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Derrick Poor | Bowhunter | Kentucky USA

My buddy Charles and I arrived in South Africa for a seven-day bowhunting trip, this being our first visit to South Africa. What a beautiful place, we could hardly contain all the emotions and excitement upon arriving. After landing, Afton lodge members met us at the airport and took us in for a great one-night stay with wonderful food and delicious cold beer. The next morning, we were picked up by our outfitter (Dries Visser Safaris) and set out to the designated hunting area.

On day one, we hit a blind to see how our luck would play out. At first light my professional hunter excitedly said, “Jackal right here, grab your bow!” I made a great shot which impressed my PH. We were off to a fast start! A little bit later, we had some gemsbok come in which, at the time, was hot on my list. The more I watched the more I became interested in these beautiful exotic-looking animals. As luck would have it, a cow came right in, and the PH assured me that this was a very large and mature gemsbok. We watched for fifteen to twenty minutes while I debated whether I wanted to take it. She ended up moving off and I was regretting not taking the shot, so I told my PH if the cow came back I wouldn’t miss out on her second time round. That cow teased us for what felt like an hour, as she rubbed bushes and small trees in a spot we had no chance for a shot. She finally came back within range. I did not hesitate to take a great shot and she disappeared from sight as she ran off into the bush. On recovery, her horns measured forty-one inches!

As the days passed, we encountered so much wildlife, every day felt like a dream. I ended up taking a trophy impala, warthog, blesbok, and the best hunt of all, a beautiful buffalo cow, which was an adrenaline-packed spot-and-stalk hunt with my buddy Charles and our PH. As we slipped through the brush, we found the cow and I made a decent shot. Light was fading quickly, so we picked up the trail and carefully tracked the buffalo down. We managed to get closer and put a second arrow in. We continued tracking the buffalo, but it was getting dark quickly. We were all moving through the brush, one PH to the left and another to the right, me in the middle and Charles right behind me. We worked hard to try to locate the buffalo. Not long after, one of the PHs shouted, “to the left!” We had stumbled within fifteen yards of the buffalo which suddenly jumped up and startled Charles causing him to fall back into a thorn bush. The buffalo continued towards us as the PH aimed his rifle, finishing off the buffalo. We all looked around, hearts pounding to make sure everyone was okay. Once the dust settled, we all had a good laugh at Charles as he wiped the blood from his arms.

Bowhunting in South Africa is truly amazing and cannot be put into words to describe the experience. A dream that always seemed so far out of reach and one that has its fears and

anxieties for anyone. All I can say is, come give it a try for yourself, a trip of a lifetime that you won’t regret or ever forget.

I wanted to write and tell you what it meant to me and my son to come to Cameroon on safari. First, I must thank Mayo Oldiri Safaris for donating the trip to the African Hunting Gazette drawing. Your willingness to provide such a trip as this to a hunter and, in my case, my son, demonstrates the depth of your generosity and your love of hunting. We were treated as if we had purchased the hunt and could not have asked for a better safari experience.

Lognia Camp was very nice, and we enjoyed how it was set back in the trees across the small stream. All the staff were so helpful and went out of their way to make our stay both comfortable and special. We spent many afternoons after lunch and at night after dinner, sharing stories on the porch of the dining building. The forest noises and bugs greeted us enthusiastically each time, however, the staff provided citronella for us to burn to drive the bugs back. I really can’t say enough about Doula the Chef and William, his helper. They never waited for us to ask for anything. Each of them was so observant and quickly responded to all our wishes. I’m not sure how many Bongo recipes Doula had, but he treated us to many delicious meals. They truly made every meal special.

Now about the hunting; which was an INCREDIBLY challenging hunt! Little did I know all the secrets the forest held. My son and I were both physically and mentally prepared but, as we averaged 7-8 miles of tracking each day, the level of concentration could be exhausting. Especially when the buffalo busted through the brush 20-30 yards away and we never even saw them. This happened several times, yet we all knew the next trek might be the one. The guys on the truck were great, each one wanted our success. They worked well as a team and helped me get my wonderful Bongo trophy. Even with the dogs barking, I would have never seen it without them. They worked hard and never surrendered to the constant challenges of hunting in the forest.

Toti, the Lognia Camp Director, could not have been any nicer to us. He was always on the move, but constantly checked on us. Vaughn, our PH, was a wonderful conversationalist, as well as a leader on the truck. While he was relatively new to the forest, his years of experience helped make our hunt a success.

I had the best experience with my dad coming to South Africa to hunt with Dave Freeburn Safaris. My dad began a tradition with me and my three sisters about 10 years ago. He takes us individually on a daddy-daughter vacation after we have finished the 8th grade. For my vacation I chose to come to South Africa for a hunting safari. I chose this because my dad has been on several hunting trips there and has told me about how amazing they are. We flew into Johannesburg from Houston, Texas on Qatar airways. Dave met us at the airport and drove us to the hunting ranch. That is when my hunting adventure began.

From riding in the back of the truck, seeing the variety of animals for the first time, to the feeling of a successful shot placement after a quality stalk, and the numerous memorable pictures, I loved all of it. I had the privilege to get a blesbok, sable, roan, Cape buffalo, nyala, warthog, wildebeest, waterbuck, impala, springbuck, and a crocodile. My two favorite hunts were the crocodile and the buffalo. Those two animals gave me an adrenaline rush that made my heart race. The first time I saw the Cape buffalo step into view, I couldn’t believe how incredibly huge it was. Even after Dave told my dad to stay calm and be quiet when we saw them, my dad started waving his hand frantically with excitement and saying “Dave, Dave, Dave!” Luckily the buffalo didn’t see or hear him.

When the buffalo turned its head, I got on the tripod with my 375, placed the red dot perfectly on the shoulder, and squeezed the trigger. The buffalo was hit hard at the exact point that I had aimed. Dave followed up with his 500 NE, and four more shots from my 375, and the buffalo was down. I didn’t realize how bad I was shaking, until after things settled down. Wow! That just really happened! We were all so excited. We took lots of pictures of this amazing animal. Dave and two trackers loaded the buffalo in the back of his truck with a winch and pulley, and we dropped it off at the skinning shed. The second we got back to camp, I sent pictures of the buffalo to my older sister that hunted in the same location three years ago, just to make her jealous. What a magnificent animal.

I was also able to hunt crocodile. This was the hunt that I was looking forward to the most. I knew I wanted to hunt a crocodile when I was looking through a crocodile hunting magazine at Dave’s booth at the Dallas Safari Club. Dave explained the importance of shot placement on a crocodile. He prepared me for the hunt by studying pictures and watching videos of crocodiles. The hunt started with a stalk of about 400 yards from where crocs had been seen earlier that morning. Dave walked ahead of us so he could see if the crocodile was there. At that time, all I could think about was how to get the perfect first shot and to quickly reload to fire 2 more shots after. He quietly called me up to tell me that the crocodile was there, and his body was halfway out of the water. I walked up, Dave set up the sticks and I placed my rifle on them quietly as to not alert the croc. I looked through my scope and found the exact spot on the neck that Dave had pointed out to me so many times. I took a deep breath, held steady, and squeezed the trigger. The gun went off, and I could see the hit on the crocodile. I reloaded and fired two more shots in the same location. All three shots were taken in less than 10 seconds. It was over, the croc was mine. I couldn’t stop shaking I was so excited! I felt so proud walking down to see the crocodile because I knew I had made three perfect shots. It wasn’t until they pulled the crocodile completely out of the water, that I realized how big it actually was. It was almost 13 feet long. We took lots of pictures of the crocodile on the ground and some hanging from a tree. while hanging from the tree, he was almost 3x my height. I still couldn’t believe that had just happened. it all went by so fast! I am hoping to have a pair of boots made from the skin. Everything about my safari was perfect. Dave’s hospitality, his patience, and easy going attitude made my dream hunt so much fun. I loved Africa!

I will never forget getting the opportunity to hunt with Dave Freeburn, and the time I got to spend with my dad. It was truly the best experience, and I can’t wait to go back.

 I was also able to hunt crocodile. This was the hunt that I was looking forward to the most. I knew I wanted to hunt a crocodile when I was looking through a crocodile hunting magazine at Dave’s booth at the Dallas Safari Club. Dave explained the importance of shot placement on a crocodile. He prepared me for the hunt by studying pictures and watching videos of crocodiles. The hunt started with a stalk of about 400 yards from where crocs had been seen earlier that morning. Dave walked ahead of us so he could see if the crocodile was there. At that time, all I could think about was how to get the perfect first shot and to quickly reload to fire 2 more shots after. He quietly called me up to tell me that the crocodile was there, and his body was halfway out of the water. I walked up, Dave set up the sticks and I placed my rifle on them quietly as to not alert the croc. I looked through my scope and found the exact spot on the neck that Dave had pointed out to me so many times. I took a deep breath, held steady, and squeezed the trigger. The gun went off, and I could see the hit on the crocodile. I reloaded and fired two more shots in the same location. All three shots were taken in less than 10 seconds. It was over, the croc was mine. I couldn’t stop shaking I was so excited! I felt so proud walking down to see the crocodile because I knew I had made three perfect shots. It wasn’t until they pulled the crocodile completely out of the water, that I realized how big it actually was. It was almost 13 feet long. We took lots of pictures of the crocodile on the ground and some hanging from a tree. while hanging from the tree, he was almost 3x my height. I still couldn’t believe that had just happened. it all went by so fast! I am hoping to have a pair of boots made from the skin. Everything about my safari was perfect. Dave’s hospitality, his patience, and easy going attitude made my dream hunt so much fun. I loved Africa!

I will never forget getting the opportunity to hunt with Dave Freeburn, and the time I got to spend with my dad. It was truly the best experience, and I can’t wait to go back.

By FX Jurgens

Most of my wingshooting is done in the area between Pretoria and Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

This area includes the well-known Springbok Vlakte (Springbok Plains).

Here, the fertile soil is cultivated into large fields of maize and sunflower crops. Early in the wingshooting season, the fields of ripe sunflowers attract flocks of rock pigeons (kransduiwe).

It is also one of the best areas in the country to hunt typical bushveld bird species like Swainson’s Spurfowl (bosveldfisante), crested francolin (bospatryse) and the crafty helmeted guineafowl (gewone tarentaal).

The cultivated fields are bordered by areas of thick natural bush and supply the bushveld game birds with shelter from predators and with safe nesting sites. These natural areas with an abundant food source nearby is why bushveld game birds can be found here in record numbers. Of course, the fact that an area is home to a lot of birds does not automatically guarantee hunting success.

At the first sign of hunters, the spurfowl and guineafowl would immediately leave the cultivated fields and seek refuge in the thick bush. Here it takes patience, a bit of luck and the help of excellent gun dogs to find them.

Ariadne had won many field trails in the past, and her companion Erato’s bloodline included seven field-trial winners and one international field-trial winner.

Both these dogs were the product of a breeding program that went back 40 years. We would again be amazed by their drive and abilities as the hunt progressed. The hunting party consisted of Theo, Wouter, Jacques and me. Jacques brought his fourteen-year-old son Liam along, and this would be his first bird hunt.

The first field we hunted was thick bushveld with tall thorn trees intermingled with high grass and patches of sickle bush. It was the perfect place for game birds to hide.

Aki took his shotgun from his shoulder and handed it to Liam.

“You stick close to me”, he instructed Liam.

We entered the field, keeping a distance of thirty meters between the guns as we set off.

The dogs immediately started combing the bush in front of us as their sensitive noses picked up the smell of our quarry.

I weaved through the patches of thick bush when a single guineafowl flushed next to me. Before I could lift my gun, the bird flew behind a tree and my shot only managed to defoliate the innocent tree. I was aware of shots being fired off to my right.

As we reached the end of the bushveld area where it met the cultivated field, we took stock of our first walk of the morning. Liam’s huge smile made no secret of the fact that he was the only gun that had had success. He had shot a guineafowl over a perfect point by Ariadne, and shot his second bird after he flushed it himself.

We entered the second field and this time we kept closer together. Aki accurately predicted that the spurfowl would keep in the bush close to the fence that separated the bushveld and the harvested fields.

The spurfowl sat tight, and it was beautiful to see the dogs go on point. Their energetic searching instantly transformed into single-minded purpose as they concentrated on the scent in front of them. One of the dogs would go on point, every muscle fiber in its body quivering, while the second dog would honour the point. At Aki’s command, the dogs would flush the birds and Jacques easily shot two Swainson’s. The birds fell in thick areas of grass but at Aki’s command the birds were retrieved to his hand.

A few chances were missed, but Wouter and Theo also took some birds.

Over a point from Erato, a covey of birds was flushed by Theo.

“Crested!” Aki called out as he identified the birds in flight.

My shot checked the flight of a single bird that crossed in front of me and I felt elated at having shot a crested francolin – in my opinion, the most beautiful bushveld game bird.

We took some photos for prosperity and then returned to where Leslie was waiting with coffee, soft drinks, and snacks to revive us.

We then drove to a different part of the farm. Here the farmer had cut the long grass for winter feed, and the plains of short grass were dotted with shrubs and stunted tree under which patches of tall grass remained.

We walked close together as the dogs went to work. Now we could really enjoy the symphony while watching them. Aki could read his dog’s body language and would warn us when the dogs were working a scent. He kept one eye on his dogs, one on the shooters’ positions, and he still kept his eyes open for spurfowl that were running between the grassy areas. He also kept an eye on the barometric pressure that influenced the scenting conditions.

The spurfowl would run from the dogs till the tall grass-strips ended. The dogs would follow the scent till the birds ran out of cover. There, the dogs would go on a solid point. We would rotate the shooters and Aki would give the flush command. Shots rang out and birds fell at regular intervals. Every shot bird was retrieved by Ariadne or Erato. Aki would fist bump the hunter and we all appreciated the beautiful bushveld game birds.

On driving to the next field, we noticed a large flock of guineafowl in the open. Aki herded them into a bushy area next to the open field. Here, we hoped, the guineas would sit tight as we walked up to them. We spread out and entered the field. The soft calls of the guineas were audible in the long grass in front of us.

Suddenly, the whole flock of birds flushed in front of us.

I was overcome as the flock of at least fifty birds flew in all directions. Like a lion that was surrounded by an entire herd of bounding gazelles, I could not choose a single target.
Three shots rang out to my right, and it was Wouter who scored a double. He was ecstatic with the successful flush. 

The day was heating up, and we returned to where Leslie had made a fire, and we were served ice-cold soft drinks and hors d’oeuvres made from duck and goose breast chorizo. We relaxed around the fire as Leslie prepared a delicious lunch, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Leslie organised a plinking competition with a .22 rifle to keep us from nodding off. While we lunched and relaxed, Aki took Liam on a scouting trip to look for birds and to reconnoiter an area for the afternoon’s hunt.

Our shooting did not disappoint. The Crested Francolin covey erupted close to me. A single bird flew high over my head and my first shot missed completely. My second shot, however, checked the bird’s flight, and it tumbled to earth.

This field held birds in abundance, and we flushed a single covey of Swainson’s Spurfowl that consisted of a dozen birds. Despite the thickets, the dogs found, pointed, and retrieved the birds without any difficulty.

As the sun approached the western horizon and the shadows lengthened, we gathered together to inspect the day’s bag. Leslie broke out the celebratory beers and we toasted each other on an exceptional day of bird hunting in the bushveld.

If you ever want to experience a truly memorable wingshooting experience, contact Leslie van der Merwe Safaris on lesliej375@outlook.com