South West Africa, Namibia Hunt

[Dom]

I experienced my hunt in Africa and enjoyed it greatly. Ya know, I guess I'm like a lotta guys, always dreamed what it would be like. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to experience the Dark Continent. Pictures never show how you really see things. I hunted plains game and enjoyed the scenery, the animals, nature pure and simple. It's hard to put into words all that I experienced. I've got a few really good hunting friends, so about a year ago we started planning our trip. Where to go, prices, a lot of reading, I owe my thanks to the web and sites that provided me with answers, hunters with experience sharing details, etc. Thank you all.

All animals were taken with a Steyr Mannlicher Safari, .375 H&H Magnum, scoped with a Docter Optic 1.5-6x42, all reloads, using Barnes TSX 270 grainers at 2575 fps.

100 km East of Windhoek, Namibia --


Nice Hartebeest Bull, tips of horns flared out for what would be called abnormal. Shot approx. 160 meters, 1 shot.


Springbok, the National Animal of Africa, 150m, 1 shot.


Mountain Zebra, a large, tough animal. Sharp, clear stripes, no shadow, I must admit 3 shots, 220m. You don't always get the perfect, close shot. This was after 2 1/2 hours climbing mountains.


Impala, beautiful, sleek animal, 180m, 1 shot.


Warthog, nothing spectacular except to me, but this one got my heart pounding the most. 50m, 1 shot.


Kudu, another tough animal. I had about a 150m shot, took it behind the shoulder even though I wanted to break the shoulder. Ran 400m w/o a drop of blood, a chunk of lung plugged the exit hole. 1 Shot.


Gamsbok or Oryx, another tough animal. At the exact second I shot, it turned. Took the shot crosswise right front to left rear, ran 40m. 120m, 1 Shot.


Baboon, good sized. .375 plowed him under, face down. 160m 1 shot.


I shot a Cow Hartebeest also, 220m, 1 shot, for the kitchen. What made it cool was the horns were also turned outwards, so I got a matching set! One jackal finished my hunting. I did not take a tape measure or search for exceptional trophies, I wanted to hunt mature, good representative plains game animals. Two were classed Gold and 4 were Bronze, just for the record. I never want to take the fun out of hunting!! Enjoyed many evenings and the memories will last forever, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[Duffy]

Great stories and pics, Dom! Glad you had such a good trip!

[Baylian]

Dom,

That was a great hunt!!! How much did it cost per animal if you don't mind me asking? If this question is taboo forgive me and ignore it. Where did you go to find out the information? What other equipment did you take? Would taking a smaller caliber rifle such as a 7mm Mag or .30-06 or .270 Win have affected the outcomes of your hunt? Besides the .375, could you have used a smaller caliber rifle as well on the hunt as Gray ghost did? Sorry for all the questions but Gray Ghost's and your hunts have me very interested in Africa.

Great job and nice picts!!! TJ

P.S. What does the word mean that you use at the end of all your posts?

[Dom]

Thanks TJ, though I was kinda brief on the report. There are a lot of places to hunt -- and I'm really glad I went. Unless you have contacts or know somebody, a hunt out West would have cost me more for one 'possible' Elk or Muley than my entire Africa hunt. I can't believe what they're getting. Price per animal is the conservation (or trophy) fee, and the charge is not determined by size, weight, etc. Namibia has a well run program where mature animals are taken to keep the population in check and under control.

When you hunt Africa, you'll have a daily guide fee, most places in this fee will be lodging and food. Then the conservation fee for each animal. I checked dozens of outfitters out, I did all the work myself and didn't go through a 'middle man' when I booked. I had references, I talked with people who hunted with the PH, prices were really good. Just whittled down to a 'top 3' that I thought any of them were in my range and what I wanted to hunt for.

My PH was T. Goldbeck, of Astra Jagdfarm, his website is: ASTRA

Prices vary from place to place dependent on how many certain animals are there, and since the US $ is so weak overseas, prices will increase. Trophy fees: Zebra $900, Impala $800, Hartebeest $400, Kudu, Oryx were $600, Warthog $250, etc. There is a price list at the web site. All told, my bill was $5400 plus airfare (12 days). OK, so it's chunk a change for the average working man, but I would go back in a heartbeat.

It is hard to say if another caliber would have affected the outcome of my hunt. Africa is Africa -- ranges are sometimes on the long side, animals moving, brush in the way etc. I went with the .375 so I'd have more leeway on end to end shots or those not broadside, and I'm glad I did. Yes, a .270 or '06 works, but I wouldn't have taken any iffy shots with those calibers, especially for Zebra, they are tenacious. You could take two rifles, but the weight limit was so strict on the airline, especially since we all took shotguns to hunt birds with, that it wouldn't have worked for me. I was at 20kg weight limit just with the rifle/SG packed, my clothes I took as carryon. Two sets of clothes plus what I wore was it, and good binoculars, sunscreen, don't forget chapstick either, and small portions of soap, shampoo etc.

Waidmannsheil is a tradition from Germany/Europe, meaning good hunting or good luck in your hunt. There are a lot of customs and traditions here that I feel are sometimes lacking in the states, but that's another story, including respect to the animals taken and hunted.

Glad to hear your interested. I just read the forward in North American Hunter a few days ago, if you get that magazine that puts a little perspective into hunting Africa also! Dom.

[grayghost]

Great pics and your follow up to TJ was excellent. Very informative and I like your respect for animals. Too many times I'm around guys that take and animal (big or small) and immediately it's: "What's next?" Hunting moves at a steady pace in Africa, and I wish I would have had more time to inspect and study each animal I took. Having been a professional Taxidermist for years, I never had the opportunity to study capes and skins in fresh condition. All I received were dry, salted, disinfected capes/skins that had lost their natural "living" tints, tones and subtle color in their ears, nose, eyes etc. I made it a point to inspect each animal I took but I wish I'd have taken a camera with a macro lens for taking very close pics of their living colors. I will next year for sure. What were the average temps in Namibia? It appeared to be a little warm and dry. Thanks for sharing your hunt and congrats on your success. Good hunting, grayghost

[Dom]

Waidmannsdank Grayghost. You're sure right about the pace of things on a hunt !! Takes time to absorb all I went through in a matter of 12 days. On your next hunt next year you'll be able to spend a bit of time behind the camera, I'm sure. As a first hunt, I sometimes grabbed for binoculars or camera, or just stared and forgot about the camera !! I had a pair of the Leica 10x42 BRF Binocular / Range Finder sets, and was more than pleased with them; they were great.

Temps weren't too bad, nights between 30 and 40 F and daytime highs 65 to 75F. I don't take heat well, so that was plenty warm for me. Dry it was, the rainy season, if it starts, will be Dec/Jan, WH Dom.

[John Duarte]

Dom,
Great post. I'm glag you mentioned the German hunting tradition of paying respect to the animal taken and and of the guide saying waidmannsheil ! and the hunter replying waidmannsdank !
On my first three Namibian hunts my PH was very German. We employed their hunting ceremony after every trophy was taken. It adds a lot to the hunt.
Everybody that wants to hunt Africa can. What you paid is a perfect example of the bargain that most plains game hunts are in Namibia or the RSA.
John

[gd357]

Congrats Dom, sounds like you had a great hunt, and a wonderful experience. Good shooting!

gd