Frederik
AH elite
About 10 days ago my son asked me if he and two of his buds could go camping and fishing for the short shcool holidays which started lasted week Friday. We had a long weekend and I had to work on Saturday also, so the plan was to go for 2 nights before the real cold of winter arrived. So with the public holiday on a Tuesday and school holidays on, all hotspots would have been booked weeks ahead and with a tight budget to boot I phoned a friend of mine. Gerrie Meintjies owner of Kampvuur Safaris who has been threatening me to come have a look at his concession not far north of us still in Gauteng Province.
He was game especially since I told him we want to have no amnemities, no toilet, water and electricity but good old plain camping to give the 16 year old boys some experience. One thing he did ask me to bring is my 458 lott since we will be camping where there was buffalo roaming and just have a big stick in case of an emergency.
Anyway we arrived Sunday he showed us around a bit only about half of the place of 3000 hectares and dropped us off.
Although fishing was season was getting to the end with the cold in the air the camping was the priority and just getting out.
Boys setting up camp while I got the fishing gear together.
The area we were to camp was open with no trees nearby but we had a gazebo. Wood would have to be fetched from the surrouding area and a toilet area was shown and a small shovel. Days were pleasent around 25C and the nights were felt as soon as the sun set it was like a switch going from 20's to below 10's.
Rods set and primed for action.
Biggest Fish of our trip a Barbel/Catfish.
Happiness next to the fire.
The boys would run the camp and cooking with me supervising and they did a fine job diet consisted of meat, meat and more meat with a garlic bread or two thrown in to spice things up. Sunday when we arrived Gerrie asked me to shoot a BWB for him for the lodge preferring a headshot. I replied and told him that I didn't really bring the right tool for the job and forgot about the request.
Buddies for life.
Full Moon and fire a neat combo.
Scanning the surrounding areas.
My son took this excellent picture of Monday morning sunrise.
So to get to the hunting part at about 1pm on Monday a whole herd of wildebeest was spotted in the wide open about 500-600 meters from us and my son reminded me Gerrie wanted me to shoot a blue wildebeest for him. I chewed on the idea for a bit and then decided it will be a waste of time. Then my son asked me again and told me he brought the ghilly suit along I should use it and try it. Another 5 minutes of chewing the idea and off I went to get my boots on and the top of ghilly suit. I sprayed tick repellent and headed off with my 458 Lott just to have my small crowd looking at this adventure.
I asked the boys to time me either till the shot or how long it took the wildebeest to smell a rat a run off.
There was a small gully going up to a koppie which would hide most of me but after going 200 meters or so the gully wasn't deep enough to keep me covered. I sat and looked at the wildebeest some looking straight at me. This was going to be my Free State trick instead of crawling and stalking I was going to walk upright and in plain view of the beest's paralel to them. Heading towards the tree line. This would be my only bet as there was no bush or tree between me and them and with the gully not deep enough to cover.
Made it to the tree line with both my crowds the boys and the beest's looking straight at me. I made up ground quickly wind was good and got into line with the closest tree to the beest's. Cover got very slim only grass and I started to crawl towards the last bush before the tree I wanted to shoot from. From there I bum crawled towards the tree. The wildebeest saw me but could not figure out what I was and rushed off for a quick 2 seconds before bunching up.
I stood erect next to the tree and saw the bull to the right of the bunch in the clear made sure he was not a trophy and gathered my breath.
I settled the Tijicon SRO just on line with the bull's boss allowing for a small drop as range was estimated at 120meters and my lott sighted in at 80 meters.
Took another deep breath settled tight on the tree and took the shot I could clearly hear the thump of the hit coming back to me and then!!!
The bull was not down dropped his head and ran behind the herd. Oh crap, I wounded the bull and I rushed off as fast as I could after them hoping that the bull would stop being drunk from the hit for another chance. No luck there! They ran into the gully which was much deeper and stopped looking back at this creature running at full tilt towards them with a ghilly suit. One of them was either in a deeper part of the gully or was down on his belly as I looked them over. I was slowing down when the herd scattered again and made a last stop looking back and then headed up the koppie away from this creature.
I was stressing out, here I was suppose to help and now I wounded the animal! I stopped and gathered my thoughts marked where the wildebeest was in the gully and now starting to look for blood and tracks. I didn't go 10 meters when I saw the wildebeest flat in the gully stone dead 60m meters ahead of me. He made it 100 meters and must have been the one that looked at me lying down.
Looking for my shot I realized what happened I pulled the shot to the right it just missed the face but entered the neck hit the main artery went throught the neck and exited just infront of the opposite leg joint on the shoulder. The 480gr Woodleigh showed perfect expansion and there was blood everywhere the bullet dropped a good 6-8 inches so I must have ranged completely wrong and the range must have been much further out.
I waved to my crowd down by the dam but didnt see any responce or soul???
Anyway I headed back to the camp to call for the recovery and tell the boys I got the wildebeest. Arriving back at the camp I asked the boys what is there story didn't they hear the shot?
No, they didn't all they saw is a mad father running at full speed behind the herd it must have looked really funny to them and they never thought I shot one so when I told them it was lying in the gully they were shocked. We climbed into the bakkie and set off to the wildebeest while I radioed in for the recovery. Also giving apologies as it wasnt a head shot as requested.
I took my range finder out of my hunting bag to double check what the range was. We setup the bull for a few pics and then headed back to the tree to recover my spent brass case and check the range.
The crowd and me the bull was perfect to take out although full grown he was small in body and horns also not wide might have been also how I misjudged the range. My CZ550 looks very big compared to the wildebeest bull he was more of a size of a cow. Recovery team didnt struggle to get him into the trailer either.
Back at the tree where I shot from I picked up my spent case and ranged the distance it was 180meters not 120 meters as I thought. No wonder but lucky in the end and the speed of the 480gr at that range caused enough damage still expanded and wasted very little meat as no bone was hit.
This was an excellent couple of days camping fishing and a bit of hunting. BTW time was 41 minutes since I started the stalk and ran after the wildeebeest after the shot although they didnt hear the shot they thought the hunt was over but still checked on how long everything took.
As an after thought If you are going to be aound Pretoria or Joburg this concession is only 1 hour away from OR Tambo airport with a full compekete lodge and outfit. Rather hunt than waste time in the city I say. It's family friendly and safe with some good hunting to boot.
He was game especially since I told him we want to have no amnemities, no toilet, water and electricity but good old plain camping to give the 16 year old boys some experience. One thing he did ask me to bring is my 458 lott since we will be camping where there was buffalo roaming and just have a big stick in case of an emergency.
Anyway we arrived Sunday he showed us around a bit only about half of the place of 3000 hectares and dropped us off.
Although fishing was season was getting to the end with the cold in the air the camping was the priority and just getting out.
Boys setting up camp while I got the fishing gear together.
The area we were to camp was open with no trees nearby but we had a gazebo. Wood would have to be fetched from the surrouding area and a toilet area was shown and a small shovel. Days were pleasent around 25C and the nights were felt as soon as the sun set it was like a switch going from 20's to below 10's.
Rods set and primed for action.
Biggest Fish of our trip a Barbel/Catfish.
Happiness next to the fire.
The boys would run the camp and cooking with me supervising and they did a fine job diet consisted of meat, meat and more meat with a garlic bread or two thrown in to spice things up. Sunday when we arrived Gerrie asked me to shoot a BWB for him for the lodge preferring a headshot. I replied and told him that I didn't really bring the right tool for the job and forgot about the request.
Buddies for life.
Full Moon and fire a neat combo.
Scanning the surrounding areas.
My son took this excellent picture of Monday morning sunrise.
So to get to the hunting part at about 1pm on Monday a whole herd of wildebeest was spotted in the wide open about 500-600 meters from us and my son reminded me Gerrie wanted me to shoot a blue wildebeest for him. I chewed on the idea for a bit and then decided it will be a waste of time. Then my son asked me again and told me he brought the ghilly suit along I should use it and try it. Another 5 minutes of chewing the idea and off I went to get my boots on and the top of ghilly suit. I sprayed tick repellent and headed off with my 458 Lott just to have my small crowd looking at this adventure.
I asked the boys to time me either till the shot or how long it took the wildebeest to smell a rat a run off.
There was a small gully going up to a koppie which would hide most of me but after going 200 meters or so the gully wasn't deep enough to keep me covered. I sat and looked at the wildebeest some looking straight at me. This was going to be my Free State trick instead of crawling and stalking I was going to walk upright and in plain view of the beest's paralel to them. Heading towards the tree line. This would be my only bet as there was no bush or tree between me and them and with the gully not deep enough to cover.
Made it to the tree line with both my crowds the boys and the beest's looking straight at me. I made up ground quickly wind was good and got into line with the closest tree to the beest's. Cover got very slim only grass and I started to crawl towards the last bush before the tree I wanted to shoot from. From there I bum crawled towards the tree. The wildebeest saw me but could not figure out what I was and rushed off for a quick 2 seconds before bunching up.
I stood erect next to the tree and saw the bull to the right of the bunch in the clear made sure he was not a trophy and gathered my breath.
I settled the Tijicon SRO just on line with the bull's boss allowing for a small drop as range was estimated at 120meters and my lott sighted in at 80 meters.
Took another deep breath settled tight on the tree and took the shot I could clearly hear the thump of the hit coming back to me and then!!!
The bull was not down dropped his head and ran behind the herd. Oh crap, I wounded the bull and I rushed off as fast as I could after them hoping that the bull would stop being drunk from the hit for another chance. No luck there! They ran into the gully which was much deeper and stopped looking back at this creature running at full tilt towards them with a ghilly suit. One of them was either in a deeper part of the gully or was down on his belly as I looked them over. I was slowing down when the herd scattered again and made a last stop looking back and then headed up the koppie away from this creature.
I was stressing out, here I was suppose to help and now I wounded the animal! I stopped and gathered my thoughts marked where the wildebeest was in the gully and now starting to look for blood and tracks. I didn't go 10 meters when I saw the wildebeest flat in the gully stone dead 60m meters ahead of me. He made it 100 meters and must have been the one that looked at me lying down.
Looking for my shot I realized what happened I pulled the shot to the right it just missed the face but entered the neck hit the main artery went throught the neck and exited just infront of the opposite leg joint on the shoulder. The 480gr Woodleigh showed perfect expansion and there was blood everywhere the bullet dropped a good 6-8 inches so I must have ranged completely wrong and the range must have been much further out.
I waved to my crowd down by the dam but didnt see any responce or soul???
Anyway I headed back to the camp to call for the recovery and tell the boys I got the wildebeest. Arriving back at the camp I asked the boys what is there story didn't they hear the shot?
No, they didn't all they saw is a mad father running at full speed behind the herd it must have looked really funny to them and they never thought I shot one so when I told them it was lying in the gully they were shocked. We climbed into the bakkie and set off to the wildebeest while I radioed in for the recovery. Also giving apologies as it wasnt a head shot as requested.
I took my range finder out of my hunting bag to double check what the range was. We setup the bull for a few pics and then headed back to the tree to recover my spent brass case and check the range.
The crowd and me the bull was perfect to take out although full grown he was small in body and horns also not wide might have been also how I misjudged the range. My CZ550 looks very big compared to the wildebeest bull he was more of a size of a cow. Recovery team didnt struggle to get him into the trailer either.
Back at the tree where I shot from I picked up my spent case and ranged the distance it was 180meters not 120 meters as I thought. No wonder but lucky in the end and the speed of the 480gr at that range caused enough damage still expanded and wasted very little meat as no bone was hit.
This was an excellent couple of days camping fishing and a bit of hunting. BTW time was 41 minutes since I started the stalk and ran after the wildeebeest after the shot although they didnt hear the shot they thought the hunt was over but still checked on how long everything took.
As an after thought If you are going to be aound Pretoria or Joburg this concession is only 1 hour away from OR Tambo airport with a full compekete lodge and outfit. Rather hunt than waste time in the city I say. It's family friendly and safe with some good hunting to boot.
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