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Guymullins
05-14-2014, 04:12
After a four hour drive we arrived at the game farm. The good summer rains had been kind to the animals and they thrived in their thousands in the high grass. I took 3 big fat Impala and two Blessbuck and my buddy took the same with the addition of 4 warthogs (which I don't shoot). I had some puzzling problems with my Remington .375 in that it began shooting high over the backs of the game, despite being ranged in at the start of the hunt and not being jarred in any way. On going back to the range mid-hunt, I found it was shooting 17 clicks high at 100 yds. On re-setting the scope, it behaved well thereafter. Mounts were tight and it is a fairly new Leopold VX3. I used the 30-06 instead and it performed well with its ancient, and somewhat dim Weaver K4. It doesn't put the animals down with as much authority, but does the job.

Flagg
05-14-2014, 05:23
After a four hour drive we arrived at the game farm. The good summer rains had been kind to the animals and they thrived in their thousands in the high grass. I took 3 big fat Impala and two Blessbuck and my buddy took the same with the addition of 4 warthogs (which I don't shoot). I had some puzzling problems with my Remington .375 in that it began shooting high over the backs of the game, despite being ranged in at the start of the hunt and not being jarred in any way. On going back to the range mid-hunt, I found it was shooting 17 clicks high at 100 yds. On re-setting the scope, it behaved well thereafter. Mounts were tight and it is a fairly new Leopold VX3. I used the 30-06 instead and it performed well with its ancient, and somewhat dim Weaver K4. It doesn't put the animals down with as much authority, but does the job.

Awesome.

That plains game will taste good on the braai.

The thought of it makes me long for a glass of cane and orange.

cbtengr
05-14-2014, 06:16
Good for you! Is their a bag limit or is it pay as you go?

craigepo
05-14-2014, 08:17
After a four hour drive we arrived at the game farm. The good summer rains had been kind to the animals and they thrived in their thousands in the high grass. I took 3 big fat Impala and two Blessbuck and my buddy took the same with the addition of 4 warthogs (which I don't shoot). I had some puzzling problems with my Remington .375 in that it began shooting high over the backs of the game, despite being ranged in at the start of the hunt and not being jarred in any way. On going back to the range mid-hunt, I found it was shooting 17 clicks high at 100 yds. On re-setting the scope, it behaved well thereafter. Mounts were tight and it is a fairly new Leopold VX3. I used the 30-06 instead and it performed well with its ancient, and somewhat dim Weaver K4. It doesn't put the animals down with as much authority, but does the job.

That sounds like a fun hunt.

Good grief, you guys shoot some cannons!

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 08:36
Good for you! Is their a bag limit or is it pay as you go?

No bag limit. Most of the hunting here is on private land, so you bargain with the landowner for the best deals. My Impala cost me about US$80 and the bigger Blessbuck about US$100 each. Accommodation about $20 per night and provide own food.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 08:38
That sounds like a fun hunt.

Good grief, you guys shoot some cannons!

Not everyone. My favorite for larger animals is the .416 Rigby but the buddy with me this weekend used a .300 Win and a .223 for pig.

Flagg
05-14-2014, 14:01
No bag limit. Most of the hunting here is on private land, so you bargain with the landowner for the best deals. My Impala cost me about US$80 and the bigger Blessbuck about US$100 each. Accommodation about $20 per night and provide own food.

Is that a "local price" for animals in need of culling?

I did a hunt in SA back in 09 that I got a hella good deal on from an Ex Selous Scout, but no where that cheap!

I shot and ate everything I was after, bar Gemsbok.

I would love to get back for a Gemsbok and maybe an old Buff Cow in Zim if/when things ever change. And a couple of those scary looking Tigerfish.

We often see hunters paying BIG money to come down our waytoo...but the ease of hunting here means the cost is next to free as long as you have some local knowledge and a decent "bro network".

I was surprised to hear there's a spot of two in SA with Himalayan Tahr.

The Reaper
05-14-2014, 14:15
Is that a "local price" for animals in need of culling?

I did a hunt in SA back in 09 that I got a hella good deal on from an Ex Selous Scout, but no where that cheap!

I shot and ate everything I was after, bar Gemsbok.

I would love to get back for a Gemsbok and maybe an old Buff Cow in Zim if/when things ever change. And a couple of those scary looking Tigerfish.

We often see hunters paying BIG money to come down our waytoo...but the ease of hunting here means the cost is next to free as long as you have some local knowledge and a decent "bro network".

I was surprised to hear there's a spot of two in SA with Himalayan Tahr.

You can hunt Gemsbok / Oryx, Barbary Sheep, and Ibex in Texas and New Mexico.

The Gemsbok get pretty big, ~450 pounds.

Tasty, too!

TR

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 14:40
Is that a "local price" for animals in need of culling?

I did a hunt in SA back in 09 that I got a hella good deal on from an Ex Selous Scout, but no where that cheap!

I shot and ate everything I was after, bar Gemsbok.

I would love to get back for a Gemsbok and maybe an old Buff Cow in Zim if/when things ever change. And a couple of those scary looking Tigerfish.

We often see hunters paying BIG money to come down our waytoo...but the ease of hunting here means the cost is next to free as long as you have some local knowledge and a decent "bro network".

I was surprised to hear there's a spot of two in SA with Himalayan Tahr.

These are "Biltong" prices, not for trophy hunters, although you may get a trophy if you are lucky. Foreign hunters must use a Professional Hunter if they want to export their trophies, and the prices go through the ceiling then. If you come here just to shoot, I can take you on a similar hunt at similar prices, but getting trophies home will be a problem. You must remember that our Rand has been plummeting against the dollar these last few years, making everything more affordable for someone with dollars. Of course, if the full 5 star lodge with gourmet chefs and hunting only Rowland Ward of SCI animals is required, then there are many PHs who would be happy to relieve you of all your savings. Sadly, the Tahir has been completely culled from its Table Mountain refuge due to dippy conservationists who insist on only indigenous animals occupying the national parks. The Tahir has been there for over a hundred years, but they felt it must go. They feel the same way about the trout that have lived in the Cape rivers for a similar length of time. There are a few other places where one can hunt Tahir, but they are quite few now.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 14:45
You can hunt Gemsbok / Oryx, Barbary Sheep, and Ibex in Texas and New Mexico.

The Gemsbok get pretty big, ~450 pounds.

Tasty, too!

TR

Yes, you are right, Gemsbuck are good eating. We mostly make Biltong from our game meat here and and old saw says that the good roasting buck are not good for biltong and vice versa. Gemsbuck and Eland taste much like good beef, but Kudu and Blessbuck are a bit gamey and make great biltong.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 14:54
Awesome.

That plains game will taste good on the braai.

The thought of it makes me long for a glass of cane and orange.

I only make biltong and dry sausage from my game. My family loves it for snacks and school lunches. My wife is a biltong eating machine and can flatten a bless buck a week. The three boys and their many friends take care of the rest. I love cane too and drink it with anything fizzy.

Flagg
05-14-2014, 15:16
You can hunt Gemsbok / Oryx, Barbary Sheep, and Ibex in Texas and New Mexico.

The Gemsbok get pretty big, ~450 pounds.

Tasty, too!

TR

Yeah, I've heard about Texas having a rather substantial industry in exotic game parks for hunting.

Sadly the closest I've been to a Gemsbok has been the Oryx painted on the side of the Qatar Airways plane I flew on.

No joy.

Flagg
05-14-2014, 15:18
I only make biltong and dry sausage from my game. My family loves it for snacks and school lunches. My wife is a biltong eating machine and can flatten a bless buck a week. The three boys and their many friends take care of the rest. I love cane too and drink it with anything fizzy.

We've had a few Saffie fellas in the green machine here who hook us up with biltong.

There's a few biltong making businesses going here. The good stuff makes large volume commercial Beef Jerkey strips taste like dog roll in comparison.

Flagg
05-14-2014, 15:32
These are "Biltong" prices, not for trophy hunters, although you may get a trophy if you are lucky. Foreign hunters must use a Professional Hunter if they want to export their trophies, and the prices go through the ceiling then. If you come here just to shoot, I can take you on a similar hunt at similar prices, but getting trophies home will be a problem. You must remember that our Rand has been plummeting against the dollar these last few years, making everything more affordable for someone with dollars. Of course, if the full 5 star lodge with gourmet chefs and hunting only Rowland Ward of SCI animals is required, then there are many PHs who would be happy to relieve you of all your savings. Sadly, the Tahir has been completely culled from its Table Mountain refuge due to dippy conservationists who insist on only indigenous animals occupying the national parks. The Tahir has been there for over a hundred years, but they felt it must go. They feel the same way about the trout that have lived in the Cape rivers for a similar length of time. There are a few other places where one can hunt Tahir, but they are quite few now.

Shame about the Tahr......it's one of those species you REALLY have to work hard to earn....sometimes even for those with the unlimited budgets who Helo lift in above them.

I REALLY enjoyed my time in SA. Most of the time was in the Eastern Cape.

The last two on my list are Gemsbok and Buff to hunt and eat.

It would be nice to have both a Gemsbok rack and Buff(cow for cost) horns on the wall, but happy with meat in my belly!

Probably the best momento from that trip is the photos of tracking a leopard rolling up on a baboon troop.

Incidental contact with spoor while walking the ground glassing for the gemsbok I never got and other plainsgame.

We had time to burn so we pursued the leopard/baboon tracks just to see what happened(I have a strong interest in man/animal tracking) and it was like a chainsaw ripped through the troop...likely a day or two prior based on ground sign aging.

What a great trip.....and learning things like swinging a white rag over your head around the Wildebeast.

I very much look forward to getting back again someday.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 15:59
We've had a few Saffie fellas in the green machine here who hook us up with biltong.

There's a few biltong making businesses going here. The good stuff makes large volume commercial Beef Jerkey strips taste like dog roll in comparison.

I was very disappointed in jerky when I visited the USA for the first time. I had read about it in cowboy books and expected a superior biltong. I found it uneatable, but I suppose when you have set your stomach on something, and it tastes completely different to what you expected, the result is disappointment.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 16:07
Shame about the Tahr......it's one of those species you REALLY have to work hard to earn....sometimes even for those with the unlimited budgets who Helo lift in above them.

I REALLY enjoyed my time in SA. Most of the time was in the Eastern Cape.

The last two on my list are Gemsbok and Buff to hunt and eat.

It would be nice to have both a Gemsbok rack and Buff(cow for cost) horns on the wall, but happy with meat in my belly!

Probably the best momento from that trip is the photos of tracking a leopard rolling up on a baboon troop.

Incidental contact with spoor while walking the ground glassing for the gemsbok I never got and other plainsgame.

We had time to burn so we pursued the leopard/baboon tracks just to see what happened(I have a strong interest in man/animal tracking) and it was like a chainsaw ripped through the troop...likely a day or two prior based on ground sign aging.

What a great trip.....and learning things like swinging a white rag over your head around the Wildebeast.

I very much look forward to getting back again someday.
Gemsbuck do best in the dry west semi-desert or desert regions and are cheaper there too. I used to do a Springbuck hunt every year out Kimberly way and we shot the odd Gemsbuck there as well. I haven't been for a couple of years and got an invite today for the end of the month. I am hunting in the north next week, so I probably wouldn't be able to desert the family so soon again. THe Bushman in the west are super trackers and working with them is always a learning experience.
There are cheap buff available in Mozambique, but one has to work very hard for them and the malaria risk is a bit off-putting too.

mark46th
05-14-2014, 16:24
Sounds you had a like a good hunt! One of these days, I'll get over there...

cbtengr
05-14-2014, 16:36
[QUOTE=Guymullins;550739]I was very disappointed in jerky when I visited the USA for the first time. I had read about it in cowboy books and expected a superior biltong. I found it uneatable, but I suppose when you have set your stomach on something, and it tastes completely different to what you expected, the result is disappointment.[/QUOTE

What constitutes good jerky here in the U.S. is totally up to the consumer, I have had what I considered to be really good jerky and generally it comes from small town butcher shops not the stuff bought at the local Kum & Go gas station, I prefer mine to be a little thicker and chewier.

Not knowing anything about biltong I did a simple search seems that what constitutes biltong might be a bit subjective also, some of it almost looked like a whole steak. Found a simple recipe for it and will have to give making it a shot. Do you have a favorite recipe and method for making it?

Habu-MFFI 175
05-14-2014, 17:29
Nice work....lots of great meat for later.

The Reaper
05-14-2014, 18:39
Yeah, I've heard about Texas having a rather substantial industry in exotic game parks for hunting.

Sadly the closest I've been to a Gemsbok has been the Oryx painted on the side of the Qatar Airways plane I flew on.

No joy.

Those are not in exotic game parks they are roaming wild or on military bases there.

I drove from Ft. Bliss to White Sands Missile Range one night, and had to stop several times for gemsbok in the highway.

Apparently, they like the arid semi-desert environment and no longer have an apex predator there (other than man). They released less than 100 into the wild and the populations are in the thousands now.

TR

The Reaper
05-14-2014, 18:54
If I heard correctly you do not even need a hunting license in TX because they are non native animals as long as you are legal to hunt on the land ie property owner gives the Okay etc. Can you confirm this?

I heard the same thing. The New Mexicans treat them like national treasures but as soon as it crosses the invisible line into Texas, it is an invasive species and is fair game.

I would not pull the trigger without someone in the Wildlife department there confirming it though.

TR

Flagg
05-14-2014, 19:21
Those are not in exotic game parks they are roaming wild or on military bases there.

I drove from Ft. Bliss to White Sands Missile Range one night, and had to stop several times for gemsbok in the highway.

Apparently, they like the arid semi-desert environment and no longer have an apex predator there (other than man). They released less than 100 into the wild and the populations are in the thousands now.

TR

Wow...no kidding......

I wonder what the go is with civvies hunting them?

We have a pretty awesome chunk of training area here that is rotten with deer. We had some beautiful fresh kill venison steaks on the barbie at the end of platoon commander's course at the beginning of the year.

But the hunting there is mostly a benefit for the gang green and civvie employee supporters of the camp.

From what I could find about White Sands, it looks a little bit similar:

http://www.kiowahunting.com/gemsbok-oryx-public-land

A good deal for the locals, pricier for the non-locals.

But pretty cool....and good to know as an option since I'm up in the US every year.

The Reaper
05-14-2014, 20:41
Wow...no kidding......

I wonder what the go is with civvies hunting them?

We have a pretty awesome chunk of training area here that is rotten with deer. We had some beautiful fresh kill venison steaks on the barbie at the end of platoon commander's course at the beginning of the year.

But the hunting there is mostly a benefit for the gang green and civvie employee supporters of the camp.

From what I could find about White Sands, it looks a little bit similar:

http://www.kiowahunting.com/gemsbok-oryx-public-land

A good deal for the locals, pricier for the non-locals.

But pretty cool....and good to know as an option since I'm up in the US every year.

I would look to hunt them in Texas.

TR

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 23:22
[QUOTE=Guymullins;550739]I was very disappointed in jerky when I visited the USA for the first time. I had read about it in cowboy books and expected a superior biltong. I found it uneatable, but I suppose when you have set your stomach on something, and it tastes completely different to what you expected, the result is disappointment.[/QUOTE

What constitutes good jerky here in the U.S. is totally up to the consumer, I have had what I considered to be really good jerky and generally it comes from small town butcher shops not the stuff bought at the local Kum & Go gas station, I prefer mine to be a little thicker and chewier.

Not knowing anything about biltong I did a simple search seems that what constitutes biltong might be a bit subjective also, some of it almost looked like a whole steak. Found a simple recipe for it and will have to give making it a shot. Do you have a favorite recipe and method for making it?

I shoot so much in a season that I take all my meat to a butcher to process into biltong and dried sausage nowadays. He uses the long muscles to make biltong and all the rest is trimmed and ground to make dry sausage. A good recipe is to be found here http://www.biltongmakers.com/biltong13_recipes3_connoisseur.html and the most important item is a dryer. You can make one cheaply as laid out here http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/home-how-to/diy-projects/reader-projectcut-and-dried/ In the old days, the biltong would be hung on a porch on the cool side of the house, but tho dripping can be messy and flies become a nuisance. By the way, our spice we call Coriander is dried and roasted cilantro seeds over there. To get dollar prices, divide the Rand price by ten. I am sure the components can be bought even cheaper in the Land of the Free.

Guymullins
05-14-2014, 23:30
I would look to hunt them in Texas.

TR

A wounded Gemsbuck can be a bastard. Those horns can skewer you in a millisecond. An SA hunter last week was stabbed through the eye socket and out the side of the scull by a "dead" gems buck. He has survived but will find his depth perception gone. Many a hunter has been ripped up by a flick of the very powerful neck of a downed Gemsbuck. Here is an SCI I shot near Kimberly a few years ago.