SOUTH AFRICA: A Return To The Eastern Cape

[PARA45]

"Those hills might prove to be easier on the eye than on the feet."

I learned that when I hunted the Eastern Cape with Game 4 Africa. Wik would say, let's take a walk, that meant 3-4 miles up and down those hills/mountain.

Keep it coming, enjoying your report, pictures tremendously. Anxiously waiting on what happened with the Kudu?

 

[Tintin]

That is a great story! I have a crazy kudu story as well but dang I enjoyed reading yours,lol

Thanks @kevin masters . As the story gets told over time, I'm confident that the river will teeming with hungry hippo and ravenous crocs, was 20 metres wider.

I learned that when I hunted the Eastern Cape with Game 4 Africa. Wik would say, let's take a walk, that meant 3-4 miles up and down those hills/mountain.

@PARA45 'let's take a walk' - that should be the name of a chapter when someone writes a book titled Things PHs Say.

Sleep was elusive as I awaited, with some trepidation, the dawn of what I dearly hoped would be recovery day.

The bush telegraph is not as delayed as it once, and as word of his feats spread, Riley had been recieving helpful text messages from 'well wishers'.

We finally got to experience down town Komga in the daylight on our, now familiar, morning commute.

It was rush hour and even the goats were having trouble finding a car parking spot at the supermarket.

We stopped for fuel, biltong and wiper blades.

While inside waiting to pay, I noticed a young girl, probably 7 or 8, stealing looks at me. Surely she had seen overweight, not so great white hunters in these parts before. Eventually she summoned the courage to approach me, and the object of her curiosity became evident, as she very politely enquired 'Excsue me, but are they binoculars around your neck?'

"Yep'

'OK - thank you - I've never seen binoculars before'

"Well you'd better come outside and try them out'

Her and her friend were beaming as they exclaimed how close everything now was. I'm not sure how crisp their images were - I had tried to adjust my binos from their usual setting 'decrepit eyes' to 'young healthy eyes'.

Binocular try outs complete, we were underway again, en route to some of the best pies I've had in my life - and, as may be evident from some of the pictures - I've had a few (too many) pies along the way - so can speak with some authority.

Given we now had to access the other side of the river, the route was longer, but provided new perspectives on some of the country we had roamed the last few days during the Kudu quest.

We successfully RVd with the recovery reinforcements, still hoping desperately that they would have some actual recovery work to do.

We passed the chicken toddler

and now had to penetrate some of thick stuff, that the bull would have been lost in, in order to recover him - if he was still there to be recovered. It was all pangas to the fore, as the lads set off to clear a path.

We had plenty of skilled and energetic panga wielders and a Hilux, so we would be fine.

I had never been so happy to see an orange tie down strap, as we finally approached 'the' tree, after a few false positives on other trees as we worked up the river bank. Better yet, said stap looked to still be under some tension. Maybe my bull was still there?

The recovery team swung into action, their every move scrutinised by the dogs.

I had my Kudu. He was a great old bull, and like Riley the night prior, was wet, but intact.

I'm thinking of writing to Rowland Ward and SCI to have them establish a uniform scoring method for difficulty of trophy recovery - this one might get a mention.

Plenty of time for reflecting on road back to camp. These last few days were well and truly days never to be forgotten.

The quiet bookend to the Kudu caper was a relaxed 0% Capetown botanical 'gin' at camp before lunch to help recent events sink in.

More to follow.

 

[PARA45]

I’m hunting with Wik next year, and thanks to you, I will name my adventure “Let’s take a walk”.

BTW, I’m still laughing at the recovery BTW, those pies look delicious, I’ll have to ask about them

 

[Tintin]

I’m hunting with Wik next year, and thanks to you, I will name my adventure “Let’s take a walk”.

A good yarn is even better with a good title.

BTW, I’m still laughing at the recovery BTW, those pies look delicious, I’ll have to ask about them

I'd almost go back just for the pies - they are much easier getting than the Kudu

The Beef and Bacon option was our pick. Merri was a Chicken fan.

 

[Tintin]

We were now after Duiker.

On the way we visted a couple of British soldiers graves.

We'd been told that there was also an old target stone in the area, on the face of an escarpment, that had been used for musketry practice. We never got to that.

Given the days my Kudu quest and recovery had consumed, it was time for Rick to get back into action, with a great, successful stalk on a Blue Wildebeast and a nice Duiker.

As the day ebbed away, we searched in vain for my Duiker, passing the laundry lady in our travels.

We crossed paths with a right handed, decent Warthog for Rick on last light, a target of opportunity, that he and the Rigby handled with great aplomb.

Then watched our last, melancholy African sunset for a while.

And enjoyed delicious, tender Sable off the braai for dinner.

My capes and skulls from a previous trip with KMG had arrived from @SPLITTING IMAGE TAXIDERMY, so the local purveyor of fine, luxury travel goods provided a suitable case that would hopeflly survive the impending three flight trip. I was not familiar with the Lucky Bird brand - but was assured it was to the task.

I'm pleased to say, the 'Lucky Bird' somehow managed to make it safely home, with contents intact (and seamlessly cleared through customs), and of great interest to the hound.

I'm not sure if it's wheels have many other trips left in them. It may be relegated to home storage duties.

A final sunrise.

Then, the saddest sight of a great safari.

A quick stop at Jonssons and C&S for some pratical souvenirs.

For anyone needing a landmark for C&S...

It's just down the street from the old Loco Shed

Due to baggage constaints, we decided to pass on the handmade outdoor furniture and kennels.

King Phalo - until next time.

There's no more eloquent way to end a tale, than that favoured by Porky Pig.

So, with much appreciation to all who played a part ...

That's all folks.

 

[Mort]

Great story and pictures.

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Nyati]

Congrats for a great hunt and thanks for your report !

 

[Spearhead]

Another day, another first for me. Kudu burgers with a bacon and egg breakfast. TIA.

View attachment 614974

It was good omen for today being Kudu day.

I had Ruark's, at times frustrating, quest for a good Kudu bull rattling around my skull.

But today would be the day, I was sure it was Kudu day - the breakfast omen couldn't be wrong.

We were off to hunt a new spot. A spot said to be teeming with Kudu. Or was that another PH Jedi mind trick to keep a client's spirits up after a few quiet days, during which Rick 'Harriet Maytag' had been the one taking all the good heads.

But what a spot it was, very easy on the eye as we entered the first valley. Those hills might prove to be easier on the eye than on the feet.

View attachment 614977

Merri the tracker, by now, knew what new country meant, some fool, who had barely shot any game so far, would be stopping the bakkie every few minutes to take pictures of dilapidated old buildings

View attachment 614975

View attachment 614976

Our new local tracker, Budae was still trying to wrap his head around it.

View attachment 614979

He was good sort, if only his leather jacket could talk, it would have some stories to tell. A man who apparently did not buy into the marketing hype sprouted by the purveyours of this new fandangled camouflage clothing - the blue pants had no doubt been on many more successful Kudu hunts than I had.

Then, in what seemed the middle of nowhere, miles from any roads of substance, we bumped into the cabbage lady and her crew, another TIA moment. We gave them a lift to some place even more remote, making the most of the bakkie space before it was filled to the gunwhales with a monster Kudu bull.

View attachment 614981

BTW Mods - why don't we have a TIA emoji?

The locals are out in force today, we next meet the goat guy.

View attachment 614983

Whose charges, impede our progress for a bit.

View attachment 614984

Finally, we spot a good bull, he's fair way off, but can see the stationery bakkie, and probably knows what a spotting scope means, and doesn't like it. They did get old by being stupid. There's nothing for it but to put in a long stalk, across the valley floor up the foothills.

The intel updates are coming through in hushed tones over the radio from the spotting elelment at the bakkie, we are making good progress. The bull is settling down somewhat, intermittently feeding.

This was it - this was going to be the Kudu taking stalk.

View attachment 615040

Baboons, bloody baboons, noisy bloody baboons.

They had clocked us, from afar, we got to within almost 500 m our bull before he had had enough of the baboons and the bakkie and had left the postcode.

But the day was still young, and plenty of hills remained.

View attachment 615048

Plenty of Kudu hills, and another stalk or two, for a closer look at what may have been a good bull.

View attachment 615052

My bull remained elusive for another day. But what a privilege it was to be just sitting, thinking about chasing Kudu, in this place.

View attachment 615051

More to follow.

I really appreciate the various scenery photos, especially the old buildings. Thank you.

 

[Spearhead]

We were now after Duiker.

On the way we visted a couple of British soldiers graves.

View attachment 616178

We'd been told that there was also an old target stone in the area, on the face of an escarpment, that had been used for musketry practice. We never got to that.

Given the days my Kudu quest and recovery had consumed, it was time for Rick to get back into action, with a great, successful stalk on a Blue Wildebeast and a nice Duiker.

View attachment 616156

As the day ebbed away, we searched in vain for my Duiker, passing the laundry lady in our travels.

View attachment 616158

We crossed paths with a right handed, decent Warthog for Rick on last light, a target of opportunity, that he and the Rigby handled with great aplomb.

View attachment 616162

Then watched our last, melancholy African sunset for a while.

View attachment 616159

And enjoyed delicious, tender Sable off the braai for dinner.

View attachment 616161

My capes and skulls from a previous trip with KMG had arrived from @SPLITTING IMAGE TAXIDERMY, so the local purveyor of fine, luxury travel goods provided a suitable case that would hopeflly survive the impending three flight trip. I was not familiar with the Lucky Bird brand - but was assured it was to the task.

View attachment 616141

I'm pleased to say, the 'Lucky Bird' somehow managed to make it safely home, with contents intact (and seamlessly cleared through customs), and of great interest to the hound.

View attachment 616157

I'm not sure if it's wheels have many other trips left in them. It may be relegated to home storage duties.

A final sunrise.

View attachment 616169

Then, the saddest sight of a great safari.

View attachment 616165

A quick stop at Jonssons and C&S for some pratical souvenirs.

View attachment 616167

For anyone needing a landmark for C&S...

View attachment 616166

It's just down the street from the old Loco Shed

View attachment 616168

Due to baggage constaints, we decided to pass on the handmade outdoor furniture and kennels.

View attachment 616170

King Phalo - until next time.

View attachment 616171

There's no more eloquent way to end a tale, than that favoured by Porky Pig.

So, with much appreciation to all who played a part ...

That's all folks.

Outstanding write up and photography.

 

[Tintin]

Thanks for the kind words

@Mort
@Spearhead
@Nyati
@cpr0312

Glad you liked my feeble attempts to convey the 'flavour' of the trip.

To my mind, an Africa safari, is so much more than the hunting.

Can't wait to get back

 

[JNevada]

Tintin,
It was a pleasure to share a camp with you and your hunting partner. I always thought you Aussies were a good group and you confirmed my opinion in spades. Hope to run into you again with the KMG crew.

Jay

 

[Tintin]

Hey @JNevada ,

My search skills are obviously rubbish - I was searching 'JayNevada' in the member list to tag you in the story.

It was great share the KMG camp with you both - hope the rest of your trip went well ... for you and the luggage

Sorry we didn't get you in the photo on our last night ;-(