After all the help my new Swazi buddy gave me before my trip I promised myself to get him out to get his own venison and we would set up for a Biltong making session too.
I offered a Hunter Education course for the neighbourhood and he joined in and he passed with flying colours; 94%.
So, he understood the basics of hunting over here. ( FYI he is now a resident)
Firearms License would have to wait for next year. Borrowing my rifle this year.
That's ok, I did not really want to let him loose in the cold on his own yet.
It had been a while since he hunted last and there was certainly not snow on the ground during that hunt I can assure you!
Through the week the telephone calls came about what to buy for equipment and clothing.
Off to Bass Pro and a few telephone consults later he had his credit card work out.
No one could get away from work until it was too darn late to drive up and sleep in comfort and there was also the first winter blizzard coming in. 25cm of snow was going to come down on top of black ice.... NOT driving in that!!
That meant the hunting day started at 04:00 for the 2.5 hour drive to the farm. White tail deer were the game for the day.
We got to drive on reasonably clear roads thanks to the road crews doing a good job. Swazi offered to drive up and meet us. He drives an import two wheel drive. I laughed. After the first trip through the drifts he figured out why and commented.
We had tracks everywhere crossing the roads as we got close to the farm. Managed to keep a couple off the hood of the truck (bonnet).
Grampa decided it was time to till the alfalfa field! Lucky we were there in the dark and saw the result.... no tracks, nothing. Nothing coming in here. OOPS.
Wind blowing hard out of the north all the deer were on south slopes behind cover. Nothing in the back up field, too open. So, first light was a bust.
We asked permission on 5 or 6 places and were 100% on the asking. Amazing.
Found some does and after several failed stalks and almost freezing some fingers off. (Bass Pro glove purchase, only good for early season Bow hunting.) He was pumped. Man it is way too much fun to watch newbies hunt.
Driving past some public land on the way to breakfast I spotted a good White tail buck (160ish) and pulled over. He was rutting and not paying too much attention. My two compatriots could not see him. I tried to get them a better look and two wheels went off the road into that snow.
The buck was big enough that he did not stick around.
Well, this is where the black ice came into play from that storm. 1.5cm thick and four wheels spun into the ditch sideways into the snow. After several runs at it. We ended up with a complete burial.
Two good samaritan's stopped and we hooked everyones chains/straps and ropes together and out we came.
OnStar was still working on sending someone! Glad I paid for that.
The last option for the end of the day is a field that some Whitetails are feeding early and late. We'll have to see if they show up.
Intuition had me nervous. I warned that we might have an issue with a public road allowance being on one side of the property.
We arrived a little late, just as the deer were entering the grain field.
Just as Swazi is setting up to shoot, someone drives up to watch. Of course the deer scatter.
We try and get in the field and set up a stalk in the last 15 minutes.
Close the distance and they are too wary now. They fade into the bush not to be seen again.
As luck would have it, one little doe happens to walk out moving toward another field with under five minutes left.
Swazi is out and off hand takes the doe with one good shot to the shoulder.
Congratulations! Good Shot and the first North American venison is on the way to the freezer.
We'll see if we can get him a trophy worthy or picture posing for next weekend.
It was a little chilly out. Thankfully the coveralls were up to the task.
Dragging the venison through the bush.
Field dressing game in South Africa did not have this white stuff to get in the way. (It was also always up off the ground in a skinning shed)
I offered a Hunter Education course for the neighbourhood and he joined in and he passed with flying colours; 94%.
So, he understood the basics of hunting over here. ( FYI he is now a resident)
Firearms License would have to wait for next year. Borrowing my rifle this year.
That's ok, I did not really want to let him loose in the cold on his own yet.
It had been a while since he hunted last and there was certainly not snow on the ground during that hunt I can assure you!
Through the week the telephone calls came about what to buy for equipment and clothing.
Off to Bass Pro and a few telephone consults later he had his credit card work out.
No one could get away from work until it was too darn late to drive up and sleep in comfort and there was also the first winter blizzard coming in. 25cm of snow was going to come down on top of black ice.... NOT driving in that!!
That meant the hunting day started at 04:00 for the 2.5 hour drive to the farm. White tail deer were the game for the day.
We got to drive on reasonably clear roads thanks to the road crews doing a good job. Swazi offered to drive up and meet us. He drives an import two wheel drive. I laughed. After the first trip through the drifts he figured out why and commented.
We had tracks everywhere crossing the roads as we got close to the farm. Managed to keep a couple off the hood of the truck (bonnet).
Grampa decided it was time to till the alfalfa field! Lucky we were there in the dark and saw the result.... no tracks, nothing. Nothing coming in here. OOPS.
Wind blowing hard out of the north all the deer were on south slopes behind cover. Nothing in the back up field, too open. So, first light was a bust.
We asked permission on 5 or 6 places and were 100% on the asking. Amazing.
Found some does and after several failed stalks and almost freezing some fingers off. (Bass Pro glove purchase, only good for early season Bow hunting.) He was pumped. Man it is way too much fun to watch newbies hunt.
Driving past some public land on the way to breakfast I spotted a good White tail buck (160ish) and pulled over. He was rutting and not paying too much attention. My two compatriots could not see him. I tried to get them a better look and two wheels went off the road into that snow.
The buck was big enough that he did not stick around.
Well, this is where the black ice came into play from that storm. 1.5cm thick and four wheels spun into the ditch sideways into the snow. After several runs at it. We ended up with a complete burial.
Two good samaritan's stopped and we hooked everyones chains/straps and ropes together and out we came.
OnStar was still working on sending someone! Glad I paid for that.
The last option for the end of the day is a field that some Whitetails are feeding early and late. We'll have to see if they show up.
Intuition had me nervous. I warned that we might have an issue with a public road allowance being on one side of the property.
We arrived a little late, just as the deer were entering the grain field.
Just as Swazi is setting up to shoot, someone drives up to watch. Of course the deer scatter.
We try and get in the field and set up a stalk in the last 15 minutes.
Close the distance and they are too wary now. They fade into the bush not to be seen again.
As luck would have it, one little doe happens to walk out moving toward another field with under five minutes left.
Swazi is out and off hand takes the doe with one good shot to the shoulder.
Congratulations! Good Shot and the first North American venison is on the way to the freezer.
We'll see if we can get him a trophy worthy or picture posing for next weekend.
It was a little chilly out. Thankfully the coveralls were up to the task.
Dragging the venison through the bush.
Field dressing game in South Africa did not have this white stuff to get in the way. (It was also always up off the ground in a skinning shed)
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