Only a few more days to go....
Day 9
31 May 2016 (Wednesday)
Bush buck or two at Port Arthur
Up for an early breakfast and Annie and I departed with Lammie and Atti at 0730 for Port Arthur with the hopes of at least one bushbuck. Annie slept the whole two hours ... I'm glad she was relaxed. After the drive, we arrived at an Old Family Farm on the coast with access to a beach and the Indian Ocean. The farm was one of the original English settlements in the area and had been in the family ever since the late 1800's. After talking with Andreas, the owner, we entered the farm and started the search for an older bush buck that had recently been seen. While looking we saw many Blue Duiker and we also spotted two Oribi. With nothing moving in the area, we decided to park on a hill overlooking a valley and the Indian Ocean in the background to glass the area. After about 10 minutes, we spotted two female bush buck. We continued to watch them for about another 30 minute but the buck never came out. We loaded up the bakkie and went for a drive. While driving, Lammie spotted a bushbuck across the road in another area that was worth a look.
We went back to the main house to talk to Andreas who told us to look at the old quarry for a bushbuck before heading across the road. We arrived at the quarry at around 11:30 and parked at the top, then walked to the edge for a look. We immediately spotted a few females, but no bucks. About 10 minutes later a nice buck stepped out. He was on the edge of being a shooter, but we decided to cross over the main road to take a look on the other side and try to find the one Lammie saw earlier. Once we crossed the road, we picked up a farm hand who was familiar with the area and would act as our guide.
The vegetation was very dense on the other side of the road. We immediately spotted some more females feeding, but continued looking for a nice buck. After driving around for another 30 minutes, Lammie spotted something feeding at the edge of some trees that was worth another look. It turned out, it was a nice shooter bushbuck and we got out of the truck, put Annie on the sticks and got ready for the shot. The bushbuck did not know we were looking at him. She was not able to see him right away in the scope, but after turning down the magnification, she was able to get a good sight picture.
By this time, the buck looked over and was starting to get ancy about us looking at him. We moved Annie for a better shot and she located him in the scope again at 116 yards, settled down and took the shot ... BOOM!... Nothing! ... High and left. Both Lammie and I saw the shot hit. By the time Annie was able to load another round in the chamber, the buck had disappeared into the trees, a clean miss. We were all a little disappointed, but again, sometimes sh** happens. We loaded-up and started the search once again, not really looking hard, because we figured the last shot must have spooked everything in the immediate area. After about 10 min, I caught a glint out the window and asked Lammie to back up. We stopped to take a look and there was another shooter bushbuck. Annie decided to pass after her last shot, so the shot was mine. On the sticks, I found the buck, started the squeeze, BOOM! ... SILENCE!... A clean miss! What's going on??? He ran off into the trees. Lammie and Atti looked at me with the questions in their eyes.... I had nothing, I missed. Back to the main area to eat some lunch. After enjoying a light lunch and some more scouting in the area, we headed back to the quarry.
We arrived at the top of the quarry, parked the bakkie and started the search. Once again, we spotted more females and watched them for a little while hoping a buck would step out. Shortly, we spotted the original buck from the first visit to the quarry and watched him for a while. Soon Lammie tapped me on my shoulder and a nice buck had stepped out, down the hill at 350 yards and started moving around checking out all of the females. We looked and he was definitely a shooter. But we needed to close the distance. I grabbed the .308 and got ready to move closer. We started to move closer, but spotted a duiker heading out way and hopped that he would not bust us and spook the bushbucks. We continued our move and made it down to 247 yards and waited for the good shot. I tried a standing position with the sticks, but settled for a more stable sitting position. Now it was time to wait for a clear shot. The bushbuck then started feeding from our right to the left following one of the females. The buck continued to move around a clump of bushing, checking out the females while feeding and I was in the scope waiting for a clean shot. The female he was primarily following stepped out from behind a set of bushes. A few more steps and the buck would be clear. All of the sudden, she spooked for some reason and ran off to the right. We got a brief look at the buck as he followed her. Now it became a waiting game. Five minutes later, he still hadn't moved. When he finally showed himself, I only had an iffy shot into a small window that I was not comfortable with. The wait continued. Then he moved off to the right and stopped between two bushes that gave me a better window to squeeze the shot thru.
I took a breath, started the squeeze ... BOOM ... SMACK ... HIT! A definite hit, but he ran off to the right and into the dense trees. We talked about the shot and I let them know that it was maybe a little far back but still a good shot. We went downhill and found good blood and bone fragments. It was a good shot, but definitely a little too far back. Now we had to follow a wounded bushbuck into the woods, what could go wrong with that? Time to switch guns for the tracking. I grabbed the 375 and followed Atti. We climbed over and crawled under branches worked our way through dense brush trying to stay on fresh sign. How a bush buck could effortlessly move through this stuff was beyond comprehension.
Meanwhile, Lammie and Annie headed back to the farmhouse to get Andreas and his dogs. Atti and I ended up bumping the bushbuck at least four times. Each time, we would get close, we heard him snot at us before moving away and found a blood spot where the buck tried to rest. This went on for about an hour. Finally the buck started working his way out to the meadow where Lammie was looking for sign. The trail went cold for Atti and I, but all of the sudden, we heard a shot. Lammie spotted the buck and took a shot with the .308 but missed. Back into the brush on some new sign.
The only thing I was thinking at this point was about all the stories I read about bush buck getting cornered and taking the offensive. Once the dogs arrived, Andreas and the handler joined the search. The dogs bumped him two more times, and finally Lammie actually saw the buck and was ready to shoot again when he gave us the slip. Now we had 5 people and two dogs chasing a wounded bushbuck in the thick brush ... again, what could go wrong? After the last sighting, we decide to backtrack a little because we lost the sign. Then it all happened in a flash, one of the dogs alerted and both Lammie and I spotted the buck at the same time staring at us. We both shot.... BOOM, BOOM ... SMACK, SMACK ... HIT, HIT... the buck and a tree were down.
When we finally saw him for the last time, he looked like he was tired of running and ready for a fight.... not a good thing with a wounded bushbuck that was cornered. Either way, he was now down for the count and the hunt was over. Neither Lammie nor I will confess to who shot the tree, and we will never know for sure who hit what, but I think it was Lammie that hit the tree...... That is my story and I will stick to it! I am sure Lammie will tell you different.
It was now around 4:30 in the afternoon and time for some water, pictures, and a break before we headed to the farmhouse to skin the buck. It turned out my original shot was in the right rear haunch. Andreas kept the meat from this one. While Atti was skinning the buck for a shoulder mount, Annie and I met Andrea's youngest daughter. She and Annie had a great conversation as they were both interested in horses and wanted to learn from each other. Another great reason to take the kids with you. While Atti worked and the girls talked, the sun started to set and offered some amazing views. There were by far the only one that I would say rivaled the sunset is the desert Southwest. Once all the work was completed, it was time to load up and head back to the lodge. Two hours later, and a good nap for Annie we arrived in time for dinner.
! She’s a good daughter to let you get the most!
