Congratulations my boy you finally got your target. You paid the farmer early 2023, posted about animal Dec 2024 and got him yesterday 08 Feb 2025. I know you and I hunted him a few times in 2023 before the big Dec on holidays, will get him 3 day hunts.
Then the whole of 2024 you hunted only him, turning down other animals as not to spook one horn. We did not see him all this Dec and Jan I stated that something must have happened to him, and then he just steps out in front of you - 08/02/2025.
Likely your most challenging thing you have ever done - many lessons learnt.
20250208_184854 by David Frank Allen, on Flickr

20250208_184731 by David Frank Allen, on Flickr

Congrats. Give us the details on carcass weight etc

43.2 Kg - teeth show well worn signs, but still good amount left. What was unusual was both front feet were badly worn, the left hoof being quite deformed and the right a bit more worn away than one would think appropriate.
Cody and I have watched him on many occasion when in a herd or behind twigs and branch's - occasions where we got within 40 - 50 m from him, but Cody would not take the shot. He really had a affect on me and I kinda rooted for him to live, the muscles in his body were perfect and he was the pinnacle of golden beauty, proud big, haughty and  magnificent.

Cody said two things in quick succession when I got to him , "got him Dad, finally!" and then " Daaad, Daaaad, he looked kind of tired this time".

We measure horns because its interesting, I am not a trophy hunter by any measure, but ya! A big one still is impressive  ;D

The horns were 4 inch and 23.2 inch

Well done!

Whta is the barrel length on the rifle?

Congratulations Cody!

Was that the 7mm-08?

A carcass weight of 43kg is a "oom" Impala. Enjoy the meat.

Congrats! That must have been hell of a satisfying.

Well done!

Whta is the barrel length on the rifle?

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16 inch if I recall correctly. It has stood unused for about 8 years now.

Congratulations Cody!
Was that the 7mm-08?

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No, its the 458 American, the first rifle Cody knew and basically grew up with till he was about 11 years old. I think it has always been a thing for him to use this rifle, the one his hero shot so many hogs with.  The rifle is mythical to him from memory and photo's, but it was also a monster, dragon thing only for big tough guys (me when he was a 6 year old). He asked this year if I think he was old enough to shoot it, the trepidation was real. After much explaining he tried it at the range and you could see the " huh ? I thought it was much worse " reaction. He shot Impala with it last month and he is now like super hooked on the short stumpie gun.
He said Saturday that this gun makes free hand so easy, "I shoot the other guys Impala free hand as it runs away Dad"

I think its also a thing for at school  ;D  ;D  ;D

I'd imagine a 458 WM must be pretty decisive on an impala.

.458x2 inch American - what weight bullet and powder used?

.458x2 inch American - what weight bullet and powder used?

Aha! I thought it was referring to a Ruger American in 458 Win Mag. Hadn't heard of the calibre before. I'd imagine that it still puts the hammer to something in the impala class.

Remembered vaguely that Treeman mentioned him building such a gun. Gunsite postings.

Remembered vaguely that Treeman mentioned him building such a gun. Gunsite postings.

It sounds like an interesting thing. Ballistics in the 45/70 range apparently.

Remembered vaguely that Treeman mentioned him building such a gun. Gunsite postings.

It sounds like an interesting thing. Ballistics in the 45/70 range apparently.

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Yes about a ballistic twin that. In my hayday I called 220 m an absolute max with it and could in a few seconds recite exact drop all the way in between.
Problem was that when you got to 220 m you were dropping in on the target and hitting a warthog mid body was not a good shot because the exit was visibly far too low, it was dropping like 4 -5 fingers across a hog.
It started out as a on foot, at 20 m or less, full moon man on bushpig gun - we would sit and look for a pod from a hill side on a full moon and then stalk them to a few meter, mostly by their feeding noise's.
It then got tried as a Warthog gun because a lot of hog were shot at inside 50 m and the .270 was destroying too much meat. Eventually kudu fell to it.
0 - 160 m is brilliant, but things change by the meter after that.