Jan 22, 2019 | 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%2F120-121||target:%20_blank|”][vc_column_text]Greywing Safari By Ken Bailey
The Stormberg Mountain region is at once rugged yet welcoming. At a distance, the rolling, grass-carpeted hills are inviting, appearing gentle and serene. Three hours in to hiking them, however, I was discovering that their true identity was somewhat different. Up close and personal the terrain is rough and uneven, and while the landscape can accurately be called “breath-taking”, so, too, is the effort required to hike the uneven slopes. Of course, that’s the way it should be when you’re hunting greywing partridge; a toll must be paid to merit the privilege of hunting these legendary birds.
Greywing partridge have long been considered by knowledgeable wingshooters to rank in the highest echelons of upland bird hunting, spoken in the same sentences and with an equal reverence as the renowned red grouse of the Scottish highlands or the robust capercaille of Eurasia. Greywings are a high-altitude bird about the same size and similar in appearance to a Hungarian partridge, and are generally found in montane grassland habitats above 5000 feet. While relatively common wherever there’s suitable habitat, they’re rarely seen because of their naturally secretive nature and the fact that they occur in widely dispersed coveys in relatively remote, mountainous landscapes. Hunting greywing partridge is defined as much by their surroundings as by the hunt itself, and any greywing in hand is a prize well-earned.
Fortunately, I was hunting with Robbie Stretton, a fifth-generation owner of the exquisite colonial-style Buffels Fontein Lodge, south of Jamestown in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Robbie is a rancher, game breeder, PH and lodge owner, but I suspect all that is simply a cover story that allows him to pursue his personal passion for hunting, particularly greywing partridge, over his beloved English pointers.
We’d arrived at Buffels Fontein early on a cool May evening after several days of high-volume dove and pigeon hunting near Bloemfontein. I was hunting with African Hunting Gazette publisher Richard Lendrum and long-time friends T.J. Schwanky and Vanessa Harrop, co-hosts of the popular television hunting show The Outdoor Quest. Over an eland dinner (and as veterans of African cuisine know, it simply doesn’t get any better than eland!), Robbie and his wife Angela related the history of their lodge and the surrounding countryside. The Stretton family first acquired the 11,000 hectare (27,000 acres) ranch in 1840. In the early days it served as a post office, a trading post and an inn, providing a welcome respite for travellers to rest their oxen, their horses and their own weary bodies along the strenuous route between the diamond and gold mines to the north and the docks along the Indian ocean to the south. These days the farm is home to sheep, cattle and an array of big game and game birds, and serves as home base for Robbie’s hunting operations. But the fascinating history of the lodge is well-preserved through the wonderful collection of antiques and the books and firearms that adorn the walls.
After a much-needed rest in the well-appointed guest rooms, our group reassembled for an early breakfast before heading afield. To the untrained eye, locating greywings in this vast, undulating landscape seems akin to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack, but Robbie knew with unfathomable clarity where we could expect to find coveys. He is careful about his management practices, insisting that hunters take only a small handful of birds from each of the far-spread coveys. It turned out that limiting our harvest wasn’t going to be an issue, though certainly not because of a lack of birds.
Through the cool morning hours we walked up and down the open hillsides, hunting between 6500 and 7000 feet above sea level. As is demanded of this pursuit, Robbie’s English pointers were fit and disciplined dogs that could hold a point until we were in position. Greywings have a tendency to fly downhill for long distances when flushed, so finding and reflushing scattered birds is an iffy proposition. If a dog flushes a covey at a distance it’s highly unlikely you’ll get a second crack at them, so well-trained dogs are a must.
Greywing coveys range from just a couple to as many as 30 birds, but most often number from five to ten. As it so happened, the first point of the morning was a pair, and at the flush the birds broke in separate directions. One exploded straight away before veering sharply left to take full advantage of the high winds that seem to be the norm in these hills. Astounded at how quickly it was getting out of range, I shouldered my gun and swung without thinking, holding just below the bird as it sailed down the grassy slope. At the report the bird tumbled into the grass, while to my right a quick pair of shots told me that T.J. was on the second bird. As it turned out he’d wing-tipped his and we were unable to recover it, but in short order mine was collected and I held it aloft triumphantly. As history now shows, my shooting prowess was short-lived.
Over the next three hours we traversed the hillsides under Robbie’s tutelage. He knew roughly where to expect the dogs to locate another covey, and more often than not he was right on the money. On some flushes only two or three birds would erupt from the grass; regularly it would be five to eight, and we put up one covey where 14 or 15 partridge rocketed out. In total we flushed 10 coveys totalling 84 birds. Our in-the-hand tally at morning’s end was a relatively meagre seven birds. Robbie advised that on most shoots gunners can expect to see in the region of 60 birds, with an anticipated bag of about 15, depending on the shooting ability of the hunters. While the dogs more than held up their end of the bargain, our numbers reveal that, clearly, T.J., Vanessa, Richard and I fell short of the targeted 25 per cent success rate.
Under the authority of editorial license, I feel compelled to offer a little defense of our less than stellar performance. To wit, we were shooting guns unfamiliar to us, (stunning F16 over/unders graciously on loan from Blaser) that were choked for the waterfowling and guinea fowl hunting we’d planned, when I would have preferred improved cylinder chokes, and the #5 loads we were flinging were probably not the best option; #8 shot would have been a better choice. Further, as I came to learn, as often as not you’re on rocky, uneven ground when a covey flushes (Murphy’s Law), so you’re seldom shooting from a stable position. Not to mention that the greywing partridge themselves, those taupe-clad little beauties, have a combination of natural flight skills and a game-to-the-core survival instinct that all but ensures their escape.
If I sound a little defensive, understand that it’s largely in jest. The fact is, we had a wonderful morning in an unbelievably pristine landscape pursuing one of the world’s premier game birds. How can that not be a rewarding experience? Whether we shot well or not is a relatively small part of the equation; it was the experience we were seeking.
At about noon we stopped for a well-earned lunch break and reflected on our morning. Someone’s Fitbit revealed we’d walked 15 kms (9.5 miles) since we’d left the trucks, so we enjoyed the cold drinks and sandwiches with unusual zeal. As advertised, we’d learned that greywing partridge hunting is not for the faint of heart; a reasonable level of fitness is a must, especially at these altitudes.
As we relaxed in the midday sun, a small covey of greywings flushed from cover on the steep hill above us. T.J., Robbie and I just looked at one another with knowing shrugs. So Robbie collected a couple of his pointers and up we went, at times having to climb hand over foot up the sharp incline. Eventually we got to the elevation and general vicinity of where we thought the birds had resettled, with the dogs’ no-nonsense attitude confirming there were birds close by. With every step I took care with my footing to ensure I was on stable ground should a partridge lift. That didn’t give due respect to our pointing companions, however, because in short order they had a bird locked down and when they flushed I was ready.
Three birds burst from beneath the thorny brush and I swung on the first as it flew straight away, paralleling the hillside. When the picture looked right I squeezed and the greywing dropped. Meanwhile, T.J. swung on a brace of birds, dropping one before the second disappeared safely over a crest. Two shots and two iconic greywing partridge in the hand.
Our doubleheader served as a spectacular finish to a hunt that will be etched in a special place in my memory reserved for only the most revered experiences. We’d been treated to a first-class experience in pursuit of one of the world’s great game birds, hunting up top in storied terrain, accompanied by fine people, fine dogs and fine shotguns. Sometimes I think I get more than I deserve. But I will go back, if for no other reason than to test that hypothesis.[/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%2F120-121||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”19789,19790,19791,19792,19793,19794,19795″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Aug 6, 2013 | Safari Planning
Everyone probably has their own way of planning a safari. On the one hand, there are those that book a safari the same way they would a restaurant. They have heard a rumour that a particular restaurant serves good food and so they book without knowing anything else other than its contact details. They have some good meals and some bad ones.
Then there are some people who almost invariably eat at McDonalds. There is at least one in every town. The meals are inexpensive, the service is quick and you know what you are going to get. There are still others who know, well before hand, exactly what they would like to eat and, in fact, can probably tell you which wine they propose drinking with which course and why. They book well in advance and would rather eat one good meal a quarter than take potluck once a week. These are people who are often passionate about food, discuss it with their friends, read about it and, probably, cook themselves. Although they do not necessarily live to eat, eating for them is more than just about satisfying hunger pangs.
As James Mellon wrote nearly 30 years ago in African Hunter, the bible on hunting on this continent, ‘Oh what traps and snares there are in the wilderness of possible safari arrangements!’ Today, his comments are even more relevant as hunting has become a very expensive pastime. And the more sought after the trophy, the more expensive it becomes. At the end of the day, only an extremely wealthy person, with masses of time on his hands, can afford to book a safari without careful research. In fact, there are only three things you need to know about booking a safari – research, research and research.
My research begins with a decision to hunt one or more particular animals. Like many of the stories that I write, this begins with a vague idea which, every now and then, pops out of my sub-conscience. When this starts to happen with greater frequency, I start to pay attention and actively begin thinking about hunting those particular animals. I normally start my research with the animals themselves. I glean what I can from the record books, namely, Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game and SCI’s Record Book of Trophy Animals.
From there I turn to The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion by Skinner or some such other reference book and, of course, the internet and Wikipedia are also good if somewhat generalized starting points. Then, if I am still interested, I will dig further. By now, I have a reasonable idea of the animal, its habitat and, in which countries it can be found, and then I really get to work.
I confess, it is easy for me to become passionate about a given animal for a whole host of reasons. However, I try not to forget about the other animals that might occupy the same habitat as the one(s) I am particularly looking for or that I may find in the same vicinity. For example, you may be mad keen about hunting lesser kudu in Tanzania’s Masailand but there are also good fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, Coke’s hartebeest and Patterson’s eland on offer. It would be silly to neglect these animals and, sometime later, have to book a second safari to the same area to complete a collection of oryx or eland, for example.
Jul 25, 2013 | Hunting Stories Online
RSA : 2009
Volume : 19.2
Safari In The Limpopo Province
The last time I hunted Africa – a trip to the north-eastern region of Namibia – I had added three species not previously taken: oryx or gemsbok, red hartebeest, and common springbok, as well as a very handsome greater kudu that, along with one I had taken on a Botswana hunt nearly twenty years ago in the Okavango, was nice, but neither had particularly long horns. So on my latest sojourn to the Dark Continent, kudu was again on the menu, but only if its horns had grown to a certain length.
We all like good trophies, and for kudu a good bull starts at around 50 inches. The very lucky kudu hunter may find one of sixty-plus inches but it may take years, if ever. This business of the inches can get a little interesting at times as I found out one day in Botswana when I asked my PH, Willie, to put a tape to a nice impala I had just taken on the first day of the hunt. Willie promptly suggested that if my primary interest was in running around measuring things, he would be more than happy to produce a certain anatomical appendage for measurement! Slightly taken aback, I declined and thought better of taping the animal. Later when he had cooled off a bit, I asked for an explanation, which was simply that he didn’t like guys coming to Africa to shoot stuff just to get their name in a book. I agreed. Getting into “the book” should be a lesser concern than having a good, fair-chase hunt.
Anyway, I had told my PH Phil de Kock of Bosbok Safaris, Limpopo Province, that if I were going to shoot a kudu on this 10-day trip it must be fifty or better, or I would pass. The kudu was one of three primary animals that was the goal of the trip to South Africa, my first actual hunting trip to this large and beautiful country. The main focus was hunting a couple of my favorites, the spiral horns: nyala and bushbuck as well as the kudu.
Certain realities apply to South African hunting, fences being one. Most properties, whether large or small, are game-fenced. Unlike the large government concessions common to some other countries, most of the game is owned and managed by the landowner. Because some properties have some of the more rare species, the landowner may have paid a considerable amount for certain animals and does not want anything to happen to them outside his control. On Bosbok where I was hunting I was most surprised and pleased to encounter a small herd of white rhino on the first morning of hunting. Later we also ran across a small resident herd of Cape buffalo. Neither of these animals is hunted on any of the properties that we hunted on but it was fun to bump into them periodically.
For once the trip to southern Africa was relatively trouble-free and I arrived on time, via Johannesburg, at Polokwane Airport where Phil picked me up for the 45-minute drive to their new lodge and a very comfortable, roomy chalet with thatched roof, hot and cold running water and a steel safe for my valuables.
As is usual for me, a couple of days were spent trying to get my act together after all the flying which leaves me pretty-well messed up and, consequently, I don’t seem to function well right off. On the first day on a very windy hillside I missed a fairly easy shot at a blesbok, and the next day shot poorly on a waterbuck that, unfortunately, was not recovered during my stay. After another day of hunting without result we headed to another property a couple of hours away specifically to hunt nyala, my main quarry.
The cover-loving nyala is a particularly attractive animal that looks like a cross between a bushbuck and a small kudu, as they have both stripes and spots on their hide and, like kudu, they are grey/brown in color, but they also have legs of almost orange with white and black markings. Add to that a mane, both a chest and belly ruff, and you really have something a little different. The horns of a mature nyala can grow to just over thirty inches for the very lucky hunter in the right area. After scouting this nyala area for a while and seeing a few females, a one-horned bull and a couple of others in the thicket, our tracker Nelson and the resident tracker from that property pointed out a good-looking bull in the forest, and we began a stalk. After a few minutes of slowly putting one foot in front of the other our trackers motioned us down as the bull was sighted a little over a hundred yards away with just enough of a hole in the thicket to thread a bullet. Phil offered me his shoulder as a rest and, steadying the Ruger 77 .338 Win magnum, I spotted the bull in the Zeiss scope and took the shot quickly as we had already been busted.
As I recovered from recoil the shot had looked good, but as things aren’t always as they seem it was reassuring when Phil and the trackers were offering handshakes and backslaps. A shoulder shot had felled him where he stood. Now that’s how things are supposed to go! We quickly moved up to where my bull lay and I marveled at this awesome animal, my first nyala. The Hornady 225-grain Interbond bullet had gone on through both shoulders without opening up much, as the exit hole was caliber-sized.
Later that afternoon back on the main property where the blesbok had been playing silly buggers with me, we put a short stalk on a very good buck and put him down cleanly, thankfully ending my embarrassing run of blesbok follies, and bringing to a close about as perfect a day of African hunting as one could ask for.
Next up was bushbuck or bosbok from which the company takes it name. These are dainty little antelope with colors and spots that vary according to particular sub-species based largely on geographics, and in this area they are Limpopo bushbuck. We had been hunting them from the beginning and had seen a few, but usually just glimpses as the little creatures are quite wary and swift. Then while we were hunting in tall grass and reeds near a dry creek bed – classic bushbuck country – late one afternoon, a female bushbuck stepped out of a thicket and slowly made her way to another, apparently unaware of our presence, so we all froze. Then from behind her stepped a nice male. Phil was looking it over in his binos and hadn’t actually given the go-ahead, but the buck’s horns looked good, so I pulled the trigger with the buck no more than 40 yards distant and he fell quickly to a high shoulder shot. He was a very decent specimen with both horns going a little over 13 inches and with an unusually dark coat that Phil admired, so he now owns the back-skin.
With two of my spiral horn goal accomplished and plenty of time to hunt we began to focus in earnest on big kudu for which we had been looking all along. We saw kudu daily, but the weather was a factor with lots of cold and breezy conditions which the animals don’t like and they were loath to settle down.
KUDU HUNT
On Day Seven we were driving along in the Toyota pick-up one frosty morning when the trackers in the back tapped on the roof to indicate they had seen something, but what? Kudu bull, that’s what!
After creeping slowly along for around twenty minutes, Phil and the trackers dropped to a crouch as did I. Phil pointed up the hill around 100 yards and said there was a big bull browsing on some bushes. He offered his shoulder to allow for a steady position to find the bull in the scope. At first all I could see was the head and horns with deep curls. Slowly the body of the bull began to take shape and Phil said, “Take him now, off of his shoulder.” Once again the .338 spoke, and at the shot all hell seemed to break loose with kudu running everywhere when two other previously unknown smaller bulls broke cover! At the distance and shaded position of the bull it was hard to be absolutely certain of the shot, but the sight picture in my mind showed the crosshairs low on the shoulder. We split into groups to look for blood, and after a few minutes of this and not finding any sign doubt began to rear its ugly head. Had I missed this bull or, worse, wounded him? Still, I kept thinking the shot had looked good so where was he? While with Phil we heard a slight whistle from some yards back and Phil said the trackers had found something. In a couple of minutes we caught up with Nelson and Liza and they were standing very nonchalantly over something in the tall grass. As we approached it became clear they were standing next to my dead kudu! One would have thought they were taking afternoon tea! As we began to admire the bull, Phil said, “He is not quite as big as I had thought.”
Oh great! So out came the tape. We taped the bull’s right horn at 49 ¾ inches – a good start, the left horn came in at 51 ¼ inches. Now we’re talking! Even though there were barely two turns to the horns, the depth of curl mentioned earlier made the difference. A subsequent, more deliberate, measurement showed the shorter horn to be right at 50 inches. This may not be the most handsome bull we had seen but he definitely met the criteria. I later playfully chided the trackers for not singing out more enthusiastically when they found the bull. They just grinned and giggled.
With that out of the way, the next day was spent looking for lesser critters like jackal and duiker which up till then had been standing around posing for pictures but now seemed to have vanished. So the following day we bagged hunting in favor of a road trip to the north of the country for a little sightseeing at the Mapungubwe National Park where one can see the confluence of two rivers, the Shashe and the Limpopo of Kipling fame, though the Shashe was dry at the time. At the border crossing station of Point Drift where the Limpopo River is all that separates one from Botswana we were down close enough to the river to tell that, on this day, it was not the “great, grey-green, greasy Limpopo” – rather it was the mostly brown-muddy and covered with motor oil-sheen Limpopo. No doubt in Kipling’s time his description was more accurate.
The last day of the hunt was again spent in pursuit of duiker and such, and for one missed shot on a far-off jackal it was uneventful, but the goals set for this trip had been realized and I could return home content with memories of a good hunt in good company. Great food and companionship with a knowledgeable PH can really make the difference on a hunt, and neither was lacking at Bosbok.
RIFLE SCOPE AND AMMO
On this trip I chose to use an original Ruger M-77 (1968 model) of the tang safety style in .338 Win Mag. It shot well using a hand-load consisting of Hornady’s 225-grain Interbond bullet ahead of 70 grains of Alliant’s Reloder 19 in Winchester cases. It shot MOA out to 300 yards and was consistent. The load is somewhat less than maximum, as I reasoned that all of the mighty .338’s power and recoil would be unnecessary for this hunt. At 2600 fps it still yields 3400 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, plenty for plains game. The rifle was topped with an excellent Zeiss Conquest 3-9 X 50 scope. These scopes are assembled in the USA using German parts and they are a true bargain in the scope world.
Only two bullets were recovered on this hunt. One was taken from the backbone of the blesbok which I had given as a finisher as he wobbled from the initial lung shot. The other was found pushing the offside shoulder of the kudu after breaking the nearside shoulder. These two bullets only retained about 50 per cent of their original weight but obviously did the job as did the others which all penetrated completely.
Scott is a freelance gun/hunting writer here with over 30 articles published primarily in GunWorld magazine but also in Small Arms Review, Tactical Gear, Gun Digest and the Handloaders Digest. He is 57 years old, married with two children, and has been writing for about six years. For most of his life he has worked on or around boats, mostly tugboats that I sailed on, or commercial fishing boats which he worked on as a shipwright in repair. Besides Africa, he has hunted Alaska, Montana, Idaho and in Washington. This was his fifth safari, having hunted in Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia previously.
Dec 21, 2011 | Hunting Stories Online
Zimbabwe: 2010
Volume: 17.3
A Letter On Safari Hunting
Safari hunting in Zimbabwe is a thrilling activity that brings one face-to-face with Africa’s wildlife.
Located in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe shares its borders with Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique. The good climatic conditions, with mild winter temperatures ranging from 5°C to 20°C, put Zimbabwean sport hunting among the best in the region. Hunting is conducted between April and October; rains are usually expected from late November to March, making it impossible to hunt during this period.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) is the custodian of all wildlife in Zimbabwe; as such, it plays a regulatory role in ensuring sustainable wildlife utilization within the country’s hunting industry. ZPWMA is also responsible for awarding hunting concession areas, allocation of annual hunting quotas, issuing hunting and fishing permits, issuing permits for the movement of wildlife and wildlife products; it also conducts some hunting safaris.
The ZPWMA is also the examining and licensing body for Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides. The objective is to ensure that principles of fair chase are upheld during all hunting safaris.
Areas in which hunting is permitted in Zimbabwe include:
State land that includes:
- Zimbabwe Parks safari areas
- Forest areas
- Private land conservancies
- Communal areas under the CAMPFIRE program that seeks to afford rural communities that live adjacent to wildlife areas to benefit from the proceeds accruing from sustainable utilization of the resource.
There are sixteen (16) designated safari areas in Zimbabwe, including Charara, Hurungwe, Sapi, Chewore, Dande, Doma, Chegutu, Umfurudzi, Chirisa, Sengwa, Malipati, Tuli, Chete, Sibilobilo, Deka and Matetsi. Most safari areas are big-game areas where Africa’s Big Five are present, while others only have plains game.
In addition to elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo (rhinoceros is protected and cannot be hunted), the following species are available for hunting in Zimbabwe: hippopotamus, crocodile, giraffe, zebra, bushbuck, duiker, eland, grysbok, impala, klipspringer, kudu, waterbuck, nyala, cheetah, reedbuck, sable, steenbok, tsessebe, blue wildebeest, civet, genet, spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, wild cat, bushpig, porcupine, warthog, spring hare, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, as well as game birds including pigeon, duck, goose, francolin, sand grouse and guineafowl.
Safari operators are required to be registered and licensed by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and can also be registered with the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe.
Prospective hunters should ensure that they familiarize themselves with the following documents that are, and/or, may be required before, during, and after the period the hunt:
- NP/CITES Form 11
- Firearms import permit
- Tourism Return Form 2 (TR2)
Some popular hunting areas in Zimbabwe include the Matetsi complex (home of the black-maned lion and popular for its large sable population) and the Zambezi Valley (popular for its large herds of buffalo). The Matetsi complex offers hunts from outfitted safari lodges. The price of the hunt includes trophy fees, daily rates, and other services such as laundry. The Zambezi Valley offers packaged hunting bags that are usually auctioned in March every year. Clients are expected to provide their own tented camping facilities for the duration of their hunts.
The African elephant and crocodile (CITES Appendix II) and leopard and cheetah (CITES Appendix I) are all hunted subject to strict CITES conditions. Hunters should ensure that they export such species with the requisite export permit, completed TR2 form and CITES tags, and any other requirements from the recipient country.
Prospective hunters are allowed to temporarily import firearms for use during their hunts. For big game such as buffalo, lion, elephant and hippopotamus, the minimum caliber required by law is .375 (9.3mm) H&H Magnum; a minimum of .300 (7mm) is recommended for leopard and most large antelope. Temporary importation of firearms and ammunition is allowed subject to obtaining a temporary import license at the port of entry.
