Namibia-2005

[Bob in TX]

OK, I guess I will re-post mine as well. I hunted plains game in Namibia in September of 2005.

It was a great 13 day trip. We had 8 days of actual hunting with Antonie Louw of Makalaan Safari's. The area we hunted was about 6 hours north of Windhoek, the capital. Tony has access to over 200,000 acres to hunt. The four of us hunted about 60,000 acres. It took us 27 straight hours to get from home to Windhoek. We stayed at a very nice Pension, the Onganga (Guinea Fowl), in Windhoek the first night. After resting up a bit we headed out to the world famous Joe's Beerhouse for gemsbok filets. That really set the tone for the week. Gemsbok is the best game meat I have ever eaten. The next morning we headed for the artisans market in downtown Windhoek to get out souvenir shopping done.....or at least most of it

I was between houses so my loading bench was in storage. I had to take factory ammo. I chose the Federal Vital Shock with the Accubonds: 260 gr. in my 375 H&H and 140 gr. in my 7mm-08. I took six animals: Greater Kudu, Gemsbok, Zebra with the 375, Impala, Springbok, and Blesbok with the 7mm-08. All dropped in their tracks except the Zebra, which I had to shoot on the run. He required a follow-up shot since the first shot was a bit far back.

Bob

 

[Bob in TX]

We flew into Windhoek via Joberg. From there we drove to our base camp near Grootfontein. We were 100 miles from the nearest "city". There was not electricity in camp except for a generator which ran the refrigerators. Each cabin did have a battery to opertate two light bulbs inside. The cabins had water tanks in back that were heated daily with wood fires to provide hot water for showers. We also had full laundry service every other day.

Here are some shots of our camp.

 

[Bob in TX]

This is the thatched lapa or Zulu "front porch, dining room, and general hang out and social center".

 

[Bob in TX]

My tracker was a bushman named Fritz. It is truly remarkable to see bushmen at work tracking.

This is me in front of the lapa with a bushmen bow. They are small, but the bushmen use poisoned arrows. They have to be good trackers to get close enough to shoot these. Getting to hunt with and watch a bushman track and stalk in the bush is worth the price of admission all by itself. It was a profound honor to get to hunt with Fritz.

Fritz and me with my blesbok. We stalked him for two hours, mostly on our hands and knees.

 

[Bob in TX]

We nicknamed these little darlings "cat claw thorns" because they are shaped that way and when they grab you they don't let go. Our arms and legs were in various stages of bleeding and healing throughout the week.

The vehicle I stalked from most was the Range Rover. Shades of Hatari!!

 

[Bob in TX]

I knew I was not in south Texas anymore when I looked up on our first stalk and saw one of these guys.

 

[Bob in TX]

I ended up with six animals. A greater kudu, gemsbok (oryx), impala, springbok, zebra, and a blesbok. I took the kudu, gemsbok, and zebra with my 375 H&H. I took the impala, springbok, and blesbok with my 7mm-08.

My first safari to Africa far exceeded all of my expectations. Namibia is a great country and I look forward to returning. Hunting with Fritz is something I will remember the rest of my life. The bushmen are the real deal!!

Bob

 

[owenv]

Very nice Bobcat.

 

[Guy Miner]

Sweet!

 

[russ808]

You got some really nice trophy animals Bob. Did you mount them? The Gemsbuck and Kudu are huge. Did you like the Zebra meat? The Gemsbuck would make a great flat skin, don't you think?

 

[muleman]

russ808,
Awsome idea on the gemsbok flat skin. I may have to borrow that idea. My taxidermist does an impressive job on flat skins - he binds the edge with leather after smoothing out the edges.

 

[Desert Fox]

Bob, great story, great hunt, and awesome animals.

 

[Bob in TX]

Yep, I mounted them. The zebra became a rug. I didn't get to taste the zebra because I took him last. It was the hardest of all six to hunt. One of my pards up in Oklahoma said zebra was one of his favorite meats that he ate on his safari though.

Bob

 

[Bob in TX]

 

[Bob in TX]

I also had some pillows made for the backskins of the springbok, blesbok, and impala.

Springbok

Blesbok

Impala (the one in back is a black bear pillow)

 

[russ808]

Looking real good Bob. Real Good. 8) envy :grin: