africa 2003 part 1

as i woke , there was a feeling of apprehension within me, it was a cold morning as i looked outside the frost on the camper van said it all
the sun was just rising i must of been about 7 ish
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the guinea fowl just starting to wake shouting at me 'get back get back'
such a strange feeling for the month of june then it dawned on me the surealism of the whole thing , i was here my first trip to africa
never thought i would be cold and the whole place covered in frost and ice
once breakfast was eaten a type of stiff porridge, pack lunch sorted then we were off
as i climbed the steep mountainous terrain i struggled for breath but both excitement and my ph kept me moving this morning we were after the biggest prize this area could provide , a walk and stalk after kudu
my fitness being put to the test from the very start
my two trackers walked in a lazy like fashion but soon were so far ahead we lost site of them
far up the mountianside their was bunch of rocks we could rest there ,dricus (my ph) told me , as we sat it was nearly 11 am and the ice was just starting to melt quick drink and of again
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by this time a tracker (sukis) was back excitement written all over his face , a large bunch of kudu cows was just stood in the trees over the next ridge , from that off at a steady pace we took seemed like my heart and lungs were about to burst as we approached the summit , a slow crawl down to a safe shooting point and sat and waited ,
the kudu were there, some where
every one else could see them why couldn't i
then there a movement, a flicker
hell how did i not seem them they were massive
dricus says' rich the one third from the back but be quick'
as i raised and placed the cross hairs on her chest
booooom the silence was shattered and and telling thud of the strike
'again' he said 'again ,don't stop till it falls over'
again the parker hale 30-06 sent a silvertip 180 grain head on it's way this time the back legs buckled and the cow fell the other kudu moved off sounded like a load of coconuts being clapped together as they departed over the next ridge
this was it ,i had done it on the first day of stalking in africa my first kudu
now was the hard bit, getting it back home
this was one of the agreements we had you shoot it you help drag it
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only several miles back to the truck but atlest i had help
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South Africa 2006

Hi Stone
Looks like you ahd a simular experiance to me it was just fantastic.
So hear goes.
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This Blesbuck was first animal I shot in the 2006 trip.
We crawled up a river bank for 300 yards or so, then through thick cover and then on our bellies for 50 yards before he started to move back to the herd he was with.
We had seen him from a long way out on the other side of the valley and walked some distance to get the wind on out side.
As we tried to get closer, leaving Seb with the tracker and skinner we were stopped in our tracks by other Blesbuck we had not seen and in turn this had alerted the boy we were after.
With the PH laid across in front of me he said quietly use my arse to rest the rifle and take him when your ready and we have not long he is starting to get unsettled he is about 200 yards.
I took the shot using my 30-06 with Federal Partition 180gr, after a drunken stagger he dropped and after waiting a short time we made our way to him lying on the other side of the small valley.

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This is the prep work for the photo and trophy by the skinner and tracker being watched on by Seb.

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This is the second animal again same combination as above re rifle and ammo but this time we had been out all day covering plenty of ground and later in the day the tracker spotted him grazing in the distance.
Again hands and knees stuff through very long grass until a convenient tree appeared slowly lifting my self up he was right behind a Blesbuck by this time and the wait for the Blesbuck to move seemed forever but he did and at about 80 yards I took the shot
And being honest the wait did not do me much good, the Impala dropped but I did pull the shot slightly.

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Seb getting some coaching with a borrowed .243 before we headed out.

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Sorry him again with the Warthog, what I forgot to tell everybody, as he lined up to the Warthog the PH said lets go through the little rhyme I taught you first, so he did with the PH whispering “Sight,-Target- Trigger- Squeeze” and to his amazement bang the Warthog dropped dead and he said I thought you were going to go through the rhyme first Seb, Seb replied you told me if the tail goes straight up then he’s going to run and his tail did so I shot him before he ran off.
Charlotte also shot one but the camera broke unfortunately.

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And finally spent three days after Bushbuck doing just this moving, sitting and spying we spotteed three but did not manage to catch up with them but it was great fun trying.
Hope you all enjoy I have not done it justice and when I can afford Bushbuck will be next.

Smithy
 
A great story Smithy, I really laughed my head off when you mentioned Seb's little chat with the PH. :lol:
 
hi smithy
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these two were shot
after a hell of a long stalk
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just glad we could get the pick up close enough when the final shots were taken , this was just outside of a town called tarkastad in the top of the karoo and the family who owned the hunting on this piece of ground were of birmingham origins the brother inlaw shot one which was just 1 and a half centimetres short of a rowland ward we both had 2 blesbok each that day but damn it was hard work and a lot of walking
 
Hi Stone,
Great country, good pickures, what a place. do you have plans to go back!,
I will at some point and it will be for a Bushbuck and Waterbuck.

smithy
 
Fantastic stories and pictures. Certainly makes me want to go.

Thanks chaps.

Grant
 
Stone and Smithp
Great stories and amazing landscape
It's one place I would love to go and soon..
All the best,
Gyr
 
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