August 2008 was somewhat of a watershed month for me. I was about to embark on my first trip to the Dark Continent. Years of reading other hunting exploits, on this land time had forgotten, helped augment my dream hunts into reality. All the planning and organising of airline tickets, booking outfitters, firearm export and import permits was behind me as our team of five men walked into Brisbane domestic airport.
As with most hunters who venture to Africa, the ‘grey ghosts of the veldt’ or kudu was my primary objective. Though, to this hunter, not just any bull would do. It had to be special, more than 50 inches long with three twists to each ivory-tipped horn, plus a better-than-good cape. I was prepared to go without, if my…