Wik figured those buffalo would want to water and feed into morning since they had been down all day. There was no moon so we planned to be out early and try and catch them moving in the morning. We hit it just right, the buffalo were not in the field but just beyond it and slowly moving uphill in the thick stuff. Wik figured we could catch them on the top of the ridge and maybe get a shot. We crossed the field just fine, got to some cover and were slowly working to an opening. I could see lots of big black patches on the hillside. If my heart was racing over a pig, imagine the adrenaline now! Wik got me on the sticks and started scanning for the boss. About that time came the snort and the blowing. We were busted by impalas! We saw the bull we wanted and I had his butt filling my scope, but he was moving with a purpose and no amount of whistling or bellowing would turn him, not one last look and he disappeared over the hill. There were lots of animals and Wik figured they hadn’t seen or smelled us, just reacted to the impalas. So he figured to get in front of them again. A master tactician he is but we needed eyes in the sky. So he sent tracker Simone hustling to the top of a plateau. The animals were moving around this plateau so Simone would see them when he got high enough. We would take the cruiser and drive to the other side. Wik has a shot as a race car driver if the ph thing gets too boring for him!
We parked at the beginning of the gravel road that goes clear to the top of the plateau. Simone told us there were two herds. He told us roughly where to set up on the road to intercept the buffs as they moved off toward bedding cover. We got to a spot Wik figured would give us a 100 yard shot if they crossed our road.
Not long after I set up on the sticks the animals started coming across. Single file, no hurry, just meandering home after a night of bovine style debauchery. After about the twentieth animal I figured they were close to done and started to feel let down. No shot fired, didn’t even see a good bull—but wait, more coming. Some 100 yards down from us and some 150 above us. Cow, Cow, calf, cow, “get read, he is coming!” I finally got to see him when he stopped to rub his neck on a tree. Yeugh! What a tough looking customer. Then he is in the road angling slightly away. I’m on him as he clears a cow when she moves on. Wik made some purposeful whistle I think and the bull turned his head to glare. I could see him clear in the scope and when Wik said “take him when you are ready” I was already putting pressure on the trigger. Cameraman running the whole time on a tripod getting everything.
Boom! Said the Sako and the herds both went thundering off in a trail of dust and shivering brush. Standing there listening to the blood pounding the walls of my veins I heard clearly the first bellow and that’s when I smiled. The second bellow is when we started shaking hands and laughing. Simone soon appeared coming down the road-a distant humanoid figure smoking a cigarette and making his way downhill to us. Sader brought the truck up to us with the brave little terriers. We gave it another 20 minutes and then took up the trail.
Deep scuffs showed where he had been but no blood for twenty yards. And then there was a good blood trail to follow.
We let the dogs go and they ran afew seconds then came back. Wik said the bull was dead otherwise they would be barking and fighting with him. We followed the trail ourselves and sure enough, not far was “My Bull!”
Simone and Sader
From a high point to the tree where he had rubbed before crossing the road, I could range 70 yards.
Wik called in the whole team, all the trackers and skinners and meat cutters and even Wik’s dad came to shake my hand and show his excitement. Pictures and more pictures and then we start rolling him down hill to where we can get truck with its winch. I want to help and try, but I’m in the way. Let the guys do what they are good at and just hand out cigarettes when they are finished. Cigarettes express a lot of gratitude around here.
I love the bull, he is everything I wanted but mostly the experience. Had we killed that bull first thing yesterday it would have robbed us of so much more time with the animals and the country they live in.
These guys are dialed in when hunting their home property. Wik loves his kudu and his buffalo and he hunts them smart with a good team, it was my pleasure to have hunted these buffalo with them.
