Back from a Dream Hunt in Namibia

[Arrow4Christ]

Just recently returned from an incredible 8 days in Namibia at Damara Dik Dik Safaris with my dad. I can’t say enough about how incredible the experience was by every measure — from the guiding by Julio Lopes, to the property (free range, 10k acres with amazing variety in terrain), to the animals, to the accommodations, to the food, to the staff, to the company.

I’m posting the more detailed story of each animal to my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/craiggrounds/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==) and Facebook (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...uw2NzLUvELnjB25oP7Z2kiWAePxc7Fw26Ndkez2ig344DkTil&id=1582493520&mibextid=wwXIfr) profiles, but I was able to take 6 trophies, my dad 5, and we each also took a few cull animals.

On day one, dad executed a perfect shot on a big old impala, and I was able to take an old black wildebeest not 30 minutes later as light faded from the same blind.




We were again successful on day 2, with dad making another perfect shot on a blue wildebeest, and me taking one of my longtime dream animals — a mature kudu — with a perfect 37 yard shot from an elevated blind.




Day 3 was gemsbok day — dad took his ancient one with another perfect shot in the morning.



I was determined to take a gemsbok spot and stalk, and Julio and I were able to make a great stalk into 30 yards for a quartering away shot on a very large, mature bull in the more mountainous area of the property. The shot was well placed, but bizarrely deflected up into the bull’s spine, resulting in a quick drop, but he was up before I could make a follow up shot. We gave him a few hours before taking up his track, and what followed is one of the greatest adventures of my life where Julio, two of his great trackers, and I followed the gemsbok through thick brush into the evening — eventually tiring him out for an effective follow up shot. This is the toughest animal I’ve ever hunted and I do not have a trophy I treasure more




We focused on eland the rest of the trip, but Julio put me on a great springbok with an injured leg the next day. I spent some time stalking him on the plains, finally closing the distance to 76 yards after ducking behind a large ant hill. I executed a great, double lung shot that put him down within 10 seconds — during which he amazingly ran over 300 yards in a circle on 3 legs.




Two days later, dad made another perfect shot on a great springbok of his own.

 

[Samson7x]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Gemsbok are certainly tough animals and their vitals are even farther forward than a lot of other plains game.

 

[Arrow4Christ]

On the second to last night, we closed the deal on a great eland. I shot him at 20 yards from a pop up blind on a well used trail. My initial shot should have center punched the heart and put the eland down quickly, but it bizarrely deflected rearward and exited far behind the entrance despite the eland being perfectly broadside on the shot. Luckily, Julio and I were able to exit the blind and make a short stalk for a perfect, 50 yard follow up shot from my knees.



I shot a 73# Hoyt RX-9 Ultra drawn to 29 7/8” with 435 grain Sirius Orion arrows tipped with Evolution Hyde broadheads. Dad shot a 50# PSE Mach 34 drawn to 30.5” with 450 grain Sirius Gemini arrows tipped with Tuffhead 3-blade broadheads.

This only scratches the surface of an incredible adventure that featured baboons using our aluminum blind as a jungle gym, still hunts through the mountains, laughs, and amazing food and company. If I am lucky enough to go back to Africa for another plains game hunt, I will definitely be a repeat client of Damara Dik Dik.

 

[CMF]

Thats Awesom!

 

[PRCPharaoh]

Congratulations! You guys harvested some amazing animals. Your eland and gemsbok are both studs.