SOUTH AFRICA: First Time To The Eastern Cape!

[PARA45]

Anxiously waiting for your hunt report.

 

[kevin masters]

Okay so I've got a little time let's get started. So we left Lexington Ky on June
29th with the final destination of East London. We got to the airport early had a few drinks
to calm the jitters. uneventful flight to Atlanta short layover, ate at TGIF would not recommend,lol.
long ass horrible flight to JBurg. Then overnight at city lodge. Which I would highly recommend!
It was clean and comfortable and very convenient. We had a nice meal at the hotel restaurant again some drinks and then off to bed for a very early flight to East London. That flight went smooth and
we met our PH Lloyd at the king phalo airport. We had breakfast in town and then a short drive to KMG. We stopped by Lloyd's house on the way to pick up a few things and got to meet Lloyd's dad which was nice. When we got to camp we settled in and kind of checked every thing out. after that
it was time to sight in rifles. we got to the range and Lloyd asked if I wanted to go first, I said I can embarrass myself first as well as last so I got on the bench. I was shooting Lloyds 270 with suppressor
and it was sweet! ( I am now in the process of getting a suppressor, lol)
Now just to preface I am 52 and have never had good eyesight. So took my first shot, Nick was on the spotting scope and said windage was perfect 1 1/2" low. Shot again wobbled the hole. so
we're discussing the low and nick asked for the gun. he looks through the scope and says oh my
you can see through that? I had the magnification all the way up and the focus dialed way down.
I said yes I'm old guy's lol. they discussed it and decided the way I had the scope dialed up was causing the issue so we took it two clicks past a hundred yard and that put the next one in the crosshairs.
That was my best shooting of the trip
We checked out the property that afternoon, had a nice dinner and just relaxed trying to shake the jet lag.
There were two other hunters in camp two young guy's from Texas. Super guys and a pleasure to share
camp with. Matt and Sam very good guys who also brought bourbon so we were well stocked
with a bottle of Elijah craig toasted and angels envy. They brought Weller antique and Eagle rare!

 

[kevin masters]

Morning came early on our first hunting day. I was targeting nyala and waterbuck. fairly short list so I was confident we could get it done. We hunted on the property where the lodge is located that morning and it is crazy steep and wild. very thick and a lot different than what I expected.
We found a vantage point and glassed. Knowing it was kind of useless for me I did any way out of a sense of obligation. We checked several areas with minimal success. We were looking for a new vantage when we jumped a really nice Nyala. We jumped out of the truck maneuvered a very short distance and the sticks went up. I got on the gun and got settled. then I made a monumental mistake. I panned the scop up to look at the horns. I have never had a problem with buck fever or whatever you want to call it but I started shaking and just could not gain my composure. It was very steep where we were standing and my footing was not the best. I pulled back down on his shoulder and started thinking about being low at the range. I should have just got off the sticks but I didn't and took a very poor shot. I knew the minute I squeezed the trigger I shot right over his back. I had just missed my most coveted animal at 100 yards with no one to blame but myself. Well that can be pretty tough to shake but I knew I had to.
I was apologizing to Lloyd and my tracker Sevae. Really embarrassed and to be honest very unsure I have hunted all my life and never pulled anything like that. So we looked for waterbuck in the afternoon and saw plenty but the reoccurring line was we can do better, just not quite what we're looking for. Back to the lodge for a wonderful meal some cold beer(no kill no bourbon) and off to bed for another early morning.
Wednesday we started out looking for waterbuck and just like the day before we saw plenty but not what Lloyd wanted. we looked at a bunch through the spotting scop most of which I was saying looks good to me and Lloyd would say he's not the one.
In the afternoon is when things got interesting. We were hunting huge low fenced farms which was refreshing and we got a call from a farm owner saying his hounds man had seen us next door and he had a caracal treed that was to big for his hounds to handle, would we come shoot it.
Well we obliged and it was one of the coolest experiences I've had. we rushed to where they said they were and when we jumped out of the truck I could here the dogs baying! We had no sooner found them than the cat jumped out of the tree and was like greased lightning! the hounds man sent the dogs with a few commands and it was on. the dogs took off and I was just kinda standing there when Lloyd says hes coming back. The cat jumped right back in the same tree and was climbing.
Lloyd handed me the rifle and asked if I had a clear shot I said yes he said shoot and the cat hit the ground!
We had bourbon that night!!! The camp is kind of a local hang out and every one was very excited and congratulatory over the caracal! now ones in the salt thank you lord!

 

[Rem280]

Amazing report! Wonder if that Nyala was the same one I shot around on that property the other month? LOL! Amazing cat!

 

[Firebird]

Monster cat! Congratulations

 

[Nyati]

Very lucky on that cat

 

[Justhunt]

Great cat! Keep it coming

 

[kevin masters]

okay so I am several beers in but I'll try to give you a run down of Thursday.
Marius had arrived in camp on Wednesday and we talked and he was like you haven't
killed one of your targets? he says that changes tomorrow. We set out early for a new property
and we are chasing waterbuck! when we get to the property Marius was already there and had spotted a waterbuck for us to chase. Lloyd came back down from the perch that Marius was on and said lets go he has found a monster. as we were walking I asked where we were heading and he said you don't want to know,lmao
We walked across a valley floor and started up a very steep incline. Marius guided us to the waterbuck from a half a mile away. I shot him at 200 yards straight up. We had to climb a 15 foot cliff face to get to him. It was the most physically challenging hunt I have done.

 

[Ridge Runner]

okay so I am several beers in but I'll try to give you a run down of Thursday.
Marius had arrived in camp on Wednesday and we talked and he was like you haven't
killed one of your targets? he says that changes tomorrow. We set out early for a new property
and we are chasing waterbuck! when we get to the property Marius was already there and had spotted a waterbuck for us to chase. Lloyd came back down from the perch that Marius was on and said lets go he has found a monster. as we were walking I asked where we were heading and he said you don't want to know,lmao
We walked across a valley floor and started up a very steep incline. Marius guided us to the waterbuck from a half a mile away. I shot him at 200 yards straight up. We had to climb a 15 foot cliff face to get to him. It was the most physically challenging hunt I have done.

WOW, what a hunt. Congrats on your waterbuck,.. or mountain goat buck.
I thought water buck were so named as their comparative habitat was similar to moose.

 

[kevin masters]

alright got a minute so lets talk about the nyala hunt. Obviously I missed one on day one so
I was a little apprehensive. Apparently the world rugby tournament was underway and Marius says
I will help you till 9:00 in the morning but we must get him early there is rugby to watch
I'm laughing but they take their rugby serious!!!
So we get up early and head to the back of the property where the lodge is. Yes this is the one with big
mountains.in fact I was chatting with Marius back around Christmas and he say's Kevin don't have to much dinner we have big mountains!! He was not kidding. So we go to the highest point at the farthest point on the property and begin to glass. Marius was glassing from another vantage point.
Lloyd had dropped sevae off a little lower to glass from another angle. We are glassing and glassing
me out of obligation every one else to find a nyala,lol. It was still very early when Lloyd whispered that he found one. Needed to get the spotting scope for a better look. He checks him out and says I'm
pretty sure this is the bull you missed, Well that helped the anxiety. just kidding a little redemption would be nice. Lloyd ranged him and said we have to drop way down so we start over the side. I'm
using the shooting sticks to help me descend and literally can barely hold myself back. We zig zag down a long way and stop Lloyd finds him again and ranges, he says we need to drop further.
We continue down until Lloyd thinks we might bump him. he ranges and he was 230 yards and at a crazy steep angle. Waterbuck was up nyala was down. Now I was out of breath and bleeding from around a thousand thorn wounds so hey lets take the shot. No seriously Lloyd gets me on the sticks and tells me to take my time no rush he is feeding and has no idea we are within a thousand miles.
It was a very difficult set up leaning way forward and trying to keep good footing on the steep terrain.
He just kept feeding up and away and would not turn. Lloyd tells me we have to wait till he turns.
so after what was probably two minutes that seemed like ten I say Lloyd I think my back is going out
. Lloyd says get off the sticks and take a rest. so a little rest get back on the sticks and he turns.
I squeeze and he drops. were watching him and he is down but he keeps moving his head.
Lloyd says we need to hit him again but he's concerned we'll hit horns. He radios Marius who has been moving closer to the nyala's position and Marius ask's if I'm okay with him finishing him?
I said absolutely and we guide him in. Well actually Rigby and Gypsy guided him in. I was very concerned about the dogs but thankfully he was about expired when they got to him and Marius finished him with no incidents.

 

[kevin masters]

So in this picture we were on the third finger from the right. started at the top went down out of sight and then hiked back out! Serious hunting no joke!!

 

[gillettehunter]

Almost looks like you were Mtn goat hunting! Interesting places that those animals were living in . Pretty country. I like the East Cape.
Bruce

 

[Ridge Runner]

WOW! Beautiful views.
That was some mountaineering you all were doing to get to that nice Nyala.
Congrats.

 

[kevin masters]

I shot that nyala at 9:00 , We got him on the truck at 12:00!
Lloyd and sevae dragged him out three feet at a time. One two three uhg!

 

[PARA45]

I can relate, and that place right there looks very familiar. I'm surprised my knees were able to endure the punishment of going up and down those mountains. Keep it coming.

 

[kevin masters]

So I don't know where I got my days mixed up but we got the nyala on the day before the last day of hunting. I was hoping to take the girls fishing in the Indian ocean but the gale force winds said I dont think so. Sooo I said Lloyd you all have some awesome bush buck do you think we could chase some on flat ground .
Lloyd said what kev you don't like our mountains and I said I do but I don't think I've got another climb in me! He said he thought we could so we headed out the next morning at a leisurely pace and glassed for bushbuck. we must have looked at dozens before we found one that suited Lloyd. We stalked up
very easily and got on the sticks. the ram had a limp and Lloyd said he probably would not make it long so it made him the perfect candidate. This is the only time I wasn't in some crazy awkward position and the shot was good. He did however manage to trot about 15 yards before he expired. This made for a tense look for him in tall grass. Nick another PH had just shown me the night before where he had got stuck in the shoulder by a agitated bushbuck!

 

[Ridge Runner]

Congrats.
Bet Lloyd and Sevae were glad it was a nyala and not a big kudu to be dragged up that "hill"....in the dark.

 

[kevin masters]

So the hunting part of the trip was over but I can not say enough about @KMG Hunting Safaris !
The people were awesome! the atmosphere was incredible! The food was delicious! The Lodge was comfortable! I actually texted my daughter Halle yesterday and said I miss uncle stu and turbi and everyone else. Lloyd got the pleasant job of getting us to the airport at 6:00 am and we were off for the next weeks adventure! We flew from port Elizabeth to Joburg and the from Joburg to Victoria falls. After we got through all the shenanigans at the airport we were greeted by Fanwell, who would be our driver during our stay in vic falls. T&C safari co. booked everything for us in Zimbabwe and I cant applaud them enough! everything was top notch and five star!!! I dealt with Belinda Cooke and she was awesome! Guys I cant emphasize enough that every detail was perfect. Belinda met us at safari lodge and went over our itinerary and after a quick stop at the bar we were off for an evening cruse on the Zambezi! When we returned we had dinner at the hotel restaurant Makuwa-Kuwa. Very lovely dinner, incredible ambiance. Out door looking over a pan where the elephants joined us for dinner!!

 

[Justhunt]

Very cool report. Uncle Stu is a hoot! Looks like a great vacation at Vic Falls. Thanks for the info, on the bucket list.

 

[7mmFan]

great report and thanks for sharing!