Kevin Peacocke
AH ambassador
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 6,534
- Reaction score
- 24,629
- Location
- Harare Zimbabwe
- Media
- 111
- Articles
- 2
- Member of
- Cleveland Gun Club
- Hunted
- Zimbabwe, SouthAfrica
This was a short biltong hunt to the picturesque area of Craddock in the Eastern Cape. With just two hunting days our group of five descended from Maclear, Cape Town and East London with high expectations and excitement to give it our best shot, so to speak.
This was my first chance at kudu so when a modest bull was spotted on a hillside early on day one Kaylem debussed with his 308 while we went on with the bakkie to make a diversion. Twenty minutes later and the kudu had moved along the ridge towards us and was now standing under a bush about 250 metres away. Kaylem was off to the left and signalled that he was off the stalk giving us a chance. Gary and I moved through a little ravine and as we crested the other side he was glassing the bush to set up the shot. "It's coming Gary", I whispered urgently as the kudu barreled towards us. Gary looked up as it crossed the 30 metre mark, suddenly saw us and veered to my right. The scope on the Sako 85 30-06 was still on 300 metres and 10 power, the kudu filled the objective and I admittedly jerked off a shot more in shock than purpose, and the beast bounded across the ravine unscathed. Next he encountered the bakkie, veered the other way and caught them all by utter surprise too, not more than 25 metres off, but nobody was ready!
We all shared a laugh and vowed to get this boy yet.
This was a farm of about seven thousand hectares, mostly goats and sheep, but literally teeming with game too - mountain reedbuck, karoo springbuck, kalahari springbuck, duiker, and fallow deer. Midday on day two we were high on a ridge road in the area where the kudu had evaded us and there he was again in the ravine below. Wayne put in a long shot that connected, but not fatally. Volleys then followed scoring two more hits at between 300 and 400 metres and he was down. A small boy really but just what the doctor ordered for the meat.
The rest of the tally included a springbuck and two mountain reedbuck, so the meat order was fulfilled. I failed to shoot anything this time, but just being out there on the red aloe strewn hills made it all worthwhile.
On the way out we stopped by the historical Victoria Hotel in Craddock town, a splendid place that must have hosted many famous folks over it's 100 year plus history. Their full English breakfast went down a treat and crowned a wonderful few days.
This was my first chance at kudu so when a modest bull was spotted on a hillside early on day one Kaylem debussed with his 308 while we went on with the bakkie to make a diversion. Twenty minutes later and the kudu had moved along the ridge towards us and was now standing under a bush about 250 metres away. Kaylem was off to the left and signalled that he was off the stalk giving us a chance. Gary and I moved through a little ravine and as we crested the other side he was glassing the bush to set up the shot. "It's coming Gary", I whispered urgently as the kudu barreled towards us. Gary looked up as it crossed the 30 metre mark, suddenly saw us and veered to my right. The scope on the Sako 85 30-06 was still on 300 metres and 10 power, the kudu filled the objective and I admittedly jerked off a shot more in shock than purpose, and the beast bounded across the ravine unscathed. Next he encountered the bakkie, veered the other way and caught them all by utter surprise too, not more than 25 metres off, but nobody was ready!
We all shared a laugh and vowed to get this boy yet.
This was a farm of about seven thousand hectares, mostly goats and sheep, but literally teeming with game too - mountain reedbuck, karoo springbuck, kalahari springbuck, duiker, and fallow deer. Midday on day two we were high on a ridge road in the area where the kudu had evaded us and there he was again in the ravine below. Wayne put in a long shot that connected, but not fatally. Volleys then followed scoring two more hits at between 300 and 400 metres and he was down. A small boy really but just what the doctor ordered for the meat.
The rest of the tally included a springbuck and two mountain reedbuck, so the meat order was fulfilled. I failed to shoot anything this time, but just being out there on the red aloe strewn hills made it all worthwhile.
On the way out we stopped by the historical Victoria Hotel in Craddock town, a splendid place that must have hosted many famous folks over it's 100 year plus history. Their full English breakfast went down a treat and crowned a wonderful few days.
