ZAMBIA: SOUTH AFRICA: My Hunt With Takeri Reserve, Diekie Mueller Safaris & Coenraad Vermaak Safaris

Got my pics downloaded so a few more from Zambia. Hope you enjoy. Bruce

Puku
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Hot water heater
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roadside market
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Congrats on the other trophies as well! Love the color of the chobe bushbuck
 
So it was an interesting hunt last night. About a 2 hr drive to get to the orchard. Large commercial opperation owned by 3 brothers. Because of the beauty of the bushbuck they have not allowed any to be taken in the last 20 yrs. That is until the damage estimate from Bushbuck reached $100,000/yr. To give you an idea of the size of the operation they have 630 people picking peaches each day! Thats a lot of peaches.....
A son of one of the owners took us out. Slow start w/ only a couple of duiker and steinbuck seen. Finally after more than 1 1/2 hrs we saw a female. Then a male and female, but he was small. Then perhaps another 45 minutes later we saw another male/female. The male was perhaps 13 inches and Diekie was considering shooting him himself.... As we tried to get a better look we found a old ram bedded in the orchard. We immediately focused on him to see what he looked like.
He was bedded with only a bit of neck and head and perhaps 3/4 of his horns visable. Me moved in and got him to stand. He stood and started walking out of sight. Diekie said to shoot so I did. The bullet entered the ribs and wound up just under the skin on the far side. He made it about 3 ft..... Beautiful OLD ram. 14 1/2 inches. Good mass and incredible character to the horns. Very good trophy to start here with.
We went to see if we could turn up one for Diekie. Instead we found porcupines. As you might guess they are not welcome in an orchard..... The first we chased out and as he crossed the road to the fence I shot him. The second we also got out of the orchard and got as he went up a small hill. Didn't get a shot at 1 or perhaps 2 others. All in all a good night. 3 shots and 3 animals. Felt good about that.
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This morning we were up just a little late because it was 1:30 when we got in last night. A little about Diekie's place. Some places the bush is very thick and other more open. Lots of roads to give access. Lots of Blesbok and Impala. We also see good eland each time out. Some good looking gemsbuck are also there. He has 7 buffalso and I have yet to see one of them. The roan along with a very dark Giraffe are the 2 most photographed animals on the ranch. Why the Roan is so "switched on" is a bit of a mystery.
We started at 6AM at his preferred bedding site and started driving. Finally after an hour or so we found him back near his bedding area, probably looking to bed there again. We drove past and to the far side of the block. There we began our stalk. We were busted by a go-away bird (Gray Lowrey). After waiting a bit we carefully moved forward. He was on the move and we raced back to the fence hoping he would hit it and come towards us. Happened just that way and he busted us setting up the sticks. Back we trot to get to the far side where he went through yesterday. A road cutting over a small ridge. We glimpse him in the bush and he goes to the road and stops at the top of the ridge. We set the sticks and as I put the rifle on the sticks he takes off...... One more glimpse of him in the road and then we're done. We have pushed him as far as we dare. We don't want him to relocate or completely change his regular activities.
So we make a plan. Diekie asks if I'd like to try to take him with a crossbow from a blind. Sounds interesting so we're going to try that this aftn. Never know it might work better. The trick is which water and feed location will he come to? There are 2 in his immediate vicinity. We'll see what happens. Bruce A couple more pics from Diekies place.
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Nice bushbuck, congrats!
 
Nice bushbuck, congrats!
Thanks Reedy0312. He is more than 10 yrs old. The tips are down at least 1 inch from what they used to be according to Diekie.
So last yr. Diekie hosted Steve Scott from Safari Hunters Journal. They killed a buf with a crossbow. Well Steve left it with Diekie and I will try it. It is a Excaliber 380 with a scope. The target bolts and those with broadheads hit exactly the same spot. So we start at 20 yds. 2 shots both in center. 30 yds and the same. 40 yds and I'm still hitting the white aiming points on the target. This thing is wicked!. 50 yds and I miss my aiming point by 2-3 inches. A little wind being the most of the problem. Quite the setup. I am impressed with the accuracy of this unit.
So at 1 Pm its 98 degrees and we head to the blind. They are feeding and this is the regular time. We get in the blind and set up as they put out the feed. They light a piece of cow dung on fire to mask our scent. I was amazed at how fast animals came in. First the blesboks and soom thereafter some eland showed up. Then a Sable bull. Last but not least here comes our Roan. We have been on him for several hrs and he is as wary as any animal I've ever hunted. They are big and tough.
He finally comes in and starts to feed. Have to wait for some Blesboks to clear my shooting lane. Then its all together and I shoot him at 25 yds. He jumps back obviouslt hit and charges off at full speed. At first I'm excited and then as we review some video footage it looks a little low and my heart sinks... After less than 15 min. we take his tracks. After 100 yds I'm getting worried. At 200 there is still good blood, but he is still running full out. Then we see him down. He went perhaps 250 yds or a bit more....
Curiouse about the shot I spend some time as they skin and clean him. That bolt went through the heart!. He went a LONG ways for a heart shot. He is 27 inches with 9 inch bases. Diekie thinks he could be in the top 5 SCI for crossbow. I have never registered a trophy, but may do this one....... I'll get some pics posted later. This will finish my hunting here for now. I still have 1 1/2 days to play. May do some animal photography. Who knows. We have drained my pocketbook. But I still have a 7 animal package in the Kalahari still to come. This trip has been exceptional so far and is looking to be my best African experience to date.
I had been thinking of getting a crossbow at home. This probably seals the deal. It looks like 50 yds is doable with a setup like this. Pretty dang cool. Bruce
 
Roan pics or it didn't happen!
 
Animals crowding in to feed. Note the Sable in the back.
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Greater Southern Roan.
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Heart w/ bolt hole through it.
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Body size of Roan. I'm 210 lbs and 5'10''.
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Those are super trophies and both the bushbuck and roan look to be great old warriors to take.

I think you thinking your shot was low is a good lesson for us all how low there vitals are really. You made the perfect heart shot in the end.

Looking forward to the next stop on your trip
 
Awesome and congrats! Once you get addicted to the crossbow, it is all you want to hunt with. Congratulations!
 
Very nice, congrats on the roan! And yes a good shooting crossbow is addictive!
 
Okay....it happened. Well done Bruce!
 
Congrats on the roan, I'm jealous, always wanted one myself!
 
So I went out to a blind with the crossbow t o see if a cull Impala might come in. Rained last night and windy today. No Impala. Did have some animals come in. Heres their pics. Bruce
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Lets see if a few more will load.....
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bruce just want to say it was great that you finally made it to hunt with us and take some really nice trophies, and thanks for the great hunt report. we all had a real good time with you and hope you will come and see us again, and maybe we can head down to kingfisher to catch a few tigerfish as well. good to see the sa part of your trip is going real well also. cheers mike
 
Seems you guys need some leg hold traps for two legged beasts.

Hope you find that bull sooner than later.

Safe travels Bruce.

patsy and bluey found and shot it when i was taking bruce to ndola airport. long horn was 40 inches . dont have anymore info as after dropping bruce i drove to lusaka to drop some cruiser parts off. PeteG came to the airport to say hi to bruce.
 
Wouldn't want it to ruin your hunt, but looking at that kudu I do hope a deluge of rain hits southern Africa soon.
I hear you. I commented to Diekie how thin and rough he looked. He tells me that the light rain and wind had him looking a little rougher than what he actually is. They like to eat leaves. If you look at the pics there are virtually none. They got 1/2 inch last Tue night. Another 2.5mm last night and more is in the forecast. Looks like a front coming through.
About a 50% chance at Kimberly on Wed, my transfer day. It is coming and I hope that they get what they need.
Went to a new blind w/ the crossbow this aftn to look for a young warthog. Has stepped on a piece of PVC and his foot has grown around it. Limping and the foot is swollen. Freash feed out and here come the waterbucks. In less than 20 min had about 13 of them around. Then the warthog and his brother show up. Took between 10 and 15 min to get a clear shot. Finally everybody moved enough to give me a clear lane. At the shot he took off. Only about 60 yds and down. Quartering away and it blew out his front leg. The bolt went over 100 yds. Lots further than the pig.
We then used a air rifle to to shoot 3 Francolin for dinner. That was also fun. Made for a nice relaxing day with no pressure. Cooler today, only upper 80's.... Lets see if some more pics will attach. Bruce
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