Brickburn, I hope the weather is a little better your side of the hill, northern side the wind is howling, major chill factor, any vaalie with brains (normally huge brains) will be nicely bedded down seeking cover. Could be perfect for approach.
The wind was SCREAMING today. Got up to 15C and melting everything. Strange stuff.
The Bakkie was being rocked constantly by the wind. Quite intense up high.
Everything was hiding down in the drainages. Ass backwards really.
5 star accommodation way up high. Gorgeous lodge.
9Km of "strolling" today with 7000 feet of ascent. Never mind the descent.
I was leaning into the wind and it made walking interesting.
There were actually eight insane Vaalies out in that wind up by the Lesotho border.
Crazy.
Approached one herd to within 38 yards.
Nice Ram.
These critters have eyes that are better than Hawks.
Zero knowledge of our presence.
Zero possibility for a bow shot.
They soon caught on and went out to three hundred and wondered what had bothered them.
Saw at least 50 Vaalies today, lost count actually. Several Rowland Rams are still out there growing.
Finally spotted some Vaalies (several herds actually hiding from the wind) down low in this drainage and decided to put the stalk on them. Walking in the creek to stay out of sight and the wind.
This is a view back toward the drainage from the Vaalies vantage point.
It finally came down to the fact that it was never going to be possible today in this wind to use the bow effectively. It was just a reality of hunting. The original ten days is what is required to get it done. Between weather and the learning curve fours days was not quite enough.
Therefore, I made a "new plan".
We looked him over for a long time and he bedded down and stood several times. Finally , when we were about to back away and make a different approach the herd saw the PH move and that settled the deal. We were screwed on getting any closer.
I took the shot from the drainage in the dead centre of the picture above. (Vaalies perspective picture)
368 yards with a 12 inch drift for the wind and this very old 8 inch trophy was going home with me. (I would have hated to see what the drift would have been if the wind were perpendicular to the shot line.) Broken tips and and very old man. Comment from the peanut gallery: "By far the thickest Vaalie ram I have encountered that did not make 10 inches".
The ram also wasted some effort trying to grow a horn out of his nose too.
That did not stop me from searching for the elusive 11 inch Monster. Plenty of glassing and nothing big enough ever showed itself for the rest of the day.
Final group of the day going to bed. You spot the Ram in this herd. There are eight critters bedded or standing.
Happy with the effort and the result. Incredible experience up here on the top of South Africa.
Off to Joburg tomorrow.
