Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouraging posts, it is most appreciated.
We are back now at the Shearwater Explorers Lodge in Vic Falls after two full days in Chobe National Park. In an hour or so a PH that works with Jacques
@JKO HUNTING SAFARIS on hunts in the Matetsi ECA area will be by to pick us up. Jacques is on the road now to camp and will meet us there later this evening.
So time for a cold one and adding the next installment to this hunt report.
We arrived at JNB on Sunday morning, July 26, more/less on time and on quickly to the hunting property in the NW province that I'd not hunted before.
@BeeMaa hunted this property last year and took a buffalo here.
We arrived after dark so we didn't get rifles sighted in until Monday morning. No adjustments needed, rifles shooting just fine. So off
@AZ KJ and his wife went with Jacques and off myself and Donna went with Riaan. Riaan has been with JKO for a few years now, some of you may have met him at the shows last year. This would be my first time hunting with him, and all I can say is he came thru. I enjoyed hunting with him and look forward to doing so again.
We weren't long from camp when we came to a small stream crossing. As we approached I could see up the other side there was a sable bull and it definitely had my attention. He was facing us, but I could get a glimpse of just how far his horns swept back. He only let us get so close before moving on, but he gave us enough of a look that he quickly made the "Strong Consideration" list.
Riaan didn't want to just jump on the first animal, but to take our time at least for a few hours to see what else was about. So off we continued to the south and into what I started to call Kudu land. I'm quite certain that in all of my previous trips to Africa that I can say I saw as many kudu in this hunt as I've seen in total of all my other hunts. A mix of females, young males, almost ready for hunting males and finally some very nice fully mature bulls.
I've been after a 55" or better bull now for awhile. Length however was more of a general goal versus shape. I really wanted a bull that had 3 full curls with the end points pointing outward. So with all of the bulls we were seeing, this one stood out quickly to me and also to Riaan. We knew the bull might not make that 55" inch mark as the curls are not terribly deep, but we were both taken with the width and the 3 full curls.
Second animal just made the strong consideration list. We're now approaching midday and it's time for a return to the beautiful lodge we were staying at. The lodge has a river in front of it that gives great views and of course attracts many animals.
After a wonderful lunch and a nap most welcomed, we're back out for the evening hunt. We agree that while we were seeing plenty of nice sable bulls, the best was that first one and we will see if we can get on him.
Sometime in the afternoon the bull actually moved across the stream and we came upon him sooner than expected. He was in thick cover but we could get glimpses of him depending on the position of the truck. We got the wind right and started a stalk. But it just wasn't meant to be. We'd already put the bull on alert by approaching too closely with the truck. With the cover he had, it was just a turn or two and he was gone. We decided to back out and relieve the pressure on him.
Back in the truck we go to now pursue the 3 curl kudu. We find him pretty close to where he was in the morning along with a quite a number of other bulls. We stalked him for awhile but it becomes apparent to us that he broke off from the other bulls. So we backed out to the truck and circle around to try and confirm he did break off. We see the other bulls he was with but not him and know he gave us the slip.
Taking a guess where he went and with light fading, Riaan felt he turned left when walking away from us to head to some other cover that the kudu liked. Turned out a good guess, with light fading fast we see him in some thick cover. Quick jump out of the truck and a short stalk later I have an opening in the thick brush just in front of him.....if he'll just continue to move forward.....which he does and walks right into the cross hairs of my scope. I take the shot confident it was a solid hit in the vitals. He bolts forward a bit but stops, a second shot is taken and he's down.
First animal is one I'm after and on the first day.....a great start to this 5 day hunt in RSA.
