SOUTH AFRICA: Sunset To Sunrise Hunt With Pawprint Safaris! Oh & A Buffalo For Exercise

[Ridgewalker]

4:00 and we're off back to chase buff! Went into the place from one side of the mountain range and soon found tracks. And where were they headed! Of course over the ridge to the other side! So we bounce up over the pass we drove 4 times the previous day. Heading for the water hole to check for tracks, we turn a blind corner and yikes! 5 fine bulls looking directly at us!

Johan says take the middle one! Well, the middle one position changes several times playing a shell game. I keep up with the game as they're fastly moving out of the area. Nice...all clear and a trotting full side shot! Moving my gun with the buff with the crosshairs on the heart, I pull the trigger. The buff leaps and lunges forward kicking both hind legs into the air! As I'm slamming another round in the chamber, for fear it will run away with the others, Johan puts a 458 Lott above where I hit. The buff has slowed to a walk and moving straight away to join the group. Seeing nothing but a Texas heart shot, I find the tail in my scope placing the crosshairs just above the root of the tail and pull the trigger! At the report, the buff drops with a broken spine.

Relieved, we walk closer as the buff slowly runs out of blood, bellowing to announce he is dying and takes one last breath. We watch closely as the huge chest slowly drops expelling the last bit of life. It was magnificent!

 

[Ridgewalker]

It measured 38" and as you can see it has fine hard bosses and extremely deep curls! A man couldn't be happier!

 

[johnnyblues]

Excellent !! Congratulations buddy. Fine buff.

 

[jasyblood]

Congrats on a nice buffalo!! Enjoy the rest of your hunt!

 

[norfolk shooter]

Exceptional buff there buddy very happy for you I knew the team at pawprint would see you good

 

[cls]

Congrats on a fine Buffalo!

 

[Ironhorse375]

Nicely done sir! Fantastic shooting and a wonderful buffalo!

 

[cagkt3]

Wow very nice bosses! Congrats!

 

[Neale]

Glad you got your Buff @Ridgewalker . Well done.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Returned to PawPrints with a serious load in the bakkie! Unloaded the buff and what happened...the game hook straightened out! That fellow was HEAVY!

Just before dark we headed for Rian's to look for little cats. After a couple of hours we headed back for another great dinner and a glass of SA red wine by the fire.

Then off to bed to get a few hours sleep before making a 3 hour drive to Nyl River Bush Camp. On the way I had a wonderful experience! I got to meet Johan's beautiful family. Four sweet young ladies (including mama) and a fine young man (not including Johan). They have an awesome place! Thanks Johan for sharing your beautiful family! No wonder you are such a proud man!

Upon arrival at Nyl River we get to see tons of Bush pig photos! It really got me excited! About 6:00 we were in the blind. A couple of hours later a mama and 2 piglets showed. Later a fine boar and lesser boar showed, but the plan was to get the huge boar on the trail camera. Another couple of hours and the sow and piglets reappeared. Then we heard a big grunt to our right-the huge boar! Unfortunately the winds were blowing and swirling blowing our scent to the pigs spooking them. We decided to pull out.

We drove around trying to spot my wishlist. We got a glimpse only of a genet and a serval. No chance to take one. We found two ewe reedbucks, but no rams, so off to bed about 4:00.

Around 8:00 we had breakfast (Johan is a fine PH, but not a drop in the bucket as a chef compared to Claudius. Sorry for the honesty Johan!)

Back in the bakkie to see what we can find. No luck. Took an hour nap, cooked some steaks and with a fourth young man in tow we headed back to the blind.

The winds were steady tonight and much warmer. Still as a precaution Scobbie started a pile of cow chips smoldering behind the blind. We decided if the decent sized boar came in first, I would take him. Scobbie was just a little concerned about his tusk size. Me, I have no clue so it was perfectly fine. Sure enough the sow and piglets showed and then the boar and his smaller pal. Scobbie whispered "take him" and funny thing before the "him" was out of his mouth my 375 went off! The 300 Barnes TSX at 15 yards (a bow blind) just about blew his skull to pieces! Well I got tons of pictures and tusks measuring 6" and 6 1/8"! That smaller one is just fine in my book!

We spent most of the night trying to spotlight a ram reedbuck without success. This one will probably not by mine this trip.

Next morning back to PawPrints.

 

[Sand Rat]

Fine Bushbuck, Bushpig and Buff! Looks like the start of a great trip.

 

[rpgoldsby]

Congrats on buffalo. Has claduis grilled tenderloins yet

 

[norfolk shooter]

Nice piggy

 

[tarbe]

Dandy Buffalo!

 

[Lee M]

Nice pig! Ridgewalker is being nice and saving the big one for Billc.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Congrats on buffalo. Has claduis grilled tenderloins yet

Yes and they were absolutely wonderful!
Just returned unsuccessful from going out at 3:00 this morning. Another 4 hour night. Man the little cats are tough to come up with. I'm thinking they are better as an incidental game, but I've still got some nights left.

 

[whitetail]

Fantastic animals so far!!!! Best of luck with the remainder of the hunt!!!

 

[IdaRam]

Congrats on some very nice animal so far Love the boss on that buff of yours!

Yes and they were absolutely wonderful!
Just returned unsuccessful from going out at 3:00 this morning. Another 4 hour night. Man the little cats are tough to come up with. I'm thinking they are better as an incidental game, but I've still got some nights left.

YES, they certainly are! Little buggers will definitely make you pay your dues. Keep at it and good luck!
Oh yeah, and keep the report and pics coming

 

[Ridgewalker]

Johan needed to leave for a day, so Pieter and his kids took me out. Started on his property, but as the previous nights, nothing but a magnificent Africa sunset!

On the way back in Pieter spotlighted another duiker. As the duiker was lit up, Pieter said I needed to check my gun since it hadn't been fired for several days and since the duiker was on his property, I needed to shoot it…BAM! You don't have to ask this old man to pull the trigger twice! The duiker ran a little ways after the 300 gr 375 solid hit him, but an easy recovery.

Pieter said I would be very happy with this duiker. Yikes! It had 5” horns! Another RW qualifying animal. This makes 3 out of the 4 I have taken with PawPrints! Never did I ever expect this kind of quality animals!

 

[Ridgewalker]

After dinner we headed out again to another concession. Within a few minutes we had a big serval appear in the grass! Almost on him and he disappears. Never found him again, but we have a plan for tonight.

Luck stay with me!