SOUTH AFRICA: KMG Hunting Safaris 2015

[BRICKBURN]

This was it. Up at Sunrise

We were off to the concession this time. Marius has been made aware that I can actually shoot a rifle and we are determined to find me a worthy trophy.

We spread out on the hill side and start glassing. Finally, around 09:30 Marius sees a Ram that looks like he would fit the bill.

He was on the opposite slope near the ridge feeding.

I finally made my way back up the slope to Marius' position and had a look at the Ram. He would certainly be worth the effort.
However, how to approach? If we went all the way around we might not be able to find him. It was a very long shot to where he was currently standing. Feasible but, I'd prefer not to shoot that far when stalking was possible.
I had recently seen that it was possible to get quite close to Bushbuck.

It did not take long to decide to try and do a straight out assault and see how close we could get.

As we started down the slope in a line with his position we kept close tabs on him as we went.

The Bushbuck was not bedding down. Part way down the hill he started to slowly walk at an angle toward us and down the valley slope. Good and bad news. If he managed to get to the bottom before we were in position he would be gone. As it was, he was helping us close the distance.

Marius was getting nervous we would lose him and suggested I take a shot. I ranged him and thought we could still get closer without too much more bother.

We continued and it was going to get critical in a big rush.

I found a place to sit down and was getting prepared and ranged the other slope in a few places to know the distance. I had lost him in the cover.
Thankfully, Marius knew where he was.

As I was getting prepared Marius found a slightly better vantage spot ten yards to the left and got me over to that spot.
He threw up the sticks and I rearranged them to allow for my sitting position and the recoil that I knew was going to happen. I did not want the sticks jumping up as they levered back with recoil.

At this point I could not see the Bushbuck and Marius pointed to a spot where he thought the Ram would come out.

I ranged it at 160 yards. Perfect. Aim low and everything would be fine.

I was ready to go and the ram finally walked out of a tunnel in the cover and started his way up the valley parallel to us.

 

[bluey]

there the hunt of your trip , right there ,bricko.......
well written ,fella.......

 

[BRICKBURN]

As he strolled up a path near the bottom of the valley I got ready for him to stop at any moment.

He was totally relaxed and he hesitated after he passed a little bush and that was it.
Bang and he dropped.
"Reload" ... Marius was nervous that he had just dropped. You know the one that is just shocked and gets up and runs away.

I reloaded and stayed on him. He never flinched.

Marius explained that he would head up and get the truck and I should stay out and guide them in to where the Bushbuck was laying. Seemed to make some sense to me. It was nearly impossible to mark a spot in that bush and make your way to it.


I had looked at this ram in my binos at 500 yards and decided he was good enough.

Marius asked if I had looked at his horns in the scope. I told him no. I trusted Marius, he had not been wrong on any of the Rams I had encountered with him so far. This would be no different. Which is areal testament to how much I trusted Marius.

I waited and contemplated this whole hunt while I sat alone in the bush. This was not the Silver Ghost. That was fine with me. I had been beaten fair and square. This was a good Ram and I would be happy with the result.


The recovery team arrived from the bottom.

At this point it was my turn to come and join them.

Even with the damn rifle I had to go through the blood bank again.

It was interesting to see Duiker tracks in the bottom and actually see how thin some parts of the cover actually were. I did not have to give so much blood on this trip through. Thankfully.


I arrived to find Rigby guarding my Ram for me.

I noticed some blood on the Rams head and immediately wondered if I had really pulled the shot. I had noticed the red on his head in the scope when I shot.
We quickly discovered that he was really a battler and a survivor.

A Bushbuck horn right into the nasal cavity and he had lost his eye to the injury.

You want to talk about a tough SOB. Here is one. A Whole Bushbuck Ram on his shoulders and I had to work to keep up with him in the terrain.

We got down to the pick up area and started the well deserved photo session.

His horns sure turned out, just as advertised.

The obligatory photo of the photo takers.

This angle shows much of his character.

This is my first East Cape Bushbuck and he is a dandy.

To quote Marius: "A Good Solid 12!"

PS. I did not really catch the comment. Marius was trying to jerk my chain. I ran my 10 inch finger span up the one horn shortly after he said that and had to agree. In a straight line it was actually about 13. So he was right on the money.

For the statisticians: He measured 15.5. So he makes Rowland.

This is also a fitting and excellent way to celebrate my 10,000th post.

Thanks Marius.

 

[BRICKBURN]

there the hunt of your trip , right there ,bricko.......
well written ,fella.......

Thanks buddy.

 

[adgunner]

Wayne, that is a corker of a Bushbuck, congrats!

 

[enysse]

Nice bushbuck, I really love hunting them, especially in that East Cape brush.

 

[UKHunter]

Well done on a great Bushbuck.

Its nice to humbled by the animals we hunt, it reminds us of why we do it. I love your respect for the 'Silver Ghost' and he certainly deserved it.

 

[buffybr]

Great Bushbuck Wayne. Even after spending a week in camp with you, this was the first pic that I've seen of him.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Good job Wayne, that's an awesome bushbuck!

 

[Nyati]

You got a nice bushbuck Wayne, even if not "the Silver Ghost", but you did your best to get him

 

[BRICKBURN]

Great Bushbuck Wayne. Even after spending a week in camp with you, this was the first pic that I've seen of him.

It's the first anyone has seen of him.

Thanks my friend.

 

[gillettehunter]

Fine bushbuck. Congrats. Great job on making the planned interception. Bruce

 

[BRICKBURN]

That's what happens when you have a great PH that knows the property. It also helped I had been running around in that cover all week.

and, Thanks..

 

[Redruff]

Congrats on a beautiful Rowland Ward bushbuck!

R.

 

[ZambianStephen]

Thanks and looking forward to the other stories!

 

[BRICKBURN]

I broke this report out of the monster sized one to allow people to avoid some digging.

http://www.africahunting.com/thread...-africa-with-kmg-tms-paw-print-safaris.23265/

 

[BRICKBURN]

I just received 39 pages of documentation for my trophies (several years/ safaris worth) travels to get home.
Export permits, vet docs, CITES, invoices, etc.

Looking forward to getting this Bushbuck in his rightful spot.

 

[cpr0312]

Nice bushbuck, congrats! It will be very exciting to get him and all the other trophies home from several years of safaris!

 

[BRICKBURN]

It will be good to finally see it all first hand.

7 more pages of docs showed up this morning. Yippy!

 

[BRICKBURN]

I have the final Airwaybill number and flight numbers. I woke up to find it in my email. Yeah!

The trophies are sitting in Luxembourg as I write this. One leg down.

Then they get the joy of touring Scotland, Los Angeles, Seattle and finally home.
Bloody things will have been more places than me this year.

Apparently nothing has changed in the CFIA process, same fees and notifications.

Here's hoping.