Day 8
Up at 0400. Why, I may have screwed my sleep pattern up with all that sleep the other evening.
Oh well, it provides time to write.
Got some intel on Eland. So some plans start to run through my mind. I may go sit at "Pig" Blind today and let the folks chase after Zebra up north.
I have asked about doing baited Jackal tonight. Maybe grab the camps .223 and off we’ll go to sit in the late afternoon by the gut pile in a popup blind. There are Jackals outside the tent calling right now as I write this so they are here somewhere.
0525; It is time for a little eye rest before getting up.
Damn mosquitos are getting into my tent again. They are just annoying.
This needs a remedy.
I consider being set at a blind. I delude myself this will not be one of those days of being bouncing around, etc.
Jane is along today and T is after the Zebra we left last night.
So we head north to the heavy stuff. I am along for the ride.
Since I am going to be in Africa for such a long period of time I "borrowed" some Oryx ammo for some predator culling, trying to conserve my ammunition.
I did not sight the rifle for it. I figured shots under 200 should be fine. NOT.
A Jackal appears and is standing broadside within easy range and I "blast" one high and miss him.
One more educated Jackal.
Today it is time to blame the operator. I chalk the miss up to me being hasty. Shortly we run into a decent Steenbok. I let a shot fly at a standing animal and all I hit is bush. He runs off. (You’ll notice the language, "let a shot fly", "blast". That is about what I am doing. Not good)
At this point I relinquish the remaining "borrowed" Oryx shells to the PH. When I run out of my own I may sight the rifle in with the "borrowed" ammunition. Until then, NO mixing and matching. This is a total brain malfunction on my part. Perhaps sleep deprivation has addled my brain. I have no excuse really.
On to touring and cutting off Eland and Zebra.
I see Blue Wildebeest and I point them out. No one responds. Are we hunting or not?? The Zebra were with BW last night. I give my head a shake. wtf?
Maybe they know something I don’t.
NO, they don’t.
We come around the corner in the road and see the Zebra in the clear. They stop momentarily look at us and spook. Disappearing into the bush.
We move down the road and around a few more bends and we run into Blue Wildebeest again. Martin sees Zebra. Instead of just continuing on down the road Wills has to give verbal instruction to the driver. This can not end well, as the Zebra are not stupid.
We stop several hundred yards up and sure as hell I listen as the Stallion brays and leads the mares off and I listen as the sound gets fainter and fainter with their egress. I know it is a bust before it starts. The Zebra are not interested in a replay of last night. Not sure why anyone else did not hear what happened. Perhaps they were being optimistic.
I decide to fart around taking pictures at the Bakkie for an hour waiting for the conclusion to be reached by my hunting partners.
They arrived back after a nice walk in the bush.
More driving the cut blocks attempting to find the blocks the Eland are in.
I drive forward and do cut off duty at various cross roads.
The young driver has to be told repeatedly what to do. There is no learning happening.
Wills is getting pissed after 6 days of it.
During this little foray I am dozing in the seat and get pounded in the scalp with a Sekelbos branch. I felt someone coming over my back and saw a stick. Not initially comprehending what was happening. Martin dove in front of me to try and save me from the collision. I can not imagine what might have happened if Martin had not intervened on my behalf.
It hurt but I did not think much of it.
Later I took thorns out of my scalp and noticed the cut.
It’s now hot out and we pull into a blind. I check the trail cam, instead of sitting totally blind to intel. (no pun intended).
Sure enough, the times are there and nothing is coming in at this time of day.
We head into the cattle section to look around. I have not been this far north before and it is quite open country up here. Obviously cattle are running around and it looks like home.
We turn into a place called “7th Heaven”. The previous iteration of Kanana had created a room on stilts for people to come and be alone. It is a creative idea and would be interesting to lay down on the roof and watch the stars.
(Jason had a plan to break it down and remake it within the hunting area.)
There is a small waterer where game would have come to drink. At this point it is dry.
It is quite dilapidated but we climb up and get a view from the roof. It is certainly the highest point in a very long way.
This is a panorama that provides a 360 degree view.
We hang out take pictures and have lunch and relax.
For the rest of the day I opt to sit at a blind and let T chase Eland and track with the boys.
After looking at the trail cam pictures I had determined when the Eland are coming in. The Eland are coming in at 1835.
I left Will with instructions not pick us up til AFTER dark. He says “Are you sure?”. I say “Yes, I am sure”.
I'm not too worried about the dark . The two resident dangerous game species (Rhino / Leopard) on Kanana are not likely to attack the blind.
I believe we have an understanding and am really looking forward to seeing the Kanana Eland close up and personal.
Jane and J decide to go with me to sit at "PIG".
We are hoping for a Warthog, or an Eland at the end of the day.
Our young driver is assigned to deliver us himself. On the way he turns at Siribe and heads to Samson. Does not clue in, even with a GPS. Oh, well. Maybe we will see something on our detour.
As we are driving on our "detour" the young driver finally surrenders that he is lost and asks for help. He hands me the GPS and asks where to go. All the holes are marked and named but he has no idea how to operate this tool.
I have never been in this part of Kanana before and am clueless. I look through his GPS and find the blind and start us toward our destination. It is more than 31C and I am now tired of baking in the sun. I finally get us in proximity of PIG and point the vehicle directly at it. Just as we are about to call a halt to stalk in I watch the Oryx bail from the water. We are obviously late for the mid day watering.
I decide to walk up anyway. Maybe we can get the young hunter an opportunity.
After we check the water out we wave the driver up. No response.
Finally, as we start to walk back to get him he moves up.
We unload our stuff into the blind and off he goes.
We wait FOUR hours and see 6 kudu cows. Not exactly a brimming cornucopia this afternoon.
Eventually, 2 female Warthogs come in at 16:15 and stay half an hour.
A bustard came in and was really spooky and left after two attempts to drink.
At sunset a large female Gemsbok starts circling the blind. I ask Jane if she is interested. She says she does not want to shoot one. Only hunting Warthogs I guess. I feel for her.
I get my bow ready and quietly set up.
I now notice that the PIG blind's shades are too low for me to shoot through while I'm standing. Great time to figure that out. (Note to self: Yet again. Prepare before the shot)
The Oryx hangs up on the salt at the furthest point facing on. Not the shot I am looking for. I set up to see what will happen. It is now we notice that the Oryx is pretty darn round. Hmmm.. Pregnant.
Three Eland cows come in. They walk right on into the water. They are “In your face” animals.
Good, the plan is going to work. These are the first Eland I have encountered within shooting range at Kanana.
Maybe the Eland curse is over. I cross my fingers.
Jane is being made to stay quiet as a stone, which is not much fun for her. For me it sucks to feel like an impatient nag. I think it is well past time any Warthog is going to show up, they are in bed now. It is hard work to remain quiet for so long, no matter what your age.
I hold my bow up ready to draw for fifteen minutes. Waiting….
Anticipation is high...
All of a sudden the Eland spook.
Astonished. NO!?,
What is it?
Not us, we have all been perfect.
Not the wind.
It's not dark.
Then I hear it, a vehicle! Disbelief…
Sure as hell someone is coming to pick us up. How is this possible?
Someone did not get the message.
The curse is on. (In more ways than one)
Kevin
