SOUTH AFRICA: 2019 Hunt With JKO Safaris

[Buff-Buster]

Beautiful bull Phil! Well done buddy!

 

[AZDAVE]

Nice sable! The free state reminds me of NE Wyoming. Challenging to hunt open spaces but very rewarding. Keep the report going

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Sorry guys, been meaning to get back to this, but the return to work and family has kept me busy.

So we had several great days at Sandy Mount. Kevin started hot, taking a number of species he was after. But as hunting goes, things sometimes turn and he was in a bit of a lull as we finished up our time there. But that's ok, that's what make you appreciate hunting.

We now headed north to another property northwest of Johannesburg, specifically near Groot Marico. This is great kudu and nyala country and that is what we're after for Kevin. For me, I'm still interested in a mountain reedbuck and they have those here too. While Kevin and I have been hunting 2x1 at Sandy Mount, Jacques' long time partner Ockert has now joined the party. Okie is hunting with KJ and I'm hunting with Jacques.

The property is very hilly and is a hunting paradise for kudu. The land is privately owned and only limited hunting occurs here by the family and their friends. In the 2 and 1/2 days we spend here, I saw as many kudu that I would call shooters as I have in all of my previous hunts. Did I take one? Well.......no. I'm being picky and want one at least in the 54-55" range. Jacques and I do see one bull that got us quite excited. The right horn was long with good curls and the last curl completed with the tip pointing out. What about the left horn? Where is it? Must be hidden by that tree........ummm no......it's broken.......damn!

However, back to the first morning there. We spot a fairly sizable herd of blue wildebeest coming up out of a valley in front of us. I have a blue and unless something special shows up, I'm not inclined to take one. Well something showed up that we deemed special. Not because of size, but because of age and the character of his horns. He is an old bull and he has seen his share of fighting. But he appears to be declining.

So a roughly 190 yard shot with my .375 puts an end to the old bulls life. The North Fork hit just a bit on the back side of the left shoulder and blew through the middle of the right shoulder. I racked another round and got him in my scope as he spun around and Jacques telling me not to bother as he was dead if not down. I picked up the bull in my scope and yes, the blood was coming out like a fountain and the bull dropped a moment later. These North Fork 250gr .375s usually on the larger animals would be found under the skin of the offside. That the bullet passed through and kicked up dust shows how in decline the old bull really was.

One last hunt with Bullet, he's getting a bit older now and I'm not sure I'll get to hunt with him again:

Check out the drop, the worn off points and the beat up bosses:

And those worn down teeth:

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So one other animal I've taken, but wanted another was a zebra. I had a rug made out of my first which I've given to my older son. As we meandered around a bend, we came across a herd which with the wind and some good luck did not detect our presence. I made a shot on a stallion from about 150 yards if I recall correctly. Quartering away shot, but not too severe an angle and I felt confident in taking the shot and just as confident I'd made the shot.

But the zebra took off and kept going......and going........and going. Initially they headed downhill and then reversed course and went back up. The stallion staying with the herd for awhile. But eventually he broke off from the mares, a good sign. And he's leaving blood wherever he goes. After several kilometers of following and even seeing the stallion at times, he has worn out enough that this can be ended. A couple shots to the shoulder anchors him.

So what happened with that first shot? As many here on AH know, I'm a big fan of North Fork bullets. Between myself, my two sons, my wife and now Kevin, I've seen these perform over and over again with boring reliability. And everything I've ever read from others who use these bullets echoes the same.

I'm not inclined to drop this bullet based on one bad experience, but something happened here that I can only attribute to the bullet not performing as expected. As mentioned the shot was a quartering away, but Jacques and I on inspection both agreed that the shot placement was good and the bullet should have carried into the heart/lungs area of the zebra. But quite clearly it did not. We also agreed that it was a clear shot to the stallion and we did not think any brush had an effect here. So what exactly happened? It beats me but this is the strangest looking would I've ever seen on an animal, take a look. The front of the animal is to the left side of pic, back to the right and belly to the top. So it looks like the bullet made a significant diversion downward at impact and also away from the line to carry into the interior of the zebra.

With great help again from Bullet, the zebra was down in the end and a nice back pattern.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I just noticed that the pic of the wound on the zebra was rotated since I posted it. The back of the stallion is now on the left side of the pic, belly on the right and you can see the animal's right shoulder at the top.

 

[cpr0312]

Love the character of that old blue wb!! Congrats

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So the zebra would be my last animal taken on the hunt. Jacques and I did manage to get to within 90 yards of a group of mountain reedbuck. We were waiting for them to come out from behind a tree for quite sometime. Unfortunately when they did, they did so heading straight away from us and did not offer a shot and the ram that was with them is still roaming about.

I do hope to go back to this area again for kudu. A 60" or so bull was taken here last year and there are lots of bulls on the property. I would suggest going later in the winter when more leaves are off the bush. The bush was still quite lush and it would only take a step or two for a bull to disappear.

And we did see our share of nyala. They liked the lowland areas and we saw several nice bulls. This property also has a number of waterholes on it, including a big dam in the lodge area. You can watch a pair of hippos there and also crocs.

I'll have a pic of one bullet for you later @tarbe, the one used on the sable.

 

[jeff]

Love the drop on that Blue!!

 

[Wheels]

Love the topography of the first ranch along with the accommodations. The sable is fantastic and the wildebeest ancient.

Great to see Bullet is still able to hunt.

Glad you got KJ indoctrinated in to African hunting the right way! Thanks for the report.

 

[BeeMaa]

That Blue Wildebeest is a beauty, exactly what I was looking for on my trip.
I didn't notice the top teeth on mine, but the bottom was worn flush with the palate the same as yours.

As for the Zebra and the strange wound on the animals left side...
Just to clarify, you shot at the left side of the animal and he was quartering away from you at the time.
The entry of the bullet left that gash on the skin?
Or was that gash the exit?
Was the first bullet recovered, pass through or lost?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

That Blue Wildebeest is a beauty, exactly what I was looking for on my trip.
I didn't notice the top teeth on mine, but the bottom was worn flush with the palate the same as yours.

As for the Zebra and the strange wound on the animals left side...
Just to clarify, you shot at the left side of the animal and he was quartering away from you at the time.
The entry of the bullet left that gash on the skin?
Or was that gash the exit?
Was the first bullet recovered, pass through or lost?

Blue Wildebeest don't have upper teeth, so you wouldn't have seen any.

On the zebra pic showing the wound, that is the right side of the zebra. The pic got rotated after initial posting, so my initial post can be confusing. Now, at the top of the pic you can see the stallion's right shoulder. The shot was intended to travel somewhat right to left into the vitals. In the pic showing the animal's back, you can see Jacques' other dog Roxy. She is licking at that wound.

The roughly 5" wound I can only attribute to the bullet and is on entry. But how exactly that happened.......? Unfortunately no bullets were recovered and I also wasn't around to see the animal gutted, so I really don't have any sort of information beyond what I've provided in the post.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thanks for the clarification.
As for the bullet...it seems that it will remain a mystery.
Glad for all concerned that the Zebra ended the day in the salt, and not on the hoof.
BTW - I really like the pattern it has down the back.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@tarbe,

Not a great pic. But it's pretty much a perfect mushroom. 87% weight retention, a little less than the 90-95% I usually see with the North Forks. Sable bull didn't seem to notice however.

 

[cls]

Well done, some very nice animals. Congrats and thanks for your report.

 

[BeeMaa]

The 250 grain bullets are generally moving faster than the 300's, maybe 2900fps+ vs 2500fps for 300's.
Combine that with the relatively close distance of 100 yards and that would most likely account for the <90% weight retention.
Simply wearing off the lead as it slows down.

 

[Wheels]

Is this your idea of a full length sable coat for your wife.

 

[SSG Joe]

Beautiful Sable! Beautiful countryside.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Beautiful Sable! Beautiful countryside.

Thanks. The Sandy Mount area would remind you a bit of parts of west Texas. Very open in places and a bit higher in elevation. It gets quite chilly there during the RSA winter.

 

[Gerry Addison]

I hunted Sandy Mount with Alex Goss and it is everything you say and more. Vella is a wonderful man and great PH who guided my good friend. We both have a report on this site covering our hunt there. Would return then in an instant. Congratulations on your Sable. There are many more there!