Jailer back from Dries Visser Namibia
Contributors to this thread:International
From: Jailer
13-Sep-11
Got back a week ago from Dries Visser Namibia. Hunted with Dries in 09 at the Citadel in South Africa and wanted to see what his new place in Namibia was like. We were not disappointed. Here is the wife on day 1 and it was a long one. Portland to Atlanta. 6 hour layover and then the 16 hour flight to J-burg. As I posted before we were flying in cognito with the bows in rolling duffles. Had to get the coleman mammoth because my bow is old and long. Worried about getting dinged for it being oversized. One of the ticket agents commented that you could put a body in that thing. I assured him we didn't and wouldn't and off they went. Big relief. Starting out on a good note!
From: Jailer
13-Sep-11
Delta sky lounge in Atlanta. Good place to kill 6 hours. Free drinks and food. Wifi and showers. Forgot to mention in the previous post that the wife is in zebra mode. Check out the finger nails.
From: Jailer
13-Sep-11
Arrived in J-burg to no luggage. Had it checked to Windhoek. Told the gal in Portland that we were spending the night in J-burg and then continuing on to Windhoek the next day. Guess she didn't get it. An hour and a half later we got it and it's all there. Get lucky again that the shuttle to the Afton house hasn't left and off we go. Our third time at the Afton House and it's great as usuall. Have the steak dinner and a couple castles. Meet some nice people from Texas (even though there rifle hunters)and try to get some sleep.
From: Jailer
13-Sep-11
Don't sleep that great and are up at 4AM. Have breakfest at 5AM and talk to our comedic Texas friends. Off to the airport at 7 for the flight to Windhoek. Have a porter help with the luggage and again no issues with the big duffles. Waiting at the gate for our friends who are coming from Canada via London. (Typically don't like to admit that I actually have Canadian friends but trying to come to terms with it) Notice a guy that looks just like Dries and mention to Barb that it could be his identical twin. Trevor and Tammy (the Canucks) show up and as we go to meet them the Dries look alike heads over and turns out to be the real deal heading back to Namibia.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
No meal service on a 5 hour flight from PDX to ATL Delta, but lunch on SAS on a less then 2 hour flight from J-burg to Windhoek? On a side note we did the economy upgrade for about $320 roundtrip on delta and it was well worth it. Definately more room and on a 16 hour flight you can use all the extra room you can get.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Got our bags. Duffles pay off as staff in Windhoek are requesting $20 per rifle or bow case. Thought Namibia was suppose to be better in that regard compared to J-burg. Guess not. Off to camp. About a hour and a half drive. Jan the driver and one of the PH's is a laugh a minute.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Arrive at camp and are meeted by all the PH's. Other hunters in camp are Jeff and Graham from Canada. Friends of a friend of Tammy and Trevor. Lodge is brand new. Ingo and Adel are kind of the camp managers and are marvelous people who make you feel at home and have that ability to make it seem like they have been your friends for years.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
A huge wind storm had come thru the night before we got there and ripped off a couple sections of the roof. Said the blowing sand was so bad you couldn't see two feet. Glad we weren't there yet.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
This is Danie (our PH) Ingo and Dries working on Danie's new bow. Long story short Dries e-mails me a couple days before we leave and wants to know if I can bring a bow for one of his PH's. No problem I get him what he wants a Matthews Z7 extreme and all the accesories. Now these guys, Ingo and Dries as well as the rest of them are so mean you wouldn't believe it. Danie isn't showing up until about dinner time and they want me to tell him that the bow got confiscated in J-burg when they asked if I was bringing anything for anybody. To add salt to the wounds we also tell the poor guy that geez we're really sorry but none the less I'd like my $1400 back since it wasn't really my fault this place is so corrupt. From the look on his face I'm pretty sure his thought was something like this. I can't believe I have to spend the next ten days with these idiots that can't even get a bow here without screwing it up. I wish I was dead, that would be better then having to spend time with these American morons. Anybody want to change clients? After dinner we ask so how long do you want to play this? They say, oh give it to him tomorrow sometime. Are you kidding? I'd kind of like him to get some sleep tonight so he's worth a crap. End up giving it to him later that night and grumpy turns into mister personality immediately.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Spent the first day in the free range area. Kind of on the cold side and a little windy. Plus there was a brush fire a couple weeks ago and the shoots are starting to pop out which might be drawing the animals in that area. Long day when you aren't seeing animals.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Day 2 also spent on the free range. Weather about the same as yesterday. Suppose to be alot of oryx and did see some but no shooters that came to the water.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Nice to have Wi-Fi. Skype home and talk to the 4 year old twins for nothing.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Hunt day #3 Have always wanted to shoot a baboon. Can't explain why but just have. Kind of disappointed to learn that there is a troop of them around but chances of seeing them at any particular water hole is slim. Nine in the morning and I see glimpses of tails to the right side of the blind. My first thought is baboons? Sure enough, here they come into the water. One male has a deformed arm that is missing at the elbow. Going to take him but here comes the alpha male who decides he's going to jump up on a feed bucket. Thank you hunting gods!
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
On the way!
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Got him.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Didn't go far. Maybe 75 yards tops.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Look at those teeth. Bigger then I expected weight wise. Probably around 140 lbs.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Done with the baboon. Only 9:30 so back in the blind. About 1 PM this warthog comes in and Danie says he's nice a little above average. Amazingly I haven't shot one on my previous two trips. I tell him average is good enough for me. He's quartering towards but I'm feeling pretty confident and let him have it. Arrow goes length of body and he makes it about the same distance as the baboon. One o'clock and two animals down. Gotta love Africa!
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Around 5PM two zebra stallions come to the water. Very cautious and finally the smaller of the two comes in but is quartered to. Want the wife to try and take him but very skittish with no other animals at the water and takes off. Then a group of about 25 blue wildebeest come in. High on my list as I haven't taken one before. Fill the water hole with bodies but the bull is in back. Think about shooting the zebra when it looks like I won't get a shot at the bull. Had it been the bigger stallion I think I would have but really wanted the blue wildebeest.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Once again the hunting gods are smiling on me and everything is going my way. The bull comes around the rest of the group and is 8 yards from me. Quartered to but no problem. I'm feeling like I can make any shot and let fly.
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Pretty much complete penetration. Ran off 60 yards and piled up in sight. Animal #3. What a day. We're sitting there talking about what a day it's been and Barb says, wouldn't it be incredible if a jackal showed up or something. Well it is my day so wouldn't you know within 45 seconds here's a jackal. I've missed these guys before so I know it's not a done deal but wouldn't you know he goes and drinks head on so that he's facing me. Go ahead and try to jump the string sucker!
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
From: Jailer
14-Sep-11
Wow, probably the most incredible day I've ever had hunting. 4 animals! Well I'm not on vacation any more and have to work a double tomorrow. I'll try and finish up on Thursday.
From: INbowdude
14-Sep-11
Well done for one day of hunting. The jackel looks very cool. Congrats.
From: Florida Mike
14-Sep-11
I saw your screen name "Jailer", the first thing I see when I open the thread was your wife... I feel your pain my friend! Hahaha, great thread after I quit laughing. Mike
From: ilandhunter
14-Sep-11
Great story so far . Love the photos that capture the arrow on impact. Looking foward to the rest
From: BOW-HO
14-Sep-11
Very cool! Thank you very much for sharing.
From: Buff
14-Sep-11
good stuff
From: Pete In Fairbanks
14-Sep-11
Great photos of arrows in flight and on impact!
From: HAVOC
14-Sep-11
Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing!!! congrats on some beautiful animals
From: Firehuntfish
14-Sep-11
X2.... Very cool pics... Thanks for posting.
From: dustyvarmint
15-Sep-11
Jailer,
Congrats.
Can anyone point out the proper point of aim on the warties leaned up against the tank like that? Somehow I blew a 16 yard "gimme" shot like that. Pass through, but no recovery.
I kept saying to my PH that baboon is big, about my size. He kept saying, "That is average." 140 lbs is more than I weigh during running season...
happy hunting, dv
From: forrest-hunter
15-Sep-11
Congratulations on a great hunt - especially the jackal. Hunted with them this year in SA - will hunt again with them in '13. Everything about them 1st class.
From: ORARCHER
15-Sep-11
WOW !! Great first day can't wait for the rest !!! Congrats on a Great trip !!
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
On day 4 Danie and I were up early and headed to hunt black wildebeest. Dries had seen a big bull in this area on many occasions and had put up a tree stand. Now this wasn't exactly the kind of stands I'm use to but hey when in Africa.....Did I sign a waiver?
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Danie is set up in a brush blind about 80 yards behind me. I'm sitting for maybe half an hour and I hear the barking sound or whatever you want to call it that those crazy black wildebeest make. I get up and turn around and there are 28 black wildebeest coming towards me. They are running around in circles bucking like broncos and just acting insane like they do. They end up about 100 yards away and are feeding and hanging out for another half hour and then finally come right by me. About this time I hear a bark from another one behind me and turn to check it out. I see one standing off by himself and assume this is the bull Dries is talking about. The group in front of me looks like it has a nice bull in it but I'm not for sure so I figure I'll wait for this loner to come in. He finally comes in and ends up running off this other bull. After another 20 minutes or so he comes back and wouldn't you know gives me a nice 20 yard quartering away shot. Thank you for your cooperation!
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
On impact from the shot blood was pouring out and he staggered around in circles. Thought he was going to drop right there. Ended up going off another 40 yards and going down in sight. Other wildebeest were running around him in circles. It was quite a scene. Around 8AM and one animal down!
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Took some pictures and Dries and the gang showed up. Loaded him up and off to the lucky blind from yesterday to continue the hunt.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Zebra came around and stayed out at about 80 yards and circled the water but just wouldn't come in. They are so wary it's amazing how cautious they are. If there isn't other animals at the water I don't think you have a chance of them coming all the way.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Gemsbok came in around 1PM. Danie said it was a really nice female. Might of rushed the shot a little faster then I should of as she wasn't real relaxed and was looking at me. Probably feeling a bit cocky from my recent success. At any rate she jumped the string quite a bit and the shot looked high. Called for Dries and he brought the trackers and the dogs. Ended up only going maybe 150 yards and bedded down. Dogs were around her and she was in some really thick brush. I would of had to gotten within about 5 feet to get another shot in her. Would of ended up dying as the shot was in the top of both lungs but why risk her spooking or suffering so Dries ended it with the 375. Not the greatest outcome for a bowhunter but better then losing an animal.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Random bird pics.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
One of the things I really appreciate about hunting with Dries is his willingness to do whatever possible to make you happy and get your animals. On day 5 he sent us to another property where they had alot of red heartebeest and some Mountain Zebra. Tammy and Trevor also came along as well as a couple trackers and of course our PH's Danie and Jan. We ended up spending 3 days there. While we were gone Jeff from Canada shot a nice kudu bull and Dave the other hunter along with his PH Ingo were sent to the Citadel in South Africa in hopes he would get his Kudu. I think he only managed to shoot 5 animals his first day there including his Kudu. This is a picture of the other lodge. Notice how the trees are actually part of the building. Pretty cool lodge.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
Bar in the lodge.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
I really liked this property. Different then what I'd seen before. Really tall grass and open areas. Not really set up for bow hunters as they only had a elevated blind and a pit blind but the trackers did a great job of seeking out water holes and setting up brush blinds and pop up blinds. I could definately tell the difference between a rifle concession and a bow only concession. Tammy and Trevor went to the elevated blind while we went to the pit blind. Had a close call with an oryx for the wife but just couldn't make it happen. Had a lone red heartebeest bull hang up behind the blind but didn't come in. Trevor shot a nice red heartebeest at last light.
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
15-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Day six Danie and I were up early and out to the elevated blind where Trevor got his Red Heartebeest the night before. Blind was only up maybe 15' but the wind was really whipping compared to hardly anything on the ground. Saw some springbuck and Eland in the distance and had some black wildebeest bulls run by. Also an old oryx bull that wouldn't quite come in all the way. Finally a lone Red heartebeest bull comes in and presents a great quartering away shot but Danie says no not big enough. First one I've ever seen at the water in 3 years and it looks plenty big to me but he's the boss so we go with it. Later on about 9 we decide to get down and try and walk and stalk on some heartebeest that are about a mile off but have been there since we pretty much got in the blind. End up seeing a couple warthogs and the lone red heartebeest bull at the water earlier but the others give us the slip. End up finding a big natural water hole and there are all kinds of animals around it. Eland, oryx, black wildebeest, blue wildebeest and warthog. For the afternoon hunt we go sit in a brush blind. It was a real neat setup but you definately couldn't get away with alot of movement once the animals were there. Once again Barb had a close call with an oryx but no luck. Tammy shot a red heartebeest close to dark from the elevated blind. Team Canada 2. USA 0.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Tammy and Trevors' red heartebeest.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Day 7 we were going to stay at the pit blind but Danie likes the look of a water hole that the trackers have put a pop up blind on so we decide to hunt that. Kind of a slow day. One eland bull, a couple warthogs, one oryx and a pretty nice kudu bull.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Ollie
16-Sep-11
I hunted the same camp the first week of August. We were there when the adjoining ranch was on fire. Glad you had a good hunt. Sat in some of the same blinds. The hunting was kind of slow with good opportunities few and far between during my hunt.
From: coachwhip
16-Sep-11
Congrats on a great hunt Jailer! We are headed to the same lodge (Etterick) next july, we would love to see more camp pictures pictures of the blinds etc. I love the baboon, I'm trying to talk my wife into a baboon mounted, but she is not keen on the idea. Thanks in advance!
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Day 7 coming to an end and I look to the left and see a lone red heartebeest bull coming in. Get my bow and am ready when he makes it to the water. Danie says he's a good one. Kinda jumpy and gets to the water but doesn't drink. Turns around and start heading off. Been at full draw since he came in and think about letting down but he stops at around 25 yards and presents a great quartering away shot.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
I let go on him and he jumps the string pretty bad but it still looks like a really good shot. Good penetration in to the off shoulder. Finally after 3 years we got our heartebeest. We're all happy and I can't wait to go track him. It's really open around this water hole and I fully expect to see him piled up within 100 yards so we should see him as soon as we get out of the blind. There are some other heartebeest that were coming in and they appear to be looking at him, hopefully as he's going down.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
This is how much he ducked. Still looks good and I had no doubts it would be an easy tracking job!
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Finally after 30 minutes we get out of the blind. Don't see him right away but the grass is pretty tall so maybe it's hiding him. Find my arrow and the business end and about 6 inches of shaft is missing (I assume in his off shoulder) and a good 15 inches of the remaining shaft is covered in good lung blood. Very little blood but once he's in that tall grass the blood is real difficult to see. Danie finds little drops here and there but all of a sudden we have gone at least 600 yards from the blind. I'm not feeling good about this now. Obviously must have gotten only one lung. Maybe I aimed to far forward but I just can't believe we can't find this guy. Finally it's pitch dark and Danie says we'll find him in the morning. Subdued atmosphere in the lodge that night as Trevor had hit an oryx and they also couldn't find it. A couple tracking jobs for the morning. Didn't sleep real well that night. Just not feeling good about our chances but these trackers are great. Wish we had Dries dogs though.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Get out at first light the next morning and start the search. Hear some jackals in the distance and wounder if they are on my red heartebeest. Trevor and Tammy along with their PH Jan and a couple trackers show up after they find Trevor's oryx. Good news for him. We end up scouring the area with people and vehicles all morning long. Spirits go up a bit when we come accross 3 jackals in the same general area as well as a vulcher in a tree but no luck. Grass is so tall it's like finding a needle in a haystack unless there are some birds or other scavengers on it. Finally have to give it up. Really feel sick. Could of dealt with it better if I thought it was a bad shot but it just wasn't. Obviously not as good as I thought but no doubt in my mind that he's dead or is going to be dead and we lost him. Have to wounder if getting a Red Heartebeest is going to be my achilles heel.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Return back to our home lodge that afternoon. Danie says lets go hunting. I don't know if he really wanted to go our saw the dent I was putting in the beer supply but off we go. I don't even bother taking my bow as it will force Barb to have to shoot if anything comes in. We end up at a pop up blind by a natural water hole. Danie sat in the brush behind us as the blind wasn't really big enough for three people. Saw a couple warthogs and heard some black wildebeest behind us but basically pretty dead. At last light a jackal came into the water. Barb wings an arrow at it but the sucker was spring loaded and manages to jump the string.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Coachwhip here are a few pics of lodge and surrounding areas.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Two days left. Dries has another place we can go and stay for the last two days for Mt. Zebra. Actually everyone else is leaving Saturday but our flight doesn't leave until late Sunday afternoon. We were going to stay in Windhoek for a day and a half but Dries offers to let us stay and hunt Saturday if we want. Twist my arm, we'll stay! Says if we want we can hunt here two days and then go to the other place for Saturday and then Sunday until we have to leave for the airport and hunt Zebra. Sounds great but the other place doesn't hunt on weekends but it was a nice thought. Just gives us a reason to come back another time in our quest for a Mountain Zebra.
From: extreme predator
16-Sep-11
teeth on the babbon are scary, nice Gemsbuck
From: coachwhip
16-Sep-11
THANK YOU Jailer! Thats what we were looking to see, it looks like everything is brand new and nice. Sorry about the hartebeest, knowing Dries, I bet they find him or whats left sooner or later and let you know, or thats been the case with other hunters that have had a rough go of it. So how did "the wild Africa" of that part of Namibia compare to the Limpopo province in RSA?
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Day 9 and we start off at our favorite blind but the wind is bad. See some blue wildebeest running around in front of us for half an hour or so but decide we aren't going to do any good the way the wind is. Go to another blind where the wind is good. See some kudu cows and a big warthog they call Prince Albert. He's a smart one and circles the entire water hole and doesn't come in. Later a group of warthogs show up and Barb decides she is going to try for one. Quartered away perfectly and she lets fly. Pig not only ducks which would of been o.k. but also moved back causing the arrow to hit shoulder. Very little penetration. Call for Dries and the dogs and start up the track. Very little blood and the dogs are a long way off. Barb is disappointed but tell her she made a good shot, pig just didn't cooperate. Video shows her arrow going in the perfect spot but by moving back it screwed up the whole deal. As we're tracking we spot some springbuck and zebra but they don't see us. Dries says there coming to the water and we need to sneek back to the blind. One of the dogs is still on the loose but we head back and set up.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Coachwhip, I love Namibia. RSA is nice but Namibia is just so less populated and just feels more wild. On my next plains game hunt I could see hunting the Citadel in RSA for 6 days and then heading to Namibia for another 6 days or vice versa. Namibia is about the size of Texas and Louisianna combined but only has around 3 million people. The lodge is brand new and only going to get better. Haven't put the pool or the waterhole in next to the lodge yet but by the time you go it will be. First class for sure.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Back in the blind for maybe 2 minutes and this small kudu bull comes in. Had been in before and was really nervous. All of a sudden here comes the other dog running in right by the kudu and jumps into the water hole. Kudu just stands and looks at it. Danie gets out of the blind and is hollering for the dog and the kudu still just stands there. Unbelievable. Doesn't actually take off until Dries comes back and he hears the vehicle. About half an hour before dark I spot a zebra to the left at about 70 yards. Barb and Danie think I'm screwing around but I say no I'm serious. Stallion really wanted to come in but paced back and forth until dark and finally left. 5 zebra in all and they just wouldn't do it.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Day 10 the wind is right and the trail cam shows that are favorite blind had everthing coming in yesterday including giraffe and zebra. Get settled in and hope for the best. This oryx Danie is hoping to cull with his new bow showed up first.
From: ORarcheryboy
16-Sep-11
Where in Oregon are you from? And how far out of Windhoek was this?
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Around 9AM everyone is sitting there being quiet and all of a sudden Danie flys up out of his chair yells something and is headed towards the door. I'm thinking what the hell and look over where he was sitting and here is this flippin snake about 2' from me with his head up in the air about 18 inches. I jump up from my chair and am right on Danie's heals when it occurs to me I might be forgetting something. I look over at Barb who was reading a book and she's looking at me like what the hell is wrong with you guys. I reach over and grab her by the back of her neck and the seat of her pants and huck her out the door. She's says I still had a hold of her 15' later but I'm not sure about that as this whole deal took probably less then 2 seconds. We are all clear of the blind and Barb asks what that was all about. I said, there's a snake in there. Danie says, it was 6 inches from me and I'm pretty sure it's a black mamba. Danie makes a call to Dries but he is in Windhoek, but Jan who is with Trevor and Tammy at another blind hears and is on his way. Barb and I mean while head to the road giving the blind a wide berth. Jan shows up pretty quick with a couple trackers and Trevor and Tammy. Jan says get in the back of the truck and I might have pushed Tammy and Barb to get in first but aren't for certain. Trevor decides he is going to get this on video and heads to the blind with the PH's and trackers. Danie ends up going in the blind and starts pulling stuff out. I'm thinking are you f'n crazy that snake could be anywhere. It ends up being under the carpet where he was sitting and he proceeds to beat it to death with a club. That gap between poles is where he came in and that is Danie's chair.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
You could see it's track where it came across the road. Turns out to be a 9' black mamba.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Team Canada with Black Mamba.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
So at this point it's maybe 10AM and I tell Barb we can do whatever. Say maybe go back to the lodge and drink every drop of alcohol they have for a start. Well being the intelligent folks we are we decide, hey what's the chances of that happening again. Lets get back in the blind! I'm telling Barb and Danie that I bet no one dozes off today and an hour later they are both snoozing. Seriously!!! This is a pic of Barb back in the blind minutes after our snake encounter. Gotta say she is one tough cookie.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Sitting there about noon, wide awake, and Danie says, there is a massive pig you must shoot him! I'm easily convinced and let fly. Quartered toward basically standing in the same place as my first warthog and I hit him hard and get a complete pass thru. Danie said he saw blood pumping out on impact so we are feeling pretty good. Didn't wait to long and off we go. Went about 75 yards and jump the pig. Not doing real well but we can't get another shot at him in the tall grass. See him a couple more times but just briefly. Good chunks of lung blood but maybe just one. Trackers do an amazing job and this pig is walking in circles over his own tracks over and over again. Many times I thought we were done but they always found the blood and the search would continue. Four hours later Danie finds a pig hole with blood and says, this is where he is. I'm thinking we need a smoke bomb and seconds later here the trackers are with a bunch of grass throwing it in the hole and lighting it on fire. Pig won't come out but Danie is certain he is in there. Either dead or to sick to move and come out. What do we do now? Apparently we get a pick axe and a shovel and dig. This tunnel is huge and the trackers are jumping up and down on the ground trying to figure out where it ends. This pic shows the entrance and where they are standing is the end.
From: Jailer
16-Sep-11
Trackers dig the hole and Danie and I take off to try and find a camera that fell out of Barb's pocket during the tracking job. Only about 500 yards from where the pig is looking for the camera when we hear the trackers whistling. Start running back towards them and hear a shot. Got there and the pig is right where they dug. Was pretty much dead but they never get to shoot anything so I think they thought what the heck.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Hole the trackers dug to get the pig.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
As I said before Adel is an incredible hostess and does the cooking as well. All the meals were amazing.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Day 11. Everyone else left today including their PH's so it's just Barb and I. Danie decides to take us to a pop up blind where Trevor and Tammy both shot warthogs. We're on snake alert but get settled in. Sitting there for a few minutes and Danie says, look at that. About 150 yards away a nice red heartebeest bull is bedded down. We keep an eye on him and he eventually gets up and heads are way only to bed down again 25 yards later. Around 9 he gets up and is headed toward the water. Takes a long time but finally comes in. I get to full draw but his near leg is back so I have to wait a while. Want him fairly relaxed also so he doesn't jump the string. Finally moves his leg and I drop the string. Soon as I see the arrow strike I was like oh crap.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Shot was about 6 inches to far back but blood was coming out on both sides. He jumped forward about 10 yards but then came walking right back. He just stood there and I put another arrow on. Came to the front of the blind and was looking our way. Should of just put one in him then but instead waited for him to turn. Took a shot while he was walking but didn't realize he was out at about 30 yards now and completly missed. Was thinking what do I have to do to get one of these guys and he started staggering. Thought he was going to go down but he just stood out there at 80 yards.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Dries showed up with the vehicle and he was still standing there. We ended up driving around a different way and Danie and I got out and made a stalk on him. Was really sick and was standing in the same place as we last saw him from the blind. Got to within 35 yards and put another one in him. Blasted out of there and dropped about 75 yards out. Yahoo, finally.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Went back to the blind and spent the rest of the day. Saw a few animals but nothing we wanted to shoot. Heard some zebras close to dark but of course they didn't come in. Jackal appeared at the end of light and a let loose on him but missed. Oh well, what a trip.
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Spent the last day running around taking pictures and finding Barb's camera. Pretty relaxing not having to rush off to the airport. Coachwhip here are how most of the blinds will be when you go. Virtually black mamba proof. But what's the fun in that?
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
From: Jailer
17-Sep-11
Trophies. ORARCHER, I'm from Sandy and the camp was about an hour and a half east of Windhoek. The End. Hope you enjoyed the pics.
From: Rupe
17-Sep-11
Wow, best thread of 2011!!!
Thanks for sharing!!!
From: switchback33
17-Sep-11
Jailer, I love the recap of your hunt it really looks like you had a fantastic time. All the pictures you posted are great also. Sorry about the first hearebeest, I had that happen last year on a 28" Impala, he jumped the string and I hit him in the flat bone never found him. The snake deal scares the crap out of me, I got to hand it to you for getting back in that blind after that.
From: AZ~Rich
17-Sep-11
Nice account and pics of your trip. The in flight action stoppers were cool. Glad you all got out of that blind minus a mamba bite! And how many guys get to dig their warthogs out of their tunnel? An interesting trip for sure. Someday Namibia could be one of my destinations. Sorry about your first Hartebeest, did they ever find it? Looks like the last one was the larger of the two. Thanks for sharing.
From: AZ~Rich
17-Sep-11
Young ram and ewe at salt
From: AZ~Rich
17-Sep-11
I ended up with a good one.
From: AZ~Rich
17-Sep-11
Sorry Jailer, I meant to post these to the other thread on best value of Africa.
From: coachwhip
19-Sep-11
Thank you Jailer, a few more questions if you don't mind. From your last pictures it looked like the other hunters with you did really good. What was the final game tally harvested for you and your Canadian group? What travel route did you take? Could you have taken any springbok or impala? How many of the buried ground blinds do you think will be available on the Etterick property? We are pumped after seeing your picture, well except for the mamba, I would have had to change my TROUSERS! Thanks
From: tthomas
20-Sep-11
Thanks for sharing Jailer. Great story and photos. That mamba crap scares me though.
From: Mad Trapper
20-Sep-11
Was thinking about doing this someday, until I got to the mamba part. If I would have been in the blind, I would have passed out at the sight of the mamba. PH would have found my boots sticking out of the snake's mouth when he came to get me. Think I'll stay in North America.
From: Peyton in Fairbanks
24-Sep-11
Thanks for sharing! Looks like a great trip.
From: Jailer
26-Sep-11
Coachwhip, I ended up taking 8 animals. Baboon, 2 warthogs, blue wildebeest, jackal, black wildebeest, oryx and red heartebeest. Trevor and Tammy took 6. 2 warthogs, 2 red heartebeest and 2 oryx. Jeff took I believe 6. warthog, impala, kudu, eland, oryx and red heartebeest and Dave took and oryx and eland before he left for the citadel. We went from PDX to Atlanta and then from there to J-burg. We stayed at the Afton house and then the following morning went from J-burg to Windhoek on SAA. We have always stayed at the Afton house and then continued wherever we were going the next day. I like doing that because it gives you 2 nights to adjust and it's a 9 hour change for us so that's tough to get use to. Jeff took a nice impala but I didn't see any from the stand. Also wasn't on my list so we weren't targeting them. Saw quite a few springbuck but not at the water. Was on my list but quite a ways down. If those are important to you Dries and the PH's will make it happen so that most likely you'll be on some. I believe pretty much all the blinds will be changed out to the concrete pit blinds so there will probably be around 25 but just guessing. Plenty to choose from. I actually like the brush blinds and pop up blinds and hunting from a tree stand. It was a great time. Hopefully they keep some of them. Chances are pretty slim your going to have a snake encounter but like Ingo said, "Africa isn't for sissies! How true. Hope that answers all your questions.
