Bhfs300
AH fanatic
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
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- 950
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- 951
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Here is a rough description of probably the best week of my life. Remember I was a math teacher not an English teacher in reading this.
Day 1
We spent going around and seeing the land. We are looking for Impala and Warthog at this time. Put in miles walking after Warthogs that we would see when we were driving around got one look at a good Impala but by the time I got my Ruger #1 in 300 Winchester Magnum on the sticks it took off.
Day two
We started walking from camp and after a while we had three ewes crossing the trail in front of us from behind some brush. FC put the sticks up and said get ready there is good ram following them. The ram grunted at us four or five times and then stepped out from behind the brush and he said I needed to shoot him. I got double lungs and it only went about 60 yards and piled up. Pictures and sending Pungi back to camp to get it caped and we set out on foot to look for a Warthog. We didn't get back in the truck for about 4 hours and then took a break for lunch. The afternoon was about the same with out seeing a Warthog that wasn't doing 90 in the opposite direction.
Day three
Last night the owner told us of a place we hadn't been yet that there was a big Warthog no one has been able to get. Let's call him the grandfather of all warthogs in the area. We went on first thing in the morning and after a while we ousted him out of some deep grass. Spent the rest of the morning looking for him with no luck.
After breaking for lunch FC thought we should leave the area alone and come back before sundown. Time passed with no luck in other places and we got back at about 5:00. As we were driving by a water tank that had water spilled to give the animals in the area a water hole we saw him and a female going towards the water. We parked a ways off and the god of all PH's FC said it might be better to not push the long grass again and just set up by the waterhole. About 10 yard in the long grass we saw a female going through the grass and then the glimmer of white tusks behind her. They went buy us standing by some down trees and the female came out and headed to the water in an opening. When she made it to the water he stuck his head out of the grass and my FC said shoot!!! But he turned and headed towards the water to fast. As he was getting farther away from me I decided to take the shot, a large blast and then a thud I looked at FC and said did it look good he said you hit him. We got to the place where he was and there was a bunch of meat and fur but not much blood. We followed the trail into the grass and large spots of blood started to appear. Pungi came with the truck and FC and Pungi followed the blood for about 80 to 100 yards? They saw him standing behind a small bush. FC told me to put another one in him through the bush and I got a double lung shot and he rolled over legs up. Then I was told that is one of the biggest ones I will ever see.
Day 4
We were hunting for Red Hartebeest at a new consignment. We covered the place on foot and in the back of the truck all day but only found a herd of about 20 with only two young bulls in it.
The highlight of the day was coming across the Gemsbuck that had been wounded several days earlier. FC saw him lying under some trees. We approach him and he had his head laying back. FC saw there was a wound on one of his front legs that was infected with maggots. He told me I had to shoot him.
It jumped up went about 30 feet layer down looked at us and dropped over. We marked the place so they could find him and continued hunting.
Day 5
Stephan had left a message that we were to meet him at a consignment that had Nyala we could hunt. We drove in the gate and through a second gate and then a third gate. The middle section was a breeding area and I didn’t find out till afterwards this place was part of one of the biggest auction places that dealt with the same kind of animals we saw at the place this morning. With Stephan, the manager, FC and me the pressure was on. Hunting Nyala with three PH’s! We were driving along one of the roads and Stephan saw three Nyala along with some Sable and Waterbuck on the opposite side of a large field. We drove down the road past the field till we were down wind. FC and I got out and started toward the field. On the way we were avoiding animals like Bushbuck and Waterbuck till we were in the tree line of the field. A Waterbuck female saw me in the trees but just walked away not spooking the other animals in the field. One of the Nyala walked by us and FC said the one still in the field was older and bigger. This Nyala started to walk down the same path that the younger was on and he would have walked only 50 yards from us. But along the way he turned and started coming toward the tree line where we were standing. The trail he was going to go down was only about ten feet from me. There was an opening that I could have gotten a shot if he didn’t see me. When he got to the tree line he stopped in a place that I couldn’t see him since the trees were so thick. Before he entered the trees he turned and started walking back into the field where I still couldn’t see him. FC put up the shooting sticks and I moved to them. I could now see the Nyala walking away in the field. When he gave me a broad side shot I put a bullet behind the shoulder through the heart and out the other shoulder. The Nyala dropped in the spot and all pressure was off. FC called the trucks and told them we needed Pungi to help track since I had shot the Nyala in the neck. We thought they would come down this trail so we acted like we were looking for a blood trail but instead they came into the field where they could see the Nyala. So much for our joke.
Day 6
A goal of mine was to get pictures of the big five. We drove over to the Entabeni Reserve about 80 miles away so I could go on a photo safari and get some great photos but I didn't see any cats. Stephan called saying he found a place that had an abundance of Red Hartebeest and we could take one. Sanrda, the owner of the Zwahili Safari, met us at the front gate and we went in. She said there was a good bull not far from their lodge. She came along and we were all in the back of the truck. The bull wasn't where she thought it might be so we started driving to the back of the property. FC saw a good one laying in some tall grass off to the side of the road. He grabbed his shooting sticks and stepped over the side of the truck motioning me to do the same. I grabbed my rifle and handed it to him and went over the side of the truck also. He sat on the ground so I ended up about five feet from him on the ground. He still had my rifle and he put it on the sticks and motioned me to slowly move over. He said the Hartebeest was up and to get ready to shoot him from the front. At that time I started to open the chamber of the single shot Ruger #1 since I hadn't put a shell in it yet. The Hartebeest started to move away so I thought he was gone. Sitting on the ground behind the sticks I watched. Once the truck left the bull turned around and started to come back. When it was quartering toward us I took a shot that went in above the shoulder. He exploded out of there and we couldn't see much sitting on the ground. We went to the spot he was standing and didn't see any blood. We started to move in the direction he went looking for blood. We couldn’t find any blood. We walked by the first bunch of bushes and I saw there was a large lump on the back side it was the Hartebeest the bullet must have got both lungs before exiting mid body on the other side. It had gone less that 100 yards but didn't show any blood. We took pictures with the Sandra, FC and Pungi and headed back to get paper work done. We found out the Gemsbuck that I put out of it misery at the other place was one if her hunters and she was going to check if they could get at least the skull from it for her hunter.
This has been the best hunt I have ever been on. One goal was to not leave an animal behind and I did that and even helped another hunter get one they wounded. I took six shots and got five animals down only shooting the Warthog twice.
I would like to thank my PH FC, Pungi the second on the truck and great skinner and tracker, that we only needed on the Warthog, and Stephan at Bushmans Quiver Safari for a great hunt.
Tom Hanson
Here are the results as photos:
Day 1
We spent going around and seeing the land. We are looking for Impala and Warthog at this time. Put in miles walking after Warthogs that we would see when we were driving around got one look at a good Impala but by the time I got my Ruger #1 in 300 Winchester Magnum on the sticks it took off.
Day two
We started walking from camp and after a while we had three ewes crossing the trail in front of us from behind some brush. FC put the sticks up and said get ready there is good ram following them. The ram grunted at us four or five times and then stepped out from behind the brush and he said I needed to shoot him. I got double lungs and it only went about 60 yards and piled up. Pictures and sending Pungi back to camp to get it caped and we set out on foot to look for a Warthog. We didn't get back in the truck for about 4 hours and then took a break for lunch. The afternoon was about the same with out seeing a Warthog that wasn't doing 90 in the opposite direction.
Day three
Last night the owner told us of a place we hadn't been yet that there was a big Warthog no one has been able to get. Let's call him the grandfather of all warthogs in the area. We went on first thing in the morning and after a while we ousted him out of some deep grass. Spent the rest of the morning looking for him with no luck.
After breaking for lunch FC thought we should leave the area alone and come back before sundown. Time passed with no luck in other places and we got back at about 5:00. As we were driving by a water tank that had water spilled to give the animals in the area a water hole we saw him and a female going towards the water. We parked a ways off and the god of all PH's FC said it might be better to not push the long grass again and just set up by the waterhole. About 10 yard in the long grass we saw a female going through the grass and then the glimmer of white tusks behind her. They went buy us standing by some down trees and the female came out and headed to the water in an opening. When she made it to the water he stuck his head out of the grass and my FC said shoot!!! But he turned and headed towards the water to fast. As he was getting farther away from me I decided to take the shot, a large blast and then a thud I looked at FC and said did it look good he said you hit him. We got to the place where he was and there was a bunch of meat and fur but not much blood. We followed the trail into the grass and large spots of blood started to appear. Pungi came with the truck and FC and Pungi followed the blood for about 80 to 100 yards? They saw him standing behind a small bush. FC told me to put another one in him through the bush and I got a double lung shot and he rolled over legs up. Then I was told that is one of the biggest ones I will ever see.
Day 4
We were hunting for Red Hartebeest at a new consignment. We covered the place on foot and in the back of the truck all day but only found a herd of about 20 with only two young bulls in it.
The highlight of the day was coming across the Gemsbuck that had been wounded several days earlier. FC saw him lying under some trees. We approach him and he had his head laying back. FC saw there was a wound on one of his front legs that was infected with maggots. He told me I had to shoot him.
It jumped up went about 30 feet layer down looked at us and dropped over. We marked the place so they could find him and continued hunting.
Day 5
Stephan had left a message that we were to meet him at a consignment that had Nyala we could hunt. We drove in the gate and through a second gate and then a third gate. The middle section was a breeding area and I didn’t find out till afterwards this place was part of one of the biggest auction places that dealt with the same kind of animals we saw at the place this morning. With Stephan, the manager, FC and me the pressure was on. Hunting Nyala with three PH’s! We were driving along one of the roads and Stephan saw three Nyala along with some Sable and Waterbuck on the opposite side of a large field. We drove down the road past the field till we were down wind. FC and I got out and started toward the field. On the way we were avoiding animals like Bushbuck and Waterbuck till we were in the tree line of the field. A Waterbuck female saw me in the trees but just walked away not spooking the other animals in the field. One of the Nyala walked by us and FC said the one still in the field was older and bigger. This Nyala started to walk down the same path that the younger was on and he would have walked only 50 yards from us. But along the way he turned and started coming toward the tree line where we were standing. The trail he was going to go down was only about ten feet from me. There was an opening that I could have gotten a shot if he didn’t see me. When he got to the tree line he stopped in a place that I couldn’t see him since the trees were so thick. Before he entered the trees he turned and started walking back into the field where I still couldn’t see him. FC put up the shooting sticks and I moved to them. I could now see the Nyala walking away in the field. When he gave me a broad side shot I put a bullet behind the shoulder through the heart and out the other shoulder. The Nyala dropped in the spot and all pressure was off. FC called the trucks and told them we needed Pungi to help track since I had shot the Nyala in the neck. We thought they would come down this trail so we acted like we were looking for a blood trail but instead they came into the field where they could see the Nyala. So much for our joke.
Day 6
A goal of mine was to get pictures of the big five. We drove over to the Entabeni Reserve about 80 miles away so I could go on a photo safari and get some great photos but I didn't see any cats. Stephan called saying he found a place that had an abundance of Red Hartebeest and we could take one. Sanrda, the owner of the Zwahili Safari, met us at the front gate and we went in. She said there was a good bull not far from their lodge. She came along and we were all in the back of the truck. The bull wasn't where she thought it might be so we started driving to the back of the property. FC saw a good one laying in some tall grass off to the side of the road. He grabbed his shooting sticks and stepped over the side of the truck motioning me to do the same. I grabbed my rifle and handed it to him and went over the side of the truck also. He sat on the ground so I ended up about five feet from him on the ground. He still had my rifle and he put it on the sticks and motioned me to slowly move over. He said the Hartebeest was up and to get ready to shoot him from the front. At that time I started to open the chamber of the single shot Ruger #1 since I hadn't put a shell in it yet. The Hartebeest started to move away so I thought he was gone. Sitting on the ground behind the sticks I watched. Once the truck left the bull turned around and started to come back. When it was quartering toward us I took a shot that went in above the shoulder. He exploded out of there and we couldn't see much sitting on the ground. We went to the spot he was standing and didn't see any blood. We started to move in the direction he went looking for blood. We couldn’t find any blood. We walked by the first bunch of bushes and I saw there was a large lump on the back side it was the Hartebeest the bullet must have got both lungs before exiting mid body on the other side. It had gone less that 100 yards but didn't show any blood. We took pictures with the Sandra, FC and Pungi and headed back to get paper work done. We found out the Gemsbuck that I put out of it misery at the other place was one if her hunters and she was going to check if they could get at least the skull from it for her hunter.
This has been the best hunt I have ever been on. One goal was to not leave an animal behind and I did that and even helped another hunter get one they wounded. I took six shots and got five animals down only shooting the Warthog twice.
I would like to thank my PH FC, Pungi the second on the truck and great skinner and tracker, that we only needed on the Warthog, and Stephan at Bushmans Quiver Safari for a great hunt.
Tom Hanson
Here are the results as photos:
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