Dale and I started to plan a Safari in early 2020 for 2022 and was able to set things up for May, mainly targeting specific Plains Game species.
Hunting Area: Limpopo Valley, South Africa
Rifles Used: Winchester Mod 70 in .375 H&H Magnum
Sako 85 in .270 WSM
I picked Dale up from Polokwane Airport and the 2 hour drive to Leadwood was short and convenient, arriving at camp, we were welcomed with refreshing drinks and snacks. We settled in, relaxed the morning and set of to the shooting range to check the rifles.
Plains Game was our only target species on this hunt, and Dale brought with a Winchester Mod 70 in .375 H&H Magnum shooting Hornady DGX bullets and a Sako 85 in .270 WSM shooting Barnes TTSX bullets, both beautiful guns! On the shooting range it was confirmed that both rifles was still dead on at a 100 and 200 yards respectively and so our hunt began...
We started the hunt with Dale taking a beautiful Red Lechwe. We spotted a couple of males crossing the road and decided to give it a try. We got to within about a 120 yards when the biggest male of the lot presented an opportunity, up went the sticks and the shot went. The ram gave a jump indicating a good shoulder shot and didn't go 30 yards before expiring.
Next on our list was a Klipspringer. I took Dale to a concession of mine high in the Soutpansberg Mountains where I knew some big Klippies was. The morning started of slow with overcast weather, heavy winds and some drizzling rain now and again. Klipspringer respond to a predator call and that's my method as I found it the most successful way of hunting them over the years. A few females and young males came in to the call but nothing deemed a mature trophy. All of a sudden the weather started to lift and within an hour the blue sky was out! I decided to try one more spot before we had lunch and as luck would have it a big male and female jumped out even before I blew on the predator call! I got Dale on the sticks and directed him to which one of the two was the male. I ranged him at 220 yards and gave him the green light when he was ready. The shot went of and Klipspringer down instantly, he placed the shot exactly where I showed him when going over shot placement and those Barnes TTSX out of the 270 WSM made no damage to the cape at all!
Dale is no rookie to hunting in Africa, but never had an opportunity at a Black Backed Jackal. These are mainly scavengers as well as nocturnal animals. You might get lucky and find them early mornings or late afternoons. We went out a couple of nights spotlighting for Jackal and finally connected with one, a nice old male!
Another target specie for us was a Common Reedbuck. We set out one morning to a place which had a good population and some nice males. The weather again was not in our favour with us getting wet a few times and animal movement limited but in the end everything worked out. We looked over a couple of young ones and females throughout the day and only saw one shooter mid day. We gave him a stalk but he busted us early on, never to be seen again. Just before dark at last light a beautiful male presented itself and stood still a couple of seconds to long. Dale made a perfect shot and the Reedbuck disappeared into some long grass. A good blood trail indicated a perfect lung shot and within 10 yards we found his trophy!
To end of his Safari Dale took an ancient Blue Wildebeest bull! Just in time before the heavens above us opened up again and showers coming down!
Thanks for making the trip Dale and see you again!