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Hunt the Eastern Cape, South Africa

End of Season NEWSLETTER 2019

The Kirby family from Long Island, NY joined us for a week long hunt in early March. Jo (and wife Tina), was joined by his sons Aaron and Zach and their spouses, Lindamarie and Jessica. Jessica and Aaron’s two year old daughter, Skylar accompanied them on their trip. It was a great opportunity to get the entire Karoo Wild team together at the beginning of the season and Nibbs, Arnold and I guided the men on their hunting adventure. We were successful in getting two kudu on the first afternoon. During the course of the week we added another kudu, three gemsbuck, three impala, two springbuck and a steenbuck to the hunt tally. The ladies enjoyed an excursion to the Addo Elephant National Park and Mount Camdeboo Private Reserve and had the opportunity to ride elephants at Addo Elephant Back Riding.

We welcomed Greg back to the Karoo in mid March. Greg hunted with us last year and the goal for 2019 was to hunt some more select plains game and have a relaxing vacation. We hunted mountain reedbuck, burchells zebra, black springbuck and impala. Greg and I put in a three mile stalk on a lone gemsbuck and were able to hunt the one animal

We’ve come to the end of our 2019 season and what an interesting season it turned into. It’s been a year of immense variety, from bushpig to buffalo, aardwolf to Hartmanns zebra; we’ve had some memorable hunts throughout the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Orange Free State Provinces. I’m especially proud of how our small and dedicated group of guides, trackers and clients have embraced different and exciting ways of hunting some very elusive species. We’ve gone barefoot to track buffalo to within 20 feet, developed bait sites to lure bushpig boars and searched the vast Karoo plains for the nocturnal aardwolf in the dead of night. Yet the old trusted methods of walk and stalk coupled with patience and skill have stood us in good stead on kudu and other plains game hunts.

that had eluded Greg last year. After the hunt we headed down to the coast for a weekend of shark cage diving and deep sea fishing. Lindsay and the kids joined us on the Saturday. Greg cooked up a seafood extravaganza that Sunday afternoon that will never be forgotten.

Howard and Magi returned for their fourth trip to Karoo Wild Safaris. Howard and I share a plethora of hunting experiences and it’s always a joy to spend time with this humble and enthusiastic outdoorsman. This year we added a few more species to Howard’s collection and hunted a select number of species for the second time. We hunted our property and area and also spent a few days hunting in our concession in the Orange Free State. We ended the ten day hunt with a black springbuck, kalahari springbuck, waterbuck, red hartebeest, eland, roan and a gemsbuck.

A visit by Keith De Haan is always much anticipated by the Watson family and Karoo Wild team. This year the focus was squarely on buffalo with a few plains game added on. Videographer, Paul Ruschenbaum, joined us on our ten day adventure. What an adventure it was; spanning three South African provinces, a big night out in Graaff Reinet, many hunts and sightseeing opportunities. Keith nailed a buffalo early on in the hunt and was successful on hartmann’s mountain zebra, lechwe, bushbuck and impala. We put to bed the bogeys of 2016 with Keith making a magnificent shot to bag a fine eland bull.

The Oplotnik family from Oklahoma joined us on an action packed 7 day hunt and adrenalin filled vacation. The trip was a surprise 50th birthday gift for Greg from his family. Greg, Darci, daughter Jaci and son Jac all hunted throughout their stay and Darci and the children also experienced some of the tourist activities in our area. Nibbs and I guided them and as a family they hunted a nyala, sable, buffalo, lechwe, blue wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, burchells zebra, eland and kudu. Darci and Jaci rode with Elephants at Addo Elephant Back Riding and were lucky enough to spot two lions at Addo Elephant National Park. While Greg and I stayed at camp to hunt kudu, Jaci and Jac jumped off the highest commercial bungee bridge in the world at Bloukrans and together with Darci they shark cage dived at Mossel Bay. It was a superb birthday celebration for a family with an adventurous spirit.

Chad and his wife Natalie and folks Archie and Maria hunted with us on their first African adventure. Nibbs guided them and between Chad and Archie they were successful on two kudu, two gemsbuck, two impala, a nyala, blue wildebeest and a warthog. Natalie, Maria and I did a historical tour of Graaff Reinet and the Valley of Desolation and the whole family enjoyed a trip to the Addo Elephant National Park. We hope to welcome Chad, Natalie and their family back to the Karoo someday in the future.

Pete and Peg from Oregon returned in mid June for a continuation of their hunt with us in 2018. Pete was successful on his buffalo and plains game hunt last year and the main goal of this year’s hunt was to hunt a sable and other plains game. The hunt started with a bang with Pete getting a gemsbuck and red hartebeest on the first day. A sable, lechwe, warthog, blue wildebeest, roan, common springbuck, copper springbuck and steenbuck were also hunted.

Steve and his daughter, Savannah from California hunted with Arnold on an 8 day hunt. Steve has hunted Africa many times and we were delighted to welcome him and Savannah to the Eastern Cape for the first time. If Savannah began her hunt slowly it can only be described as ending in a flash. She took some time adapting to her camp rifle at first but hit a sweet spot, making some incredible shots in the last few days to successfully stalk and hunt a nyala, kudu, lechwe, black wildebeest, waterbuck, blesbuck and eland. Well done on a terrific hunt.

Bruce and wife Tamela and friend Michael from Oklahoma returned to hunt with us in early August. They last hunted with us in 2014 and Tamela, Bruce and I had been meticulously planning the 2019 edition. Paul joined us as videographer on the 10 day hunt. I hunted with Bruce and Tamela. Nibbs guided Michael. A long stalk and patient two hour wait paid off for us as Bruce got a terrific buffalo early in the hunt. Tamela was bitten by the hunting bug and made

three excellent shots to down a sable, golden wildebeest and hartmann’s mountain zebra. We were all tremendously impressed with her natural hunting ability. Bruce also hunted a copper springbuck, vaal rhebuck, white blesbuck and bushpig. Michael was successful on waterbuck, white blesbuck, giraffe, burchells zebra, copper springbuck, bushpig and mountain reedbuck.

Forest, his wife, daughter and long time friend, Thomas chose Karoo Wild Safaris to help them realize their dream of hunting South Africa. Forest, Mynaard and I “de-booted” to hunt a buffalo barefoot. Being barefoot for our entire 3 hour stalk enabled us to move stealthily to within 20 yards of the chosen “dagga boy”. It truly was a buffalo hunting thrill which left us speechless for long moments afterwards. Thomas hunted his first animal, a world class sable antelope. His hunting success continued with him getting a gemsbuck, waterbuck, lechwe, nyala and last day kudu. Forest added a nyala, sable, gemsbuck and kudu to his trophy count. We had many thrilling stalks and moments throughout this hunt. I enjoyed showing them our part of Africa.

David and Melinda were guided by Nibbs on their 7 day hunt for kudu, gemsbuck, impala and blue wildebeest. They also had some thrilling sightings of lion and elephant at Addo Elephant Park and on the areas that they hunted. Happy anniversary, it was a pleasure meeting you both.

Arnold and I guided Martin Rodriguez of Adictosacazar and his five clients on their first African plains game hunt. Martin promotes and books hunts for us in Spain. We were successful in hunting three kudu, two gemsbuck, two impala, three warthog, a springbuck, waterbuck, blesbuck and blue wildebeest. We look forward to working closely with Martin in future.

Alison and her father, Mike fulfilled realized their dream of hunting Africa together. Apart from the good hunting we had sightings of elephant and various plains game in our hunting area. Alison’s first Africa animal was a blesbuck. A few days later she made a long stalk to bag a magnificent zebra stallion. Mike was successful on an impala, warthog and blue wildebeest cull. We look forward to welcoming Alison and her husband in 2020.

Clayton, his father Charles and brother in law Charlie returned to hunt a cull package with us. Clayton and his family hunted with in 2017 and it was terrific to see them again. Nibbs and Arnold guided them on their hunt. They also spent some time in Plettenberg Bay, deep sea fishing and taking in the sights.

We were excited to welcome Geoff and Kerry from Brisbane, Australia. Geoff hunted with us last year and took a large number and variety of species. This year our good hunting fortune continued with Geoff getting a black wildebeest and blesbuck early on. We hunted a kudu with a very different horn shape to the one he hunted in 2019. Geoff was also successful on a waterbuck, sable, red hartebeest, bushbuck and klipspringer. A bushpig boar had eluded as at the bait site for several evenings. Our perseverance paid off on the final evening with Geoff shooting a monster of a pig. Look forward to continuing our hunting adventures in September next year.

Arnold guided Eliot to a magnificent spiral slam. On his 10 day hunt, Eliot hunted a kudu, bushbuck, eland, nyala, two impala, springbuck, blesbuck, zebra and blue wildebeest cull. It was an epic introduction to African hunting for Eliot.

George from Pennsylvania returned for another hunt with Karoo Wild Safaris. Given George’s extensive worldwide hunting experience and quest for the rarer animals, hunting with George is always an interesting experience for me.

We were successful on two of the three types of zebra endemic to South Africa; a burchells zebra and hartmann’s mountain zebra. George also hunted a kudu, roan, bontebok, kalahari springbuck, gemsbuck and baboon. Our quest to hunt a record size aardwolf was rewarded when we bumped into a large male emerging from the night shadows.

The quote attributed to author Graham Greene “he was impregnably armoured by his good intentions and his ignorance” describes a good deal of the anti-hunting sentiment going around the world at the moment. Hunting is the purest form of conservation and is the sole reason wildlife is thriving in Southern Africa. To give an animal a value is to give it the greatest chance of survival as a species. As Africans, I assure you that we as a population and government understand this fact and appreciate all that you and the sport of hunting contributes to conservation.

Thank you to all who hunted with us this year. It was terrific seeing old friends again and making some new ones. All the best for the remainder of 2019 and happy hunting in the Northern Hemisphere this season.