Fathers & Sons on Safari
 
 
     Once a friend of mine told me that there were three parts to every hunt, they are:  Planning and Preparation, Execution and The Conduct of the Hunt, and the Telling of the Hunt.  What follows is my attempt to complete the third part of a wonderful Father and Son adventure.
 
     One year ago this month I made the recommendation to my deer hunting buddies that we make a safari to Africa.  This recommendation was followed up by a year of planning and preparation for another trip to the Dark Continent.
 
     The principles in this venture were Ray & Ed Allred, Henry & Gary Doubrava, and Scott & Trey Martin.  This group of six or three father son teams had been hunting together for several years.  I was the oldest of the group at age 74 and Trey was the youngest at age 18.  All are Texas boys with deep roots in the hunting community.
 
     Part I – Planning.  From July to January we talked in general terms about this safari and what we would need to do to pull off a successful hunt.  It wasn’t until the annual Alamo Chapter SCI fundraiser, Hunters’ Winter Rendezvous, in January we had the opportunity to meet with several Professional Hunters from various parts of Africa.  During this two-day event each of us got to kick a lot of tires; ask a lot of questions; accumulate much literature and do some real hands on research.  After all of this was done we then measured what we had discovered or learned against our selection criteria, some of which was:
 
1. A known Professional Hunter (PH) with an impeccable reputation throughout the hunting community.
 
2. Experience of at least 10 years in the hunting and outfitting business.
 
3.  A PH that promotes fair chase hunting and does not tolerate “canned hunts”.
 
4.  A hunting operation that had access to at least 100,000 acres on which to hunt; also has access to hunting concessions in several countries, e.g. Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Libya, Mozambique, and the Republic of South Africa.
 
5.  Where hunters are provided a chance at trophy game from a large variety of game and large herds; not hunting singles or from herds with small numbers.
 
6.  A PH who could and would provide a reference list of current and former clients who would highly recommend this hunting operation.
 
7.  The PH who would take you hunting and not just shooting animals.
 
8.  A hunting operation with good equipment; well maintained facilities; one noted for excellent meals; a fleet of dependable transportation; and a courteous well rounded staff.
 
9.  The operation had to offer a diversified program that included hunting dangerous and plains game, bird hunting, fishing, tours, shopping and other  outdoor activities.  
 
10.  Political, economic, and social stability of the country was also an issue which  was addressed in much detail.  Some questions such as – are they at war? What is the level of terrorist threat in that country?  What is their track record in regard to issues favoring our country and our democratic way of life?   Those were the central issues that needed further study.                                                            
 
11.  The total cost of the hunt, with options, was formulated to determine if me and my budget minded hunting companions would be willing to fund such a hunt.
 
     After an endless number of Internet searches, e-mails, visiting with the PHs at the Hunters’ Winter Rendezvous we settled on an organization in the Republic of South Africa – Adansonia Safaris which is a partnership operation of two cousins, Mof and Louis Venter.  This operation is located in the Northern or Limpopo Province with easy access to both Botswana and Zimbabwe.  The formal address is:
 
Adansonia Safaris
Wildebeesvlakte
P.O. Box 881
Ellisras, 0555
Limpopo Province
South Africa
Phone and Fax 011 27 14 766 0112
 
The Professional Hunters are: Mof Venter, Louis Venter, & Kevin Goddard
 
The Apprentice PHs are: Derrick Reed, Carel Potgieter
 
The Trackers and Skinners are: Piet, Adam, & Meshack
 
     The Adansonia Lodge is in the Bushveld, Limpopo Province of South Africa, about 10 miles from the Botswana border.  It is about 250 miles north of the Johannesburg International Airport.
 
     The main camp consists of individual thatched chalets.  There is a large swimming pool and Jacuzzi available to the guests.  In addition to offering unlimited hunting possibilities they also offer:  Photographic Safaris to Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls and other places of interest; fishing and boat cruises on Lake Kariba and Deep Sea fishing out of Kwazula Natal. This site would be our base camp as we pursued both dangerous and plains game plus some bird hunting.
 
     Part I – Preparation.  In addition to the routine duties of coordinating hunting dates, game selection, arranging transportation, deciding on which clothes were appropriate, what guns would be most effective, what other equipment would be necessary to make this a successful hunting adventure – we had to start preparing our guns, equipment, and ourselves for this demanding endeavor.  I personally initiated a demanding physical fitness program that included long daily walks, swimming and various strength building exercises.  
 
     Routine trips to the rifle range and clay shooting facilities were a must.  While most of the rifle practice was done with smaller caliber rifles, the larger calibers also demanded our attention.  For this trip the group selected the following rifles:  .416 Remington Magnum, .375 H H Magnum, .300 Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, and a .300 Winchester Magnum.  The shotguns were all over and under, either Browning or Beretta and all but one were 12 gauges.  Because of the import restrictions placed on minors, in our case Trey, and the same caliber of gauge restrictions I used a 20gauge shotgun instead of my 12.  It performed well for me so I was not disappointed with this gun selection.
 
     Part II – Execution and The Conduct of the Hunt.
 
      The 17 hour flight from Dulles, VA to Johannesburg, RSA is in itself an adventure.  
As I prepared by guns for transport, I thought it wise to remove the scope from the rifle and pack it separately in my carry on backpack – Wrong thing to do! As the TSA supervisor explained to me a scope for a rifle is considered to be a rifle part and all rifle parts had to go in the belly of the aircraft.  Accordingly, I had to buy a small handbag and then check the scope through as a separate piece of luggage.  Glad we gave ourselves additional time at the airport to get everything done.
 
     Louis or Louie Venter met us when we arrived at the Johannesburg International Airport at 1230 hours on a Saturday.  We were then occupied with clearing customs. This   took some doing, but it got done.  After we were all safely checked into the Republic of South Africa we loaded into a small van with a trailer to accommodate our baggage and guns for the three and half hour trip to the hunting camp.
 
     Mof Venter, his wife Minnie, and three daughters, Jaundri, Mia, and the baby Michaela greeted us upon our arrival. We were also quickly introduced to several fellow hunters from Argentina, they were:  Carlos Elizalde and wife Ana Kenny de Elizalde, Pablo Appella, Lorena Zapatiello, Gustavo Bueno and Ferando Mugerle.  All had been in camp for several days and now were in the process of winding up their hunt.
 
     The following day at 0600 hours there was a knock on the door to wake some very weary but anxious hunters.  After a quick breakfast we reported to the rifle range where we verified our rifles.  Then the hunt was on, Ray & Ed with Mof; Scott & Trey with Louie and Henry & Gary with Kevin. Ray & Ed were going after Cape buffalo.  Both Scott & Trey and Henry & Gary had a long list of plains game they were to hunt.
 
     Hunting the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is an experience like no other.  Being one of the Big Five he comes with an attitude.  He is a dangerous game animal; aggressive, cunning and mean.  The buffalo is responsible for more hunter deaths and injuries than any other animal in Africa.
 
     As the bulls age their leadership is challenged by the younger bulls until they have reached the age they can no longer command the dominant position with in the herd.  They are then pushed from this leadership position and become somewhat aloof.  Occasionally you may see this older bull mature bull again challenging the younger one but these battles are generally mock or short lived.  The older bull being rejected makes him more aggressive and less tolerant of his surroundings. When a bull becomes this aggressive he earns the name of “Dugga Boy”.  The area that we would be hunting had these older animals that still tried to associate with a herd, but were being rejected.  These herds numbered about 30 to 40 buffalo each.
 
     Mof, Ray with his .375 Browning, Ed with his .416 Sako, and Piet the ever so knowledgeable tracker headed out in a Toyota Land Cruiser.  We used this vehicle to search for the herd or a good spoor.  Once the fresh spoor was located we dismounted the vehicle and began to track and walk until we came upon the herd.  Then the stalk began.
 
     As Mof checked the wind direction I searched the terrain for protection of any kind – climbable or large trees, anthills or fallen trees – there was nothing else from which to seek cover.  As we approached the herd we saw a Dugga Boy sparring with a younger bull.  They were kicking up a lot of dust as they thrust at each other in mock battle.
 
     We tracked this herd for about 20 minutes before Mof determined that the herd was moving off to our right and the wind was no longer in our favor.  We slowly began to retreat to the tree line and called for the truck to pick us up. While that stalk did not work for us I knew that we had plenty of time to make other attempts during the three days I had allocated for this hunt.
 
     While all of this was going on Scott & Trey were busy collecting a blesbuck and wildebeest.  Henry & Gary collected a gemsbuck and a blesbuck.  They also came across a crippled blesbuck that had to be dispatched.  He had been shot with a small caliber rifle that left him badly hurt.  From my understanding of the events of that day, Gary made the shot of the day when he collected the blesbuck at a range greater than 250 paces with his .300 Winchester Magnum.
 
     Our next attempt to collect a Dugga Boy was also a disappointment because when we located this herd they had collected near a water hole and were fairly tightly grouped together to the point should we take a shot and either get a pass through or a miss we could harm others in the herd.  So again we slowly retreated back to the wood line to watch and wait to see if the herd would give us an opportunity to challenge the Dugga Boy.
 
     I should point out that during the tracking and walking phases of the hunt – things are somewhat normal, meaning the pulse, heart, and breathing rates approach being normal.  Once the stalk begins and you realize that only some sparse brush and medium high grass are the only things between you and 2,000 pounds of absolute trouble – everything takes on a whole new perspective.  Knees become very weak, pulse, heart, and breath rates rapidly increase; the mouth becomes as dry as the dessert; and the mind begins to build what to do scenarios should this or that occur.  
 
     Earlier I mentioned that during the preparation phase that I shot bolt-action rifles in rapid-fire exercises until I became somewhat proficient should that become necessary.  What I failed to mention was -- in my recent research I discovered that most strong Cape buffalo bulls required over four rounds from a large caliber rifle before he realizes that he is dead and would give up.  Accordingly, I had to develop a mental attitude that dictated that I would stand and shoot as long as there was danger, stopping long enough to reload if necessary and then again pick up the shooting should it be required.  This training really paid off.
 
     I would say that most hunters of dangerous game prefer to hunt with a large caliber double rifle as opposed to any other kind of rifle.  Some of the more popular calibers are the .416, .458, .470, .475, .500 & .600 Nitro Express.  These double rifles are really two rifles in one because each barrel and working mechanism is totally independent of the other.  This of course increases the dependability as well as the cost.  A good double rifle can and does bring high dollars. The main reasons for hunting with lesser rifles is generally the cost of a double rifle coupled with the number of times that a rifle might be used.  In a truly tight situation the decision not to use a double rifle could be dangerous to one’s health, as you will later read.
 
     Another part of Preparation that I failed to mention was who was shooting as primary and who was shooting as backup.  Ed was to shoot first and following Mof’s instructions I was to shoot upon hearing the report of Ed’s rifle.  We were to continue to fire until the buffalo was down and then be prepared for what may follow from the rest of the herd.
 
     We spotted this herd grazing and moving to our left.  A herd of buffalo is noisy.  The cows grunt to their calves and they reply with loud snorts.  These big black animals graze as they walk along with their big bellies gurgling with fresh grass.  If you are quite and the wind is in your favor, you might get as close to the herd as 10 to 15 paces before being discovered by a sentry cow.
 
    Mof first considered the wind and then the cover that was minimal at best.  He decided that if we were to locate several hundred yards in front of the herd they would graze to us.  He was right on target. We took up positions in the cover of small trees and thorn bushes.  We could see the herd moving toward us as they grazed.  A Dugga Boy was at the head of the herd, but there were a couple of lesser bulls near and pushing him.
 
     From our position we could not see either to the right or left very clearly because of the thorn bush cover.  So when the Dugga Boy first appeared at about 35 paces Mof had to be sure that he was the one that we were after and we did not have a lesser bull in front of us.  A close examination of this buffalo, Mof determined that he was the one but by now he had moved beyond our position and we had no shot.  We rapidly relocated so we could again intercept the herd.
 
   We were walking and half sprinting sometimes to make up the distance between the herd and our position. We were trying to do all this very quietly, but maneuvering between the thorn bushes can be though going.  We would try to restrain the limbs as we passed by them so they would not impact on those following.  The order of our movement was originally Mof, Ed and myself, followed by our cameraman Carlos and the landowner Chris.  Some how I got ahead of Ed as we hurried to our new position and in so doing I pushed a thorn bush branch back to gain passage and it slipped off my chest and arm and caught Ed on the face.  I heard a not so flattering remark as the result.
 
     Once we were repositioned the herd continued to graze next to the brush line and moving our way.  Mof decided that the first bull was the Dugga Boy that we were after.  Again, he instructed Ed to shoot on command and that I should immediately follow – shooting should continue until the buffalo was down and then we should kneel, reload and be prepared for a violent reaction from the remainder of the herd.
 
     The best case would be for the target bull to go down and the rest of the herd would disperse once the shooting began.  The worse case would be for the remaining bulls to select targets of opportunity and charge our position.
 
     Dugga Boy walked to within 30 paces of our position.  Once identified, Mof gave the command to shoot.  As Ed settled the crosshairs on the bull’s shoulder, one-third of the way up, just as Mof had instructed he realized that we were about to initiate one of the most thrilling African safari experiences there is – you have stalked a Cape buffalo on foot into the thick stuff. You then realize why you came, why you chose to hunt the way you do.  Ed slowly applied pressure to the trigger and his .416 bucked after a perfect shot to the shoulder area.  My shot was immediate and several inches higher and to the right an inch or two.  The buffalo jumped and spun a little to the right.  Ed shot again and so did I. Both of these rounds impacted on the buffalo’s left shoulder area turning him even more to the right.  That turn put his butt toward us.  With each shot Ed and I were delivering 300 and 400 grain A-Square solids or soft points to this buffalo and all we were doing was turning him.  He would not go down.
 
     Here is when several things happened.  First, Ed tried to work the bolt on his rifle to reload and found the bolt to be jammed.  The bolt simply would not open to eject the spent round so he could force another round into the chamber.  I heard him in vain trying to reload, but I would not take my eye off of the wounded buffalo. Secondly, I still had a workable rifle and ammo, but the only shot was now at the anus since he was facing away from me.  
 
     Now that I have time to reflect back on this tight situation I find it amusing that while all of this was happening in fractions of a second – the first thing that came to mind was a whitetail deer hunt that I once had at the beginning of the deer season near Canadian, Texas sometime ago.  
 
     On opening day I was positioned near an old abandoned shed and armed with a .275 Weatherby Magnum.  A beautiful buck with 10 points appeared in the orchard that was about 125 paces from my position.  He grazed there for several minutes while I kept peeking at my watch to make sure that I did not violate the law by shooting before the legal time, sunup.
 
     Once everything was legal and in line, this buck chose to turn away from me and to slowly walk away.  I had to make the decision to either shoot or pass on this buck.  While most experts would advise that a shot of this nature be passed, I knew that I could make this shot with that .257.  It was a most accurate and flat shooting rifle.
 
    I decided to proceed with the shot and squeezed the trigger.  The bullet passed through the anus and collected his vital organs as it moved forward.  That buck dropped like a rock.  He never knew what hit him.
 
     As I approached that fallen buck he looked like a pregnant doe.  His belly and sides were greatly expanded from the energy generated by that .257 round.  When I gutted that big fellow I verified the damage caused by the .257, massive.
 
     So Dugga Boy only presented me one shot and that was the anus shot.  Again, I knew I could make this shot and after considering the damage that wounded buffalo are noted for doing to folks and also considering the short distance that separated us – I decided to take the shot and hesitate no longer.  Again, all this was happening in fractions of a second.  I thought it funny that I still had enough time to reflect on a previous deer hunt before putting another round in the buffalo.
 
     This shot was a couple of inches low and to the left, but the impact of the bullet turned the bull further to the right exposing his right shoulder area.  I pumped another round into the chamber and again fired at his right shoulder and then I heard the roar of a .458 Winchester Magnum and heard it impacting on the bull.  The bull fell dead from this final shot that was delivered by son Ed.
 
   Chris, the owner of the property on which we were hunting came along with us on the hunt and brought his .458 Winchester.  When he realized that Ed had a problem with his .416 he quickly traded rifles with him so he could continue firing while Chris cleared Ed’s rifle.  That final shot by Ed from Chris’s .458 is all that it took to bring this buffalo to the ground.  He had expired. What a wonderful animal and he will make an excellent mount.  Each time I look at that mount I am sure that I will reflect on this great hunt.
 
          Once the buffalo was down the herd did not disperse as I had expected.  Instead they gathered around the downed bull as if to offer protection or defend for him.  As the herd milled around, Mof instructed us to reload and sit or kneel in the grass.  They were about 30 paces from our position and the only thing between us was a few scrub bushed and some medium high grass.  
 
     This is when the heart, pulse, and breath rates rise rapidly.  The mouth feels as if it is full of cotton and it is hard to catch your breath.  The mind starts playing tricks and developing unwanted scenarios like – what if my weak knee fails and I can’t move?  Or what if my back takes this opportunity to again go out and I find myself almost helpless and facing 2,000 pounds of madness?  One possible problem after another races through your mind while you wait for a decision of several formidable Cape buffalo.
 
     We sat or kneeled at bay for several minutes not knowing what to expect.  Mof then contacted Piet on the radio and instructed him to drive the truck between the uneasy herd  and our position.  Once in place we sprinted about 15 to 20 paces to the truck and loaded very quickly.  We immediately left the area in hopes that the herd would finish mourning and move on.
 
     About 30 to 45 minutes later we returned to find only a small number around the downed bull.  We were able to get them to move off so we could complete the ceremony and take the prized photos.  This was a big proud bull that required much to bring him down.
 
      As we prepared the buffalo for the photo shoot, Mof, using the SCI standards of measurement for buffalos, determined that this bull with its 16” plus bosses would easily make the SCI record book.  Following the photos we all loaded into the truck for a ride back to the hunting camp.  Truthfully, it took all of my energy to climb aboard that truck.  I was truly spent.  What a hunt! What an experience to share with your son!
 
     With our main rifle malfunctioning I thought it wise to not try to hunt any more dangerous game on this hunt.  We will have to leave them until we can return to Africa.  So Ed and I spent the rest of this safari collecting birds and plains game, both are most challenging and rewarding.
 
    While all of this was going on the others in our hunting party continued to collect a variety of plains game.  Trey collected a 52” kudu while Gary collected another kudu from 150 paces.  Again, Gary required only one shot for this animal.  This is great shooting on African game because they are so hardy and stout that most often several shots are required unless the bullet is placed in exactly the correct position – something that Gary has learned to do very well.
 
     In the evening we would gather around a large open fireplace and recount the days activities.  This was the time to reflect and savor the moments that that we came to enjoy.  These digital and video cameras provide immediate viewing which generally caused a great deal of comments from members of our group.  These discussions would continue until dinner was served.
 
     Both the noon and evening meals were also something to savor.  The menus were generally from the game we had recently collected.  So it was not unusual to find gemsbuck, blesbuck, wildebeest, buffalo, warthog and other wild game skillfully prepared and served in an attractive manner.  These meals were always complimented by a large selection of South African wines.  The table talk was generally a carry over from the fireplace conversations with endless chiding about incidents that occurred during the hunt.
 
     The early morning wake up calls became harder and harder to respond to because our bodies were still not in sync with the local time.  Coupling that with the amount of physical daily activity that we were enjoying just added to the fatigue.  We all were beginning to report to breakfast a little later each day, but we somehow always seemed to make the early departure schedule for the hunting areas.
 
     On the next hunting day our production jumped to an amazing six animals.  Between Henry & Gary they collected three impalas.  Scott & Ed each got a giant waterbuck and Trey got an impala. The following hunting day produced a zebra for Ray & Gary while Trey collected a gemsbuck and hartebeest.
 
     The next day was kicked off with a bird hunt for four different species of birds or fowl, they were:  sand grouse, francolin, dove and guinea fowl.  I can say that after having driven around several days and flushing these birds I was most anxious to hunt them.  Not only are they good strong flyers they are also very tasty when properly prepared.
 
     At the outset of the hunt I outfitted our trackers who were now our “Bird Boys” with maroon Texas A&M windbreakers.  These jackets were to serve several purposes.  First, safety by making the beaters more visible on drive hunts for the guinea fowl.  Second, they did provide some additional warmth from the now chilly mornings. Third, the University of Texas alumni would enjoy watching the Aggie Bird Boys in action, all in good fun.
 
     When the shooting began I noticed that the boys were not wearing the Aggie windbreakers.  I asked Piet why and as best I could understand he told me they were to pretty for the brush.  They would wear them when they went to town.  Now can one imagine seeing three Aggie trackers running about Steenbokpan, South Africa.  What a sight to see, sorry we will miss it.
 
     The bird production from the morning hunt was as follows:
           Sand Grouse  …………     56
           Francolin ………………      3
           Dove……………………        2
           Guinea fowl…………….     8
           Total Bird Production   69
 
     Louie was the PH in charge of the hunt.  He suggested that they prepare the birds by steaming the birds off of the bone and then mixing it with them with several spices for baking.  They were served on a small pastry.  What a treat!  That afternoon after our siesta Scott collected a zebra and an African wildcat.  Henry collected a wildebeest.
 
     Friday morning started with an attempt to collect the elusive Egyptian goose.  While we attempted several methods to entice these smart birds to come within shotgun range we were not successful.  The weather was just to clear and beautiful.  The geese stayed high and refused to give us an opportunity to collect a few.  We did shoot a few doves and lesser birds as the opportunity presented itself.
 
     Later that afternoon three of us went bird hunting while the others hunted for wart- hogs or just took the afternoon off.  The bird count was:
         Francolin ……………….14
         Guinea Fowl……………10
   Total Bird Production     24
 
     Henry collected a warthog and Trey also got a handsome one that afternoon.  With the collection of these warthogs the final animal count came to 22.  While, except for the Cape buffalo, I did not delve into describing how each was collected because of the need for some brevity.  Rest assured each animal required great shooting and perhaps some tracking if the animal was only wounded.  It is hard to explain to someone who has never hunted in Africa just how strong and durable these big animals are and how much it takes to bring them down.
 
     That evening we had dinner; settled our financial obligations with Mof; cleaned and packed our guns; started the dreaded task of packing the bags for departure; said our goodbyes to all and turned in early.
 
     The next morning we departed camp at 0515 hours with heavy hearts.  Our first stop was at Nylstroom Taxidermy.  We got to meet a lot of folks and they gave us a tour of the entire facility where we got and to see a lot of animals in some phase of the mounting process.  There was also a drying and finished room that had to have several hundred mounts awaiting shipment.  So we all got to witness the mounting process from start to finish.  I heard many compliments about their work.  Am sure that all in our party felt very comfortable with the decision to have Nylstroom Taxidermy doing our mounting work.
 
    Our next stop was to buy some gifts for our family and loved ones.  This is always a challenge because you really don’t know what to buy and what will be appreciated.  The kids got animals of all sizes and the adults got jewelry and sundry items.  We were then delivered to the airport where we started out-processing through customs.  This was almost as complicated as what we went through as we entered South Africa.  The long flight home was also complicated with unexpected delays for one reason or another.
 
    In sum, this was indeed another trip and hunt of a lifetime.  The hunting was conducted in a professional manner; the accommodations, food, support and admin services were truly outstanding; and all of this was provided at a very reasonable cost.  
 
     In closing, everything was just perfect or first class.  The only shortfall was our transportation and related functions.  In view of the threat and the worldwide uneasiness in regard to terrorist activities, I do not think that traveling will ever again be as easy or as comfortable as it once was.  Accordingly, when you plan the longer trips it is suggested that you do them as independent legs and not try to make same day connections, particularly if you are traveling with guns and ammo.  And if you are lucky as I was, you will be traveling with your hunting buddies.
 
 
Ray, Ed & Dugga Boy
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Fathers & Sons on Safari in Africa