Umdende Hunting Safaris Testimonial from Mr Che Park

Clayton(Owner and Outfitter) and Mr Che Park with his Red Haartebeest

Dear Clayton

It was my second South African venture and first combined wing shooting and plains game hunting.

Having been a few trips to south America for wing shooting in the past, African bird shooting was so different in that I was able to shoot such variety of exotic birds that I had dreamed of.

 

 

 Mr Che Park with his Spurwing goose and his Egyptian Goose

 

Your partner Garth and all supporting staff were outstanding. As a shotgunner I highly recommend this lifetime experience.

 

 

Mr Che Park with his Stallion Zebra

 

Your accommodation and food were excellent as well as wonderful daily service. My few day's plains game including night time hunting was unforgettable memories. Say many thanks to your wife Debbie who planned our comfortable stay throughout.

 

Wishing you many year's success.

Che S. Park,M.D.

www.umdende.com

Umdende Hunting Safaris Testimonials

Testimonial  from  Sean Scott

Waterfowl shoot (Sean, 2nd from right)

 Hi Clayton and team , Just a few words to thank you so much for the fantastic bird shooting we just had with you . My clients and I were more than happy with the whole package - the outstanding shooting ,the great lodging at Strathcona, excellent organisation and maybe above all the fantastic company and new friends we all made ! 

Bringing very experienced travelling bird hunters who own a large duck shooting marsh, to a location on the other side of the world and to have them leave as happy and impressed as they were is a great credit to you - thanks very much . 

As the first morning dawned and we laid amongst the decoys with wave after wave ( closer to a tsunami actually ! ) of Egyptian and Spurwing geese coming to the decoys , everyone rapidly realised what was going to follow in the next few days!Wing shooting paradise ! 

Clayton - as we commented to have Guns who say "hey you know what lets stop we have shot enough ! " , is very rare and good to see - but also shows just how much game and excellent shooting is available in your beautiful areas .The fact that we never travelled more than 25 minutes from the lodging (which was excellent ) was a huge bonus . 

Having been lucky enough to have travelled too a lot of hunting and shooting destinations this is not always the case - BUT a huge bonus ! The pigeon shooting was excellent and being a pigeon shooting addict , my personal " ton plus " on the first afternoon was great .Both of the duck flights were truly memorable again plenty of birds coming to the decoys and Clayton's excellent calling . 

Pigeon Shoot

The final mornings driven guinea and francolin shooting driven by your troop of Zulu warriors , was really fun . Everyone shot guineas which on the wind we had showed most of the team how to hit the big blue of an African sky on more than one occasion ! 

Zulu Dancing

As Fred said of the francolin : " Hell I have never seen a bird fly that fast not even a driven grouse , it was like a space ship flashing by ! 

Guinea Fowl Shoot

I will certainly be aiming to bring more groups to Clayton in the future , you exceeded everyone's expectations and run a great operation - well done guys ! 

Big thank you and travel safe . Sean Scott Fairgame Sporting .

Testimonial by Clive Rew

 

 

 

 

I am an in my 50’s and regard myself as an experienced Stalker / Hunter in the UK. After several trips to South Africa in recent years, and close to 100 plains game, consider myself a seasoned hunter on the ‘Dark Continent’.

I first met Clayton about six years ago when he was one of several PH’s used by a our hunting party on a concession in KZN.  Although I was hunting with his best friend Rudolph, my son was accompanied by Clayton; the trust I placed in him to guide my son, was well founded. In my opinion, it’s all about safety and attitude in a client / PH relationship and I my son had nothing but praise for the way Clayton conducted the hunt.  My close hunting buddy here in the UK also had the trip of a lifetime on his first hunt in Africa, when Clayton got him onto a 57” Kudu Bull.

 

I have hunted with Clayton and Rudolph several times and so decided to arrange a trip to Umdende for two of my colleagues from the UK whom are seasoned stalkers but had never hunted in Africa.  That is was in May this year and the three of us had an extremely rewarding and satisfying trip.  This was the first time that I had actually stayed at Umdende, even though I had hunted with Clayton many times before.  The “Umdende” experience was made special for us, not only because of the luxury of Umdende but especially by the way we were looked after by Claytons beautiful wife “Debbie”

Clayton is a professional PH in every sense of the word, when you couple this with friendliness of the staff and the quality of animals on Umdende; you have a recipe for success.

I have no hesitation in recommending the Umdende experience to anyone wishing to be looked after by nice people in a luxurious setting.  

The question you always have to ask yourself is: “would I go back and hunt there again”, the answer for me is “Oh yes, in a heart beat”

Clive Rew (London UK)

Wingshooting Story by Trevor Comins

                                                 A Goose Hunt in Zululand
                                                         

Trevor Comins (far right) with Umdende Hunting Safaris clients

 

During one of my promotional trips to the USA to secure groups of Wing shooters to come on Safari to South Africa with our company, I met a group of clients in San Antonia, Texas. The clients had been on a disastrous trip the previous year to shoot birds on the Kafue flats in Zambia. On arrival at the airport there was no one to meet them, and eventually they were transported to the camp on the back of bakkies (pick-ups) for seven hours in the scorching sun. The whole trip from the food, to the shooting and the transport were all terrible.  I had my work cut out for me as soon as they heard I was based in Africa. I was met with a fair amount of scepticism at the cocktail party and was asked if I could guarantee good bird hunting plus all the rest. I responded positively and six shooters paid their deposits and the dates were set.

Our clients arrived and to avoid a bad start for this group, I decided we would start the safari in Zululand. I had secured excellent goose shooting on Org Cronje’s farm as well as high volume red eyed turtle dove. To make sure that all went well, I had stationed one of my Zulu staff in a tent on the farm to keep a watch on where the birds were feeding. The Zulu’s name was “Blomass” and he loved to eat snakes, especially Puff adders. The area to be hunted was situated near the “Musi Swamps” and the geese were plentiful. The guests were chartered into Mkuze and then driven to Zululand Safari Lodge, where they were greeted by two naked- breasted Zulu maidens playing their traditional Zulu drums and a welcome cocktail was placed in each of the guest’s hand. A good start so far!

Before each shoot a briefing is given to the clients, so they may understand how to start the shooting. As I was briefing the client, the first goose pit blinds were being built in South Africa; little did I know what was coming. The last comment from one of the gentlemen was “hey Trevor you bring the birds and I’ll knock em down”

An early start in “Jessica”, my beloved Land Cruiser, and the VW Kombi (bus), we set off in the dark for “Blomass” goose field. All the clients had painted their faces with camouflage, so this was serious hunting. On arriving at the goose field I was approached by my head Zulu (Induna) Alfred Maduma who quickly told me “Nkosana iloli ayifnui ukuduma” (Chief the lorry won’t start). Using the headlights to dig the pit blinds, the battery had gone flat. The clients were devastated and some of the comments “you sure as hell can’t shoot geese with an 8 ton lorry parked in front of the blinds and all” the next comment was “that sweet talk back in the states was to get our money”

Colette, my wife, for once was speechless, which is very rare. She muttered “Comins you better do something"

                                                              Colette Comins, first women PH

Avoiding the client’s belligerent stares I jumped into “Jessica” and headed for Org Cronje’s workshop and was lucky enough to find a tractor driver who assured me he would pull the lorry out of the goose field. I promised him six geese if he pulled what was now a very serious situation out of the bag for me.  By the time I got back to the pit blinds, it was starting to get light and a pair of Egyptian geese were already honking and circling the decoys. Ammo was placed in the pits, the clients got into position and some distance away we could hear the sweet rumble of the approaching tractor.

                                                 Trevor Comins, back in the good old days
Literally as the lorry left the field, the first of the Spurwing approached out of the pink dawn over the Musi swamp. My clients were using a 2 gauge duplex ammo with a mixture of BB and No.2 shot which were devastating. I kept reminding them “shoot him where he eets and not where he sheets”. The morning shoot produced 84 Spurwing and everybody was delighted.

Colette and her staff were preparing breakfast under some Sycamore fig trees. Grilled dove breasts, sausages, fried eggs and tomatoes on the griddle pan over the open fire, and the best crumpets you have ever tasted. In anticipation of the feast we nipped off to the Musi Swamps to view a pod of hippos and on the way we met two Zulu maidens, whose faces were painted with orange ochre (mud) to avoid sunburn on their way to their maize fields. We stopped and the clients took some pictures of these Zulu beauties. As we were about to leave, one of the Zulu girls asked me what the white folks had painted on their faces? The camouflage paint had been forgotten and we all had a good laugh and headed back for Colette’s feast.

By Trevor Comins, Father of Clayton Comins

A Ladies insight into Bushpig Hunting

A ladies insight into Bushpig hunting by Debbie Comins

www.umdende.com

Debbie with her pig

Working in an office all week can get quite tiresome, but when Friday comes, so does the excitement!!! Saturdays in my household are reserved for Bushpig hunting. Even our dog Moya who comes with us starts to get excited. Saturday Bushpig hunting is my reward for sitting in the office all week seeing to hunting emails.

My husband Clayton (owner of our company Umdende Clayton Comins Hunting Safaris in South Africa www.umdende.com ), our son Liam and I, all get so excited for Saturdays. Friday nights are early nights for us, but we first sort out our guns, hunting clothes, charge radios and of course pack a lunch box, so we have something to snack on whilst hunting.

Saturday mornings are early, before the cows even come home. Coffee is first on the list before anything happens. Camilla our little girl also knows what is happening when she sees Mommy put on her orange shirt and Aigle gumboots, and often cries when it’s time for us to go. Our nanny then comes in to look after her, and calms her down and waves ‘bye-bye’.

It’s a mad rush in the morning, we all make sure that we have something orange to wear; otherwise we have bright orange bibs we pull over our camo shirts. Safety first when Bushpig hunting! We leave home and drive in the dark, sipping on our camo-coffee mugs on route to the hunting area. We hunt in various locations around our area and todays location has been scouted during the week because a farmer called complaining of the damage he has seen in his crops. Our regular group of guys meet up just before the sun starts to rise. In the dark a discussion starts on where to go or where to stand in this specific area we are hunting. 

Talking strategy before the hunt

Once we know the plan, we all go get into position and wait. I stand on the outside hoping that a pig may run out of the maize and I may get a chance to shoot it. Running through green maize can be extremely difficult as you cannot see too far into it. I am fully aware of the dangers of these Bushpigs when cornered in a tight spot so I know my limits and let the brave, experienced men run in the thick maize. Every now and then my husband ‘stays’ close to me and takes me into the maize, but he usually ends up running ahead leaving me on my own and this makes me nervous, but the adrenalin rush is incredible. Having 2-way radios between all hunters definitely makes communication that much easier and we all know where each hunter is located during the hunts. I much prefer hunting in dry maize or forest-bush. In this type of terrain I find a spot on a path-way that the Bushpigs regularly walk and wait there, or move up and down the pathway waiting in anticipation for a pig to come my way. This is only usually at the end of winter /early summer when the crops have all been harvested and the Bushpigs move into the forests and bush to sleep. 

Listening for the hounds

I have learnt over the years of hunting Bushpigs that, it is also important to check that the Bushpigs don’t suddenly run out of the maize. However they often run in circles and are shot in the maize by one of the guys that are brave enough to go into the maize. But on occasion a pig will break out and if you are in the right place and can aim and shoot quick enough, then you may be lucky and get the Bushpig.

At the end of a hunt, photos are taken of the hunters with their pigs and then the traditions start. Our main tradition is that if you shoot and miss the pig, then you get a lash. The guy who has shot the most pigs, gets to choose a stick and gets to do the lashing. It is all good fun and everyone has a good laugh! It’s a long morning hunting pigs and often there are a few beers shared after all the formalities, I prefer juice to be honest! 

Garth getting a lash for missing a pig 

Being the only lady hunter that joins the guys should be a rather daunting task for any lady-hunter but the ‘guys’ are all top notch gentlemen and look after me so well. (I even go with when my husband Clayton is off somewhere else hunting with his international clients.) The guys always ask me on the radio if I am Ok and although they all love to get their own pig, if I’m around they stand back and let me shoot first, getting so excited when I get a pig! I thoroughly enjoy my weekly Bushpig hunting. The areas we hunt are truly beautiful, especially in the early mornings as the sun rises over the valleys and we often find ourselves on mountain-tops with 360⁰ views. The thrill and the adrenaline-rush of running after the Bushpigs, as well as seeing friends, having good laughs and of course spending quality time hunting with my family, makes this the highlight of my week! 

Clayton. Liam and Debbie with Liam's pig that he got with moms (Debbie) 30-30

But when everything is done, I can’t wait to come home and spend time with my precious little girl Camilla….. I can’t wait for the day when she is old enough to join us on our hunts!

Debbie and Clayton with Debbie's pig

Umdende Clayton Comins Hunting Safaris trip to Botswana

                                                      

                                                           Elephant Hunting in Botswana
                                                               www.umdende.com
Elephant hunting in Botswana, what can I say, your heart is beating the adrenaline is pumping and you are surrounded by beauty in the African sun. This is true hunting and a real old Safari like back in the good old days.
The first morning we were out of camp bright and early and off to go pick up our game scout Carlos. Once all the paperwork was done, it was time to start our epic ten day Safari. 10 km’s out of the scout camp, we passed out first locals who say they have been seeing Elephants at the dam. So 40km’s and 5 hours later, we find our first signs of Elephants, tracks crossing the road, but they are a couple of days old, so we keep searching hoping to run into fresher tracks. By 15:30, we still have not found any fresh tracks. Carlos our game scout suggests we go speak to the local army, they patrol the fences between Zimbabwe and Botswana, and according to them there is a lot of activity 150km away.
Day two, we set off at 4am to see if our information is true? After 2 hours of driving we come to a T -junction in the road, right on the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana. We decide to turn right and not even 200meters down the road, the fence is flat and tracks of 3 big bulls have entered. Hearts racing in anticipation, we ask ourselves “do we go or not go?” We are excited so we decide to go, only to find that they have crossed back into Zimbabwe. We now know we are in the right area. We drive the fence for another 40km and we see fresh tracks every two to three kms.

Hunters, PH'S and trackers walking after spoor

By 12am we decide that this is the place to be! So we travel 200kms back to the lodge, and start to pack up and make the move into bush, from luxury bush style to staying in one of the veterinary camps where the locals kindly offered us three small houses.

Veterinary camp

Day three, after moving our camp, we set out in the dark, the cold and the unknown. Not even 5minutes later we run into the same 3 big bull’s tracks. We are excited and off we start on the hunt, 2 clients, 2 trackers, 1 game scout and 3 PH’s. We start by following the biggest of bulls, as they kept splitting up. After 2 hours of no talking and brisk walking, we stop for a water break in the heat. Our trackers tell us that we are not moving quick enough and we need to speed up if we are going to catch up with Elephants. After our short water break we start again, but this time we speed up to try catch up to the heard, but with the heat rising this makes for difficult times for one of our clients, who is in his late sixties. He starts to slow down and increases his water intake. After 25km’s and 5 hours of walking our client is too tired to carry on, and asked if he may return to vehicle.
Carlos our game scout offers to take our client back to the vehicle and insures us he will be completely safe with him. Congrats to our client on walking so far and keeping up for as long as he could.

Rudolph (PH) scouting the landscape

We start again, tracking the bulls. We knew the bulls would slow down soon, due to the heat of the day. So 1 hour and 5km’s later, we heard the first branches break, hearts beating we press on. Now we can hear that there are more than 3 elephants, a whole herd. Our trackers decide to climb up a tree and see if they can see the elephants and see how far they are. They come down with much excitement, with two puffs of powder to check wind direction; we start to stalk towards them.
After a few minutes of walking quietly we see the first cow, she is 40 yards away from us, now our hearts are really beating, we manage to back away and move past her without her seeing or hearing us, but with doing this we are now in the middle of the herd, which we think is 10 or 15 Elephants. As we come around a small hill, or kopie as we South Africans call it, we are amongst the herd, and they are all around us.

View of the area where where we hunted

A cow is standing 10 yards from us, but she is between us and the bull, so we quietly pull back and we go in from a different angle. We luckily find a small path going up the side of the hill, which gave us a height advantage. We are now in position 15yards from the bull that we have been tracking for 6 hours. Greg, our client, picks up his 375 rifle and aims, but he unfortunately cannot see the animal through his scope, so we quickly hand him our 458 rifle. This all happened within 10 seconds! Now that the right gun was in hand and he could see the animal in his scope, he aimed and pulled the trigger. A perfect shot brain shot and the elephant dropped. Then the land erupted with what we thought was 15 elephants turned out to be over 40 elephants in the herd.
Once the dust and the heart beats had settled, there was great excitement within the party. All our hard work and long walking had paid off; it was a great stalk and a great achievement to manage to catch up to these magnificent animals. After 6 hours and 30km’s of tracking this bull we managed to shoot him. We decided to leave the elephant as it was getting dark and we needed more help. The next morning on our way back to the elephant with some help to skin the animal, we told the locals that we had shot one, and they must come collect some meat. Bush- telegraph is amazing and within an hour we had locals from many areas helping us and collecting meat so they may feed their families.

Locals collecting meat

The next few days were spent looking for a second Elephant for our other client, but the Elephants had disappeared. So our time was up in Botswana, but we are looking forward to going back later this year to get one more Elephant before the season is closed.
Thank-you Botswana for an amazing Safari that will live in our hearts forever.
Written by:
Clayton Comins - Owner and Outfitter and PH
Garth Lee- Outfitter and PH
Rudolph Terblance- PH