SOUTH AFRICA: With KMG Hunting Safaris

we get to the property of the guy who is taking us after blue duiker while he gets organised Lloyd sorts the oribi while Marius and I have some of our packed lunch well I have mine. Marius had a nice salad with I think chicken or tuna in a tub keeping up with his diet plan only problem was the lodge cook forgot to put in any thing to eat it with. Luckily the farm owner went and fetched Marius a fork from his house so he settled down again. Lloyd finished up had his lunch and the farm owner was ready we set off to the area to hunt blue duiker the wind had really picked up now and we had to navigate several trees that had blown down in the road.
 
We arrived at the property we were hunting, Another stock property that had lots of small gullies full of scrub these were where we would be hunting for blue duiker. The first draw we stood out on a grassy area outside of the scrub where we were assured the blue duiker would sneak out trying to evade the dogs. The wind was so strong we could not hear the dogs or the guys working them. After 15 minutes we knew the draw was over as the dogs emerged from the scrub followed by Lloyd and the dog handler. We make a new plan and head to the next draw. This time we position ourselves in the middle of the draw about 20 meters into the thick scrub. Some branches are cleared to open up some shooting lanes and we get into position. We radio through to the guys with the dogs and they start heading towards us. It was not long before we had some action, a hare came running past that gave the reactions a little test. Not long after we could hear the dogs begin to as we would say give tongue and we all become alert to the smallest movement . After a minute the dogs go quiet and we all relax a little and Lloyd and the dog man approach us and then carryon past. The wind soon masked their shouts and we would not hear the dogs if they got on the tracks of a blue duiker so Marius asked them to tell us on the radio if the dogs got on the track of a blue duiker so we could be ready. It was not long before Marius whispered the dogs are on some thing be ready . A couple of minute's pasted nothing I was just starting to relax when I thought I saw movement in a bush on the edge of the scrub and then nothing. Then just as I was looking towards Marius he said "in front ". As I looked back to where I had been looking a few moments before, a blue duiker appeared from the bush in front of us, just trotting along heading straight at us oblivious to the three people sat on the floor and me standing with the shotgun. At this point I raised the shotgun and fired the blue duiker crumpled and dropped on the spot. I turned to Marius who just looked at me an said" why didn't you wait until it turned side on " I think he had visions of me adding to my grysbok skull cap with a blue duiker one. Any way we picked up the blue duiker several pellet marks all in the chest not a mark on its head. I smiled and told Marius " see I knew what I was doing all along".
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A couple of beautiful tiny-ten there mate, congrats!!

To be fair by this time of his hunting season all that lodge food was making him a bit tubby, I did agree with him on that.:whistle:

I think it may have had more to do with bloody Aussies plying him with rum & coke on a nightly basis :whistle::LOL:
 
We thank the guys and set off back to the lodge although still only midday it would take nearly 2 hours with a stop for fuel. Now Marius is a bit partial to his 1980s music and was keen to run me through his catalogue of musical hits from that era accompanied by Marius's angelic voice a sound once heard can never be forgotten no matter how hard you may try. After the third do you know who this is or song is by I had to remind Marius I was there when it happened the first time round and some of it was best forgotten.:) Those in the know will appreciate the song for the day. MC Hammer and you can't touch this.
 
A couple of beautiful tiny-ten there mate, congrats!!



I think it may have had more to do with bloody Aussies plying him with rum & coke on a nightly basis :whistle::LOL:

Before the fitness plan began he was still knocking a couple back each night we did have to stop for a bottle of rum on the first day.
 
Back at the Lodge just after 2pm we decide to take it easy as later we will head to the bushpig blind and try our luck but thinks are not looking good as the wind is still strong.
We begin to make plans for the following day I give Marius a list of animals I could hunt and we look at the mounted animals in the lodge after a couple of minutes Marius asked what about" a vaal rhebok?" . Now we have discussed these before but Marius has said it normally needs a couple of days to get one. I remind him of this but he reply's " hey we just took a Machine of an Oribi and blue duiker before 12 0 clock" . So ok I'm up for it . Marius " I will make a call " couple of minutes later we're sorted. Saturday will be Vaal rhebok day and possibly a mountain reedbuck if we are lucky. But we need to be on the road by 5am. We went to the bush pig blind and waited until about 8.30 but with the strong winds and the early start the following day we decided we would call it a night.
 
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Sounds like a fun and difficult hunt on the buffalo. The success is in the hunt, IMO, and not so much the trophy. I really enjoyed your buff hunt!
The two tiny ten are beautiful!
 
................ I had to remind Marius I was there when it happened the first time round and some of it was best forgotten.:) Those in the know will appreciate the song for the day. MC Hammer and you can't touch this.

 
Great hunt! The gusty winds make things very interesting.
 
Congrats on the hunt and thanks for sharing!
 
So last day hunting today up at 4.30 am for breakfast well a cup of tea to early for food and by 5am we were on our way through the dark on the dirt roads heading for the mountains. we saw an amazing amount of wildlife along the way just milling about on the roads. As day light broke we could see the mountain range ahead of us. It was not long before we were climbing the winding roads high up into the mountain region . We were met at the farm by the owner who was coming with us. We got ourselves organised and headed up what looked like a goat track. Once we had gained enough height we stopped and began to glass the mountainsides for vhaal rhebuck.
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We located a couple of groups and marius brought out the spotting scope over the next few minutes we picked out two good rams and we decided to move position and get a closer look . we drove higher up the mountains to get above and behind the two groups as we did one of the groups took off and began running up the mountain ahead of us we stopped and marius looked through the spotting scope again. This time he could see although it was a good ram it had one good horn that carried its thickness high up its length the other had broken off about 2 inches high. we left that male and headed on to the second group. At the next suitable vantage point we stopped and had another look at the second group after several minutes Marius decided it was a good ram and we should go after it. From that point we sett of on foot heading first higher to get round them and then using the ridgeline to get behind them before we began to close the distance . we had just began to drop down on them when we bumped three females who luckily ran in the opposite direction of our ram and his female. To our relief when they began to raise the alarm the ram and his female were to far away to hear. We still waited for the females to settle and move off before we carried on. After working our way down hill for 15 minutes we stopped from this point we crawled on our bellies to a ridge overlooking the last location we had seen the ram. Marius carefully peered our the edge he was still there apparently getting busy with the female. I slid my rucksack forward and marius positioned it ready, marius then moved to the side and I then moved forward setting the 308 on the rucksack. Marius whispered 310 meters told me how high to aim and the rest was down to me. I looked through the scope and saw the ram stood with the female settled down and waited the ram turned broadside slightly quartering towards us I placed the cross hairs on him as the female walked away and I squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out and I saw dust kick up behind the ram I was sure I had missed. The ram took off showing no sign of being hit and ran down the hillside and stopped by some rocks and stood still. Reloaded I took a second shot that went nowhere near the ram I just could not believe it . As I looked through the scope I could see the ram begin to shake its head from side to side it then began to move off and I lost sight of it, I looked at marius and he smiled he said as it turned he could see lots of blood on its side it was not going far. Marius and the owner told me they were sure they heard the first shot hit the ram. the second shot had hit the scrub in front of the rifle which I had not seen hence the second shot miss. After a couple of minutes we headed off down towards the ram and found him lead next to the rocks.
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We waited for Lloyd to fetch the truck took the photos had our drinks and Marius turns and asks are you on for the mountain reedbuck. Well I think me may have enough time why not.
 
Fine Valie! 310 yards in the wind on such a small antelope...excellent!
 
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We begin to scan the hillside and straight away Marius spots a reed buck doe a little more intensive searching and he finds what looks like a good ram sat down by a bush. A plan is formulated and we are away. we drive 80 meters to a fold in the hillside that hides us from the view of the doe, from this point we leave the truck and set off along the track for another 100 meters then cut up hill we only had a hundred meters to go but that mountainside was steep and we stopped a couple of times just to catch our breath. We again crawled the last 20 meters to a small bush just big enough for one person to sit behind. The sticks were set for sitting position I managed to wriggle into position and place the rifle, there 130 meters away the reed buck was still sat, I fired the shot and the ram took off only to stop 20 meters further away Marius is already saying" you missed shoot, shoot again " I steadied myself the mountain reed buck was now almost arse end on I picked a point behind the shoulder and fired again this time the ram dropped on the spot. I turned to look at marius and smiled he looked at his watch 9.59am vaal rehbok and mountain reed buck before 10am. we walk down to the ram, we then notice that the first shot had just skimmed his back cutting the skin.
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mountain views
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Fine Vhalie! 310 yards in the wind on such a small antelope...excellent!

310 meters = 339 yards I tried not to think how small it looked through the scope on x12 it was one tough little ram when we looked at the shot marius was amazed just how far it ran and stood before it succumbed
 
I forgot to mention how soft and wool like the fur is on the vaal rhebok it really was a surprise when I first felt it.
 
Like little rabbits.
 
Sorry for the buff, but the small ones are excellent congrats !
 
We headed back to the lodge after we had eaten our packed lunch and yes they forgot to put a fork in again. Marius's face was a picture . We settled down and watched the springboks play the All Blacks rugby of course. We headed out again for one last go at a bushpig. Well the first hour was not to bad but as I sat there in the dark the eye lids started to get heavy so my plan was to close them and count and when I reached the number I had thought of I would open my eyes. It is amazing the tricks your senses can play on you when your sat in the dark. At one point I was sure Marius had gotten up then led down on the floor of the hide. The other was when I thought Darth Vader had entered the hide that unmistakable heavy breathing I remember from the films, Or could it be ? No! I must of been dreaming . Well I was only to pleased when Marius Said lets call it a night I was only to pleased . Lloyd came and picked us up and that was the end of my trip.

My thoughts on the hunt. The buff didn't work out but that is the chance you take if you are looking for something in particular you have to be prepared to leave empty handed . But I had experiences that made for an exciting time. With the buff hunt being unsuccessful I had the opportunity to get some more tiny ten and a couple of the more unusual east cape trophy's which I was more than happy with. Overall I had another great time at KMG even with the ph I had. Anyway I will get my own back when I return next July when I will be accompanied by my light footed son aka mini buffalo.
 

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