Hunting Makuya with Motsomi continued:
I forgot to mention on my last post that there was still more to the story. As I mentioned earlier, I had discussed with Marco that a Royal Sable might be in the cards if we could come across a good old boy. The day after the Giraffe hunt we planned on hunting for an Impala ram and if we came across the sable we had seen earlier we would possibly pursue it. After leaving the lodge just before daybreak we passed a watering site and there in the first light of day stood the sable. Being an ethical PH, Marco said that let him go into the bush, shooting at the waterhole was not sporting. Some people call the Royal Sable a noble and aristocratic antelope, and they certainly are with the way they can stand there all high and mighty. I think its a bit of arrogance. Anyway, Mr. Sable wandered off into the bushveld as we continued searching for fresh impala tracks to follow. The morning was spent spotting small groups of impala but none of those encountered contained any rams of significance. As noon came we returned o the lodge for lunch and a bit of relaxation. Later, around three in the afternoon we returned to hunting. The impala we bumped into seemed twitchy and never gave any opportunity to stalk a good ram but we came upon a fine Royal Sable in our tracking efforts. Earlier in the day when we found the sable it acted arrogant and aloof, now he was flighty and evasive as we began tracking him. we could hear him moving through the bush ahead of us but a shot never presented itself. It was almost like whitetail deer hunting at home in Alberta, or maybe pheasant hunting without a good dog. He would run ahead of us and then wait, hidden in the brush and as long as we were moving following him, he would hold his position if you didn't encroach on his flight zone. But when we stopped to listen for him or glass the bush for a sighting, he would wait and then suddenly break from his hiding spot at full speed to put a comfortable distance between us. This happened several times and soon the sun was setting and we returned to the lodge with an empty game bag. Maybe tomorrow.
Up again at 5, another wonderful breakfast and Issac is at the lodge at 6 to start another day of impala and sable hunting. Around 7 we catch our first fleeting glimpses of impala as the scoot away into the bush and after waiting 10 minutes or so we take up the tracks with Marco taking the lead, Kevin right behind him and i follow with the camera. A sort 25 minute walk through the brush proves to be fruitless and we return to the landcruiser to relocate to another area and continue looking for fresh spoor. By eight o'clock we again catch glimpses of another group of impala and this bunch has a few respectable rams Marco feels are worth pursuing. The wind has picked up a bit and as Marco and Kevin leave to track the impala, I choose to remain back at the Landcruiser with Issac to lessen the noise of tracking. There was very little dew on the fallen leaves and the tracking is noisier as the leaves dry out. About thirty five minutes later Marco radios Issac to bring up the Landcruiser to their new location as he and Kevin have chosen to cease the tracking due to the noisy conditions. While we drive to their location Kevin and Marco wait by the side of the dirt track, Kevin notices a Sable exit the brush and stand by the dirt track about 400 meters upwind from their location. So as we drive up to Marco and Kevin, Marco frantically motions for me to grab my rifle and dismount the truck. I still am clueless as to what's happening but as we duck into the brush by the side of the dirt track Marco explains to me the situation. There is a good looking sable 400 meters from us, he is unaware of our presence but he won't stick around if he finds out about us, Marco explains, so lets see if we can sneak up closer to him. The wind is favorable for us and as we scurry through the brush closing the distance Marco frequently peaks out of the brush to see if we have been spotted by the sable. Everything is still in our favor as we close to 100 meters of him before Marco puts up the shooting sticks. I still haven't seen the quarry yet but Marco assures me that I will when I get on the sticks. As I get into shooting position I can see the magnificent bull standing broadside to us and I squeeze off the shot as the crosshairs settle just below the point of shoulder. One shot from the 416 and he is piled up 20 meters from the point of impact. All I can say is WOW. He is a solitary old bull, cracks are starting to show in his heavy horns and he surpasses the magical 40 inch mark. Another great trophy from Motsomi Safari. Sometimes things just fall into place and the hunting Gods reward you.
After pictures and the delivery of the sable to the skinning shed Marco suggests that tomorrow we change hunting area, Marco believes that the concession at Limpopo View will give Kevin a better opportunity to successfully hunt impala and kudu. The afternoon is spent relaxing and enjoying the venue at Sable Lodge. Tomorrow will be an early and busy moving day.
June 17 is concession moving day. The day starts a little later with all of us packing up our belongings and Grace and Issac packing up the camp supplies as we prepare to travel to Limpopo View. The drive to Limpopo View, alongside the Limpopo river and just across the river from Zimbabwe takes a couple of hours including a stop in Musina for fuel and top up of provisions. Arriving at the lodge just after noon, we spend a bit of time getting set up in our cottage while Grace and Issac restock the kitchen. The geography here is again different from Sable Lodge and Makuya. Here the terrain is more hilly and rockier than Sable Lodge and the vegetation includes many numerous Baobab trees of all ages and sizes. The hills are from 50 meters to 200 meters in elevation with seasonal water runoff stream-beds intersecting the landscape. After settling in at camp Marco, Issac, Kevin and myself go for an introductory drive throughout the property looking for spoor of impala and kudu. This definitely strikes me as great kudu country with all the hills, trees and dry seasonal waterways. As sunset approaches we return to the lodge. Kudu sign is evident as well as impala so tomorrow looks promising. We all retire early this evening as morning always seems to come early.
The next morning we again leave before the sun breaks the horizon. After spending some time driving the dirt trails checking for sign Marco takes us up to and elevated lookout point overlooking Kate's Hope Plains. From this vantage point it is possible to view an area where multiple plains game reside. We spot giraffe, gemsbok and three herds of impala, one a bachelor herd and another a herd of females and young with a ram frantically trying to keep the herd together while warding off any potential rivals. After watching for a while, and with no kudu sightings we resume a drive through the concession hoping to pick up sign. We take a drive to a watering sight where Marco sets up a trail cam hoping to get a picture of what may be attending the area. Returning to the lookout point to see if anything has changed we spotted a lone impala ram, probably recently deposed by the new herd patriarch below our vantage point maybe 1500 meters distance. After watching for a few minutes Marco decides he is worth making a play on and he and Kevin begin their stalk. Issac and myself remain at the lookout point watching to see the stalk play out. None of the animals below us were aware of the approach by the hunters as they snuck from bush to bush on their stalk of the impala ram. From our vantage point we saw Kevin get set up on the shooting sticks 100 plus meters from the ram and then a puff of dirt kicked up on the other side of it and the ram bolted away . A couple of seconds later the sound of the gunshot reached my ears and the ram collapsed 50 meters from its original position. Kevin had now collected three of the four animals he was hoping for, all of them fine examples of their species, now just the elusive kudu remained. Once again we returned back to camp late in the afternoon but we got back before sunset this time.
The following morning began as usual with a very satisfying breakfast and back on the dirt trails before sunrise. Our objective was to find the Grey Ghost, he seemed to be living up to his name, we were seeing sign but only sign. Checking the trail cam at the waterhole didn't really give any positive information and the day was spent looking for any encouraging spoor. we returned to camp for lunch and a bit of downtime before checking again in the late afternoon. Two hunting days left. Maybe tomorrow. Keep the faith.
Up at 530, out of camp by 630, scouting for kudu before first light. Just 15 minutes from the lodge Issac spots a kudu bull just off the side of the trail in a dried up stream bed. Marco and Kevin quickly depart the Landcruiser but 20 minutes later they return unsuccessfully. Once everyone is loaded up again we head to the waterhole where the trail cam is set up to check for activity, but 10 minutes before we get there Issac again spots a good looking kudu bull just 90 meters in front of us along the ridge were driving on. Marco abruptly brings the truck to a halt while urging Kevin to dismount and get on the sticks. Kudu bulls don' wait to see what all the commotion is all about. As Kevin squeezes the trigger he realizes that the safety is on. After taking the safety off he squeezes the trigger again but just as he does the kudu turns his head and the shot goes to far to the left of his intended aim point. The bull is hit but not as well as hoped and quickly descends off the ridge to our left.He can be heard thrashing about in the brush. After waiting about 30 minutes Marco and Kevin descend off the ridge to where they heard the noise, off to their left while Issac descends but off to the right. While Kevin and Marco investigate the area they jump a kudu bull, but a different considerably smaller one and fortunately did not take a shot at it. Just then Issac calls from his location announcing that he has discovered blood. Now the real tracking commences. Kevin at the ready follows Issac and Marco around the point of land, down the rocky slope and back up again, through mopani and acacia thorn bush, occasionally finding blood trail, but after about three hours of tracking through numerous other kudu spoor they decide to call off the search for now. The kudu bull has never indicated bedding down but kept ahead of the hunters by a safe distance.
Kevin looks tired and disappointed as Marco suggests that we return to the lodge for a late lunch, with plans to return around three in the afternoon with Plan B and C. By not pursuing the bull it is hoped that he will start to succumb to its injuries, weaken and stiffen up and begin to bed down.
When we returned after lunch and a bit of rest we began Plan B. Plan B was to try to reacquire the kudu's tracks and by crisscrossing the area in the bush Kevin rediscovers the blood trail, but they soon realize that the bull had gone in a different direction than they originally thought.
Marco and I went back to where the trail cam was set up to retrieve it in anticipation of setting up near the waterhole in the event that the bull would come up for water at first light.
Meanwhile back in the bush on the trail of the wounded kudu it became apparent that he was bedding down to rest frequently, a sign that he was weakening. As Issac and Kevin continued to follow the spoor they noticed that the blood trail was not drying and bits of fatty tissue were observed. Issac contacted Marco informing him of the new development and their pursuit so Marco thought it would be best if we set up shop adjacent and parallel to the dirt road where Kevin and Issac were tracking in the event that they might spook the kudu and it crossed the trail. After 15 minutes Marco said "watch the road in both directions, I'm going to go into the bush to drive the kudu to Kevin". Not even twenty minutes later a shot rang out from deep in the bush. Marco's radio came to life calling Issac " did you get him, did you get him" but no response was offered. He then called me asking if I had taken a shot to which I replied that I never. But why no reply from Issac? As it turned out they were too busy celebrating the successful closure of a nine hour tracking job to either hear or respond to the radio. Kevin and Issac had tracked the kudu bull to within 20 meters of where it was standing when Kevin applied the coup de grace. The western horizon glowed as I walked my way to the hunters location. A road would have to be hacked through the Limpopo bush by the light of the half moon, but a small price to pay after all of the days events. By 830 that evening we returned to the lodge with Kevin"s kudu, tired, hungry, thirsty and very happy.
Kevin's kudu bull measured a very respectable 55 inches with 10 inch bases, nice ivory tips and a priceless experience.
And so hunting with Marco Schoonwinke, Issac the tracker and Grace the chef from Motsomi Safari comes to a close with a sunset at Limpopo View
