SOUTH AFRICA: Huntershill Safaris 2013 What A Time

[Bobpuckett]

Well once again I would like to start by Thanking Greg, Bruce and all of their staff for a great time and a fantastic hunt and as for my friend and PH Rusty and his beautiful fianc'ee Jami I can't thank them enough for the great time and hospitality that they showed Deb and I.

Well the trip started out great checking in at the Airport in Huntsville, AL. Got our tickets and went to the security point before getting to our gate, now I know I've been advised before about wearing hunting gear while traveling to Africa that it might attract attention and it did. As I came through the Xray machine I forgot to remove my AH hat that was covering my baldhead and the homeland security people were all looking straight at me. They waved me over to them and as I walked forward I'm looking around and see one of our Olympic meddled runners who's name I'm not going to mention having her baggage gone through that's when I discovered that the AH hat works better the a Gold Members VIP Card as the guard looked me straight in the eyes and ask, What have you taken? Sorry In Africa what did you get? Give me a second to get my stuff and I'll show you some pics on my cell phone, as Deb walks over and said I think you were suppose to take your hat off, the security guard said no he checked out ok we just want to see the pictures. Love this place. And we're off to Africa. Now this is First Class

Day 1
We get to the lodge that morning for more breakfast then a human should eat then its off to the range to check the 300WM and its driving tacks at 100 so the first animal on the list is Deb's Impala as we set on a hill glassing we're seeing everything, Everything that is except big Impala. After an hour or so I'm looking through a small hole in the brush about 500 yards away and tell Rusty there he is. Rusty takes a look at where I'm pointing and said good spot Bob that's the one we're looking for now to figure out how to stalk him without getting busted. I laughed and said that's your problem I found him. :laughing: We all load up and move to the field on the other side and with the wind in our favor we start the stalk. Now when we last seen him he was several hundred yards in the brush from where we started but we get no further then 75 yards in to the brush when Rusty signals us down, down, down. Just over a hill so low that we had to lay on our belly not to be seen was the Impala not 25 yards away standing in the shade, it seems that as we made our way to him he was making his way to us so at 25 yards Deb gets setup and it's a 1 shot Down and the first animal is in the salt.

That afternoon we're back out looking for Springbok but with no luck so its back to the lodge for evening drinks and Dinner and just shooting the bull.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 2
The next morning we're back at the lodge for breakfast with our backpacks packed as we will be over knighting at a B&B in the Bedford area and we will be hunting at Bruce's Farm today on our way there. Just before leaving Bruce walks out and said to us; Guys I really appreciate all of your help in Dallas this year you will be hunting on my property today I have good free range Kudu, Bushbuck, Bushpig, Warthog just to mention a few and anything you take on my place today is FREE! WOW! You could have knock me over with a feather. So we're off to Bruce's place.

2 hour drive and we're there we meet Bruce's Dad who still lives on the farm and a fine gentleman he is. He tells us a little about the farm and tells us to have fun and we're off. We've been moving along slowly scouting out the hills when suddenly Rusty stops the truck and backs up there standing in the trees 75 yards away is a nice Kudu, Rusty gets out and ask for the rifle as deb sneaks out the other side and gets setup as this one is high on her list, the Kudu moves off another 25 yards and stops broadside Rusty said Take'm and again Deb squeezes off a shot and the Kudu sets down like a well trained dog and rolls 20 yards down the hill catching up in the brush. We head up the hill for a look and another perfect 1 shot kill. We get the kudu setup for Pics.

Load him in the Truck and head up the trail looking for a place to turn around to take him back to the house. Well we get turned around and head back to the house when through the brush I see warthogs running Rusty once again stops this time I grab the rifle load a round in the chamber and as the biggest one stops to look I shoot making a spine shot on her she drops to the ground and starts dragging herself down the hill I catch up to her and put another round in her to put her down. Debbie of course is laughing at me ha ha she said you had to use two shots on yours. She loves it I think when she out shoots me.

So we get some pics and head back to the house for cleaning and skinning. when we get there Bruce's Dad comes out to see what we got he looks at me and said congratulations and I pointed at deb she took him, and he smiled and said Oh your a Dangerous kinda lady. After getting them taken care of we head to the bluffs to glass for Bushbuck which is high on my list we spotted several but none that we thought were old enough to shoot. So we call it a day and head for Bedford.

 

[sestoppelman]

Good stuff man, keep it coming! Nice kudu!

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 3

This morning didn't start as good as I would have liked I guess sense we came in late that night that the staff at the B&B decided to come in late the next morning. We were to be meeting the game manger at the farm where we would be hunting to day at 7:00am its now 7:45am and no staff to open the security gate to let us out so about this time I'm getting a little hot under the collar no one can get in and no one can get out that's when I started looking at there gate system a lot closer once I figured it out I removed their so called security gate off its tracks and opened it by hand, wish I'd a figured that one out an hour ago. And believe it or not just as we open the gate and load the truck the staff shows up, I'm thinking good let them figure out how to put the gate back on.

And we're off we get to the farm late but the manger is still standing there laughing and looking at his watch. Bushbuck is what we're looking for today one of the farm hands load up and we're gone hunting. Well we've been driving and glassing for a few hours and no luck not one bushbuck has been spotted we're headed down another trail when I signal Rusty to stop and take a look at the pigs. He climbed up in the back of the truck and took a long look I told Rusty that Deb had an old female on her list if he could find one so we crawl up to within 100 yards and take a better look and sure enough there she is but yes there is always a but, we were here to hunt Bushbuck not Warthogs so Rusty signals the Ranch hand to come forward and talks to him a minute then looks at me with a big grin and a thumbs up we've got the go ahead. Deb and Rusty get the rifle setup and wait for the old sow to turn broadside. She finally turns and gives Deb a shot she hits her behind the shoulder and she takes off and we're tracking her about 30 yards we spot her again but she spots us and she's off again Rusty said not to worry the way she's acting she's got a hole close by so we follow the trail across a small creek and Rusty stops signals deb to come forward and pats his right shoulder and tells deb put the rifle right there and points shoot her between the eyes as the sow set 15 yards away with her butt in a hole looking at us Deb fires and she's down. Rusty looked at me and said that was hard to get a shot in that field I have never seen that many hogs in one field at one time. So I drag the old sow out of the hole and we get setup for pics.

once we got her loaded we head to the skinning shed and once again Rusty stops quickly and backs up in the brush about 100 yards away is a big boar he gets out, and for those of you that know me you know that I'm hard of hearing from many years of military training, what Rusty said to me is do you want Deb to shoot this one what I heard was do you want to shoot this one and I answered with the crack of a rifle BIG PIG DOWN deb was getting out of the other side of the truck when the gun went off and said What The Hell! Rusty looked up at me and said congrats Deb's going to be mad at you. So this one goes on the wall, as the miss understood Pig. So we get our pics

and head for the skinning shed
after that we call it a day and head for HHS it's a long drive.

 

[BnC 04]

Sounds like an awesome trip Bob, keep it rollin' in.

 

[Stretch]

Very nice Bob. There is something special to be able to share this with Deb. Good for the both of you. Can't wait to read some more.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 4

This day was pretty much uneventful as we were looking for some nice steenbok the wind had picked up and all the game seemed to be spooky in stead of running off a few yards and stopping they just ran off without stopping but we did manage to get some pics of other game though.


Day 5

Pretty much the same for the day but that night we decided to go out and see if we could call in some Jackal did some calling and see lots of eyes but nothing I could get a clean shot at until we went to the alfalfa field doing some calling and a big Porcupine ran out of the field and in to the tall grass we searched and searched and could not find that bugger so we loaded up and when Rusty started the truck it spooked and ran out so I got my shot Porcupine down. When we got back to the lodge they ask what I shot it with and I told them a 300WM. They laughed you shot a Porcupine with a 300 Win Mag do you see the size of that thing I was reaching for the 458. I looked at Rusty 3 animals in the salt for me and not even one on my list and we just laughed.


Day 6

The same as day 4 Pics of animals but nothing in the salt which is also fine we were having fun and that's what it is all about.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 7

The day I was waiting for, my turn to put one on my list in the salt. I had told Rusty what I had been looking for in an Eland and we had spent several days looking and seeing hundreds of Eland but not what I wanted in fact a guy named Bob also from Alabama hunting at the same time I was told me that I had my standards so high he didn't think I'd get one and I told him that, that would be fine to I wanted an Old Bull with a good Brush and worn horns not some spring chicken. Well Rusty had organized me a hunt at a Reserve near Queenstown where such a Bull could be found they only have a small quota that they allow for each year which allows them to get old and past their prime and Rusty had organized me one of the two left on quota for the year. So its an early start and when we get there I look at the mountains and tell Rusty to keep my animals low that Vaalie last year was enough climbing for me. Well sometimes Rusty just doesn't listen as the one he found was 3/4s the way up the mountain but he was what I was looking for so away we go up the mountain. Now we're within 250 yards of the Eland when we get busted by some Zebra when the Zebra took off one way the Eland went over the top. Mean time back down at the truck Deb and the game manager are grassing us and he said to Deb I sure hope they don't shoot him up there he'll be a bugger to get out. Rusty calls up his 2 trackers and tells them to see if they can go around and push them back down to us and they head out (that's why I tip so Good) well Rusty and I head back down to the trail run and I do mean run 600-700 yards down the trail to get setup for an ambush when we get there Rusty said I had the trackers go up and push them this way and I told Rusty with my luck they'll come down behind us cross the trail and down to the valley. And he said then we would chase them to the valley. About 5 minutes later Rusty said here they come and takes off running in the direction we had come from Sure As Hell they had done Just as I said they came down behind us crossed the trail and headed for the valley, See I told Rusty I told you so, and down the valley we went after about 2 miles of stalking these Eland we're within 100 yards and getting set up for the shot. Rusty points out where I need to shoot as too many people seem to aim to high I take aim and Rusty said take'm I fire and it doesn't even flinch 300 Win Mag 180gr Barnes X bullets at 100 yards and it didn't even flinch Rusty said hit him again so I fire again didn't even flinch am I hitting him I ask. Rusty said hit him in the shoulder just as he walked behind a tree and I fire again killing the tree grave yard dead. He's not running off, he walks off 20 yards swinging his head back and forth so I fire again 3 rounds in the Eland and he's still standing Rusty said again so I put a forth round in him and finally he toppled over man are they tough. When we get over to him rusty is shaking my hand and said the trackers could kiss you where you dropped him we'll get pictures and they can just back the truck up to him to load him,

well after the pics we got him loaded yeah after the manager sent for more help 10 of us to get him in the truck but we got him in.

After we got him loaded I tipped each of the farm hands a 100 rand each for their help and we were off to HHS, MAN what a day.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Keep it coming Bob, it's great so far! I hear you on those Eland, they may be hurt and badly so, yet still they stand. Concerning the Warthog boar........hard of hearing, or hearing what you wanted to hear.........hmmmm, :think:.........:headscratch:.....nope, my money's on the latter! But if Deb's around at the AH dinner at DSC I'll go along with your story over a :beer:

 

[bcarper]

Nice Kudu Bob, and the eland is great! Sounds like you had a grand time! Brian

 

[sestoppelman]

I think that elands fits what you were looking for! What a beauty, I am so jealous! Eland is one of those that has eluded me over the years. Easy for some, not easy for me. Next time though. Great story Bob!

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 8

We get up this morning to very cold weather wind blowing, rain but we were going for Debs Springbok so after a nice hot breakfast we head out we're stopping and glassing but seeing nothing worth a stalk. A couple hours away from the lodge we stop to glass a valley and spot some good Springbok we're going to try an ambush again Rusty gets Deb setup on a saddle of the hill and sends the trackers to push them our way well after setting there for 30 minutes in the rain, sleet, hail and snow soaking wet and cold it didn't work they busted us and headed for other parts of the country and it's the first time I ever heard Rusty say he was cold and we need to just go back to the lodge for now and he sure wasn't getting an argument out of us. So I told Rusty lets go maybe a stupid one will walk out in front of us. On the way back we spot a Blesbok with a bad leg so Rusty calls Bruce and tells him about it and Bruce said if we can get close enough to take him so we try, even on three legs he couldn't keep up with the rest of the herd but he could sure stay ahead of us. So we circle around to see if we could cut him off so here we are glassing for this Blesbok when to our right out walks some Springbok. So we back down circle around and get above them Rusty signals for me to come up and take a look and as I'm crawling by and Deb grabs my ankle and I told her that Rusty wanted me to take a look that I wasn't going to shoot her Springbok and I was sorry about the pig (well kind a sort a) so I crawl up and look down 50 yards below us and they had no idea that we were even there , 4 Springbok and one was a shooter so I give Rusty a big grin and back out so deb can get in she gets setup and they moved out another 25 yard and Rusty said take it and again 1 shot down. Springbok in the salt and we're taking pics

then back to the lodge to warm up.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 9

Today has us combing the hills and valleys for my Duiker we're hunting Rusty's farm and doing some calling with a predator call wounded rabbit and several Duikers came in to check it out but no shooters so we're headed in to another valley when one is spotted and it's a good one I get setup it stops about 130 yards I fire and miss yep clean miss and it never stopped running until out of sight I found out later I had missed a 6 inch Duiker. I could kick myself. Well a little later we found another 100 yards took aim fired and seen dirt fly up behind it everyone looked at me and I said no way that was a steady shot that was a pass through so the trackers went to check and sure enough there was blood the duiker would only run 30 or 40 yards then lay down and hide so I got closer and put another shot in him he was done yes he was smaller but no matter he was mine. Its picture taken time.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I think that elands fits what you were looking for! What a beauty, I am so jealous! Eland is one of those that has eluded me over the years. Easy for some, not easy for me. Next time though. Great story Bob!

True story ses, when Austin's eland was down, I let him know that though he didn't get his Kudu I knew those who had been on multiple safaris and had yet to put down an eland.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 10

Now folks get you something to drink maybe a snack today we're going on my hardest hunt we're hunting the Bushbuck and this could get drawn out. As it turns out Rusty has a friend that owns a farm with good free range Bushbuck and as it turns out its pretty hilly and brushy so we knew this was likely to be a hard one. Well it was another early morning as it was a 3 hour drive to get there so we took our time as most of you know most good roads are gravel we would stop ever now then to watch the Vaal Rhebok play in the fields chasing each other back and forth across the fields. Yes 3 long hard hours to get there we met Rusty's friend and he told us where we should start we went back to the farm house and picked up a farm hand that knew the farm as well as anyone. Its now about 9:00am we park walk through the pasture gate about 300 yards to a hill side overlooking a small dam watching a warthog, a kudu and a congress of baboons make there way back to the brush as we came in. We set there for a long time about 3 or 4 minutes when a tracker pointed at the dam and a nice Bushbuck had came out of the brush to drink with out us even seeing it come in. So as it starts to walk off we get set up for a shot when a bigger and better bushbuck walks out of the brush to get a drink rusty points and I can't believe my eye so I change my direction and Rusty said wait til he turns broadside as he turns I take my shot 1 shot down Bushbuck in the salt we get pics

head to the skinning shed and back to HHS. You talk about hard 3 hours to get there 30 minutes to hunt and 3 hour drive back. And I've got a smile on my face you couldn't slap off, this completes my South African Spiral Horn Slam.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 11

Well 2 days left to hunt and Deb still had her Steenbok to go. We had talked it over last night and decided to stay at Rusty's place tonight so we show up this morning with backpacks in hand had another great breakfast and head out. Rusty had already made some phone calls and got permission to hunt neighboring farms for steenbok so on the way to Rusty's we'll be doing some hunting. As we get to the area we start scouting and sure enough not 40 yards off the trail was a steenbok laying in the grass just watching us, I guess he thought we couldn't see him so Rusty got Deb setup got the camera running and deb ask do you want me to shoot and Rusty said yes shoot. Steenbok down, now I'm not one to carry a tape measure with me for checking horns but after seeing this one I just had to know so we got a bunch of pictures and Rusty said Bob give me a mad look and I tried but its hard when your so happy for someone.

I looked at Rusty and said Rusty I just added this to my list find me one and we looked for the rest of the afternoon with no luck so we headed on down to Rusty's for some Rock Rabbit and Monkey practice with the 243. Of which I couldn't hit. So I blamed it on Rusty's reloads.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Good grief Bob! That Steenbok is the Godzilla of Steenbok, simply outstanding!!!

 

[Bobpuckett]

Day 12

This is our final hunting day the one I never wanted to come but it was here. Jami fixed us a fantastic Breakfast eggs sausage bacon and kudu left over from dinner last night toast butter and preserves man was it good. Well after breakfast Rusty said lets see if we can find some Rock Rabbits you were blaming my reloads last night. and sure enough 100 yards were 2 Rock Rabbits setting on top of the same rock I ask rusty witch one he said the one on the left I take aim and fire Rock Rabbit down the other didn't even move so before he could figure out what was going on another Rock Rabbit down. Ok I'm ready I've got my shooting eye back. So we pack up and head to Rusty's Dad's place to say our good-byes before we head out for our final hunt. When we get there I take a look in the back field and sitting there on the other side is a big male monkey, so I run and grab the 243 sneak around the barn get setup take aim and fire 130yards monkey down.

Now I've never seen one of these monkeys up close so my tracker retrieves it for me and did you know that the male monkey has Blue Balls must not have very many girl friends. :laughing:

I said that thing is a full body mount balls showing. Well we said our good-byes before heading out steenbok hunting and heading back to HHS. Well we head down the road to the same area that Deb got her Steenbok we climb up a hill and start glassing a few minutes later Rusty is grabbing his spotting scope and points out another nice steenbok and I said lets go.
So we back down the hill keeping the wind in our favor and stalk to within 100 yards of the Steenbok we crawl back up the hill get setup and the little bugger laid down on us so we set there for 2 hours waiting and watching. We even got clips of other female Steenbok coming to within 40 yards of us. We watched as another female walked only 15 yards above the ones we were watching then on her way back by she must have made some noise because the female that was with the male we were watching jumped up and looked at her then the male jumped up and ran over to check her out Rusty got the camera ready and said when he turns broadside take him and at 130 yards he turned broadside and I made my shot. Well once I made my shot steenbok were running everywhere I lost sight of him and Rusty looked at me and said Bobby you Missed! I said Oh No! and he laughed and said he is down and of course I had a few choice names for Rusty and I swear I'm telling Jami on him. We go get my steenbok and boy am I happy when we get there and check him out he was just a tad smaller then Deb's hers will make the top 20 SCI mine in the 40s both taken only a 1/2 a kilometer apart. 2 days apart BIG GRIN . We take pictures and we're off to Huntershill.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Well guys and gals that was our hunt I didn't see a bushpig and I didn't even hunt the Caracal that was on my list I gave that time to hunting my Eland and it was worth it there is always next time and that is already being planned. we seen lots of Vaal Rhebok every where we went and I lost count on the Steenbok in fact 5 steenbok was taken while we were there and plenty of Duiker as well for those of you that like hunting Nyala there was a 30 incher taken as well and Impala from 23 to 25+ size one guy is claiming a 26 incher I tried to tell him it was only 25 and 7/8 inch and he told me to put my glasses on.:laughing: Thanks for all the replys we had a time of our life. Looking forward to the next hunt. Bob & Deb

 

[Bobpuckett]

Here is a little clip for you to enjoy.