December 2024 – Newsletter
Wow – the weather has definitely warmed up with even Harare being in the high 30 degrees celcius with not a cumulonimbus in sight – perhaps it is time for me to don some rain making regalia and go out and do an ungainly rain dance – but I digress – it has been another outstanding season with many memorable safaris made by some really great people – sadly though it has inevitably come to an end, with me now wrapping up the dreaded admin for the year and doing some end of year trophy collections.
October saw the return of long-time friend and seasoned hunter Harry, accompanied by another very accomplished hunter Aldo. A hot, dry and dusty Naivasha was the setting for this adventure. Some hard miles under the blazing sun and some stellar shooting saw Aldo connect with an outstanding old Dugga Boy fairly early on in the hunt. Several days and stalks later “The Harrycane” put his best foot forward and had a small window of opportunity on his bull and true to form he smoked it!!! There is a certain symmetry you aspire to achieve on these safaris, both in the field and in camp – it involves hard work, enthusiasm, a team that peaks and clicks together and of course the biggest factor – luck. Maybe in this case it was just the exceptional wine and great company but everything seemed to flow effortlessly. Many thanks to both Harry and Aldo for a phenomenal experience and for the support.
November saw the long-awaited return of VIP client John, this time accompanied by his delightful daughter. 8 days of intense heat, rain, a plethora of unfriendly (but not dangerous) insects, many mountainous miles and incessant cicadas certainly tested our mettle . She was truly a trooper and certainly made her father proud when she took a fantastic buffalo bull. Eland and hippo then completed the bag but more importantly some truly precious father-daughter memories were made!!! Both father and daughter were certainly up for the challenge and immersed themselves in the safari experience which was undeniably a little more extreme than is the norm. Thank-you both for such an unforgettable experience, I love having multi-generational hunts – really looking forward to the next one!!!
With the passing of Hayley’s Mom earlier in the year – we are headed to Knysna with Hayley’s Dad to spend time with extended Flaxman family and friends for the Festive Season. Then we head home just before New Year to regroup before I head off to the U.S in the first week of January. Some travel through Texas visiting friends will take me to SCI in Nashville where I will be in Booth # 2500 (easy to remember in 2025 😊). So looking forward to seeing all of the usuals and meeting new people. Then off to my home from home in South Carolina for a few days which is always a highlight.
I’d like to take this opportunity at this time when we all tend to reflect on the previous year and years to say a huge thank-you to ALL of our clients for their continued support over the years. It keeps me doing the thing I love and as we know – “The only way to do great work is to love what you do”. Happy Holidays, stay safe and all of the very best for 2025 to each and every one of you from Hayley & I.
UNTIL THE NEXT EDITION…………………………