REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Bongo In The Congo Second Try

[Sabre]

Congratulations, very happy for you!

Maybe there is something you aren't as pleased about that doesn't show in the photo, but he looks awesome to me.

Can't wait to hear more.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Why do you bait a Duiker with a monkey?

The duiker likes to eat the maggots on the rotten meat.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Congratulations on the great hunt and well earned and well deserved trophy. I have looked at the picture 100 times and he is definitely an old bull!!! A great one to take!!

 

[Hyde]

Congrats! Beautiful Bongo

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Congratulations!!

 

[rifletuner]

Very nice Bongo. Congratulations

 

[Graham Hunter]

The duiker likes to eat the maggots on the rotten meat.

Thankyou I learned something today!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Awesome job Bruce, well deserved Sir!

 

[Grandpa Moose]

Made it to camp. 13 hrs and 25 minutes. Did have a little excitement along the way. Saw a forest elephant bull alongside the road. We stopped for a picture but he stepped into the forest. Then about 45 minutes later we had a gorilla cross the road. Cool to see him.
They had a big rain the day before I arrived. Road in was wet and muddy. We are about 35 miles in from the paved road. Parts of it are rough. So rough that your guts feel like they are in a blender!!! So green in the jungle.
This morning we are going for a walk. 3 hrs to check 4 salt licks that have trail cam pics of 4 good bulls. I’ll quickly find out if I’m anywhere near in good enough shape.
I’ll attach a couple of pictures of the drive in.
Bruce

 

[ActionBob]

Congratulations Bruce what an awesome trip so far! Very cool to be able to concentrate so much time on the other really cool animals available. Just remember you have all the overhead costs covered already. Any extra animals you take now are only a little bit of variable cost added

Kind of like selling an extra necklace to a lady who bought a nice Tennis Bracelet and big set of diamond earrings.... only in reverse

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Co

bongoView attachment 693555

Congratulations! Beautiful Bongo

HH

 

[Scott CWO]

bongoView attachment 693555

Congrats on a nice heavy bull!

 

[DLSJR]

Congratulations, Bruce! Between your last hunt with Christophe and this one, you’ve been unusually blessed. Extremely nice animals.

I’ll want to talk after you return home as I’m booked to hunt with Christophe next May. I talked a while with Craig Boddington in March and he really spoke highly of hunting with Christophe & Jean Luc, told me it was his best Forest hunt and he wants to hunt with them again. After hearing his comments, I’d really like to hear what you think and advice you can share.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Congratulations Bruce what an awesome trip so far! Very cool to be able to concentrate so much time on the other really cool animals available. Just remember you have all the overhead costs covered already. Any extra animals you take now are only a little bit of variable cost added

Kind of like selling an extra necklace to a lady who bought a nice Tennis Bracelet and big set of diamond earrings.... only in reverse

Perfectly logical. Way to enable

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[gillettehunter]

Before I start on day 3 I’ll tell one on Christophe. Driving back in the evening through the jungle we usually make 20 to perhaps 30 mph. We’re going perhaps 25 and go by a gorilla that has tucked itself into some leaves for the night. Problem is he’s maybe 5 feet at the most off of the road. As we go by he screams. Christophe almost hit his head on the roof it startled him so badly! We got a bit of a chuckle out of that.
Morning of day 3. Duiker hunting for me while Christophe supervises building a machan where our most consistent yellow back duiker is coming to salt. I’m hunting with 3 of the trackers. All are good duiker callers and know where we’re going. I’m being dropped off with them, a shotgun, shells and drinks.
My directions were as follows. Nice easy 2 hour walk through the jungle on a trail. Best not to try a shot over 25 yds as too many are wounded and lost. Trackers will point with a stick. Some hunters shoot at movement in the leaves and usually miss.
So off we go. Right away I notice the shells are 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge. Likely 1 1/4 oz…..I’ve been told #2 lead shot. We start off on a good trail that leads to an old machan that I sat in last trip and off into the jungle. The first thing I notice is there isn’t a trail. We are bushwhacking.. Our first stop yields no results. We I sit down I show the trackers my field of fire. They each have a stick to point at any duiker that comes in.
At the second set the tracker to my left side points to the right. They have been calling for maybe 3-4 minutes. Not long.There’s a duiker at perhaps 25 yds in the open. Up comes the shotgun. It’s an over and under. I’ve shot one before but aren’t what I’m really comfortable with. Bang and flop goes the duiker. Just like that we have a nice male blue duiker. The guys are excited. We take a few pictures and move along.
At the 3rd stop we just barely start calling and here comes a blue duiker running past us to stop about 10 yds away. I track the movement and pull the trigger when he stops even though he’s in a bunch of leaves and # 2 male blue duiker is in the bag.
According to Christophe this part of the Congo has a huge blue duiker population. He claims 10/hr of spotlighting wouldn’t be difficult. Big part of the bushmeat trade here too.
We go on to do another 6-7 sits and don’t see any more duiker. We cut our way through the bush and eventually hit a road and walk down to where they have the machan in progress. They get to where more supplies are needed and head back arriving at the lodging at 12. Great lunch and time for a nap. Hopefully some pics to be posted soon.

Bruce

 

[LivingTheDream]

Before I start on day 3 I’ll tell one on Christophe. Driving back in the evening through the jungle we usually make 20 to perhaps 30 mph. We’re going perhaps 25 and go by a gorilla that has tucked itself into some leaves for the night. Problem is he’s maybe 5 feet at the most off of the road. As we go by he screams. Christophe almost hit his head on the roof it startled him so badly! We got a bit of a chuckle out of that.
Morning of day 3. Duiker hunting for me while Christophe supervises building a machan where our most consistent yellow back duiker is coming to salt. I’m hunting with 3 of the trackers. All are good duiker callers and know where we’re going. I’m being dropped off with them, a shotgun, shells and drinks.
My directions were as follows. Nice easy 2 hour walk through the jungle on a trail. Best not to try a shot over 25 yds as too many are wounded and lost. Trackers will point with a stick. Some hunters shoot at movement in the leaves and usually miss.
So off we go. Right away I notice the shells are 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge. Likely 1 1/4 oz…..I’ve been told #2 lead shot. We start off on a good trail that leads to an old machan that I sat in last trip and off into the jungle. The first thing I notice is there isn’t a trail. We are bushwhacking.. Our first stop yields no results. We I sit down I show the trackers my field of fire. They each have a stick to point at any duiker that comes in.
At the second set the tracker to my left side points to the right. They have been calling for maybe 3-4 minutes. Not long.There’s a duiker at perhaps 25 yds in the open. Up comes the shotgun. It’s an over and under. I’ve shot one before but aren’t what I’m really comfortable with. Bang and flop goes the duiker. Just like that we have a nice male blue duiker. The guys are excited. We take a few pictures and move along.
At the 3rd stop we just barely start calling and here comes a blue duiker running past us to stop about 10 yds away. I track the movement and pull the trigger when he stops even though he’s in a bunch of leaves and # 2 male blue duiker is in the bag.
According to Christophe this part of the Congo has a huge blue duiker population. He claims 10/hr of spotlighting wouldn’t be difficult. Big part of the bushmeat trade here too.
We go on to do another 6-7 sits and don’t see any more duiker. We cut our way through the bush and eventually hit a road and walk down to where they have the machan in progress. They get to where more supplies are needed and head back arriving at the lodging at 12. Great lunch and time for a nap. Hopefully some pics to be posted soon.

Bruce

At the request and permission of Bruce here are a few pictures!

 

[kdenn]

Congratulations on a great bongo, looks to be a beast!

 

[cls]

Congratulations on a great hunt, thanks for taking us along for the ride.

 

[Wheels]

Congratulations on the bongo and duikers.

Glad you made the second trip.