SOUTH AFRICA: MOZAMBIQUE: Off To Southern Africa With KMG & TMS & PPS

[BRICKBURN]

Great that you got to hunt that Old Bushbuck on his terms Brickburn,you do understand that hunting them that way becomes addictive? Well done

Marius did such an incredible job facilitating my Bushbuck stalking I was quite floored at the number of opportunities that I was presented with on each outing. I know it seems insane to be passing up trophy Bushbuck to go after a larger one when you have a bow in your hand but I was able to because of the quality of the PH and the Property. That confidence in Marius was renewed with each outing.

Imagine you have just set out from the Bakkie with instructions to go down the road and cut across the clearing in the bottom and head back up the middle ridge to get into position to stalk an absolute monster Bushbuck ram. One you would not pas up with a rifle in ten thousand years, even if you already had one. This is how I left the Bakkie this first morning to go no more than two hundred yards down the trail from the Bakkie and run into four Bushbuck rams. Three too small and you got to watch them saunter, not bolt, away into the bush and you continue to slowly walk your way to the chosen destination.

This picture is of the larger guy where I found him on the edge of the road in situ. Watching me. I assessed quickly I was not going to draw on him but, for fun I made like I was going to do so.
I slowly withdrew my pack and undid the zipper and retrieved the pocket camera (who thought I was going to be using it for Bushbuck counting on the way) and slowly inched my way sideways to get him clear of the bush.

I got to this position and ranged him at thirty yards. Moving about, swapping camera, range finder, pack etc. Perfect broadside shot at thirty yards with a calm ram. I was very glad that the camera had image stability control because I was shaking like a leaf.

This Bushbuck stalking was going to be easy! I was still semi delusional from jet lag obviously.

You can see from the angle of the two pictures that I had moved very very slowly a LONG way in order to get that ram clear of the bush and he remained calm and watched me. I was not in the Ghille by the way and running around in standard shades of green. You can not stalk in this bush with a Ghillie on. At least not the kind I bought. The "Blood Bank" rips your cloths as it is, never mind with all the strings and frills...

An incredible first 10 minutes of Walk and Stalk Bushbuck with a Bow in my hand.

Addicting, hell yes!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Looks like a lot of fun so far. Keep the reports coming! What kind of Kitty was that up the tree?

That little beauty is a Caracal. "Lynx" in local parlance.
Incredibly efficient game killing machines those guys.

My wife said it looked like a small Cougar (Mountain Lion) It's true, it does.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Oh, then that's a lot!

Royal, there is a reason most sane people FLY to PE and get picked up by their PH and delivered to the lodge.

I wanted to see some close family friends (really family now) in the Karoo and could not fly over their heads and not drop by. I would not hear the end of it if I did.

On that note. I got up on the morning I am to head to meet Marius and I text him I am on my way and which route I am taking and update him with my progress along the way. Marius is a planner. That is Planner with a capital "P". He and Jerome are quite similar in that respect actually. It makes you feel quite well taken care of.
Back to the tale, I have talked on the phone and texted multiple times and think I have the gist of the suggested route. The last fateful communication:

"After Middelburg, you will get Cradock, then go Mortimer, Bedfort, Adelaide to Fort Beaufort there is a road turning right to Grahamstown. We are half way on that road and it will save you almost 100km than going to Grahamstown. I will meet you on that road. Don't cross the Fish River. Then you have gone to far."​

Now I think I actually have this down in my mind. I however, have not really read this last text. I have only seen Grahamstown mentioned another two times and in my sleep deprived state decide to turn right at Bedford and not left, opting for an additional 100 km and extra time.
When I get to the Golf course at Grahamstown I call Marius and say I have not seen his truck. You can hear the surprise in his voice for an instant and then minor exasperation and then immediate solution and instructions to head through town to Fort Beaufort. An absolute professional. (Most people would not have even picked up on the subtle tonal changes I heard)
Anyway, reset Google Maps to get me to Fort Beaufort and I make my way through Grahamstown and within 25 minutes I am shaking Marius' hand at the side of the road. With a very Big smile, Marius says "Pleasure to meet you".
It truly was a pleasure to meet him and to switch my brain off and follow him up the "road" to the lodge.

Royal, it is a lot of driving. You get to see so much more than from a plane though.
Oh yeah, the self induced adventures are always part of the story too.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Looks like a nice caracal!

You are right on. A very good sized Female.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Here kitty kitty kitty. Beautiful. I'm sure the hunter was delighted. Bruce

The hunter was "over the moon", as it were.

 

[Royal27]

Royal, it is a lot of driving. You get to see so much more than from a plane though.
Oh yeah, the self induced adventures are always part of the story too.

I'd love the adventure. Driving around anywhere new is always fun, even with the occasional unintended side trip!!!

 

[BRICKBURN]

I'd love the adventure. Driving around anywhere new is always fun, even with the occasional unintended side trip!!!

I am now officially trained to the left side of the road. It is actually coming quite naturally now.

Had one of those side trips the other day gratis from Google Maps. Muppets have a road on the routing that has obviously been closed off for years.
Got to see some interesting countryside twice as I back tracked out of "hell and gone" and finally got to my destination.

Always entertaining.

If you happen to be near PA and have an addictive personality avoid BEAVERS PIES.
The name seemed to draw me in as a Canadian.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Restau...ers_Port_Alfred-Port_Alfred_Eastern_Cape.html

Pepper Steak is the one man.

 

[Brent in Az]

I think most men could not help but stop into a place called ' Beavers Pies"

 

[BRICKBURN]

Spent today arranging this result with the help of KMG Hunting Safaris associates Louw and Graham at Mpunzi Lodge. Graham was the acting PH and did an excellent job.
The hunters name is Sia. He is the nephew of the House manager of the rental house I am staying in. I decided to invite him to be my tour guide. (Someone who has never really been anywhere outside PA and PE in his life, if you get my drift.)

He is a good kid and I happened to find out he lost this mom to cancer in May (now orphaned) and at that point I also heard he had never seen an Elephant. I knew "we must make a plan".

Never saw a live Elephant prior to the day before. Apparently they have some at Addo. I got him within 8 feet. He said he was scared of Elephants. I told him he should be. "They are huge" Had to agree with that one to.

It was actually quite fun to have a Xhosa interpreter. A "parking assistant" at the local mall called me "old man". The hair gives me away. Not sure if it was snide or respectful. It was funny one way or the other.

Could not resist the sign.

Sia had never touched a firearm before yesterday, walked in the veld or seen many of the animals he was about to encounter.
Taking a rookie hunting is way too much fun.

Sia also said later on "that hunting was not as easy as he thought it would be. It requires a lot of patience."
These Zebra had us pinned and walked by at about 20 yards.
Never been that close before have you Sia?!

He took his first shot off the sticks yesterday, literally. I coached him in exactly what to do and he followed the instructions to the letter.

He said he was "very nervous".

First day on the sticks waiting for the Blesbok to stand broadside. Think that ever happened?!

Today on the sticks with some coaching

We found out the gun was quite a bit out and that likely facilitated the first miss with his first shot. Graham fixed that little issue before todays adventure.

First approach and Graham had already moved forward and made sure. I appreciated that.

Today Sia was on the sticks again and took his first animal at 74 yards. One shot and done. Biltong in the Bakkie.

As Graham said, it was now or never. The Boars had spotted us and this little lady was about to join them in a hasty egress into the bush.

On the way home Sia told me he slept with his new AH cap on the night before and he would be sleeping with his new Mpunzi shirt and AH Cap on tonight.

Sweet dreams Sia.

Right after the hunt I dropped him off in Grahamstown at his Church Band practice.
(You can not imagine the din inside a concrete room that size with "enthusiastic" youngsters playing horns. OUCH)

Want to win hearts and minds over to conservation of Wildlife........ Think I got a convert today.

 

[gillettehunter]

Well done. It is a blast to introduce someone to hunting. I'm sure that he is completely addicted now. Great pics by the way. Always appreciate those that you show. Bruce

 

[Hank2211]

It's not right Wayne. I think you had more fun than Sia did!

 

[BRICKBURN]

It's not right Wayne. I think you had more fun than Sia did!

I think we were pretty even.

 

[Brent in Az]

That's pretty cool. Very nice of you to take the young man out hunting.!

 

[Nyati]

That's pretty cool. Very nice of you to take the young man out hunting.!

+ 1 !

 

[Redruff]

You are very giving sir! I commend you wholeheartedly on taking Sia out for his first hunt.

R.

 

[CAustin]

I think you posted the pictures of elephant just to yank my chain! Ha! Those guys are big aren't they?

 

[Wheels]

That's pretty cool. Very nice of you to take the young man out hunting.!

You are very giving sir! I commend you wholeheartedly on taking Sia out for his first hunt.

R.

+1

 

[BRICKBURN]

I think you posted the pictures of elephant just to yank my chain! Ha! Those guys are big aren't they?

Just average. You'll see some big ones Charlie.

 

[siml]

Brickburn, what a wonderful experience for the lad, congrats.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Today was the next long trek, finally. Cranked the odometer up to 2900 km today.

If you ever get a chance to drive up R67, do it. Incredible scenery.

Further down on the way here I ran into some strange stuff. You press it in your hands and it forms a ball.

One of those high mountains passes.

Strange, there still seems to be some white stuff up here. Right beside some darned ski hill. People were out skiing today.

Had to get used to the incline of the roads again. This is a pure White knuckle ride.

View from the room.

Sunset from the top of South Africa.