African Safari

This is Les Stone. He is a local veterinarian and an avid hunter. In 2007 he went on an African Safari. He was kind enough to sit down with me and answer some questions about his experience.

What part of Africa were you hunting in?

Namibia. It's on the western coast of Africa.

What was the daily routine like?

Our guides took very good care us. They picked us up from the airport, escorted us around. They cooked fantastic, native meals for us. All the hunters and guides would have breakfast together before heading out for the day. They drove us around in a Toyota Land Cruiser. The ranch we hunted on had beautiful accommodations for their guests (hunters). We had a big bedroom with a fridge, a microwave and a huge, open bathroom. When we came in from hunting, we would throw our dirty clothes in a basket. The next afternoon our clothes would be clean and folded laying nicely on our beds. There was a watering hole where the animals would come to drink. They had built a wall with stadium seating behind it where at night we could sit and watch the wildlife. 

Can you shoot any animal you see or are there restrictions? 

You can shoot about any type of animal you see, zebra, springbok, wart hog, ect. Each type of animal will have a separate price for that specific tag. 

The tag for this Kudu was $600

The money made from each tag goes to maintaining the park and the animals in it. Without the hunters there wouldn't be any animals in the park. This money helps with animal conversations and hunting regulations keeping things in balance and well cared for. The guides will help you find the biggest and best animals. I was hunting a Blessbuck when the guide pointed out this guy to me. 

I responded by saying his antlers weren't symmetrical. The guide said the big ones rarely are. We wouldn't want to shoot something too small now. 

What is the medallion hanging around their necks? 

There is a bronze, silver and gold record system for the animals hunted. This Blessbuck is a gold. 

Did you get to eat the meat? 

The meat from our animals was cut up and placed in large coolers to be processed and prepared. The meal then goes to local villages and markets. We did get to eat a big variety of the local animals while we were there. The food was great. 

Oryx, male and female

How did you get the furs and antlers home? 

Your outfitter gets the skulls, horns and hides to a certified taxidermist. The taxidermist then packs and ships the animals to your point-of-entry. For the U.S we had ours come into San Franscico. Then a broker picks everything up and gets it all through customs and to a tannery. From the tannery they came to our taxidermist. 

Warthog

How much did the trip cost overall? 

I think we had $20,000 into it. I think that covered everything except the taxidermy. 

From left to right: Red hartebeest, Kudu, Black Wildebeest

What is the most prized African Safari animal one can hunt? 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What is most prized to you? An elephant, lion, leopard, cape buffalo. 

I would like to go again for a cape buffalo. They are very dangerous game and the most affordable. 

Thank you Dr. Stone for the interview and good luck with your cape buffalo.

Riddle of the Week

There was a girl in our town,

Silk an' satin was her gown,

Silk an' satin, gold an' velvet,

Guess her name, three times I've telled it.

(Anne)

Snakes?

There is an antique store here in my home town where I saw this sign. The sign is posted at eye level just before you head downstairs.

I headed down and instead of looking at the antiques I spend the next 15 minutes on my hands and knees looking under shelves to see if there really were snakes in the basement. Sadly or maybe happily, I didn't find any. Next time.

Huckleberries Anyone

One of my favorite foods is a little reddish, purplish berry called Huckleberries. 

They grow in the mountains of North America. In Idaho Huckleberries can be found growing everywhere in the mountains during the late summer season. About the last two weeks of July and the first week of August is when they are in season. 

These berries are similar to blueberries but are a little small and have more of a tart taste to them. They grow in patches on small, leafy, bushes. They don't grow in bunches. They grow individually making picking them a little more time consuming. 

Huckleberries are used in a variety of ways. There is Huckleberry soda, Huckleberry muffins, Huckleberry syrup, Huckleberry cheesecake, Huckleberry fudge and many other uses. However, my favorite way to eat them is in a bowl with a little cream and sugar. It is a rare thing to find Huckleberry products in stores, even in Idaho. I see them mostly in boutiques and souvenir shops. Even then you can only buy the Huckleberry products not the actual fresh berries themselves. I have yet to see a Huckleberry in any grocery store either. It would be a lot more convenient to run to the product section and grab some huckleberries for dinner. Yet, since they aren't in stores it's kind of like they are this awesome Idaho secret. Huckleberries can only be eaten by those who know where to find them. 

Heads up while gathering these delectable little berries though, humans aren't the only animal with Huckleberries on the menu. Bears and other animals love Huckleberries. I have seen a few bears and luckily have never had a bad encounter with anyone of them but do take precautions when searching for a Huckleberry patch. Bumping into a bear in a Huckleberry bush could end up being a bad day.

If you ever find yourself in Idaho in late summer send me a message and I will help you get your hands on these delicious little berries.