AfricanEclipse
AH member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2018
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 111
- Location
- Ormond Beach
- Media
- 30
- Member of
- NRA
- Hunted
- Zimbabwe, USA (PA, FL, AL)
Jeff and Dana: Day 10, morning.
(Friday, 27/7/2018)
(Oh... that dreadful alarm!)
“C'mon honey. Time to get up...” After hearing about how difficult the climb was to get to the area where we were able to see the Bushbuck, Dana decided to opt out this morning and let us guys put ourselves in peril without her. (Can't say I blame her.) I know it was a difficult decision for her since she is thrilled with the hunting experience and feels the thrill and reward of the kill as much as me. She wants to be there with me.
I go to breakfast which was a quick gobble-and-go as we needed to get up that pile of rock in the predawn light to be ready when the rays of the morning sun show where the Bushbuck are feeding.
Stopping by our room before heading to the truck I gently prod her to come along and let her know she will be missed. The gang is waiting for me in the truck. I make my there and climb in making sure I don't have any spent cartridges on me and that everything is “ready” for another adventure in the bush.
We start driving down the road towards the hill and I start to do some mental 3D imagery of where we are and where we need to be. The road passes between two hills. The downstream side of the dam is on the other side of the hill to the right. I can't help but think traipsing around this hill is awfully time consuming... I look up as we approach the great mound of rock and think to myself, “We can climb that. Why not go straight up and over?” Doing so would put us at an even higher vantage point and be much quicker. I mention it to Mike. He looks at the hill and gives a nod. We turn off the road and onto a trail which led us to the base of the hill. Out we hop and up we go. If I were going to have a heart attack this would be when it would have happened! Yesterday was nothing compared to this near vertical climb. I am quite sure nobody had ever done this before...
We get to the top and everyone stops to breathe (Except for the trackers, Pizza and Tiger. These two guys are remarkable!). I had taken one or two stops already on the way up. And the view was amazing! I was too preoccupied with not dying and looking for our quarry to take photos. Sorry. Looking at the 3D-ish aerial image below you can see the area where we were hunting.
To give you an idea of our positions yesterday and this morning please see below:
A – Where we were the day before.
B – Previous Bushbuck sighting.
C – Where we parked this morning.
D – Where crossed over the top.
While at the top we spotted at least one Bushbuck, maybe two, just behind the dam! We needed to get a little closer so we sneaked down to a large pale boulder (it is just above the “D” in the photo). We could see them clearly – there were in fact two. I had a decent shot and was steady on the sticks while atop the boulder but Mike wanted to get a touch closer. We moved further down to a flatter opening near a dead or leafless tree. From here we watched them waiting for the right opportunity. The distance to the tree-line on the other side was about 300 yards so being steady and having a still target were important.
There were two males and they were engaged in a bit of a dispute. We watched them spar and shove each other around. That was truly something to see just before 7am! Even from so far away, watching not often seen activities of wild animals gives you a kind of “high.” The younger male must have had a lesson taught to him because after a couple minutes he moved to right and into the thicker greenery. Our concentration was on the larger ram to the left. I waited and waited for him to stop moving and get all the way out from behind a small bush. “Wait just another minute,” Mike was saying. There. Now he was in the open. “I've got him...” I said softly to Mike. “Take the shot when you're comfortable.” Even with my Nikon cranked up that Bushbuck was a small target. Steady... Breathe... “BOOM!” The shot rang out and echoed between the hills. He went down but is struggling. “Again!” said Mike. I chambered another round and quickly fired. Miss. He is not going anywhere but we need to get to him quickly.
We scurried down from the hill and across the dam. Coming around through the trees we start looking in the grass. In the photo you can see the large pale boulder up on the hill and the dead tree that I shot from just down and to the left of it.
We move a little further into the grass near a bush and there he is. I put another round in him to finish him off. There are two small red dots in the second photo above. One is where I shot from the other is where the Bushbuck was. My longest shot to date.
Now that was hunting!
“Lets get this guy over to Dana so she can see him!” said Mike. Little did she know that from where we were up on the hill we could see the window of our room right beside the bed.
Dana was a little surprised when I came into the room but the smile on my face must have given it away. “Did you get him?? I heard three shots!” “Come out and see!” She got dressed appropriately for hunting and came down to where we set him up for photos. Later she said everyone in the camp heard the shots and like an alarm clock, they were up now! Especially with the third “snooze button” shot.
His horns measured about 13.5” and he had seen a number of seasons. He's going on a wall.
Off to the skinning shed again.
Over the last week or so I had been talking to Dana about taking a shot at an animal and she said she would if she could. The problem was my 300 WM would be too much for her. While on the way to the skinning shed we passed my brother and his posse. A short discussion later and Wayne's .22 Hornet was in our truck for Dana to shoot! This would easily take down an Impala or piggie and we were still after them.
We thought about it and decided to head to the airstrip on the property since a variety of animals often visit the wide open space. This would offer Dana a good chance to take an animal. Mike and I ended up stalking some Warthogs that were at the far end of the strip. They were some big females but no boars. This went on for some time and we made our way back to the truck to find Dana some game. While on the way I mentioned to Mike that I had no problem taking a large female Warthog. I thought he was going to go berserk. He thought I only wanted to shoot a boar. Oops...
We press on and after some time Warthogs are spotted on the left. We get out and try sneaking up on them but no luck. Scouting around that area we found these odd logs... no, those aren't logs! Those are Giraffe legs. There wasn't any sign of the rest of the animal – just the legs. I believe there was a giraffe taken a week or three prior and they removed the legs for ease of transport.
We continued on without seeing much by way of our quarry and headed back for lunch. The Drummonds, Wayne, and Mike got together and decided to have an evening cookout on top of a great granite slab out in the bush. The lunar eclipse was tonight with the full moon. It should be a terrific show! (Thus my avatar name.)
Jeff and Dana: Day 10, afternoon.
(Friday, 27/7/2018)
After lunch we continued on to find Dana something worth shooting. After all, she stuck with me through thick and thin during my hunting exercises!
On and on we went. We visited the area around a lodge that had recently been struck by lightening and burned down. Judging by what was left I'm sure it was an amazing place! Neither Dana or me took any pics... We did manage to get a pick with our awesome trackers. Tiger, me, Dana, Mike, and Pizza.
As you can see in the photo, the sun was getting weary in the sky so we got a move on.
Impala ahead! Mike and I get out to try to sneak up on them. This bunch was having none of it and the delightful females kept blowing their dissatisfaction at us when we got too close. A little further down the road we decide to go after them. Dana! You're with Mike this time! And off they went after the Impala. I was so thrilled for her and followed behind!
These giant ant mounds sure do come in handy!
Unfortunately, the Impala were too wary and wouldn't stick around for Dana to shoot.
By now it is getting late in the afternoon and we need to head back to camp and get ready for tonight. As a matter of fact we're running late!
(Friday, 27/7/2018)
(Oh... that dreadful alarm!)
“C'mon honey. Time to get up...” After hearing about how difficult the climb was to get to the area where we were able to see the Bushbuck, Dana decided to opt out this morning and let us guys put ourselves in peril without her. (Can't say I blame her.) I know it was a difficult decision for her since she is thrilled with the hunting experience and feels the thrill and reward of the kill as much as me. She wants to be there with me.
I go to breakfast which was a quick gobble-and-go as we needed to get up that pile of rock in the predawn light to be ready when the rays of the morning sun show where the Bushbuck are feeding.
Stopping by our room before heading to the truck I gently prod her to come along and let her know she will be missed. The gang is waiting for me in the truck. I make my there and climb in making sure I don't have any spent cartridges on me and that everything is “ready” for another adventure in the bush.
We start driving down the road towards the hill and I start to do some mental 3D imagery of where we are and where we need to be. The road passes between two hills. The downstream side of the dam is on the other side of the hill to the right. I can't help but think traipsing around this hill is awfully time consuming... I look up as we approach the great mound of rock and think to myself, “We can climb that. Why not go straight up and over?” Doing so would put us at an even higher vantage point and be much quicker. I mention it to Mike. He looks at the hill and gives a nod. We turn off the road and onto a trail which led us to the base of the hill. Out we hop and up we go. If I were going to have a heart attack this would be when it would have happened! Yesterday was nothing compared to this near vertical climb. I am quite sure nobody had ever done this before...
We get to the top and everyone stops to breathe (Except for the trackers, Pizza and Tiger. These two guys are remarkable!). I had taken one or two stops already on the way up. And the view was amazing! I was too preoccupied with not dying and looking for our quarry to take photos. Sorry. Looking at the 3D-ish aerial image below you can see the area where we were hunting.
To give you an idea of our positions yesterday and this morning please see below:
A – Where we were the day before.
B – Previous Bushbuck sighting.
C – Where we parked this morning.
D – Where crossed over the top.
While at the top we spotted at least one Bushbuck, maybe two, just behind the dam! We needed to get a little closer so we sneaked down to a large pale boulder (it is just above the “D” in the photo). We could see them clearly – there were in fact two. I had a decent shot and was steady on the sticks while atop the boulder but Mike wanted to get a touch closer. We moved further down to a flatter opening near a dead or leafless tree. From here we watched them waiting for the right opportunity. The distance to the tree-line on the other side was about 300 yards so being steady and having a still target were important.
There were two males and they were engaged in a bit of a dispute. We watched them spar and shove each other around. That was truly something to see just before 7am! Even from so far away, watching not often seen activities of wild animals gives you a kind of “high.” The younger male must have had a lesson taught to him because after a couple minutes he moved to right and into the thicker greenery. Our concentration was on the larger ram to the left. I waited and waited for him to stop moving and get all the way out from behind a small bush. “Wait just another minute,” Mike was saying. There. Now he was in the open. “I've got him...” I said softly to Mike. “Take the shot when you're comfortable.” Even with my Nikon cranked up that Bushbuck was a small target. Steady... Breathe... “BOOM!” The shot rang out and echoed between the hills. He went down but is struggling. “Again!” said Mike. I chambered another round and quickly fired. Miss. He is not going anywhere but we need to get to him quickly.
We scurried down from the hill and across the dam. Coming around through the trees we start looking in the grass. In the photo you can see the large pale boulder up on the hill and the dead tree that I shot from just down and to the left of it.
We move a little further into the grass near a bush and there he is. I put another round in him to finish him off. There are two small red dots in the second photo above. One is where I shot from the other is where the Bushbuck was. My longest shot to date.
Now that was hunting!
“Lets get this guy over to Dana so she can see him!” said Mike. Little did she know that from where we were up on the hill we could see the window of our room right beside the bed.
Dana was a little surprised when I came into the room but the smile on my face must have given it away. “Did you get him?? I heard three shots!” “Come out and see!” She got dressed appropriately for hunting and came down to where we set him up for photos. Later she said everyone in the camp heard the shots and like an alarm clock, they were up now! Especially with the third “snooze button” shot.
His horns measured about 13.5” and he had seen a number of seasons. He's going on a wall.
Off to the skinning shed again.
Over the last week or so I had been talking to Dana about taking a shot at an animal and she said she would if she could. The problem was my 300 WM would be too much for her. While on the way to the skinning shed we passed my brother and his posse. A short discussion later and Wayne's .22 Hornet was in our truck for Dana to shoot! This would easily take down an Impala or piggie and we were still after them.
We thought about it and decided to head to the airstrip on the property since a variety of animals often visit the wide open space. This would offer Dana a good chance to take an animal. Mike and I ended up stalking some Warthogs that were at the far end of the strip. They were some big females but no boars. This went on for some time and we made our way back to the truck to find Dana some game. While on the way I mentioned to Mike that I had no problem taking a large female Warthog. I thought he was going to go berserk. He thought I only wanted to shoot a boar. Oops...
We press on and after some time Warthogs are spotted on the left. We get out and try sneaking up on them but no luck. Scouting around that area we found these odd logs... no, those aren't logs! Those are Giraffe legs. There wasn't any sign of the rest of the animal – just the legs. I believe there was a giraffe taken a week or three prior and they removed the legs for ease of transport.
We continued on without seeing much by way of our quarry and headed back for lunch. The Drummonds, Wayne, and Mike got together and decided to have an evening cookout on top of a great granite slab out in the bush. The lunar eclipse was tonight with the full moon. It should be a terrific show! (Thus my avatar name.)
Jeff and Dana: Day 10, afternoon.
(Friday, 27/7/2018)
After lunch we continued on to find Dana something worth shooting. After all, she stuck with me through thick and thin during my hunting exercises!
On and on we went. We visited the area around a lodge that had recently been struck by lightening and burned down. Judging by what was left I'm sure it was an amazing place! Neither Dana or me took any pics... We did manage to get a pick with our awesome trackers. Tiger, me, Dana, Mike, and Pizza.
As you can see in the photo, the sun was getting weary in the sky so we got a move on.
Impala ahead! Mike and I get out to try to sneak up on them. This bunch was having none of it and the delightful females kept blowing their dissatisfaction at us when we got too close. A little further down the road we decide to go after them. Dana! You're with Mike this time! And off they went after the Impala. I was so thrilled for her and followed behind!
These giant ant mounds sure do come in handy!
Unfortunately, the Impala were too wary and wouldn't stick around for Dana to shoot.
By now it is getting late in the afternoon and we need to head back to camp and get ready for tonight. As a matter of fact we're running late!
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