SOUTH AFRICA: RIFLE: BOWHUNT: First South Africa Hunt Report

huntaholic

AH senior member
Joined
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Location
Mid Michigan
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Hunting reports
Africa
2
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NRA, Ducks Unlimited. Whitetails Unlimited, Michigan Sportsman
Hunted
South Africa Eastern and Western Capes
As I prepare to embark on my second trip to SA, I am reminiscing through my 12 day hunting trip in 2014. Many of you have asked me to do a report of my first trip, so as my second trip is about 3 days from departure I have put this together. Our trip started off with a big delay when we boarded the plane in Detroit, took off, circled Detroit for a while then returned to the airport. Captain came on the speakers and said they were having some issues with the deicing equipment so they were going to return to the gate and have the mechanics check thing out. After about an hour and a half the captain said they got the issue fixed and we were clear to take off. Having about a 5 hour layover in DC it didn’t seem to be that big of an issue. Well we taxied to the runway only to sit there for about 30 minutes with no information. Finally the captain said they were still having issues and they were heading back to the gate. Once we got to the gate they told us they were going to unload the plane this time as they worked on it. The time was now around 3pm and our connecting flight to Johannesburg was to depart around 7. To make a very long story short we ended up making several calls and spent hours getting our trip rescheduled for the next day to depart from DC. The company we were hunting with in SA was more than understanding and made arrangement to extend out trip for the extra day. At 1 am United Airlines finally put us up in a hotel in Detroit for a few hours as we had to be back at the airport at 430 am for our flight. We made it to the hotel just in time for the captain to buy us all a drink and we all bought a round and just stayed up, took a quick shower and headed back to the airport.
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Well we made it to Johannesburg were met by our outfitter after going through customs pushed through the SAPS office and on the next flight to Port Elizabeth. Our PH’s were there waiting on for us, loaded up and headed to Greys Gift Lodge for 2 days of hunting the Eastern Cape. After spending the last 3 days traveling we got to the lodge and partied nearly until the sun came up and time to start our first hunt. I was told I would be leaving around 6am to hunt for my Caracal so I turned in for a short nap, shower and off we went. We arrived to the property around 830 parked the truck, got out to hear the sound of hounds hot on the trail of what we would later find to be a very large male feline. After several hours of tracking and 2 failed attempts to get close enough to get a shot with my bow, my PH told me I would have to shoot it with the shotgun because the cat was getting very tired and if it jumped out of the tree again the dogs would tear it apart. After convincing him that I would realy like to take it with my bow we made a long hike through the thorny trees, through a wet area across a creek and crawled up a hill to find the cat in a tree 15 yards in front of me. With my PH saying shoot shoot shoot it NOW I let the arrow fly and down he went. After a celebration and a long hike back to the truck I then realized I just shot my first animal in Africa, and what an awesome trophy it was. As we made the long drive back to the lodge my PH said several times you don’t realize what you have just taken that cat is a monster… We returned to the lodge, told the story of the hunt then I headed to the bunk to nap off a bit of a hangover and jet-lag. After a nap we met for dinner with the group, told stories of our day then went out for a couple hours of night hunting. After driving around seeing lots of animals by spot light, we returned to the lodge and turned in for a good nights sleep.

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Day 2 starts out by a drive through the property stopping to glass some areas in search of warthog. After several sightings of smaller hogs, my PH (Marius) decides to head to an area where we set up on top of a hill where we can glass several different areas. As the temp is heating up Marius says keep an eye on the waterhole to my left as the hogs should come to it soon. Not long after he said that a really large hog appears out of nowhere. He gets the sticks set up and the hog turns around and slips into the thick shaded area. Keeping an eye on that area, it wasn’t long when Marius gets really excited and says BIG bush buck… Its day 2 and I do not have one in mp package so I ask him how much he said it dosnt matter that’s a really nice old bushbuck.. Having planned for a few extra animals I get my gun on the sticks and try to find him in the scope. Not being able to find him Marius says he’s in the bush next to the big tree. Well that was like saying the needle is right there in the haystack. I look, look, look some more finally Marius looks through my scope lines up the hidden bushbuck and tells me he’s right there. I look over him down the barrel and there he is… So Marius holds the gun still I get behind the scope and the bushbuck disappears. I tell Marius he’s gone, he replies no he’s still in the same spot. I’m getting frustrated at this point and don’t think I’m the only one… Finally the bushbuck moves his head and I pick him up in the scope. I tell Maruis I’m on him, he looks through the range finder, says he’s at 225 yards, shoot him in the shoulder. I take a deep breath squeeze the trigger, Marius says GREAT shot. We head down the hill across the valley, what seems like it took an hour and find him laying 10 feet from where he stood eluding me for the last 20 minutes. A couple high fives, some pictures and a bit of a break in the shade from the 90 degree heat and we head back up the hills to find the truck. Marius points the tracker in the direction where we left the elusive critter and after about an hour he returned carrying my second trophy from the Eastern Cape.
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After returning to the lodge for lunch and a change of clothes, we return to the area we saw the big hog. After glassing the area for a while and seeing nothing we took to the trails looking for other animals on my list. Knowing we were leaving in the morning for the Western Cape we deiced to hunt until about 5 and call it a day. We go to another lookout area and glass for a bit. Marius spots a nice Gray Duiker bedded down in the shade about 600 yards away. I am amazed at what these guys can spot at such a distance. Knowing that was one animal I really wanted, he said it looked to be a shooter but wanted to get closer to make sure. After a very long, slow, hot stalk, we closed the distance to about 200 yards. The small ram was still bedded and had no clue we were around. Marius studied him for a while and looked at me and said, your lucky to have this opportunity to take a ram of this quality during the day. He set up the sticks, I rest my gun on them, took aim then Marius said wait… He spotted another duiker just to the left of him. He wanted to make sure I was on the correct one. I saw the horns clearly through my Leopold VX4 4.5x14x40 CDS. Marius said ok when you’re ready, shoot him in the guts. I squeezed the trigger and again Marius says GREAT shot that rams not getting up after that shot!! One shot from my 300 win mag with 180 grains and the ram was dead on impact. We head up the hill to recover what I thought was a good trophy. When we walked up to it, Marius looked at me and again said you’re very lucky to take a great trophy like this during the daylight hours. We took some photos, carried him out to an area where we could drive to then made the long 1 hour walk back to get the truck.
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Congrats and thanks for sharing!
 
Day 3 We Leave Grays Gift and head for the Western Cape and Wildehondekloof Lodge . After the long 6 hour drive, we unpack the trucks settle in, meet the staff and head out to the shooting range. After shooting we go in separate directions to start our 8 days hunting the Western Cape. I meet up with my assigned PH (Riaan) also the property manager, and we set off in quest of the great gray ghost. For the first 2 days we hike the mountains, put many stalks on and even get a shot on a really nice Kudu but it’s a clean miss. After catching back up to the missed Kudu I get another shot and realize my scope got bumped and im shooting 3 feet (yes feet) left. We go back to the range get it zeroed back in and back to our quest the next morning.
Day 5 After an early rise, a quick breakfast, we set off to find the Kudu sunning themselves on the sunny side of the mountains. We traveled for a while then spot a group about 500 yards across the mountain from the trail. Once we got closer we glassed them for a while then Riaan said the largest bull on the left was a good shooter. We closed the gap to around 250yards. I steadied the 300 on him listening to Riaan tell me when hes clear. The bull moved slowly to the left and Riaan spoke softly saying shoot it in the shoulder when I say its clear. Just seconds later he said get ready just now, OK shoot him. One shot is all it took… Riaan said good shot, good shot and we watched him fall within 25 yards. Now the work begins, down the mountain, across the bottom and halfway back up the other side. Me following Riaan and the tracker, im hardly able to keep up even though the tracker probably has 15 years on me. We get to him and wait for the other trackers to get where we are, get the area cleared up a bit, take lots of photos and off Riaan and I go leaving the real work for the trackers. We head back to the lodge for lunch, take a nap then head back out for the late afternoon. The day ends with lots of sightings of animals but nothing I was looking for.
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Great write up. Keep
Them coming!
 
Day 6 We set off after a Gemsbok in the early morning hours to try and find then sunning themselves. The weather was very cool and the animals were slow to get moving. We did a lot of driving stopping to glass areas and find a few that were in areas that were very difficult to get to or ones that were not shooters. After glassing a pair across the mountain we decided to drive around and get on the opposite side down wind from them. We came around a curve and there they were standing about 300 yards away. Riaan said either one would be a shooter as they were looking to harvest a few of the females around the property. I liked the mass on the bull but the cow was really tall and had great mass for a cow. I steadied the gun, took aim with Riaan standing to my right video taping the shot. He said take it whenever I can. I squeeze off the shot and after they ran off there was silence. Riaan turned to the tracker talking to him in Afrikaans (their language) then turns back to me and said its hit. We set off to look at the area where they were standing and find nothing. The tracker took off on the tracks following them for what was probably at least a mile. We got to an area that was real thick and the tracker points. Riaan runs up there waiving me closer and grabs the sticks. I get ready to rest my gun for another shot and the tracker whistles and pointed at the backside of the thicket. Riaan grabs the sticks, we run around the backside to watch them running across the mountain side. We decide to go get the truck, go back to the lodge and look at the footage. After eating and watching the video over and over we realize the shot was again way way left and the animal ran off untouched. Back to the range we go. Spend a bit of time get it sighted back in tighten everything up and head back out. We hunted until almost dark and called it a day. Needless to say I was just a little ticked off at my gun and couldn’t figure out what was going on with it.

Day 7 We start out at the range just to make sure the gun is still on. Take a few shots and all is good. We head for the area we last saw the Gemsbok pair and on our way there we notice a group of Impala with one really nice ram. We head that direction, very hard wind blowing in our face, get within 100 yards and I get the gun ready. The big ram is very active and will not move away from the group so I can get a shot. I have him in my crosshairs but he won’t stop. Riann trys to whistle but they can’t hear him through the wind. Finally he stops, Riaan says shoot him now. I squeeze the trigger and he dropped in his tracks. Wahoo finally took a shot and the gun was on target. We went up to him and the bullet hit him right in the shoulder just where I was aiming. Riaan called the trackers and told them where we were. They came with another truck and we continued our quest for the clown face… We hunted hard the rest of the day chasing the pair I missed the day before back and forth across the mountains. With just a couple hours before dark and exhausted we decided to call it a day and head back to the lodge. We get to the truck head around the mountain and come across a small group of springbuck. We stop Riaan asked if I wanted to try to put a stalk on them with my bow. I said lets do it. Grab my bow and head for cover between the heard and the truck. Riaan belly crawls up the top of the hill and waves me forward. I crawl as low as I can with my bow in tow, get to the top with Riaan, we glass them with the range finder 60 yards. Then suddenly they spook and spring off. No idea what made them run off we turn to go back down and there is another heard that came around behind and busted us. We call it quits for the day and head in.
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Nice trophies and a good report. Did you ever find out why your rifle kept shooting to the left after you fixed it the first time? What kind of rifle and scope mounts were you using?
 
Nice trophies and a good report. Did you ever find out why your rifle kept shooting to the left after you fixed it the first time? What kind of rifle and scope mounts were you using?

Im working on the rest of my report as we speak. more to come with the answers to your questions.
 
Day 8 we set out early again in quest for the clown face that have been eluding us for the past couple days. We head to the area that we left them in, park the truck and head to a mountain side looking into the sunny side. Thinking they would be there warming up in the morning sun. We were wrong; they were nowhere to be found. We stay there glassing for about an hour not seeing a single animal. Riaan decided to head back to the truck and drive around the other side and see if they were over there. After about an hour drive through the mountains, we reach the other side to find a heard of Eland and Kudu but no Gemsbok. A bit baffled as to where they went we decided to go for a drive. We slowly drove the trails around the mountains and to the back side of the property. Seeing only a couple other Gemsbok and several herds of other animals we decide to head back to the lodge for lunch. Knowing that we have at least an hour drive back, I decided to jump in the front with Riaan for the drive back. As we cross the mountain we sat up first thing in the morning we round a corner only to spot them standing in a clearing just 200 yards away. Riaan stops the truck grabs my gun and video camera, I take aim and make a great shot on the big female. She spins, bucks and staggers. Riaan never taking the camera off her says good shot, put another one in it. I rack another round in and freehand the second shot. Another solid hit, she spins like a bull out of a cage then drops. WOW did that really just happen. I finally got the beautiful beast that has been outwitting me for 3 days. Now I’m hungry… Call the trackers to the spot and head in for lunch.
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Nice report and you took some great animals. That oryx is a beauty
 
Great report so far- keep it coming!

Congrats on your trophies!
 
You did well!
 
On our way back in for lunch we ran into a very rough storm that blew through. The winds were gusting 50 plus mph thunder, lightning, rain, hail and even snow. We made it back to the lodge just in time to have the hail beat us up and the rain drench us as we unloaded the guns from the truck. We decided to take showers to warm up, change clothes before eating lunch. After lunch we all agreed it would be a great idea to take a nap and skip the afternoon hunt. One of the guys in our group had a permit for a cape grysbok so after a good nap and dinner, we headed out for a night drive in search of the very hard to hunt grysbok. We hunted for a few hours spotting a couple but he never got a chance to get one. The weather was very cold and we were not prepared for the sub zero temps so we called it a night.
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Day 9 After staying out hunting late we came back and proceeded to see if we could empty a few bottles of Richelieu and a case or 2 of beer. Soon the sun would be coming up so we decided to go get a few hours sleep before going out hunting for the day. Once we were up and around we headed out in search of that springbuck. We went to an area we had been seeing them and sure enough they were there, all 300 of them. It was impossible to put a stalk on a group of that size so we tried to bust them up a bit. That didn’t seem to work so we left the area in search of a smaller group. As we approached a clearing the tracker noticed a small group all the way on the other side so we turned around circled through the mountain and down to the back of the field. As we approached the area we noticed they were closer than we thought. I grabbed my rifle, got the one Riaan said was the shooter in my scope and waited for him to say it was clear. As soon as the one behind the shooter moved Riaan said take it. I shot and the springbuck jumped a mile in the air. Riaan said put another one in it. I couldn’t tell what one it was. The group all circled around it so I had a hard time figuring out what one was hit. Riaan said it is easy to tell because it is the only one with a red streak down its front leg. Once I saw that, I put my cross hair on its shoulder and waited for the all clear. It wasn’t long and Riaan said shoot. I touched it off and it again jumped in the air and fell to the ground. We grabbed it put it in the truck and met the skinners at the skinning shed. Once we dropped it off Riaan said lets go get a baboon now.
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Keep them coming. Very nice oryx!
 
Some good looking animals. For such a rough start to your trip it turned out well. Always better once you get there. I always hate mechanical problems. Sometimes they really seem to drag out their getting fixed. I'd rather it was fixed correctly tho. Can be a long way down...... Bruce
 
We jump in the truck and Riaan says I just talked to the farmer up the road and he has some baboons that are coming into the barnyard and raising a ruckus. He said they hit the alpha field around noon every day so it should be like clockwork. After an hour drive to the farm just down the road, we turn down the drive and the farmer meets us. He said the baboons are already coming down out of the mountains and we would more than likely run them off if we drove all the way in. So Riann said are you up for a hike? A bit hung over and extremely exhausted from more than a week of hard hunting during the day and hard partying at night, I was slow to respond OK lets do it. Up the mountain we go, across the sheep pasture and to the top of the mountain. The tracker stops and points to the top of the other mountain across the way. Riaan said get down there they are. We crawl to the edge of the field and set up along the fence row. Riaan tells me to sit down and sets the sticks up in front of a fence post, tells me to lean on the post to make me more stable. I ask him how far it is he said the tree they are in is 370 yards. I told him im not comfortable with that shot. He said just wait they may settle down and come down the hill. We wait for what seems like forever, then the old man in the group starts down the hill. He makes it to the edge and sits on his butt looking straight at us. He was making all kinds of noise and Riaan said hes about to run off. He said your going to have to try the shot or risk him running off. I asked how far now, he said 356. I turned the dial to 350 and put the crosshair on his chest. I tell Riaan im going to take him, and squeezed the trigger. OH F*%@ you shot the Sh*% out of him said Riaan. I asked where it went and he said it fell off the cliff. Riaan turned and talked to the tracker in Afrikaans, turned back to me and said hes not happy with you. I aksed why, he said I told him to go get the baboon, he would call the other tracker to come get him because we were going to go have lunch. About 2 hours later he showed up at the lodge with my baboon. That is my longest and best shot ever with that gun, a bit high but the bullet to the throat put him down quickly.
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