Embrace South Africa’s grand romance…

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Embrace South Africa’s grand romance while on a hunting safari with the love of your life.

couple-hunters

Bring the love of your life on

  • an experience that will alter the course of your life
  • an experience where a constant sense of awe and surprise will surround you
  • an experience where you are forced to live in the moment
  • an experience that will give you a face to face encounter with nature                               [In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle ]
There is only one happiness in life to love and be loved.   The Notebook
7 Day Plains Game Hunt for 1 couple, 4 Plains Game Animals included at $4 500.

The first 10 hunts booked will be entered into a promotional draw for 1 free hunt, day rate and animals included. Air fare, taxidermy, packaging, dipping and shipping of trophies excluded. Deposit will be refunded to the selected hunter.                                     Ts & Cs apply.

Valid until: March, 9, 2015.

7 Day Hunt: $4 500 per couple [Normal price: $6 035]

Includes:                                                                                                                                                                       Day rate for 1 couple.                                                                                                                                             4 Trophy Animals – 1 Springbok or 1 Warthog                                                                                                                                    – 1 Blesbok or 1 Impala                                                                                                                                            – 1 Kudu                                                                                                                                                                          – 1 animal from the following: Gemsbok, Wildebeest (Blue or Black),                                                   Red Hartebeest

A deposit of $1000 confirms the hunt.                                                                                                               Hunt must be taken during 2015/2016.

Contact us:  Click here to email us

The hunt includes:The full services of a Professional Hunter, tracker and                                                                              skinner.                                                                                                                                                                          All transport during the safari excluding air fares and                                                                              includes pick up and return to Kimberley Airport.                                                                                      Full accommodation and 24-hour laundry service.                                                                                    All meals including snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.                                                                                Field preparation of trophies and transport to a local                                                                              taxidermist.

The hunt excludes: Air fare.                                                                                                                                                                           Fees for packaging, dipping and shipping of trophies.                                                                             Taxidermy fees.

There is so much more to a safari with us:

  • experience the breathtaking spectacle of large herds of plains game in their natural environment
  • go birding – with more than 200 species of birds, it is a birder’s paradise
  • hike the area – explore its rocky outcrops and discover pre-San and Bushman rock etchings native to the area
  • go on a photographic safari to Mokala National Park, the newest addition to South African National Parks, only 10 minutes drive away
  • tour Kimberley – an historic city and known throughout the world for its diamonds
  • enjoy an historic tour of the region including a visit to a world-class art gallery and national museum
  • let us know if there is anything else that you or your partner would like to explore or experience while in South Africa and we will do our best to make it happen for you

 

Read about Embracing South Africa’s grand romance while on safari.                                                                                                                                  

Fort Richmond – Embracing South Africa’s grand romance while on safari.                                   Article by Eric R Poole (editor: Guns & Ammo)

 

Testimonials from Couples who have hunted with us.

Click here: Testimonials from Couples

Contact us for a reference list.

 

Embrace South Africa’s grand romance while on a hunting safari with the love of your life.

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Happy New Year

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It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.       Teddy Roosevelt                 

Look at the world with wide-eyed enthusiasm and dream big.   Richard Branson

 

Gratitude Changes Everything

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Gratitude changes everything. 

Why?

Because it alters your focus.

Thankfulness redirects your attention

from your difficulties to

the benefits you enjoy.

 Gratitude bestows reference … changing forever how we experience life and the world.

   Gratitude results into positive thoughts which in turn             leads to higher productivity, more creativity and being           better equipped to cope with challenges.

   Gratitude draws people together, builds trust and                      strengthen ties which are important in relationships. 

 

 

 

The holy grail of Kudu – at last his on his 10th Safari.

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We were honored to have Manuel back for his 10th trip with us at Fort Richmond Safaris and a very special hunt it was indeed.

 We headed to the Kalahari for the hunt and after encountering difficult conditions hunting for Sable, we were about to throw in the towel. The concession outfitter suggested that we hunt on a neighboring property where they are plentiful. On our way to the neighboring property the next morning, I noticed something in the road ahead of us. As we got closer, we realized it was a monster Kudu bull. Not knowing whose property is was, we continued down the road and watched as the bull hopped the fence on its way. On arrival at our destination we discussed the huge Kudu we saw earlier. The farm owner almost choked on his breakfast from excitement and said, “That’s our cattle farm, we know of two big bulls there that are close to 55 inches!”  Manuel turned pale at the thought of  missing out on the opportunity of such a huge Kudu. I asked if we could go and look for it on which the farmer replied, “Yes, although it’s probably long gone by now”. We left in a rush. I tried not to get Manuel’s hopes up too high and downplayed the situation by saying the bull might not actually be that big, although I knew it was the biggest bull I’d ever laid my eyes upon! As we came around a corner on the road, we saw what we were looking for; about 500 yards ahead and walking slowly forward was the Kudu bull. We hopped off the vehicle and moved stealthily from brush to brush and tree to tree – all the while keeping as low as possible. We came around the side of a tree and there the bull was, just 150 yards away and looking straight at us!

BOOM! Manuel needs no prodding from me, as we have hunted together many times – which affords us a certain bond in the bush. The bull jumped high and landed with a crash. “Perfect!” I yelled, Manuel had done it again – breaking both front shoulders, right above the heart. We hugged and laughed, walking closer to get a good look and the nearer we got the bigger this bull became.

 After taking what felt like a million photos, we took the monster bull to the skinning shed where he taped out at an amazing 60 inches! We were both close to tears and hugged again, I knew what this meant to Manuel, his last Greater Kudu and a perfect Kudu to end his amazing collection! The Holy Grail of Kudu was at last his! From all of us here at Fort Richmond we say: “Thank You, Manuel! You deserve it!”
“We took the monster bull to the skinning shed where he taped out an amazing 60 inches! We were…

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The following quote describes Manuel as a hunter to us:

 I do not hunt for the joy of killing but for the joy of living, and the inexpressible pleasure of mingling my life however briefly, with that of a wild creature that I respect, admire and value.      John Madson

Thank You, Manuel for allowing us to be such a big part of your hunting life.

Manuel and Geoffrey Wayland with his 60 inch Greater Kudu.

 

Pure Joy – Scott Lamphere’s Hunt

Visiting Hunters

  There is so much more to a hunt…

Fellowship      Friendship       FUN  

Character Development from encountering difficult situations

                   JOY  

 Beauty   – beauty of the experience;                                                         - beauty of nature

Join Scott Lamphere on his hunt with Fort Richmond Safaris in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

When Scott phoned me in the middle of the night in 2013, his first words to me were, ‘Can you get me close to an Nyala?’ I immediately replied: ‘For sure, I can!’ After lots of planning via email and many hours of travel, I picked Scott up at the Port Elizabeth Airport for his hunt in the Eastern Cape. It was not long before Scott took a beautiful old Bushbuck ram with an impeccable shot and soon after a lovely Blue Duiker too. Time flies when you’re having fun and we found this to be so true. Although we’d been out looking for Nyala a few times, we were without luck. On the fourth morning, as we were driving up a ridiculously steep hill, we heard a tap on the roof of the Land Cruiser accompanied by shouts to stop. Three bulls were coming down the hill to the left. We prepared ourselves quickly, packed some water, Scott checked his rifle and ammo and we were off. Trekking through thick bush isn’t easy, it can wear you out in just a couple of hundred yards and making a clean shot as well as picking the right animal in the herd can also be very challenging. Luckily as we got closer, it became a little less dense and as the Nyala bulls came down the hill, the more scattered they seemed to become! We squatted down behind some shrubs and waited… After what seemed like an eternity to Scott, they started appearing! “Hold on”, I said, “there are more coming!”. Just then more Nyala started appearing before us and walking in single file down the last stretch of the hill, just below the crest. “I saw him”, I whispered to Scott. I continued to explain that he would only have one shot at this, through a small opening in the bush. I helped Scott get setup on his bi-pod. Suddenly, the first young bull appeared. “That one?” Scott whispered anxious to get his Nyala. “No!” I said, “wait! I’ll count you through them”. Then came a female, followed by another young bull and a calf. The wait was almost excruciating! All of a sudden, Scott’s bull stepped into the opening and stopped. I whispered, “Take him!” and all within a heartbeat Scott squeezed the trigger, BOOM! After Scott’s 300 Weatherby Mag went off, it took us a moment to regain our senses and Scott exclaimed, “Did I connect?” and my reply came almost simultaneously: “Perfectly!”.

The look in Scott’s eyes at that moment is the reason we do what we do as Proffesional Hunters and Outfitters in Africa. PURE EMOTION, PURE JOY! Racing from moments of sadness to an absolute and overwhelming feeling of accomplishment in an instant and yet it feels like an eternity at the time. “We got him, that’s why I came back – for that animal and we got him!” Scott and I just sat there for a while and soaked in the sun, replaying the beauty of the experience in our minds quietly. It was one of the best hunting moments I have experienced. I will really treasure it and my time spent with Scott in the Eastern Cape for many years to come and many more Nyala hunts.  Geoffrey Wayland

To the Bushbuck, Blue Duiker and Nyala, Scott added a Vaal Rhebok, Common Reedbuck, Red Lechwe, Oribi and Klipspringer. (pictures below)

Scott with his Bushbuck.

Scott with his Blue Duiker.
The ever elusive Vaal Rhebok.
Scott and Geoffrey with Scott’s Common Reedbuck.

Scott with his Red Lechwe.

Scott and I just sat there for a while and soaked in the sun, replaying the beauty of the experience in our minds quietly.
Scott and I just sat there for a while and soaked in the sun, replaying the beauty of the…

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 Scott with his Oribi.

Remember always:

‘Wonderful things will never happen, if you do not make them happen.’        

                                                                                                                                                                                      

2013 in pictures.

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2013 at a glance – what a treat

  treat  [n] :  extravagance, pleasure, delight

  • Trijicon brought a group of outdoor writers to hunt!
  • We welcomed a client for his 3rd hunt with us!
  • We welcomed a client for his 10th hunt with us!
  • A new group hunted with us from Michigan!
  • A couple hunted with us from Iowa!
  • A father and son hunted with us from Michigan!
Each hunt was so different – with such unique hunters and different dynamics – very exciting.
It was an honor to have each of these hunters hunt with us at Fort Richmond, where master hunters have stalked their prey for centuries!
There will be an individual Blog Post for each of these hunts during the next few weeks; in no particular order. 

Enjoy the Picture Gallery.

Kudu – the Grey Ghost of Africa, always a challenging and hard hunt.

Zebra (Burchell’s) – an equally hard hunt.

Richard Mann
Len Waldron
Richard Mann
Manuel Thies
Tim Hill
Steve Hill

 

 

 

 

James Blondo
Steve Hill
Len Waldron and Geoffrey Wayland
Eric Poole

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Mann 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corey Russell and Geoffrey Wayland

Eric Poole hunting in Africa

History / Romance,

Congratulations Eric – new editor of Guns and Ammo!

 It was such a privilege to have you to hunt  with us earlier this year. You had us in  stitches of laughter so often and your  dedication, thorough research and  enthusiasm will stay with us for many years  to come.

Richard Mann from ‘The Empty Cases Blog’ shared this:

The new editor of Guns & Ammo is Eric Poole. The reason this is good news is that Poole is one of the most passionate gun owners and the most passionate editor in the gun writing industry. I know Poole’s back-story; it’s incredible. And, if you are lucky enough, some day he’ll share his childhood and his combat experiences as a Marine in the pages of his new magazine.

 I’ve hunted in Africa with Poole, I’ve attended weeklong shooting classes with Poole and his dedication to his work and the GUN way of life is enviable. He lives and breathes guns and he’s continually thinking how he can best show guns and gun related topics to readers. I don’t think Poole thinks he has a job, I believe that he believes he has a duty. If there was ever to be hope for Guns & Ammo, a magazine whose quality has declined over the years, its Poole.

This may seem as high praise coming from a writer not associated with Guns & Ammo but as a freelancer I have worked with Poole on occasion. From time to time he’s asked me to work up an article for him and when I had the time, I was happy to comply. I suggest other gun magazines and editors step up their game. Eric Poole has the job he has wanted since he was a kid. If the publisher lets him do his thing, I’m confident he’ll work endlessly to make Guns & Ammo even better than the magazine he grew up admiring.

See full blog post here: http://ramworks.net/blog/guns-ammo-reboot/

 Article by Eric Poole on his hunt at Fort Richmond Safaris in South Africa.                                         

Embracing South Africa’s grand romance while on Safari.

The boyhood dreams of an epic adventure and following the unearthed footsteps of soldiers once headed to war would be fulfilled in a pair of boots. I laced up my Strathconas, slung my rifle and set out on safari.

Just 100 kilometers south of Kimberley in the Northern Cape of South Africa lay 21415 of unspoiled acres that make up Fort Richmond. The place gets it name from the Second Anglo Boer War where, in 1899, 300 English and Canadian soldiers occupied this property and forced the Wayland family out of there home. The family moved to Grahamstown for the war’s duration, but Walter stayed behind to keep a watchful eye over his precious piece of Africa.

On November 23, 1899, many of the British troops living here assaulted a Boer position at nearby Belmont, attempting to move north by rail to overcome the Boer siege of Cecil John Rhodes’ diamond town, Kimberley. It was a victory for the Brits that could have been seen from the rock-built outpost atop a hill at Fort Richmond. More troops would soon arrive from parts of the British empire as the Boers lost momentum.

General Sir Charles Warren joined the main body of the 5th Division shortly after the Boer victory at the Battle of Colenso and briefly stayed at the Wayland home during British occupation. Walter’s grandson John Wayland remains in this house living with his lovely wife Shirley. They keep a photo of this controversial military leader and former London police commissioner wearing Strathcona boots among other keepsake among other keepsake photographs taken of the battle-hardened soldiers staying at Fort Richmond.

Lord Strathcona’s Canadian regiment was one of the last in the British Empire to be created and raised by a private individual. He recruited and equipped the cavalry regiment at his own expense for service in the Boer War. Many skilled horsemen enlisted, including some cowboys and officers of the North-West Mounted Police, which allowed for a short training period and a rapid deployment to war. Strathcona’s horse sailed on the S.S.Monterey from Halifax on March18, 1900, and arrived at Cape Town nearly a month later. During their movement to the front lines, members of the North-West Mounted Police began to prefer the lace-up boots the regiment was already wearing and adopted them, as well as the Stetson campaign cover, as their own. The tall, leather-soled boots are known as Strathcona’s boots and are still worn by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

John no longer has the Martini souvenir handed down by his grandfather because “it kicked like a mule”, he says. All that’s left for evidence of the soldiers’ occupation are a few cigarette burns in some old furniture and markings on the rock-piled ruins of the fort behind his house.

To see the full article download here: Embracing South Africa’s grand romance

Kudu Hunt

Visiting Hunters

Hunting the Grey Ghost where master hunters have stalked their prey for centuries.

Richard Mann from the Empty Cases Blog shot this Kudu during the last minutes of his hunt with Fort Richmond Safaris and described it as one of the best hunts of his life.

“Luck has nothing to do with it. It is hard work, a good PH and a rifle that will shoot.”  Richard Mann

 

Grace and Dignity combined!

The Kudu’s massive spiral horns give it an air of grace and dignity.

 Interesting Facts about Kudu.

  • Greater Kudu are the second largest African antelope.

  • The horns are present only in the male. 

  • Their cryptic coloring and markings protect Kudu by camouflaging them. If alarmed they usually stand still and are very difficult to spot.  

  • The stripes on a Kudu’s flank are as individual as a fingerprint; similar to the stripes on a Zebra.

  • Kudu are excellent jumpers, jumping over 7 feet high.

  • Kudu are very vocal. They communicate with loud grunts, whines, barks and hums.

  • Kudu normally restrict their movements to a small home range, but the scarcity of food in dry season may prompt them to roam more widely.

 Behaviour:  The hierarchy among kudu males is usually  determined by age and size. Males of about the same size  and age engage in sparring contests  in which they  approach one another slowly, lock horns and push back and  forth until one gives up. Usually no serious injuries result,  but remains of animals have been found where the two  combatants had locked horns in such a way that they could  not disengage. Dominance is usually quickly and peacefully  determined by a lateral display in which one male stands  sideways in front of the other and makes himself looks as  large as possible. If the other is suitably impressed,  dominance is established. Sometimes males form small  bachelor groups, but more commonly they are solitary and  widely dispersed. 

Romantic Boots by Richard Mann

History / Romance

 

  Strathcona-Boots-240x300

 The grandest display of romance I have ever seen in the hunting fields was indeed in Africa just last month. I was hunting with Trijicon in South Africa at Fort Richmond Safaris.

Romance is a big part of hunting and to experience that romantic connection to the past, hunters often go to great lengths. Sometimes to their detriment. This infatuation with the romance of the hunt probably most happens in Africa. Images of the last ivory hunter or Ruark often drive hunters to equip themselves in the proper attire or to hunt with firearms from that golden age. Admittedly, we would all like to be a bit like Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson; slayer the man eating lions of Tsavo. I’ve been guilty of this in the past myself and at times still get romantic. Like when I pull a lever gun out of the safe to deer hunt. You could even say that all bow hunters are romantically connecting to the past even though modern bows look like something out of a science fiction movie.

See full post here.

Eric Poole hunted this Black Wildebeest wearing his ‘Romantic Boots’ at Fort Richmond Safaris.