Back from the honeymoon trip to South Africa!

[Kilimanjaro]

Just got back today and couldn't wait to share our trip with everyone!!

 

Area hunted: Messina and Hoedspruit areas, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Spear Safaris: Spear Safaris

Professional Hunter: Koos Moulder

Dates: June 28th thru July 8th

Firearm and Ammo Used: Hill Country Custom Rifle in .300 RUM with Safari Grade Remington Ammo with 200 grain Swift A Frame bullets.

Animals hunted but not taken: Grey Duiker and baboon.

 

Travel Arangements: We used Desinations Southern Africa for our airfare arangements.

 

Day 1:

We fly out of Tucson and make the quick jump over to Phoenix. From there, we make the flight into Washington DC. We round up the baggage and jump on the the shuttle to our room. Eat some good dinner, have a few drinks and call it a night.

Days 2 and 3:

We get to the airport and get on the South African Air 747 and start the big pond jump to Joburg. Along the way in the airport, TSA agents were friendly and had no problems with the rifle. Security check took no more then 15 minutes from beginning to end. No problems on the flight, other than the knee room ( I'm 6' 3"), service was pretty good, the quick fuel stop in Dakar, Senegal was less then 40 minutes.

 

Arrival in South Africa- took about 5 minutes to clear thru customs where we then headed off to the new SAPS office. I was one of the first one?s there and one of the first rifles to come off the plane. I already had all of my paperwork done and processed in less then 20 minutes to get the permit. As long as your paperwork was in order things went well.

 

After getting thru all the hassle, we got over to the domestic terminal and got checked in for our flight over to Peitersburg. We got all that taken care of and had a good steak from Spur Restaurant. If you haven't tried a Spur steak, you don't know what you're missin!

 

Caught our flight into Peitersburg and was met by our PH for the hunt. We all hit it off and in minutes, were on our way up the road to the Messina area to hunt Kudu and warthog for a couple of days.

 

Day 4:

It was cold and rainy!! I couldn't believe it. I had promised my new wife that the winter weather in SA is perfect, but I was proven wrong on this day. It rained and dizzled on us all day long. But we were still seeing plenty of animals. Finally, at around 3 PM, the waether started to break and the Kudu began coming out of the wood work and into the open areas to dry out. At around 3:45, we found a group of 4 bulls that had a tremendous bull in the bunch. We off loaded from the truck and got to within 125 yrds of them and I got ready on the sticks.. took a quartering away at the big bull and felt really good about it. But when we walked up to the area, the trackers began laughing and pointed to a 1 inch limb that was cleanly killed with one shot!! At least it was a clean miss! We decided to try an area of the concession that was thicker but held lots of Kudu. We made our way over there and began seeing Kudu everywhere.. And eventually, we saw the right one. Long story short, I made a 100 yrd shot off the sticks and redeemed myself with a great first Kudu bull! He ended up measuring almost 56" on the long side and 54 1/2 on the short. And I couldn't be happier with him!

 

After the hunt, we went to the house of the consession manager and had a few beers and got to play with their pet Klipspringer!! She was a handful to say the least! She really liked my wife, but everytime I got close, the thing would charge me!

My wife with the Klipie..

And the damned thing charging me!! Note the blurriness!!

 

 

Day 5:

The weather is now picture perfect and we hunt for a big warthog all day but without success. Saw alot of pigs, but no shooters. We did see a monster bushbuck that had my trigger finger itchin' though! After the hunt, we made the 3 hr drive to our main concession near Hoedspruit, right near Kruger Park.

 

Day 6:

Today was the day that I have been waiting for since I can remember. I was going to get the chance to harvest a mature, black bull giraffe. The area was absolutely loaded with giraffe and it was just a matter of finding a bull that was dark enough. After a few hours, we finally found the right bull standing in a dry river bed alone. My PH and I got out of the Cruiser and put the sneak on him and our cover was blown by 3 waterbuck cows. The giraffe then ran out into an open area and spotted us instantly. He was about 75 yrds away and broadside and about to run when I put the rifle on the sticks and said those magical words.. " I'm gonna take him.." I hit him squarely in the shoulder on the first shot and he took off like it was a mosquito bite. We ran for all we were worth and caught him out in the open running full tilt. Sencond shot was quartering away, and hit him high in the shoulder. This one hurt him. He really slowed down and began to falter. And before he fell, I put another one into his backside right above the tail. This one crumbled him. And just like that, I had my trophy! And he was everything I could have asked for and then some. He will have a special place in my hunting memories..

And here he is...

 

paying my respects...

And a pretty intresting pic I took. In only a matter of minutes after the bull was down, the vultures began circling us.. I was amazing how fast they came to the kill site. And how many came so quickly..

 

Needless to say, the rest of this day was spent tending to the giraffe. To say that they are a big job is an understatement!!

 

Day 7:

We started the hunt again for warthog, Impala and a zebra if we could find any of the 3. There were literally hundreds of good impala rams on the property. I was just a matter of picking out a nice mature ram that you liked. And this worked out perfect for my still novice hunter wife.. We found a good ram and she really liked him. She got a good rest and make the 50 yrd shot with no problems. Dropped her first African animal with the first shot! A really good Impala ram was now hers.. She is now 4 for 4 on one shot kills on her animals she's harvested..

Here she is with our PH and our tracker, James posing with her 22 inch ram..

We hunted for the rest of the afternoon, but no shots were taken the rest of this day on my end.

 

Day 8:

Pretty much the same as the day before, but this time it was me that found a decent Impala the was mature. And my wife beat me! and believe me, she did not forget to rub it in that her Impala was bigger! But hey, you gotta let 'em win every now and again! But my ram was plenty good for me.

Here he is.. a hair over 20"..

After we loaded him up, we stumbled into a herd of over 200 Cape Buffalo in an open area near a waterhole.. We were busy taking pics of the buff when we finally noticed the decent warthog boar in amongst them. Considering he was the best seen so far on the trip, and the fact that I had to put my crosshairs over some great Cape Buff bulls to get to him, I decided he was good enough and that it was a unique opportunity to take a warthog..

Here are a couple of pics of the Buff herd before seeing the hog..

the big boys..

And my piggie that thought he was a " Dugga Boy'!!

 

Day 9:

The last animal on my wish list was another zebra.. I had already taken one on a previous trip, but I wanted another to do a ped. mount with.

We hunted all day and saw 0 zebra. Lots of sign, but no luck seeing any.

 

Day 10:

Hunted all day AGAIN and saw only one herd right at dark.. And what do I do.. I miss a slam dunk shot at 100 yrds. No limbs to blame it on this time.. Just a good 'ol fashioned miss..I felt like an butt. But hey, its hunting...

 

Day 11:

It the last day of hunting and we get up with the mission of finding a zebra. And luckily we accompished that feat.. At around 9 in the morning, we finally found a good herd of them near a watering hole. And I made the shot count this time and was rewarded with another striped donkey.. they are alot of fun to hunt over there..

 

 

 

 

The next few days we did a couple of game drives and took lots of pics of all the critters.. we saw 4 of the big 5 (didn't see a leopard), hippo, giraffe, and just about every type of plains game that are in the area.. Nyala, impala, warthog, bushpig, blue wildebeast, kudu, duiker, monkeys, baboons, etc..

here is a pic of one of the male lions we saw out of the 2 prides that live on the concession we did the game drives on..

We also did a tour of a wildlife rehab center. It was quite educating on the local wildlife, with the raptors in particular. Very cool to see all of the animals up close and personal.

And we did a couple of days of just shopping around and haggling with the natives for the best prices on gifts to bring back..

 

All in all, we had a wonderful time on our honeymoon. We had a great time hunting and relaxing in the South African velt. I was so happy that she enjoyed Africa as much as I do. She is already thinking of our next trip over there!!

I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now!!

[peloncillo]

Way to go Scottyboy. Thats an awesome trip you had.

 

Keven

[25-06]

You are about the luckiest guy I know....All I can say is WOW what a trip you both had. Thanks for the update

[CouesWhitetail]

Wow, that's great Scottyboy!!! Thanks so much for sharing all your great photos and experiences. How cool to be able to sort of tag along with you. Sounds like you picked a good wife Scottyboy!!!

 

Amanda

[KGAINES]

Thanks for the story and pics, congrats to you and your wife.

[Red Rabbit]

You ARE the luckiest guy in the world right now.

Gonna lifesize that jiruff?

 

RR

[firstcoueswas80]

man, i know youve been wanting that griaffe for a LONG time! congrats! how did those 200 gr. swift a frames work out? give me a call and tell me some of the details of the hunt. awesome! congrats!

[Dodger2]

Wow! Sounds like you had a great time and found an amazing lady. Congrats!

[COOSEFAN]

Congrats on a safe and VERY successful trip! Those are some beautiful trophy's, except for that warthog, but....I guess they are cute in there own way! Whats up with the Swaro's face first in the dirt...couldn't help but notice Thanks for sharing your trip with us, great pics! JIM>

[More D]

You are truly blessed! Congradulations and thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cramerhunts]

Wow thanks for sharing the trip with us and taking some great pictures. Congrats on the wife and a safe and happy trip.

[stanley]

Absolutely incredible pics & story Scott! Outstanding way to start your new life with your bride!

 

S.

 

[Kilimanjaro]

Thank you very much guys.. I was a wonderful trip and I am already thinking of ways to get back over there for a 4th time!! Hopefully next year if all works out. Again, thanks for all your kind words..

 

Doug, I just don't think I have the room for a Lifesize Giraffe bull right now!! But he is going to be a Ped. Mount!

 

Casy, the Swift bullets worked out great. All one shot kills, except the giraffe of course.. Give me a shout and I'll fill ya in.

 

Coosesfan, Trust me, those Swaros had the covers on them. You can bet that I checked that first!!

 

Again, thanks guys and hope you enjoy the pics.. Africa is such a wonderful place and I hope all of you get the chance to expirence it at least once. Its alot more affordable than you might think! Let me know if I can be of any assistance to anybody who would like some info..

 

 

Here are a few more pics for all of you to enjoy. The property I hunted was covered in Cape Buff. And we saw more than a few "big Boyz"..

Enjoy and thanks for lookin'..

 

Here's a good "up and comer".. He'll be a big boy in a few years..

 

And here's his daddy!!

 

A decent waterbuck we saw.. Narrow, but still a shooter in my book..

 

And just a pic of one of the young male lions we saw. I thought this pic came out nice and just wanted to show ya'll this one..

 

And one of another big male with a buddy of his..

 

And a few Rhino bulls we found while we were warthog hunting..

[DEERSLAM]

Dude, awesome!! Looks like a fantastic trip. Thanks for sharing your hunt and pics with us

[Dan H]

Man that looks like the trip of a lifetime.

Are you mounting all those kills?

 

Can I ask on an average how much is spent enjoying Africa that much?

 

That looks like it could become a fever for sure.

 

Thanks, for sharing the photos.

Dan H.