xphunter
Handloader
- Sep 15, 2005
- 1,799
- 3,771
Long story…I flew out of Gillette, WY on Monday morning, July 27th for a trip I had been thinking about for the last 9 years. Because of Newark cancellations to Johannesburg, SA two times. Monday Night and Tuesday Night.
I did get to hang out with Bob Delaney (A gentleman that lives in New York who comes to WY-SHOT to both help and compete) a good part of Tuesday.
Being with a friend was like a lifeline.
I flew out of Newark on Wednesday evening late, and arrived at Big Water Safari on Friday, July 31st in the afternoon with no luggage and no guns.
I didn’t know something was up with my luggage, which also had my ammunition for both my center-grip 7mm SAUM and my rear-grip 6.5-284, until the day I flew out of Newark, when I went to check in (Wednesday, July 29th), which was already 2 days late.
I couldn’t check in through the kiosk, since I was traveling with guns outside the USA, so I had to see an actual person.
She asked this question if I had been flying to other countries recently.
She strongly suggested I go down to the baggage area and confirm where my luggage was.
Long story short, my guns was in the Newark airport baggage area, but they didn’t know where my luggage/ammo was.
In speaking with the guy in baggage I asked him to ensure my guns made it on the plane, which was supposed to depart in about 3 hours…That never happened.
Checking AirTags for my luggage/ammo, showed it was in Heathrow Airport in London.
I never did get my luggage/ammo until this past Sunday afternoon (Aug 9th) at around 2:00. I flew back to Gillette on Friday evening, the 7th of August.
Recommendation #1: Use something like a AirTag when you travel.
Recommendation #2 Take a firearm that is chambered for ammunition that you can buy locally where you are hunting.
I was supposed to be at the Safari/Lodge on Wednesday July 29th, late in the morning.
Instead, I made it to Big Water Safari on Friday July 31st around 12:30 PM, because of cancelled flights.
We got notified on Saturday afternoon/evening of Aug 1st that my specialty pistols would be arriving on Sunday evening on August 2nd. We hunted 1/2 a day, then went to Kimberley.
Since my luggage (which had my ammunition) never arrived, I still couldn't use my pistols even though I know had them...At least I had them now though. I got almost 5 full days of hunting in. Big Water Safaris said they had never seen a problem to this magnitude before.
The Awesome Part Of The Story…I was hunting with 5 other handgun hunters, that I know personally.
They were great, and Big Water Safaris was great as well.
They got me the hunting gear, clothes, and toiletry items I needed (Purchases and borrowed).
I was wearing my hunting boots, and I had my binos and my hearing protection with me.
I knew I was going to be hunting with Tom Jacob’s, and before I ever got there, he said I could use his rear-grip 6.5 PRC.
Aaron Alexander had also offered for me to use his center-grip Borden Alpine 6.5 PRC, before I ever arrived as well.
Now, I don’t have to hunt with a rifle, but I sure would have, if it came down to not hunting at all.
Thinus (PH), Tom and I went out after a late lunch on Friday the 31st.
I had never shot Tom’s SP (BAT Hammerhead action, Bix-N-Andy Trigger, Bartlein Carbon wrapped barrel, the new ZCO hunting scope, etc... (You get the idea) before, and he used a different set-up on his tripod, than I had used before.
Before we started hunting, we went to the range to see how I shot his rear-grip 6.5 PRC.
Tom showed me how he gets steady with his gear, when shooting from the standing position with a tripod.
It was different way of getting steady, than I had done before. His way works great!
I took one shot at 220 yards on steel and hit center-Let’s go hunting!
One thing of note: I took 7 animals while I was there, and all of them were from the standing position, using the tripod.
My shot distances ranged from 220ish yards to 411 yards, and they were all one-shot kills. Tom’s system worked wonderful!
Tom had already taken a couple of nice trophies before I arrived, so we were looking for Springbuck and Impala.
We made multiple stalks that afternoon on some Kalahari and Copper Springbuck, and Impala, but we were not able to close the deal on anything that we were looking for.
It was great to get out and to be hunting with friends, and clear my mind some.
When we went back to the lodge in the evening, I was able to touch base with all our other handgun hunters and meet the other professional hunters that were new to me.
I’d already seen some pictures of animals our guys had taken with various handguns (Contender, Encore, Revolvers, center-grip and rear grip bolt action specialty pistols) and it was good to reunite with good friends.
Supper was good, and then I went to sleep.
I slept good for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours and then I woke up and could not get all the drama of the United Airlines debacle out of my head, since I still did not have any of my luggage or my handguns.
We ate breakfast at 6:00 and started hunting shortly after breakfast.
It is now Saturday morning and my very first animal after a relatively strait forward stalk, with no wind to speak of for the distance.
I took a trophy springbuck in the 220-to-230-yard range. He ran for about 40 or 50 yards and piled up.
One weird thing for me was not having my drops on me and waiting for Tom (He was not slow about it) to give them to me.
At times, I did not know the exact distance, I just dialed and shot or dialed and held for wind through the reticle and shot.
Next, we went looking for Impala.
Once we found the one I was looking for, we made a long stalk through a dry creek bed playing the wind, and the shot was right at 323 yards.
He ran about 30 yards and was down.
As I write this, being able to take an Impala just resonates with me of how happy I was in that moment.
Impala has always been one of my favorite animals, since I was a kid.
We took a break and watched the Bengal tigers being fed and then ate lunch.
We were again hunting for Springbuck (Copper or a Kalahari).
“Springbuck are like squirrels on crack,” as are Blesbuck.
Blesbuck, when they are getting out of Dodge, kind of line up like a train, while Springbuck, well, they go everywhere.
My Kalahari Springbuck was basically a target of opportunity, in that he was by himself, and not much of a stalk was needed.
Again standing, using Tom’s tripod the shot was 411 yards, and he went down quickly.
Big Water had a lot of rain this year and the grass was quite high.
It would have been impossible for me to shoot prone on the animals I shot, yet Tom was able to take two of his animals prone.
There may have been once or twice where a double kneeling shot, might have been possible, but we already had the tripod set-up for standing, and we were steady standing, shooting out to at least 475 yards.
Why waste time lowering the tripod, only to find out it might not be high enough?
Sunday morning (I think) is when went back to look for the Copper Springbuck, we had seen the very first afternoon we hunted.
After looking either Thinus or Tom found him, and we began stalking him (He was in a small group).
He ended up by just doing his Springbuck thing, ended up at right at 200 yards facing us.
Grass was high, and partially covering the lower part of his body.
Just as I was beginning to ever so slightly press on the trigger he took off, and the game was on!
Multiple stalks, with no success.
A hour or so later, far away from where we started I shot him at 380 yards.
He went down quickly.
He was bigger than I even thought when we got closer.
Tom had been taking some animals too, but that is his story to tell.
My next animal was a specific Sable. This is an animal that I never imagined being able to hunt, but it was one of those special deals. How many times did we hear, “I can make you a good deal.” It was not a long stalk, but it wasn’t short either.
Terrain was rocky, and tight cover. We saw him about the same time he saw us, and there was not a shot opportunity. He took off away from us, and ended up running about another 100 yards plus, climbing up into a rocky high spot.
For whatever reason he decided to turn around at 222 yards, and gave me a shoot on demand opportunity, and I saw him go down in my scope.
It was so surreal that I was kind of numb in a good way.
When we got back to the lodge, I learned that my Pelican gun case should show up about three hours away from the lodge in Kimberley on Sunday evening.
Thinus and I went to Kimberley after our morning hunt.
It was great to have my specialty pistols in my possession, even though I didn’t have any ammo to use them.
Clothes and ammo could be replaced. We got back to the lodge around 10PM, and ate a late supper, and went to sleep.
I did get to hang out with Bob Delaney (A gentleman that lives in New York who comes to WY-SHOT to both help and compete) a good part of Tuesday.
Being with a friend was like a lifeline.
I flew out of Newark on Wednesday evening late, and arrived at Big Water Safari on Friday, July 31st in the afternoon with no luggage and no guns.
I didn’t know something was up with my luggage, which also had my ammunition for both my center-grip 7mm SAUM and my rear-grip 6.5-284, until the day I flew out of Newark, when I went to check in (Wednesday, July 29th), which was already 2 days late.
I couldn’t check in through the kiosk, since I was traveling with guns outside the USA, so I had to see an actual person.
She asked this question if I had been flying to other countries recently.
She strongly suggested I go down to the baggage area and confirm where my luggage was.
Long story short, my guns was in the Newark airport baggage area, but they didn’t know where my luggage/ammo was.
In speaking with the guy in baggage I asked him to ensure my guns made it on the plane, which was supposed to depart in about 3 hours…That never happened.
Checking AirTags for my luggage/ammo, showed it was in Heathrow Airport in London.
I never did get my luggage/ammo until this past Sunday afternoon (Aug 9th) at around 2:00. I flew back to Gillette on Friday evening, the 7th of August.
Recommendation #1: Use something like a AirTag when you travel.
Recommendation #2 Take a firearm that is chambered for ammunition that you can buy locally where you are hunting.
I was supposed to be at the Safari/Lodge on Wednesday July 29th, late in the morning.
Instead, I made it to Big Water Safari on Friday July 31st around 12:30 PM, because of cancelled flights.
We got notified on Saturday afternoon/evening of Aug 1st that my specialty pistols would be arriving on Sunday evening on August 2nd. We hunted 1/2 a day, then went to Kimberley.
Since my luggage (which had my ammunition) never arrived, I still couldn't use my pistols even though I know had them...At least I had them now though. I got almost 5 full days of hunting in. Big Water Safaris said they had never seen a problem to this magnitude before.
The Awesome Part Of The Story…I was hunting with 5 other handgun hunters, that I know personally.
They were great, and Big Water Safaris was great as well.
They got me the hunting gear, clothes, and toiletry items I needed (Purchases and borrowed).
I was wearing my hunting boots, and I had my binos and my hearing protection with me.
I knew I was going to be hunting with Tom Jacob’s, and before I ever got there, he said I could use his rear-grip 6.5 PRC.
Aaron Alexander had also offered for me to use his center-grip Borden Alpine 6.5 PRC, before I ever arrived as well.
Now, I don’t have to hunt with a rifle, but I sure would have, if it came down to not hunting at all.
Thinus (PH), Tom and I went out after a late lunch on Friday the 31st.
I had never shot Tom’s SP (BAT Hammerhead action, Bix-N-Andy Trigger, Bartlein Carbon wrapped barrel, the new ZCO hunting scope, etc... (You get the idea) before, and he used a different set-up on his tripod, than I had used before.
Before we started hunting, we went to the range to see how I shot his rear-grip 6.5 PRC.
Tom showed me how he gets steady with his gear, when shooting from the standing position with a tripod.
It was different way of getting steady, than I had done before. His way works great!
I took one shot at 220 yards on steel and hit center-Let’s go hunting!
One thing of note: I took 7 animals while I was there, and all of them were from the standing position, using the tripod.
My shot distances ranged from 220ish yards to 411 yards, and they were all one-shot kills. Tom’s system worked wonderful!
Tom had already taken a couple of nice trophies before I arrived, so we were looking for Springbuck and Impala.
We made multiple stalks that afternoon on some Kalahari and Copper Springbuck, and Impala, but we were not able to close the deal on anything that we were looking for.
It was great to get out and to be hunting with friends, and clear my mind some.
When we went back to the lodge in the evening, I was able to touch base with all our other handgun hunters and meet the other professional hunters that were new to me.
I’d already seen some pictures of animals our guys had taken with various handguns (Contender, Encore, Revolvers, center-grip and rear grip bolt action specialty pistols) and it was good to reunite with good friends.
Supper was good, and then I went to sleep.
I slept good for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours and then I woke up and could not get all the drama of the United Airlines debacle out of my head, since I still did not have any of my luggage or my handguns.
We ate breakfast at 6:00 and started hunting shortly after breakfast.
It is now Saturday morning and my very first animal after a relatively strait forward stalk, with no wind to speak of for the distance.
I took a trophy springbuck in the 220-to-230-yard range. He ran for about 40 or 50 yards and piled up.
One weird thing for me was not having my drops on me and waiting for Tom (He was not slow about it) to give them to me.
At times, I did not know the exact distance, I just dialed and shot or dialed and held for wind through the reticle and shot.
Next, we went looking for Impala.
Once we found the one I was looking for, we made a long stalk through a dry creek bed playing the wind, and the shot was right at 323 yards.
He ran about 30 yards and was down.
As I write this, being able to take an Impala just resonates with me of how happy I was in that moment.
Impala has always been one of my favorite animals, since I was a kid.
We took a break and watched the Bengal tigers being fed and then ate lunch.
We were again hunting for Springbuck (Copper or a Kalahari).
“Springbuck are like squirrels on crack,” as are Blesbuck.
Blesbuck, when they are getting out of Dodge, kind of line up like a train, while Springbuck, well, they go everywhere.
My Kalahari Springbuck was basically a target of opportunity, in that he was by himself, and not much of a stalk was needed.
Again standing, using Tom’s tripod the shot was 411 yards, and he went down quickly.
Big Water had a lot of rain this year and the grass was quite high.
It would have been impossible for me to shoot prone on the animals I shot, yet Tom was able to take two of his animals prone.
There may have been once or twice where a double kneeling shot, might have been possible, but we already had the tripod set-up for standing, and we were steady standing, shooting out to at least 475 yards.
Why waste time lowering the tripod, only to find out it might not be high enough?
Sunday morning (I think) is when went back to look for the Copper Springbuck, we had seen the very first afternoon we hunted.
After looking either Thinus or Tom found him, and we began stalking him (He was in a small group).
He ended up by just doing his Springbuck thing, ended up at right at 200 yards facing us.
Grass was high, and partially covering the lower part of his body.
Just as I was beginning to ever so slightly press on the trigger he took off, and the game was on!
Multiple stalks, with no success.
A hour or so later, far away from where we started I shot him at 380 yards.
He went down quickly.
He was bigger than I even thought when we got closer.
Tom had been taking some animals too, but that is his story to tell.
My next animal was a specific Sable. This is an animal that I never imagined being able to hunt, but it was one of those special deals. How many times did we hear, “I can make you a good deal.” It was not a long stalk, but it wasn’t short either.
Terrain was rocky, and tight cover. We saw him about the same time he saw us, and there was not a shot opportunity. He took off away from us, and ended up running about another 100 yards plus, climbing up into a rocky high spot.
For whatever reason he decided to turn around at 222 yards, and gave me a shoot on demand opportunity, and I saw him go down in my scope.
It was so surreal that I was kind of numb in a good way.
When we got back to the lodge, I learned that my Pelican gun case should show up about three hours away from the lodge in Kimberley on Sunday evening.
Thinus and I went to Kimberley after our morning hunt.
It was great to have my specialty pistols in my possession, even though I didn’t have any ammo to use them.
Clothes and ammo could be replaced. We got back to the lodge around 10PM, and ate a late supper, and went to sleep.
