SOUTH AFRICA: BOTSWANA: Kruger N.P., Chobe N.P. & An Excellent Hunt With Numzaan Safaris

[ActionBob]

Fantastic Bushbuck Dan!

 

[IdaRam]

Thanks Bob!

 

[IdaRam]

We're still looking for Steenbok and Duiker. Hmmm. Those were a couple of the "easier" animals right? This is why we call it hunting.
Mountain Reedbuck will have to wait for a return trip. The days are winding down...
Today we have what may be our best chance at Serval yet. Jean-Louis has been busy. I'm really not sure when, but he's apparently been communicating with some of the other PH's and land owners looking for more Serval options. We have a good one. One of Numzaan's other PH's has a good friend who let's him hunt his land and has agreements with several of the other land owners that allows him to hunt their property as well. He knows the area and the other land owners and he will go along with us to make sure we hunt where we're allowed and not where we aren't. This is becoming a full court press. Everyone is pitching in and I feel enormously grateful and humbled by the effort being expended on my behalf. I'm at a loss for words, but I try to express my appreciation anyway.
Our guide won't be done with rugby practice until after 8:00 or so and will meet us at a pre-arranged rendezvous point. We'll hunt the area we saw the serval a couple nights ago until it is time to meet up.
The first couple hours of hunting turn up genet, civet, jackal, etc but no serval, so we head for our rendezvous point.
We meet up with a solidly built young guy that looks like a rugby player to me. He's wearing shorts and a jersey and I can't help but thinking this guy is going to be a popsickle in no time. Jean-Louis tries to convince him to ride in the cab and direct Andries where to drive. Nope, nothin' doing. He'll ride on back with Jean-Louis. Eventually he tells JL he's afraid if he rides up front where it's warm he will fall asleep. He knows what will happen then. Word will get out and he will never hear the end of it. Better to freeze for a few hours. Tough sumbitch, I'll give him that!
He turns out to be a super nice guy and a great asset. He knows the area really well, has a great sense of humor and we're all having a good time.
Up 'til now I've been passing on Civet, although we've seen a lot of them, and a couple pretty good ones on nights past. Jean-Louis has pointed out several as being big and asked if I wanted to go after them. I've said no each time and expressed my concern for making a less than optimum shot and burning up valuable serval hunting time chasing a wounded civet around in the dark.
Tonight has been more of the same. We've seen a few civet and I've passed on each of them. After the first pass I explained to our guide my logic and concern. He gets it, but still makes sure I understand civet are fair game. Looking back I'm very glad he did
We follow a farm road that takes us up on top of a ditch bank. As we pull up on top I light up the expanse of grass on the other side. 50 yards out is a huge civet just standing there looking at us. Most of the others we've seen have been moving out. I blurt out "I'll take that one"! I have seen enough civet to know this one is not just big, it is huge!
I drop the light and grab my gun as Jim lights up the civet for me. Bang! Whack! Down goes the civet. The dogs are off the truck like a shot and going full tilt to where the light is shining. The civet is still alive but fading fast when the dogs get there. They get a nasty surprise and decide caution is the better part of valor. This civet is bigger than both of them. They will just keep a close eye on it for us and make sure it doesn't get away. Good choice
We pile off the truck and exchange some high fives as we make our way over to our trophy. Holy moly, this is a big civet! Everyone is pretty amped about it. I am a very happy hunter.
We will find out tomorrow after skinning and cleaning up the skull it measures out at 9 12/16" which is good enough for the number 9 spot in SCI's record book. Also interesting, this civet happens to be a female.

 

[Neale]

I am enjoying your report. Congrats on your Bushbuck, he is a great trophy.

 

[enysse]

My PH called the civet the "black leopard of Africa", congrats! They are awfully smart!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats on the nice bushbuck!

 

[ActionBob]

Wow great civit cat! I missed one and really want one. Yours is a beauty. Congratulations again.

 

[flatwater bill]

Fabulous report.......................................Lots of logistics to control......................well done on that portion of the trip, plus the nice trophies and good write up..............well done to this point............congrats...........................FWB

 

[PARA45]

Fantastic report, beautiful pictures, and great trophies. Congrats on a fantastic hunt!

 

[IdaRam]

Thanks everybody, it's been fun sharing the experiences and reliving the memories.

My PH called the civet the "black leopard of Africa", congrats! They are awfully smart!

Yup, that sure is my experience as well @enysse They are usually moving out if you see them. The one I shot is the first one I've really had a chance to look at closely. They are a cool critter. So glad and grateful I had the chance I did.

 

[jacques smith]

Your list was as unique as the barrel length on your 44 But you did mighty fine in all segments, planning and execution, and story telling. Congrats

 

[IdaRam]

I may have a couple days jumbled up here, I'm a bit foggy in my recollection. I'm pretty sure days 8 and 9 are a weekend. Jean-Louis has suggested we concentrate on Steenbok and Duiker. He would prefer not to intrude on other folks weekend, the folks who own the property we would like to hunt serval on. They've been kind enough to allow us to hunt and many of them would probably like to spend time with their families and not have an added distraction of other folks in their midst. I can fully respect and appreciate that. No problem.
As it turns out, that works out fine for us.
The day starts out not so good, however. I have a 50 yard angling away shot off the sticks at a nice impala ram with my pistol. As soon as the shot breaks I know where it is going to land and it's not good. High and left. Right through no-mans land above and behind everything important like the heart, lungs and liver almost certainly missing anything vital. Yup, that would be the call from Jean-Louis and Jim as well. Grrr I'm cussing myself. Not what any of us wanted, but it is what we've got.
We find little blood and the dogs never seem to catch up with him. We spend the morning searching but without a lot of optimism. Just not much to work with. Sadly we never recover him.
Late that evening we spot a Steenbok ram slipping away and the hunt is on. He looked like a nice ram, but hard to tell with the look we got.
We find him again and he gives us enough of a look to see he's a shooter. Jean-Louis says take him and I'm quick to oblige. Another straight away and going away shot. If I want him, that's what I've got. This is becoming a habit. I would prefer otherwise, but at this point beggars can't be choosers.
Bang! A spectacular flip and and a cloud of dust. Steenbok down. My solid has taken him in the right hip, skimmed along under the hide on his belly and brisket and peeled him wide open, then exited through the left front shoulder, completely severing his left front leg which is lying there in the dirt next to him. I'm pretty sure the bullet has tumbled after going through the hind leg bone and the poor little guy is a bit of a mess. He died instantly and for that I'm grateful, but I just couldn't help the feeling of sadness seeing him laying there. These little animals are so delicate and beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes. I take a few minutes to hold him and say I'm sorry. Everyone gives me a moment.
Today has been a bit of a rough day. I will need a cocktail tonight. I think the lack of sleep is catching up with all of us.

 

[cagkt3]

Holy cow I didn't think civet got that big! Congrats

 

[Royal27]

Another vote for great civet.

I'd love to see one standing still. Like you said, they are always moving!

 

[IdaRam]

The next day starts off like any other day. Shower, breakfast, toss a gun and a small bag of stuff in the truck... This is where things go south in a hurry.
Today was supposed to be a Duiker day. Warthog and big impala are always on the docket of course.
If there's one thing we know as hunters, things can change in an instant. One minute I'm tossing gear in the truck and the next instant I'm on the ground. Something "grabbed" in the middle of my back and it's into the dirt for me. There will be no morning hunt.
Advil and a hot water bottle, a good long nap and a soak in a steaming hot bath have helped immensely! I'm still moving carefully, but feeling well enough for a short evening hunt for Duiker.
We've planned a braai for this evening and we'll be comparing the culinary attributes of bushbuck, klipspringer and steenbok backstraps. I am happy to report that not a scrap was left and all three were excellent! The klipspringer was actually my favorite, although it definitely had the most "different" flavor of the three. It was not strong tasting at all, but it was slightly darker and a bit coarser grained meat than the other two. I can't describe the flavor, but it had a hint of taste like the smell of vegetation they live in. Almost like naturally seasoned with a bit of something like sage.
Steenbok was second and bushbuck a close third, but as I said, all were excellent. I would certainly eat any of three, any time.
Well fed, it's time to get back to work!
A side note before the telling of tales; Jim and Jean-Louis have both reminded me in a somewhat pointed fashion that we have exactly one more night for the hunting of serval. Just one final chance tomorrow night. After that I have a plane to catch and it's really going to suck for me to fly home with my back out of whack. We will NOT be doing anything stupid. I am to sit in my seat and speak up sooner rather than later if I'm having any issues. If I need a coke, one will be provided. If I need to pee, well that's my problem
I'm not sure which sounds worse. Missing out on my last chance at a serval, or flying home all twisted up in pain. I decide not to think about it. We are in complete agreement. Both will suck ALOT!
It seems that the pendulum has swung back the other direction and good fortune has returned! We spot a very respectable duiker ram that seems to have no concerns about us whatsoever. He is at less than 50 yards as the truck quietly rolls to a stop and Jean-Louis has already determined he's a shooter with Swaro-vision. I am a fan of Swarovski binoculars. Wish I could afford 'em.
"Shoothimbang!" Yup, just about like that. I think this was the only "easy" shot I had the whole trip. Thank God I didn't screw it up! Perfect shot if I do say so myself. Well it certainly should have been!
The 300 grain solid worked exactly as planned. I nice, neat little hole in one side and out the other, right through the boiler room.
A death sprint right around in a circle and a pile-up in just about the exact spot he was standing when I shot him.
Finally! We have a duiker in the salt! I'll take it
We admire the beautiful little guy and I'm tickled to death. He's not a new world record, but he's a good ram and he's mine! It occurrs to me as we're exchanging hand shakes, this will very likely be the last celebration of it's kind that we share this trip. I try and take it all in.
Andries has something to say "Good job Dan. All 4 legs this time".
We all bust out laughing. That was unexpected!
In fairness to Andries, we have been giving him a pretty hard time. Jim's wife shot a Bontebuck a couple weeks ago down in the Karoo and someone who will remain un-named made a teeny, tiny little mistake and said "flat skin" instead of "full skin". Andries had cut through one leg before the big "Oh shit" moment, and there has been some good natured banter back and forth between a certain PH, a skinner and semi-retired gentleman from the USA.
I'm pretty sure this is not the last word on this particular subject

 

[IdaRam]

Sadly it is my last hunting day and tomorrow we're off to Swift Dip, the office, Safari & Outdoors, and eventually the airport. Not looking forward to that...
The upside is a leisurely day of hunting for warthog and if anything truly spectacular or unusual presents itself... Well, that's what credit cards are for
I end up shooting 2 warthog, a male and a female. Both dandy's.
Tonight is our last chance at serval and I'm praying for some Divine intervention.
We will be going back to the first place we hunted for the little rascals and I admit to having some trepidation, the cover there is so thick. But we did see that one elusive set of eyes we though might be cat.
We start looking an hour or so before full dark and everyone is focused. Not a lot of chatter. We're all intent on the job at hand.
About 8:00 pm we reach a crossroads. Literally and metaphorically. Andries assumes take the left fork and he hasn't received a signal otherwise. A quick call on the radio from Jean-Louis asking Andries to back up and take the other fork. A small decision with big consequences we will soon find out.
Within moments, probably two or three minutes, we light up a set of eyes on the right a few hundred yards out. Jean-Louis tells Andries to head for the eyes straight out through the grass. We close the gap to less than 200 yard. "Stop, stop, stop. That is a cat. Dan, get ready."
Moments tick by. I'm on the gun, lit reticle on, power up to 12x. "Serval!" "Shoot him."
I can see him moving but when he stops, nada. I'm at a completely different angle, up front and from the other side of the truck. The eyes aren't lighting up and the tan fur and black spots in the tan grass is like he's wearing a ghillie suit. He's moving again. He stops. Poof. Houdini.
Things are getting tense.
"Andries, drive straight at where we're shining the light." We close the gap and I switch shooting positions.
"Stop, stop, stop!" "He's right there, shoot him!"
Yes, I have him now. Bang! Whack!
"You got him!" "Wait, he's still moving!" "Shoot him again!"
Shit! He's hard to see in the grass. 2 more shots. One miss, one hit.
The dogs are in the way now so we drive forward at something like Mach 2 and bail off the truck. Once again the dogs have found something that just might be more than they bargained for. They have him surrounded, you might say. The cat's not going anywhere. He's almost out of gas and we all wait for his head to go down and the ears to relax. A few more seconds he's done. Let the celebration begin!
After the whoops and hollers, high fives and hand shakes, the much needed coke and a smoke, reality sets in. Last thing of the last night! Whew!
I take a moment to thank God and gather my serval into my lap and savor the moment. This is really, really special! One of those diamond-sharp moments that gets etched into your brain that you reach in and play back from time to time. This is it right here. It doesn't get any better than this.
What a magnificent cat. A great big male with a nice, thick coat from the winter chill. The trophy of a lifetime. I can't be any happier!

 

[Royal27]

Now that's a nice cat!

And a last day cat to boot. Love it, it makes it that much more special.

Well done!

 

[buck wild]

Holy double cow. The holy grail of small predators !!!

 

[cagkt3]

Nicely done!!

 

[billc]

great job hanging in there till the end. Glad it all worked out for you.