SOUTH AFRICA: August 2021 With KMG Hunting Safaris

[Uintaelkhunter]

Travel day went well. We arrived at the new property in the afternoon. Se we were able to put our things away and do some scouting. We have moved from night critters to the bigger stuff. rhino, Sable and Roan are on the list. The wind was blowing a bit and the forecast was for a storm to move thru the next few days. But we where determined to at least pick up some tracks so we would have a starting point early the next morning.the game seemed to know there was a change in the weather as it was a quite drive but just before dark we found some fresh tracks. To late to do anything but it was sign and give a great spot to hit at first light.
sleep was a bit light and I was up before my alarm when off. Ready for what the day would bring. We set out early and picked up tracks across our own from the night before. We set out on them but quickly found our rhino was on a mission. As he cross into the next block we had the truck pick us up to check if he had moved again and it seemed ever block we checked he had moved thru and onto the next. He was not running just moving without stopping much to brows he would hit a watering point then carry on thru to the next block then the next and again to water then some feed spots then move again. We figured he had moved all throughout the night because once we found where we taught he was in a block I would guess it was 12-15 plus miles from the tracks the night before. We dropped the tracker once again and went to drive the block to check for track and the next waterhole. We had barely made it out of the trackers site when we got a radio call from him saying he had bumped the rhino and we musky come quick. We turned around and met up with the track and began to track. We must have just missed him because I bet where the tracker bumped him it was not a hundred yards from the road. We carried on slowly for a few hundred more yards and bumped him again. It is amazing how such a big animal can hide so well ant such close range. But with luck on our side the wind was in our face and blowing pretty steady making the brush move all around us so the rhino did not know we were there. Each time we would get close he would move a hundred yard or so then turn back and watch his track. We moved in very slowly and kinda to the left of his direction and when we found him again we was turn back watching his track but we where not on it. We were left of it. We was defiantly not happy as he bluff charged a bush showing his strength. Which gave me a great quartering to shot at about 40 yards. I pulled up quickly and got my aim on point. The Heym 500 double was ready and so was I as the first shot rang out I could see it was a good hit but I made sure to follow up and put the second into him on the run.

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

With the first shot right on the money and the second a well place low shoulder shot we could here the bull crashing thru the trees. We gave him 10-15 minutes before following. Then we cautiously started the follow up. You could see from the blood trail he was hit hard. It didn’t take long to locate the bull as he only went 60-80 yards from where I had shot. A proper and well deserved ending to a wonderful animal. It is sad to see the ending to such a animal but nice to also know he was at the end of his lifespan and the funds will help protect the future of these animals.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow nice bushbuck, and congrats on the bushpig!

 

[cpr0312]

And congrats on the Rhino!!

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

A great honer to be able to hunt such a animal.

 

[BRICKBURN]

A great honer to be able to hunt such a animal.

It is a great honour.

Congratulations.

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

Day 6 - The PH's perspective
Late yesterday, we picked up some Rhino tracks on a sandy road. This gave us a great launch pad for an area to start early this morning. We headed to the same general area, cutting tracks. Roughly 1 hour into the morning, we found some tracks on top of our tracks from the previous evening.
The tracks were relatively fresh. We followed the tracks where we found them leaving the road into a section, and circled to check if they had left the area. On foot, we set out and walked slowly behind the tracker, keeping an eye ahead of him while he concentrated on the ground. Eventually, we lost the tracks over some hard ground, and circled back to see if we had not missed the tracks somewhere.
We found him leaving the area. He was certainly on a mission, covering huge amounts of ground during the early hours of the morning.
We estimated that he had walked rougly 15 miles. Where the tracks left the road, we would circle around and pick up where he exited. We always seemed to be a few hours behind him.
By chance and sheer luck, we circled back on our own tracks, and found his fresh tracks on top of our tracks, maybe 10 minutes earlier at the longest. Our tracker instructed us to circle around and wait in a clearing, while he followed the tracks and would meet us again at the clearing. Roughly 5 minutes after arriving at the clearing, the radio cracked , instructing us to come back and that he had bumped the Rhino. We met up with our tracker, and proceeded on the tracks. He informed us that the bull busted and ran on a trot, and was sure that we would catch up with him.
Not far into the area, and already mid morning, the Rhino busted where he had decided to lay down from an area roughly 40 yards away from us. The fleeing behemoth crashed through what sounded like trees and all went silent. The wind was in our favor, but blowing quite briskly. There was a lot of movement from the trees and vegetation around us. He did not go too far. We followed the deep tracks slowly and managed to catch a glimse of him staring in our direction, but not directly at us.
I opened the sticks, but will confess that the deployment was not perfect. As he was staring past us, I did not want to make any more movement. The chance at fixing the shooting sticks had passed. Mark placed his 500N.E on the side of the sticks, securing it with his hand. The bull offered a short mock charge in his agitation which cleared him quartering on. The 500NE reported, and the shot looked good. On the flee, Mark sent his second barrel at the target. All hell broke lose as the bull spun around and charged with vegetaion and what looked like trees flying. We could hear the thuds of his steps for a few seconds, as it dissapeared into the distance. We gave it roughly 10 minutes before setting on the tracks again. Everything pointed to a great shot as we followed slowly.
After a follow up of roughly 60 or so yards, we were elated at the incredible sight of this massive animal. The hunt concluded in an ethical manner, and the end was quick. We stood there in dismay at what had just occured. Many will never understand the need for these hunts. Nor do they want to understand. The massive contribution from Mark to the area, and the injection of captial that will go towards the well being of the rest of the Rhino population in the area cannot be overstated. This concluded number 4 of the big 5 for Mark, and we are honored to have been trusted with this very special occasion.

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

With the rhino complete it was time to concentrate on plains game the remainder of the trip mainly Roan and Sable but I also would not pass up the opportunity if we bumped into an exceptional buffalo. We started to cover a lot of ground and take advantage of any hills we could to glass but the property was thick.
It did not help the following day brought in another storm with wind and cold. We covered plenty of ground seen some plains game and even some sable just nothing we found to fit our liking.
Day 8 it was still cool and the wind had blown all night. We continued doing the same as the day before. Game was still hiding out of the wind not that there was no game it was just so thick and they seamed to like the thickest places to a avoid the weather. As the day went on and it warmed a bit. Things started to move we even seen some buffalo for the first time on the property. We found a sable worth a second look so we had a idea of a place to come back to for him. Then at last light actually on our way to the lodge bumped a huge Roan. With no time to spare and my double already in hand a quick stalk is all it took.

 

[jacques smith]

Damn mo,mo and hunter. Very nice indeed

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Damn mo,mo and hunter. Very nice indeed

Thank you my friend.

 

[AZDAVE]

It was great meeting you on the flight, my wife said we will have to look you up the next time we head to Utah. Congratz on a fantastic hunt. The hyena and roan are great. The Rhino hunt will be one of those that pop up in your dreams frequently Congratz to you and Marius @KMG Hunting Safaris

 

[BourbonTrail]

Congratulations, and what an awesome rhino.

 

[jacques smith]

What’s your guess on age for the roan? It looks very heavy

 

[Uintaelkhunter]

Finally getting around to finishing the last few days. The last main animal I was after was a sable. We had seen one bull with a group of cows and some smaller bulls. We decide to pass him but kept him on our watch as he seemed to stay pretty close to the same area as we searched out some other potential trophies. As we continued on not seen much in the age and size I was looking for the second to last day we went back to have another look at the bull we had seen prior. This time we happen to get a better look and he was defiantly a shooter bull. Problem was he had a lot of eyes with him and the cows where always on high alert. We tried a few stalks but they would constantly bump and disappear until it was just to late and getting dark. So we left them to be and figured we would pick them up at first light. The next morning we found them again not to fare from where we left them. Luck was on our side this time as we stalked in and had the bull on the side we approached from. We made a quick move to a clearing and up on the sticks the rifle went. Once the bull cleared one well placed shot and he didn’t make it to fare after that.