AFRICA! Bucket List nears... September.

[Sytes]

We wrapped up our mountain days and heading to the lower/coastal area for the remainder of our hunt.
Blesbuck, springbuck, and warthog seemed to show themselves here and there.

Our PH is the owner (parents included) along with his wife who also operates as a PH. Our first evening interaction over dinner presented a comforting sense of integrity as we spoke options, pricing, and realistic objectives. The unknown variable of uncertainty turned relaxing.



Came across a good group of blesbuck a distance away. We routed to a peak with view of a recessed area that is saddled between another. Dropped off our tracker to walk along a route that pressed the blesbuck into the recessed area below our location.

In they came, I was prone shooting straight down, it seemed. There were four shooting males within the group. PH pointed out the best and waited for it to clear and turn broad side.
Then he moved into position. Easy breath, reticle on line, and easy trigger pull. Videographer reviewed as the blesbuck and it's group ran off. I shot over it's shoulder / back and killed a poof of dirt!
Those animals are beautiful! Clean miss and a bit a personal kick in the ass - repeatedly.

 

[Sytes]

Last day at their mountain location, on our return from the blesbuck miss that I've received my good share of ribbing - and then some... and then more. They say it's a very tough shot as the range was 250 yards out and 150 yards down...doesn't stop the ribbing.

As we rounded a ridge our PH stopped the vehicle and called out, "Warthog - and a big one.". My hunt partner had his heart set on a nice warthog and off the went.

According to our PH, it's the largest they've had taken off their lands. 190 pounds and about 13-15 y/o! Needless to say, my partner's one happy hunter! He even asked me to join him for a pic. Hah!

 

[Sytes]

Our new lower coastal / lowlands area is fantastic!

My room overlooks an impressive winding lake, the staff had our dirty clothes folded fresh and clean, and the chef is top notch!

This entire experience has exceeded our imagination for housing, staff, and the most fantastic owner operated PH family!

LJ Hunting Safaris | Hunting Outfitter in South Africa's Eastern Cape

ljhuntingsafaris.co.za

 

[noharleyyet]

Splendid Charles...

 

[WildWill]

I found the blesbuck to be quiet a challenge only second to zebras in difficulty to stalk. Looks great so far! How'd you get past the site blocker? I was unable to log on to hunttalk.com the entire time I was in Africa for some reason.

 

[seeth07]

dang, very jealous!

 

[Forkyfinder]

I'm not a fan of euro mounts. You will enjoy your mounts the rest of your life! I've done shoulder, pedestal, and a few life mounts of most of my trophys from Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and Alaska, and of my best Colorado and Montana animals. They take up a good portion of my house, but I enjoy seeing them and re-living their hunts every day.

Good god man it looks like noahs ark in there.

 

[Sytes]

The ribbing enhanced as I sent another round over the top of a very nice Impala at our new location today! Yep! Again, another zinger for the loss!

Later, maybe an hour before sundown, after some internal royal ass kicking and conversations with our PH's we ventured further and spotted a very nice bushbuck in some taller bush area.

Lined up using standing sticks and as soon as he entered another small opening about 200 yards, I sent a round. Dirt poofed and the bushbuck sprung straight upward then ran out of view.



Our PH and tracker hiked over to the area. Apparently, bushbucks will become aggressive if wounded and will charge with their horns horizontal, intent to skewer a threat.
Call came back large puddles of blood found. Darkness fell as they continued tracking. We heard a few barks and in pitch darkness we met up. They bumped him a few occasions, thus the barks and off he went again. They stopped their search at a known location to pick up the next morning.

This morning at 0630 we group up and route in. It's 0230 currently. Going to try and go back to sleep.

 

[Sytes]

I found the blesbuck to be quiet a challenge only second to zebras in difficulty to stalk. Looks great so far! How'd you get past the site blocker? I was unable to log on to hunttalk.com the entire time I was in Africa for some reason.

Interesting you mentioned this. I received an international plan for Verizon. No problems. At our current location, I connected to the WiFi and instantly hit with the following:


I've since returned to my normal Verizon plan and able to post again.

 

[npaden]

Interesting you mentioned this. I received an international plan for Verizon. No problems. At our current location, I connected to the WiFi and instantly hit with the following:
View attachment 340741

I've since returned to my normal Verizon plan and able to post again.

You can download a VPN app for free and use it to tell Hunttalk you are from somewhere else.

That’s what I did when I was in South Africa and was blocked.

Kind of seems pointless to blacklist countries if someone as IT illiterate as me can just run a VPN on my phone to get around it but I guess it might stop a couple nefarious hackers…

 

[Sytes]

dang, very jealous!

Speak of envious, next bucket would follow your recent amazing hunt.

0700 routing to search. Raining...

 

[seeth07]

Speak of envious, next bucket would follow your recent amazing hunt.

0700 routing to search. Raining...

Which one

 

[Sytes]

Which one

Any though your recent in AK w/ your wife. Skiff, hunt, crab pots, fishing... Buckets of adventures we all value to notch. You and many really make the most of opportunities.

Live to work or work to live.

 

[Sytes]

Raining on and off.

Found the brushbuck. Pushed and he's able to move. Took off w/ a blood trail. Called for dog(s). I had to hike/slip my way back to the truck for safety purpose. I heard a couple shots.

This Red mud is the equivalent/more challenging than pushing around low brush on icy snow... The difference? Red mud fills the boot sole completely. Weight and zero ability for traction. I bet those of you who live in red mud understand.

Then vegetation has its own incredible various defence mechanisms! It's rough. A wild, survival of the fittest is a good quote to use.
I'm used to grabbing branches to steady self or... to catch self from mis-balance. NOT HERE. Hah! If I'm about to fall, it's an instant study of the ground and bushes. No time? Roll the dice. Gaiters help immensely!

Heard three shots fired. I'd say the bushbuck is down.

I feel a bit awkward sitting in a truck while they're out in the rain on Red mud slick slopes, dealing with my bushbuck. There's a difference between DIY and guided. Always been a kill it, you clean it type fish/hunt person. I'm pretty stubborn though I have to suck it up and deal with this setting. $$$ worth at work, I suppose.

I'm simply glad we found and dispatched it. Hopefully a pic of few to follow.