BOTSWANA: Two Weeks Hunting In The Kalahari With Kanana Safaris

BRICKBURN said:

Buddy, I have been waiting a long time too. Hope everyone enjoys it.

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Loving it!!!!

Both the pictures and the words! And now that I've been to Africa reading hunt reports is even better!

wayne just found this at the right time as have run out of reading material here. great write up, but it doesnt seem like it was a year ago already!!!!!

Can't leave you in the lurch any longer. Here is another instalment.

BRICKBURN said:

Can't leave you in the lurch any longer. Here is another instalment.

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I was hoping for a longer one than this....

Day 5


The fire is always welcome on a cold morning.



Jane stays in camp today and I am off with Wills again. Joyce and I are observers and watch T hunt in the morning.

We are driving further north searching….
I reviewed a game camera just to reassure myself there are animals.


We have not seen much game this morning and the wind is up and it is cold. It must be like a mid winter storm to these critters.

Waiting near the Bakkie I go for a walk to control my frustration with my student driver, who's poor driving is actually causing issues. Martin is being pounded by thorn bush beside the trails and my knees and back are taking a shit kicking from the erratic driving.
This is the biggest glitch so far. I hope to see some positive changes.
When I make the PH Will aware upon his return. I learn it is this young mans first trip away from home and he has only obtained his drivers license a few days before arrival here at Kanana.
If this was a Survivor episode I know who would get voted off the island.


The clouds and scudding across the sky today and the animals are just hiding from us. From one day to the next it is amazing to see the changes the weather brings to the animals behaviour.

We have lunch at the lodge and lounge around until we head out again later in the afternoon to find some Eland tracks for T.

It is interesting hunting with less intensity with the 2x1 scenario. I am sure if I had not already been hunting for 9 days before everyone’s arrival I would not be so amenable to this process. It has advantages of being able to joke and converse about the day and share novel experiences but there are certainly minor detractions.


In the past four days the group has been cruising past the area where the monster Waterbuck was encountered on day 1, including me when the opportunity presents itself. No one has seen him since. Smart old bull has been successfully dodging a lot of eyes.
I have seen several other Waterbuck and they were all safe because they have not been in this Bulls class.
This afternoon was no different and we are looking for him down that same trail as we departed the lodge.


We are driving very slowly and searching the bush intently for that magical Waterbuck.

Do you remember that meeting I alluded to earlier? Today was the day we would have that meeting.
Martin spots the big bull making his way through the bush.



This is where 2x1 has its advantages. Waterbuck is not on T’s list so I'm up. We head up the road further and I spring off the back and the stalk is on.

At a very quick walk we are dodging behind bushes and taller trees making our way across the wind to catch up to him. Martin is in the lead, Wills in second quickly followed by T and me. Having sand to walk on makes it possible to be very quiet.

As we catch up we get a glimpse of the bull. The bull is facing straight away; slowly meandering has way through the bush and has no idea he has been spotted. The hair color on a Waterbuck is incredible camouflage in this cover. It always amazes me the varying colours that are just as effective for concealment.

We get on the trail he is walking and close the distance. When we are less than 80 yards and the sticks go up. I’m on them in a flash and settled down and ready. He is facing away still and had just turned slightly to look back at the noise the sticks made. There is only a shot possibility that will involve a very narrow window and the last rib. I cannot make myself ruin meat.

One shot and down and I quickly approached and do a finisher, just because.






The set up.





Exciting stalk. He scores 30 and he is just what I want.



He is dropped at the skinning shed and we bump into other party members dropping things off. The bush telephone has been working hard and everyone wants to see this Waterbuck. He is inspected closely to try and determine if it is the one. PH Jup confirms, with a little disgusted shake of the head, that I have indeed been very lucky and managed to get the big guy. Now the Waterbuck hunters can quit cruising that area.


We celebrate with a Castle at the end of the day and relax.

Very nice Waterbuck...

Great pictures and story line..

Two amazing trophies in the first five days!

Nice Waterbuck! That ones still on my list, Congrats! Now keep writing.

Very nice waterbuck. Sand can really help quiet down a stalk. Loving your report. Great pics. Bruce.

BRICKBURN said:

Can't leave you in the lurch any longer. Here is another instalment.

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very nice waterbuck wayne but now back in the lurch!!!

Day 6

Up at 0545 today with no alarm.
Pick up the computer and get online and do some moderating on AH. Hunting trolls in the dark. The wireless from the lodge reached to my tent. Awesome. This is certainly not first world DSL.
Damn Photobucket uploads are still a pain in the as*. How do you share with the folks on AH if you can’t get pictures done? Oh well, they will have to wait.

I catch up a little on some journaling.

After hearing of the massive flooding at home it pops into my mind again.. The Flood aftermath and stories of the damage are actually unbelievable. I have not seen pictures or video to really get any idea for myself.

After I return I am astounded by the devastation.
Thankfully my family, friends and home are not under water. Others are certainly not so lucky.

This is a sample.



We head out for the day. The wind is supposed to be down today and I sure hope so, as it is a game changer for spotting quantities of game.
It was quite smoky yesterday from bush fires from the north. The farm has been on alert due to the fire risk. It pushes all the hunting further south on the property.
T and I are hunting with Wills again today.

Soon enough, I have almost been bounced out of the truck. I got out and walked for a while to stop from expressing myself in a less than reasonable manner. Wills has a chat. They are to do some training at lunch and I hope it may work.


We move along and start hunting and as we are driving we got a radio call from Jason about a good Wildebeest sighting. They are on our list! Apparently everyone got into them beside Blind #1. There is no move to follow up. WTF?

We were searching for Eland tracks in the north west (?) block when we ended up hearing a rifle report in close enough proximity that we made a very hasty retreat. Apparently the people tracks we have seen are fresh and another hunter is in the same area. Oops.


The wind has not died down and was actually up and really blowing quite hard and we were seeing very little. No Wildebeest and no Zebra. A few small Gemsbok and some female Kudu. We saw one male Duiker and stalked it in some very thick cover for a few minutes until it was called off. From this decision I can conclude that they are really a chance encounter species versus a directed hunting effort.

We did a stalk on a single Blue Wildebeest with T and the boys.
We walked right in on it. There was a cluster f**k with the sticks and they were never put up properly. T was never on them before the beest took off. This is certainly turning out to be an off day.

The animals are staying warm in the thick cover in the dips out of sight of the road.
Oh well, that is hunting. Some days feast, some days famine. You can feel the frustration building in everyone on the truck.

Drove up on the bone pile and got some pictures of the vultures. Having a blind here would net you some great opportunities.

Here are a few from my walk up on the pile.




That effort wrapped the morning hunt.


In for lunch Jane and J to come along this afternoon.
There is now a large fire north of the property with the possibility that all hands may be required. We could not go far north.

Got "Intel" that there were Wildebeest and Zebra in an area.
We went for a long walk in those blocks and encountered two small Gemsbok.

Back to the road and we drove around searching.
A few small Kudu were spotted, one of which will be good in a couple years.

We found a Blue Wildebeest herd in thick brush and it was time for T’s stalk and I followed behind. They closed to 40 yards and were busted as the wind swirled.
I sprinted to the north side of the bush to try to push them back past the boys.
They went by me in single file, but no big guys and a little hard to see in the bush.
If there was something good in this herd I was certainly in position to take advantage.

After we arrive back at the vehicle I looked back over my shoulder and saw the herd once again as we drove off. Sometimes you win….


Martin spotted an Eland bull north/west (?) of Samson on the road and the stalk was on. I gave up on Kilometer counting and the time passing without seeing anything but tracks.
Tough hunting. They were not to be caught up with today.
Walking in sand is tough work.

As a last ditch effort we stalked in on Samson and got to see two Waterbuck at last light. On the way in to camp we saw one Jackal in the headlights 35 minutes after sunset.

Oh well.


Another glitch arose. At camp I learn one of the Directors was hunting on the south farm for the last few days. The kicker was the new restrictions on hunting of the south property being announced and species that were now unavailable. Apparently there are not enough Kudu and Waterbuck in his opinion. Since there are several people still hoping to take a large trophy of these species our concern about the midstream change in policy was expressed and noted. Though it did not change the directive. Sometimes Outfitters can be caught out.
In fact, we were effected a few days later when we ran into some large Kudu 55+ and Waterbuck 32 on the south property.
(In meeting with Jason afterward I was assured that this has been addressed for the future.)


It has been a long day with some frustration thrown into the recipe. At 1900 I am off to bed without dinner.

Great story so far. I love how candid you are being.

Blainer said:

Great story so far. I love how candid you are being.

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Glad you are enjoying the tale.
Crap is always going to happen on any Safari. It has happened on every trip I have gone on. Most of it can be overcome with a little flexibility and adaptive thinking.

I agreed with Jason to tell the actual tale. Everything. Not a glorified sales pitch. The good and the not so good.
The greatest part about Jason Bridger's character is his honesty and integrity. That is how he has engendered my trust. (Really, the best part is how layed back he is)

Day 7

I awoke at midnight and drugged myself and slept til 0530
Time to do some writing.

I am not sure recapping the “not so good points” in writing is doing my mood any good.
I’ll see about turning the attitude around today.

A few Mosquitos are getting into the tent and I am chasing them down.
(So much for the frost doing its job and killing them all off.)

Jason heard about the driving situation and jokes a bit. I am not in the mood to joke about it yet, as it is truly causing pain in my back and knees along with thorn tree encounters.
An immediate solution is offered: Martin is told to drive. A solution of sorts, but we then lose the best set of experienced eyes.
Anyway, off we go with the student in the high seat staring at his crotch until he’s told by the PH, “four eyes are better than two”. He gets his head up and at least appears to be trying to look.

We are looking for Eland, Zebra, and Blue Wildebeest.

It was not long before we spot a herd of Blue Wildebeest and decide to put the stalk on. We are crossing down wind and we come in on the herd. I am in back of the four man team with T as lead hunter. I want him in first and after some "confusion" yesterday I told him to “Get after the sticks. Get on them immediately as you have three seconds to get your shot off. Get the PH out of the way after the sticks are set up and when told, take your shot.” Pretend this is Rugby.

With a need for an attitude change I decide it is time to have the young student join in. Maybe a bit of excitement will get the attitude we want from both of us.

I tail along with the student while Martin leads Wills and T toward Blue Wildebeest we have seen.
Slowly following. I start heading wider/deeper.

The boys are heading in short and I watch them start. Point it out to the student and then make a "psst" chirp

sound ( I don't really know what it is I do, not really a whistle) and point at the Blue Wildebeests location. Martin was driving so how would be know where they were he is not in the high seat.

They are on track now and we watch the stalk. They get closer and the herd moves off and they follow with us behind in swing position.

I start pointing out tracks to the student. Giraffe, etc. Find a Milk root that a Gemsbok has uncovered. When you slow down and start looking it is impressive what you can experience.







The herd sounds like it spooks and I run for the north side of the thick stuff and try to be cut off. They went another way.

The herd moved west and the stalk is still on. As they slowly move closer I watch and flank them at 150 yards. As I swing in I am watching a few to the left with my scope. Considering.

I see the guys within 75 yards and am watching the Blue Wildebeest mill a bit. They will be off soon. Just then the shot goes off and the herd hits the trail. I heard nothing about a hit but one lags and I watch the guys start to track the Wildebeest. It has moved about 200 yards with a 375 bullet on the shoulder point. Astonishing.







T fell in love with the 375. So, he tried to keep it.


Giving blood is always a part of moving quickly through Sekelbos for me. Ouch.


T had a good trophy down and on the way to the skinning shed early.



We are close to camp so we drop it off. Turn around by 0930 and we are back at it.

We are heading along a path where I have seen a Duiker and if he jumps out again we will be in pursuit.

I spot a “one day” Kudu bull and notice a decent Blue Wildebeest with him. Must be an old solitary bull to be partnered up with a Kudu bull. I watch him depart with the Kudu and know they are buddies. One long look tells me he is wide enough and thick enough to get a closer look at.

After the student has been shown a few tricks by Martin’s driving I suggest that the proper set of eyes up top is better than the alternative. The student is asked if he is up to the challenge. Into the seat he goes and is making an earnest effort to get it done right. Rewarded verbally at each proper turn.

We start the stalk and head wide I am lead hunter with T in behind.

Wills & Martin walking ahead. I spot the Kudu horns off to our side 80 yards out in very thick stuff. All I see are Kudu horn tips. I look with binos and see it is the same Kudu. The Blue Wildebeest is there somewhere. We just cannot see him yet. With another "pssst" I draw the PH's attention and tell the guys where he is.

Time to go deeper and wider and swing back with the wind, all the while looking for spare Kudu.

We get in to sixty and the Kudu is looking our way and we see a BW outline. It has to be him.

We back up a bit, get down lower and swing around to get closer. This is thick stuff and they are in a hollow. This is not flat country. It may look flat, but very much like the prairie at home it is anything but flat.

We make our way in, waiting on bended knee several times for things to change. Hoping the animals will feed or do something.

I get on the sticks at one point and am willing to do a head shot but there is too much junk in the way for the 270. I left the 300WM behind today in the hopes of a needed "change of fortune" after nothing going on yesterday.

Besides, T had a 375 to back me up in case a Lion charges.

The Kudu decides something is up and they move off slowly and we slide to the left side and try to gain some position. They are still well within one hundred yards.

They stop and the BW shows his head and neck I am on the sticks and trying to determine how to sew a bullet through this jungle of branches and bush. He is looking about and I have a front head shot, if he swings a little I have a neck shot. I decide to take the shot with less potential error from his movement and hopefully a higher success rate.

Here goes the neck, before he leaves with the Kudu. Four branches stand up like extended fingers. Thankfully the neck is in the biggest slot.

I touch it off and down he goes. Instantly

The PH and tracker are on the move. I am pocketing the casing and reloading, marking the GPS. The Kudu move off but not like they are on fire. They have not seen anything and only heard a noise.

I walk up and he is finished.






He is broken off old man with a very black face. Perfect.



It was a great stalk and we did him proud with great trophy pictures with the whole crowd.


We go back to the shed for processing. The skinning team is going to hate us soon.
The floor is now covered with animals and they are working at a quick pace.
They have not even gotten to T’s BW yet, that is how quickly we returned with another.

It is 11 am we are back out hunting.

On the road to find Eland. Small tracks through the bush used by the previous photo safari operation are the preferred route to try something new today.
We can not find bulls to save our lives. Everyone else is done Eland. What is with us? A curse?

We are in a jury rigged truck. Two fence posts wired into place with a metal step tied on for the trackers.
I am thrilled with Martins ingenuity. We are in the oldest truck with one seat. But we are making this thing work. I helped wire the post in place the first time and now Wills has his own post wired in place on the opposite side. It allows then to stand to see above the cover.
I never thought these would prove to be a set of sticks. Although it is exactly like leaning on a barbed wire fence post!




Just as we hit the intersection, Wills is hitting the seat. I tap the roof and in a whispered shout "turn it off".

A Very good Duiker is moving “at pace” away from me at an angle. I have the scope of 3x and am ready for this guy.
I swing around and just as he is disappearing at full tilt behind one last bush I touch the shot off. I hear it hit. I know I have the position right. I leap from the truck with Martin and W in pursuit behind me. I know it is down, but where.

I get the question, "Did you hit it?" I said I certainly had hit it on the run. The question "It was Running?!" was offered with a somewhat astonished look. My reply, "Yup!" (Just like shotgun shooting. No problem.)

Quartering running shot left to right and we find my Duiker a few yards from where he was hit. He is in the salt.
I am thrilled with this trophy.

Pictures hand shakes and high fives. Wills says, “NO one else is going to get a Duiker.” He is quite proud.
Luck is on our side today.










We head out and purposefully avoid another group sitting at a blind and soon we encounter Impala.
T is off stalking with my rifle. Somehow 375 H&H on Impala seems like a little too much gun.


I walk on the road and parallel the boys as they bump the Impala. I start tapping rocks on the road to distract the Impala. Finally they are in too deep and thick for me to help from the road and I do not want to disturb the animals at water that are three hundred yards away.

I head back to the truck to wait. 15 minutes later we get called up and I inquire about the shot I had heard. Turned out that it was a miss. Oh well. Onward we go.


With my Bow in hand we wait at Hippo blind while Martin delivers the Duiker to the shed and does the skinning for a full mount.



We will have lunch and wait. We end up waiting at the blind until 1500. No different than taking a break at the lodge, except you can shoot here.

Five Waterbuck come in. T spotted them in the cover as they were slowly sliding toward the waterhole. Although I have already taken a great trophy Waterbuck having the bow along changes everything. It opens “the list” up wide open again.

One cull Warthog with crap tusks came in. Where is Jane when you need her?

The Waterbuck looks like a serious 28. It gets me thinking…

I set my bow up and get ready. It is incredibly windy and I will only shoot if he comes close. I wait for him to meander closer and after twenty minutes of showing his horns off to the smaller variety in his presence and the ladies, he just crosses out of my life, never getting closer than forty yards. This bull does not even know he should be thankful for the windy day.


Martin is back and it is time to look for Zebra and Eland.

We find tracks crossing and re-crossing the roads. Damn they are not where we are.

We heard Zebra when I took my Blue Wildebeest, so they are obviously heading into the thick crap.

Martin spies, and I mean spies, a head at about three hundred yards. I look through the binoculars and say it’s Zebra. We are down on the ground making our way in.

I have my vest on and no water. If you are from any temperate zone country Do not leave the truck in the Kalahari without water, ever.

The stalk is on and what do we find with Zebra, cow Eland. Guess which spooks?! I am starting to hate Cow Eland.

I am on the sticks, the Eland are long gone but the Zebra for some reason are trying to figure out why. At 150 yards I am on the sticks with the 270, waiting for a shot.

I have the cross hair on and he will not move the required 8 inches to get a clear shot. I would not have taken this shot with any rifle. Too small a target and circumstances with that much bush in the way.

They decide it is time to join the Eland and we go for a walk down wind (crazy) and after some hot KM’s. We never see them again.



Even with attempts to get height like this.

Back to the Bakkie, ever so slowly. I am cooling down with a nice saunter into the wind. First time I have been thankful for the wind.

Wills nose is bleeding from being dry and hot. Quite thankful to get something to drink upon arrival.


Time to head north into the thickest of the thick bush.
The bush far north of the property was put "under control" yesterday. It stopped access to this area yesterday.

I have not seen this part of the property and now know why the critters are up here. They have tons of grass and cover to spare.

One warthog walks away from the road. Not big enough and we are looking for Zebra.

I am secretly hoping for a double, just to be greedy.

We all spot the herd at the same time. I am off the truck and down while it is still moving. A comment from Charlie later confirmed this to be true.

I am on my knee, loaded and ready and waiting. T is getting his gun out of the case and Martin is shuffling Wills forward to get with me and take the sticks.


Blue Wildebeest are with them and man there is a good one. I give strong consideration to changing targets. Certainly high Rowland Ward. Hmmm.

I slowly rise and get on the sticks. Nothing is disturbed at all, as they continue wandering slowly past. There is an opening in the bush and there is one Zebra in my view. I am not being picky, what comes, comes.

T suggests moving up another few meters sideways to get a clearer view. I have been locked on and not even looking for other alternatives. Great suggestion and Wills slides sideways and I with him in a slow side stepping dance. The sticks are up and I reset and take aim.

The Blue Wildebeest are now moving off slowly and the Zebra are thinking of doing the same. I watch the one I have the rifle on and see that now all too familiar head shake with the neck moving in rhythm. It is all I have to see to take the initiative.

Nothing in the way. Sergeant stripes in sight, all’s clear behind and bang.

We hear the whack. It is so loud I am concerned the bullet hit sideways after hitting an unseen branch. We are off in pursuit immediately.

I urge T in front, we are going for two in my mind.

T asks out loud for etiquette. He is hurriedly shushed by the PH and is urged to get behind the tracker and PH. (He's always trying to be polite.)

We find blood almost immediately and start to follow.

The sun has set and I am starting to envision a tracking job from hell.
With all the nightmares of how tough Zebra are; you should use a huge calibre to make sure, etc. Something called doubt crept in. We see the Zebra moving away.
I am behind and do not see the tell tale signs of a perfect hit.

Martin is obviously concerned as well and wants me to shoot again.
At what bushes? The 375 could not get through this crap.

Within seconds Wills sees it go down, all I see is the Stallion waiting and moving off after the other Zebra fell.

I finally see it on the ground and tell the guys to get after the other one.



They start pursuit and return after I am up on my Zebra. I wave them on. Go hunt. I can wait here.

Wills decides after five minutes we are losing light and need to get this beast gutted and into the truck. There is NO winch on this truck.

We get the trophy pictures done.






The gutting is done with some aid from Bakkie headlamps. At least it is not totally dark out.

Entrance


Exit



The Result. Don't be worried about a 130 grain 270 bullet on Zebra. Well placed shot. You are good.






Two holes dug into the veld to allow the lowering of the gate. Really lowering the entire truck. It was a demonstration of ingenuity of which I was most impressed.



Five guys and in it went and we were on our way in such short order it was incredible.



We are off to the skinning shed and a two Castle celebration in the Bakkie.
A bloody great days end with a little crazy added in.

Fantastic trophies. Your writing makes me feel like I am there with you experiencing the excitement.

So you don't like being banged around in the back of the truck....lol, me neither

BrickBurn, you are keeping me glued to this story. It's like watching a mini-series. I can't wait till the next one comes. Excellent!! Kevin

enysse said:

So you don't like being banged around in the back of the truck....lol, me neither

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I have gone 70 miles an hour across bald South Dakota prairie and the farmer driving came to a smoother stop to avoid a fence than this young fellow in his first days. Not a particularly enjoyable part of the adventure but I also needed an attitude shift myself. Which helped.

woods1126 said:

BrickBurn, you are keeping me glued to this story. It's like watching a mini-series. I can't wait till the next one comes. Excellent!! Kevin

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Glad you like it Kevin.