Hello From South Africa, a little late

Good afternoon one and all! We are alive and well and having just a seriously great time! Here's a quick update...sorry no pictures (however i am sure we'll have a powerpoint presentation and dinner at the house soon enough) this is bill, steve and lewie typing right now..(okay we're all here now)...okay here we go
1. Got here just fine.....long a#$ flight but worth it (spent good quality time playing cribbage and watching some stupid sandra bullock movie...don't see premonition)
2. Our outfitters were waiting for us at the airport and off we went to camp....with a slight run in with the delta luggage handlers who bent steve's gun case into a fine banana shape...a few tense moments but the guns were fine (as you'll see in a minute)
3. Camp was very cool. Very plush lodgings for being in the bush.
4. Got up early the next morning, sighted in and off we went....
5. Saw animals up the ying yang.....lewie and eric together, stevie and me (bill) and lyle was with two of the biggest guys you'll ever meet (marco and alec).....
6. Lyle has the serious monkey bites for africa.....all of us are having a great time but lyle is in his element...(julie, we have not let him book his next hunt yet)
7. quick hunting tally:
Steve: Ann, (and all the cool wollmer tribe)......you'll be happy to hear that steve got his blesbok, his impala (very nice 160ish yard shot...) and a near world record bushbuck....all the camp was in a tizzy about it!!! (seriously, probably top 10 SCI)
Lewie: Hi julie and colby james....lewie got a fine gemsbok, great 55 inch kudu and a very fine impala (not the car)
Eric: Eric smoked a gemsbok, blesbok and another fine impala....however he did practice "shoot and release" on a very fine but very gone kudu.....inspiration to come back!
Bill: Hi smoochie and scout (and our little peanut)....fine gemsbok, nyala, bushbuck, waterbuck and went off the list for a haartebeast....lyle got one and i had to keep up (mine is bigger by the way...same for the waterbuck...)
Lyle: mr. "africa" should qualify for the volume discount.....here we go....very fine impala (again, not the car), blesbok, bushbuck..(the boys from milwaukee all got bushbuck and we will now refer to ourselves as the bushbuck boys)....waterbuck, haartebeast, a fine veal sized gembok...("the other one on the right") and by far the nicest shot of the trip...a 375 yard shot on a very nice kudu....sniper school is next)

Went dove hunting today and went through about 750 rounds.....very very fun!!

Our outfitters have been awesome....Steve (not to be confused with stevie) was steve and my ph (professional hunter)....just a flat out great guy. Lewie and eric hunted with Paul and apprentice Benny....paul is a local and got us into some great areas....we taught benny how to play cribbage....our social gift to south africa)....Lyle had the twin towers of Alec and Marco.....700 pounds of professional hunters....marco looks like aaron taylor's bigger brother....also just fantastic people.....and finally angelo our host has been absolutely fantastic....great hunting areas and the trip has been really really great!

We miss all of you and the baby's room doesn't have to be changed at all.....(we are thinking of going with a noah's ark theme with real african animals)......see everyone this weekend!

lots of love.....the hatari safari boys.....p.s. there is already talk about a sequel (hatari safari II...africa with a vengence).....start your planning now....

Your Follow-Along-at-Home Hunting Guide

Grab a pencil and follow along. The wish list is as follows:

Bill - Gemsbok, Serval, Bushbuck, Nyala, Waterbuck

Erik - Kudu, Impala, Gemsbok

Lyle - Impala, Serval, Blesbuck, Bushbuck

Mike - Kudu, Gemsbok, Porcupine

Steve - Impala, Blesbuck, Bushbuck

2006 SCI Banquet and the start of this fine adventure!!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention SCI's role in our fine adventure. A year ago last spring at the annual SCI banquet I was the opening, and lucky for me, the only bidder on a 4 man 10 day hunt to South Africa. The trip was donated by Angelo Joanno of Big Time Safaris. The trip includes 8 trophies (2 kudu, 2 blesbok, 2 bushbuck, 2 impala) and a bunch of taxidermy from Edwin at High Country Taxidermy. Truly a trip of a lifetime for me and my compatriots! Deals like this don't come around very often and you have to jump on them when you can. (fortune favors the bold!!) If this sounds like a plug for SCI, it is!! I now have the opportunity to go to Africa with 4 of my best friends and the original 4 of us are in for only $2,500 a guy!! You can't get a mule deer hunt for that price. Anyway, this is my formal thanks to all the good people at the Wisconsin Chapter of the SCI for giving me and my best friends this chance! Bill

Shootin', Forms, Buffett

This weekend, the group gets together for some shooting practice, some South African Police Firearms Form 520 fillin' out, and then off to a little Parrothead Madness. All thanks to our host, Billy.

Under 20 days until the trip, and most of the i's are dotted and t's crossed. Now the nervous energy can really start building...Steve

What happens when I become Anxious?

Here we go. We are 1 month away. I had my first sleepless night related to the trip. Thinking about everything involved, expectations, etc. This being my first trip outside the continental US, it adds an extra level. A 15 minute phone call with Bill yesterday evening brought this all forward.

I've been so busy with work and family, I haven't allowed myself to really stop and think about what we are about to do.

HOLY COW!

My apologies to squire Bill for not externalizing my up till now repressed excitement. This trip is going to be awesome. While my spouse and children will get tired of me bringing up the trip at every possible turn for the next 30 days, I say tough. Commence with the planning, discussing planning, executing planning, and rechecking planning.......Steve

Gathering of the hunters

A modern day Yalta Conference was held this past weekend in Stevens Point. Drawn together by the siren song of the GTO, our 5 intrepid hunters met face to face for the first time. Though the focus was golf, drinking and smoking some hunting was discussed and many issues were vetted on friday. It seems that most everyone is caught up with shots (lyle has 1 more) and paperwork. The need to get to the benches and start shooting off sticks was the hot topic of the weekend. The milwaukee based contingent of Hatari Safari has been a few times while the "north of hwy 10" group vows they will get out and start practicing asap. I highly suggest the shooting off sticks practice session. It is uncomfortable and a bit humbling at first but it is necessary for a good trip. Hopefully we will get out there to practice this weekend. The next big meeting will be at the Buffett concert july 28th.....a fine birthday present from my lovely spouse andrea. Bring your long irons...we shoot before we head to margaritaville!!
bwana bill

53 Days to go...

I am venturing to Cabela's, REI, etc this weekend after conferencing with our fearless leader and his (somewhat) misbehaving labrador last night. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the GTO next weekend bring your A game (and your B & C games to, just in case). The course is in great shape, and you can all enjoy the new deck that was built by yours truly (honest, I signed all of the checks). Any advise on gear, or other stores to hit in Mad-Town or Milwaukee, let me know.

T-Shirts are in!!!

Good morning everyone. The t-shirts are all done and they look really pretty cool.....i got all larges (they run big).....no big deal to get more printed if you really like them. I got 2 for each of us. I am starting to think inventory for africa. I have the risk board, cribbage board and deck of cards. bill

That hurt...

I got my first round of poison injected on Friday afternoon. Needless to say my arm was a little sore on Saturday. I am heading to Green Bay on Friday this week to register the guns, and I am starting to get really pumped for this trip. I'll be shooting on Sunday, both trap and rifle. If your in or near Point give a call. Erik

T-Shirts, Anyone?

Come August, we will be sporting some new wear. Here is the sample, uncolored at the moment. I'm excited that it actually is becoming very real. It was over a year ago when the planning started on this.

Audaces Fortuna Iuvat roughly translates to "Make Your Own Luck"

Have a great Day..........Steve

It's damn near go time!!

I am starting to get fired up here! I need the break and i really can't think of a better one! Looks like everyone is getting all there stuff in...i would just make sure you are all getting to the benches enough to feel comfortable with your rifles at at least 100 yards...a couple of 200 yard days wouldn't be too bad either.....try some off hand or stick shooting if you can...especially duo or tripod sticks. I think we will all be at the GTO so we can do some talking there! I am good to shoot this weekend and next.....bill

Getting going

I am finally getting on the ball. Shots are set up for Friday, with my Green Bay gun registration trip scheduled for next Friday. Heading to the bench this weekend, and by bench I mean Enerson's farm where Billy & I deer hunt. Later I will compile a list of must watch flix prior to the trip.

75 days and counting - Sighting In

We have spent a great deal of time going over the equipment lists for our trip. A group went shooting last weekend. While I am a little shaky, from 100 yards out they all were around the mark. Free hand, forget about it. More work needs to be done. Bill and Lyle are money.