SOUTH AFRICA: Buffalo With Craig Boddington

[JerBear8]

Congratulations on that huge buffalo! And as always, great writing!

 

[1dirthawker]

great story, well written and great photos as well. looks like you had a great trip!!

thanks for sharing that bit with the tracker and the "old man" bush buck. appreciating things is really what hunting should be about. it appears you are good at that.

congrats on taking some really great animals. well done!

 

[Green Chile]

thanks for sharing that bit with the tracker and the "old man" bush buck. appreciating things is really what hunting should be about. it appears you are good at that.

Appreciate you saying that. A lot of times in my hunts, something will happen that really grounds me in the middle of the excitement. I took some great trophies on this hunt but one of the biggest memories will be that madala bushbuck and the tracker's reaction to it. He's not the biggest bushbuck around but his impact on me was huge.

 

[kitsch]

Late in life I went to an art school that gathered artists and students from around for about 6 weeks a year. The rest of your time you did your own thing and wrote letters about it. The teachers basically fell into two groups-the younger up and coming who did art with a capital A and talked about originality and technical innovation, and the old hands that had already had their succsesses and liked to keep a foot in the door and paint broad landscapes for you. My favorite was this internationally known guy who kept his distance from the capital A types who'd recently had lunch with geo clooney and wanted you to know, but showed up for breakfast at cafeteria opening each morning and sat by himself, allowing anyone to pull up a chair and chat about whatever they wanted and eat their oatmeal. No ego, no agenda, just love of his craft and desire to be around the people and energy still driving it. Sounds like you got that and are that and are passing it along. That sable is something.....

Like in climbing...you hire a famous guide to take you up well trodden routes charted long ago, and you not only get to travel in famous footsteps which maybe you couldnt travel otherwise except on the end of a well tied rope, but you get to hear the stories. One guy sees a mountain. An old climber sees that mountain and the many lines climbed and the spots where friends perished and where others made history and his description of the mounain makes it richer. Gah i hope these thoughts didnt sidetrack this. Thank you so much for this report. I enjoyed it very much. What is more tiring? The actual hunt or the AH report?

 

[Green Chile]

That's a great post...thanks for adding it here. I want to respond in more depth in a bit...I'm actually working with clients all week (as usual) and writing and replying in between meetings! I have a passion for work but certainly a passion for my interests outside of work. I don't want to be average in any of my pursuits in life. For me, the hunt report is still a part of the hunt just as prep before the hunt is. The hunt isn't over for me until this is done right.

 

[Green Chile]

Thank you so much for this report. I enjoyed it very much. What is more tiring? The actual hunt or the AH report?

I like the question...to me, the hunt report is part of the experience that I look forward to. I love all of it...the pre-work, the practice, the reloading, the travel (wait...that part sucks)...the hunt, the hunt report, helping others book great hunts...it's all part of it to me. I feel like the hunt report is a record of good, bad and ugly for everyone to learn from if they wish...and it can be good advertising for the operator and PH. It's kind of a labor of love for me...I write and edit and rewrite until it looks better to me. I hope it helps educate...I hope it inspires...I don't look at myself as anything special but I'm just trying to help like others have helped me...or help like I would like others to help me. Golden rule kind of thing for me. I love the outdoors and the animals in it and hope others will get out there and see some cool stuff. Don't give up during the hunt and you never know what you might see and experience.

 

[Inline6]

I like the question...to me, the hunt report is part of the experience that I look forward to. I love all of it...the pre-work, the practice, the reloading, the travel (wait...that part sucks)...the hunt, the hunt report, helping others book great hunts...it's all part of it to me. I feel like the hunt report is a record of good, bad and ugly for everyone to learn from if they wish...and it can be good advertising for the operator and PH. It's kind of a labor of love for me...I write and edit and rewrite until it looks better to me. I hope it helps educate...I hope it inspires...I don't look at myself as anything special but I'm just trying to help like others have helped me...or help like I would like others to help me. Golden rule kind of thing for me. I love the outdoors and the animals in it and hope others will get out there and see some cool stuff. Don't give up during the hunt and you never know what you might see and experience.

The other part of it, you will forever have a written record of it. One day you will be able to look your hunting history over and relive those experiences. The older I get the more I realize my memory is not as good as it was 20 years ago. Work, life, kids, and a wife. I guess only so much will fit into what Grey matter I have remaining.

Well done!

 

[gillettehunter]

What a wonderful last day. Memorable. Great trip but that was the cherry on top. Well done.
Bruce

 

[BryceM]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this report. That sable and that buffalo are the things of dreams and legends. Congratulations. What a trip huh?

It fuels my need/desire to get back soon!

 

[Green Chile]

The other part of it, you will forever have a written record of it. One day you will be able to look your hunting history over and relive those experiences. The older I get the more I realize my memory is not as good as it was 20 years ago. Work, life, kids, and a wife. I guess only so much will fit into what Grey matter I have remaining.

Well done!

Yes that's a good point. The only thing better is getting it into those printed photo books.

I thought I would have video from some of the hunt and more photos but those have not come to me yet. Perhaps I can add it here later.