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Well I知 no writer but I知 going to try and give you a hunting report for HuntersHill Safaris.
First let me start by Thanking Greg, Bruce and all of their Staff for such a great time in South Africa.
The flight over there was pretty much uneventful other then a small scare in Johannesburg when the lady came out and said there was no more luggage and half the passengers including us had none, we were instructed to go to the baggage inquiry desk and fill out the forms for lost luggage after standing in line for 20 minutes with 150 other passengers the lady came back and said there was more luggage on the conveyor belt apparently the person with our luggage forgot where he was going, we got our luggage and was off to East London. The next morning we met at the lodge at 7:00am took care of the paperwork was served a great breakfast and was off to the range to check the 300 Win Mag that I was borrowing from my PH Rusty.
After 2 shots the rifle was dead on so we were off to the hunt. The first animal we were going for was a Black Wildebeest that Rusty had spotted on his way to meet me, well the rifle was on but for me well lets just say several shots later and a couple of kilometers of chasing on foot I had my Black Wildebeest Rusty said we値l blame that one on jetlag.
After the trackers Owen & Smiley got him loaded in the truck is was back to the lodge for a great lunch while they got him caped out. That afternoon Rusty said we were going to look for an Impala that he had been trying to get for three months, now he's an old one with plenty of battle scars, so we were off again a couple of hours later we spotted him on the mountain side about 250 yards away I took my shot and yep you guessed it I missed, the trackers weren't sure so over the mountain they went like two mountain goats chasing my Impala I still don't know how they do it, mean while Rusty the wife and I jump in the truck and head for the other side to see if we could get another shot, just as we got there we saw him sneaking down the other side so Rusty and I were off on the chase the wife stayed behind at a higher elevation to watch and caught him sneaking back the other way, she got our attention and signaled us he went the other way so we went in the direction she indicated and found the sneaky bugger hiding in the brush watching the trackers come over the mountain I didn't miss this time.
So after a few pictures he was loaded up and back to the lodge for a great ending to the first day. The next morning we all met at the lodge for more breakfast then I could eat I ask Rusty what was on the agenda for today and he said we would be looking for Blesbuck and Blue Wildebeest, sounds like a plan to me and we were off. A few minutes later we are going over a mountain trail that has my wife trying to move all the weight to the other side of the truck as she looks down the mountain bluff on her side. Soon we top out on the other side and spot some Blesbuck in the distance and the stalk is on, by the time we caught up with them they had moved to the other side a little over 300 yards away I laid down and took a steady aim and shot I hit my target a little far back with wind drift so I led him a little and squeezed off another round with a good hit through both lungs Rusty jumped up shaking my hand and said that's what I知 talking bought BOOM, BOOM DOWN.
After lunch we headed out looking for Blue Wildebeest we set on the hillside glassing the valley below when Rusty spots two bulls mixed in with some Impala on the far hillside so we drive down to the valley to start our stalk several hundred yards later weæ± e with in 200 yards of them and the Impala which are watching in our direction now at this time I知 going to tell you I知 a little hard of hearing and Rusty is trying to get my attention he whispers my name Bob I step a little closer so I can hear him and he say's Don't Move the Impala are watching us. We wait about 30 minutes for them to relax and start to move again an finally the bull Rusty wants me to take steps up I only have a small window through the brush to shoot as the bull turns broad side and I take him through both lunges he takes off and I tell Rusty that the shot felt good we walked up to where he was standing and there was plenty of blood so Rusty put his trusty tracking dog Spud hot on his trail. Spud found the bull piled up a few hundred yards down the hill and kept guard on him until we could get there. Another fine trophy, an old bull with his teeth worn out.
So its back to the lodge with another great meal to look forward to and Smiley & Owen have another skinning job to do. At dinner that night Rusty said that tomorrow weæ± e going to try for Springbuck and Gemsbok so we値l meet at 8:00am have breakfast and be off, sounds good to me so it was off to the lounge for a relaxing drink and to listen to the hunting stories of the day. After breakfast the next morning we were off to another part of the ranch looking for Springbok and we found one, a nice one I take aim and shoot and I shoot under him I under estimated the distance I figured about 200 yards Rusty told me he had ranged him at 280 yards so it was back to the lodge for lunch with an empty truck but that's why it's called hunting I was having a blast. That afternoon we was off for Gemsbok going back to a hill where we had attempted to get a shot at one the day before but was unsuccessful and there they were almost the same time and same place we had seen him before one shot and he raised up and fell over backwards weæ± e all shaking hands when the stinking thing jumps up and try's to run off and I put a second shot in him as he goes over the ridge again the trackers take off over the hill and we find him laying just a few yards the other side of the ridge. Later that night Rusty measures him for me and I致e taken a fine 38 Bull.
I知 only in the third day of my hunt and I致e already taken 5 animals, that night sitting in the lounge after dinner the wife comes over and gives me a kiss and say's thank you for picking this place I was afraid that I wasn't going to feel comfortable over here but it's just the opposite the people here make you feel so welcome that I just love it, let's sell the farm and move here. Now how dose it get any better then that. The next day weæ± e still looking for me a good Springbuck driving around the ranch I知 seeing a lot of Kudu but Rusty keeps saying that there to small they need another year or two I知 thinking this young man ain't going to make it in my neck of the wood these thing have big horns but he keeps saying to small we didn't get any thing that day but a lot of pictures of Rhinos, Giraffes, Zebras and lions and such. We did see a really nice Springbok and he saw us from over 500 yards away he took off running with no chance of a shot I told Rusty all I want is one shot at that one. The next day Rusty said weæ± e going to hunt warthog, Mountain Reedbuck and Kudu tomorrow at my place it's about an hour and a half from here so it going to be an all day hunt sack breakfast and lunch it turns out that Rusty has a 10,000 acre sheep ranch south of Tarkastad so 05:00 am and weæ± e off and running. Driving through the ranch we saw lots of Kudu but I kept hearing those terrible words (to small) Rusty spotted some Mountain Reedbucks on the mountains above so off we go up mountain trails as far as the truck could carry us then walking from there. We walked up and over a plateau looking for the Reedbuck that he had spotted with no luck as we got back to the truck I told Rusty that I seem to remember it being a lot easier going down the mountain then coming back up it and he laughed as he handed us our breakfast. On the way back down the mountain we spotted a nice Kudu we tried to cut him off for a shot but they can run across country faster then we can. So we kept scouting by lunch we were back down in the lower valley so we stopped in the shade of the trees of a dry water hole the grass was green so we got out to have lunch after lunch we were going to set there just a minute to relax after the rough truck ride when Spud's ears went up and he was looking at the brush Rusty grabs Spud and whispers get the gun Deb seen Rusty tell me get the gun so by the time I get to the truck she's already handing it to me the trackers on the other hand doesn't have a clue and are sitting in front of the truck chatting like two ladies at a Sunday brunch when the gun goes off they set there looking at me like what the heck was that when I jumped up and started yelling I got my Pig it was a small 3 yr old management pig but I got it.
Well by this time we had covered most of Rusty's place and he was wondering where we should go we started back up another valley when not 75 yards up the hill out stepped a real nice Mountain Reedbuck one shot and he's down well it's about 3:00pm now and we have an hour and a half drive back to the ranch.
At dinner that night we sat and talked about what we would do tomorrow. We are going to hunt Springbuck in the morning and he called his neighbor that owns the sheep ranch to the north of him and ask if it would be ok if we hunted Kudu on his place in the afternoon his friend said sure the gates aren't suppose to be locked but if they are shoot the lock off. Well the next morning after breakfast we head out for Springbuck and we were watching two nice Bucks when Rusty spotted one standing in the shade on the other hill side about two miles away he said look at the one in the shade on the other side can you see him and I said Yep Rusty said he's much bigger that's the one we saw the other day lets go get him and away we went well we got over there and stalked with in 75-100 yards the wind is picking up and we致e ran in to another bunch of Impala about to give us away Rusty got his shooting sticks up and I got ready then we waited and waited and then we waited some more 45 minutes on those shooting sticks not able to move to keep from getting busted by the Impala they finally stand up turn the wind is getting stronger and what happens I jerk the trigger and miss yep second Springbuck all that time on the sticks and I miss. I looked at Rusty and said it isn't your fault you did what I ask you to do you got me my one shot and I blow it maybe its not meant to be for me to have a Springbuck he looks at me and said weæ± e not giving up yet you still have a couple of days left so we head back for the ranch for lunch and then off for Kudu. That afternoon we got to his friends ranch and the gate was locked WAS being the key word we went in and parked climbing over the hill and sitting to glass the surrounding hill sides he spots some Kudu on a hill side 4 miles away and says there's some Kudu, I ask where? Over there he points they were so far away they looked like piss ants on the hill side after talking to Smiley & Owen on the radio he looks back at the hill side for a minute and says he's a Big Bugger looking at my wife he said Deb. you stay here the trackers are on top of the hill and the truck is just over the hill he turns and said lets go. And we head down the mountain in to an erosion over rocky terrain through thorn covered brush we were going for that Kudu, 4 mile later we came to a rock covered hill Rusty looks at me and said watch where you step as we slipped up the hill getting to within 150 yards of the Kudu now at this time I have not yet seen the big one Rusty gets me set up on a big rock BI-pods down and points he right there as I look through the scope I see a couple of cows and a young bull I told Rusty he looks a little small he said no, no not that one and pushes down on the end of my barrel then my scope picked them up, those horns sticking out of the brush is all you could see. Oh Yeah he's the one and we wait for him to step out. When he finally steps out I take my shot right through the shoulder and he drop in his tracks I知 not sure who was shaking the most Rusty or me but 4 miles and a hour and a half later I致e got my Kudu down, as we walk up to it he gets up trying to get away and I put another shot through his lunges. Rusty is shaking my hand congratulating me and said Bob I don't want to get your hopes up but a good East Cape Kudu goes 46-48 inches this one will go at less 49 as the trackers walk up looking at it they keep saying bigger Rusty measures it when we get back to the lodge and it turns out I got a 51 BULL. Man I love this place.
We spend most of the next morning I say we, I watched while four trackers work there butt off getting the meat out but get it out they did we hunted for Springbuck that afternoon with no luck. One day left to get my springbuck and a big Warthog that Rusty wanted me to get he said he had one more place he wanted to try another ranch about an hour away so the next morning it's a quick breakfast and 7:00am and were off to another ranch. We walked our butts off and seen a lot of Warthogs but all the shooter ones were getting away from us as fast as they could that afternoon after having lunch over a water hole we were driving back through the ranch when Rusty spotted a bunch of Springbuck about 600-700 yards away in the middle of an open field as luck would have it we had trees to cover our approach for about 200-300 yards as we came to the edge of the trees Rusty looked at the other two guy and said you stay here, Bob follow me as he drops to his hands and knees we started to crawl 200 more yards, and I will tell you this if there was a sharp stone picker or thorn in that field my hands and knees found them but we crawled to within 220 yards of them with the wind blowing at 60 MPH + and the Springbuck watching us the whole time trying to figure out what we were. We get set up Rusty points out the one he wants me to take and the third time must be the charm in all that wind and at 220 yards I aim and squeeze off a round dropping him in his tracks.
That night at the lodge while we were finishing up the rest of the paperwork prior to the Taxidermist coming to pick up my trophies they told me that the Warthog I shot was a management hog and gave me a letter of credit for a larger hog on my return hunt and I will return. I can't say enough about, the food, people and atmosphere are unbelievable there the best 9 animals in 7 day and a letter of credit for a better hog on my return. Contact Steve at www.metrotravel.ca or Greg and Bruce at www.huntershillsafaris.co.za and get you a hunt booked you値l not regret it.
First let me start by Thanking Greg, Bruce and all of their Staff for such a great time in South Africa.
The flight over there was pretty much uneventful other then a small scare in Johannesburg when the lady came out and said there was no more luggage and half the passengers including us had none, we were instructed to go to the baggage inquiry desk and fill out the forms for lost luggage after standing in line for 20 minutes with 150 other passengers the lady came back and said there was more luggage on the conveyor belt apparently the person with our luggage forgot where he was going, we got our luggage and was off to East London. The next morning we met at the lodge at 7:00am took care of the paperwork was served a great breakfast and was off to the range to check the 300 Win Mag that I was borrowing from my PH Rusty.
After 2 shots the rifle was dead on so we were off to the hunt. The first animal we were going for was a Black Wildebeest that Rusty had spotted on his way to meet me, well the rifle was on but for me well lets just say several shots later and a couple of kilometers of chasing on foot I had my Black Wildebeest Rusty said we値l blame that one on jetlag.
After the trackers Owen & Smiley got him loaded in the truck is was back to the lodge for a great lunch while they got him caped out. That afternoon Rusty said we were going to look for an Impala that he had been trying to get for three months, now he's an old one with plenty of battle scars, so we were off again a couple of hours later we spotted him on the mountain side about 250 yards away I took my shot and yep you guessed it I missed, the trackers weren't sure so over the mountain they went like two mountain goats chasing my Impala I still don't know how they do it, mean while Rusty the wife and I jump in the truck and head for the other side to see if we could get another shot, just as we got there we saw him sneaking down the other side so Rusty and I were off on the chase the wife stayed behind at a higher elevation to watch and caught him sneaking back the other way, she got our attention and signaled us he went the other way so we went in the direction she indicated and found the sneaky bugger hiding in the brush watching the trackers come over the mountain I didn't miss this time.
So after a few pictures he was loaded up and back to the lodge for a great ending to the first day. The next morning we all met at the lodge for more breakfast then I could eat I ask Rusty what was on the agenda for today and he said we would be looking for Blesbuck and Blue Wildebeest, sounds like a plan to me and we were off. A few minutes later we are going over a mountain trail that has my wife trying to move all the weight to the other side of the truck as she looks down the mountain bluff on her side. Soon we top out on the other side and spot some Blesbuck in the distance and the stalk is on, by the time we caught up with them they had moved to the other side a little over 300 yards away I laid down and took a steady aim and shot I hit my target a little far back with wind drift so I led him a little and squeezed off another round with a good hit through both lungs Rusty jumped up shaking my hand and said that's what I知 talking bought BOOM, BOOM DOWN.
After lunch we headed out looking for Blue Wildebeest we set on the hillside glassing the valley below when Rusty spots two bulls mixed in with some Impala on the far hillside so we drive down to the valley to start our stalk several hundred yards later weæ± e with in 200 yards of them and the Impala which are watching in our direction now at this time I知 going to tell you I知 a little hard of hearing and Rusty is trying to get my attention he whispers my name Bob I step a little closer so I can hear him and he say's Don't Move the Impala are watching us. We wait about 30 minutes for them to relax and start to move again an finally the bull Rusty wants me to take steps up I only have a small window through the brush to shoot as the bull turns broad side and I take him through both lunges he takes off and I tell Rusty that the shot felt good we walked up to where he was standing and there was plenty of blood so Rusty put his trusty tracking dog Spud hot on his trail. Spud found the bull piled up a few hundred yards down the hill and kept guard on him until we could get there. Another fine trophy, an old bull with his teeth worn out.
So its back to the lodge with another great meal to look forward to and Smiley & Owen have another skinning job to do. At dinner that night Rusty said that tomorrow weæ± e going to try for Springbuck and Gemsbok so we値l meet at 8:00am have breakfast and be off, sounds good to me so it was off to the lounge for a relaxing drink and to listen to the hunting stories of the day. After breakfast the next morning we were off to another part of the ranch looking for Springbok and we found one, a nice one I take aim and shoot and I shoot under him I under estimated the distance I figured about 200 yards Rusty told me he had ranged him at 280 yards so it was back to the lodge for lunch with an empty truck but that's why it's called hunting I was having a blast. That afternoon we was off for Gemsbok going back to a hill where we had attempted to get a shot at one the day before but was unsuccessful and there they were almost the same time and same place we had seen him before one shot and he raised up and fell over backwards weæ± e all shaking hands when the stinking thing jumps up and try's to run off and I put a second shot in him as he goes over the ridge again the trackers take off over the hill and we find him laying just a few yards the other side of the ridge. Later that night Rusty measures him for me and I致e taken a fine 38 Bull.
I知 only in the third day of my hunt and I致e already taken 5 animals, that night sitting in the lounge after dinner the wife comes over and gives me a kiss and say's thank you for picking this place I was afraid that I wasn't going to feel comfortable over here but it's just the opposite the people here make you feel so welcome that I just love it, let's sell the farm and move here. Now how dose it get any better then that. The next day weæ± e still looking for me a good Springbuck driving around the ranch I知 seeing a lot of Kudu but Rusty keeps saying that there to small they need another year or two I知 thinking this young man ain't going to make it in my neck of the wood these thing have big horns but he keeps saying to small we didn't get any thing that day but a lot of pictures of Rhinos, Giraffes, Zebras and lions and such. We did see a really nice Springbok and he saw us from over 500 yards away he took off running with no chance of a shot I told Rusty all I want is one shot at that one. The next day Rusty said weæ± e going to hunt warthog, Mountain Reedbuck and Kudu tomorrow at my place it's about an hour and a half from here so it going to be an all day hunt sack breakfast and lunch it turns out that Rusty has a 10,000 acre sheep ranch south of Tarkastad so 05:00 am and weæ± e off and running. Driving through the ranch we saw lots of Kudu but I kept hearing those terrible words (to small) Rusty spotted some Mountain Reedbucks on the mountains above so off we go up mountain trails as far as the truck could carry us then walking from there. We walked up and over a plateau looking for the Reedbuck that he had spotted with no luck as we got back to the truck I told Rusty that I seem to remember it being a lot easier going down the mountain then coming back up it and he laughed as he handed us our breakfast. On the way back down the mountain we spotted a nice Kudu we tried to cut him off for a shot but they can run across country faster then we can. So we kept scouting by lunch we were back down in the lower valley so we stopped in the shade of the trees of a dry water hole the grass was green so we got out to have lunch after lunch we were going to set there just a minute to relax after the rough truck ride when Spud's ears went up and he was looking at the brush Rusty grabs Spud and whispers get the gun Deb seen Rusty tell me get the gun so by the time I get to the truck she's already handing it to me the trackers on the other hand doesn't have a clue and are sitting in front of the truck chatting like two ladies at a Sunday brunch when the gun goes off they set there looking at me like what the heck was that when I jumped up and started yelling I got my Pig it was a small 3 yr old management pig but I got it.
Well by this time we had covered most of Rusty's place and he was wondering where we should go we started back up another valley when not 75 yards up the hill out stepped a real nice Mountain Reedbuck one shot and he's down well it's about 3:00pm now and we have an hour and a half drive back to the ranch.
At dinner that night we sat and talked about what we would do tomorrow. We are going to hunt Springbuck in the morning and he called his neighbor that owns the sheep ranch to the north of him and ask if it would be ok if we hunted Kudu on his place in the afternoon his friend said sure the gates aren't suppose to be locked but if they are shoot the lock off. Well the next morning after breakfast we head out for Springbuck and we were watching two nice Bucks when Rusty spotted one standing in the shade on the other hill side about two miles away he said look at the one in the shade on the other side can you see him and I said Yep Rusty said he's much bigger that's the one we saw the other day lets go get him and away we went well we got over there and stalked with in 75-100 yards the wind is picking up and we致e ran in to another bunch of Impala about to give us away Rusty got his shooting sticks up and I got ready then we waited and waited and then we waited some more 45 minutes on those shooting sticks not able to move to keep from getting busted by the Impala they finally stand up turn the wind is getting stronger and what happens I jerk the trigger and miss yep second Springbuck all that time on the sticks and I miss. I looked at Rusty and said it isn't your fault you did what I ask you to do you got me my one shot and I blow it maybe its not meant to be for me to have a Springbuck he looks at me and said weæ± e not giving up yet you still have a couple of days left so we head back for the ranch for lunch and then off for Kudu. That afternoon we got to his friends ranch and the gate was locked WAS being the key word we went in and parked climbing over the hill and sitting to glass the surrounding hill sides he spots some Kudu on a hill side 4 miles away and says there's some Kudu, I ask where? Over there he points they were so far away they looked like piss ants on the hill side after talking to Smiley & Owen on the radio he looks back at the hill side for a minute and says he's a Big Bugger looking at my wife he said Deb. you stay here the trackers are on top of the hill and the truck is just over the hill he turns and said lets go. And we head down the mountain in to an erosion over rocky terrain through thorn covered brush we were going for that Kudu, 4 mile later we came to a rock covered hill Rusty looks at me and said watch where you step as we slipped up the hill getting to within 150 yards of the Kudu now at this time I have not yet seen the big one Rusty gets me set up on a big rock BI-pods down and points he right there as I look through the scope I see a couple of cows and a young bull I told Rusty he looks a little small he said no, no not that one and pushes down on the end of my barrel then my scope picked them up, those horns sticking out of the brush is all you could see. Oh Yeah he's the one and we wait for him to step out. When he finally steps out I take my shot right through the shoulder and he drop in his tracks I知 not sure who was shaking the most Rusty or me but 4 miles and a hour and a half later I致e got my Kudu down, as we walk up to it he gets up trying to get away and I put another shot through his lunges. Rusty is shaking my hand congratulating me and said Bob I don't want to get your hopes up but a good East Cape Kudu goes 46-48 inches this one will go at less 49 as the trackers walk up looking at it they keep saying bigger Rusty measures it when we get back to the lodge and it turns out I got a 51 BULL. Man I love this place.
We spend most of the next morning I say we, I watched while four trackers work there butt off getting the meat out but get it out they did we hunted for Springbuck that afternoon with no luck. One day left to get my springbuck and a big Warthog that Rusty wanted me to get he said he had one more place he wanted to try another ranch about an hour away so the next morning it's a quick breakfast and 7:00am and were off to another ranch. We walked our butts off and seen a lot of Warthogs but all the shooter ones were getting away from us as fast as they could that afternoon after having lunch over a water hole we were driving back through the ranch when Rusty spotted a bunch of Springbuck about 600-700 yards away in the middle of an open field as luck would have it we had trees to cover our approach for about 200-300 yards as we came to the edge of the trees Rusty looked at the other two guy and said you stay here, Bob follow me as he drops to his hands and knees we started to crawl 200 more yards, and I will tell you this if there was a sharp stone picker or thorn in that field my hands and knees found them but we crawled to within 220 yards of them with the wind blowing at 60 MPH + and the Springbuck watching us the whole time trying to figure out what we were. We get set up Rusty points out the one he wants me to take and the third time must be the charm in all that wind and at 220 yards I aim and squeeze off a round dropping him in his tracks.
That night at the lodge while we were finishing up the rest of the paperwork prior to the Taxidermist coming to pick up my trophies they told me that the Warthog I shot was a management hog and gave me a letter of credit for a larger hog on my return hunt and I will return. I can't say enough about, the food, people and atmosphere are unbelievable there the best 9 animals in 7 day and a letter of credit for a better hog on my return. Contact Steve at www.metrotravel.ca or Greg and Bruce at www.huntershillsafaris.co.za and get you a hunt booked you値l not regret it.
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