Neil P
AH member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2017
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 78
- Location
- New Zealand
- Media
- 18
- Hunted
- New Zealand Australia New Caledonia Namibia Zambia Alaska Kazakhstan Mozambique
If you’re just catching up with my report hunting with Simon Leach of Traditional Moz Safaris then probably pay to read the prelude hunt done in Zambia last year which led me to be in Mozambique this year. (See MOZAMBIQUE: Heading To Mozambique with Simon Leach From Traditional Mozambique Safaris article (https://www.africahunting.com/threa...ch-from-traditional-mozambique-safaris.40344/)
For some reason I had been receiving the “Deals & Offers” list from AH and always checked out the Sable hunts available so when I saw a hot deal from Traditional Moz Safaris I immediately began to make enquires and booked a hunt with Simon at fairly short notice.
I was still scarred from my encounter with a Sable bull in Zambia last year and was more determined than ever to get one as they are truly one of the great African game animals even if only in my eyes.
From Auckland New Zealand I met Simon in Joberg after 17 hours in the air via Sydney. I lent him a couple of hankies as he was still crying after the NZ All Blacks had given the Springboks their biggest defeat ever, a 57-0 thumping. Simon reckoned every time rugby was mentioned in camp then an inch was being deducted off my 45 inch Sable he was promising. ( probably why it was only 20 inches long – just kidding)
Anyway we travelled together to Nampula which is about 2.5 hour flight and met up with his PH – Christiaan Van Heerden, a tall gangly 19 year old red headed lad with a fine future ahead in the guiding business. With him was Malawi, the skinner and also interpreter as he could also speak English as well as the native Portuguese. Spent a half hour sorting out a visa then drove some 6.5 hours to camp, which is up near Niassa, two thirds being on tarmac before hitting the dirt road. It was dark long before we arrived and we got a flat tyre half a kilometre short of camp. Simon and I walked the last bit in the bright light of a full moon. I was again in Africaaa.
Thurs Oct 5th 2017 – Up at 6am. Bit of a late start as I was pretty tired having got to bed at 1am and 2 days travel to get there. First off after a quick breakfast was a shot through Simons 30-06. Inch low at 70 metres was good enough so onto the bakkie with Christiaan driving and trackers Tumi, Sergio and Raymond on the back with me and Simon.
A few corners from camp a large non trophy warthog boar was encountered. The morning drive to give me a feel for the place produced a few duiker, baboon troupes, a fleeting glimpse of a bushbuck ewe and a couple young sable bulls. Yes it was a full moon. The avo hunt which always began at 3pm (too hot til then) produced 3 kudu cows, more duiker and baboons. Quite a few Eland tracks seen but not the makers. Then just before dark a big Sable bull and cow though I can’t say I saw the bull amongst the trees. We off the bakkie and cut along parallel but in the failing light bounced out 2 young Sable bulls which bolted and stuffed up our chance.
Fri 6th – Getting serious now with roll call at 4.30 and away at 5am which was daylight. More duiker and baboons then a herd of Sable which we attempted a stalk on but got busted. Then a couple of medium bulls were seen but not big enough. A big Warthog got Simon all excited but by the time I worked out maybe I should be shooting it he was getting outa Dodge. If he’d stopped either side of the bush he took refuge behind then I’d of given him one helluva fright or killed him. Further on a female with big tusks got us all excited again. I tell you those Warthogs are big suckers up there.
A breakfast at around 11am each day with a couple celebratory beers (for the All Blacks win, Simon drank Lemonade – Yeah nah) then it was a bit of a nap thru the heat til 3am when we’d head out again. This day Christiaan and I went and put a couple cameras on a waterhole returning about 1 pm.
On the avo hunt we saw a couple groups of Sable. The first had a big female which looked like a bull, all dark but not the big horns we were looking for. The second group bolted when we tried to stalk in on them. I was quickly learning these Sable have got their wits about them and this (getting a big bull) was not going to be easy.
Sat 7th – Saw 2 young kudu bulls near camp then a Reedbuck ewe. Later another couple Reedbuck ewes. Two pairs of young Sable bulls topped off the morning with the by now usual duiker and baboon sightings. We took some time to dig out a waterhole so animals could get water as it was getting mighty dry out there.
On the avo hunt we sprung a Warthog near camp and saw a group of about 9 Sable with no bull in attendance. Another group of Sable in the last light didn’t give us enough time to stalk before dark so we left them undisturbed. Simon spotted a reasonable bull amongst the herd. Back to camp we went but called up the hill to get phone coverage. Big night as the All Blacks were playing the Boks again, this time in South Africa. Score at half time was AB’s 8 Boks 3 final score will have to wait until tomorrow.
Sun 8th – Away at 5 am but not much about, the moon still very bright overhead so animals not moving much during the day. Saw a young kudu bull, more duiker, couple reedbuck ewes and a warthog. No sable this morn. Checked cameras but just baboons on them. Theres a lot of places animals can get water there so not a lot of use waiting at the agua.
Avo we went to check out a waterhole on a big plain where there was a lot of sable sign. We saw a reedbuck ewe there and a female warthog with young. The boys dug down so the hole filled with water with a cunning plan to return........
For some reason I had been receiving the “Deals & Offers” list from AH and always checked out the Sable hunts available so when I saw a hot deal from Traditional Moz Safaris I immediately began to make enquires and booked a hunt with Simon at fairly short notice.
I was still scarred from my encounter with a Sable bull in Zambia last year and was more determined than ever to get one as they are truly one of the great African game animals even if only in my eyes.
From Auckland New Zealand I met Simon in Joberg after 17 hours in the air via Sydney. I lent him a couple of hankies as he was still crying after the NZ All Blacks had given the Springboks their biggest defeat ever, a 57-0 thumping. Simon reckoned every time rugby was mentioned in camp then an inch was being deducted off my 45 inch Sable he was promising. ( probably why it was only 20 inches long – just kidding)
Anyway we travelled together to Nampula which is about 2.5 hour flight and met up with his PH – Christiaan Van Heerden, a tall gangly 19 year old red headed lad with a fine future ahead in the guiding business. With him was Malawi, the skinner and also interpreter as he could also speak English as well as the native Portuguese. Spent a half hour sorting out a visa then drove some 6.5 hours to camp, which is up near Niassa, two thirds being on tarmac before hitting the dirt road. It was dark long before we arrived and we got a flat tyre half a kilometre short of camp. Simon and I walked the last bit in the bright light of a full moon. I was again in Africaaa.
Thurs Oct 5th 2017 – Up at 6am. Bit of a late start as I was pretty tired having got to bed at 1am and 2 days travel to get there. First off after a quick breakfast was a shot through Simons 30-06. Inch low at 70 metres was good enough so onto the bakkie with Christiaan driving and trackers Tumi, Sergio and Raymond on the back with me and Simon.
A few corners from camp a large non trophy warthog boar was encountered. The morning drive to give me a feel for the place produced a few duiker, baboon troupes, a fleeting glimpse of a bushbuck ewe and a couple young sable bulls. Yes it was a full moon. The avo hunt which always began at 3pm (too hot til then) produced 3 kudu cows, more duiker and baboons. Quite a few Eland tracks seen but not the makers. Then just before dark a big Sable bull and cow though I can’t say I saw the bull amongst the trees. We off the bakkie and cut along parallel but in the failing light bounced out 2 young Sable bulls which bolted and stuffed up our chance.
Fri 6th – Getting serious now with roll call at 4.30 and away at 5am which was daylight. More duiker and baboons then a herd of Sable which we attempted a stalk on but got busted. Then a couple of medium bulls were seen but not big enough. A big Warthog got Simon all excited but by the time I worked out maybe I should be shooting it he was getting outa Dodge. If he’d stopped either side of the bush he took refuge behind then I’d of given him one helluva fright or killed him. Further on a female with big tusks got us all excited again. I tell you those Warthogs are big suckers up there.
A breakfast at around 11am each day with a couple celebratory beers (for the All Blacks win, Simon drank Lemonade – Yeah nah) then it was a bit of a nap thru the heat til 3am when we’d head out again. This day Christiaan and I went and put a couple cameras on a waterhole returning about 1 pm.
On the avo hunt we saw a couple groups of Sable. The first had a big female which looked like a bull, all dark but not the big horns we were looking for. The second group bolted when we tried to stalk in on them. I was quickly learning these Sable have got their wits about them and this (getting a big bull) was not going to be easy.
Sat 7th – Saw 2 young kudu bulls near camp then a Reedbuck ewe. Later another couple Reedbuck ewes. Two pairs of young Sable bulls topped off the morning with the by now usual duiker and baboon sightings. We took some time to dig out a waterhole so animals could get water as it was getting mighty dry out there.
On the avo hunt we sprung a Warthog near camp and saw a group of about 9 Sable with no bull in attendance. Another group of Sable in the last light didn’t give us enough time to stalk before dark so we left them undisturbed. Simon spotted a reasonable bull amongst the herd. Back to camp we went but called up the hill to get phone coverage. Big night as the All Blacks were playing the Boks again, this time in South Africa. Score at half time was AB’s 8 Boks 3 final score will have to wait until tomorrow.
Sun 8th – Away at 5 am but not much about, the moon still very bright overhead so animals not moving much during the day. Saw a young kudu bull, more duiker, couple reedbuck ewes and a warthog. No sable this morn. Checked cameras but just baboons on them. Theres a lot of places animals can get water there so not a lot of use waiting at the agua.
Avo we went to check out a waterhole on a big plain where there was a lot of sable sign. We saw a reedbuck ewe there and a female warthog with young. The boys dug down so the hole filled with water with a cunning plan to return........
