Ollin Magnetic Digiscoping System

A very successful evening Kudu hunt

JJHACK

New member
Joined
Jun 21, 2001
Messages
302
Location
Rural Wa. State/ Ellisras South Africa
During one particular evening hunt that was really nice and warm we decide to drive the far edge of the property because it has historically been a good Kudu producer. During the drive we see a couple Kudu bulls we can shoot but after glassing for a few moments I have to give Jim(my client is also named Jim) the bad news and tell him they are too small.

I know by this time he must be thinking I'm jerking him around. I must have told him no on a 1/2 dozen or more large kudu now after about 5 days of hunting. Tatia, my wife is in the truck and Doen is driving today to give her a break. Driving slowly through the bush 12 plus hours a day is almost as hard as standing in the truck looking for game 12 hours a day.

We turn a corner and see a bull, I guess at 43 inches it stands looking at us for 2 minutes. Again I tell
Jim, no way to small. Kudu are big animals but I am no way going back to the camp with a small Kudu
to face my fellow PH's. To me Jim is a friend from the internet for many years now not just another
client to take out. I really wanted a good trophy for him not just a general Adult Kudu. The proof of that
is in the blesbok he shot after glassing about 100 of them he shot one that will probably be the the top
50 all time!

However I'm not sure how much longer I can get him to hold out for a bigger one. While driving in the
back of the bakkie( pick up truck)We are discussing the situation of the Kudu. They rarely give you a
glimpse and when they do it's for a few seconds and they are gone. The bush is thick and a couple
steps and they will vanish like a puff of grey smoke.

We drive for some time and see lots of game but nothing Jim is hunting for. We see waterbuck, eland,
steenbok, etc. etc. During this conversation of how Kudu will give you a moment at the very most I try to
express the high level of importance to make the chance we get count.

We discuss him getting on target while I judge the trophy, when I say it's good, pull the trigger. During
this conversation of how little time we will have we see a Kudu step out in the road about 150 yards or
less in front of us. I don't even need to tap the roof Deon and Tatia see it at the same time.

I look for about 10 seconds but it feels like 10 minutes and decide it is a good bull and we need to shoot
him Jim gets in position to shoot but the bull will not stay still. He then walks off the road and is gone.

Just as I was telling him you don't get anything extra with a Kudu, seconds only and that's when your
lucky. Deon in Afrikaans says he will drive slowly past the spot and we should shoot if we see him. We
drive the whole way and don't see him,.... He's gone as I expected. I just begin to relax and stop
straining my eyes in the bush then HE IS STANDING RIGHT THERE! 30 yards away.

Deon drives right past him and I tap the roof. I wisper in Afrikaans that the bull is just behind us in the
bush off the road. Deon rolls the truck back very slowly in reverse. I tap the truck and he stops. I barely
get the words out of my mouth to shoot when I hear Jims Gun go "click"

Oh my goodness first this bull lets us look him over long enough to check him out. Then he walks off
the road and stays put. Next he allows us to back up and see him again. Then the click of the rifle and
he reamins standing. This is 4 more mistakes then any other Kudu will ever make. Jim rechambers
another round and ( thank goodness for CRF in panic rechambering) clicks off another round direct into
the chest quartering away.

At the shot it causes the kudu to shudder and squat before running off. I bail out with my rifle and see
the bull no more then 40 yards away and Deon is right behind me. Within a moment Jim is there and he
shoots the magnificent bull right in the heart for a finisher.

Better lucky then Good. If Deon was not with me that bull would have been in the next time zone when
the click of the rifle went off. Deons Lucky coat tails always provide a smooth ride and great success.
We clear the brush, and prop up the big bull kudu which does not have long horns overall but has nice
deep curls and is very old. Probably beyond it's prime.

We take lots of Photo's and even My wife has a photo taken with this beautiful bull. Then she decides
right there she wants to shoot one as well! Never saw this much happen and still allow a killing shot on
Kudu. What a great evening hunt.

We do not bother hunting any more but we head back to camp to show the others. Now we are well
ahead of the other PH client teams. I'm feeling pretty good aboout this Trip and I want the others to feel
a bit of the panic I had for the first few days we hunted and took nothing because of the weather!

That evening is sweet, we had a heck of a good days hunting and really whacked some good game. The
dinner was fantastic and it was just a very satisfying day.

Even the other PH's and clients did very well shooting a red Heartabeest and some zebras. Life is good,
clients are happy and the wine and martinis are flowing in camp that night. Several guys sit around the
fire smoking Cuban Cigars and drinking wine or a beer. We are in the after glow of a great hunt. I think
we will all sleep good and get ready for yet another day of Safari hunting. The weather is better now and
the game is moving. My client is shooting like a champ and my wife has a full time smile just loving this
safari lifestyle. How can it get better then this?jj
 

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