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
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
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
only several miles back to the truck but atlest i had help
the sun was just rising i must of been about 7 ish
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
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
only several miles back to the truck but atlest i had help