SOUTH AFRICA: Back-to-back East Cape Hunts With LJ SAFARIS

Very heavy rain the next morning meant we went into town, instead of into the bush, having breakfast at Lauren's restaurant in Kenton. By midday, it had cleared slightly, though still still drizzling and overcast, but we decided to hunt a couple of the open areas which were still easily accessible, just to see what, if anything, might be moving.

We spotted a herd of impala, slowly moving out of the thick bush. Skittish in the gusting winds, they milled around the edge of the plains, in then out, then back in again. Amongst the females was an excellent ram, with a beautiful shape to his horns, and I decided to take him, stalking closer before a 270m shot. His 23 inch horns, thick 5.5 inch bases, and wide diamond shape made for a beautiful trophy, and I am looking forward to mounting him and the black impala, facing each other, shot one day apart, to sit alongside my black-faced impala, hunted a few years ago in Namibia.



The rain came back stronger that afternoon, so we took a quick drive, managing to hunt an old, heavy 4 1/4 inch common duiker as the sun set over the Eastern Cape hillside.

As the sun began to shine over the last two days of our hunt, packs of hunting dogs were dispatched after caracal, with tracks showing well and scent lingering after the rains. We were confident we would get one. I had shot caracal with Juan previously, but never with dogs, so I was looking forward to the experience. Another hunt I wanted to repeat was for bushpig. We had shot a massive boar together in 2025, and I don't normally repeat hunts, but I enjoyed it so much that I told Juan I was open to trying again if a big boar was showing up on the camera. Juan had a few boars at bait in different locations, and we had taken a chance that previous evening, but the cold wind and rain meant we went with low expectations. At the weather cleared, we felt more positive going out thet night. A very big boar had hit a bait the previous night, and having seen the photos, it was evident to all that this was the one to go after.

Lauren and I set up in a comfortable wooden blind, and I enjoyed watching the stars slowly begin to show themselves against a clear black sky, something we had sorely missed this week. Anticipation was building as the time ticked on, and at about 10pm, we picked up the boar in the thermal, identifiable immediately by the large protruding warts on his face. The red light came on, the boar stood broadside, feeding contently, and one shot from Juan's 300 W-M, equipped with a crystal-clear Arken scope with illuminated reticle, and the boar dropped right beneath the feeder.



This boar was giant, possibly even bigger in the body than last year's, with massive warts, eye bags, and long, thick tusks. Whereas my previous boar was pale grey in colour throughout the body, this one was black, which will contrast very nicely when mounted, showcasing the naturally occurring variation in the species. I have included photos of both boars below to showcase the difference. Whilst we will not know until the skull is boiled, I expect this boar to again make SCI gold and Rowland Ward.

The last morning, the dogs barked. Through the thick bush we traversed, the sound of the dogs grew louder as we approached the handlers. In the tree sat the largest caracal I have ever seen. One shot and he fell, dogs were based, and we approached. I have hunted caracal before but not with dogs, and never a tom of this calibre. At over 20kg, with an exceptionally large and wide skull and remarkably long tufts on his ears, this cat was the perfect end to another top tier hunt with LJ Safaris.