Happy returns from South Africa!

[Daveboone]

The wife and I returned from our "five years in the making" trip to the Eastern Province of South Africa.  It exceeded all our expectations, from the hospitality, beauty, food, game, and more. Eighteen hours of flying to get there, which was a bummer when you are not used to flying. We overnighted in Johannesburg, which allowed us to rest up for the final short leg to Port Elizabeth. We were met by our host/guide Jono McHugh, owner and operator of Kingsview Safari, who arranged all our stay and was our near constant companion for ten days. Our first half of the trip was spent at a private reserve where we were fed and treated like kings. Staying at the concession allowed us to hunt literally out the door, and we were able to view wild life from our porch ...wart hog, blue wildebeest, giraffes, zebra...all the African standards (no Big Five on the property though).  I used Jono's .270 for all my hunting, and it proved up to the task for what I hoped for...impala, kudu (my big trophy), warthog, and the wife stated that if we go to Africa, she gets a zebra rug! 

It would take way to long to detail all our adventures, the great folks we met and unfortunately a way of life that is doomed to end likely over the next 1-2 generations, but it was a once in a life time hunt/trip/ adventure. We two were able to go (not including airfare) for considerably less to hunt my four initial species; I actually chose to take an Nyala also, than a Newfoundland Moose hunt for one costs.

A few pics...

[Marion]

Beautiful animals looks like an awesome trip!

[BizCT]

Congrats!


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[Lawdwaz]

21 minutes ago, Daveboone said:

The wife and I returned from our "five years in the making" trip to the Eastern Province of South Africa.  It exceeded all our expectations, from the hospitality, beauty, food, game, and more. Eighteen hours of flying to get there, which was a bummer when you are not used to flying. We overnighted in Johannesburg, which allowed us to rest up for the final short leg to Port Elizabeth. We were met by our host/guide Jono McHugh, owner and operator of Kingsview Safari, who arranged all our stay and was our near constant companion for ten days. Our first half of the trip was spent at a private reserve where we were fed and treated like kings. Staying at the concession allowed us to hunt literally out the door, and we were able to view wild life from our porch ...wart hog, blue wildebeest, giraffes, zebra...all the African standards (no Big Five on the property though).  I used Jono's .270 for all my hunting, and it proved up to the task for what I hoped for...impala, kudu (my big trophy), warthog, and the wife stated that if we go to Africa, she gets a zebra rug! 

It would take way to long to detail all our adventures, the great folks we met and unfortunately a way of life that is doomed to end likely over the next 1-2 generations, but it was a once in a life time hunt/trip/ adventure. We two were able to go (not including airfare) for considerably less to hunt my four initial species; I actually chose to take an Nyala also, than a Newfoundland Moose hunt for one costs.

A few pics...

Well done.  If you have more pictures to share, please do.

[Dinsdale]

Warthog is REALLY top shelf. Good stuff.

[johnplav]

Good stuff!  Thanks for sharing!!

[Daveboone]

The silly warthog was almost an afterthought...I had it on my list, but didnt care if I shot a pig unless it was a really good one. We didnt see much all week, but the last evening we went for a stroll on my PHs concession, a beautiful piece of rolling land that rolledd own to the ocean shore. We stalked a few, but nothing of interest. It was at very last light Jono spotted this fellow and a friend against a hillside. After a frantic scramble and quick stalk as the light continued to fade, we caught up with it. It far exceeded my expectations, and I was very pleased when our taxidermist (Taxidermy Africa, a very well known and long established business) got even more excited than us over it, saying it was the best warthog he had seen in years. The hog is now my favorite trophy. We are going to have a euroean mount on a plaque withe the skull engraved.

[Daveboone]

17 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

Well done.  If you have more pictures to share, please do.

We have somewhere around a thousand, but have to come up with some good software to help organize them. I will be happy to post more, thanks for the interest.

[Robhuntandfish]

Did you get to try all these animals and how were they?  it would bother me not to be able to bring home the meat for everyone to try and fill my freezer.   Awesome trip and experience for sure. 

[crappyice]

Fantastic


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[Paula]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your trophies. I look forward to seeing more pictures

[helmut in the bush]

Nice

[phantom]

Nice 

[Daveboone]

4 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Did you get to try all these animals and how were they?  it would bother me not to be able to bring home the meat for everyone to try and fill my freezer.   Awesome trip and experience for sure. 

In most SA concessions, the land owner owns the meat.  All animals are immediatly transported to the skinning shed and then placed in cold storage. Depending on the owners arrangements, it then may be dispursed to the local families, schools, organizations or sold to a butcher/grocery store. It is common to find prepared game meats in stores (Not referring to "bush meat" which is poached meat of unknown origin.}. The US does not allow importation of uncooked/ processed meat products. We did eat quite a bit of game when we were there. Kudu is especially fine, but we also ate springbuck, warthog, impala, and ostrich. Ostrich is very fine. Most of the antelope species are tough to tell apart, being very similar to venison. I would have loved to bring home the kudu straps, but was very pleased it was all entirely utilized. One concession we were on all meat went to a local school, which was likely the only meat the students recieved regularly.  With few hunters going to SA over the past two years, it had a significant effect on local nutrition, and a great increase in poaching.