Southern African Wildlife College

[tigris115]

Here's a question. How young are most of the students because this PH course is a personal dream of mine.

 

[jacques smith]

On face offs I have to remind myself to breathe it’s only a videogreat stuff, keep bringing it. Jacques

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Tigris 115, you can contact Southern Africa Wildlife College, they conduct PH courses. If you want I can pm you contact details of Pieter Nel, he is a senior training officer who is in charge of PH training.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

While we drove to find some elephant tracks so we can start tracking the elephant to practice shot placement after we stalked as near as possible we encounter this excellent sight of a Southern Ground Horn bill who had some lunch

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Thanks for sharing. Great course.

 

[Nyati]

Very interesting, Gert, thank you !

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Here is another video of one of the approaches we did :

Another video of shot placement :

 

[Gert Odendaal]

During the course we had the opportunity to approach several bulls. One of the bulls was is musth ..we came across his track on the gravel road we were driving. Firsts we all gathered around the track to discuss the different signs we saw in the footprint of this particular elephant. We noticed a few interesting signs about the elephant , one of the important signs is the droplets of must all around the footprint, these droplets had an extremely foul smell. Another sign is that this elephant was about thirty five years old, due to the footprint that was warn down into a lot of small cracks and puzzle -like imprints in the footprint..some pointers to look at when we studied the elephant`s foot print in the sand.....following fresh tracks

Tracking this old elephant by study it`s foot print in the sand..

Freshly eaten branch.

Hot on it`s tracks, we were following a clear trail..with fresh dung and foot prints..of this old elephant bull:

Got him, now for the approach..

Here follows the video of the approach:

 

[Ross Reamy]

Gert,
Thanks for sharing! I always look forward to your informative post.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Members, my appreciation for taking the time and making an effort to follow this thread..yes, this was a great invent to participated in..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Trigis115, here is a shot placement video of one of the young men participating in the course.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Another video of approaching an elephant bull, just to see it turn and run as soon as it caught smell of humans near him...

 

[geoff rath]

Thank you, Gert, highly informative. Backs up what my outfitter taught me while "touristing" in Kruger, after my hunt in Z A was over.
In one of the "tourist camps" we had a bull, with one broken tusk approach us through the scrub. He came up within about 20 meters, before he turned away. My outfitter estimated his "good tusk at around 40+ kilos....
We discussed him for hours later, the hair on the back of my neck still standing up.... something I will NEVER forget. Thank you, Gunter.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Geoff, yes, these beautiful animals demand respect. It really is great to be so near to them and observe their behaviour.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Thank you, Gert, highly informative. Backs up what my outfitter taught me while "touristing" in Kruger, after my hunt in Z A was over.
In one of the "tourist camps" we had a bull, with one broken tusk approach us through the scrub. He came up within about 20 meters, before he turned away. My outfitter estimated his "good tusk at around 40+ kilos....
We discussed him for hours later, the hair on the back of my neck still standing up.... something I will NEVER forget. Thank you, Gunter.

Gunter, as with the course we completed , it will be memories I will never forget, it was magic to be able to get so near to these great creatures on foot , smelling , hearing and seeing him move so fast was just unbelievable....it really gives me a new appreciation and respect for this great animal...