David Tennent Hunting Safaris

LIMITED PACKAGE (5 DAYS)

This package offers the client with limited time or the first-time hunter, a chance to experience a South African Hunting Safari. Clients are met either in Johannesburg or Pretoria and returned there after their Hunting Safari. The accommodation is comfortable with all modern amenities. The food is of a high standard and traditional to South African cuisine. Our professional hunters are all experienced hunters and have the client’s best interest at heart.

ITINERARY

Day 1:

Guests are met either in Johannesburg or Pretoria. We then travel to the hunting area in the Free State, a drive of approximately 3 hours.

Day 2 – 4:  

The days are spent hunting with your Professional Hunter in some of the most spectacular scenery the area has to offer, with the Maluti Mountains as your backdrop.

You will see diverse herds of game in spectacular numbers. Animals to look out for are: Eland, Zebra, Black Wildebeest, Impala, Springbuck, Blesbuck, White Blesbuck, Red Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Gemsbuck, Kudu, Common Reedbuck, Mountain Reedbuck, Buffalo, Common Duiker and Steenbuck.

A typical hunting day starts at sunrise and we hunt to about 11am when we return to the lodge for a hearty brunch and some relaxation. We start hunting again from about 2:30 – 3:00pm until dark when we again return to lodge for a shower and a delicious supper.

Day 5:

The last morning of your African Hunting Safari is preceded by breakfast and then the drive back to Johannesburg or Pretoria, after a memorable South African Hunting Safari.

R16950.00 Per Hunter, R4790.00 Per Observer.

(Package is quoted on a 2X1 Basis, for 1X1 there is an additional charge of R4500.00.

Trophy Fees include:

1 X Springbuck, 1 X Blesbuck (Other trophies are available at an additional charge)

CONDITIONS: The final account will be calculated on the bank buying rate (which is the lower rate) of the foreign currency applicable at the time and at the last day of the safari.

INCLUDES:

Catering; Laundry; All ground transport whilst in the concession area; 14% VAT on daily rate; Services of a Professional Hunter; Skinner & Tracker; Wine & Malt in moderation.

EXCLUDES:….

EXCLUDES:

Taxidermy; Dip & Pack; Gratuities; Accommodation before & after the safari; Liquor; Transport from JHB International Airport at R1500.00 return; Rifle hire at R165.00 per day; Ammunition; Skinning at R100.00 per animal.

For Taxidermy prices on Dip & Pack or mounting of trophies go to http://www.highveldtaxidermists.com or contact them via email at mailto:infor@highveldtaxidermists.com

At about 2pm Reza and I went out in the search of a Gemsbuck bull. While driving we spotted a herd on the side of a hill. Reza and I got off the pick-up. I asked Jacob to continue driving my pick-up along the dirt road and park it out of sight in a stand of trees. Once Reza and I had crept to a good position to see the whole herd of Gemsbuck I set up the shooting sticks.  We waited for the Gemsbuck bull that we had determined was a good one, to move into a position that would give Reza a clear shot. After about 10 mins the bull moved slightly away from the herd and I gave Reza the go ahead to take the shot. Reza aimed carefully and fired, the bull did not react in any way to the shot and started to make its way back into the herd. Reza was using my Winchester mod 70 in 375 H & H. We could not believe that he had missed!  But he hadn’t missed because then the bull started to move away from the herd and showed signs of been hit. Reza put in another good shot to put the Gemsbuck down for good. After celebrating and taking lots of photographs of Reza’s Gemsbuck, Jacob went to fetch the pick-up and we loaded the bull onto it and headed once more back to the skinning shed where Jacob would do the caping etc. By this time it was late so we called it a day.

Next……. The Black Wildebeest hunt!

The next problem was how we were going to get the pick-up close enough down to the Eland and try and winch it up into a better position so that we could load it onto the pick-up. After about an hour we got the pick-up to about 250 meters away from the Eland Bull, but we could not get any closer. There was no choice but to skin out the Eland where it lay. Jacob my skinner/tracker and driver started the long job of skinning the Eland. In the mean time I called the concession owner and organised 4 of his farm workers to help us with the task ahead. Once help arrived (by this time it was dark) Jacob finished removing the cape off the Eland. We then had to carry the Eland piece by piece up to the pick-up. Once loaded (it was now 10:30pm) we turned the pick-up around and started the slow journey along the track we had made down the steep mountain. We got to about 200 meters from the top but found that we could not get up the last slope, due to the amount of water and mud (it had rained a lot recently) as well the extra weight of the Eland on the back of the pick-up. We had no choice but to call the concession owner to come and rescue us. When the rescue vehicle arrived, the decision was made to leave my pick-up where it was with the Eland and White Blesbuck, and recover it early the next morning. The evening was cool so the Eland and the White Blesbuck would be ok. We all climbed up to the waiting pick-up and returned to the lodge. The time was now 2:30am. After waking early, and letting Reza sleep in until we got back, we made our way back to my pick-up and with a pull from the second vehicle, we managed to get my pick-up moved from its sticky situation. Once back at the lodge and skinning shed, we finished the job of caping the Eland and White Blesbuck. It was a great Eland hunt with a happy ending!

Once Reza and I had taken photos of the White Blesbuck Ram and loaded it into the back of the pick-up. We started back for the lodge and the skinning shed, where my skinner Jacob, would do the caping of the White Blesbuck. We had not gone far when we spotted a large Eland herd grazing on a side of a hill. We could see even from a distance, that there were some good Eland bulls amongst the herd. To cut a long story short we had a long, fruitless walk as there was very little cover between us and the Eland. The Eland eventually went up into the mountain. We slowly followed andfound them on a plateaux. Again there was very little cover for us to get close enough for a shot, so we had to wait it out and see what they would do. While waiting in the only cover available, the wind shifted and the Eland got a good whiff of us and quickly moved off as only an Eland can do. The plateaux that we were on was in 3 tiers, the 3rd tier being a very deep gully with very thick vegetation. Luckily for us the Eland went down to the 2nd tier and after a mad dash, we had them below us at about 120 meters. Leading the herd was the big bull that we had been after. Once the shooting sticks were up, Reza positioned himself for a downward shoulder shot. At the shot the Eland staggered but did not go down and started forward. At the second shot the Eland went down but to our amazement, started to thrash around on the ground and slowly edge towards the 3rd tier of the mountain, where it unceremoniously rolled over the edge and down the embankment. The Eland came to rest against a fair-sized tree which stopped it going all the way down where we found it on its back dead.

Reza after his first africa animal the White Blesbuck.