2023 Hunting Adventures Recap

[Desk Pop]

The Vaal rhebok are now my favorite African plains game species to hunt. It is a somewhat specialized deal because their distribution is such that typically you don't just run into them like many other species. They are spooky as hell, run like a Greyhound and are just neat and unique.

Two interesting facts: they're fur is the same as a rabbits, and Reebok shoes are named after the species.

The mountains also held mountain reedbuck. These are an unappreciated species, in my opinion. Not as skittish as the Vaalies, but a worthy quarry I'd hunted before and was happy to pursue again.

 

[Nick87]

@deskpop wgat are you shooting those smaller antelope sized animals with? Just curious.

 

[Desk Pop]

@deskpop wgat are you shooting those smaller antelope sized animals with? Just curious.

So, on this hunt my buddy and I decided to use rifles my PH had. Traveling internationally with firearms has taken the same turn as drawing hunting tags in the past 20 years: it just gets more and more difficult. It used to be you just showed up with your gun and 4457 and got on the plane...now it is more complicated. Our fear was losing hunting days with the hassle, and the route to take firearms was more expensive because when you fly with a gun, you have to rule out quite a few layover connection countries.

Anyway, we used .300 win mags for most everything, because that's what he had. For the vaal rhebok, they are a good round because they do ok in high wind and they are tough little animals. Anything you'd use on a sheep hunt would be good. I was worried using someone else's rifle for a mountain hunt, but once I got there and we shot his rifles we knew they shot plenty straight. I used a 12-gauge for the blue duiker, which is driven by beagles and like shooting a running jackrabbit (8-pound antelope).

Some of the pygmy antelope I've shot with 30-06. One of the best rounds for some of the brush dwelling pygmy antelope is a .375 with a solid in the chamber....slow moving round that just punches a pencil sized hole. But for Vaalies and klipspringer, the shots are long and often in wind so you need more precision.

 

[Nick87]

So, on this hunt my buddy and I decided to use rifles my PH had. Traveling internationally with firearms has taken the same turn as drawing hunting tags in the past 20 years: it just gets more and more difficult. It used to be you just showed up with your gun and 4457 and got on the plane...now it is more complicated. Our fear was losing hunting days with the hassle, and the route to take firearms was more expensive because when you fly with a gun, you have to rule out quite a few layover connection countries.

Anyway, we used .300 win mags for most everything, because that's what he had. For the vaal rhebok, they are a good round because they do ok in high wind and they are tough little animals. Anything you'd use on a sheep hunt would be good. I was worried using someone else's rifle for a mountain hunt, but once I got there and we shot his rifles we knew they shot plenty straight. I used a 12-gauge for the blue duiker, which is driven by beagles and like shooting a running jackrabbit (8-pound antelope).

Some of the pygmy antelope I've shot with 30-06. One of the best rounds for some of the brush dwelling pygmy antelope is a .375 with a solid in the chamber....slow moving round that just punches a pencil sized hole. But for Vaalies and klipspringer, the shots are long and often in wind so you need more precision.

That's very interesting stuff.

 

[Desk Pop]

That's very interesting stuff.

I've been surprised that shooting things like grey duiker and steenbok that a .30 cal doesn't make it explode.

Behind the shoulder the damage isn't too crazy.

 

[Nick87]

I've been surprised that shooting things like grey duiker and steenbok that a .30 cal doesn't make it explode.

Behind the shoulder the damage isn't too crazy.

All in the bullet if you can stay off bone ime.

 

[Desk Pop]

That's very interesting stuff.

I took this steenbok in Namibia on my first safari in 2005 with a 30-06 150 grain Core-lok at 200 yards behind the shoulder. I was shocked that it didn't just explode. They are tiny.

 

[Nick87]

I took this steenbok in Namibia on my first safari in 2005 with a 30-06 150 grain Core-lok at 200 yards behind the shoulder. I was shocked that it didn't just explode. They are tiny.View attachment 321997

7-08 and I definitely hit bone. 140 gr. SST

 

[Desk Pop]

7-08 and I definitely hit bone. 140 gr. SST

View attachment 321998

Jeez. Looks like you used a belt-fed full auto..

 

[Nick87]

Jeez. Looks like you used a belt-fed full auto..

I was suprised and disappointed all at the same time. Not sure exactly what happened. I've taken that quartering to several times in the past. Will do it again probably not with that bullet again though.