The 2018 Expedition 1882 Era Black Powder Hunt At Weltevreden Farm In Limpopo South Africa

[Gert Odendaal]

Members here follows the write up of the recent 1884 Era Black powder hunt at Weltevreden farm.
We managed to add another aspect to our hunt, using donkeys to collect the game we shoot and collecting fire wood . Traditional bow shooting, arrows making and flint knapping was another aspect we add to this years 1884 Era Black powder hunt.
Hansie Minnaar ( Stewart core bonded bullets /drawn brass ) brought two donkeys .

Hansie Minnaar made the harnasse himself for every donkey, enable them to pull a sledge. Hansie and Morgan build another sledge since the one Willie Barnard build was meant for the oxen.

Only a mother can love this face:http://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0194.gif

This year more original tents were part of the camp site..we really endeavor to lessen the plastic pollution of the new era...this is one aspect we need to focus on since it really marred some lovely photos.
Greg`s Bell tent:

Johan Greyling brought a real gem , this is an original tent used in the Boer war.

Wallace, Cleve Cheney and his son Hunt used this type of bokseil tent:

My new sleeping set up work beautifully ..I really slept like a baby without getting cold through out the week...

Greg used this canvas tent:

Herman Nel and Brand Bienedell use the Kakebeen ox wagon to sleep in.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

We still use our trusty long drop with a view:

Activities included the following:
How to :harvesting arrow shafts from a Rosyntjie bush:

Hunt demonstrates how long the traditional arrow needs to be to fit an individual:

Stripping bark from the rosyntjie bush arrow branch to plate a strong usable rope from bark...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Wallace demonstrated how to carve a large camp spoon from a huge piece of wood:

Different activities:Hunt Cheney demonstrated how to do this fine art of Flint knapping :

The flint items were sharp enough to cut leather and will easily skin an impala or any other game specie hunted by us...we used it for arrow head purposes as well.

Some items made for the camp included Willie Barnard `s Olive wood bench made by Herman Nel from wood harvested on Weltevreden farm...

Willie and Patrys testing the comforts of their new bench:

Greg really is a carver of note..he did excellent forging work as well:

Activities:
Jaap ( Ds J) strung a chair using raw thongs ...he forged another knife as well and conduct every evening`s Bible reading session.

Jaap using an old spade to tan the raw thongs , making them supple:

Another new item added to this hunt expedition is Wallace Vosloo out new photographer with his real 1883 era camera:

DIY group sessions was an enjoyable event, you will not believe the amount of gossip going around while conducting the group sessions...http://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0194.gifhttp://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0194.gif

MC making another pair of velskoene:

Volkmar Bunge made this powder horn for Morgan Gregory:

Note the newly designed cap holder you can hang around your neck to use in the veld..a practical solution par excellence...
Volkmar explain his powder measure design on the powder horn he made for Morgan.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Activities:
Making fire using a Tonteldoos is nice to do. I practiced my Tonteldoos skills as well:

and completed my possibles bag set up as well

Traditional bow shooting in camp was another item we added this year. Next year we will use our traditional bows to hunt.
Here is Greg with a bow he made out of leaf spring.

Shooting my Reflex/deflex Osage /Tonkin bamboo back bow with a coco-bola handle...This bow I build myself under the guidance of Jaco Wessels . This was the most difficult building project ever and extremely tiring as well, it took four days to complete this bow and nights...http://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0065.gifhttp://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0065.gifhttp://www.**NOT**PERMITTED**.co.za/forums/images/smilies/happy0065.gif

Camp Food;
Johan Greyling bake the bread and rusks as usual....this man can really bake a bread. Johan and Cleve installing the bread oven:

Johan Greyling made ginger beer as well:

Here are a few photos of the food we made in our camp:
Impala Venison with a mild twelve leaf curry..in Dutch oven , the only other one like this one is probably in a museum somewhere....

An original Dutch Oven that came with the Settlers ...

Lamb pot stew , meat that Morgan brought ...it was delicious...

This meat was sponsored by Hansie Minnaar and his wife Rina, we really appreciate all the meat given by our members .

Willie made a hunters pot, that include one Ribbok leg squashed between two lamb ribs it was delicious...

MC made scrambled eggs:

Eland wors and impala mince pot:

Fresh Impala liver, hart and kidneys ....with an onion/tamato sauce..

Pap was made by Johan Greyling, Volkmar and Hunt.

We baked melk tert over the coal as well, Johan and Herman assisted me:

Strong brewed coffee with condense milk was a favorite:

Strong grinned coffee ready for the coffee can on the fire:

Music was another favorite ;

Singing around the fire was a treat:

David singing "God save the King"

 

[nztimb]

Can you add any more to the tease where you say the spade was used to tan the raw thongs Gert.

 

[Hank2211]

Than you very much for this. I enjoy reading about this and seeing the pictures each year. I have no doubt life was hard for the early settlers, but there seems to be a simplicity to it which has a lot of appeal.

 

[sierraone]

Amazing craftsmanship. Most today, myself included, couldn't even start to create so many different objects from scratch.

 

[Shootist43]

Gert, You and your friends have way too much fun doing this every year. But I do have to admit I enjoy reading about and seeing the pictures from your annual trek back into history. Did any of the guys hunt? If so how did they make out?

 

[cagkt3]

Another very interesting thread, really seems like you all enjoy yourselves!

 

[dobber]

another amazing trip

 

[CAustin]

Gert this is very interesting indeed. Thank you for sharing the photos and narrative.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Gert, great adventure as always.
Thank all the guys for sharing it with us.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Our kitchen:
We really are trying to get away from using any plastic or containers with the real world`s packaging . This bread board is made from Olive wood from Weltevreden. Notice the camp/kitchen knives I made for this trip...

Printed labels from the 1883 era to get rid of the plastic pollution..
Coffee is an important item on our hunt:
Wallace Vosloo sponsored our coffee beans and grinned coffee as well as the green beans we roast our selves.

Special coffee roast brand :
WALLACE SE MOER DARK ROAST coffee:

Our 1884 coffee grinder sponsored by Wallace Vosloo the king of coffee.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Since this is a hunting expedition we all have rifles to hunt with. These rifles needs to be either original black powder front loaders or a good replica of rifles used in 1883/1884.
Some photos of the hunting rifles :
Monkey Tail:

.577/450 Martini Henry

.577 Snider

More photos /story will follow...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Wallace used a .450/400 Holland &Holland

Cleve Cheney :

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Can you add any more to the tease where you say the spade was used to tan the raw thongs Gert.

Garry, Jaap used the spade to remove the tough muscle sinew that is still on the inside of the thongs/skins..it is an easier method to make it pliable and workable.

 

[nztimb]

Understood Gert. It was just that I read it was used to tan and that seemed to mean cure rather than soften and the picture detail is not that clear on my ph which is the only means I have to see all these wonderful photos. I can't wait till I am home and can go back over them again on the larger screen of my computer.
You have had another splendid outing to keep the old traditions from being forgotten. I believe that your realistic hunts will eventually have a historical importance on their own as you retain and are able to share the way things were done with a generation that has lost all this knowledge. You will be the grey beards that can keep history alive and should have a ready supply of schools etc who will want to have these adventures shared with the pupils to keep this history alive and not just in dusty old museums.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Wallace challenged Hunt Cheney to shoot a Kudu bull and he would have given Hunt this beautiful rifle. Unfortunately Hunt was not able to shoot a Kudu bull.

.450/400 Blackpowder Express (bottle case 2-3/8 inch) Holland & Holland double. Winner of all “Field” trials London 1883.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Cleve hunted with a .54cal 12ga Pedersoli African Hunting double.

More hunting photos:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Morgan Gregory hunted with a Ardessa .50 caliber (replica) This is an excellent representative photo of a real Boer , those who still can shoot a fly from a kudu`s eyebrow...

Morgan Gregory , the hunting musician