Michael Sperry
New Member
Have been to Africa many times myself, on business ventures mostly. Never pleasant really.
Things changed with my first Safari last year. There was a scare in Johannesburg on a day waiting for the PH who was off trying to find a poorly shot Kudu. Nearly got mugged, but my guide smelled a rat and got us away before it went down. What can I say?
Once I connected with the PH, things smoothed out into the greatest hunt of my life so far. No dangerous game that time, yet the challenge was great over five days of splendid hunting and some very special trophies. I don't know how to put photos on here but once I do.... The rifle was a Ruger 3006 that I had cryo-treated and micro_coated - accurized using out of date Winchester 165g Failsafe.
Two beautiful Blesbok, a really terrific Kudu, a deadly looking Black Wildebeest, and a record book Blue Wildebeest that was so expensive and out of package, it killed my Impala hunt.
The two Blesboks were hard because of the 250 - 300 yard shots on these smaller animal. I took them, but not with the precision I am used to at 100 yards or less in Louisiana!
The Black Wildebeest was a 240 yard shot through the boiler. I had gotten used to the distance by then. It jumped six feet into the air when hit! Then ran for 100 yards.
The Kudu was a 60 Yard shot through the neck. All I could see was the spectacular head and neck. The PH said "Shoot it in the head". I said. "I will NOT **** up that Trophy", and shot it in the neck instead. It was on a ridge, and it immediately tumbled and rolled down the ridge almost to our feet, quite dramatically for such a large animal!
The record book Blue Wildebeest was embarrassing, yet the climax of the trip. That was a two day hunt! We had located a group of them and approached. They spotted us and circled, with the females on the outside guarding the males in the center, especially the monster patriarch. A nice big female separated and dared me to shoot her. We declined, and they all ran off still guarding that brute. This happened twice! We called it a day. On Sunday then, we waited at a watering hole and the Blues showed up finally about 9 am. They got excited and left the Patriarch unguarded. I had a shot and rushed it, hitting him low just under the heart, breaking the offside leg as well as some brisket. He ran hobbled and I continued firing, never hitting him in the heart. The others started guarding him again but he fell behind three legged and stood broadside at 200 yards. I took slow, careful aim and put one in the boiler, so he dropped. He was not quite dead though and swung his antlers around. The others stood by him, until he went still, and then they all moved off.
The main take away for me is that large African game cannot be taken by lung shots. They must be heart shot, brain shot or spinal column shot! So if you are hunting them, keep that in mind.
Things changed with my first Safari last year. There was a scare in Johannesburg on a day waiting for the PH who was off trying to find a poorly shot Kudu. Nearly got mugged, but my guide smelled a rat and got us away before it went down. What can I say?
Once I connected with the PH, things smoothed out into the greatest hunt of my life so far. No dangerous game that time, yet the challenge was great over five days of splendid hunting and some very special trophies. I don't know how to put photos on here but once I do.... The rifle was a Ruger 3006 that I had cryo-treated and micro_coated - accurized using out of date Winchester 165g Failsafe.
Two beautiful Blesbok, a really terrific Kudu, a deadly looking Black Wildebeest, and a record book Blue Wildebeest that was so expensive and out of package, it killed my Impala hunt.
The two Blesboks were hard because of the 250 - 300 yard shots on these smaller animal. I took them, but not with the precision I am used to at 100 yards or less in Louisiana!
The Black Wildebeest was a 240 yard shot through the boiler. I had gotten used to the distance by then. It jumped six feet into the air when hit! Then ran for 100 yards.
The Kudu was a 60 Yard shot through the neck. All I could see was the spectacular head and neck. The PH said "Shoot it in the head". I said. "I will NOT **** up that Trophy", and shot it in the neck instead. It was on a ridge, and it immediately tumbled and rolled down the ridge almost to our feet, quite dramatically for such a large animal!
The record book Blue Wildebeest was embarrassing, yet the climax of the trip. That was a two day hunt! We had located a group of them and approached. They spotted us and circled, with the females on the outside guarding the males in the center, especially the monster patriarch. A nice big female separated and dared me to shoot her. We declined, and they all ran off still guarding that brute. This happened twice! We called it a day. On Sunday then, we waited at a watering hole and the Blues showed up finally about 9 am. They got excited and left the Patriarch unguarded. I had a shot and rushed it, hitting him low just under the heart, breaking the offside leg as well as some brisket. He ran hobbled and I continued firing, never hitting him in the heart. The others started guarding him again but he fell behind three legged and stood broadside at 200 yards. I took slow, careful aim and put one in the boiler, so he dropped. He was not quite dead though and swung his antlers around. The others stood by him, until he went still, and then they all moved off.
The main take away for me is that large African game cannot be taken by lung shots. They must be heart shot, brain shot or spinal column shot! So if you are hunting them, keep that in mind.
