SOUTH AFRICA: Back To The East Cape 2 Outfitters Hunting Report

[Bobpuckett]

Well Deb and I are back in the East Cape once more, as we fly out of Johannesburg headed for East London I look out my window at the mountains of the Eastern Cape I think to myself 17 days of hunting! Man is this going to be fun!!!

 

[huntermn15]

Outstanding, have a great time! 17days, thats a hell of a lot of report and photos to come. Looking forward to it!

 

[Bobpuckett]

We arrive in the afternoon at Huntershill Safaris for a 7 day Safari on July 2nd and we are shown to our Living Quarters for what was suppose to be the next 7 days.

Rusty our good Friend and PH hadn't shown up yet from his last clients but had left a message he was on his way, so it was off to the lounge to fuel up on Castle's for what was going to turn out to be a knock'm down safari. That evening Rusty comes in with a big grin on his face as he could already see I had put a big dent in Greg's beer supply.

The next Morning we're up and at the lodge at 7:00 am Rusty's already there and waiting on us so it's a big breakfast and off to the range to check the 300 and the 243. then we're off on the hunt, as we drive through the ranch not 30 minutes later Rusty spots one of the animals on Deb's list a White Springbok and its a nice one so the stalk is on and not 45 mintes in to the hunt Deb has he first animal in the salt.

So it's back to the skinning shed and an early lunch.

 

[cpr0312]

Nice, thanks for sharing! Look forward to more!

 

[enysse]

I can hardly wait!

 

[Bobpuckett]

So after Lunch Rusty say's no time for a nap the animals are still moving needless to say we're off again this time it's my turn to play. One of the animals that's high on my list is a Lechwe so rusty said we're going to see if we can find you one, after several hours of scouting and looking over several nice Lechwe and Rusty keeps telling me to small or the horns are to narrow or its to young, he finally stops and backs up real slow and say's Bob do you see the two over there on the other side of the brush that first one on the right is a nice one so once again the stalk is on and after about 30 minutes of sneaking, crawling, running and hiding to keep from being busted by on or the other I'm on the sticks and I've got my cross-hair on his shoulder at 100 yards it's 1 shot down and I have my first animal in the salt.

 

[Royal27]

Looking forward to more Bobby!

 

[Bobpuckett]

After the Lechwe it's back to the skinning shed, well it's still early and we have a few more hours of shooting light left so we head out again this time we're looking for another one on Deb's list a Blue Wildebeest we scout out a few areas where we had seen some big buggers, sure enough as we turn a bend in the road if that's what you want to call a trail the should be using mules not a Toyota but straight up the hill is a small band of Blue Wildebeest Deb gets out and set's the bi-pods on the hood takes aim and squeezes off the trigger! BAM!!! He jumps and Kicks no doubt it's a heart shot, we all head up the hill 220 yards and we look we can't be leave it not one drop of blood. We scouted around looked over the herd and he wasn't there, well it's getting dark we'll get back at it in the morning sure we'll find him. so we head back to the lodge, Thank goodness Greg had replenished his beer supply!

The next morning it the same plan, we meet at the lodge at 7:00 am have breakfast and head out to look for Deb's Blue Wildebeest! We search the hole morning with no luck not one drop of blood to be found 2 tracker 1 PH and 2 clients and we could not find one drop of blood but I'm so sure that it was a hit that I wrote it off as a loss. I guess them damn Jackals have got to eat too! well as we are scouting around looking for the Blue Wildebeest Rusty spots a Black Wildebeest that is also on Deb's list so without giving Deb a clue we head out across country on foot for the Black Wildebeest about a mile later and only 30 yards away Deb is set up on the Black Wildebeest Rusty tells her take the one watching us, Deb sights in and then looks at Rusty that's not the one I shot at yesterday and Rusty said Shoot!!! Deb squeezes off the shot and she has another animals in the salt.

So once again it's back to the skinning shed and lunch. After lunch we head out looking for a Copper Springbok another animal on Deb's list. We find several but the wind has them spooky we stalk several and get set up on one and set and watch him for about 30 minutes at 430 yards now I know that sounds like a long shot but deb is holding a 243 Akley Improved with a 26 inch bull barrel bi-pods suppressor and a 5.5-22 long range Nightforce scope. She's waiting on the word when the tracker Smiley whistles and rusty looks around and there not 220 yards off stands another nice Copper Springbok so Rusty has her change real quick she squeezes off a round and another animal in the salt.

So it's back to the skinning shed and we call it a day. Now I want you to notice the way Deb is dressed this is the way we showed up at the lodge at 7:00 am it was -3C they ask us where our jackets were? now after living in Alaska for over 20 years -3 C or 26.6 F is pretty warm winter so we told them we were save the jackets for the cold weather!

 

[kathy]

You two are on a role, beautiful trophies. Forrest

 

[gillettehunter]

Beautiful Lechwe and a very nice black Wilderbeast. You guys are really starting off with a bang. Congrats on some nice animals. Bruce

 

[Bullthrower338]

Hell yeah, plenty of shooting and cold Castle makes for a good read, congrats, looking forward to more!
Cheers,
Cody

 

[LivingTheDream]

Good Lord man, you are getting some shooting in! Congrats so far!!!

 

[rinehart0050]

Great report so far- really like the look of your lechwe - I might have to add that to the list for my next safari!

 

[Clayton]

Really a great hunt. Y'all sure look to be happy with your trophies. Congrats.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 3 has us starting out with the same routine Lodge at 7:00 am Breakfast 1/2 pot of coffee for me and we're off in search for another of Deb's animals a Gemsbok now all the time we're searching for Deb's animals we also have our eye out for a Sable for me which is another animal on my list and I was told there was a big one over by the flat's so while Deb thinks I'm searching for Gemsbok I'm really glassing for a big black sable. We spent the morning glassing a ton of Gemsbok and Sable but not the one I was looking for so at noon we break for lunch and head back to the lodge. After lunch we head out to the hills to scout a different area and once again Rusty spots a small bunch of 5 Gemsbok up on the hill and I do mean UP! I ask Rusty can't you find any animals down low? He looks at me a grins and say's but he's a good one, so we cut around and climb up to the ridge and lord and behold they were gone. so we follow the ridge and do some more scouting when Rusty looks down below the ridge and there they are at 100 yards so he gets Deb set-up he tells her its the forth one from the left and deb shoots right over his back not allowing for the steep downward angle they take off 3 one way and the other 2 the other way I think he figured it out that it was him she was shooting at. well we follow and after a short ways they held up on the hill side I guess trying to figure out where the others went deb got her sight on him again and he's down.

Rusty takes one look at that Bull on the hillside and gives his keys to the trackers and told them we'll stay here with the bull you go get help. so we went down to get a better look Rusty is laughing and say's to Deb, well I told you I would get you a bigger one then Bob's here he is and he was My bull came in at 38 1/8 Debs measured 41 1/4" Bull. The help shows back up and haul him down the hill for pictures then loads him up and it's back to the skinning shed and we call it a day I hear a Castle calling my name.

 

[Royal27]

That's a big bull.....

 

[huntermn15]

Bob,
Congratulations to you and Deb on some beautiful animals. Looking forward to the rest of the report.
Mike

 

[rinehart0050]

Impressive gemsbok! Congrats!

 

[Bobpuckett]

Well it's the start of day 4 and we already have 5 animals in the salt, yeah ok 4 of the are Deb's. After Breakfast we head back out and as I said Deb had already shot a Blue wildebeest that we could not find but I wanted Deb to have her RSA Beest Slam she had gotten the Red Hartebeest last trip and I was to take one this trip but swapped it for another Blue for her, so this morning it's Blue Wildebeest on the menu. we had seen one on the back side of the farm for the past 2 days but couldn't seem to get close enough to get a shot so we thought we would try again. We get over there and do some glassing and sure enough we find them! you wouldn't believe where they were! Yep Up the Dang Hill!!! So the stalk is on and about 45 minutes later Deb is on the stick she takes a deep breath squeezes the trigger and...and... Yep she's got a 30" spread Blue in the salt.

So it's picture time! then we get him loaded and it's back to the skinning shed and lunch. Or so we thought on the way back we're talking away and I look off the road and there just 200 yards off is another animal on Deb's list the Black Springbok, now go figure in a herd of 50 Common Springbok there is 1 and only 1 Black Springbok so we park and the stalk is on again. we get up to within 75 yards and you won't believe it the buggers lay down so deb gets set up and we wait and wait and wait 1 1/2 hours later they're still laying the wind is blowing it's about 0 degrees C not including the wind chill factor and all this time I'm glassing the other springbok and there are some good ones they could have past for a Kalahari Springbok and I'm thinking to myself if she don't shoot soon I'm taking the rifle and getting me one. well she tells Rusty that she's getting cold and starting to shake and her fingers are getting numb so Rusty said let try something and he whistles they stand up and deb said can I shoot and Rusty said No. They take a step, he's out of the brush and Rusty say's Shoot! Springbok down.

So Now Pictures and we're off to the skinning Shed! Now I didn't think this day could get much better when Rusty's phone rings and he speaking in that language that I can't understand yeah African, he gets off the phone and smiles at me and say's Bob it's up to you what do you want to do and then he spill's the beans. For 3 years I've been trying to get on this low fence free range farm where they will only allow 1 trophy Klipspringer a year and after that no more until the next year and I'll be dog gone this year it's my turn. but we have to be there by Friday morning early and this is Wednesday so this evening I let Greg know that I am cutting my 7 day Safari down to 4 days and I would be leaving in the morning. Deb only had 1 animal left on her list the Kalahari Springbok and no I didn't find my Sable But Greg said no worries they'll still be here for you to hunt on your next trip back! so it's dinner some good by drinks and back to the room to get packed. You know there is no way in Blue blazes I'm going to be able to sleep.

 

[gillettehunter]

That is a huge Gemsbuck! What a great trophy and a good hunt to get him. That black springbuck is nice too. I'd say you got some great trophies. Congrats. Bruce