David’s JAK (Just a knife)

[sh1kar]

Fly home tomorrow. Home in 2 days it has been special. He has been with us John. I have seen stuff I have never seen in many years in Africa. He was guiding our footsteps. Thank you both

We saw

Impala

Springbok

Steinbok

Wildebeest

Buffalo

Roan

Sable

Gemsbok

Kudu

Eland

Bushbuck

Warthog

Zebra

Giraffe

Waterbok

Duiker

Caracal

African wildcat

Rock Hirax

Banded Mongoose

Mamba

Ostrich

Vervet Monkey

Chacma baboon

Bushbaby

Bat Eared Fox

Black backed Jackel

Blue tailed skink

Natal Francolin

Crested Francolin

Swainsons Francolin

Guinea Fowl

Crimson breasted shrike

Glossy starling

Pale chanting goshawk

Masked weaver

Sparrow weaver

Giant eagle owl

African hawk eagle

Plover

Nightjar

Split face bat

Grey lourie

Lilac breasted roller

Little bee eater

Korrie bustard

Koraan

Spotted Thick knee

Quillias

LBJs

Vultures

Nyala

Slender Mongoose

Banded Mongoose

Brown Hyena

Bibronze blind snake

Millipede

Turtle dove

Cape dove

Emerald Spotted dove

Tssebe

Sand Grouse

Leopard Tortoise

Mouse Bird

Golden orb spider

Ground squirrel

Hare

Rabbit

Oxpecker

Squacco Heron

Egyptian Geese

Red bill duck

Ha De Dah Ibis

Elephant

Lion

Snake Eagle

Spoonbill

Red Lechwe

Hippo

Monitor Lizard

African fish eagle

Hah de dah ibis

Crocodile

Catalonian

Impala Lilly

Ebony

Fever tree

Marula

Rain tree

Ficus

Acacia

Mopane

Sycamore fig

Zambezi river

Chobe river



Lots of other stuff I don’t know

 

[sh1kar]

@John Gryphon

 

[John Gryphon]

Great pics. Amazing eh that DL 'discovered' Vic Falls. The Africans didnt know about them ha ha.

 

[John Gryphon]

Fly home tomorrow. Home in 2 days it has been special. He has been with us John. I have seen stuff I have never seen in many years in Africa. He was guiding our footsteps. Thank you both

We saw

Impala

Springbok

Steinbok

Wildebeest

Buffalo

Roan

Sable

Gemsbok

Kudu

Eland

Bushbuck

Warthog

Zebra

Giraffe

Waterbok

Duiker

Caracal

African wildcat

Rock Hirax

Banded Mongoose

Mamba

Ostrich

Vervet Monkey

Chacma baboon

Bushbaby

Bat Eared Fox

Black backed Jackel

Blue tailed skink

Natal Francolin

Crested Francolin

Swainsons Francolin

Guinea Fowl

Crimson breasted shrike

Glossy starling

Pale chanting goshawk

Masked weaver

Sparrow weaver

Giant eagle owl

African hawk eagle

Plover

Nightjar

Split face bat

Grey lourie

Lilac breasted roller

Little bee eater

Korrie bustard

Koraan

Spotted Thick knee

Quillias

LBJs

Vultures

Nyala

Slender Mongoose

Banded Mongoose

Brown Hyena

Bibronze blind snake

Millipede

Turtle dove

Cape dove

Emerald Spotted dove

Tssebe

Sand Grouse

Leopard Tortoise

Mouse Bird

Golden orb spider

Ground squirrel

Hare

Rabbit

Oxpecker

Squacco Heron

Egyptian Geese

Red bill duck

Ha De Dah Ibis

Elephant

Lion

Snake Eagle

Spoonbill

Red Lechwe

Hippo

Monitor Lizard

African fish eagle

Hah de dah ibis

Crocodile

Catalonian

Impala Lilly

Ebony

Fever tree

Marula

Rain tree

Ficus

Acacia

Mopane

Sycamore fig

Zambezi river

Chobe river



Lots of other stuff I don’t know

What a fantastic list,thank you for making that list up.

 

[sh1kar]

Finally made it to BA lounge after usual
Cock ups. Massive Bloody Mary with a bit of tomato juice slowly sinking. AirTag in rifle case with JAK shows him to be about 700 m away in international connections so all is well

 

[VSS]

What a fantastic list,thank you for making that list up.

I don't think he made it up

 

[sh1kar]

Just sorting write up for the book. If anyone is handy with leather I found some buffalo leather offcuts to make a sheath or belt case for JAK as per a Leatherman. Seems to go well with the handle

 

[John Gryphon]

I found some buffalo leather offcuts to make a sheath or belt case for JAK

That will elevate the package, good thought.

 

[Stalker62]

If anyone is handy with leather I found some buffalo leather offcuts to make a sheath or belt case for JAK as per a Leatherman.

That's not all the damn thing needs...

 

[Donkey Basher]

Just sorting write up for the book. If anyone is handy with leather I found some buffalo leather offcuts to make a sheath or belt case for JAK as per a Leatherman. Seems to go well with the handle




View attachment 367452

Surely only one person worthy of the job?! - @Klenchblaize

 

[sh1kar]

Just sorting write up for the book. If anyone is handy with leather I found some buffalo leather offcuts to make a sheath or belt case for JAK as per a Leatherman. Seems to go well with the handle




View attachment 367452

Now I think about it that guy was shot in Zambia. Luangwa valley. Not sure if upper or lower lupande. But about 3 hour drive from Mfuwe. With Peter Chipman. I guess bout 2008. I have some zebra too. Maybe a horizontal band on the sheath from the face. Very fine stripes

 

[sh1kar]

@John Gryphon If interested I can send you a photo of our entry in the book

 

[John Gryphon]

@John Gryphon If interested I can send you a photo of our entry in the book

Thank you.

 

[Stalker62]

A better shot of my favourite picture with JAK...

 

[John Gryphon]

A better shot of my favourite picture with JAK

As a budding Hollywood screen writer I have on seeing the pic just thought up a scene with a tame pet and very much alive elephant mitt JAK as posed violently throwing said JAK into the chest of his masters would be assailant......
Go back to bed John.

 

[Stalker62]

I understand that JAK is wending his way North to Sutherland (my old stomping ground), on the next chapter of his adventures.



Very much looking forward to seeing what he gets up to there.

 

[Stalker62]

@John Gryphon

Just ask on the main thread, rather than start another.

This will both answer your question and bring that thread to the top and perhaps 'nudge' the current custodian.

 

[sh1kar]

I believe JAK had a Roebuck last week end and has also been looking for Sika. I will let the current custodian chip in

S

 

[tattie]

Hi All,
A quick update on Jak.

I was out last Saturday evening in a Scots pine and broadleaved block (Ross-Shire) and had a bit of a cat and mouse session with a roe buck (I'll get a picture up in a bit) although eventually I got him. It is a great block with fantastic views and some cracking mature old Scots pine, but it is plagued by gorse thickets and at times you can go in and see nothing.
Anyway I am heading back in there this evening as I am pretty sure that there is another buck there.

I took a day off work yesterday and had a good rake about on a permission I shoot in Sutherland. The morning wasn't looking good with hardly a breath of wind which is a change as it has been blowing a gale up here for bloody weeks.
Anyway I arrived there to a good breeze from the Northwest ( always good) and set off hoping to come across a sika staggie.

The dog and I set off up towards a knoll in the restock, which is now getting to the proper thickety stage and from the knoll you can look out to a steep face that catches the morning sun and is always a good first place to check out wind permitting. Nothing there, so backtracked and away up to the top of the restock and through the gate to work my way up the mature tree edge with reasonable visibility over the restock. Nothing doing so pushed on and spotted a red hind and calf feeding away on a neighbouring landowners ground. The dog started scenting out towards the boundary and I spotted a fox hunting the neighbouring ground.
Away we went after a few minutes and got to the top edge of the tree line and negotiated the horrendous swamp/ bog/ rust coloured morass to get round the corner.
By then the fox had come through the fence in was hunting just in front of us (I have a video but not a clue how to post it). I waited till it moved away out so as not to have it take off ahead.
I had thought to shoot it but the area I was hoping to stalk ahead was the top of the tree line boundering open moorland and there are always beasts about, so I let it be.
Slowly we worked the top tree line and had just about reached a good vantage point when I felt a breath of wind from behind (FFS!) I picked up the pace as anything out on the open section just ahead would be alerted sharpish. Got to the spot and a sika hind was heading at speed in to the tree edge. Then there was the "PEEP" and it was game over there. Walking across the tree edge where she went in the dog was scenting well and indicating and I would suspect she had a calf couched up out in the heather. We kept going and the hind was obviously close to us in the trees giving another few peeps.
Decision time as the wind change had thwarted things a bit so I cut down another ride sacrificing any chance there and crept down slowly through the heather, tussocky grass and boggy moss trying to not have the boots do the "schloop" when you lift a boot out .

About 100 yards from the bottom (wind long gone by now as we are well down the ride) I spotted a single hind and pushed in to the trees to watch for a bit. She was feeding away but no sign of any calf and then from the right hand side of the ride below the tall mature larches a hind and calf appeared and moved out. The dog spotted these before me. We moved a bit tighter in to the trees and the dog could see them. (Again I got a short video clip). The dog gave a slight winge and I said shoosh, not one bit loud but a split second later the hind looked straight up at where we were. I had a veil and gloves on so no white showing and the dog was well concealed. A few seconds later she must have got a slight hint of our scent and she moved off in to the trees quietly.
The other solo hind did the same about 5 minutes later, although I thought we would be there for a bit longer waiting and I wasn't wanting to bump (move) her as the big open ride I would be making my way up to was just around the corner and anything would be alerted.

Onwards and upwards and right in to the edge of the trees on the ascent up the big open ride. the first bit is a bit undulating and you don't see the upposite ride tree edge till you get up and round a bit. A hind was feeding close to the edge of big larches so I watched for a bit (as you do) and a follower and calf were further up the slope under the branches moving about. They were quite happy going about their business and then another bit of movement and I could make out a young staggie in amongst them. I watched and waited in case he might move out or further uphill to an open bit but they moved further up the bank till I lost sight of any movement and that was that.

I slowly made my way to the top of the big ride as the wind was still good with the intention of backtracking along the top tree line bordering the open hill but as I got to the top the wind was back to the north west again. I doubled back and cut through a short ride and then through a diagonal ride to take me out to a good vantage point on the restock but nothing to be seen apart from the red hind and calf on the neighbours ground beyond.
The wind had dropped right down by then and the mizzle had started and our wee friends the midgies were getting stuck in.
Back to the pickup and shared the piece with the dog and headed home.

Nothing shot but at least I can give a wee bit of an addition to the story with the snippets of my stalk yesterday and last Saturdays buck.

I'm heading back out tonight and will try my best for another.


It has been a real privilege for me to have the knife sent to me and to be part of the story, I am most grateful for all those who have given their time to allow me to have "David's" knife in my hand.

Many Thanks

Allan


PS, One of my biggest worries was what If I lose it. every few steps taken and checking it was still in my pocket.

 

[Stalker62]

One of my biggest worries was what If I lose it. every few steps taken and checking it was still in my pocket.

Four of us in Africa with the damned thing.

Almost ruined the entire trip.

"Where's JAK?"

"I thought you had him!"

"F**k no. I gave him to you?"

"Well I last saw him yesterday in the Toyota..."

"Didn't I see you at coffee this morning with him?"...






"Maybe"....





Great to read he is in my favourite part of Scotland.

Just don't f'ing lose him.

Someone will.

Just don't let that 'someone' be you.