Ryan Brown
AH senior member
We continue to the river where we take a nice walk through the bushes and river habitat. There is game everywhere. Every time we come out around a corner there is something else. Waterbuck, kudu, impala, bushbuck. Everything we see is running away from us as we see it. We are not sure if something is alerting all the animals to our presence. It is now getting hot and close to lunchtime. Ryan takes us to a pan where we should have a chance at an impala while we have lunch. During lunch, I only see a waterbuck that decides not to come out.
Finally, as our siesta ends, an impala ram comes out at the far end of the pan. I wake Ryan up and we plan a short stalk. He can only get about one hundred and fifty yards from him as he goes back into the bushes. As soon as we return to the truck, the ram once again comes out. We turn around and make our way back to the same position. I get on the sticks ready to shoot. I am not as steady as I should be but feel that my reticle movement is good enough. I fire and miss again. I am once again disappointed in myself and my shooting.
The afternoon hunt continues along the river making our way through the riverine bush. I am once again replaying my poor shooting in my head as we make our way through the bush. The first trail we follow yields nothing. We returned to the truck to continue. Just a few minutes down the road, I heard a pop and immediately knew that it was the tire. I am almost amazed as we were on a good road. It is now a proper safari. We have our flat tire. The guys make quick work of it, and we are on our way.
Our next trail is revealed a mile ahead. We begin our way under the bushes, and we are greeted by a bushbuck ewe. We froze and waited for the ram to come out. He does but he is not a shooter. We continue. Several hundred yards down the trail, we come across several bush pigs that startle us as we walk next to a bush under which they were bedded. The bush pigs in turn startle everything else that might have been in the area. We decided to return to the truck disappointed as it is now getting late in the day.
When we return to the truck, I start to unload my rifle to return to my seat in the high rack. As I go to hand my rifle to Godfrey, I hear to come to the other side of the truck. I see a nice bushbuck about one twenty hundred yards in front of us. I know he is a big one instantly. Ryan and I get in position to take a shot. As I get on the sticks, my swivel stud once again is pushing off the rest. I take my time. I am holding steady on his shoulder trying to make a good shot. I fire and he drops instantly. I am ecstatic. I shot him in the spine. We quickly got up on him and I put a finishing shot on him.
Finally, as our siesta ends, an impala ram comes out at the far end of the pan. I wake Ryan up and we plan a short stalk. He can only get about one hundred and fifty yards from him as he goes back into the bushes. As soon as we return to the truck, the ram once again comes out. We turn around and make our way back to the same position. I get on the sticks ready to shoot. I am not as steady as I should be but feel that my reticle movement is good enough. I fire and miss again. I am once again disappointed in myself and my shooting.
The afternoon hunt continues along the river making our way through the riverine bush. I am once again replaying my poor shooting in my head as we make our way through the bush. The first trail we follow yields nothing. We returned to the truck to continue. Just a few minutes down the road, I heard a pop and immediately knew that it was the tire. I am almost amazed as we were on a good road. It is now a proper safari. We have our flat tire. The guys make quick work of it, and we are on our way.
Our next trail is revealed a mile ahead. We begin our way under the bushes, and we are greeted by a bushbuck ewe. We froze and waited for the ram to come out. He does but he is not a shooter. We continue. Several hundred yards down the trail, we come across several bush pigs that startle us as we walk next to a bush under which they were bedded. The bush pigs in turn startle everything else that might have been in the area. We decided to return to the truck disappointed as it is now getting late in the day.
When we return to the truck, I start to unload my rifle to return to my seat in the high rack. As I go to hand my rifle to Godfrey, I hear to come to the other side of the truck. I see a nice bushbuck about one twenty hundred yards in front of us. I know he is a big one instantly. Ryan and I get in position to take a shot. As I get on the sticks, my swivel stud once again is pushing off the rest. I take my time. I am holding steady on his shoulder trying to make a good shot. I fire and he drops instantly. I am ecstatic. I shot him in the spine. We quickly got up on him and I put a finishing shot on him.
