David Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Day five found us back at the mouth of the Great Kei River, this time to hunt my Nyala and a Zebra. Having spent the morning looking for a Nyala, with no success, we were about to commence a stalk towards a herd of Burchell’s Zebra. Suddenly, four Nyala bulls came over the crest of a hill, some seven hundred yards distant. We immediately commenced our stalk and at a distance of one hundred and eighty yards, I took a lovely Nyala bull that measured twenty-seven inches and dropped to the shot where he stood. We then turned our attention to a zebra. We had already identified the animal I was to shoot, so it was just a matter of locating the correct herd. As luck would have it, we found him very quickly and stalked into the group to one hundred and twelve yards. I took the shot off the branch of a small thorn tree. The shot struck the zebra hard but zebras are tough animals. The shot zebra trotted off over the crest of a hill with the rest of his group with us in hot pursuit. We tracked what we thought was the shot animal for about another hour or so, amazed that he was able to keep so far ahead of us. At that point, we had to go back to the vehicle, to drive round and get above where we thought the zebra was. As we went back to the vehicle, we suddenly came across one very sick zebra. When he had moved off over the hill, he had put himself in a thorn thicket and we had been chasing one of two other zebras from the rest of the herd. We crept to one hundred and twenty four yards and I gave him his coup de grace. Day six was our Bushbuck day. Since Iain had not managed to get a Black Springbok, he elected to take another Bushbuck instead. Arriving at the stalking ground, Iain and Andrew took off into some thick thorn bush and after a period of no more than twenty minutes, I heard Iain’s rifle fire. The result was this Cape Bushbuck. Just after lunch, Andrew and I went off to find a Bushbuck for me. We were glassing across a valley and on the opposite side to us were several bushbuck ewes. On the premise that “Where there are girls there’ll be boys”, we kept glassing and finally picked up two Bushbuck rams. Andrew selected the larger of the two and we commenced our stalk. The ground cover on our side of the valley did not allow us to get closer that two hundred yards, so at that distance I adjusted my scope turret accordingly and dropped the bushbuck. He was a fine specimen with fifteen inch horns. We were losing light by the time we had completed the photo session and we still had to get Iain another bushbuck. St. Hubertus was looking kindly on us and just as light was failing, Iain and Andrew located a fine ram, which will soon join the others on Iain’s wall. Day seven saw us out for Warthog. Despite searching from early morning, it was 1400hrs before we spied a good Warthog boar, feeding some six hundred and fifty yards away. Andrew led me in to seventy yards from that boar and when I fired, he dropped where he stood. It is the best warthog I have shot and though by no means exceptional, his right tusk (broken at the end) measured ten and a half inches, whilst his left tusk was eleven and three quarters. Day eight was Iain’s turn for a Warthog but though we spent the day searching, and saw several warthogs, the trophy eluded us and Iain is a warthog in credit for next year’s hunt. Before returning to the Lodge, Andrew parked the Landcruiser on a hill, looking down to the Great Kei River. He pointed out a group of six Egyptian Geese (a real pest species), five standing on a rock and one in the water. He ranged them at five hundred and seventy four yards. He then said, “Let’s see what that fancy sight of yours can do. Shoot the one in the water.” I lay on the ground and using a short bipod, shot the goose. It was the longest shot I have ever taken on a live quarry. Mr. Kenton sure makes a great accessory for a fine scope. That’s one purchase I certainly do not regret making. Our hunt being over, Iain and I spent two more days, relaxing, eating and drinking in East London, View from hotel balcony before flying back to Johannesburg, staying one night before flying home. No excess baggage charges this time. We took time to have a steak at the Butcher Shop and Grill, Sandton Mall, Johannesburg. The best steak restaurant I have ever been in. We missed Izak’s company. The Butcher Shop and Grill Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton Mall The wine (I forgot to photograph the steak) That’s it for this year, roll on next year. I think that Cape Buffalo may well be on the list, or is it Waterbuck, or maybe Sable, or could be Sittatunga, or maybe Puku……….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elwood Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 A great write up and fantastic photo's, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenbear Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Stunning, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemasis243 Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 That was great lads ,good story and photos , it must have been one hell of a trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remington65 Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 missed you guys. glad you had a great time and will catch up with you both soon. remy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_egg Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Great write up. So what rifle and calibre were you using out there? Wish I could afford a trip out, I best get saving....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streeker59 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Great read, fantastic pics.. Thanks David... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thank you for your kind comments guys. These hunts are not as expensive as you might think. If you are interested to know more, PM me with your E-mail address and I'll send you a link to my website which will tell you more. Hi Scotch Egg. The rifle I use in Africa started life as a Winchester Model 70 Ultimate Shadow in 300WSM. Mike Norris worked up the load to get its accuracy sub .75 minutes of angle, occasionally as good as .5. Not bad for a light sporter. It has been refitted with a Hogue stock and has a Nightforce NXS 4-22 x 50 with a Kenton Industies Elevation Turret and now, with bipod attached, may not be so light!! I use a 180gn Hornady SST, maybe not the text book best bullet for African plains game but it's killed everything I have hit. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 David thanks for sharing this wonderful trip with us, the ground looks spectacular! Seems like your guide pulled out all the stops for you, which must go a long way to making the trip stress free and enjoyable. One day, I will maybe do something similar, as this is exactl the kind of trip I would make had I the time and no rug rats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thank you Ronin. I have known Andrew, of Kei River Hunting Safaris for four years now. Each hunt gets better than the last. Keep your Afriacn Plaind game Hunt on the "to do" list. You wont regret it. david. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Really lovely pictures, brings back memories. I spent a big part of my childhood in Grahamstown and we shot the fish river. I have now taken over my fathers 308 from that time. thanks for sharing. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest varmartin Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi David, Thanks for sharing your stunning images and hunt details. A plains game hunt is also something I would like to do very much. I have a good friend on here that has been hunting in SA several times...so maybe one day......who knows ?? I cant think of any thing else that makes you feel so`alive`.... Ps...that Warthog is awesome....glad you did not upset it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Small world Edi. The land along the Fish River is stunning. I bet you miss Grahamstown, I do and I'm just a visitor!! Feeling alive just about sums it up Varmartin. I've done nothing else that gives such an adrenelin rush, though I suspect that a gold medal roebuck might David.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi David Truely amazing looking trip, great write up and pictures. Many thanks for allowing us to share in your experience, did you have a favourite hunt ?? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Yes Steve. Without question, the Nyala. Last year I had a Nyala on my species list. I had always wanted one of these beautiful animals. I was out near to Grahamstown and we had stalked on to a fine bull Nyala across a deep valley, the sides of which were covered in thorn and euphorbia. One hundred and eighty-five yards. I took the shot and the Nyala dropped to the ground kicking. I knew I had hit it high and thought that I had hit its spine. After a couple of minutes, the damn thing got up and ran up the valley side. It stopped for a second and I shot it again, very close to the first shot but the Nyala moved over the top of the valley side and that was the last we saw of him. The P.H. had videoed both shots so later we could clearly see both hits and every P.H. we showed the video to were of the opinion that it was a dead Nyala. Be that as it may, we never found the Nyala. We found some blood but no Nyala. A team of six of us searched the area for two and a half days and did not find the Nyala. It had likely fallen down a crevase. In the year that passed since then, no one on that property had found the carcase. No one had reported a wounded Nyala and no other hunter had shot a beast with two bullet wounds. Because of this experience, I was keen to get another Nyala and see the animal drop as before and stay down. This year that is exactly what happened. Regrettably, this one was not captured on video. If you would like to read the full story on the 2007 hunt you can do so via the stories page of my website. I'm glad you enjoyed hearing of this year's hunt and thank you for your kind comments. david. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 David, I think in the early 70's we had way less game along the fish river compared to now. Covering a lot of ground from dark to dark on average we managed mostly not more than one kudu, bushbuck or duiker. Duck and geese where plentyfull and as a kid I shot turtles in the river with my heavy barreled BSA 22lr. I heard that even Hippos are on the Fish river in the meantime. I miss the place, we had a great time down there. Had a boat in Port Alfred.... cowie river My Father ran Grahamstown Potteries, about a 200 people factory. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigun Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 nice going lads ,looks like you both enjoyed your selfs . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted July 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 Thanks Bigun. Yes Edi, there are hippos in the Fish. You can see them on the land we hunt at Huntshoek. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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