Butch:
Wow, this might be the best hunt I have ever done, and certainly will be asking you to re-book me next year. After the first morning of hunting I decided to re-book, game is just everywhere.
Way ahead of schedule on animals. Shot 6 animals in the first 4 days. Only have the bushbuck and nyala left and those are best taken at the northern camp where we are going tomorrow. I have added a couple extra critters and will be over budget on trophy fees about $2500.00 if I do shoot the nyala and bushbuck. I will send you a check for the extra critters as soon as I get home, want you to handle all money transactions with Andrew of course.
The extra critters – took a nice fallow deer buck that was not too beaten up from the rut. Also have asked to hunt bushpig at the northern camp, as you know they bait and do that at night. Also decided to bust a baboon and get it full body mount – Karoo is reasonable on that mounting fee and trophy fee is only $350.
Have not missed anything (except the first shot at a 335 yard baboon) and have not wounded anything, so far so good.
Will say the guide is letting me use is .300 H&H magnum but he is using a light 165 Hornady GMX all copper designer bullet. I am not impressed with its performance on heavier animals and it almost cost me a lost Waterbuck. That light bullet hits bone and is not heavy enough to plow on through, it deflects and goes sideways. The Impala was broadside facing us, I hit the base of the neck at the shoulder, the bullet hit the neckbone and went sideways down the lenght of the body and wound up under the skin near its ass, The Waterbuck sitch was worse. He was facing us straight on, 90 yard frontal chest shot, perfect bullet placement in chest at base of the neck. A heavier 180 grain lead bullet would have raked him from stem to stern and dropped him in his tracks. Instead the bullet hit bone, deflected, and came out the Waterbuck’s right shoulder. Bull ran almost 100 yards and we heard him thrashing and gurgling in some brush and waited 15 minutes for him to die.
Heavy animals need heavy bullets, plain and simple. I am concerned about the Nyala and sure need to make a good shot with that light bullet when we get up there.
Way over estimated the time required to kill 7 animals here. My only reference point was that Namibia hunt 13 years ago where we shot an animal about every other day. Here it is one per day average, and some days you get two. One advantage though is I am the only hunter in camp, so no competition with other guides for best hunting areas. They have their honey holes for each species and we go there each day and don’t have to wait for another hunter to kill his first.
Like coming later in the year, after the rut of course but not many other hunters and it is cooler, no snakes or bugs. Foliage is off some of the trees making visibility better.
Just wanted to thank you sending me here. Shot the first 4 animals wearing my lucky Butch Manasse hunt shirt. Give my best to Joan, will talk about 2016 when I return.
Thanks again buddy, this one is just off the charts !!
Give my best to Joan. Chris
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