Donald Jackson resided in Amarillo from 1979 to 2007 and was employed at Pantex. Jackson said when he moved, he left a piece of his heart here, along with many good friends. Recently, he was able to go on three safaris in Africa and here shares a story of his first trip for his community in Amarillo. Anticipating his third visit, he said the De Meyers and their team are now like family, and he is sure to have a wonderful adventure under their care. Here is his account of those hunting adventures, presented in a three-part series.
For any serious hunter, the ultimate dream is to hunt in Africa. For most of us, it remains a dream, and I always thought it would be that way for me. After all, Africa was too far away and a trip there would involve guides, servants and fees, taxes and bribes, making it far too expensive for someone who always carried a lunch box at work and has to watch his spending. I was wrong on every point!
At the Ducks Unlimited banquet in 2018, I was the highest bidder for a four-person trip to South Africa, sponsored by Kuche Hunting Safairs. Two of our friends agreed to accompany us, so the party was ready. We had three years to make the trip, so we planned to go last year. Due to Covid we have delayed until 2021.
We went there on Qatar Airways flights from Atlanta to Qatar and to Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a two day trip and we were very tired from sitting on the plane, but Qatar is doing everything they can to make this trip enjoyable. You have a choice of starters at each meal and their food is tasty and well prepared. Unlimited drinks are included in the ticket price and the flight attendants were always attentive to all their passengers. The entertainment screen in front of each passenger showed movies, TV shows and news channels like E! and National Geographic, as well as route maps and external cameras that gave you the pilot's view.
We arrived in Johannesburg at 4am and after collecting our bags we went to the police station to collect our rifles. I have never met a friendlier and more helpful group than these police officers. Our outfitter, Koos de Meyer of Kuche Hunting Safaris, was on his way to meet us, but due to the curfew he was unable to be there when we arrived. The police called him to find out his arrival time and then helped us complete the necessary paperwork to import our rifles into South Africa. By the time Koos arrived, they had everything sorted and handed us our permits.
Koos told us a lot about the situation of animals in South Africa. We were told that elephants are endangered and on the verge of extinction. This is only true in the northern part of Africa. In the southern part of the continent, the elephant population has exploded under the protection of the government and herders. There are at least 400 more elephants in Kruger National Park than the ecology can support. Because elephants feed in a very destructive manner, they can quickly deplete the landscape, rendering it incapable of supporting them or any other animals. Because ranchers have also waged war against lions, the giraffe population, to cite just one example, has become so numerous that it exceeds the carrying capacity of the land in many places. It became necessary to hunt animals to prevent them from overgrazing the land and starving together. In addition, the natives feed on meat harvested by hunters. And the breeder makes enough money to stay in business.
Until about 50 years ago, ranchers viewed wild animals as competitors for available forage, and many were slaughtered simply to get rid of them so that livestock would have more space and food. . Then the safari industry began attracting tourists with foreign currency, and herders realized that animals were more valuable than livestock. Since then, wildlife has thrived because it can be hunted, so it has value, and ranchers encourage it rather than trying to exterminate it. Government figures show the wild animal population has almost doubled in the past 20 years. I understand that conservation organizations have to make us believe that we are saving the very last animals to send them money, but when it comes to the plight of animals, I will take the word of the men who live with animals every day . day.
Another interesting part of our drive to the resort was seeing all the businesses along the way. They have KFC there, as well as Taco Bell! Who would have guessed it? We stopped at a convenience store and learned how serious they are about fighting Covid. A man in uniform stood at the front door with an AK-47, making sure everyone wore a mask and used hand sanitizer. I had a feeling he would happily use it on anyone who didn't comply.
We loaded all our luggage into the back of Koos' truck and climbed aboard. He began the 4 1/2 hour drive to his lodge. We had to descend through the mountains from Johannesburg to the flat plain that makes up the northern part of South Africa. The country reminds me a lot of West Texas, with different vegetation.
The main lodge is located near the village of Steenbokpan, in the part of the Limpopo province close to Botswana. It is a very flat country, devoid of hills and valleys, but truly beautiful. Its annual rainfall is only about 21 inches, but it is covered with soft grass, rich in nutrients and food value for game.
The shepherd's tree, Boscia albitrunca, is present in abundance. It is a protected tree and a very distinct element of the bushveld flora. The sky is the most beautiful deep blue and the sunsets are a magnificent spectacle of reds and salmon pinks.
We arrived at the lodge around 1:00 p.m. Lunch was available, but I don't remember eating that day, I was too excited. The lodge is located just off the road and includes everything you could want. The rooms look like motel suites, there's a pool, fireplace and lounge. Honestly, I was too intent on meeting the camp staff and our professional hunters to pay much attention.
Throughout our stay we were pampered in every way and the care began immediately. Two ladies took care of the daily cleaning of the rooms, putting fresh sheets on the beds daily and washing and ironing our clothes daily (they have a solar dryer, just like my grandmother had).
Our chef's name was Roberto and he could have cooked in any fine restaurant anywhere. He always prepared every meal, from breakfast to dinner, and did it right. We ate a steak from a different animal every night. Kudu, Sable, Waterbuck, Eland, Impala and Zebra were on the menu, with chicken for those averse to eating wild game. The wild game was delicious! Just like the salads, various vegetables and desserts that accompanied it.
Part two will begin with the first morning when Jackson's hunt truly began.
