MOZAMBIQUE , AFRICA

First stop: Mozambique , Africa    August 29 through September 7, 2005

McDonald ProHunting—guide Dominque Maartens

Using my Custom Robar H&H Pre-64 .375, I call her Thelma.  Took Bushbuck, Sable, Reedbuck, Cape Buffalo, & Waterbuck.

NOTE:  We found substantial signs of poaching by locals.  This wasn’t poaching for table meat, but meat for commercial sales.  It was very disturbing to find animals in snares and to see animals in the herd with snare wires still around their necks or legs.  I doubt that this area will contain any game within the next few years.  According to what we were told, the Mozambique government does not fund any anti-poaching as they are too unstable politically.

After 3 days of hunting for Sable and not finding what I came to Mozambique looking for, I couldn’t pass up this old Bushbuck.  I took him with 1 shot of  300 gr. Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw soft point.

Finally on day 6, I got my Sable.  As we were glassing a herd at 300 yds, we couldn’t find the bull.  Then just 30 yds. to our left this bull and a cow sable jumped out of a palm thicket and I was able to make a good shot.  Again using my .375 and same ammo.

We were hoping to get my husband on a Cape Buffalo bull away from the herd, after 7 days of tracking and following buffalo, the bull never separated.  My husband elected to have me shoot, what is now my 6^th Cape Buffalo.  He took 3 shots with my .375.  The first was a .300 gr. Sledgehammer and the next 2 where soft points.  I broke his shoulder on the first shot and the herd ran off and left him for me to finish off.

With the Sable and Cape Buffalo down, I enjoyed the rest of the 10 day hunt without much pressure.  I took a Common Reedbuck on day 9.

On my last hunting day I took a representative Common Waterbuck.

BUFFALO , WYOMING

Second Stop:  Buffalo , Wyoming October 1 through 5, 2005

Crazy Woman Outfitters—guide Wade Taylor

Using my Custom Robar .308 on Ruger action, I call her Sherry.  Took Pronghorn Antelope and Rocky Mountain Mule Deer

We returned home from Africa, checked on our business, did laundry and drove directly to Buffalo , Wyoming .  This time my husband was able to get some trigger time and he bagged a Pronghorn Antelope the first morning.  As we headed to town from the ranch we were hunting, I bagged this dandy buck.  So both antelope were down before lunch October 1, 2005 opening day of season.  I again used Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, but .165 gr.  The antelope were very plentiful everywhere we traveled in Wyoming .  This guy measured just over 14” and is fairly representative of the Pronghorn from Wyoming . 

At midday the second day of deer season I flushed this 4x4 with eye guards out of a ravine.  It was a close shot, but he disappeared on us.  It took us about 20 minutes to find him; I was a wreck while we followed the blood trail, until we found him piled up.

ROSEBURG , OREGON

Third stop:  Roseburg , Oregon   October 8 through 12, 2005

Western Oregon Outfitters—guide Eric Bunn

Used my .308 (Sherry again).  Took Columbian Whitetail Deer

This was the first time in 25 yrs. anywhere in US for Columbian Whitetail, which are found in the limited, coastal habitat they share with the Columbian Blacktail.  I used my .308.  We drove directly from Wyoming through a snow storm to get to Oregon in time for my hunt!  (Note:  I do all the driving as my husband’s eyesight does not allow him to share the duty!)

The season had opened October 1 and before heading to the field I was able to see the results of some earlier hunts.  The reports were all good and all the area hunters were filling their tags.  Most of the tags on this special hunt were Landowner tags.  I was able to obtain mine through Western Oregon Outfitters and hunted with guide Eric Bunn.  Eric and his partner contracted with many of the local ranchers for landowner permits.

I took my Columbian Whitetail on the 3^rd evening of my hunt.  He was the first trophy quality buck I saw, and I couldn’t pass him up.  He was a 3x3 with 1 small kicker and with tall eye guards.

BAKERSFIELD , CALIFORNIA

Fourth Stop:  Back home to Bakersfield , California , October 18, 2005

Self guided on our property we call Remuda Ranch LLC

We headed back home to Bakersfield , California where we happen to own a section of rugged country bordering Sequoia National Forest .  Although I had missed most of the deer season already and have not harvested a deer from our own property in the 4 years we’ve owned it, before I got back to work in our business, I rushed up the mountain and bagged my first buck off our own property!!!  He was a little forked horn, but a trophy to me nonetheless!!!

What a luck gal I am and what a fantastic season I’ve had.  It will be a hard one to duplicate, but I want to try!