Back From South Africa Part II

Dugga Hunter

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Super GunNutz
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Didn't realize my thread there from June 2014 was being recirculated. I intended to post these pictures one cold January day while I was stuck inside. All animals where taken in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in May 2014 using a Remington 700 in 7mm Rem. Mag - 160 grain Partition hand loads. Thank you to Gun Nut'z members who have posted their comments and yes everyone has their opinion. The safari business is an important part of the economies in Africa and it adds value to native animals which would probably be wiped otherwise. The unemployment rate in South Africa alone is like 25%. As pointed out by other members nothing is wasted from the animals taken - it is all utilized. I am always grateful when I board the Air Canada flight back to the Great White North as we live in a most excellent country. Africa is nice to visit but Canada is still home regardless. Anyone interested in hunting South Africa please PM me as I can put you in contact with an excellent PH. Yes I will even phone you on my dime:d

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Needed a Cooper Springbuck this time was fortunate enough to take Common, Black and White Springbuck on previous trips. Took this nice ram at about 200 yards with a 7mm mag near Graff Reinet.

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Interesting stalk on this White Blesbuck has he was feeding among a herd of sheep dotted with some thickets. Hunting area was north of Somerset East.

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Last day of hunting drove south to Jeffreys Bay whey my PH calls home, beautiful town/small city right on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Managed to find this old Common Reedbuck on a concession near Jeffreys Bay. His skewed horns make an interesting trophy. The old boy was blind in one eye and was loaded with ticks about the size of a popping corn kernel.

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Lucked out on getting a chance at a Nyala an animal I have wanted for a while. Last day of hunting late in the afternoon found a couple of Nyala bulls feeding on a cultivated field. They tend to stick to dense brush and come out at first and last light. Thought tt was an easy shot at about 150 yards sitting with a bipod. To my amazement he turned and ran for the bush in spite of what sounded and felt like a good solid shot. By the time we moved up to track him one drop of blood with the flashlight and then nothing. I hung my head low as it now looked like I had to pay the trophy fee for the lost animal. Had some time the next morning before the hour drive to Port Elizabeth so we went back out the next morning to see it we could find anything. No more than 5 minutes later the tracker had found him within 10 feet of a bush line we had been looking around for blood the night before. Fortunately the caracals had not found him and he was intact – picture says everything.

Life is short hunt your passion often. Happiness is a dirty wet retriever in my truck:cool:
 

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Belated congratulations on a hunt of a lifetime. Love the Nyala! How did the PH and trackers deal with the ticks?
 
YES, very nice trophies...AND not to hijack your thread, just some information on huntable areas / provinces in SA.


SA has many provinces to hunt on: (in no particular order)

1. Limpopo (42 species) - huntable big 5 included. Thick to very thick jesse, shot mostly under 100m

2. North West (35-40 species) - huntable big 4 like Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Buff included one some farms. Shots under 100m with thick to very thick jesse.

3. Eastern Cape (20 species, and mostly intreduced... (i might be wrong) - huntable big 3 like Lion, Leapard, Buff included on some farms. Shot between 100-300m. Some areas evulated by mountains or kopjes.

4. KZN (15 species) - huntable big 3-4 like Buff, Rhino, Leopard and somethimes Elephant far north included, buff can also be hunted but only on some farms. Shots some areas with thick jess under 100m, some areas up to 250m.

5. Mapumalanga (30 species) - huntable big 4-5 included like Leopard, Buff, Elephant, Rhino and somethime Lion. Thick to very thick jess. Shots under 100m.

6. Frees State (10 species) - more natural accurance of game than all the other regions or some regions...more open field hunting and distances up to 350m+ isn't un-common...

7. Westen Cape - some farms, probably less than 5 that does hunting on them...then only 4-10 species available...No big 5 unless breeded only...

8. Northern Cape - 10 species, long shots...some farms inteduced species and may have more huntable species...Big 3 like Leopard, Lion and Rhino included to hunt.
 
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Lovely Nyala. Can't wait till my March hunt. Lovely photos. Your using a quality camera. Well thought out shots
 
Maybe a dumb question, you said everything is used and not gone to waste, are you allowed to bring anything back with you? the Hide or anything?
 
True sclifford nothing goes to waste. Meat is consumed at the safari lodge by both the client and staff almost every place I have visited has a good size walk in cooler for proper storage. Venison is also very common in restaurants in South Africa All my animals are coming back as trophies - no issues importing them into Canada, some require CITIES permits like cats (lion, leopard), crocodile and elephant etc. Africa is a most interesting place everything from an African porcupine to an elephant is available to hunt.
 
Go to a grocery store or local meat store and there's everything from arsehole to zebra. In camp we get lovely cuts to eat. You can bring back almost all your animal less meat if it's not a cites issue. I turn my back end into flat rugs. I own a taxidermy company so I mount my own stuff. I keep all my jaws and hoofs for reference. Horn cores I turn into candle holders. Giraffe bones make great knife handles. Zebra, buff make funky gun cases. All depends on your budget
 
Great hunts and game.
Thanks for photos and no matter who says what,hunters are important part of every country ecosystem and contributions that are raised from hunting helps keeping game at its best.
 
Maybe a dumb question, you said everything is used and not gone to waste, are you allowed to bring anything back with you? the Hide or anything?

Everthing gets consume by the locals (local community / farm owner and staff / clientele). Trophies like horns / skin / skulls / teeth / hooves ect. get send to the hunters country of origin. Even CITES animals depending on the schedule (different paperwork needed) can be exported.

NO MEAT CAN BE EXPORTED via hunters hunting on invitation!


NOT all countries in Africa can "from a mouse to Elephant" be hunted. South Africa is one of them...with nearly 42 huntable species and this excluded waterfowl and other wingshooting species. The rest of Africa's countries (and due to poaching in my opinion) will only and able to harvest 10-25 species...
 
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