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The Great African Adventure, Part 6: Leaving Khwai for Chobe National Park

WTA Team
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  • WTA Team

Thursday, May 15. Leaving Khwai for Chobe National Park – Savuti Area

Our last morning in Khwai was another bright, chilly gorgeous beginning.    We see herds of wildebeests, lovely impala, sand grouse, guinea hens and lots of hornbills.  We head back to our lovely camp in Khwai and assist Lawrence and Degree pack up the Green Mamba with all of the gear.  They make such fast work of this job!  We drive along the Khwai River and up the sand ridge to the Savuti Marsh. Making our way through the Mababe Depression we have fun making up stories about the animals we saw and their various mental ailments –   The zebras needed group therapy; the lovely Batalliers needed couples therapy and for the Giraffes, lost conical therapy.  Silliness.  It is a gorgeous ride….very hilly and even somewhat challenging with our heavy load.  We see new birds, and after we arrive at our camp in Savuti we head out and have our nightly “sundowners” under a lovely Baobab Tree.  We take lots of pictures.  I think that Bridget will really like to paint this.  I wish she were here.  There are huge outcroppings of rock that are deep orange and brown…beautiful in the sunlight.

Our camp is tucked into some big trees by the river and at night I can here elephants sloshing around- surreal.  We visit some marshy areas and just take in the birds….they are amazing in their flight and color…there are so many….so far we have seen 75 species of birds….Clinton just rattles them all off…mom would love this part of our adventure.   I have an ongoing messy list all of the birds.  It is incredible – today we see some new ones – the Secretary Bird, Marshall Eagles, the Fulvous Duck, Goliath Herron, Comb Ducks and the Glossy Ibis.  We head back and have a wonderful dinner.   We have had all kinds of wonderful Brei for dinner – steak, chicken and pork chops and also some wonderful chicken and lamb stew.  Matt and Tim would love the authentic shepherd’s pie made in the Dutch oven over the Mopani fire served with fluffy delicious freshly baked bread complements of Lawrence and Degree.  I have no idea how they manage to get the temperature perfect for baking- but they do!  Everything is So delicious with a nice glass of South African Jordan Estates Red – I think we have been having a wonderful blend of Cab and Merlot- very nice – Tim would approve. Dinner is always delicious and always served lamp lit and el fresco. Perfecto!

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Europe Awaits! Hosted Hunting + A European Vacation

Europe Awaits! Hosted Hunting + A European Vacation

I have been hunting Europe for a little over 10 years now, but there are so many countries and so much game that I feel like it could take another 20 years to see and do everything I want to do. That’s part of what makes Europe so exciting. It truly feels endless. Europe has become incredibly popular for several reasons. First, as an international hunting destination, it is easily accessible, with numerous flights available and no 15-hour, long-haul flights required from the U.S. and North America. Second, the hunts are almost always 100% successful because game management is top-notch and populations are extremely healthy. Third, hunts are relatively short, usually three to five days. Hunts lend themselves perfectly to adding extra vacation time, bringing non-hunters, and enjoying a truly memorable overall trip.

I’ve had the privilege of running WTA-hosted trips designed specifically for couples for the past three years, and we will continue this program well into the future, due to its overwhelming popularity. These trips are structured with a primary hunt alongside a dedicated non-hunter program for observers who prefer not to spend time in the field. Some of these activities have included spa days, shopping excursions, guided sightseeing tours, visits to olive oil operations or wineries, and more. Of course, non-hunters are always welcome to join the hunters in the field if they’d like.

On a personal level, my wife absolutely loves these trips, and I wouldn’t think of traveling to Europe without her. On several occasions when I’ve finished my hunt early, I’ve joined the non-hunters on their excursions and had an absolute blast. We also typically add a couple of days at the beginning of the trip to explore a city or region we haven’t visited before, which helps us adjust to the time change before the hunt begins.

In addition to the hunting, the scenery, the accommodations, and the food are always top-shelf.

After buying Wyoming moose preference points for years, throwing money at a dream that would probably never happen, Jeremy Ivie at WTA gave me advice that changed everything. “If you really want a chance at a Shiras moose, let’s put you in for Idaho.” The second year I applied, I drew the tag. Sometimes the best hunting advice isn’t about what unit to hunt, it’s about where to apply in the first place.

From Argentina to Idaho

My wife and I had just returned from an incredible trip to Argentina with WTA last April, and I wasn’t planning another hunt so soon. But when that Idaho draw result came through, everything changed. Now I’m planning two hunts a year, and my whole outlook has shifted. WTA doesn’t just book hunts; they help you build a hunting life.

October 1 found us in Idaho. The setup was perfect for us: a smaller, family-run operation with two cabins out back, a bathhouse between them, and the whole family was involved in the operation. Mike guided me, his father-in-law took the other hunter, and Mike’s wife and daughter helped run camp. After hunting at a bigger operation in Wyoming where I took a nice mule deer (another great recommendation from Jeremy), this intimate setting felt just right for a moose hunt.

Mountain Moose

Going in, I had no idea we’d be hunting at 5,000 feet above sea level. In my mind, moose meant swamps and willows, not mountain clear-cuts and steep terrain. But that’s where Idaho’s Shiras moose live, and Mike knew exactly how to hunt them.

Day one brought rain, cold, and long hours of glassing. We saw five moose total, including one bull that Mike immediately identified as “maybe a last-day bull, definitely not a first-day bull.” We also spotted a grizzly and some black bears. Idaho’s wild country was showing off! The terrain was brutal but beautiful, though after a full day of hiking those mountains, the word beautiful becomes relative!

Day two, Mike had a specific plan: a four-mile hike to a four-year-old clearcut he’d been watching. The timber gets so thick in Idaho that these clearcuts become magnets for moose. “We’re not going to do as much glassing today,” Mike said. “We’re going to do a lot of calling and listening.”

The Moment

Four miles in, calling and listening the whole way, we finally got an answer. Things happened fast after that. First, a cow appeared, then the bull at 250 yards. On the second morning of the hunt, I had my Idaho Shiras moose down. It was an unforgettable moment.

As most moose hunters will tell you, the real work begins after the moose is down. While we quartered and caped the moose on that steep mountainside, Mike’s wife and father-in-law were gathering horses and mules at the trailhead. The pack-out was something I’d always wanted to experience, and it lived up to all of my expectations. Idaho’s backcountry is stunning in photos, but once you’re off the trail, dealing with deadfall and near-vertical slopes while loading hundreds of pounds of moose meat onto mules, “beautiful” takes on a different meaning. I’m in good shape, and I was completely exhausted. It was fantastic.

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Apply for Colorado’s Limited-Entry Big Game Tags

Apply for Colorado’s Limited-Entry Big Game Tags

When it comes to big game hunting, Colorado is often at the forefront of every sportsman’s mind. With its diverse landscapes, from the iconic Rocky Mountains to the expansive eastern plains, Colorado offers a range of hunting opportunities for both residents and non-residents. While some tags can be acquired over the counter, many of the premier hunting opportunities in Colorado are found through its highly competitive draw system. This is why you need to apply and build valuable preference points in Colorado!

Deadline to Apply: April 7, 2026. Draw Post Date: Early June (staggered by species). WTA TAGS Species:…

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