28 Days to AFRICA!!

[MAD DOG]

In 28 days, I leave for my first African hunting and fishing trip.
I am about coming out of my skin with anticipation over this.
I am to be the guest of Aubrey Moore, a South African customer of mine that has, over the last year, become a close friend as well.
It won't be a pro hunter guided package hunt thing, but rather two weeks in the African bush with some African good ol' boys.
I can't think of a better way to see and experience the real Africa.

I fly into Jo'berg, and then we four wheel drive all the way across the Kalahari and Namib deserts into northern Namibia.
There, we will be hunting on a 500 hectare private ranch (5 million acres) outside of Otchiwarongo. Kudu and Oryx are the intended game, as well as the odd warthog. After the hunt, we will chill for a few days on the Namibian coast at Hentges Bay, where we will be subjected to what I am told is the best sport fishing in the world.

I intend to take lots of pictures, and keep a notebook of the trip.
I am very excited about this, having dreamed of hunting Africa since I was but a pup.

 

[Art Eatman]

Neato!

Huntin' with the locals is as good as it gets. I know the area only from such as the National Geographic, but it all looks real interesting.

Looking forward to the pics and stories...

, Art

 

[Erik]

I want a 5 million acre ranch...

No fair.



I'll bet you're looking forward to it!

[This message has been edited by Erik (edited June 01, 2000).]

 

[Jeff, CA]

What sort of hardware will you be using? I've heard Namibia + oryx = long shots.

I'm not greedy - I'd settle for 3 million acres.

 

[Rob Pincus]

Hardware?
Christ Man!.. this the 'dog you are talkin' to....

You know he is only taking two knives...one for killin' & one for cleanin'

------------------
-Essayons

 

[gunmart]

good luck.btw what rifles are you taking.

 

[MAD DOG]

Rifles are already there, due to weirdo import rules in Africa and the border issues, I can't take my American gun stuff across six borders without a Major pain in the butt. So, I will be shooting weapons provided by my hosts there.

The rifles that Aubrey has going for sure are a .308 and a .300 Win Mag, evidently both set up for long range use.
I have a sneaking suspicion that they are Remington 700 variants of some sort.
(I do not know what species they are, and do not really care. Hell, I would go bare assed with a sharp stick!)

There are other rifles on the ranch, and we will have a choice of those when we get there as well.
We will be hunting in hilly, mountainous areas, and the shots will average 150-200 yards, or so I am told.

 

[Rob Pincus]

Dog-man, I am very disappointed to hear that you'll be using rifles... but good luck anyway .

------------------
-Essayons

 

[Rich Lucibella]

Here now. What's this? Pictures returning of Mr. Dog against items of tooth and claw witha push feed?!
You're gonna love it!
Rich

 

[MAD DOG]

Actually, the pushfeed thing may not happen now, thank God. It would appear that the Remington Sendero 300 mag has screwed the pooch during a simple range session.
I just got this email from Aubrey:

****************************************
Hi MD

Broke the 300 win mag today ....should be fixed in a week or so. Bolt froze
on a spent cartridge ...broke the bolt handle off trying to lift it.... must
stop this spinach diet ;-)

Don't worry about the fishing ....I am #$%^&* myself. The good thing is that
these fish are suicidal and will actually catch themselves.

Damm party tonight and I need sleep ......

Sleepless in Africa

Aubrey
***********************************
My response (edited to remove hails of derisive laughter and the usual profanity...):

Aubrey,
Maybe you should consider getting a Winchester, They don't break!
I can just see us out in the middle of east jesus Africa, trying to weld a bolt handle back on with nothing but a coat hanger, some detergent, and a 12 volt car battery....
I hope it gets fixed OK.
Mad Dog

******************************************

Looks like those broken bolt/extractor/etc./ad nauseum Remington 700 problems that I had brought up in the LOOOONG thread on the merits of 700s VS Winchesters/Mauser types was not just a hallucination after all.

I have recommended that he get a couple of Winchesters, or anything else that has "proper" construction, so as not to be severely disappointed when the rubber meets the road.
I will nevertheless hunt with the Remingtons
(or a rock, slingshot, pointed stick, whatever!) if need be, because I ain't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.




[This message has been edited by MAD DOG (edited June 03, 2000).]

 

[Art Eatman]

MAD DOG, everybody does indeed need a good luck charm for those endeavors wherein Lady Luck plays a part.

But puhleeze: No cigars?

, Art

 

[MAD DOG]

Cigars will definitely be along. Cigars will definitely get smoked. Cigars will also be used to torture captured game into divulging the whereabouts of their friends with larger trophy racks.

However, I will make a point of removing them from my mouth while actually hunting, getting photographed, or otherwise doing things where a stogie would be considered (by sane folks, not Rich) to be supernumerary.

I will also have with me the usual complement of dry dog food, just in case we run out of biltong.