cgdemakis
AH senior member
Earlier this year I did a 10 day safari with Andrew Renton and Kei River Hunting Safaris and had an excellent experience. Back in late July I got a message from Andrew about a buffalo herd being culled and a bull was available. The bull was not hard bossed but still impressive. After a few calls and messages about the hunt the price was too good to pass and I saw this as an excellent opportunity to see if buffalo hunting is a hunt I really want to do. A plan was made and I set off to leave Oct 4 and arrived on the cape Oct 6 to hunt 7 days. Along with the buffalo we were to do a mix of trophy and cull hunting.
After a night at Africa Sky I was off to East London. I was met by Andrew’s son and PH Cameron and we were to hunt the coast for a day in search of cull warthogs and whatever else appeared. Cameron is a quality PH with tremendous potential. We were able to take a cull warthog and found a quality 17.5in common blesbok. We stayed at Crawford’s right on the Indian Ocean. You awake to the sounds of the ocean crashing. Cameron and I set out on day 2 for the mountains and Andrew was to take over with me for the rest of the 7 days hunting. We hunted the mountains near Queenstown out of Maweni Lodge. The facilities there are top quality and you immediately feel at home.
While hunting the morning with Cameron we spotted a striking white blesbok and took off in pursuit. While stalking the group the bumped and we backed off to re-group. As we started in again we can to a clearing in the flats to discover a massive eland bull with cows. After a good 30min the bull presented and 1 shot later he was down. Afterward we continued on and re acquired the target white blesbok. One good shot and he was down. He too was near 18in. What a tremendous white.
I was now back with Andrew and we set off to target a large warthog Cam and I had seen earlier. We hunted the pig for a couple days but he has gotten big for a reason.
Andrew had a red hartebeest he’d been seeing all year and I decided to take him up on the opportunity. This hartebeest played cat and mouse all day before connecting at dusk. Another top quality animal. While in the mountains we were able to practice some distance shooting on vervet monkeys and baboon. I was able to take an absolutely huge male baboon. A baboon hunt is the most challenging hunt I have been on. You must establish an ambush site as they are brilliantly smart.
The last two days were spent back on the coast in pursuit of the buffalo and what was told to me was the biggest blesbuck ram Andrew had seem in quite some time.
The buffalo hunt began early in the morning. As we approached the area they heard the truck and came out to investigate. I tell you the second buffalo appear and stare you down the game changes and everyone is locked in. We made a plan and began the pursuit. The buffalo were wise and headed to thick veld. After a good 2 hours we had them in a position to intercept. As they emerged it is an experience like no other. The bull was out front and I placed the first shot right on the boiler room and followed quickly with a second. The bull stumbled but made it to thick cover. After a wait we approached with tremendous caution. 3 of us carried rifles. The tracker quickly saw the dark figure lying and a final insurance shot was placed but not needed.
That evening I spent shooting spur wing and egyptian geese. There is tremendous wing shooting in the eastern cape and these birds absorb pellets. Tough birds.
The last hunt was right on the coast with the Indian as our backdrop. The property was full of zebra and blesbok. In pursuit of the blesbok we could have taken multiple trophy stallion zebra and a trophy warthog but to do so would have ruined the stalk on the blesboks. Once we got them located and stalked into position the wait began for them to travel to our ambush. Patiently they came and our set up was perfect as they arrived at 60 yards completely unaware. The ram was located and did not disappoint. An absolute specimen.
I cannot say how impressed I am with Andrew and Kei River Hunting Safaris. The Eastern Cape is tremendous. We saw top trophy nyala, kudu, blesbok, eland, hartebeest, black wildebeest and impala everyday. If you hunt with Kei River you will hunt the best of the best animals. My 2028 hunt is already booked.
After a night at Africa Sky I was off to East London. I was met by Andrew’s son and PH Cameron and we were to hunt the coast for a day in search of cull warthogs and whatever else appeared. Cameron is a quality PH with tremendous potential. We were able to take a cull warthog and found a quality 17.5in common blesbok. We stayed at Crawford’s right on the Indian Ocean. You awake to the sounds of the ocean crashing. Cameron and I set out on day 2 for the mountains and Andrew was to take over with me for the rest of the 7 days hunting. We hunted the mountains near Queenstown out of Maweni Lodge. The facilities there are top quality and you immediately feel at home.
While hunting the morning with Cameron we spotted a striking white blesbok and took off in pursuit. While stalking the group the bumped and we backed off to re-group. As we started in again we can to a clearing in the flats to discover a massive eland bull with cows. After a good 30min the bull presented and 1 shot later he was down. Afterward we continued on and re acquired the target white blesbok. One good shot and he was down. He too was near 18in. What a tremendous white.
I was now back with Andrew and we set off to target a large warthog Cam and I had seen earlier. We hunted the pig for a couple days but he has gotten big for a reason.
Andrew had a red hartebeest he’d been seeing all year and I decided to take him up on the opportunity. This hartebeest played cat and mouse all day before connecting at dusk. Another top quality animal. While in the mountains we were able to practice some distance shooting on vervet monkeys and baboon. I was able to take an absolutely huge male baboon. A baboon hunt is the most challenging hunt I have been on. You must establish an ambush site as they are brilliantly smart.
The last two days were spent back on the coast in pursuit of the buffalo and what was told to me was the biggest blesbuck ram Andrew had seem in quite some time.
The buffalo hunt began early in the morning. As we approached the area they heard the truck and came out to investigate. I tell you the second buffalo appear and stare you down the game changes and everyone is locked in. We made a plan and began the pursuit. The buffalo were wise and headed to thick veld. After a good 2 hours we had them in a position to intercept. As they emerged it is an experience like no other. The bull was out front and I placed the first shot right on the boiler room and followed quickly with a second. The bull stumbled but made it to thick cover. After a wait we approached with tremendous caution. 3 of us carried rifles. The tracker quickly saw the dark figure lying and a final insurance shot was placed but not needed.
That evening I spent shooting spur wing and egyptian geese. There is tremendous wing shooting in the eastern cape and these birds absorb pellets. Tough birds.
The last hunt was right on the coast with the Indian as our backdrop. The property was full of zebra and blesbok. In pursuit of the blesbok we could have taken multiple trophy stallion zebra and a trophy warthog but to do so would have ruined the stalk on the blesboks. Once we got them located and stalked into position the wait began for them to travel to our ambush. Patiently they came and our set up was perfect as they arrived at 60 yards completely unaware. The ram was located and did not disappoint. An absolute specimen.
I cannot say how impressed I am with Andrew and Kei River Hunting Safaris. The Eastern Cape is tremendous. We saw top trophy nyala, kudu, blesbok, eland, hartebeest, black wildebeest and impala everyday. If you hunt with Kei River you will hunt the best of the best animals. My 2028 hunt is already booked.
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