REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Bongo In The Congo

[gillettehunter]

We had a big lone silverback at one camera that I saw 2 times. We also saw one on the road didn’t get a good enough picture of him to post.

 

[Beck]

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We had a big lone silverback at one camera that I saw 2 times. We also saw one on the road didn’t get a good enough picture of him to post.

Very cool, not many people ever get to see one in the wild.

 

[gillettehunter]

The gorillas in this area are the lowland variety. I saw them 3 of the 5 encounters that the pygmies had visuals on them.
We left camp at 3:30 and headed back. A bout half way there I heard a soft "pop" sound and a small bump. C immediately stopped the truck and said snake! By the time I got around to the back of the truck the snake was minus its head. It was a horned viper and was about 3-3.5 ft long. Pretty stout diameter. This was the only snake that I saw in 14 days. The day I arrived the pygmies killed a 13 ft long Boa constricter that weighed over 120 lbs. They ate both snakes. C and I were later told that the viper was eaten by 7 pm that night. C says they 3-5 a season so not a lot in this particular area.
A couple of miles from the machan we came around a corner and some gorillas screamed at us. Apparently we surprised them as we came around the corner and they were just out of sight off of the road. This happened 3 different times during my 2 weeks there. This was the loudest. C thought that they may of been heading to a small salt lick on the shoulder of the road.
That night in the machan was again a quiet one. We had a female sitatunga with a very small calf come in and feed for quite a while. C said my snoring didn't seem to bother her at all. I was awake at 5 and watched the sun come up as I had my morning prayers and a breakfast. While at the truck waiting on the trackers to finish bringing up cots and chairs we heard elephants breaking trees while feeding. Close by us.
We checked the other bye and found nothing there, Headed back towards camp and pulled a few more cards from cameras. Found a good picture of a Sitatunga bull that was a couple of days old. Back for lunch and a nap. Then back out around 3:30 to a new machan.
Had a few more mosquitos around. For the most part there I didn't have too much trouble with mosquitos. This particular machan had more around it. The wind was good and we had another night where I wasn't woke up to shoot anything. In the morning C was rather pissed. Apparently during the night a good Sitatunga bull had walked through the clearing. Never stopped for the salt. Not in a hurry but didn't stop. I'd of had to of been up and on the gun to of had a shot..... Also a porcupine came through
We ran to around 6 cameras and pulled cards. No Bongo. Gorillas, GF hogs and a few buffalo. No tracks along the road either. Just need a good heavy rain to get things moving. On the way back to camp we stopped and took pics of some coca beans drying as well as the trees they come from. Had no clue coca bean pods can grow from the trunk of their trees Pics to follow.
Bruce

 

[gillettehunter]

Note the yellow seed pods on the ground. These are ripe and have been picked. They then split the pod with a machete. Then they scoop out the beans and put them in a basket to go back to their home.

 

[gillettehunter]

Drying coco beans on a tarp. When dry they get around.40/lb. That’s where chocolate comes from.

 

[BourbonTrail]

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Drying coco beans on a tarp. When dry they get around.40/lb. That’s where chocolate comes from.

That’s cool, thanks for the pics. I never thought of cocoa just growing randomly in the forest like that for some reason.

 

[gillettehunter]

Unless I’m mistaken the locals clear out the trees and then plant the cocoa trees. They do the same with bananas. Then the trees seem to be on their own. I don’t think they weed them or do a lot of caring for them.
Bruce

 

[gillettehunter]

We are going back to the machan that we sat in the first night. We have a broken horn Sitatunga on camera there. C says that there has been 2 additional Sitatungas on camera there in the last couple of weeks. We leave camp slightly later than normal and find a large tree across the road. Probably pushing 2 ft in diameter. So they break out the chain saw and get to work. Almost an hour to clear the road enough for us to get through.
We get to the machan and the wind is right. Great news. We eat our normal baguette dinner and settle in. The frogs, insects and birds are so loud. At 7:30 which is an hour after dark I see the lights on the motion sensor go off. I quietly pick up the rifle and turn on the Pulsar thermal attachment and start to look for an animal. C quietly tells me its a Sitatunga and asks if I can see him. I locate him and reply yes to C. I turn up the magnification slightly and can see a large Sitatunga drinking the salt water. He is facing directly to me. I have my arms and rifle braced rock solid. The crosshair is centered between his horns between his shoulders. C whispers, "wait for him to turn". I wait and wait and wait for seemed like an eternity, but was probably less than 2 min. C repeated again to wait for him to turn. My finger is on the trigger and I have probably 1 lb of pressure on in. I'm chanting in my mind, squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk the trigger.
Finally his head comes up and he steps back. He turns so he is quartering to me. I complete the trigger squeeze. Boom and he goes down where he stands. I immediately chamber another round and get back on him. He is laying still on the ground...... I have my Sitatunga!!!!!!!
We put our shoes on ad head down to check him out. On the way C shows me a trail cam picture and says I think this is the one we just killed. It's the big one that Perry had been chasing. In fact they later told me that they had been hunting this particular animal for 3 years. Last year the other PH and part owner sat for him for 40 nights. When we get close he moves and C says immediately to shoot him again. Apparently they had one get up last year and disappear never to be seen again. I shoot him in the chest and finish him.
He wasn't going anywhere as my first shot entered just in front of the shoulder and traveled lengthwise. I can only think of 3 other animals I have killed in the last 10 years that have had me as excited as this one. We loaded him up and headed back. The pygmies sang as we traveled. Truly a surreal moment. I'll show some pics of my trophy.
Bruce

 

[gillettehunter]

A couple of feet from where he died.

 

[gillettehunter]

Next day at camp.

 

[gillettehunter]

Photo angles make a difference in how big an animal looks……

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Congratulations!

 

[gillettehunter]

Congratulations!

Thanks my friend.
Just a note. Pre-op is tomorrow so I have 9 hrs of travel tomorrow so no more report untill at least Thur.
Bruce

 

[cls]

Congratulations on a wonderful animal.

 

[DLSJR]

Congratulations! That is a Sitatunga of many lifetimes, a truly spectacular animal.

 

[Bhfs300]

WOW!!

 

[Travis2282]

Congratulations! Well at least I know I don’t have to refresh my app every 30 minutes to read more of this report! Can’t wait to continue Thursday!

 

[Hunt anything]

Man!! That’s fantastic. If you have killed 3 animals that have gotten you that excited you are a blessed man. Congratulations

 

[V.Veritas]

Absolutely gorgeous sitatunga specimen and spectacular hunt.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I was pretty pumped for you when I got the text message! Congratulations and it is a trophy well earned!