SOUTH AFRICA: With KMG Hunting Safaris

WEDNESDAY : Today breakfast was at 6am again we were going to return to the same concession that we had hunted the day before and continue the hunt for kudu we went and collected Lloyd and set off again today looked like a really nice day no clouds in the sky and a light wind . we were traveling along the rough road not far from the concession when we spotted a huge kudu bull we dani stopped to have a look at him he said he was a really good bull to our amazement he walked up to the high fence and slipped straight through it walked across the road slipped through the wire strands on the high fence on the opposite side and was gone into the brush. we continued on to the concession we arrived at the office to check in as we started to get our stuff ready dani walked to the back of his truck and said something to Lloyd we noticed they were both looking puzzled we walked towards them and noticed the tail gate of danis hunting rig was missing it must of worked loose and bounced off while travelling along the rough road dani did not look happy I said we should go look for it heinrich appeared and a short discussion took place the outcome was dani would go look for the bit that fell off and hienrich would take us round while dani was gone hienrichs bakkie was out of action after hitting a kudu on the way back home one night the previous week so the buggy was summoned and quickly cleaned out. The rear seats found and fitted the essential kit swapped to the buggy and we were ready to go. We continued where we left off the previous day driving to various spots and glassing the sunny slopes after the third move I spotted something shinning in the distance on closer inspection it was the sun reflecting off what looked like a very good kudu bulls horns I pointed it out to hienrich to look at we looked for a while and decided to get closer for a better look we drove for about five minutes before we stopped and located the bull again after a bit move glassing heinrich decided we should go and take a much closer look at him we took a wide arc around to get down wind and move in close on foot we stalked in to where we thought he was and soon found the group of females he had been with we slowly then worked our way along the ridge but after 10 minutes of looking we could not find him the females had dropped over the ridge as we had come along he must have already gone over the ledge while we were moving to get down wind this was some of the steepest ground on the property hienrich turned and said "you don't want to shoot anything down there we will leave them go " having seen how steep it was from the opposite valley I happily agreed. we looked at a couple more spots and then got the call to say dani was back so we returned to the office to pick him up and get back into his truck. when we reached him he was still not happy he had not been able to find his tail gate. we moved to several spots but could only see females and males who were not finished yet its all about the direction of the horn tips and the figure of eight shape. it was nearing lunch and we were about to return to the bakkie after walking a long ridgeline when Lloyd spotted a good bull on the opposite ridge a plan was formed and we were off Lloyd stayed to spot if we lost the bull when we moved. there was a dirt track that crossed the valley to the opposite ridge and continued along it we would use this to get into position for a shot we made it to the opposite ridge and stopped for us to get our breath back we had gotten across the valley in double quick time! a minute later we were good to go we began to make our way along the ridge and had soon located the bull we had just began the final approach we a group of nyala below us winded us and took off along the valley barking,
. the kudu lifted his head looked around and took off . We looked at each other and dani said " lunch" we returned to the bakkie dropped hienrich off at the office and went to the lodge where we had lunch the previous day.
 
WENDNESDAY CONT : We ate our packed lunches on the veranda of the lodge and for the second time this trip had to apply sunblock, the sun was really hot today and the heat had been building steadily all morning. the food plus heat resulted in the usual afternoon nap which every one seamed to take part in today .( I forgot to mention that today we had seen a lot on nyala bulls today these came to the water trough at the lodge)
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I woke from my nap now revived the others were still led out caps over faces resting so I went for a walk along the track not far from the lodge a warthog appeared in front of me I sat on the track which seemed to make it very inquisitive and it slowly walked up stopping and trying to figure out what I was it came to within 20 feet then spooked and was off I stood up and began to glass the surrounding area just below the furthest ridge I could see some impala then a group of female kudu and then stood right on top of the ridge stood a kudu bull I watched for a minute and thought looks good to me so I return to the lodge dani is awake now and I tell him about the kudu he says "yeah I'll come and take a look" with a if it makes you happy kind of tone I take him to the spot on the track and we begin to look I describe where to look and yes he see's implala then yes he see's the kudu cows I then get " are you sure there was a bull" I describe the spot where I last saw him " tallest bush on the ridge and just to the right is where he was stood " just as I finish dani says " I found him " it go's quiet dani looks at me and then moves forward for a better view he lowers the binoculars turns and says " lets go now quick " we run to the bakkie dani gets the rifle out Lloyd who was still asleep on the back lifts his head dani says " good Kudu " Lloyds up grabs the sticks and jumps out the back and we are all off down the track at a very fast walk after 400 meters we cut into the brush Lloyd takes the lead and we weave our way through the bushes we stop quickly just to check the wind and make sure the kudu has not moved off. After about 10 minutes we stop Lloyd and louis wait while me and dani make the final approach we get to about 280ters away and dani has another look through the glasses as he does he bull suddenly become alert to something and he starts to sniff the air dani says " we can not get any closer or he will be off " 280 meters bloody hell dani sets the sticks I place the rifle on to them and get comfortable dani " you ok " me " yes " I'm just thinking 280 meters thats a long way but its a big target I can do it (200 meters at home is considered a long shot ) Dani tells me " place the horizontal line of the crosshair level with the top of his back and above the shoulder " i'm ready and the kudu takes off only to run around the bush he was partially behind to stand in front and expose his whole body. I take the safety off breath out place the cross hair as directed and squeeze the trigger . we hear the hit and I see him wobble dani says again and I repeat the process we hear the shot impact and dani says "good shot I see blood " the kudu now takes off runs then stops stands still and begins to rock dani says "shoot again"I fire this shot went clean underneath the kudu moves on again a short distance and stops we fire one more shot and the bullet goes underneath once more,now we are out of bullets . The kudu then drops to its knees a moment later it has rolled onto his side and lays still . dani says " well done" shakes my hand and the relief I felt at that point I could of floated to that kudu. Lloyd and louis caught up to us and we walked to where the kudu had fallen the fist thing is the size they are big and the horns well close up they are amazing animals.
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Great spot and great report!
 
Well done. Great work with the Warthog. It paid off in the end with a trophy Kudu.
Congratulations.
 
Dudders you are making the wait unbearable!! Great hunt and report can't wait for my arrival
 
that's a very nice kudu bull , well done .
 
Dudders you are making the wait unbearable!! Great hunt and report can't wait for my arrival
if you have half the fun we had you will still have an amazing trip ahead of you
 
Thanks for the comments gentleman .
 
WEDNESDAY YES THERE'S MORE : I spend so more time just admiring the kudu the horns the coat the size. Dani is on the phone and call heinrich to organise the extraction heinrich was apparently surprised that we had found a kudu at that time of day but really happy that we had him in the bag. heinrich appears in the buggy there is a track about 50 meters away but there is a gully with a dried up stream between us we think we are going to have to carry in over this but hienrich has a much better idea apparently there is another track just behind us and the area the kudu dropped in was flat and open we will get the tractor with the box on the back and just drive up and slide it on easy Lloyd stays to direct operations and guide in the tractor heinrich takes us in the buggy back to the lodge to get the bakkie he then returns to help with the extraction while we go to a spot for the photos suggested by heinrich and wait we rib dani about missing half the morning and when he is about I still have to spot the my own animals to shoot and perhaps we ought to share his wages with us today. He points out he needs to buy a new gate for this rig and quickly moves on to perhaps going after zebra again we start to discuss options when to our left appear a group of zebra no more than 50 meters away dani gets on the phone to heinrich engaged he try's four more times then heinrich picks up quick chat in Afrikaans dani is lets go he was just checking that we were clear on the zebra and to get the recovery team for the kudu to wait until we had stalked the zebra . dani and louis set off and I sat in the bakkie waiting head in hands praying that this would go well I watch as they move out of sight. well you will have to wait the guys have just come to pick me up for work
 
Great report so far, glad you and Louie made it back safe and sound. Sandy and I enjoyed spending the evenings chatting with both of you. We just got back yesterday and I need to finish my report as well. Louie is a good kid, glad you guys had a great time together.
 
Great report so far, glad you and Louie made it back safe and sound. Sandy and I enjoyed spending the evenings chatting with both of you. We just got back yesterday and I need to finish my report as well. Louie is a good kid, glad you guys had a great time together.
thanks Robert glad you and sandy made it back ok hope you enjoyed a good trip after we left.
 
CONTINUED : Just as I watch louis and dani disappear they stop dani turns looks at louis points at his feet I smile buffalo feet warning and they slip out of sight no more than a minute later a shot rings out that unmistakeable sound of a ricochet perhaps I was to close to hear the impact and the bullet past through and hit a rock I wait then Lloyd and hienrich appear and the three of us head off to where they were last seen they were just out of sight in the scrub I look they are both wandering around looking at the floor my first thought are oh no not again. I looked at dani who had bewildered look on his face I approached to find out what has happened dani go's " its ok clean miss no blood no hair " part of me is relived another part disappointed for louis, these zebra's are just bad news " so dani what happened " I asked well apparently they stalked in to the zebra and were really close 30 meters away one stood straight looking at them up went the sticks on went the rifle and into the dirt between the front legs went the shot . I went over to louis who was starring at the ground were the zebra had been stood had a little father son chat I think the nerves got the better of him and rushed the shot . we walked back to the bakkie to wait for the kudu to arrive for the photo shoot we grabbed so drinks from the cool box and that's when a bit of banter started, wrong colour not close enough two close not very sporting Marius's dodgy home loads . louis took it all on the chin and it lightened the mood. then the kudu chariot arrived
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Argh.....

I was waiting for it to be a joke on you!

Those things happen, glad he seemes to have taken it fairly well in stride. And it probably was the loads Marius made. That's what happens when you just try and pour the same amount of powder straight from the jug each time like he does. ;)
 
CONTINUED A BIT MORE : After the photo shoot we head off to the skinning shed to watch Lloyd get to work when hienrich,s boss comes out walks up "which one of you two missed " louis a bit sheepish owns up " carrots that's what you need helps with the eyesight I have a bag you can have" we all laugh he pats him on the back and say's " don't worry every one of us has done the same thing and some of us more than once , and there's still time" The big boss, heinrich and dani have a chat dani then comes over " right lets go have another look for zebra " I was surprised I thought we had done for the day as time was pushing on but Lloyd had to skin the kudu so instead of sitting around we would give it one more go. so hienrich and louis get uptop and me and dani jump in the front and off we go on another zebra hunt. we drive the boundary stopping and glass the countryside after a short while we spot the way zebra off in the distance we close the distance in the bakkie then approach the last 600 meters on foot as we left the bakkie louis takes my cap and swaps it with his I ask why he replies " you've shot everything wearing that cap its the lucky cap " we get to within 110 meters but the zebra are still restless dani and louis go for an approach but the are aware of their presence they set up to wait for a shot when the group start to move away they begin to follow through the scrub when the zebra spook and take off in a cloud of dust me and hienrich re-join them and the four of us set off following the tracks Just as we reach a ridge line we can still see the dust trail from the zebra in the distance heinrich knows where they will head and we go to cut them off we pick up the pace as we have quite some distance to cover, we reach the ridge of a shallow gully and slow up we walk the ridge hoping to spot the zebra from here but the cover is to thick so we move down in to the gully we were about half way across when we cut the zebra tracks with that unmistakeable smell of horse and still steaming spoor they were close all is quiet dani and heinrich just us hand signals we turn around and head back to the ridge just as we reach the ridge we see the zebra just cresting the ridge on the valley behind us the were moving in a huge circle and heading back to where we had seen them first no started a game of cat and mouse the ground consisted of shallow valleys with a ridge of about 30 to 50 meters high in between them we would wait for the zebra to clear the ridge then move up quickly to try and catch them before they made the next ridge the shadows were starting to lengthen but it was still warm with a very gentle breeze we would reach the next ridge just to see the zebra disappear over the next one every now and then we would stop to let a group of impala or kudu move away dani commented on the good conditions were relaxing the animals and they didn't seem to bothered by our presence the zebra's pace had now slowed right down and we gained ground quickly after about 40 minutes of stalking them we reached the latest ridge no zebra on the opposite ridge we thought they had gone when one appeared out of the brush in the valley floor to make its way up to the ridge closely followed by the rest me and hienrich stopped dani and louis moved up began to set up then moved again out of sight 30 seconds later a shot rings out followed by a solid thwack
that sounded so reassuring we moved up to dani and louis and we moved forward to we the zebra had been stood well the blood trail was knee high and about a meter wide we followed for 20 meters there lay a zebra stallion stone dead behind a bush he had managed a quartering away shot at 80 meters took out the heart arteries and exited the far shoulder to say everyone was relived was an understatement and the bit that impressed us most as the sun set behind the high ground it had dropped 5 meters from the nearest track
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hienrich left us to go and get the bakkie and organise collection with the now zebra chariot dani was so relived he had began to give up hope of getting louis his zebra after the earlier incident
 
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so we move to take the photos now its dark
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the most unlucky zebra in Africa

while the photos were taken we carried out some repairs to the rear linkage of the tractor a Massey Fergusons same rubbish different country and off to the skinning shed when we arrive Lloyd looks so happy a couple of there guys come to help and we sit and watch and drink a couple of beers to celebrate not louis of course he was on the bottled water he had already drank all the coke it was not long and we were ready to go all loaded up we both thanks hienrich for his help over the last two days and departed for the lodge we arrived back at 8.30 just as evening meal was being served everyone was really pleased when they heard the news on the zebra and a few beers were drank that evening .
 
Congrats!!!!

You know what the best thing about the zebra is? It was earned, both before the trip and during the hunt. That's special.
 
Great report. I have heard nothing but great things about Marius & KMG!
 
Congrats!!!!

You know what the best thing about the zebra is? It was earned, both before the trip and during the hunt. That's special.

This was the reason I made louis earn the money for this if you really want something you have to work to get it. and the realisation that he could of ended up with nothing to show for it was a real life experience and that people are more willing to help you when you have worked hard to achieve your aims and they don't work out. it would have been all to easy to just of paid it for louis. but he will never forget his African zebra and the lessons he learnt from it
 
great report , thanks for sharing .
 

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