JES Adventures
AH elite
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
- Messages
- 1,479
- Reaction score
- 6,900
- Location
- Texas
- Website
- ranchinvestments.com
- Deals & offers
- 1
- Media
- 312
- Articles
- 2
- Member of
- Life Member of SCI, DSC, GSCO, HSC, NRA and FNAWS
- Hunted
- Botswana, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, RSA, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. US, Canada, Arctic, Mexico, Argentina, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, U.K., Romania, Tadjikistan, Turkey, Nepal, China, Australia and New Zealand
Day 11
I had a great night sleep and woke fully refreshed. We had coffee and cake then hit the road at 6:30. We got to the first waterhole at 7:05 to find a herd of one Roan with a beautiful bull, fully mature in the 25-26” range. His body in perfect condition, horns being broomed back with short tips.
The Roan trotted off and we went to put the Baboon guts out to bait the Mongoose this evening. While we checked the water hole for tracks Francois found a drag where a lion had killed something. We followed and fifty or so yards away was a dead calf, partially eaten. Most likely happened late in the night as it is not even stiff year. The trackers pulled it out and we built a blind.
We moved on the to another place to spend the morning. While driving we saw Oribi, Warthog and some Patas Monkey. Francois commented that this troop is headed towards the place we will sit. At 8:19 we set up over the water hole where we saw the big Roan last week in pursuit of Patas Monkey.
I watched more the seventy Baboon come to water, feed and play for more than an hour. Countless Warthogs came with a few very nice trophy males. Around 9:45 a Patas male came across a large open area and climbed a tree straight across from us about a hundred yards. He watches and waits before coming to water. He has about 35 yards of open ground before getting to the water. Around ten a couple of Baboons went over to the tree and about fifteen minutes later they climbed the tree and the Patas jumped out and went away.
A group of five Ostrich moved ever so carefully towards the water and after nearly a half hour the Patas felt comfortable and here he came. He ran straight to the water to drink, and I settled the crosshairs. I was shooting through some small acacia, but everything appeared clear in the scope. I squeezed the trigger and he jumped and ran about 30 yards. I missed again and just can’t explain it. I tried another shot with the .22 and held high to guesstimate for the drop but missed again. The dust flew behind, so he took off and then slowed down once he reached the bush. We watched him walk away.
Less than ten minutes later Hameed said “Patas”, and some females came from the left. Francois said, “get ready the male is behind”. So, I shifted my position and got ready. Two females ran across a small opening, one went back the other stayed and climbed a tree. I have not yet seen the male and after some time, the female when back and now we cannot see them.
It seemed like a half hour past but here they come again. Four to five females made way across then a couple went to drink. Francois whispered, “the male is coming”. Then I saw him appear. I followed him in the scope through the bush and when he came to a stop,
I put the crosshairs behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. He jumped on the air and took off with the troop. Melcom reviewed the footage and said, “he’s hit, center mass a little back”. We went into the bush the direction they ran and the four of us looked for about twenty minutes. Then we went back to the blind and Francois watched the video footage. He then said, “he’s dead, that’s a good hit”. The problem is the .22 solid passed right through him and he would go some distance before dying.
Francois called the car and we spread out in a line and started sweeping the area. After about fifteen minutes we hear Hameed calling. He found the monkey about a hundred fifty yards from us. When we approached, we could see him lying there and Hameed said, “he is not finished”. So, Francois walked up and touched his ear with the shotgun barrel, nothing. Then when he pushed the head the Patas came up with a bark. I quickly put a finisher in him, and it was over. The largest bodied monkey I have ever hunted, they are no doubt tough. I was very grateful to Hameed and all of the team for their efforts to recover my trophy.
It was 1:00 when we reached the truck, and we will take the monkey back to camp and celebrate with a beer. This was a tough animal for me, and I am so happy to have collected it.
On our way back to camp we had a nice Kudu bull cross the road in front of us, a shootable bull for sure and there was a younger bull with him.
After a nice lunch and rest we headed back out at 4:30 to go sit over the bait. Ten minutes into the drive we saw a nice Gazelle Ram, so Melcom stalked it to take some video footage. We got to the blind at 5:14. The smell of the dead cow and Warthog guts reminded me of blood bait we use to catch catfish back home in Texas.
Within just a few minutes a pair of Oribi appeared and the male was quite nice so I whispered to Francois if we should take him and he knodded yes. I repositioned the chair carefully and got on the 300. When he stopped, I put the crosshairs behind the should and squeezed the trigger. The Oribi was down instantly so made a quick recovery and a few photos then got back to the blind.
Just at sunset the sand grouse starred pouring in and they continued until it was completely dark. There had to be more than a hundred at the small water hole, it was quite the experience.
Back to camp for a shower and a lovely dinner of Kudu filet and potatoes. Tomorrow is the last day so we will make the best of it. Still in search of the elusive Egyptian Mongoose.
I had a great night sleep and woke fully refreshed. We had coffee and cake then hit the road at 6:30. We got to the first waterhole at 7:05 to find a herd of one Roan with a beautiful bull, fully mature in the 25-26” range. His body in perfect condition, horns being broomed back with short tips.
The Roan trotted off and we went to put the Baboon guts out to bait the Mongoose this evening. While we checked the water hole for tracks Francois found a drag where a lion had killed something. We followed and fifty or so yards away was a dead calf, partially eaten. Most likely happened late in the night as it is not even stiff year. The trackers pulled it out and we built a blind.
We moved on the to another place to spend the morning. While driving we saw Oribi, Warthog and some Patas Monkey. Francois commented that this troop is headed towards the place we will sit. At 8:19 we set up over the water hole where we saw the big Roan last week in pursuit of Patas Monkey.
I watched more the seventy Baboon come to water, feed and play for more than an hour. Countless Warthogs came with a few very nice trophy males. Around 9:45 a Patas male came across a large open area and climbed a tree straight across from us about a hundred yards. He watches and waits before coming to water. He has about 35 yards of open ground before getting to the water. Around ten a couple of Baboons went over to the tree and about fifteen minutes later they climbed the tree and the Patas jumped out and went away.
A group of five Ostrich moved ever so carefully towards the water and after nearly a half hour the Patas felt comfortable and here he came. He ran straight to the water to drink, and I settled the crosshairs. I was shooting through some small acacia, but everything appeared clear in the scope. I squeezed the trigger and he jumped and ran about 30 yards. I missed again and just can’t explain it. I tried another shot with the .22 and held high to guesstimate for the drop but missed again. The dust flew behind, so he took off and then slowed down once he reached the bush. We watched him walk away.
Less than ten minutes later Hameed said “Patas”, and some females came from the left. Francois said, “get ready the male is behind”. So, I shifted my position and got ready. Two females ran across a small opening, one went back the other stayed and climbed a tree. I have not yet seen the male and after some time, the female when back and now we cannot see them.
It seemed like a half hour past but here they come again. Four to five females made way across then a couple went to drink. Francois whispered, “the male is coming”. Then I saw him appear. I followed him in the scope through the bush and when he came to a stop,
I put the crosshairs behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. He jumped on the air and took off with the troop. Melcom reviewed the footage and said, “he’s hit, center mass a little back”. We went into the bush the direction they ran and the four of us looked for about twenty minutes. Then we went back to the blind and Francois watched the video footage. He then said, “he’s dead, that’s a good hit”. The problem is the .22 solid passed right through him and he would go some distance before dying.
Francois called the car and we spread out in a line and started sweeping the area. After about fifteen minutes we hear Hameed calling. He found the monkey about a hundred fifty yards from us. When we approached, we could see him lying there and Hameed said, “he is not finished”. So, Francois walked up and touched his ear with the shotgun barrel, nothing. Then when he pushed the head the Patas came up with a bark. I quickly put a finisher in him, and it was over. The largest bodied monkey I have ever hunted, they are no doubt tough. I was very grateful to Hameed and all of the team for their efforts to recover my trophy.
It was 1:00 when we reached the truck, and we will take the monkey back to camp and celebrate with a beer. This was a tough animal for me, and I am so happy to have collected it.
On our way back to camp we had a nice Kudu bull cross the road in front of us, a shootable bull for sure and there was a younger bull with him.
After a nice lunch and rest we headed back out at 4:30 to go sit over the bait. Ten minutes into the drive we saw a nice Gazelle Ram, so Melcom stalked it to take some video footage. We got to the blind at 5:14. The smell of the dead cow and Warthog guts reminded me of blood bait we use to catch catfish back home in Texas.
Within just a few minutes a pair of Oribi appeared and the male was quite nice so I whispered to Francois if we should take him and he knodded yes. I repositioned the chair carefully and got on the 300. When he stopped, I put the crosshairs behind the should and squeezed the trigger. The Oribi was down instantly so made a quick recovery and a few photos then got back to the blind.
Just at sunset the sand grouse starred pouring in and they continued until it was completely dark. There had to be more than a hundred at the small water hole, it was quite the experience.
Back to camp for a shower and a lovely dinner of Kudu filet and potatoes. Tomorrow is the last day so we will make the best of it. Still in search of the elusive Egyptian Mongoose.
