Jul 22, 2019 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Frank Berbuir
What is a tsessebe, some guys in my home country asked when I told them about my bowhunting adventure on this African antelope…
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It is the end of August and I am lucky to be back again in South Africa to bowhunt with my PH Izak Vos from Vos Safaris. For a week we have been in our cosy hunting camp on a nice farm on the border of the North West Province, close to the Limpopo Province.
The scenery along the Crocodile River is stunning, with some challenging hunting grounds – stony mountains, dense bush, and open plains. In our last week we saw from time to time a small herd of tsessebe with a very old bull, some females, and only a few juveniles. We also saw, quite far from the herd, two very young males with some clearly visible signs of injuries. The farmer explained that the bull was either fighting to the death with the male calves, or exiling them from the herd where they would most likely die in the bush from their injuries or fall prey to hyenas and other predators. So the herd did not grow much the last five years, and we would be doing him a favor if we hunted this bull.
Our first day started with a refreshing morning walk to the area where the “beestes” usually roam, and where we had seen them before. South African winter early mornings are quite chilly, but the splendid sunrise and the warming sun in our faces was a delight. When we reached the area we planned how we wanted to approach and stalk the animals. Even though the herd was small there were plenty of eyes, ears and noses that are much more sensitive and sharper than ours, and they get your scent and silhouette in a split second. With the wind in our favor we sneaked closely to a bush where we could hide and see them. We were about 150 meters from them when it became more challenging. We slowly moved forward, almost waddling like ducks to the next covering bush, always keeping an eye on the antelopes. So far they were all calm and easy.
It took an hour to shorten the distance to 100 meters when suddenly they all looked up in our direction. We froze behind our sparse cover, and when you are sitting on your haunches, this starts to hurt after a couple of minutes! We could not figure out what disturbed them, but they started slowly moving away from us. That´s the way the cookie crumbles.
So, it’s a case of begin again to follow and try to get closer. Once they were behind some bushes and we were not in their sight, we cautiously sneaked out behind our cover and stalked bent over, at a snail´s pace to the next available cover. To make a long story short the situation repeated several times. Four hours went by, and with the sun high above and rising temperatures, the challenge became more and more demanding. Suddenly there were crackling noises from behind us, and we saw three giraffes approaching at about 50 meters from us, and they would likely smell or see us.
Now it was getting even more difficult. If we got up or moved we would probably spook them all. So we hid ourselves in a thorny bush, as low as possible and keeping dead quiet. Thankfully the Sniper Africa camouflage hunting clothes are quite thorn-resistant and the hunting gods were also in our favour, as the giraffes fortunately turned to the left and wandered off unconcerned, not even seeing us. But it was exciting for us.
Luckily the tsessebe were still there, unperturbed by the giraffes, but we still 100 meters distance from them. We gradually crawled closer.
Time was running out. By now it was high noon and hot. However, we made progress without spooking any tsessebe. At the last bush between us and the animals we stopped and checked the distance with the rangefinder.
“The bull is standing to the left at 38 meters,” Izak whispered. “You will not get closer and you have to wait until he turns quartering away or broadside but you better get ready. It’s now or never, Frank. It’s Showtime!”
It was up to me. I knelt, nocked in the arrow quietly, and set the sight on the correct distance. Still calm, I pulled my bow smoothly to full draw. I angled my upper body a bit to the right for a clear shooting window, and aimed with my sight pin on his vitals.
I could feel my heart beating fast, and it seemed like eternity until the bull stepped to the right and stood quartering away. I take a deep breath and finally tap the trigger of my release.
The arrow was on its deadly mission and within a split second penetrated the antelope´s body.
“Yes,” Izak whispered. “The arrow is completely in and you can only see fletches sticking out.” The bull jumped, and together with rest of the herd was running away. We tried to follow his direction before he disappeared between some bushes, then heard nothing more. We were in suspense. After a 20-minute rest we followed the tracks and blood trail from the spot where the arrow had penetrated. At first the trail was clear and easy to follow, but after 50 meters there was no more sign of blood. Happily I had an excellent and experienced professional hunter at my side who is also an expert tracker. He found the tracks of the bull and carefully went forward with me following, when he suddenly stopped at the edge of a bush, shook my hand, and hugged me.
“Congrats, well done my friend. You got a tsessebe!” he said. I was surprised and bewildered.
“Why are you congratulating me?”
“Look around the bush!” he smiled. I did, and there was my fine tsessebe bull. Overcome, I knelt down, and evaluated the magnificent animal. It had again been an incredible and challenging experience with bow and arrow, and finally I was able to take this magnificent animal. After some great pictures we radioed the farmer to pick us up, and when he arrived and saw the bull, the joy was complete – a happy farmer, happy professional hunter and happy bowhunter.
Once more a tremendously good hunt with unforgettable impressions and memories together with my friend and PH Izak Vos from Vos Safaris in South Africa. Shoot straight, take care, always good hunting, “Waidmannsheil” and “Alles van die beste”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View Article in eZine” color=”chino” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fjuly-aug-sep-2019%2F%23africanhuntinggazette-ezine-july%2F92-93||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1563781289224-814704d5-ca3f-4″ include=”22661,22662,22663,22664,22665,22666,22667″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Jan 21, 2019 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F14-15||target:%20_blank|”][vc_column_text]Custodians of Wilderness: Sidinda, Zambezi Valley.
A Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) is defined as a component of a large ecological region that straddles the boundaries of two or more countries, encompassing one or more protected areas as well as multiple resource use areas. The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA lies in the Kavango and Zambezi river basins where Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge, and covers some 519 000 sq. kilometers. It was formalized in December 2006 when a memorandum of understanding was signed by the respective governments. The goal of the KAZA TFCA is “To sustainably manage the Kavango-Zambezi ecosystem, its heritage and cultural resources, based on best conservation and tourism models for the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities and other stakeholders in and around the eco-region through harmonization of policies, strategies and practices.” Safari hunting is an integral part of the economic model.
The Zimbabwe component of KAZA TFCA comprises 14% of the total area and includes Hwange National Park, Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls National Park, Kazuma Pan National Park, Chizarira National Park, Matusadona National Park, Matetsi, Deka, Chete, Chirisa and Charara Safari Areas, including, Bembesi, Fuller, Gwayi, Kazuma, Mzola, Ngamo, Panda Masuwe, Sijarira and Sikumi Forests incorporating Hwange, Tsholotsho, Bulilima, Binga, Gokwe, Nyaminyami and Hurungwe Communal Lands, as well as privately held State Land and conservancies extending eastwards to Lake Kariba Recreational Park and Kariba Town.
Within this area is the Hwange-Sanyati Biodiversity Corridor (HSBC) project, 14 million acres in extent. The $6.4 million project is being funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is running from 2014-2019. The World Bank is the implementing agency for the project, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) is the activities-implementing entity, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management is the coordinating authority. Key project partners are: Parks and Wildlife Management Authority; CAMPFIRE Association; Environmental Management Agency; and the Forestry Commission.
The overall objective of the project is to provide tools for the sustainable management of the corridor and to address challenges including:
• Inadequate water supplies for wildlife;
• Destructive wild fires;
• Poaching of wildlife and timber;
• Human wildlife conflicts;
• Land degradation;
• Limited livelihood options;
• Food insecurity; and
• Inadequate institutional capacities to address environmental and livelihood challenges.
Securing wildlife populations and their habitat can help reverse land degradation. The sustainable use of stable game populations can help improve the livelihood options of local communities.
The Hwange Communal Area is a part of the country’s CAMPFIRE project and includes the Sidinda area which borders the Zambezi River. The hunting safari outfitter operating in this region is Mbalabala Safaris, owned and run by Lindon Stanton and Tinie Kok. When they took over the hunting area in 2014 they realized that certain key species would have to be re-introduced in order to improve the viability of the area. A fenced, protected core area would have to be established before wildlife could be brought in. Once wildlife populations stabilized, the next phase of the project would involve erecting a second, lower cattle fence encompassing 100 000 acres into which the game could move.
The idea was presented to the Hwange Rural Council who were very supportive, as was Charles Jonga, head of CAMPFIRE Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority was contacted, and an ecologist was sent to undertake an ecological assessment of the area. The results showed that 100 buffalo, 30 sable, 30 zebra, 30 eland and 30 waterbuck could be sustained within the proposed 9 000 acre enclosed area. The success of the plan would hinge on the local people realizing tangible benefits from the project. This would come in the form of cash from trophy fees and meat from the hunted animals. The rural council undertook a PR exercise across the region to inform the various communities about the proposed scheme.
With financial support from their hunting clients, Lindon and Tinie hired 40 people from the local community and began erecting the fence. The terrain in the area is formidable and it took two years of hard work before the 14-kilometer-long fence was completed. Two strands of solar-powered electrified wire were attached to the fence. The first 3-foot-high strand was placed on the inside of the fence to keep buffalo from breaking out. The second strand was set at five feet on the outside to deter elephant from breaking down the fence.
While the fence was being erected, Lin and Tinie located a potential source of buffalo. A fenced area of the Victoria Falls National Park had an over-population of buffalo and at least 100 needed to be removed as grazing had become a problem. A deal was made between CAMPFIRE, Hwange Rural Council and the National Parks authorities to move 100 buffalo from the park to Sidinda. The African Wildlife Management and Conservation capture unit under Nicholas (NJ) La Grange was commissioned to capture and translocate the buffalo. The operation took a couple of days, and the buffalo were released into an enclosed boma within the core area so as to acclimatize them. Supplementary food was brought in and fresh water pumped into troughs. After a month in the boma the buffalo were released into the core area. Under favorable conditions buffalo numbers build up very quickly, and the hope is that within a couple of years they can be pushed out into the larger area. The next stage of the project is to re-introduce the other proposed wildlife species into the core area.
One of the problems associated with hunting concession leases in many parts of Africa is the length of tenure. Safari operators are reluctant to invest time and money into an area only to lose it to another operator after a few years. Lindon and Tinie approached the Hwange Rural Council with a plan to increase the length of their lease from five years to 15 or 20 years with a progress review every five years. The council agreed, and Lindon and Tinie are confident that their plan to rehabilitate the area will succeed. The Sidinda rehabilitation project is a refreshing one amid the general doom and gloom surrounding the state of Africa’s wildlife and wilderness.
The Hunter Proud sponsored documentary “Custodians of Wilderness: Sidinda, Zambezi Valley” will be released in January 2019.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F14-15||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”19647,19648,19649,19650″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Jan 18, 2019 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F112-113||target:%20_blank|”][vc_column_text]Extreme Bowhunting
By Dr Adrian de Villiers
There comes a time when you may be forced to take a very long shot because you only have one chance which may not come again…
Extremely long shots in archery are not recommended under normal conditions, and they are not recommended for beginners. I have been teaching bowhunting techniques for 35 years, and I have always taught hunters to stay within their limitations with respect to the range at which they are prepared to take a shot. This range should be determined not only by how accurately you can shoot at said distance, but by the momentum of the arrow at that distance, and the use of laser range-finding equipment to get the exact range.
An arrow shot into the air at a 45 degree angle from an 80 lb bow should travel between 400 and 900 metres, depending on the make of the bow, the draw weight and the weight of the arrow, and the draw length of the archer. With a razor-sharp cut on impact, that broadhead arrow will kill almost anything it hits, including humans. So it must be treated with care and respect like any other deadly weapon.
There are two ways to determine your hunting distance limit. The first – knowing your accuracy at that distance. Old archery videos and books say it is at the distance you can regularly hit a paper pie plate or about an eight-inch circle. I disagree. I would rather say a tennis ball-sized object.
Also, if you have the training and genetic ability to shoot very far and the correct equipment to do so, you’ll be limited by your archery sight, and I’ll explain why. The archery sight has a fibre optic pin that you use to place on the target that you wish to shoot. You will either have five or six pins set up for each distance, or one floating pin that you can set for an exact distance given to you by your laser range-finder. As you shoot further and further out, your pin will drop lower and lower within the sight to allow the bow to be angled higher and higher for the shot.
Depending on a number of factors, your sight will eventually drop to a point where the arrow will hit it, and beyond that you cannot shoot. Obviously, the heavier the arrow, the shorter the draw length and the slower the bow, so the sight will hit the arrow much sooner. I have some very similar bows with a limitation of 75 m and another at 120 m, so that would be their natural distance limitation. By moving the peep sight you could get the bow to shoot further, too, but we won’t go into that now.
At my home I can only shoot 30 m in my driveway, so that is my regular practise distance, but as soon as I get to the farm I practise at 70m. I also walk in the bush and shoot at anthills, usually restricting myself to 90m.
When I teach bowhunting, I tell clients to practise the very long shots – not to hunt at that distance, but to use it when an animal is accidentally wounded and requires a second shot. Often when it is wounded and alert, it’s not easy to get as close as you want for the second shot.
If you have been walking and “Stump shooting” – picking spots on sand mounds, anthills and river banks to keep in tune with your equipment -and you get an opportunity to shoot one of those crazy long shots, you might feel comfortable to do just that. But you must still choose your shot with great care. Make sure the animal or animals have no idea you are there, and that they are relaxed and grazing calmly or snoozing in the shade. If there is a slight rustle in the leaves or a background noise like running water, all the better.
Don’t aim at a small target like the heart – it’s too low down and near the edge of the body, and a near miss could hit a leg or hit too low. I advocate shooting in the middle of the chest where you have the greatest margin for error. I have a crosshair sight, and I place the vertical axis up the front leg and the horizontal axis through the middle of the body. When I’m shooting longer shots I am a lot calmer than when on very close shots.
My statistically proven, most successful bowhunting distance is between 50 and 60 m (55 and 66 yards). At this range, with the arrow traveling at 280 fps (93 yards per second), the animal has less than one second to lift its head, realise the sound was abnormal, and engage four-leg-drive. They usually take .5 sec to register an abnormal sound, and have less than .5 seconds to move enough to escape the deadly projectile. It’s called “String jumping”.
Early one morning I was taking a leisurely walk through fairly open country when I saw a movement through the thick buffalo thorn bush in front of me. The sun was already up and I was trying my best to stay in the shadowy areas. Skirting around the darker side of the tree, I saw 13 gemsbok grazing peacefully, all broadside and all relaxed. Knowing one of them would definitely look up at any second; I took a range as quickly as I could and nocked an arrow. It was 73 m (80 yards). I had been practising 70 m daily all week, and was hitting a small rubber half-size pig at that distance.
I chose the gemsbok offering me the best shot and started to aim, but one of the herd spotted the movement and looked up. I knew one warning blast from that nose, and they would all run.
This was the moment of truth – I needed to shoot quickly and accurately, without rushing it too much or taking too long. The shot went off, and I watched the arrow arcing in the sky. As my gemsbok looked up, I saw a crimson patch develop just behind the front leg. Though the razor-sharp Slick Trick Broadhead had passed through the animal, it stampeded off with the rest of the herd, and 60m from where I had shot, they crossed a road.
The adrenalin rush kicked in and I started to shake, but I knew the shot was perfect. I immediately went to look for blood, and found a huge splash of it on the road, and not 20 m further on lay my trophy.
None of my animals go to waste: they are turned into biltong, T bones, and breakfast sausage. At home we almost exclusively eat low cholesterol, hormone- and antibiotic-free meat.
Another time, a waterbuck had been wounded accidentally when a very close frontal shot was deflected by an unseen branch. The animal was shot very close to a game fence and it had stampeded straight into the fence, and the trackers and I had thought that the animal had gone over the fence. On the dry hard ground no blood was seen beyond the point of impact with the fence. We alerted the neighbour to watch out for a wounded waterbuck, but it was soon forgotten.
Over a week later my head tracker told me saw at the river a waterbuck bull that appeared to be stumbling occasionally, and he wondered if it was the one that was wounded the previous week. I decided to look for it.
On the main road to the river I found fresh waterbuck tracks, and every fourth step showed that the right rear leg had slipped. I tracked him for a few kilometres quite easily.
The river road was almost four kilometres long with 200 m straight sections, and it was difficult to get really close. That day my bow was my 78# Elite “Ritual”, so I needed to be at least 70 m from the animal to get a shot. Finally, along a stretch where there was good shade cover along the bank, I spotted a huge waterbuck bull. Concealing myself in the brush I took out my trusty Leica 10 by 40 range-finding binoculars and watched him. He had no obvious injury and looked perfectly healthy from where I was 180 m away. I watched him for a good 15 minutes till he turned and started walking away from me.
Suddenly, at about the fourth step he seemed to stumble and catch himself. It was him, and I now knew I had to try and get him while I had him in my sights. As he rounded a bend, I sprinted to the next corner. Knowing that he would be watching his back, I dropped to the ground and crawled out to see where he was.
Humans have a very distinct shape from animals. To avoid detection, you need to change that shape, and a flat, crawling “animal” does the trick really well.
I was hoping he would stop and lie down somewhere where I could get closer than 70 m, but he just kept on walking and stumbling, though still very alert to his surroundings. I was about to run out of options as he was nearing the end of the river fence that now took a sudden right hand turn. If he walked back into the bush, I could lose him.
I was 140 m away with a 70 m pin, but decided to take a shot, knowing that it could be highly unlikely that I would hit him. My other option was to leave him, run back 4 km to the house, get my rifle and then try and find him again – not a feasible plan. So my move was out of desperation and not a decision I took lightly.
As he looked up the road away from me, I aimed about 6 m above him and released an arrow. The bright fletches, clearly visible, dropped well short, and the arrow slithered under his belly into the brush on the other side of the fence. He heard it, and turned to look into the brush behind him, where he had heard the arrow, thinking that was where the danger was.
I knew the next shoot would be ….“Last chance!” I doubled the elevation and concentrated on keeping the line on the shoulder. With a huge share of luck, the arrow struck the shoulder and the waterbuck was down. Strangely enough, when I examined him, I could not see what had caused him to stumble – there were no visible defects to his limbs.
That phenomenal shot was my best 140 m 0r 154 yards, and I don’t plan to try and break it any time soon! For all the critics out there who will be appalled by the chance must understand, I did not think I would be able to find him again if he walked into 600 hectares of thick bush and I did not want it to die a protracted death from a wound. Whenever a dominant waterbuck bull his injured other big bulls take advantage and often kill the wounded one.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F112-113||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”19641,19642,19643″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Jan 15, 2019 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F52-53||target:%20_blank|”][vc_column_text]Up Close and Personal in the Limpopo
By Joe Gray Taylor, Jr.
The morning had begun like many hunts for Cape buffalo anywhere. Our hunting team cruised traces cut through the thick jesse in the early morning cold looking for fresh tracks that may have crossed during the night or early morning. Our sharp-eyed tracker, Josias, naturally saw them first, and immediately my PH and outfitter Phillip Bronkhorst, and the rest of us – assistant PH Pieter Taylor, and a young videographer, Rickey – bailed off the cruiser to study them in detail.
The extremely fresh sign indicated a small group had just crossed, no doubt drifting into the very thick thorn brush for a rest, or to find their way to water. A particularly large set of prints indicated the likely presence of at least one mature bull. We carefully trailed the group for no more than a kilometre, when a breath of the fickle morning wind touched the back of my neck. As dust rose above the brush, large animals could be heard running off in the distance.
We had all started to relax and consider our next move when Josias suddenly knelt to one side pointing into the bush. Looking up, I could see just bits of an approaching black mass coming directly up our scent line. Josias moved behind us and, leveling rifles, we began to back up, hoping the bull would eventually break away. As we backed across a very small open patch in the jesse, a young, but mature buffalo, burst forth on the far side perhaps 35 metres away. He halted, head up, belligerently staring at us. With a lot of shouting, we slowly backed away, eventually breaking contact. On his first DG hunt, our young videographer provided a marvelously rich and descriptive commentary as we made our way back to the Land Cruiser.
It was something of an accident that I was hunting buffalo at all in South Africa. Previously, I had the privilege to hunt them in the Caprivi and twice in Mozambique. I had expected my next buffalo hunt would have been in Zimbabwe or Zambia. However, two years previously I was sitting at a banquet table at the annual Central Texas Wildlife Legacy gala in Austin. My table mate was Phillip Bronkhorst, and he had donated a cow buffalo hunt to our organization for the evening auction. As it came up, I happened to ask Phillip if the hunt could be upgraded to a bull at the usual trophy rate. It could. He also said that these were managed herds, not purchased and released animals. I have rarely bid on an auctioned hunt, much preferring the comfort of some research. However, on this evening, the hunt had no bidders, and rather than let a generous donation to our organization go wanting, I raised my hand. We sealed the deal with a handshake, and late June found me departing Austin, Texas to link up with the SAA flight to Johannesburg at Washington, Dulles.
Sited on his own property, Phillip’s lovely and very comfortable camp is in the Northern Limpopo some five hours from the Johannesburg airport. It offers easy access to a number of ranches in the area offering a wide variety of game and covering a huge range of biodiversity from sandveld, through bushveld, to the Waterberg. We would be hunting on Rudy Heinlein’s vast “Circle N” property in the heart of the bushveld near the Limpopo River.
I had hunted high-fenced property with Jamy Traut when he was with Eden in Namibia almost a decade before. Therefore, I knew large properties with self-sustaining herds could offer an outstanding hunting experience. However, my only buffalo hunting had been in wilderness areas. I was curious about hunting the big black bulls on one of the Limpopo’s huge fenced concessions, but after the first abortive effort and the belligerent youngster, any concerns were quickly fading.
Late morning found us many kilometres away, the morning coolness having given away to the dry warmth of a typical southern African late fall day. We had found additional tracks crossing the roads and around waterholes, but nothing quite fresh enough to take up pursuit. Suddenly Josias tapped my forearm and the top of the cruiser – an electric moment everyone recognizes who has experienced an African Safari. As we halted we could pick up several dark shapes moving slowly but steadily through the thick thorn bush. In moments they had disappeared.
A quick look at the tracks indicated a couple of large bulls in a small group of animals. We immediately took up the spoor. Phillip was convinced they were heading to water, and we possibly might catch them in the open ground around the pan. Like all ethical outfits, Phillip would not allow us to attempt a shot there, but with a bit of luck we would have the opportunity to clearly evaluate the animals.
We followed at a forced march over the next four to five kilometres. A walking buffalo can set a blistering pace compared with humans, particularly those constantly monitoring wind and thorns, As the sweat worked into my eyes, I noted that two or three miles sprinting after buffalo felt pretty much the same whether along the Zambezi, the Kwando, or Limpopo Rivers.
The breeze had settled for a bit, and we were able to carefully maneuver around one side of the group of bulls. We could see eight animals ranging from three or four years of age to a couple of large bulls clearly pushing eleven or twelve. One of these was very wide (40+) with fairly flat curls and bosses, while the other was a bit narrower but with the massive helmet that some older bulls develop. Either was a very respectable candidate to take back to Texas. I should note that we had no limitations on the size of the bull that we could take. However, the goal was at least an eleven- or twelve-year-old animal.
We backed out and found a shady tree where we could unpack the cooler for some lunch and water – we would take up the track again once the animals had left the waterhole. I said to Phillip that both bulls were fabulous, but given a choice, the wider flatter one looked awfully good. Little did I know at the time, another might have a vote in that decision.
Around 2 p.m. we were again on their track, and by 3:30 we had closed to where we could see the animals bunched in a large group in the thickest brush. They had apparently joined another group, bringing the total number now to 15 or 20. Sorting out “my bull” was going to be tricky. The late fall light was also telling us we only had so much time.
We had just begun to probe the brush, when again we felt the light breeze touching the backs of our necks. Immediately the main herd began to move off, and in a replay of the morning, a large shape detached itself and began moving purposefully up our scent line. We carefully tried to back away, but our options were limited. Getting into brush so thick that we could only see a few feet would be asking for real trouble.
Fortunately, at about 50 yards, Phillip could see it was the old bull with the huge boss. With our backs to thick thorn we would not be given a choice. He finally set the sticks and whispered “Joe, this is your bull!” At 25 – 30 metres the buffalo’s head and chest cleared for an instant. The Blaser R8 was steady as I hit him with a 300-gr Swift A-Frame, loaded by my friend Lance Hendershot with his “Extreme” line of custom ammunition. The bull staggered off approximately 60 metres, giving me a rear quartering shot which put him down. Although sad, it was a relief to hear the mournful bellow. It seemed as though the big-bossed bull had, in fact, chosen me.
However, we were not quite done. As Pieter headed out for the truck, the death bellow caused the original bachelor group to break off from the larger herd and return. Phillip and I backed carefully away while Josias and Rickey scrambled up a nearby tree. For the next half hour or so, we watched the incredible sight of half a dozen bulls violently hooking their fallen comrade. It was a behavior about which I had read, but never seen. Then the arrival of the truck scared off the other animals, so we were able to take a few pictures in the late afternoon light, and load our massive old prize for the drive back to camp.
On the way back, I relived the long day and mused about both my preconceptions and the actual hunting experience. I shall always love the wild places and I hope I can again pursue the truly wild buffalo herds that inhabit them. However, I had just taken part in an incredibly exciting buffalo hunt in the Limpopo, far and away the most adrenalin-packed in my experience. Although the animals we had pursued had been born on the vast property we hunted, their behavior showed that they were still the big, truculent beasts they are by nature – we could have been in any wild place in Africa. I have no hesitation recommending the experience to anyone.
With the big bull down early in the hunt, the remainder of my time in the Limpopo passed almost lazily. We hunted the beautiful Porini Ranch in the foothills of the Waterberg trying to better a pair of 55-inch kudu I had taken in Namibia several years before. Despite the arrival of extremely cold and blustery weather, and a nearly full moon, we saw wonderful bulls every day.
At least a half-dozen mature animals were easily over 50 inches; magnificent choices at any other time. On the third day we glimpsed a huge bull from the Cruiser that we felt would have surpassed our self-imposed minimum, but were unable to regain sight of it once we entered the thick brush where most seemed to be hiding from the cold wind.
Another day, we decided to ease down a thickly wooded, spring-fed stream with towering ridges on either side. A pair of klipspringers eyed us suspiciously from less than 50 metres away, their beautifully marked ears flared in our direction. Leopard tracks covered the ground, and although one particularly large set looked like they could have had been left by a lioness, they would have been from one of the huge male leopards often found in the Limpopo. Scattered bones all along the streambed bore mute witness to the richness of their hunting area.
As noon approached, a dry rustling and the sour pungent odor of pig alerted us to the presence of a bushpig sounder somewhere in the brush immediately ahead of us. We carefully maneuvered around and through the green tangle trying to get a glimpse of the rooting animals. Suddenly, Phillip paused and pointed ahead and to the side. On the opposite bank of the stream, quartering sharply away stood the largest boar that I had ever seen. In this instance, speed was far more important than pinpoint accuracy, and we made no attempt to set the sticks. The Blaser barked and the animal collapsed where he stood.
A wise bit of guidance about safari, says to take what Africa gives. We had not found the kudu we sought, but we had been given at high noon a giant of a bushpig, a far rarer, and to me at least, desirable achievement.
In the ensuing days, we successfully stalked an impala and a beautiful zebra. We capped our last morning with South Africa’s iconic black wildebeest. A careful stalk on a typically nervous herd gained us a 150-metre shot at a truly magnificent old bull. I have no doubt that he would score very highly in either SCI or Rowland and Ward’s system.
All too soon, the hunt was over. On the long flight home, I replayed the extraordinary experience time and again. I look forward to continuing to relive those adventures in the years to come. Phillip is a fine a gentleman, a passionate a hunter and a great conservationist. Whether a general mixed plains-game hunt, a buffalo hunt without the usual logistics drama of Zimbabwe or Mozambique, or a specialty hunt for night creatures, this outfitter should be on anyone’s shortlist of potential destinations. It certainly will remain on mine.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F52-53||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”19621,19622,19623,19624,19625,19626,19627,19628,19629,19630,19631,19632,19633,19634,19635″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Jan 12, 2019 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”orange” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanhuntinggazette.com%2Fspring-2019%2F%23spring-2019%2F98-99||target:%20_blank|”][vc_column_text]Bow, Arrow, and a Rooiribbok
By Frank Berbuir
It is end of August and I am lucky to be back again in South Africa to hunt with bow and arrow with my PH Izak Vos from Vos Safaris. After several successful previous hunts there on a variety of species, this time a mountain and a common reedbuck are on the bucket list.
We are on a nice farm, managed by a lovely couple, on the border of the North West Province close to the Limpopo Province. We are familiar with our small hunting camp – our jagkamp – from a former trip. The landscape and scenery along the Crocodile River is stunning. There are some challenging and very rocky mountains as well as dense bush and open plains, and we try our luck on stalking in these mountains. However, because of the sharp rocks and high grass everywhere, it is not only difficult and noisy, but also risky – falling on these sharp-edged stones or twisting one´s ankle is not what we need.
In Africa everything is defending itself! Every bush and tree has thorns, the stones are jagged and sharp, and even the grass sometimes has barbs. So we have decided to sit in a pop-up blind close to a natural waterhole and salt lick block. Izak, an experienced PH, chose this location because of the many mountain reedbuck tracks found there.
Our day starts with a morning walk to the blind. Mountain reedbuck roam during the day, so we need not start while it is still dark. Although August is the South African winter, the temperature is comfortable and the rising sun is always a magnificent spectacle and a nice warm up. As the pop-up blind is a very tiny one, there is no chance to put two chairs into it.
I sit on a small cooler box so that I am able to maneuver my bow into different shooting positions. Our blind gradually warms up as the sun shines on it. For about three hours nothing happens, except for some doves and francolins flying around. Then during the heat of the day, an ugly old baboon creeps out of the bushes, walks slowly to the salt lick, looking in our direction. Now we have to be quiet and motionless, otherwise the day is done if he realizes we are there and starts to bark an alarm. He stares at our blind, but after a minute he sits down beside the salt lick, looking away. He picks up salt which he seems to be enjoying, and nibbles on some grass. A couple of minutes later he changes his position, in the process displaying his unpleasant rear end before he sits down again, his back to us. He seems unconcerned and relaxed. But while he is sitting there, not even doves or francolins show up anymore. Finally, after half an hour he leaves, walking just five meters from our blind without noticing that we are there – unbelievable.
Then it went quiet again for a long afternoon. At about five o´clock we crawl out of the tent and walk back to our camp with the delightful expectation of an ice-cold beer and a tasty braai.
On day two it is more or less the same set-up, except the baboon does not show up. Where are the reedbucks and other animals, we ask ourselves. We see the tracks of eland, kudu, blue wildebeest, klipspringer and mountain reedbuck around the waterhole and salt lick, but are they coming before sunrise or very shortly before dark? However, the barbecue and a brandy-and-Coke this evening around the campfire is a reward after for a long day.
It is day three when we are sitting in the blind quite early, directly after sunrise, and it is a bit crisp from the wind blowing down from the mountains. Probably that is why the game is not moving, and it is dead quiet the whole morning. Around noon the wind drops, the day heats up again, and two kudu females sneak in to the salt lick. Later, a small warthog strolls by past the waterhole. It livens the scene to see them unperturbed, especially when they don’t realize that we are so close, only 20 meters away. But we are a little disappointed – we keep wondering where the mountain reedbucks are, particularly as they are dependent on water and also like the salt.
It is early afternoon and I have my head in the clouds, when Izak nudges me and points to the right of our blind. A group of six mountain reedbuck approach! Three females, two adolescents and a big ram are coming closer. The adrenaline rush is back, and the heart beat increases. The reedbuck walk slowly, continually checking the area to the salt lick. The ram stands apart behind a bush, concealed and cautious. He does not move, does not come closer – not at all – and there is no chance for a shot, not even with a rifle. About 15 minutes later the other reedbuck are finished at the water and salt lick, and walk slowly back to him before they all leave, running up the mountain. Smart buck, but a pity for us. With a deep-drawn sigh we decide to finish for the day.
On day four it is more of the same: We sit in our tiny blind with a lot of hope. It is rather like an unvaried daily routine, but you need to think positively, and sometimes you need to continue doing what you are doing to finally be successful. No pain, no gain.
Finally the goddess of hunting favors us when, at half past three, this time a group of four mountain reedbuck approach with three females and a good ram. Time to beard the lion in his den! The ram comes to the salt lick with the others. It’s now or never. To say I am excited is an understatement. Slowly I pull the bow, and slowly I maneuver to the shooting window. The reedbuck is standing to my left, licking on the salt. The pin of the sight is focused on the vitals of the ram, but a female is still standing behind him.
“Stay calm and focused,” I mumble to myself. Finally, after seconds that felt like eternity, she moves and he is standing clear. With a slight tap on the trigger of my release, the arrow is on its deadly mission, and within a split second flies into and through the antelope, and lands on the ground. The ram flinches and falls. What an extraordinary performance again of bow and arrow.
Overwhelmed and more than happy with this awesome trophy animal, Izak and I kneel next to him, and after a few minutes of silence in respect, we arrange the ram for some pictures. Back at our camp the “Happy Hour” beer tastes excellent. Fortunately, three days later we also take a common reedbuck, but that is a different story.
Once again I had a tremendously good hunt with unforgettable impressions and memories, with my friend and PH Izak Vos from Vos Safaris in South Africa.
Shoot straight, take care, and always good hunting – “Waidmannsheil” and “Alles van die beste.”
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Jul 12, 2018 | Bowhunting, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Steenbok – a Bowhunt Quest
By Frank Berbuir
I remember quite well my first encounter with a steenbok. It was in northern Namibia in 2004. On the second day of that hunt with my PH Gustav, we suddenly spotted this rather beautiful tiny antelope that is quite common in southern Africa, but somehow not easy to find – small, shy, and almost entirely independent of drinking water, getting any moisture they need from their food. This one looked really cute, with his huge radar-bowl-like ears, graceful, slightly built body, nice brown coat, and big eyes that reminded me of a child begging for sweets. Gustav was so enamored with the beauty of this animal that I finally felt sorry about wanting to shoot it, and let it go. In the following years (2005 and 2006) I never saw another steenbok.
In 2007, again in Namibia in the Khomas Highlands, I was once more specifically looking for steenbok. My black guide was a highly experienced tracker, and from the moment he found the first fresh tracks, he followed them like a predator. After a three-hour stalk in the burning mid-day November sun, he pointed to a beautiful little buck resting in the shade of a small brush. The bokkie was at approximately 30 metres. I remembered my first chance encounter a couple of years ago, and this time I was also a bit reluctant to shoot a lying down animal. But when we moved another step forward, the steenbok jumped up and was gone in a split second. Another chance gone!
In all the following years that I went to bowhunt in southern Africa, I did not see another steenbok till the August of 2014 when I went once again to the Dark Continent.
This time I travelled to bowhunt with my friend and PH Izak Vos from Vos Safaris. On my bucket list I again had a steenbok, this appealing creature, one of the “Tiny Ten”. Izak had told me that he knew an interesting place up north in the Limpopo Province not far from the Botswana border where, hopefully, we could find this long-sought-after antelope.
Izak met me in Joburg, and during the drive to the camp we discussed our hunting plans for the following eight days. With good memories of our extremely successful bowhunt on a huge Cape buffalo and other big game the year before, I decided to bring again my trusty Elite GT 500 bow set at 90 lbs draw weight with the Easton Full Metal Jacket 250 Dangerous Game arrows, and the Muzzy Phantom SS 200-grain Broadhead with a total arrow weight of 800 grains. Rather an overload for a steenbok, but I felt very comfortable with this bow set-up, and my previous month’s practice sessions went well. “Never change a winning team”, was my thinking, particularly as I wished to take an eland as well.
The difference between those two animals could not be more extreme: An eland, with a shoulder height of about 1.6 metres (5 feet) and a weight up to a ton (more than 2000 pounds), compared with a steenbok of about 15 kilograms (33 pounds) and just half a metre (1½ feet)) in height. However, the pretty little steenbok is not easy to hunt, because at the first sign of trouble they typically lie down low in the vegetation, and then it becomes quite challenging to find them.
The first day at our destination we just scouted for game by driving in the area, and glassing and stalking. The countryside was mainly quite flat bushveld with open savannah, peppered with thorny bushes, some acacias, and a few rocky outcrops. This is really challenging when stalking with bow and arrow, especially if you try to get close to the game. Izak had definitely not exaggerated about this area, or the numbers of steenbok. That day, besides numerous impala, warthog, blesbok, kudu and blue wildebeest, we saw about a dozen of these tiny antelopes, and among the males, females and young ones there were some really good trophies. We also spooked a pair of bat-eared foxes just twenty metres in front of us, which was a one-of-a-kind encounter for me because I had never seen them before. They are beautiful animals.
When we arrived at a large grassy area we spotted a big steenbok male at approximately 130 yards. He was a very impressive specimen, and Izak estimated the horns to be a tremendous trophy at 5½ to 6 inches! The steenbok was facing us for quite a while before he jumped away on a zigzag escape route before he finally disappeared in the high grass.
“This is the one we will go for tomorrow,” Izak decided. “He will stay in the area – they are territorial animals and there is a fair chance to stalk him and get close tomorrow early morning.”
Back at our hunting camp we relived the wonderful impressions of the day and talked about the plans for the next morning as we enjoyed some excellent, tasty grilled springbok ribs. Our accommodation was a rustic self-catering hunting camp in a roughly 100-year-old former farm house, with its own special non-luxurious charm. It was planned that way from the beginning between Izak and me – just the two of us. We had no electricity, and used old gas lanterns after dark. Hot water was boiled on a campfire with a water kettle, and all the cooking and the braaivleis was also done on the campfire. We both really enjoyed this simple “like in the old days” arrangement. One day, we even had a very special visit from an adult monitor lizard who was very much interested in what we could offer him when the door was open, and he went straight into the house checking out the kitchen for flavorsome goodies.
At sunrise the next morning, after a quick coffee and biscuit, we walked to the area where we had spotted the outstanding steenbok the day before. We glassed the area carefully, going at a slow pace for some hours along the edge of grassy opening, using the bushline as cover.
“There he is,” Izak suddenly murmured. “He’s resting on the ground. Do you see the bare patch with no grass? He is lying in front of the grass and the bare patch is in front of him.” I moved my binos a bit to the right and could also then see him. Yes, it was the one we had seen the day before. Now we had to plan to get closer because the distance was about 70 metres. There were only some small bushes in the open grass field that we could use as cover, and we needed to keep our silhouette as low as possible.
Izak crept slowly but surely forward like a leopard, and I followed in his tracks directly behind him.
At the last bush between us and the animal, he stopped and took my rangefinder, checked the distance, and whispered, “He is lying at 40 metres, nicely broadside looking to the front. It’s now or never, Frank. It´s Showtime!”
Now it was up to me. I moved up slowly on my knees, nocked in the arrow quietly. Calm, I pulled my bow smoothly to full draw. I had to slide my upper body a bit to the right for a clear shooting window, and aimed with the 40 metres pin of my sight to where Izak told me before, on a spot low on his vitals because he was lying on the ground. This time I was not reluctant to shoot, but I could feel my heart beat in my chest while aiming. I took a deep breath and finally tapped the trigger of my release. The arrow was on its deadly mission and within a split second was into the tiny antelope´s body. “Yes,” Izak whispered. “The arrow went through.” He had followed the action with his binoculars. He shook my hand, hugged me, and said: “Congrats, well done my friend. You got your steenbok!”
I was overwhelmed and very emotionally touched when we walked to him and I saw this beautiful animal. Finally, after all these years, a wonderful trophy steenbok was lying in front of me. After a few minutes of silence of respect, we arranged the buck for some trophy pictures. Back at our camp, even though it was just 10 o´clock in the morning, a Castle Lager tasted excellent. The bokkie was stored for a full mount trophy in a cooler box before sending it to Izak´s uncle Jan Viljoen, my taxidermist of note, who did a fantastic job on my previous trophies, but that is another story. On the remaining days of this safari we had even more exciting encounters, hunting success, and moments of lifetime memories. One more time, thank you very much to Izak for the great organization, experience and company, and all the nice people I had the opportunity to meet during this fantastic time.
Always good hunting – “Waidmannsheil” and alles van die beste.
Frank Berbuir
German hunter Frank Berbuir is passionate about the outdoors and hunting – especially bowhunting, which he has practised for more than 18 years. Although he’s bowhunted in several countries, he’s become addicted to hunting in Africa since his first safari in 2004. Frank is a mechanical engineer and risk manager in the automotive industry.
the shoulder and a weight of about 15 kilogram or 33 pounds. Their coat is any shade from fawn to rufous, typically rather orange, and blends in appropriately in their habitat The underside, including chin and throat, is white, as is the ring around the eye. Ears are large with “finger-marks” on the inside. Males have straight, smooth, parallel horns 7–19 cm respectively 2.8” – 7.5” inches long. There is a black crescent-shape between the ears, a long black bridge to the glossy black nose, and a black circular scent-gland in front of the eye. The tail is rather small and not usually visible.
Equipment:
Bow: Elite GT 500 @ 90 lbs
Arrow: Easton Full Metal Jacket 250 Dangerous Game with heavier inserts
Broadhead: Muzzy Phantom SS 2-Blade @ 200 grain
Optics: Zeiss Victory Binocular & Nikon Rangefinder
Release: Scott
Camo: Sniper Africa
Captions for the pictures:
Steenbok female alone:
A female steenbok – one of the prettiest of small antelopes.
Steenbok with me:
My beautiful steenbok with huge horns for such a tiny animal.
Steenbok with Izak and me:
PH Izak, me, and our fine “Tiny Ten” antelope trophy buck.
Campfire and cooking site:
The fireplace and cooking facility in our rustic hunting camp.
Wide Country:
The countryside where we hunted was mainly quite flat bushveld
Stalking Arena:
The grasslands were peppered with thorny bushes and some acacias.
Accomodation:
Our cozy, very rustic accommodation.
Monitor Lizard:
The monitor lizard – our primeval visitor![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”16443,16444,16445,16447,16446,16441,16442″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
