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Melorani Safaris

Just returned home from a trip through south africa botswana and zimbabwe. Spent an entire month there including a ten day hunt with my family at Melorani safaris. Stuart and Fritz were excellent hosts and provided us with an amazing hunt. By the time we arrived at Melorani we were exhausted and decided to just take it easy and sleep in the first morning. After all we had a ten day hunt. However when Fritz and Stuart said they had a buffalo capture and transfer the next day I was up early and joined in for the experience. It was interesting to see how strong these animals really are.

Our hunt started out slowly as we were hunting specific animals on this trip and wanted to look a few over first. Day 3 brought on a busy day however. Alysha scored on a beautiful kudu late in the morning. Fritz picked me up in the blind and told me the good news that he had just located a herd of buffalo we could stalk. At the same time he got the call from our daughter Alysha and we headed over to find her kudu. She had made an awesome shot and we found her bull a short ways away.

bearhunter,

That is a beautiful kudu. Very nice trophy-congrats.

Would appreciate if you would describe Alysha's equipment setup.

Tks

We then took off after the buffalo. They were in fairly heavy cover but their tracks were easy to follow. We got to within about 75 yards but then got busted by a kudu. The buffalo were alert now and had us pegged. A standoff for a few minutes and they blew out of there. That was enough. Alysha was along and it was cool just getting close but now we had to find another group. We searched the property but didnt find a lot of fresh sign. They were sticking to the heavy cover and were tough to locate. Late in the day I happened to spot a dark spot in the bush and it was a cow. They were moving and we made a plan to get ahead of them. We took off to cut them off and Fritz and I got ready. Alysha and Stuart watched from about 100 yards away as the group came right up on us. We had about 30 buffalo with a couple of decent bulls but didnt see a real shooter right away. Then a big mud coverred bull walked into the group and Fritz immediatly said shoot that bull if he gives you a shot. There were cows and bulls around him but eventually he was clear. I was shaking like a leaf and my first shot passed clean through him but a little low I thought. However the blood was spraying out both sides. He ran off a few yards and stopped giving me another shot. I put the next shot a little higher in the lungs. He went about 150 yards and bedded down. 2 other bulls seeing his weakness went to push him around but he didnt get up. We moved in and put a 3rd arrow into him and then he stood up one last time and challenged us. We knew it was just a matter of time and decided to let him be for a bit. In the meantime we had recd a call that my wife Jackie had just killed a warthog. We went to get her and take a few pix.She had mad a nice shot as well and it was an easy recovery.

Alysha is shooting a bowtech heartbreaker set at about 45 lbs. She is using full metal jackets in 400 spine and using slick trick standard broadheads in 100 grain.

After pix of Jackies warthog I couldnt wait to get back to my buffalo worrying it may have got up as the other bulls had been pushing it a bit. He was right where we left him. Well almost. The other bulls had pushed and rolled him about ten yards so he was now even more mud and grass covered but I had my bull. He had gone down in a nice open area so getting to him with the truck was easy. However the entire herd was hanging around and kept trying to come at us. Made for some quick pix and an interesting recovery.

Another pix of my bull after recovery. His body was so huge that you dont get a great idea of his horns but he is about 38" wide with heavy boss. Had to get a pix with Stuart and Fritz in here as they really made this happen.

Another pix of my bull after recovery. His body was so huge that you dont get a great idea of his horns but he is about 38" wide with heavy boss. Had to get a pix with Stuart and Fritz in here as they really made this happen.

Sorry for the double post. My computer is brutally slow tonite. The biggest reason for this hunt started out as a quest for hartebeest for my wife. This was our 4th trip and she had wanted a hartebeest since our first trip over. We had spoken to Neil Summers with Bowhunting Safari Consultants about this and this was our priority animal. The opportunity for buffalo was a bonus. After speaking with Stuart Neil felt strongly that this was the place for us. On day two we had just about gotten a shot at a nice bull late in the day but a wildebeest had stood just behind the bull and she could not take the shot in case of a pass thru. On day six we went back to the same blind and at 930 am her dream came true. I was with her and able to film it all. She made a perfect shot and her bull went only 50 yards before piling up in sight. She had wanted this animal so badly and it was like a weight had been lifted. The pressure was off.

Now there was no way I was going to shoot a hartebeest before my wife did or I may not have survived the trip. However the monkey was now off her back and suddenly I realized it would be ok if I shot one. A few more herds came in to drink and suddenly a very good bull showed up. I decided to take him and set the camera up to record and hit the button. Grabbed my bow and prepared for the shot. My bull went only 30 yards before also piling up in sight. I checked the camera and I hadnt hit the record button hard enough and it was not recording. Darn but I had a nice bull anyways.

Alysha had been feeling under the weather for a couple days but still wanted an ostrich. Some days I wonder about her. She slept in and went out late on day 7. It didn't take long and she called Fritz to pick her up. She said it was an awesome sight as it tumbled. All legs and neck getting tangled up. One of the coolest hunting pix I've seen. The dog was wearing her hat and posing proudly. Made me laugh

On the final night I went into the surrounding hills with Stuart and tried calling in klipspringer. It was a hoot and I apologize as this is a rifle kill but it was so much fun. We had called a female in to about 3yards on night nine. It was getting late the last night of the hunt and we had just heard on the radio that Jackie had connected on a waterbuck. It was our last stand and were just about to give up when I looked down. Standing side by side on a rock below us was a pair of klipspringers. They were staring right at us and I'm not sure how they got there without being seen but I turned and made the shot with Fritz rifle. They are such a neat animal and fun terrain and I'm happy to have gotten one no matter the choice of weapon. It made for a great last night. However they were not able to find Jackies waterbuck until after we left so no pix of him

Congratulations! Looks like a great hunt, and family. You are a lucky man:-)

I cant thank Fritz and Stuart enough for all they did. It was a fantastic trip and we saw and killed some great animals. Gotta go back and get a sable next time. Neil also had another couple there and we made great friends with them as well. Reagan and Paula Stephenson joined us on this trip and Reagan managed to take some nice critters as well including kudu nyala waterbuck and impala. His wife Paula tried hunting for the first time at all our encouragement but she was unable to get her first animal. We hope to go back in 2 years and would be cool to have them join us again. Passed on this sable due to budget constraints but hope to see one like this again

Terrain we hunted klipspringer in

group shot on last day of hunt. Would love to spend another ten days with these people.

WOW< awesome! I want to go back!

Congratulations on a great safari!!!

Looks like a great trip. Don't know if I could kill an ostrich. Just don't think I could stop giggling over the prospect long enough to make a good shot. lol Good for Alysha. Congrats on your patient wife for finally getting her Hartebeest. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Congrats on having such a great hunt and travels. Some beautiful trophies for sure and thanks for sharing. What was your set up for buffalo might I ask?

Looks like a great hunt. Congrats.

I was using a bowtech black knight set at 70 lbs. Arrows were FMJ 340 with samurai broadheads by alaskan archery. Weighted inserts made my arrows just over 800 grains. Had excellent penetration and bull only went 150 yards.

Very cool adventure. You just can't help loving Africa. Very nice trophies- Congrats

Glad you and your family had a great hunt.thank for sharing. Forrest

Man did you and your family get some great trophies!!!That's a huge kudu,and the hartebeests are real nice also.Along with the warthog and buffalo.Can't imagine the price tag for that trip.I went last year and took 6 plains game in Namibia.Can't wait to take my 2 boys someday and I'm saving up to do it.I'm definitely going to look up your outfitters website though

Great pics & trophies! Glad you had a fun trip.

I'll be headed over to Africa in less than 10 months. Can't wait!

Hope you have a safe trip home as well.

It was lots of fun hunting as a family. Thanks guys.lucky to have my two ladies hunting with me although it does bring up the price tag

Hunted Melorani 2003 & 2005. Stewart doesn't appear to have changed much and it sounds like Melorani remains a wonderful place to both hunt and spend some time with really great folks. Congrats on some fine animals.

It's not often I go back to the same place twice. I like to see new areas. I do believe this place warrants a return visit and already thinking of going back in 2016.

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