Day 5
Up early and the same breakfast. Neither cook understood eggs over easy. So scrambled it was for simplicity. We started off looking for an impala again. We saw a couple of herds but nothing we could identify as a definite shooter. So back to the plains with Gazelle on our mind.
This area is interesting. We are essentially between Mt Meru which is just shy of 15,000 ft and Mt Kilimanjaro which is over 19,000 feet. They have a strong effect on weather. As a result this area has some wind most of the time. Also, despite being near the equator the temperatures are quite moderate. Plus I saw no tsetse flies or mosquitos the whole trip.
Today was windy! lulls of 5-8 mph and gusts to 25. A good sustained average is probably 12-15 mph. As we were driving we found a big Grants that seemed to be worth a better look. After a careful scrutiny Zidane felt like he was close to 26 inches and that we should take him. So off we go on a stalk with only a few bumps in the landscape for cover. We'd get close enough and then he'd take off. We did that 3 times. The final time he moved into a valley where there is a police training facility that they shoot with live ammo. They were there training that day too. So left him be.
Not sure if it was the wind or what. Animals pushed out well ahead of us and were just plain spooky. We found another Grants and got the rifle out. Again they spooked far ahead of us. Then we saw Quintin and Mike driving down a road in our general direction. Between the 2 vehicles the animals panicked and took off. I imagine that there was over 1000 animal moving at one time. They were leaving the plains and heading into areas with some trees. Cool to see, but a pain when your trying to stalk an animal.
A bit later we found the Grants that we had tried to set up on after leaving the first one. He was rather distinctive. Lighter color than the others around him. He was keeping company with another ram that was over 24 inches. We got out of the truck and moved to a rock outcropping to try and get a rest. I found a sitting position and got the tripod out. Eventually I got a shot at the ram. I thought I was told 240 yds. It actually was over 400 yds. Between the wind and drop difference it was a clean miss. I had been pretty proud of my shooting up until then. I guess pride cometh before the fall is a great quote to consider.....
The rams took off, but for whatever reason didn't seem nearly as badly spooked as what I would of expected. After a short drive of less than 1/2 mile we saw them walk up a draw. We left the truck at a fast walk and headed up the slope hoping they'd stayed near the top of the draw. As we crested the top of the ridge we saw first one and then the second one. The second being our target animal. I got set up on the sticks. The tracker got his back under my elbow to provide additional support in the wind. 200 yds away. Bang and away he goes down out of sight into the draw. I immediately chamber another round and look for him to potentially come out. Nothing shows. We continue over the top of the ridge and spot his horn sticking up out of the grass! Quite the hunt. Hit was perfect on the shoulder and he went maybe 30 yds and was down.
Back at camp we found that Quintin and Mike had taken its twin. Lengths and bases measurements were identical. Mikes was 1/4 inch wider if I remember correctly. For those that like to know he was 25 3/4 inches. A little bird hunting that night was fun. Found a huge flock of Guinea's. Like well over 500 birds. In RSA I'd been told that Guinea's weren't good to eat. I have had them in Zambia and now in Tanzania and they are fine when prepared properly. Pics to follow.
