC limbs of course) I have to give a big thumbs up to TuffHead broadheads.  My first shot on the wildebeest struck the upper leg/shoulder square on and literally shattered the bone.  After the kill I was able to simply pull the BH out of the shoulder by hand because there was nothing left to hold it in place.  The STEEL BH insert was bent from when the wildebeest jumped and broke the FMJ shaft.  But when inspecting the broadhead that had shattered the bone it looked 100% like new.  I mean, 100% LIKE NEW.  The tip was pristine and the whole head was still shaving sharp.

The PH and Mr. Johann Kruger said they had seen many well-known broadheads (the most expensive ones you can imagine) have their tips curl when hitting heavy bone.  Each year the Chattaronga operation guides 8-12 bowhunters who take cape buffalo with bows, so they have an excellent experience base with observing the best broadheads perform on heavy bone.

Mr. Kruger was so impressed he insisted that I sell him my broadheads.  He wanted to recommend them to all of his hunters over any other BH he had ever seen.  Kudos to Joe Furlong and his TuffHead broadheads!

Here's a shot of the broadhead that made the final shot on the wildebeest.

 

[coaster500]

You can't argue with results!!

I know you're useing "(and my ACS RC limbs of course)" but what was your draw weight, length and total arrow weight?

[John Havard]

Kip,
My bow setup was drawing 50# @ 30", I draw a bit over 30", and my 31.25" to BOP Easton FMJ .300 arrows with TuffHead BH's weighed 725 grains.  I was getting a consistent 165 fps with fingers given that combination.  I got a complete passthrough on the zebra and you can see the results on the wildebeest above.

My in-laws own a ranch (grapes & cattle) near Paso Robles just down the road from SLO, so I get down to your part of the country occasionally.  It's awfully nice there.  

I understood you to say that you're leaving for Africa this coming Wednesday?  Good luck and please share with us when you return.

John

[jonsimoneau]

John, you lucky devil!  I've been to africa 3 times and have never been able to get a crack at a zebra!  Great job!  Awesome footage!

[coaster500]

John!!
725 Grains!! That’s a run away freight train. You long draw guys can really milk 50#s of draw weight….  I’m stuck with a whopping 27” draw so I don’t have the pop with the same 50#s. I’ll have to stay with the smaller game maybe 400#s or less    

I do a bit of hog hunting above Paso and around San Miguel (more hunting than killing) …  it is real pretty country! Maybe your in-laws have some hogs or deer on there place. I bet there is some pretty good dove hunting around those vineyard ponds     If you find yourself in the area I’ll buy the fish and a beer. Fresh caught right here and grilled on the dock.

Yes I leave Wednesday for Dubai then Tembo and one more hop to Richards Bay for the 2/3hr drive to the hunting area. I gave myself a sixtieth birthday present. I am really cranked up and excited about it!!

I'll post when I return but my photo skills are no where near yours ....  Great story and fantastic pics and video!!

Kip

[tradtusker]

very nice..congrats on the Wildy and Zebra both very nice.

[Terry Green]

   

[rushlush]

Congrats!

[COOCH]

Holy Smokes can't believe that I just saw these.I have that same photo of the baobab in the third pic!

I was actually staying at Jurie Meyers the concession across the road.Jurie suggested we spend a few days at Chattaronga.I was the first trad guy they had ever seen.There initial assessment of stick bows was a little less than positive.I shot a zebra and impala wile there and there impression began to change.I'm glad to see they have come full circle.

I remember sitting around the fire at night with a cold castle and discussing the merits of 2 blade vs multi blade,no matter your travels thats an argument for the ages. At the time they thought sharpness and very heavy poundage were the only factors that mattered.You did us trad guys proud.


John thanks for the awesome pics and video.This has brought back some incredible memories and congratulations on the wilde and zebra.

[chuckbow]

WOW! AWESOME !