There is some internet some of the time. This will be a lot better with pictures. Don’t think I can send those at this point but I’ll try.
Driver was on time but was 5:30 before we left after loading supplies. 11 1/2 hrs. Christophe says it’s 985 km from Brazzaville to camp. So roughly 600 miles. Speeds as high as 85 mph. Some things I noticed as we traveled:
Bush meat trade is still happening here. Saw a whole Bushbuck, hind quarter, cane rat and duiker for sale at different points along the highway. One at a toll booth. Not regulated
Roadside food/necessities are available roadside even in Africa. I saw charcoal, wood, yams, bananas and vegetables as well as cooked food along side the road. In and out of town. Usually sitting on the top of barrels.
The lack of cows was astonishing. Saw 1 in 3 hrs travel. Then a cattle ranch and then very few until almost to camp.
Very few dogs and no cat’s first 6 hrs. More dogs around out in the country.
No goats until a long ways out of Brazzaville. Has me puzzled. Everything is green with lots of grazing. Still haven’t seen a sheep yet.
I still hate speed bumps. Plenty along the way.
Roads seem to get very little maintenance. Chuck holes are common.
Camp is on the bank of Njoko river with Cameron on the other side. Beautiful camp. Apparently they abandoned some “camps” they hunted due to the elephant poaching. Same lodge just a different area. Poachers besides being potentially dangerous also tend to displace the shy Bongo and Sitatunga . Renders the area useless for their purposes.
We will use 2 main hunting methods. First is sitting in a machan. The only one I’ve been in so far is about 20 ft up and around 18X25 feet in size. We literally sleep in them in cots. He has motion sensors rigged to wake him when something comes to the salted water. Then with a thermal attached to the scope you can shoot if an opportunity arises. Get in them around 5 pm and stay till 6 am Or maybe later.
The second is tracking and dogs. I found out today that the dogs do no tracking. Only sight and sound. We had 5 pigmies and 6 dogs out today.
The first thing is to find a fresh track. Then play follow the leader through the jungle. The pigmies do the tracking and they are very good at it. When they loose the track they spread out to find it. Everybody but me has a machete to cut a path. This stuff ranges from just thick to really thick. You follow the Bongo to his bed and jump him hopefully within sight/sound of at least 1 dog. Then they bay the Bongo hopefully until the hunter arrives to make a shot.
Bruce
. Best of luck out there- waiting for your return and the tales of a glorious hunt !
