Wish me luck!!!

[Forage&Hunt]

Since about 1995/96 I've been hunting most plains game that I could afford. I shot my first blue wildebeest in about 2006. 1 shot on an old cow that was quartering away. She dropped on the spot. for a few years thereafter, I shot blue wildebeests every year. Love the meat, love the biltong, love the hunt.

Over the last decade or so, I shot a variety of other plains game (impalas, springbokke, eland, kudus etc).
About 3 years ago I was on a hunt in Marblehall, and went for a massive wildebeest bull. He was about 120 m away and facing me head on. Lesson 1 - Me thinking - damn I've got this. Clean shot ------only to fire and pooooof gone. I hit him, and spent 2 days looking for him. Apart from the cost and kicking myself afterwards, I felt terrible that there is an animal out there that is suffering cos of my stupidity.
He was never found by the farmer.

Fast forward to last year, I went to a hunting farm that I use frequently. Not the cheapest but by far the best place I've hunted at. I shot an impala ewe for a friend, a kudu cow and finally decided on a wildebeest cow......

On my last day of the hunt, I came across the herd. I had the perfect cow standing broadside. The PH said shoot shoot shoot...... I needed to redeem myself from the mistake in Marblehall. I aimed just above and behind her right shoulder, and took the shot. She was about 90m away.

POOOOOOOOOOOOF Gone. Now i am no expert marksman by any means, but my grouping and shooting isn't half bad. We tracked blood spoor and spent hours and hours and hours looking with no luck. another expensive mistake and feeling even worse based on my previous experience.

Now as stated above, I have hunted over 30 animals in my life and those 2 are the only 2 that I've injured and got away. 2 out of 14 wildebeest over the years.

So, I now have an opportunity to shoot a wildebeest cow tomorrow in the Dinokeng area. My nerves are shot. I didn't sleep. Ive been studying shot placements all week.

Lessons learnt:
*Windgat (over confidence) is your enemy
*Wildebeest aren't built like other animals
*They're tough as nuts (not a poor mans buffalo for nothing)
*Take your time and don't get rushed against your judgement
*No animal deserves to suffer


So please wish me luck, send your thoughts and prayers and feel free to share any tips you may have.

I am certain there are hundreds of threads on the challenge a BWB can give....so sorry to add to that. But phew i need all the motivation i can get.

Shooting tomorrow with Ruger MK77 MKii 30-06 synthetic stock . 180gr

 

[Forage&Hunt]

This is how my desk looks at the moment

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Shoot on the shoulder not behind the shoulder
Straight up the leg 1/3 to 1/2 way up the body and u good

 

[AZDAVE]

1/3 of the way up on the shoulder.

I prefer 338 and bigger for wildebeest, but the 06 will do the job with proper shot placement

 

[Forage&Hunt]

T

Shoot on the shoulder not behind the shoulder
Straight up the leg 1/3 to 1/2 way up the body and u thank

Since about 1995/96 I've been hunting most plains game that I could afford. I shot my first blue wildebeest in about 2006. 1 shot on an old cow that was quartering away. She dropped on the spot. for a few years thereafter, I shot blue wildebeests every year. Love the meat, love the biltong, love the hunt.

Over the last decade or so, I shot a variety of other plains game (impalas, springbokke, eland, kudus etc).
About 3 years ago I was on a hunt in Marblehall, and went for a massive wildebeest bull. He was about 120 m away and facing me head on. Lesson 1 - Me thinking - damn I've got this. Clean shot ------only to fire and pooooof gone. I hit him, and spent 2 days looking for him. Apart from the cost and kicking myself afterwards, I felt terrible that there is an animal out there that is suffering cos of my stupidity.
He was never found by the farmer.

Fast forward to last year, I went to a hunting farm that I use frequently. Not the cheapest but by far the best place I've hunted at. I shot an impala ewe for a friend, a kudu cow and finally decided on a wildebeest cow......

On my last day of the hunt, I came across the herd. I had the perfect cow standing broadside. The PH said shoot shoot shoot...... I needed to redeem myself from the mistake in Marblehall. I aimed just above and behind her right shoulder, and took the shot. She was about 90m away.

POOOOOOOOOOOOF Gone. Now i am no expert marksman by any means, but my grouping and shooting isn't half bad. We tracked blood spoor and spent hours and hours and hours looking with no luck. another expensive mistake and feeling even worse based on my previous experience.

Now as stated above, I have hunted over 30 animals in my life and those 2 are the only 2 that I've injured and got away. 2 out of 14 wildebeest over the years.

So, I now have an opportunity to shoot a wildebeest cow tomorrow in the Dinokeng area. My nerves are shot. I didn't sleep. Ive been studying shot placements all week.

Lessons learnt:
*Windgat (over confidence) is your enemy
*Wildebeest aren't built like other animals
*They're tough as nuts (not a poor mans buffalo for nothing)
*Take your time and don't get rushed against your judgement
*No animal deserves to suffer


So please wish me luck, send your thoughts and prayers and feel free to share any tips you may have.

I am certain there are hundreds of threads on the challenge a BWB can give....so sorry to add to that. But phew i need all the motivation i can get.

Shooting tomorrow with Ruger MK77 MKii 30-06 synthetic stock . 180gr

So....it was a wonderful successful hunt in the freezing cold rain. 1 shot at approx 160 to 170m walk and stalk. Decent double lung shot with 30.06 180gr hornady factory ammo. Dressed carcass weight 91kgs

 

[Tintin]

Well done.

I think the most important point you make is:

*Take your time and don't get rushed against your judgement

Good advice for us all

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Not sure what you’re shooting ammo wise, but make sure you’re shooting a quality bonded bullet. Your issue might not be shot placement, it could be the bullets terminal performance. You might be getting code/jacket separation, or the bullet could be grenading on impact and not penetrating to the vitals or past/through the scapula.

Shoot 1/3 of the way up the front leg, directly on the shoulder if they’re broadside. If it’s quartering to you, on the point of the shoulder 1/3 of the way up. Quartering away shoot 1/3 of the way up just behind the shoulder so your bullet exits through the middle of the shoulder.