TimoJ
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- Oct 14, 2014
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- Hunted
- Finland, South Africa: Freestate, Limpopo
First timer in RSA... at Stormbergsafaris farm, Pieter and Henriette van Zyl
Met Pieter van Zyl in Finland year before the trip. He was in our group in shooting competition (reservists 3gun), and had really fun with him. When competition was over, he invited me for a hunting trip to his farm. The hook started to get a grip, reading everything about hunting in Africa.. You know, once in lifetime etc.
On March 27th arrived to JNB with Jari and Ville, picked up by Gerritt (DH) and 300km drive to farm started. No sleep in car, camera in hand all the time.
Before arrival to farm.
After quick change of clothing going to sight in the rifles. We had no own guns with us, Pieter took care of suitable rifles. .243 and 30-06 Mausers did fine.
Neighbour called to Pieter that some runaway boars are mauling his field ,maybe we could help?
Result, got them all
The biggest black pig is mine. Broadside shot from 80 meters with .243, boar jumped backwards and toppled over. When stalking to get a shot, got the first touch of akacia bush. Survived by reversing out of it and pulling the spikes out of jacket. Next time remembered to move branches away...
Day 2
Up at 5am, could not sleep more and got out to get some coffee. Nice sunrise. On bakkie we jump and go to the hills, trying to bag an Impala. The area is highveld, base about 1400m over sealevel so breathing gets heavy on hills. Climbing one channelside up, Pieter sees one nice Impala on the other side, 120m away. Sitting down on rock he lifts sticks front of me, moving slowly to not scare Impala away and showing me thumb-up. Took my time with breathing, squeezed shot. Full frontal position, hit a bit low on purpose because shooting uphill. Impala took couple steps back and toppled, luckily got jammed between rocks and did not fall down rocky hillside.
Day 3
Up at 5am, now going to (try) find a Warthog. Going to near LeSotho border, sweaty morning in bush and no Hogs found. Tracks were found, surprised of the footprint size so small. Instead of more hunting, went to a Lionfarm. Even though there is fence between us and lions, I feel fully awake and goosebumps...
He did not look too friendly to me. Pic from 1m, wanted those eyes. This is my wallpaper, just because of the eyes.
Day 4
Up 5am... Going to see if there is any Springbok for me behind the hills. Many stalks and lots of sweat later we could not get to a good position for a shot. Gerritt saw some Blesboks down veld, checked if any possibilities to shoot a nice one. Practically fell down hillside behind bushes, saw couple of white blesboks fighting. Got into a good position for a broadside shot 150m away, the high grass was only troubling and had to aim alittle high. Squeezed one .243 off, Gerritt said "good hit" and was running away to measure the horns... I opened bolt and walked after. After the shot the bok fell backwards kicking, could see the feet over grass.
Hit visible in middle of bloodmark and yes, I know if hit even a bit higher it would be a running day for us...
(16 1/2")
Day 5
Up at 5, after quick coffee (Got an addiction to Ricoffy) in bakkie and off we go for a Warthog. Again close to LeSotho border, this time mountain area.
Pieter saw one old hog feeding a mile away, started to close him. He just fooled us three times, we walked couple miles after him and returned to hillside for a look. The Hog came after us and popped up the hillside 50m away, no way I could turn towards him for a proper shot and off he went again. We went after... Pieter walked front of me, I asked for shooting permission if see the hog. Seconds after I could hear the hog leaving downhill from near bush, saw it through an opening- leading on neck from high above. Bang and squeelll, the echo from mountains, second in neck to be sure. This is what I came here for, and for this I will come back..
Not too big teeth because of hard terrain digging, look good on my library wall anyway..
Opening in bush I shot from, Hog was running towards camera direction. Aim was towards front shoulders to get hit in boilerroom, lungs were totally messed.
Another pic
No way to get Bakkie down there, so we carried it uphill. Naa, we are grown up males, it was not heavy... On the other side of mountain guys found nothing. They asked us "Did you hear two shots?" No I did not, ears ringing-- blood dripping from bakkie, had to admit
Day 6
Visited a taxidermy in Bloemfontain area, Kôtôkô taxidermy. Very good service and trophies are of exellent quality. Top restaurant and accommodation in there too. Then some wingshooting at sunflowerfields, some 10 000 Rockpidgeons circling around all day. I am no wingshooter anymore, the eyes let me down..
The staff and DeutchDrahhaar did pick up the birds, I got the shells and sore shoulder.
Day 7
I did take some more fotos of the scenery, some 830 of them alltogether. Better to have some pics, they are nice to watch when at home in winter -20c and half a meter of snow outside.
Messed a shot when trying a good Sprinbok, just jerked the trigger. Hit in throat, wounded and after 5 mile run after it lost in bush. Jackals got some food next night and I really hated to lose wounded animal. Looking into a mirror and asking "What were you really thinking"... Remains were found later near the place we had to give up.
Day 8
Preparing to leave for JNB Or Tambo. Lucky us we left early, N1 was totally jammed because of trucks colliding. Several rescue units and a evac chopper on scene. Had to make other way around through bushes and dirtroads. Caught the plane..
About Stormberg, as a first timer it was like a family gathering and hunting. Everything good, food great and the laughter around the fireplace will not be forgotten. I got a sore face after three days because of laughing and joking (No hits received).
Thank You Pieter, Henriette, Gerritt and staff for taking good care of us. Unforgettable sports vacation, just what we wanted.
Planetickets in pocket for next may... This time with rifle and revolver. Thats it for "Once in lifetime"
TimoJ
Met Pieter van Zyl in Finland year before the trip. He was in our group in shooting competition (reservists 3gun), and had really fun with him. When competition was over, he invited me for a hunting trip to his farm. The hook started to get a grip, reading everything about hunting in Africa.. You know, once in lifetime etc.
On March 27th arrived to JNB with Jari and Ville, picked up by Gerritt (DH) and 300km drive to farm started. No sleep in car, camera in hand all the time.
Before arrival to farm.
After quick change of clothing going to sight in the rifles. We had no own guns with us, Pieter took care of suitable rifles. .243 and 30-06 Mausers did fine.
Neighbour called to Pieter that some runaway boars are mauling his field ,maybe we could help?
Result, got them all
The biggest black pig is mine. Broadside shot from 80 meters with .243, boar jumped backwards and toppled over. When stalking to get a shot, got the first touch of akacia bush. Survived by reversing out of it and pulling the spikes out of jacket. Next time remembered to move branches away...
Day 2
Up at 5am, could not sleep more and got out to get some coffee. Nice sunrise. On bakkie we jump and go to the hills, trying to bag an Impala. The area is highveld, base about 1400m over sealevel so breathing gets heavy on hills. Climbing one channelside up, Pieter sees one nice Impala on the other side, 120m away. Sitting down on rock he lifts sticks front of me, moving slowly to not scare Impala away and showing me thumb-up. Took my time with breathing, squeezed shot. Full frontal position, hit a bit low on purpose because shooting uphill. Impala took couple steps back and toppled, luckily got jammed between rocks and did not fall down rocky hillside.
Day 3
Up at 5am, now going to (try) find a Warthog. Going to near LeSotho border, sweaty morning in bush and no Hogs found. Tracks were found, surprised of the footprint size so small. Instead of more hunting, went to a Lionfarm. Even though there is fence between us and lions, I feel fully awake and goosebumps...
He did not look too friendly to me. Pic from 1m, wanted those eyes. This is my wallpaper, just because of the eyes.
Day 4
Up 5am... Going to see if there is any Springbok for me behind the hills. Many stalks and lots of sweat later we could not get to a good position for a shot. Gerritt saw some Blesboks down veld, checked if any possibilities to shoot a nice one. Practically fell down hillside behind bushes, saw couple of white blesboks fighting. Got into a good position for a broadside shot 150m away, the high grass was only troubling and had to aim alittle high. Squeezed one .243 off, Gerritt said "good hit" and was running away to measure the horns... I opened bolt and walked after. After the shot the bok fell backwards kicking, could see the feet over grass.
Hit visible in middle of bloodmark and yes, I know if hit even a bit higher it would be a running day for us...
(16 1/2")
Day 5
Up at 5, after quick coffee (Got an addiction to Ricoffy) in bakkie and off we go for a Warthog. Again close to LeSotho border, this time mountain area.
Pieter saw one old hog feeding a mile away, started to close him. He just fooled us three times, we walked couple miles after him and returned to hillside for a look. The Hog came after us and popped up the hillside 50m away, no way I could turn towards him for a proper shot and off he went again. We went after... Pieter walked front of me, I asked for shooting permission if see the hog. Seconds after I could hear the hog leaving downhill from near bush, saw it through an opening- leading on neck from high above. Bang and squeelll, the echo from mountains, second in neck to be sure. This is what I came here for, and for this I will come back..
Not too big teeth because of hard terrain digging, look good on my library wall anyway..
Opening in bush I shot from, Hog was running towards camera direction. Aim was towards front shoulders to get hit in boilerroom, lungs were totally messed.
Another pic
No way to get Bakkie down there, so we carried it uphill. Naa, we are grown up males, it was not heavy... On the other side of mountain guys found nothing. They asked us "Did you hear two shots?" No I did not, ears ringing-- blood dripping from bakkie, had to admit
Day 6
Visited a taxidermy in Bloemfontain area, Kôtôkô taxidermy. Very good service and trophies are of exellent quality. Top restaurant and accommodation in there too. Then some wingshooting at sunflowerfields, some 10 000 Rockpidgeons circling around all day. I am no wingshooter anymore, the eyes let me down..
The staff and DeutchDrahhaar did pick up the birds, I got the shells and sore shoulder.
Day 7
I did take some more fotos of the scenery, some 830 of them alltogether. Better to have some pics, they are nice to watch when at home in winter -20c and half a meter of snow outside.
Messed a shot when trying a good Sprinbok, just jerked the trigger. Hit in throat, wounded and after 5 mile run after it lost in bush. Jackals got some food next night and I really hated to lose wounded animal. Looking into a mirror and asking "What were you really thinking"... Remains were found later near the place we had to give up.
Day 8
Preparing to leave for JNB Or Tambo. Lucky us we left early, N1 was totally jammed because of trucks colliding. Several rescue units and a evac chopper on scene. Had to make other way around through bushes and dirtroads. Caught the plane..
About Stormberg, as a first timer it was like a family gathering and hunting. Everything good, food great and the laughter around the fireplace will not be forgotten. I got a sore face after three days because of laughing and joking (No hits received).
Thank You Pieter, Henriette, Gerritt and staff for taking good care of us. Unforgettable sports vacation, just what we wanted.
Planetickets in pocket for next may... This time with rifle and revolver. Thats it for "Once in lifetime"
TimoJ
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