I am going to try to post a fairly comprehensive depiction of my hunting trip to South Africa, but words simply cannot express how amazing it was. Joined by Shaine Street, Tyler Underwood, and Mike Meade, we have Bradley Jackson to thank for helping us set up for the trip. Mike can thank John Parker for the ticket swap; I really hope John can go soon. The trip was absolutely epic.
We flew to South Africa to meet up with Jacques Brits of Mangwa Hunting Safaris. The accommodations were everything you need, with few things to distract you from the hunting and expeditions. The weather was just right, with only a little rain frustrating our efforts to hunt over watering holes. The people were amazing, their whole team working tirelessly to make sure we had a great time and harvested our target animals. I couldn’t be happier with Mangwa and our new friends. Their commitment to our having a spectacular time is unparalleled.
We hunted blue wildebeest, impala, gemsbok, baboon, blesbok, and kudu successfully. We tried for warthog (impeded by wet weather), jackal, and porcupine. I will attach a boatload of photos and videos below, but fb won’t let me come even close to sharing all of the hundreds of photos we took.
We enjoyed three amazing meals every day, being woken up with amazing coffee and a knock on the door each morning. Each meal had one or more game meats on the menu and I couldn’t possibly tell you what I liked the best. Their chef was top notch. The backstraps and tenderloins of every animal we sampled were amazing. In addition to the game meat we harvested, we ate springbok in lasagna and tacos (incredible; I ate 13), zebra in omelets, and so much more. I loved the gemsbok stew over mashed potatoes, not only because it was the fruit of one of my hunts, but because it reminded me of another favorite dish, ox tail. The meat simply fell off the bone and it was so tender and juicy!
The hunts would take days to describe adequately. I will happily share more stories with those interested in reliving them with me through their retelling. We primarily hunted about 1200ac of the high-fenced farm on which the camp sat. We would divide the group into two pairs of hunters, PH’s (professional hunters/guides), and a tracker/driver, each set in their own safari rig. (The four door land cruiser was sick!) We would drive the roads of the farm until we saw animals or tracks/evidence of nearby animals. Though we could shoot from the truck (and did on occasion), we generally got out of the the truck to track the herd, sneak stealthily through the (huge) thorns and (huge) spiders, try to get eyes on the herd, pick out the target animal, find a way to get a clear shot without spooking the animals, and take the shot you’re given. We had to play to the wind and would often get busted when the winds changed directions. Nearly every time we finally got the shot, we then had to follow a blood trail, another occasion in which the trackers proved they are superior in virtually every way. The trackers’ ability to see tracks, discern the significance of slightly manipulated foliage, or follow the tiniest trail of blood drops in thick grass is just amazing.
My favorite hunt was when Jacques (PH) and Solomon (Tracker) worked to get me on a gemsbok (the gray one with the long, straight horns), on foot. It is inexplicable how Solomon was able to find an target animal, though they hadn’t seen one in several days, and get me positioned for a makeable shot. (Before our trip I envisioned having to army crawl into position to get a shot and this was exactly that.) We were able to get as close as 75 yards and no closer, due to the multiple thickets between us and it. We army crawled into position and I fed the rifle through a thorn bush, resting on a flimsy branch. We watched the head of this animal through a basketball sized hole in the bush she was standing behind. It seemed like ten minutes that we waited until she finally took one step forward. I could see the outline of the front shoulder and took the best shot I could take.
When we went to where she stood to find blood, a few feet away I found one of her horns. It is as if she ran head first into a tree, breaking it off. We followed a modest blood trail for a bit, finding her about 200 yards away. The recovery was intense, as you don’t know for sure they are down until you have eyes (or hands!) on them. She is a beautiful beast and it was such an exciting hunt!
To hit the highlights of the other hunts, my impala hunt was similar to the gemsbok, though we were actually stalking a wildebeest when a mature impala showed his face. A similarly windowed shot and exciting recovery happened there. For my wildebeest, over three days we stalked (like hiking, but slower and quieter, so it feels like it takes a lot more energy) and probably clocked over 15 miles trying to get in front of the right one. I ultimately took one with a fantastic heart shot from the truck. I wanted a mature baboon, but took a juvenile at 300-ish yards when the opportunity presented itself at a 10,000ac farm we hunted. (These are pests that do damage to the farmer’s crops, like wild hogs in Texas.) One PH said it is the longest shot he had seen on a baboon, stroking my ego a bit.
For those who may not take joy in the harvest of wild game, nothing goes to waste over there. They use virtually all the meat and plenty of the organs, feeding the families of those involved and even sold at market. The discards even serve as bait for future hunts as the cycle continues.
I certainly want to go again, bringing the family next time. We saw zebra, giraffe, sable, cape buffalo, and so much more up close and personal. The photo opportunities alone were worth the trip. We even got to go to town for some shopping and a bit of par-3 golf! We played a two-team scramble, USA vs South Africa. It was a close fight but Team USA went home with the win. If we had wanted, we could have also gone on any number of excursions to see the big five, zipline, etc. Next time!
I can say with certainty that the traveling is a nightmare, about 17 hours in the air one way, plus however many in the airport. You just have to embrace the misery there. But it is worth it. I have been calling this a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but I will surely regret it if I don’t get to go back again and again. Next time I want to bring my bow!
God is so good. All the time. I am so thankful. My time with the guys was well-spent. I am so happy to be back home, though. I missed Erin and the girls so much! It will take about a year to get our taxidermy, but when it lands it will reignite the fire and likely be the point at which we start planning the next trip. I can’t wait.
