All the way from Cochrane, Alberta in Canada, it was great to once again welcome Gene & Sharon Skappak for a couple of weeks on a Big game & antelope safari in South Africa ….. Wow! What a humdinger this hunt turned out to be! Johan & Andries took Gene and Sharon up north of the country to Johan’s concession that is boarded by Letaba and the Kruger National park. Mthimkulu camp boasts 40km of river front where all the game is free roaming as they cross between the Kruger and Letaba areas. Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Hippo, Croc are plentiful … A hunters paradise to say the very least and the trophy quality is amazing!! Gene & Sharon rounded off their trip with a visit down to our Northern Cape areas for some fantastic plains game hunting with old friend, PH Strauss Jordaan. Gene and Sharon have already booked for 2013 which is absolutely wonderful. Feast your eyes on an array of superb trophies, with the whole hunt also being expertly captured on film by HP Productions filming crew Hannes Pienaar & Scott Jurgens …. Incredible footage!!
Taken at only 17 paces with aKrieghoff 500-416 double rifle, a perfect frontal brain shot!! Gene gave the nod on this big old Elephant Bull with 1 tusk that is estimated to be 70lbs! A heck of a hunt and a great bull to take …. Excellent sportsmanship!
Although permits are limited, big Hippo are plentiful in the Letaba River.
Sharon & Gene pose with a brute!
Ooo! La! La! And what do we have here!! Jip, it is a 46 inch monster Buff taken by Sharon – Her very first animal ever!!! Let us tell you, that this Buffalo and the hunt surrounding the taking of this bull, is a very, very, strong contender for Trophy of the year 2012 ….. Watch this space!
Here are a few words that Sharon shared with us:
Johan and Andries were instrumental in not only talking me into hunting the buffalo, but making it one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Of course I also have to give credit to my husband Gene for his part in encouraging me to step out of my boundaries and provide me with the opportunity which was absolutely awesome…. Wow!
Gene, Johan, Andries and Sharon taking a little well deserved time out from hunting and trying their hand at some Tiger fishing.
Gene & Sharon are dwarfed by this huge Baobab tree which is absolutely incredible.
Johan and Gene sit on the embankment of the great Letaba River.
Mthimkulu Camp that borders the Kruger National Park & Letaba …..Rustic, wild at night with Lion and Hyena calling around the camp, which is very comfortable with great food and the good old fashioned walk and stalk hunting.
Sun set in Africa – Thank you Johan and Andries for your Professionalism and dedicated, loyal guidance to Gene & Sharon. You men are the salt of the earth and you make WJVS proud Outfitters.
A special trophy that Gene always wanted to hunt was a Roan Bull. Gene & Sharon pose with a huge bull taken with one shot that dropped the old warrior dead in his tracks!
Taken from the shooting sticks, this big Red Lechwe is a heck of a trophy.
The quality of trophies that are starting to come off our Gamagara hunting area is amazing …. Check this Red Hartebeest Bull of almost 26 inches …. Yo!
PH Strauss & Gene with Common Springbok.
Black Springbok.
Copper Springbok.
White Springbok – Gene completes his “grand slam” of all 4 Springbok with Strauss (just for you Andries!)
A family of Giraffe.
After a long, hard day of hunting, there is nothing that impresses our hunters more, when you come around a bush and there is Willem and his “Oasis Bar” out in the middle of the sand dunes at Thuru! Ahhhhh Cheers!!!!!
Thank you Gene & Sharon, you are a remarkable couple and we are honored to have you as our clients and friends. See you in Reno in January and back in Africa for yet another exciting and exhilarating Safari in 2013 – Tell Harry that we say ………………………………BOO!!
Hey Viv Diesel great dialogue! We have to save our money in 2013, so we can afford you in 2014 when we have actually booked our hunt. We look forward to Calgary and Reno in 2013. We are fishing with Harry in July and will send him your BOO!! The pictures are great and it is one of the best hunts we’ve had to date! Please send our regards to Strauss, Andries, Ivan, Hannes, Scott and Wiaan. Send us a picture of the lean, mean, machine in his Skappak Farms jacket! Regards from Sharon and Gene.