My wife Barbara and I made our first trip to South Africa in 2001. Back in 1997 I came down with a severe case of R.A. and after we finally got me mostly up and running again we decided to do some things while we still could, and Africa was one of these things. We bought our first hunt at a Safari Club fund raiser in 1999 for $500. This hunt was for a Nyala and was three days, total value was around $3500. Now we knew this hunt would have to be extended and at the following years fund raiser we met the out fitter, Steff Swenepole, owner of Numzaan Safaries and extended our hunt to 15 days. Ten would be hunting and the other five sight seeing including Kruger park. At that years New England fund raiser we got another auction hunt for $1,100, this was for ten days for one hunter and one non hunter. With these two hunts back to back we were on our way or so we thought.
I wanted to test the cartridge I developed, the .366 DGW and this seemed the chance. Barb and I walked one to two miles a day three or four days a week through our woods getting ready for our safari. We were to leave on August 14 2001, Around a month before things changed!!!! First, I found out I had testicular cancer! (Had to loose the right one but one left is fine!) My doctor told me to cancil the trip, I could have one of three types of cancer and one was fatal! I told him know way, worst the scenario the more positive I was to go! I had come this far, this was not going to rule my life!!!!
14 days before the trip I had surgery and five days before we left I found out that the cancer I had was the easiest to treat and cure. Knock on wood I am still cancer free! Four days before the safari Barb gets a chemical burn, not really bad but we worry about infection. One day before we go Barb breaks a tooth it is Sunday and no dentist available. Now since a sharp edge was cutting her cheek, but no pain and since I have worked with horses and knew about "floating" teeth I had an idea. We went into the shop and I took one of the triangular stones used for trigger jobs and did a bit of "floating" to debur the sharp broken tooth. Barb said it felt much better but just in case I broke the stone in half and had her take one half in her purse.
Now to make a long story short our guns and lugage got lost, compliments of American Airlines. We finally got it our second day in Africa and oh yes I forgot to mention, Barb did not want to go, But I told her I loved her and this was somthing special and dragged her along. One more thing, she had said she did not want to get married untill we could go some where special for a honey moon. Well three days before we left we got married after a fifteen year engagement.

This pictuer is of the first critter I got in Africa, a 25.75" Impala taken with my P.H.s rifla, a .338 Win mag Ruger 77. By the way, that spot far back is not where I hit him, that is mud, if you look really close you can see the entrance hole about one third up, ablve the joint in the front shoulder.

Jud ,
I loved all your posts on the old site with your pictures . We also have a Africa forum down below in the " Out side the US " . I bet you dont know who I added that one for lol .

Don

Jud,
Fantastic Story.... Thanks for posting it.... Sorry for all the troubles, but it looks like all turned out great. We would love to see some more Africa Pics.... Welcome to the new site!

Don, can you put my first post in the African section?

Jud ,
If you are talking about this one I can . Only if you want it to move . It can stay here .

Let me know . These guys will flip if you post the other pics of game you took in Africa .

Don

Don, I was talking to the post showing the Impala. I posted about the hunt a few minuits ago and am going to try to do a post every day or so covering each day of our hunts and including a picture or so if you think people woulf find it intresting.

Congratulations and great stories! I’ve recorded with my DVR every show on TV Benelli, Nugent, Safaris Hunter Journal, &.…. for years just for African hunts. I will make it one day and I want to hunt a gemsbuck and warthog more then anything. Well I also have a wish list here to like a brown bear, high county mule deer or elk, and a bison.