SOUTH AFRICA: 50 With GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS In 2022

[Firebird]

By now Lunchtime was pst and I wa s getting hangry. Wik found a neat little ram and we sat and had our cold nyala sandwiches and sunbathing chips and Coke Zero. I said no to crunchies for dessert but ate two oranges instead. Maybe these oranges are not better than back home, but fresh sweet oranges in late July is magic.
Traveled a dirt road looking for lechwe or hogs or whatever. Saw a nice herd of gemsbok-cows mostly and half grown reddish calves. Saw a nice group of kudu cows and a couple half curl bulls trying to hide in the scrub. Wik said there was a dam a couple kilometers ahead and the wind was in our faces so we opted to walk the road into the wind and just see what we could see. We flushed a female steenbok and Wik said there should be a male here somewhere. Maybe fifty yards later there was one and he ran through the knee high grass until I could no longer see him. Wik was still behind his Leicas though and saw him abruptly lay down. I encouraged the stalk and off we went. In a moment of mastery I spotted a giant hog-a black and white one escaped from a farm some kilometers away. Wik seemed unimpressed or maybe amused at my spotting prowess. He found the horns ears of the little buck lying in the grass 150 yards off. We duckwalked to 75 and Wik saw it’s ears lay back down-very flat and sneaky. We determined it we continued he would bolt, so discussed a shot through the grass into what we could not see but hoped to be vitals. On an animal that small and a bullet this big I think it is all vitals! In the scope I could see the white throat patch and Wik said to aim a couple inches low of that patch. I did and the little guy was bowled over backward, his white belly revealing his place of death. Such an amazing tiny animal, I spent a long time manhandling him. I’m on my knees shooting his hair and liking at his hooves when Wik drops an “oh shit!” He is behind glass again and not all that far off is a lechwe watching us. I put my inferior glass on him-“monster bull!” But by now the jig is up-he has seen us and the tracker is bringing the truck and we still must care for my tiny trophy. But during all the following photos and silliness Wik is tracking the massive bull as he trot walks up the valley toward more open country.

 

[Firebird]

Open country where we hunted springbok and the more brushy draws where we found the bulk of hogs and kudu and lechwe. I have better pix but on my big camera and can’t load them to a computer until we get home. Forgot to load this of

the waterbuck-they are carefully moving him down a slippery hill. They treat game here with a good deal of care. I love it-and on this guy I jumped in to help right after the picture.

 

[Hunt anything]

Outstanding animals and write up. Bye the way I think Wik is starting to chronicle your hunt on his FB page.

 

[WyoBull]

Great stories and writeup!

 

[PARA45]

Having been there just a couple of months ago, I feel like I'm right behind you guys. LOL!!!! You've taken some outstanding animals. BTW, beautiful story on the Win 30-06, thanks for sharing!

Wish I knew about the Pop-Tarts. What flavor does she likes the most?

 

[gillettehunter]

Your getting some fine animals and a good deal of stalking time. Congrats
Bruce

 

[Firebird]

I asked my wife to describe Wik for me. She said, among other stuff that he is alot like me. Only waaayyy more handsome. I won’t argue this in a conversation with Wik I commented that Wik my gets truly excited about big kudu and Buffalo. Wik was thoughtful a second then chimed in “and my prit-ty wife, I’m quite fond of her John.” He said it with some humor and we both got a chuckle out of it. Brittany reminds me very much of Wiks mother Amanda. This is t quite fair as I very barely knew Amanda but I compare the two ladies as the highest form of compliment I can offer. Both ram the kitchen and staff and helped entertain the visitors in evenings. Both picked up plates after dinner and made sure your glass was never empty. And both just by their presence in the room commanded respect. And both would come to the skinning shed and tell you what a good shot you made and a great animal you killed and make you feel like you were a great hunter despite the fact that Wik did all the work and you are at the mercy of their boys skills. Behind every great man-a great woman. When Colin and Clare were here on my last trip and the boys dad would eat with us and Amanda when she fet well enough, the room always had a big family feel to it. The group is smaller now but I still enjoy the comraderie around the fire, the excellent food and the people that are here. I think Brittany softens Wik a bit, brings out his sense of humor and keeps him lingering around the fire longer. It’s been really nice.
Having Don here is just icing on the cake-another level of joy in the room. I said it before but it bears repeating-I would hunt with him any time. Here is Don tending bar with his infectious smile and Brittany on the rack the day the wind blew terribly and she helped me and Wik set out bait so I could sit in a blind with my camera.

 

[Firebird]

One morning we got up and had no hot water. I found Wik and he gave us permission to use a different chalet that morning-no problem, easy solution. That evening when we got back from hunting Brittany was waiting for us-apologized profusely for the inconvenience and reported the problem was fixed during that day. And the. She added with anaughty school kid type smile-“I shall have Wik take a cold shower tonight to make sure it never happens again!” I thought it funny, Wik probably not so much.
Another afternoon on our way home from hunting we passed an elephant bull next to a fence on some game park property. It was an old one tusked bull. I got out and tried for pictures from the high rack and got some on stuff of the bull feeding. “John you must go up to the fence and do not touch it but get pictures between the wires.” So I did and predictable the bull threw out his ears and sent a puff of air at the cheeky two legged cameraman. I’ve never run so fast in my life to hide behind the truck. My wife and Wik and the tracker were all laughing and the bull immediately resumed stuffing his mouth.
That night when we said we had seen an ele, Don said he has a funny experience to share. He and a client had seen a one tusked bull by the fence and the client wanted a photo of the bull. So they sneaked up the berm of the road and behind some brush. As they got to perfect range the bull threw out his ears and blew at them! What are the odds! I think that old bull has a sense of humor as well.

 

[Firebird]

My own wife is not a hunter nor does she love animals the way I do. She has taken a liking to Wiks two year old terrier named Leica. Rocky is down with an injury or she would love him too.
She is always welcome to join us but learned quickly that Wik and I move fast and stay out long. She also learned that she could wander around by the truck and find flowers and dead bugs and tracks and porcupine quills (which I agree are super cool) and the tracker will take care of her every need. They all call her “woman” which she takes as respectful. They have as much trouble saying her name as she does theirs.
today while we went after more springbok, she behind stayed at the lodge, poolside, reading a book and enjoying 75 degrees F, come light and the ladies of the kitchen doting on her. They also call her “woman” with big pleasant smiles. They made her a special salad for lunch that was so pretty and the gesture had her fighting grateful tears when we got home from our day.

 

[Firebird]

Our day started at a neighbors farm hunting springbok. I also have warthog on my list-but like steenbok I did not want to pursue them as wishlist animals, just to take one if we stumbled across one.
The first nights here were cold 3 degrees C cold. Today is a bit warmer but there is heavy mist in the valleys. We pass the German hunting bushbuck with Don and their trackers at their gate. They are re waiting for the mist to blow or burn off. Wik provides them with coffe and we continued on. From the top of the hill we are seeing springbok-miles away and in profusion! This farmer has sheep but tolerates the springbok as extra income. To get to the springboks we must drive passed a lovely valley bottom dam. We glass it first and there are warthogs here. Two good boars and a sow with half grown piglets. We decide that all closer and have a look. I am toting the .375 today and would love a shot at a pig. At 200 hard we sit in the shade of a tree. Wik asks what I think and I tell him that I am on the fence on this one. Wik agrees-it’s a good boar but no “wow” factor-a representative pig. Just then another boar walks up within ten yards of the first. His tusks are perhaps longer but in body he is noticeably bigger, wider, more massive, “Wik I’ll take that one.”
“We will see more pigs but that’s a good one, you can shoot a bigger one later if you see one you must have.”
He is speaking my language. We watch him for maybe twenty minutes, using his huge snout at a furrower and chomping fruits of his labor. Then he gives me the right angle. Wik tells me pigs can be very tough so make sure of the shot. 235 gr Barnes tsx proves overpowering for the boar and he get less than ten yards, heart shot and dead. Wik asks permission to let Leica get some experience and I encourage it. The. I run down to record her chasing the scent then charging the dead boar and worrying his hamstring with all the fury of a two year old jack russell.

 

[Firebird]

I apologize for being remiss about the food here. Breakfast is generally eggs and good bacon or their special cheese infused sausage (can’t pick a favorite I love them all) and toast. I usually have the fruit juice but have craved water this trip. Lunch is mostly basic but haven’t had a soggy sandwich or warm drink. I ate simba chips just to tell my kids that I had. Me and Wik both love boiled eggs and he keeps plenty of them and the oranges I love in his cooler. Dinner is game meat, plus domestic animal every night. I confess I like the lamb and pork as much as the beef steaks or game meat. My wife is keeping a list of things she has eaten-springbok, warthog, nyala, impala, kudu meatballs (a true standout favorite) wildebeest- My wife will tell you she can’t tell the difference and I think she is going to smuggle some of the sauces home with her. There is always a special bread and two kinds of vegetable, usually some potato option and salad as well. It would be the equivalent of Sunday dinner at my house every night but better meat and always cooked on an open fire. Grilled cheese sandwich on open fire is pie gold! They will add tomato or stuff to it if you want. Soda is limited to coke, coke light, sprite or orange Fanta. The orange is sweet and I only ever Drink it when I am here. There are lots of wine options and beers to select from-I don’t drink so don’t have anything to offer here but there are plenty of options. Also canned fruit juice if you like. I like to mix sprite with cranberry or grape juice. . . And there is always dessert. I love them all !

 

[Firebird]

After the steenbok was opened and the stomach contents dumped and he was placed in a tarp to keep the dust off, we turned our attention back to the lechwe bull. There were now two bulls, they had left the trees and moved up the rolling grass covered hill. The smaller of the two had laid down in the middle of nowhere-where he could see danger approaching from almost everywhere. . . In my head I contemplated the coincidence of there being only two lechwe and us just happening upon them. This was pure rot. Later with a different perspective we would see a group of cows and yearlings behind the hill. Our big bull was actually working his way toward them. And at dusk in our drive out we saw a massive herd of them feeding and bedded on an open gras hillside. There were bulls there too but it was dark to judge the headgear.
our bull was feeding unconcerned slowly through the grass. Wik had the tracker drive away-out of view and he and I slipped into the scattered but adequate cover of the trees. Into the wind steady walking at a cautious pace. At the edge of the trees we could see the cows at a shallow dam. They had drunk and were feeding away while the biggest of the two bulls had started towards us. Initially he was at 250 yards but he Had meandered to 200 with my crosshairs on him the whole time. I loved not only the mass and length of his horns but his coloring as well-black down his legs, the white around his eyes and the never ending throat patch. Ohhh that black down his legs was sexy!
At 200 he turned mostly broadside and Wik gave the “when your ready, on the shoulder” and I gave the trigger just a little pressure.
Lechwe are more or less the size of a good mule deer buck. So the performance of the 165 gr tbbc was not in question and performed without flaw. It passed through behind the front shoulder and broke the off shoulder and he ran low and haphazardly about 40 or 50 yards and was done. The .30 -06 had been perfect despite my abilities and a monster lechwe was the reward. Luck is the culmination of preparation and effort. Africa might be easy but it still requires a smattering of all three ingredients. A gorgeous animal taken in wonderful country. The females races out of there with the smaller bull in tow, some lucky hunter might see
Him in a year or two near here.

 

[GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS]

I recognize those shooting sticks. Keep it coming, don't leave us hanging.

Sorry you can have the sticks back
I really like the shooting sticks. All the hunters that have used them are saying they are really comfortable and they shooting well.
You will have to come fetch the sticks here if you want them back haha

 

[GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS]

@Firebird Thanks for the hunting report so far and Kind words.
Appreciate it

 

[GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS]

These photos of the kudu show the deep curls

 

[GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS]

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[GAME 4 AFRICA SAFARIS]

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[Firebird]

I had decided to continue using the .375 to complete the “springbok slam.” This is purely a collection type hunt. I figured we would have spent so many days after bushbuck and maybe kudu, that a fun type hunt would be in order. Springbok seemed to fill that void and I think the colors are all beautiful. We had the first two put away and now the warthog-an alternate was well done-it was back to some serious not so serious hunting. On this property before I shot the big there had been scores of springbok. Now it seems we were in a desert by ourselves. Then for no good reason a single black ram ram across the valley and up onto a flat. -never look a gift ram in the mouth! We maneuvered a bit to gain the wind the. Climbed up toward the horizon. Wik could see the ram ahead and was just keeping him visible with the curvature of the hill. We got low and stayed that way and made it to a scrubby tree. Wik said 250 yards. I held the German #4 reticle where I figured it would be most useful and touched off. We heard the hit and the ram sprinted a couple tight circles then dropped. I hit exactly where I wanted and with both lungs ruined by the tsx, he just needed seconds to die. Got to bury my nose in his backside and inhale the sweet cotton candy scent of springbok expirado before the pictures. What a tiny magnificent creature! This was an old ram, teeth worn to the gums and horns worn and blunt. We Figure he was still defending his home range is why he stayed when the herd left.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Great trophies! I’m a little green over the Waterbuck & Kudu (not to mention that Lechwe). Congrats

 

[Firebird]

While searching for the next springbok target of the trip, Wik spotted a big warthog on a long gently sloping hill. The big guys rump was toward us and the wind was wrong so we found a road to correct that problem and then-“let’s walk.” Far far off a herd of “bonties” watched with interest. Over one rise and then another and we could see this was quite a nice pig. We decided that we would close on him and decide how bad I wanted two boats in one morning. I already knew I would shoot him. Halfway there a disgruntled herd of springbok ran through. A good ram trailer the herd. “Do you want to try him or keep stalking the warthog?”
I could have tossed a coin and been happy with either result. We decided to try the springbok. Wik had trouble ranging through the grass. We agreed on 400 and I tried it that way. Other than the range it’s the only bullet I fired this trip that did not strike an animal. The pig of course bailed and the Bontebok left town in a noisy cloud of dust. For a few minutes there were springbok of every make, model and color racing around. In the melee three rams got into some sort of territory dispute. While they were distracted Wik gave me the range. At 250 I got on the broadside one. Just as I was sending the tsx, a ewe trotted in front of my ram. I tried to stop the trigger, resulting in a flinch, a little bump where the scope tried to bite me and a darn fine thump down range. They all ran off throttles wide except the one ram who went flat. Then he got to his feet. Wik told me not to shoot and in less time than it takes me to type this, he went back down. Big bullets and big calibers are funny things-and so are springbok. I did hit him back somewhere but the bullet found it’s way out his opposite shoulder, taking most of the village with it. How that ram ever got to its feet again is unbelievable.
i finished the east cape spiral slam when I killed the eland. Today I finished the springbok slam-and a nice warthog with only three shots fired. It was sunny and nice and we took our time with pix and things. Wik asked if we should pursue black wildebeest, the tail end of my wish list. Then he suggested to wait a day or two. We had options and time on our side. So we pointed for home, Wik stopping along the way so I could take pictures of everything that caught parked my interest.