SOUTH AFRICA: East Cape Plains Game Safaris Hunt

[enysse]

Well Tinus had arranged some portions of the hunt for certain time periods. So the next day we traveled south the next morning to hunt blue duiker. I was really lucky this year, not many people were hunting this year and there were blue duiker permits when I arrived in Africa. So we went blue duiker hunting. I was not sure what to expect. I know I didn't want to hunt them with dogs, so we hunted them by blind. The hunt was actually pretty simple. Arrive on the property early, follow the landowner in his pick up truck as he goes around and drops a hand full of broken corn at set locations and quietly climb into a blind and wait patiently. Well we got settled into the blind, for what I thought would be a long wait. We were using Tinus's 30-06 with 80 grain Impala bullets, they were loaded light and it was super comfortable to shoot the rifle. We ended up waiting a little over 30 minutes and a old female came walking down to the blind. She had horns too. Tinus wanted to video the hunt so I was patient with my shot. The female was eating and checking out her surroundings very carefully. I was almost certain she was going to bust us. Then the male came down to the bait. I could have shot him immediately. But let him eat so we could get some video. The female kept walking closer to the blind which scared me. I thought the next time he is broadside, I'm going to shoot before we get busted. Both the female and male blue duiker kept crossing one another. Finally they separated and I shot the male dead in one shot. The video footage turned out wonderful and the hunt was a success. The horns are about 2 inches long. I doubt I'll ever hunt blue duiker again. But it was a great experience! And I'm fortunate to eventually have a full mount on my wall at home.

 

[enysse]

 

[cpr0312]

Cool, congrats on the duiker!

 

[enysse]

Well after the successful blue duiker hunt we went to Jeffreys Bay and visited Taxidermy Africa. We were hunting with the owner of the shop John, earlier in the day. It was hot day in the upper 90's. I always enjoy looking a taxidermy so it was interesting to look at all the animals getting worked on in shop. We went to eat a hamburger down by the ocean after that which really still is my preferred food anywhere in the world.
We were going to hunt bushbuck in the afternoon at a place close to where we hunted the blue duiker in the morning. I was told the place was loading with bushbuck. We pulled in at 3 PM in the afternoon and the sun is very much out and high in the sky. The bushbuck are everywhere, I was really shocked at how many animals we were seeing. We met the owner and I grabbed my rifle and we started hunting. We made a amazing stalk, using the terrain and the wind to our advantage. We came up on the bushbucks, there were females, young males and the one mature one I shot. I put the stick up to shoot the bushbuck, they were next to the woods. My heart was beating out of my chest and I was trying not to shoot 2 animals because they were all bunched up and with a 7mm Rem Mag you never know how far the bullet will go. Any way the animals started to walk into the woods and I rushed the shot on the walking animal and shot right over him. I knew exactly what I did and cycled the bolt super fast. I asked Tinus if the animal I had the gun pointed at is still the right animal by the wood line, he said and I shot him. The bushbuck ran in 50 feet and died. I got really lucky because the bushbuck froze at the shot instead of running. He didn't know where the shot came from and momentarily froze thinking no one would see him but that was not the case. Very nice bushbuck with 12.5 inch long horns.

 

[enysse]

So we went to Tinus's friends ranch to hunt for cape grysbok. The area was truly beautiful and I wish I would have gotten more pictures. The ranch was meticulous. We were hunting in a hilly area, there was a lot of pollen in the air and it was driving my eyes crazy. The brush was fairly thick it was hard hunting especially in the night. I actually think we saw a nice cape grysbok right away that night but it was hard to judge the maturity of animal before it got away. I was hunting with the PH's gun and we were using downloaded Impala bullets. We came across this common duiker and I took the opportunity to harvest him. I saw a lot of great common duiker on this hunt but not many of them stood still. This one stood still long enough for me to get 3 solids in him. Not my greatest shooting but it was brushy and well I was shooting through the brush. I'm still proud of the trophy. The nights get really long when you are hunting hours on end in the back of the truck looking for cape grybok. Tinus kept telling me my luck will change at any time and you have to be prepared for when it does.

 

[enysse]

Well the next day we went caracal hunting on a sheep ranch. It was good friend of Tinus's. They are always hunting caracal, they had been hunting this one for days with the dogs. The caracal was surrounded in a thorny bush tree by the dogs. I was handed a .22 with a silencer. I had to crawl into the brush and get a good shot. The shot was very close and the gun had a scope on it. So I kept poking my head around the scope to see where the barrel was pointed. I eventually in short order figured I had the gun pointed at the caracal's heart/lung area and pulled the trigger. The cat slumped at the shot. I put another in there just to be safe. Then we got a long branch and boosted the tracker into the middle of the brush to pick the caracal out. It was a beautiful caracal. A once in a lifetime trophy for me. I'm truly blessed to take such a breath taking animal. I'm happy and grateful all at the same time.
We continued to hunt on the property for steenbok. It was hot and windy day. I was hunting with the PH's reduced loads because I wanted a full mount of a excellent steenbok. Well we got up on a great one after a couple hours of hunting. The wind was blowing crossways and with the reduced loads coupled with distance, lets say I missed him 5 times. I should have just got the 7mm Rem Mag out and shot him in the guts. I thought I could adjust for wind and that didn't work. Lesson learned reduced load great for up and close hunting, if hunting far away from target in the wind...forget about it. It cost me a 5.5 inch trophy for sure. I can laugh about it now but at the time I was sick to my stomach. It was lesson in humiliation.

 

[enysse]

We actually rushed back to where we were staying at night to hunt mountain reedbuck. It was a little later than we would have liked, the sun was already going down as we climbed the mountain. It was very windy at sunset. As soon as the sun started to lower the wind slowed down. I'm going to tell you, the mountain reedbuck really blend in when everything is gray. Tinus was able to spot three rams right away. We got into position but they were 3 canyons over. So climbed a little higher, got high ground, laid prone on the rocks. I put my 7 mm on top of a smooth rock, said three "Hail Mary's" and let the shot ring out from about 270 yards away. One of the best shots in my life. Both the tracker and PH confirmed the animal tipped over. I lost sight of the animal in my scope. The sun was going down very fast. By the time we got over to the animal, we were searching with a flashlight. It turns out when I shot the mountain reedbuck fell off a rock and was partially hidden. It took lining up landmarks to find him. I was relieved and again blessed for getting such a great animal. The horns I believe were 6.5 inches long. I was elated about the great trophy. We loaded up the mountain reedbuck and re-hydrated from the heat. We continued to night hunt a little bit because there were cape grysbok in the area. We saw a lot of animals that night but only female grysbok. We were just about ready to go home when the tracker spotted a black backed jackal. The animal disappeared and then reappeared out of nowhere. I got a quick rest with the Winchester Model 70 and dropped him with a Impala bullet. What a beautiful pelt! I'm saving it for my trophy room. I was happy and relieved again. My luck was on a roll. Three animals in one day!

 

[johnnyblues]

Congratulations on some really nice trophies.

 

[billc]

wow that is getting it done. You had one heck of a hunt. All those animals are very nice

 

[cls]

Great report and some very nice critters. I would love to harvest a caracal

 

[BRICKBURN]

Nice Ram and cat.

Keep it coming.

 

[gillettehunter]

Love the cat. Will make an awesome addition to your trophy room. Good looking Mtn Reedbuck too. I took one 2 yrs ago. At first I said no and then the more I looked the more I liked them. Cool animals. Bruce

 

[Ragman]

Very nice assortment of animals...that nyala is about as pretty as I've ever seen!

 

[enysse]

The next day we went eland hunting. I wish I could remember the name of the ranch, but it very nice piece of property. There were two males that the owner wanted removed. Instead of eating breakfast, we went out on my request to hunt, I knew it was going to be in the high 90's and I didn't want to be out in the sun too long. We climbed to some high points on the property and glassed. We saw a huge herd of eland right off the bat but they were all young males and females so we continued on search. We went to a different glassing area and the owner of the property noticed the old eland bull eating in the trees. We were like 400 yds away but watching the activity through the binoculars was sending my heart rate through the roof. You could see the whole tree shake when the eland was eating. The old guy was with two younger males. We knew we had the wind and high advantage so we watched and waited for the eland to feed towards us. It took like a half an hour but the old eland got to within 175 yds of my position. I was on the sticks, when the eland crossed an opening I squeezed the trigger. I hit the eland right were it should have pierced the lungs for a double lung shot but the eland didn't act like it had been hit! It ran up the hill and we quickly repositioned for a shot. I had the sun in my eyes, I don't think the eland was even 100 yds from me I pulled up to make another shot off hand. I pulled the trigger and I knew something went wrong. They were like you just blew a cactus in two, I think the bullet went sideways and slapped the eland in the dewlap. I was horrified. The eland took off running and joined that big herd from this morning. I could not believe that eland was still alive. We collected ourselves and started to head in the general direction the eland were going. Glassing intensely looking for that big old eland. We found him after awhile on the other side of a hill, he wasn't looking healthy. So we jumped in the truck and went to the back side of the hill. We started climbing so we could come over the top and have the wind and elevation advantage. We got up there and the whole herd had surrounded that eland. I was having a hard time picking the animal up in my scope. For me every eland looked the same, part of it was the adrenaline. I think I was just in shock that the animal was still alive! I finally got another shot, but it was not a good shot, I'd lost my nerves. The animal ran to the bottom of the hill, I shot it again and hit it high, I was in panic again. I calmed myself down and took a high shoulder shot and dropped the animal for good. One thing I learned 7mm Rem Mag 160 gr. Swift A Frame is good ammo but it's not Barnes either. I was not proud of myself but we collected the animal and none of the meat went to waste. We cut the stomach insides out and dumped them out but everything else went back to get butchered up for food. They bought a tractor and trailer out and picked the animal up for the skinning shed. The first shot I took never penetrated his rib cage, it did badly bruised the rib cage though. The rest of the shots slowed the animal down and the final shot killed it.

 

[enysse]

I guess I got my hunt stories messed up. So I actually hunted the kudu before the bushbuck, this is what happens when you juggle a lot. We hunted hard for this kudu, which was fine with me because kudu hunting is my passion. The kudu were very skittish on this piece of property, there were a lot of them but they were not in the rut either. I chose not to shoot through brush at any kudu. The kudu seemed to move at first and last light. We took naps when it was mid day because it was very hot.

We caught this kudu after hunting for two long days. He was traveling to water and got busted out in the open. I got a really good shot at him and he ran right for the road and collapsed close to it. Everyone was very relieved, it was a quick retrieval. I think the shot was like 175 yds. A very nice kudu! Later in the hunt I saw some real monsters but I didn't shoot because I had taken my quota kudu. I saw one that was 51 or 52 ", the horns were very black. I put the gun up, pretended to shot and walked away. It was growing experience for me because I'm use to shooting everything mature. I'm must be getting old...... Just like I saw a nicer nyala than the one I took earlier and I let it walk. My brother said he was proud of me because I have had poor impulse control. I was trying to show better judgement as I matured.

 

[enysse]

I just got a European mount of the eland. I gave the cape to my PH, so he could mount a nice set of horns he had hanging in the shed. I honestly don't have any room to mount another eland. Another sign of maturity, learning to let ego go. My vanity side of me wanted to mount the animal but common sense side of me said let it go! We ate breakfast and looked around at the other animals on the property. The serval cat was beautiful! I included a picture of all the meat from a butchered eland, I'm sure the anti-hunters are hating me something awful.

 

[enysse]

Well we headed back later in the day after killing the eland to the property we hunted two days for Cape kudu. Well the "the hunting GODS" must have know I filled my kudu tag because when we entered the property every big kudu was out and eating. I felt I was in the "Twilight Zone" for two days I hunted that property and they were are in the brush!!! But once my tag was filled they were everywhere!!! In the past I would have shot another one, but I took it as a sign that the kudu wanted to show themselves and remind me if you hunt they are there. I knew they were there it's just a matter of digging one out of the brush.
Well we were looking for a steenbok or possibly another duiker. Just as we rounded a corner, there was a GIANT of a kudu 80 yards on the right and a nice steenbok on the left. I got off the truck and made a stalk on the steenbok. The steenbok was tucked under a bush and he knew we were there and if he didn't move I most likely would not get a shot. He had a nice bed dug in under that brush. I got the sticks out, got a steady rest and waited the steenbok out. Every once in while he would change positions. I waited for him to move and then shot him dead in his bed. A terrific spot and stalk hunt. I was very happy!!!

 

[enysse]

The next day we got up bright and early and went down by the Indian Ocean to hunt oribi. I got asked if I wanted to add an oribi months before the journey started because someone else canceled their hunt. I impulsively jumped on the hunt! It was going to be a warm day. It felt like it was 100 plus degrees in temperature and the wind was blowing 40+ plus miles per hour. There were two oribi on the property. They were both very old. The landowner knew were they bedded. He told me to go down by a fence line and he would flush them to me. I would have to make my mind up which one to take. So I got set with some shooting sticks. When they flushed the oribi out they could run down either side of the fence. Initially they started on one side of the fence and then jumped over to the other side. I had Tinus stop the two oribi as I set the sticks up. I had a brief shot at 180 yrds with the oribi quartering to me. I aimed back and shot. It ended the oribi's life very quickly. The animal was in poor condition. There was next to nothing left for teeth. And the hair was in poor condition on the cape. Patches of hair were missing. We positioned the animal carefully for pictures. RSA sent a wildlife biologist out there to collect blood samples, a cape sample and total measurements of the animal. They measured and weighed everything.

 

[enysse]

The animal I really wanted to hunt was cape grybok. We spent A LOT of time hunting for this animal. We hunted many properties at all different times of the night. The final property we hunted was a lemon plantation. We search high and low in the lemon trees for a cape grysbok. We saw cape grysbok it's just that they were immature. We were just about to call it a night when I spotted something in a small patch of trees. We had a hard time seeing how big the horns were because we were looking upwards and the trees were giving all sorts of shadows. It was finally determined it was a mature animal but it ran off into the drainage ditch leaving a female behind. We got off the truck and made a sweep through the grass. I honestly thought the hunt was over but the male flushed out of the grass and ran back towards the female cape grysbok. We turned the lights off and back tracked. We got high ground and the wind correct, then turned the light back on and spotted them immediately. I made a bad shot, it was a little too low. The shadows of the night were playing with my eyes. We able to track it down and finish the animal. I was very proud and elated to take this lovely antelope! We got home really late that night. We slept in a little bit the next morning.

 

[enysse]

The next day we drove down to the main lodge. It was a beautiful piece of property. I got to meet the other owner of the company Jacques Greeff and his lovely wife. I was a pleasure to meet him. He showed me where he does the PH coarses. It was very nice day. Jacque let me hunt a meat ration warthog for his workers. We went out and shot the first good warthog that represented itself. I shot a running warthog and hit him in the leg, then got off the truck and ran him down to finish him off. It was not a bad warthog to take. He had some meat to his bones. Jacque said I could have the tusks.