A good friend of mine once commented that africa is too easy to hunt. I’ll agree with that statement to a point. What you have to remember is that South Africa hunting is done on private property. So you can spot and stalk without encountering other hunters, dogs, four wheelers, farmers or nature lovers. The animals won’t be pressured by anyone else and there are many species, generally in good numbers-not like overhunted, over pressured game in the states. So you have time to find your quarry, plan and execute a stalk without fear of someone or something else screwing you up. And you have a professional to lead and guide you every step of the way-a guy who does this most of the year, day in day out-not some weekend warrior just hoping for a shot.
after eland my wish list did not contain much we could hunt on this home range, but I wanted to stay the whole day here. I approached Wik about adding waterbuck or even a second kudu to my list. We could target warthog or waterbuck or if we saw a big kudu we could stalk him. Wik couldn’t say no to such an offer. I kept the ,375 out and around 1430 we set out driving to the far edge and spotting/stalking into the wind. We were on a tall hill and picking out this or that when Wik pointed out the eland herd from this morning. The giant bull was gone, just cows bedded in low brush. Wik spotted (well everything) a half grown waterbuck bull and pointed it out. While searching for it in my binos I found a monster waterbuck. “Ummm Wik I think you are underestimating the age of that bull.”
“ no, John that is a new bull, and a very big one-we should go have a closer look.”
So we left X on the hilltop with a radio and we drove down to the valley floor. Said kind things to my wife such as, you can’t come this time so please stay here and don’t feed the jackals. Then Wik and myself went in a walk. Wind in our favor, moving quick and quiet. Jumped kudu on the way that ran a different path and worked around a feeding group of impala. Saw a lovely nyala bull. With X guiding us in we got to a plateau covered in chest high brush. Closer, closer, quietly. . . Suddenly Wik drops to a knee, me hiding behind him. He indicates with a single finger that the bull is right there! At this point I can hear his sides scrape the brush as he feeds and occasionally hear him chew. All Wik has seen is his horn tips and we know there are at least two bulls in here. Long waiting game. Finally we make an effort at getting my up on sticks. The two bulls less than 50 yards away blow out. We track them and X gives direction but we cannot get another opportunity. It is almost dark and the bulls and the warthogs and the Guinea fowl and the doves have all left the plateau. We are standing on the edge glassing with the last twenty minutes of light and Wik says rather casually-“big waterbuck there John.” He is facing us in a cut in the jungle below and Wik tells me, “not quite as big as the guy we are chasing, wider maybe but an inch or two shorter, maybe not as heavy but a shooter. Want to think about it?”
“Set up the sticks Wik, I love him.” I’m a waterbuck junkie. . .
The .375 hits him just on the shoulder rather than in front of it. He tries to run up a hill but can’t and lays right down behind a bush.
“he’s hit hard John, let’s just give him a minute, I’m sure he’s done.”
Im still on him and Wik whistles and claps his hands but he won’t stand. I think I have a gap in the bush and Wik gives me the go ahead for a second round. Perfect shright on the shoulder and he is dead. First shot went through him lengthwise, took one lung and the liver, then exited the guts in front of his offside rear leg, second shot passed through the shoulders taking the heart with it. 235 Barnes tsx have been awesome.
So yeah africa can be easy, but tonight we made the most of our stalk and shot and got rewarded for the effort. Africa is amazing that way.
Brought the troops in to pack him from the hill to the truck, love how they care for meat and capes here.
