2022 South Africa hunt with Tsala Safaris

[gillettehunter]

Day 5
Last day with Tsala. Goes by too fast. Out early. Saw a large sable. One of their breeders. Caught up to a couple of Impala trying to fight. The only problem was the fence between them. They can be so single minded. Janus wanted to break them up. Wouldn't want them to tangle their horns in the fence. They were so focused on race other that they moved away from the truck but did it while facing each other and going up the fence line. We pushed them probably 50 yds before they separated!
Saw some cow buffalo.
Some Egyptian geese and a few warthogs. The Texas guys found a shooter kudu but couldn't close the deal.
I think Janus was getting nervous. We hadn't killed anything the past 2 days and weren't seeing anything I really wanted. Back for lunch.

 

[gillettehunter]

 

[gillettehunter]

After lunch I told Janus if we could find a good black Impala then I'd shoot one of them. They are a interesting color phase of Impala. So off we go. We were going to go where we had seen a particularly good ram before, but Rouan was headed that way. So we headed elsewhere. Which worked out great for us.
At a road intersection I looked up and spotted 2 black Impala Anya common. We backed up and looked. The black ram was a nontypical. One horn was normal and the other wonky. I could tell the normal horn was perhaps 17-19 inches. The other shoots off to the side. I said let's take him. We backed up out of sight. Then the cat and mouse game began.
We started up the shoulder of the 2 track out of sight. The he walked into the bush. We moved up to try and get into position. One of the others crossed the road. We eventually set up on the tripod in the middle of the road. His curiosity killed him. He had to look at us. Around 225 yds he stopped broadside. Boom Whoop. DRT. Didn't twitch at all. He will make an interesting mount!
I was glad to have him. This ended the hunting on day 5.
The Texas guys each got 3 animals. We shot very well. 9 kills of 1 shot each. Unfortunately that didn't continue on our next stop. I still have another 10 days of hunting to go. More later.

 

[gillettehunter]

 

[Len Backus]

Thanks for the great story.

Brings back great memories of my three photo trips to Kenya & Tanzania.

 

[Northkill]

Yes, thanks for sharing your experience with us. It does something to a fella to see and experience the world outside our own little circle. Adds a lot of perspective to life. You're a lucky man.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Nothing like Africa. I miss it too.

 

[Allen Kitts]

Looks like a great trip.
Africa definnitely gets into your blood and its a hard thing to get out. I have been twice and will be heading back in 2025. New Zealand is calling my name next year but South Africa is in my Heart.

 

[Phil09]

Great report - love the hunt details and the photos. Africa is so amazing - I'm ready to go back!! Looking forward to reading more on your trip.

 

[spladi]

You have to admire a guy who follows his dreams as has done. Quite an effort provided to all of us on this site.......Thanks

 

[tony d willIiams]

Thank you. Your words described the trip, and the great hunting experience. The photos helped to bring us to Africa.
Great job, and once again, thank you for the experience.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I will add a picture or two. The next to last is the rage to hunt in Africa. The bow hunter plate form.

 

[Hotrod617]

Thanks for the great story. I can't wait on the rest. It takes me back 4 years to my hunt in Africa. I was to go back in 2021 but Covid stopped that. I will go back someday.