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Just back from a hunt with Nick Bowker Hunting at Olive Fountain Ranch, just south of Bedford, South Africa with my good friend, AH member and hunting partner Markm.
We took the two on one twenty animal cull and trophy package. Arriving on Saturday afternoon, we had time to check the rifles and make any necessary adjustments. Nick’s bench is only a few steps from the sleeping quarters, and after a few shots, we were good to go. Six o’clock came quick and after coffee and some cereal, we were set for a six forty-five departure time. In the truck and down the farm lanes, the first day was whatever opportunity arose. If it was in the package, we’d “make a plan”
.
After observing the terrain and the heavier bush than what our previous trips to the Northern Cape presented, we were both somewhat skeptical about taking the list in the allotted time frame. That fear was quickly allayed when within the first hour, a springbok was spotted sneaking down through a hillside of acacias. Nick suggested we circle around and see if we could get in position with the sticks for a fairly close shot. A few hundred meters down a hillside, walking slow and we were in position. I just got the rifle settled in the Rudolph sticks waiting for it to appear from behind an acacia bush, I see it’s rear quarter drop as it decides it’s time to lay down. Partially obscured by the acacia at about ninety meters. I gently lifted the sticks, repositioned, looked back at Nick and he asked if I could take a shot. Scope set at the low power, I zoomed to see if any obstructions. Nothing in the way for a shoulder shot, I pulled the trigger and the first animal was down. High fives, a call to the trackers and it was back on the truck, stopping and glassing along the way until another potential shot was spotted. Nick’s routine is to hunt until eleven or so then head back to ranch for morning brunch, a two hour break then back out for the afternoon. With a power nap, this worked out well for both of us. I finished out the day with an impala and Mark took a springbok, mountain reedbuck and a warthog. On occasion, for whatever reason, one of us will defer to the other but on this hunt we were never more than one or two animals apart.
At the end of each day’s hunt, it was back to the ranch for a shower with a fresh towel, catching up on any communications via wi-fi or phone and then over to the dining hall for some appetizers, libations and then dinner and dessert. Laundry was done daily and returning after the afternoon hunt, clothes were pressed, folded and on the bed. Except for two evenings, it was all braii cooked dinners with venison of various stripes, lamb chops, leg of lamb, pork and beef being served. The fallow deer backstrap shishkabobs were supreme. Meat was done to order by Master Chef Nick. Homemade desserts made by Nick’s lovely wife topped off the meal. If one went hungry here, it’d be their own fault. Side note, I’m a kombucha drinker and with Nick’s wife making a trip to Grahamstown, I asked her if she could get some. That evening in the fridge, there were two bottles she found at a fresh market in town.
I kept a log for each day and my final tally was seven springbok, four mountain reedbuck, four blesbok, four impala and three warthogs. Most animals killed in a day was four and the least, one. The extra springbok were common rams in with the variant herd. We took them on the last two evenings. Mark was overweighted on warthogs but still got twenty animals at the package price.
For both of us we had the most fun spotting warthogs from the truck and then getting out and stalking them to within a hundred meters or closer, setting up on the sticks and taking the shot. Sometimes we’d put in a good amount of time and distance only to be given the slip by these wily beasts, but in the end the 28 Noslers made short work of the unlucky ones.
Last but not least, cannot leave out their two tenacious hunting dogs, Blackjack and Bella who, if necessary, were ready to track and bring down any runners who didn’t know they were on their way to animal heaven.
For any first timer wishing to get a great hunt for a fair price, or for those that have already hunted the Dark Continent, both Mark and I highly recommend Nick’s venue.
Photos are some good representations of the animals taken.
We took the two on one twenty animal cull and trophy package. Arriving on Saturday afternoon, we had time to check the rifles and make any necessary adjustments. Nick’s bench is only a few steps from the sleeping quarters, and after a few shots, we were good to go. Six o’clock came quick and after coffee and some cereal, we were set for a six forty-five departure time. In the truck and down the farm lanes, the first day was whatever opportunity arose. If it was in the package, we’d “make a plan”
.After observing the terrain and the heavier bush than what our previous trips to the Northern Cape presented, we were both somewhat skeptical about taking the list in the allotted time frame. That fear was quickly allayed when within the first hour, a springbok was spotted sneaking down through a hillside of acacias. Nick suggested we circle around and see if we could get in position with the sticks for a fairly close shot. A few hundred meters down a hillside, walking slow and we were in position. I just got the rifle settled in the Rudolph sticks waiting for it to appear from behind an acacia bush, I see it’s rear quarter drop as it decides it’s time to lay down. Partially obscured by the acacia at about ninety meters. I gently lifted the sticks, repositioned, looked back at Nick and he asked if I could take a shot. Scope set at the low power, I zoomed to see if any obstructions. Nothing in the way for a shoulder shot, I pulled the trigger and the first animal was down. High fives, a call to the trackers and it was back on the truck, stopping and glassing along the way until another potential shot was spotted. Nick’s routine is to hunt until eleven or so then head back to ranch for morning brunch, a two hour break then back out for the afternoon. With a power nap, this worked out well for both of us. I finished out the day with an impala and Mark took a springbok, mountain reedbuck and a warthog. On occasion, for whatever reason, one of us will defer to the other but on this hunt we were never more than one or two animals apart.
At the end of each day’s hunt, it was back to the ranch for a shower with a fresh towel, catching up on any communications via wi-fi or phone and then over to the dining hall for some appetizers, libations and then dinner and dessert. Laundry was done daily and returning after the afternoon hunt, clothes were pressed, folded and on the bed. Except for two evenings, it was all braii cooked dinners with venison of various stripes, lamb chops, leg of lamb, pork and beef being served. The fallow deer backstrap shishkabobs were supreme. Meat was done to order by Master Chef Nick. Homemade desserts made by Nick’s lovely wife topped off the meal. If one went hungry here, it’d be their own fault. Side note, I’m a kombucha drinker and with Nick’s wife making a trip to Grahamstown, I asked her if she could get some. That evening in the fridge, there were two bottles she found at a fresh market in town.
I kept a log for each day and my final tally was seven springbok, four mountain reedbuck, four blesbok, four impala and three warthogs. Most animals killed in a day was four and the least, one. The extra springbok were common rams in with the variant herd. We took them on the last two evenings. Mark was overweighted on warthogs but still got twenty animals at the package price.
For both of us we had the most fun spotting warthogs from the truck and then getting out and stalking them to within a hundred meters or closer, setting up on the sticks and taking the shot. Sometimes we’d put in a good amount of time and distance only to be given the slip by these wily beasts, but in the end the 28 Noslers made short work of the unlucky ones.
Last but not least, cannot leave out their two tenacious hunting dogs, Blackjack and Bella who, if necessary, were ready to track and bring down any runners who didn’t know they were on their way to animal heaven.
For any first timer wishing to get a great hunt for a fair price, or for those that have already hunted the Dark Continent, both Mark and I highly recommend Nick’s venue.
Photos are some good representations of the animals taken.
