This is my son Cameron's story, but it could equally apply to anyone already with a rifle and on a budget wishing to hunt in Africa with Andrew McLaren Safaris.

It is also a story told by a proud dad who watched his 14yo son achieve independence as a hunter in the greatest place to hunt on earth, Africa.

For those who have followed our journey, Cameron my son was to use his .243 to hunt smaller game in Africa on our family hunting holiday. We weren't going to chase trophys, just have a great holiday with some hunting. The load development for the new barrel on this rifle was quite a dramma, but eventually we had it shooting 100 grain Nosler Partitions well enough. With our rifles packed and 80 rounds of .243 we flew off.

We were met at Jo'Burg airport by our P/H and outfitter, Andrew McLaren and driven through the night 400km to his home base and safari camp near Mervilla, just north of Bloomfontein in the Free State. This is almost the geographic centre of South Africa. As we drove in we were met by a roaring fire and champagne with nibbles and soft drinks around the Lappa. The Lappa is an open area for people to meet at and is the centre of any hunting camp. We ended and started our days around it's fire.

The next morning while the girls slept in, we sighted in our rifles for 200 metres and headed out to a nearby 'camp' (Paddock) of approx 300ha to help cull 4 Blesbok from a heard of 28 that had grown too big in numbers. Hunting would be from hides scattered around the camp.

I decided that Cam should start off with Andrew and have first honours, so I dropped them off in the Lee of the hunting vehicle, waited till they were in the hide and then drove off to the corner of the paddock to watch through my binos. It took some time for the Blesbok to amble past the hide and for Andrew to pick an old (later proved) barren female for Cam to cull. I saw the barrel of the 243 poke out of the hide and eventually fire. At the shot the herd took off with one individual slowing and then turning off in a slow half circle to eventually collapse. First blood to Cam with a text book double lung shot through the shoulders.

The Partition had entered, hit the ribs and turned both lungs to shredded cabbage.

The base section had then carried on out the other side.

It was my turn next and I had three opportunities from the hides that day. All clear misses. I went to bed that night jubilant for Cam but feeling like a total loser after my poor showing.

The next day Cam had another chance to take a Blesbok from the hide but turned down the shot as he wasn't sure of making it. Andrew our P/H was very happy with Cam's shooting and Attitude.

I didn't like the hides and adopted a different sratergy, taking cover behind an ant hill (termite mound). My luck now changed and I got three animals all with one shot each. The first was an excess male. I pulled the shot high and left and shot it through the liver but it died instantly. The second was a crippled female I also pulled high and left and spine shot. The third was a young male shot through both lungs and the heart. We had finished culling Blesboke.

After I shot an old Gemsbok through the top of the heart, on the neighbouring farm it was again Cameron's turn.

Woodleigh 165 PPSN from Gemsbok with 157 grains or 95% remaining.

We had spotted a promising Steenbok the previous evening (a small antelope) so the next morning Andrew and I dropped Cameron off in the neighbouring camp to stalk it. We drove up to the nearest ridge to watch through our Binos and have a yarn. Cam had to wait for some time till the Steenbok showed itself. What followed was an hour long stalk before Cam reduced the range from 100 to 50 metres in open grassveldt.
The .243 again spoke and the Steenbok was down, shot through from right hip to left shoulder. No projectile recoverd. Its horns measured a rough 4 3/4" making a registerable trophy with Rowland Ward. It was the first time Cam had been left alone to make a stalk with only his own decisions and skills to help him. He did it well.

It was our only trophy and will be a shoulder mount in Cam's room.

Furthur hunting for Springbok was unsuccesful. They were trekking and spreading out after breeding and we were not up to the long shots needed to take them. Next time. (maybe with a 6.5x68 or an equally capable 400 metre sniper rifle.)

Cam did get some varminting in, shooting 4 out of 4 Dassies that afternoon and that night the whole family went spotlighting to help a local farmer shoot the Porcupines that infested his fields. We shot 15 and missed one Jackal from a packet of 20 rounds. The farmer was ecstatic. Cam couldn't work out why his 13yo daughter wanted to come along...

After visiting Knysna, Franschoek wineries and Cape Town for 6 days, we returned to Mervilla and then pressed on to a property west of Randsburg, near Jo'Burg for a day to cull excess Red Hartebeest and Blue Wilderbeast. Cam took out an excess male Hartbeest with Andrews .308 and 150 Partitions. Andrew was insistant that the .243 not be used on these larger animals and Cam easily shot it through both lungs.

I soon found the herd male Hartebeest obscured by trees and again pulled my shot left, shooting it through the neck and not between the eye and ear as planned. Instant death. Both carcasses went straight off to the slaghuss (butchery).

Cam's final shot was at the herd blue wilderbeast after a half day stalk up, over and down the hill behind the property. Three males could be taken, two loners and the herd bull. Cam shot the herd bull 3/4 on through the neck, spine shooting it and with the Partition driving on into a lung and the liver. Bang Flop dead as a maggot.

We then drove North to a game ranch 60km north of Brits and about 1 1/4 hours NE from Sun City. The sight was superb with a central kopje offering views over the surrounding bushveldt.

Tuens the Manager 'takes a moment'.

I concentrated on my plains game here for 6 days, taking an Impala, Zebra for the skin and a Blue Wilderbeast.

Blue wildebeast shot front on. The Woodleigh travelled around the outside of the ribs and was found under the shoulder blade. No organs were penetrated and only half a cup of blood was spilt. We think the imact shock stopped the heart. It was found stone dead 217 metres away.

Woodleigh with 144.5 grains or 87.5% weight retention found in Wildebeast.

Another Wodleigh with 90.7% weight retention from the Impala shot length ways.

The Zebra bullet after passing through both lungs. 85.9% weight remained.

Cam and I both missed out on Kudu. They have to be the hardest animal to hunt and well deserve their nickname, the Grey ghosts of the bush.

Cameron was keen to recover one of his .243 Partitions and he shot two Impala before finally recovering a projectile.

It was the end of our hunting and the start of our journey north to Zimbabwe to visit friends. Cam made some great shots but was just as happy to leave it at the end. He loves hunting and the company of men around the Lapa. Now he knows he has the skills and experience to do it all again if he so wishes.