SOUTH AFRICA: Rhinoster Hoek Trip Report

[WRudman]

Was a nice evening for a quick little nap as well, well for someone it was, i won't mention any names as to who it was, i told Warren i wouldnt do that to him as it would be wrong lol

You must admit Ian, the morning was exciting and tiring, a certain Ph had to rest his eyes for a minute or two!

Since it was only Warren and myself for this sit, the Kudu needed to be gutted so we could load it into the truck, so i took the knife off Warren and gutted my first Kudu, a complete hunt

Good too see the hunter taking matters into his own hands and getting the job done. Neatly too.

 

[WRudman]

View attachment 232173
Was this the same bull we chased as last year or another one horned fiend? I cant tell from the photo... too far out.

No Randy, was on the southern side of the ranch, about ten kilos away. He has not been taken yet.

 

[HuntingGold]

Ok Ian, it is time to write a bit more....

 

[dobber]

The next morning had us out looking for Steenbok, on my first trip with the wife these little buggers would stand almost next to the truck for pictures, and once at the taxidermist my wife saw a full mount and decided they were so cute she wanted a full mount, who am i to argue. We walked around one hill and no less than 5 of them little critters were there, but you think they would stand still, no chance. So we stalked and glassed, and noticed one about 500 yards off, so planned the stalk accordingly. About half way there Patrick see's a jackal making her way down the hill and loping towards us, and luckily our scent wouldnt be an issue, had we not made it as far as we did we would have been busted, but things were just right. Watching the jackal coming down, and mostly just a quick flash as it went through the low scrub, i found a spot where i could see about 80 yards. Binos up, scope up, binos up, scope up, playing the game of hide and seek making sure the shooting lane i had was where it would pass. Scope settled and there the jackal was and she stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of my shooting lane.
Now through the years i have learnt that Warren hates Jackals, with good reason, they take way too many sheep. So to say there was some pressure is an understatement. Took the shot and she jumped about 4 feet in the air and started to run towards us and she stopped 50 yards, but piled up? I didn't see where she stopped, but we knew she didn't go any further, so a quick walk up and i am looking at where i think she was, under a large bush with some great cover around the base.
Warren is saying its right there, where, right there its ear is sticking out, where, right in front of you. I was still focusing on the bush that was 20 yards and couldn't see it, binos up to help, no help, scope up no help. You see that bush, i said yeah, but i don't see the jackal, ok your looking too far, little mound 10 yards there is a burrow, can see the ear and nose. Ahhh i see it now, did shoot a little high on that shot, parted the hair on her head rather neatly, but i had a happy farmer in my midst now, and the pressure was off.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I’d take a jackal any day to a steenbuck! My nemesis!

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Nice. Is it typical to see jackals in the daytime?

 

[dobber]

I really think i lucked out seeing this one, was about 930 in the morning

The rest of the day had us looking for Steenboks, and while we saw more they were either females, young rams or running too damn fast to tell. That night we decided to go for a ride around and see if we can get the cats some springhares. Its truly amazing how many critters come out at night, we saw almost everything on the property, including some bat eared foxes.

Strange looking things for sure, like little kangaroos

 

[dobber]

How many times have you seen a sunrise or sunset and swore to yourself about just how amazing it is, well we had several during our trip and this following picture was taken with my wifes cell phone as we enjoyed a morning coffee

 

[cagkt3]

Fantastic trip, congrats!!

 

[tarbe]

Love reading this report...takes me back to my brief time there in 2015.

A wonderful place I would love to see again. Rhinoster Hoek is special!


Tim

 

[enysse]

Congrats on the kudu! I love steenbok hunting!

 

[dobber]

After a morning of frustrating Steenbok hunting and a glorious lunch, a lunch table with a view for miles we decided to hunt for Springbok.
We saw many different small groups of Springbok and a few stalks, had one group walk within 50 yards, but just below the rise and all i could see was ears and horns, no telling which one to shoot and before they came into full site the wind sent our scent there way and off they went rather quickly as they tend to do.
We saw a group of 6 or 7 at the far end of a field and watched as they kept heading away from us, the plan for aa stalk was made and away we went. We got to the bush line and next ridge to see them just as far away and they kept feeding away from us but not much cover for a walking stalk. Crabwalk........ there are so many words that could describe this type of sneaking, i don't believe any of them are pleasant, in fact i would rather do a weekend away with the inlaws to review pictures of their last vacation and perhaps listen to some fascinating tips on pottery and floral decorations on quilts they took pictures of at the National Quilt museum, perhaps getting a pedicure by a rabid baboon may even be more joyful.
For every tree that can stick and poke you thats in SA they drop the same pointy sharp things on the ground for as long as they have grown. My ass resembled a pin cushion and as much as i asked, the wife was not willing to help remove any stuck pins
After several hundred yards of this adventure, because every time we moved so did the springbok until finally they decided to have a mid afternoon nap. We got close enough (or so i thought) and watched them for about a half hour till they got up and started to move around. Which one, that one, this one, the other one....we thought we had one picked out (this was a cull hunt) and as we watched a little one came up and started to feed, phew glad we were still waiting to decide.
One walked out and yes, thats the one so i settled (or so i thought) and took deep breaths and finally after such a long painful stalk i squeezed the trigger and we watched them all run away laughing.
Over the top of the ridge after them we followed and they didn't go too far and were feeding again below us but about 300 yards with nothing but air between us. My confidence somewhat shaky i didn't/wouldnt even contemplate a shot (nor was any suggestion made by Warren just to be clear)
Tried to sneak closer but they took off and away they went directly away from us across the fence, well all except 2. The afternoon was closing down so the only option we had was straight at em. Off we went, they zigged left so did we, they zigged right we followed suit. We cut the distance to a manageable range and i settled in for the shot, err shots. I don't know exactly if it was the first or second shot that hit him, but he didn't fall down and the chase was on once again.
We couldn't get close enough for a finish shot and they were walking into the sun on a ridge line, so we didn't want to push him and more than needed, so we called it off and decided to come right back in the morning.
Next morning we hiked to the top of the ridge and started to check things out, walked along the top and i saw 2 crows fly up, eyes on the prize - nope, just 2 stoopid crows doing nothing but flying about. So down the other side of this mountain looking around every bush and still nothing. So down the bottom of the mountain, we (and by we i don't mean me) decided to go back to the top and glass the bottom bush. Eagle eye Warren says whats that down there by that tree, it looks like a Springbok, up with the glasses and i see it as well, and the more i stare the more it looks like one, to the point i said if i stare long enough i can see an ear and what it last ate. Off go the trackers and we watch them go, yes my Springbok is found. Apparently it doubled back and had its final resting place about 50 yards from the road, but were focused on where we last saw it.

 

[Shootist43]

Sounds like you enjoyed your hunt. Some ups, some downs but that's hunting.

 

[G Skinner]

Congrats. dobber !
Glen

 

[dobber]

Best try and finish this report before i forget and need to get some non hunting pictures done up as well.
Steenbok it was, the final animal i wanted. We Went to an area where we saw 5 different ones earlier in the week, well the spot didn't disappoint. Theres one - Zooooom, wait another, long slow stalk its a ewe, another - Zooom, long walk about and several more small rams and a few ewes seen, plus a one tusked warthog that got a pass. Lunch on the Baki again, great view, nice breeze and yup, had to make my own sammichs again lol
We went for another walk after watching 4 steenboks that were feeding together, by the time we got set up, quick stalk to where we last saw them, if they kept on their route they would literally walk into the gun. Half hour later and appears they turned left or right instead of straight. Did see a black footed cat slink away, was something i hadn't seen before, but too quick for a photo op.
Found a snake skin that made our tracker a little nervous, and by a little nervous he peered down at it, Warren suggested the hole right there is where the snake was, well he quickly jumped back about 6 feet and wanted nothing to do with the skin or any hole.
We walked back out in the veld and at one point we had a bruiser of a ram about 15 yards in front of us, but behind a bush, i had to sneak to the right to, on the sticks, eye to scope and between me looking and eye to scope - Zoom it was gone
More walking (about 3 miles on this little hike) and had duiker at 30 yards, but got a pass.
There, other side of the sheep fence, a nice ram, where, right there, where, 3rd post to the right, green bush, ahh i see it.
On the sticks, too short, move to the left on the sticks, too short, move closer and to the left, on the sticks i have him in the sites. Fixed scope that i swear makes things look twice as far away vs twice as close. Trying to get steady, deep breaths, on it. Ok squeeze the back trigger safety, no its the front one, am sure its the back one. Trigger didn't click, its not the right trigger, squeeze it harder so i will get the hair trigger set. One more second, get that dam safety trigger to cli*BOOM*ck #*@@&^!@)(<>#&@@@ - Note to self: if you squeeze the hair trigger enough it goes bang, takes a bit more pull though if you dont set the first trigger
Not happy with myself, we finished the hike back to the truck and about 70 yards past the truck there was a porcupine, so since the one i got last year has missing quills (seems everyone who visits the house wants a couple and my Quill vase was looking sad) it was offered up and easy enough set the first trigger correctly, fired and some local cuisine in the dirt

 

[HuntingGold]

thanks for catching us up... but I think there's a bit more...

 

[WRudman]

thanks for catching us up... but I think there's a bit more...

Yeah Randy, I think Dobber is so busy catching up on work that he missed while hunting, that he missed a day. For interest sake, the mainly nocturnal animals like porcupine, jackal and black footed cat (small spotted cat) were all seen during the day. Maybe they were confused by the full moon.