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Link Posted: 6/14/2024 5:45:13 PM EDT
[#1]
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 8:57:30 AM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#2]
Finished hunting today with a nice old brushed off ivory tip kudu.  These things are huge. It had a huge gash in its ear where it looks like it got caught on a thorn long ago.  
The PH said he was past his prime and that his horns probably would have been several inches longer a few years ago.

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Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:01:17 AM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#3]
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:09:37 AM EDT
[Last Edit: aggiesq] [#4]
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:10:23 AM EDT
[#5]
Nice! That’s a gorgeous animal.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:18:06 AM EDT
[#6]
What a beautiful animal! That gashed ear just adds that last little bit of personality
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:23:07 AM EDT
[#7]
So now that you’ve had samples, how does African antelope venison compare to whitetail or elk?

I realize that meat largely gets distributed to the locals there, you’re not filling your freezers, but I’ve always wondered how the meat compares and I try to ask everyone who hunts Africa about the culinary aspects.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:23:40 AM EDT
[#8]
Nice kudu! Do you have to pay for the one that you couldn't find as well, correct? Ouch!
great pic of the giraffe. Was shooting one an option? What the cost on it? Saw a giraffe shoulder mount 1 time in a huge trophy room. It was amazing and had to cost a fortune.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 9:59:54 AM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By arowneragain:
So now that you've had samples, how does African antelope venison compare to whitetail or elk?

I realize that meat largely gets distributed to the locals there, you're not filling your freezers, but I've always wondered how the meat compares and I try to ask everyone who hunts Africa about the culinary aspects.
View Quote
Great question!  I've been wondering the same?
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 11:56:21 AM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By arowneragain:
So now that you’ve had samples, how does African antelope venison compare to whitetail or elk?

I realize that meat largely gets distributed to the locals there, you’re not filling your freezers, but I’ve always wondered how the meat compares and I try to ask everyone who hunts Africa about the culinary aspects.
View Quote



We have had some type of game meat for almost every meal.  Everything has been excellent.  We had some awesome kudu steaks the other night.  No gamey flavor at all.

We don't eat the ones we shoot.  They let them age for a week or two before butchering them, but we eat what was killed a few weeks ago.

Some of the meals.

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Link Posted: 6/15/2024 11:57:01 AM EDT
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By alphajaguars:
What a beautiful animal! That gashed ear just adds that last little bit of personality
View Quote

Indeed and hell yeah it does!
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 12:04:24 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By 03PSD:
Nice kudu! Do you have to pay for the one that you couldn't find as well, correct? Ouch!
great pic of the giraffe. Was shooting one an option? What the cost on it? Saw a giraffe shoulder mount 1 time in a huge trophy room. It was amazing and had to cost a fortune.
View Quote


Yes. It sucks. Double priced kudu, but I am glad I got one.  We have a pedestal mount of my wife's gemsbok she got last time, and I wanted a  matching kudu mount.

 It doesn't have the longest horns, but I prefer the age and look of the broomed off ivory tips over a longer younger bull.  Plus the cost is less then a longer bull.

Giraffe is an option, but I personally would never shoot one.  It would be too easy. You can drive right up to them. They cost $4,200.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 12:14:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By alphajaguars:
What a beautiful animal! That gashed ear just adds that last little bit of personality
View Quote

The kudu is probably my favorite animal I have gotten either time.  

A bit of advice for those planning on doing a safari.  My PH who has been guiding for over a decade said 90% of first timers have a combo of 4 animals on their list.  Warthog, gemsbok, blesbok, and impala.  So many of the smaller concessions are loaded with those.  Choosing the mountain reedbuck, kudu, and hartebeest allowed us to hunt on some of the much bigger more picturesque properties.  It was a much more enjoyable trip.  

So if your planning on doing it, it may be worthwhile choosing one or two of the more expensive animals.  The hunts for them are much harder.  It is amazing how skittish the animals are here.  The property we hunted today was over 23,000 acres, and literally had its own mountain range.  We drove around the entire range looking for kudu.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 12:55:17 PM EDT
[#14]
Tonight is BBQ night.  We had impala kebobs around the fire.  Then wildebeest steaks and eland rolls with grits and corn on the cob. It was all amazing.

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Link Posted: 6/15/2024 1:22:11 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By extractr:
Tonight is BBQ night.  We had impala kebobs around the fire.  Then wildebeest steaks and eland rolls with grits and corn on the cob. It was all amazing.

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/295074/1000016765_jpg-3241576.JPG

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Man, that takes me right back there. I've eaten many meals from that same table, they do a great job with the food and mixing up the menu. The only meal I had there that wasn't wild game was some lamb chops one night.  Glad you got your kudu, they are magical animals. I took one that was in decline as well, still made a fine trophy.
Link Posted: 6/15/2024 3:11:13 PM EDT
[#16]
Jealous  is not a strong enough word.  


Thanks for the great photos.
Link Posted: 6/18/2024 7:59:11 AM EDT
[#17]
Link Posted: 6/18/2024 8:17:25 AM EDT
[#18]
awesome hunt
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:10:13 PM EDT
[#19]
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:12:25 PM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#20]
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:19:39 PM EDT
[#21]
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:25:19 PM EDT
[#22]
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Drone pictures of the lodge and main hunting camp.

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Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:27:55 PM EDT
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History


Pilanesberg is a cool place, I have a photo of one of those "Dangerous Animal" signs too. Glad you had a great trip, they always end too soon. You have planted a seed in your sons, they will be back over there at some point and hopefully they will take you along.
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:33:07 PM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#24]
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A couple spots of blood from the first kudu.  This was near the start, and it just got less and less from there.

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Link Posted: 6/19/2024 12:42:08 PM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#25]
Area where I got my kudu.

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View of first shot.

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View of last shot.  Butt towards me.

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We think the bullet may have been deflected and tumbling on the 1st shot.  It hit quite a bit further back then my aim point, and the entrance hole was an oval shape about the size of a half dollar.

Smaller bull.

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Link Posted: 6/19/2024 1:10:09 PM EDT
[#26]


Nice
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 1:17:03 PM EDT
[#27]
Epic photo thread op! Congrats on an awesome trip.
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 1:26:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Frank_B] [#28]

Thanks for the virtual safari, OP!
Link Posted: 6/19/2024 1:55:13 PM EDT
[#29]
Awesome!!
Link Posted: 6/20/2024 2:49:43 PM EDT
[#30]
Now you have to go back for a buffalo!
Link Posted: 6/27/2024 10:12:10 AM EDT
[Last Edit: redfish86] [#31]
@extractr

I have questions…

I think I’m going on a similar hunt very soon, sort of a last minute thing. I really want to kill a buffalo even though it’s a bit spendy. BUT, a cow is much cheaper. Yeah, a big bull would be bad ass but would you kill/mount a cow?

I’ve already got my 375H&H picked out. Would a 1-8 be enough scope?  It doesn’t seem like the shots are crazy long with the brush/cover.  I would only bring one gun so I assume it doesn’t really matter if you’re overgunned for the plains species?

How far are they glassing?  8X good enough on binos or more power than that?

Anything you’d do different?

Thanks!


Congrats on a great trip/hunt with your boys!  Looks like y’all had a blast.
Link Posted: 6/28/2024 9:31:54 AM EDT
[#32]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By redfish86:
@extractr

I have questions…

I think I’m going on a similar hunt very soon, sort of a last minute thing. I really want to kill a buffalo even though it’s a bit spendy. BUT, a cow is much cheaper. Yeah, a big bull would be bad ass but would you kill/mount a cow?

I’ve already got my 375H&H picked out. Would a 1-8 be enough scope?  It doesn’t seem like the shots are crazy long with the brush/cover.  I would only bring one gun so I assume it doesn’t really matter if you’re overgunned for the plains species?

How far are they glassing?  8X good enough on binos or more power than that?

Anything you’d do different?

Thanks!


Congrats on a great trip/hunt with your boys!  Looks like y’all had a blast.
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I guess it depends on what the terrain and brush is like where you will be hunting.   A 1x8 would probably be fine.  We saw buffalo in both dense cover, and open grassland about 500 yards away.  

8x binos would probably be fine.  I had 12x.

I used a 338 win mag which worked fine for everything.  

Would you plan on doing a full shoulder mount on whatever you get?  You may not realize how big they are and hopefully you have a place it would fit in your house.  If it were me, if this will be your once in a lifetime hunt, it would be worth it to spend the extra money for a bull. The extra money spent will be long forgotten over the years to get what you may really want.  It would be cheaper to go for it now, then  a few years down the road have that little voice nagging you that you really wanted a nice bull, so you have to plan an entire safari again.  

Of course, doing that is fun too.
Link Posted: 6/28/2024 10:08:08 AM EDT
[#33]
Congrats man- sounds like an awesome trip.
Link Posted: 6/28/2024 12:07:41 PM EDT
[#34]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By extractr:


I guess it depends on what the terrain and brush is like where you will be hunting.   A 1x8 would probably be fine.  We saw buffalo in both dense cover, and open grassland about 500 yards away.  

8x binos would probably be fine.  I had 12x.

I used a 338 win mag which worked fine for everything.  

Would you plan on doing a full shoulder mount on whatever you get?  You may not realize how big they are and hopefully you have a place it would fit in your house.  If it were me, if this will be your once in a lifetime hunt, it would be worth it to spend the extra money for a bull. The extra money spent will be long forgotten over the years to get what you may really want.  It would be cheaper to go for it now, then  a few years down the road have that little voice nagging you that you really wanted a nice bull, so you have to plan an entire safari again.  

Of course, doing that is fun too.
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Thanks for the input!

Booked my plane ticket today.
Link Posted: 6/30/2024 3:56:37 PM EDT
[#35]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By redfish86:



Thanks for the input!

Booked my plane ticket today.
View Quote

@redfish86

Are you flying direct through Newark or Atlanta, or going through Europe?
Link Posted: 6/30/2024 4:46:19 PM EDT
[Last Edit: redfish86] [#36]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By extractr:

@redfish86

Are you flying direct through Newark or Atlanta, or going through Europe?
View Quote


@extractr

Atlanta

We are less than 30 days out so I’ve decided just to use the guns the outfitter has.  I did look at routing through Europe to save some money but was still considering bringing a gun and that looked to be a giant PITA.
Link Posted: 6/30/2024 9:57:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: extractr] [#37]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By redfish86:


@extractr

Atlanta

We are less than 30 days out so I’ve decided just to use the guns the outfitter has.  I did look at routing through Europe to save some money but was still considering bringing a gun and that looked to be a giant PITA.
View Quote


@redfish86

Yea, if your that close to leaving, it would be cutting it close to  get permits to bring your own.  

It was not much of a hassle at all to bring my own.  I just used riflepermits.com.  you fill out their online application,  and take your rifles to a local US customs office to get a form.  For $160 they take care of the paperwork to rush you through the airport in SA.

I know going through Europe would have been almost $800 per ticket cheaper then Atlanta, but I didn't want to take my guns through Europe.
Link Posted: 7/1/2024 2:16:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: TinSpinner] [#38]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By extractr:


@redfish86

Yea, if your that close to leaving, it would be cutting it close to  get permits to bring your own.  

It was not much of a hassle at all to bring my own.  I just used riflepermits.com.  you fill out their online application,  and take your rifles to a local US customs office to get a form.  For $160 they take care of the paperwork to rush you through the airport in SA.

I know going through Europe would have been almost $800 per ticket cheaper then Atlanta, but I didn't want to take my guns through Europe.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By extractr:
Originally Posted By redfish86:


@extractr

Atlanta

We are less than 30 days out so I’ve decided just to use the guns the outfitter has.  I did look at routing through Europe to save some money but was still considering bringing a gun and that looked to be a giant PITA.


@redfish86

Yea, if your that close to leaving, it would be cutting it close to  get permits to bring your own.  

It was not much of a hassle at all to bring my own.  I just used riflepermits.com.  you fill out their online application,  and take your rifles to a local US customs office to get a form.  For $160 they take care of the paperwork to rush you through the airport in SA.

I know going through Europe would have been almost $800 per ticket cheaper then Atlanta, but I didn't want to take my guns through Europe.


Good call. I went through Paris with my gun one time, never again. I was treated like a criminal and nearly missed my connection due to their foolishness.
Link Posted: 7/4/2024 12:07:01 PM EDT
[#39]
If you are going to SA and bringing your own guns either go direct out if Atlanta or Newark (it doesn’t look like the old route through Dulles exists any longer).

I’ve never used a clearing company as the SAPS 540 form given to your PH in advance alaong woth their confirmation letter at the SAPS counter is all that is required. I have never had a problem on my trips over. yMMV.

It look like you were in Limpopo, who did you hunt with?

Your trophies are quite good especially the Kudu and that a very nice Impala and that’s a darn good Gemsbuck as well.

What rifles and loads did you use and when are you planning your next trip???
Link Posted: 7/4/2024 5:27:40 PM EDT
[#40]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Hasher1:
If you are going to SA and bringing your own guns either go direct out if Atlanta or Newark (it doesn’t look like the old route through Dulles exists any longer).

I’ve never used a clearing company as the SAPS 540 form given to your PH in advance alaong woth their confirmation letter at the SAPS counter is all that is required. I have never had a problem on my trips over. yMMV.

It look like you were in Limpopo, who did you hunt with?

Your trophies are quite good especially the Kudu and that a very nice Impala and that’s a darn good Gemsbuck as well.

What rifles and loads did you use and when are you planning your next trip???
View Quote


We were in Limpopo with Numzaan.  

We used a .338 WM with 250 Gr. Barnes, and 300 WM with 180 Gr. Partitions.  

We'll have to see, but I would like to go back for a buffalo at some point
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