I think my most vivid memory is from my first safari. Hunted out of KZN near Hluhluwe, South Africa. Our shower was an open topped, reed-walled shower. The hot water came from a 40 gallon drum that had a fire built underneath each night. Once the water warmed, it would pressurize the lines to the shower. The light came from an old kerosene lantern. A little frog would pay you a visit every evening. While looking up at the stars, the wind would often blow the smell of the fire towards you and the hyenas would sing their lonesome song, I realized I was somewhere special.
My most special animal comes down to two, both taken on my most recent safari. While trying to finalize my wish list, I asked my PH about Vaal rhebok and blue duiker hunting versus the springbok slam. His response solidified my wish list. "Vaal rhebok is hard, blue duiker even harder, springboks are easy."
I was told to be prepared to hit an 8" diameter target at 400 yards. The shot was 429 yards with a 12-15 mph cross wind. A very old vallie needing some Rogaine.
A few days later and nearly 20 hours sitting in a blind next to a water hole. I took the only shot possible with a 22LR thru very thick bush at 35 yards. Had to get the dog on the blood. I was looking for blood on the opposite side of a very dense thicket, when Sutu, our tracker, spoke in Xhosa that the duiker was back in the blind. I beat a hasty retreat down the hill and back towards the blind basically bulldozing a new path thru the almost impenetrable vegetation. Sutu, sitting in one of the blind chairs, released the dog again and he eventually chased the little blue duiker into the pond. The duiker swam across the pond where I was waiting to finish the deal requiring a swim from Sutu to collect the trophy. A series of highs, lows, worry and elation in the end within about 30 minutes. A hunt never soon forgotten!
