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Hunting for plainsgame Jun 2009 |
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8shots
Optics Jedi Knight Lord Of The Flies Joined: March/14/2007 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
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Posted: June/05/2009 at 05:11 |
My usual hunting buddy and I left this past Sunday for a hunt about 600km north of Cape Town. This places us near Beaufort West in the heart of the Karoo. The Karoo is semi arid country covered with karoo bush, grass and thorn tree thickets along the mostly dry river beds.
The day was cold with a lot of wind, which made our frequent coffee stops rather unpleasant.
As we approached the farm our level of anticipation was heightened by the game we saw. At one stage we stopped and watched a kudu cow and young bull sunning themselves on the warmer west slope a mere 80yds away from us.
On our arrival we were shown our rooms. The farm house was a really nice and well furnished. Our rooms were very comfortable.
We waited around a big fire for the other hunters to arrive. We ended up as a party of 10. That night we had a great braai of kudu steaks, sausage and kudu steaks.
The next day the morning broke clear and calm. Not a breath of wind. And that is how the day remained.
First we all checked the zero's on our rifles and those that needed to made adjustments. Then it was off to hunt. All the species available was plains game, meaning that they do not hide in the bush but graze out in the open in herds.
Available was gemsbuck, rooi hartebeest, blue wildebeest and springbuck. I decided to hunt one large animal and 8 springbuck. For this purpose I became a two gun hunter, something I never do. I took along my Sako 300 H&H with 200 gr SGK and my newly aquired Rem VSF 308 loaded with 155gr PMP Palma.
We were each given a place to hide away. My spot was nice rocky outcrop. The gameplan was that with 10 of us placed in strategic positions within a 2640 acre camp we had things pretty much covered. We then had some farm hands slowly stirring the game about. When they come within your designated fire arc you do what needed to be done.
I stuck to my plan of taking only headshots, using the 300 H&H for the red hartebeest and the VSF for the springbuck.
At the end of the day I managed to take the red hartebeest at 180 yds with a clean headshot. I also took 4 springbuck at ranges from 220 yds down to 120 yds. The 308 operated as I had hoped. I shot with precision, taking only headshots. However, having a telescope with a parallax focus is not ideal for hunting. From the pics you will see how close the game came after I had filled my quota!
During the course of the day 30 springbuck, two gemsbuck, one red hartebeest and one blue wildebeest was taken. Yes, not two many for the number of hunters. It sounds easy but the game move all the time and opportunities for shots are few.
That evenening we had another roaring fire and enjoyed a stew of beef neck.
The following day the remainder of the hunters who did not bag their quota went back for two blue wildebeest and two gemsbuck. They used a combination of walk and stalk and ambush hunting.
The rest of us went to a different camp for springbuck only, but we were not very successful due to a combinatiom of factors. The weather had turned a bit nasty, as well as most of the hunting was focused on the guys who had not yet shot anything. I managed to bag another springbuck, whilst the other hunters got their wildebeest and gemsbuck, as well as another 4 springbuck.
That evening my friend and I had to do supper. We did potato in oil, and inch thick T-bone steaks.
We left the next morning, loaded with enough venison for a year!
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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That is awesome 8's. It looks and sounded like you had a great trip and Thanks for sharing it with us. I do need to come over there and hunt a few of ya'lls common animals.
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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 |
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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THANKS 8! I gained 10lbs just reading it.
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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That is cool, thanks for sharing Wouter!!
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 8904 |
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Love your stories 8shots, keep them coming. Congrats on a great hunt.
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God save the Empire!
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SD Dog
Optics Master Extraordinaire OT Scratching Post Joined: February/28/2008 Status: Offline Points: 4177 |
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Nice. Sounds like you had a great trip.
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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert
Stupidity & ignorance have been the foundation for many certainties. |
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silver
Optics Master Joined: November/04/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2291 |
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So, what did the rest of the bunch use to hunt with?
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"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane." Jimmie Buffet
WWW.formitch.com |
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Monster
Optics Master Joined: December/16/2008 Location: So. Cal Status: Offline Points: 2031 |
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Nice 8! Looks like a good trip. Thanks for the pics and story
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"Get Busy Livin' or get busy dyin'" -Red (Shawshank Redemption)
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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We need to hang out, bro; especially on a hunting trip, in Africa, with whiskey.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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helo18
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: December/02/2006 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 5620 |
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Very nice 8shots! Some day I would love to get down to hunt Africa.
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To be prepared for War is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.
GEORGE WASHINGTON |
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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Terrific photos and story, 8shots. What a country!!!
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dgp
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/28/2008 Location: texas Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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One day I will be there to hunt those critters.
Thanks for the pics. |
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it ani't over till the fat lady sings
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SD Dog
Optics Master Extraordinaire OT Scratching Post Joined: February/28/2008 Status: Offline Points: 4177 |
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8's, do you normally try for the head shots? 180yds at the head is some fine shooting, but I personally don't think I could held steady enough for that. If it is a clean hit, I know tracking is much easier. Didn't know if you used this approach all the time or if it was a case by case basis.
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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert
Stupidity & ignorance have been the foundation for many certainties. |
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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So Wouter enjoys another big adventure!
Ok, I'm a little bit jealous...
Thanks for sharing it with us, though.
Great photos, and I always enjoy hearing about the FOOD.
THAT is a huge factor in what makes or breaks a lot of hunts, as you well know...
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8shots
Optics Jedi Knight Lord Of The Flies Joined: March/14/2007 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
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A lot depends on the shot presented by the animal and my position. If the animal, as in this case, is standing still and I have a dead rest (as was the case), I do try for the fancy shot. It is risky, but I have put in a lot of practise and I am pretty confident of my shooting if I may say so.(on paper anyway!)
I think that if a trophy animal presented itself I would want to be doubly sure and I would irrespective of all aspects go for the heart/lung shot.
If the shot is a bit more difficult in that the animal is moving, or my own position is a bit less steady, I would go for the heart/lung shot.
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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A few years ago, I had the chance to go to Colorado, on a bison hunt. I tried a head shot(oooppps) but quickly fixed it with a follow up in the vitals. Luckily she didn't take off, as matter of fact she only took about 3 steps and then turned broad side to me.(lucky I guess)
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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3_tens
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/08/2007 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 7853 |
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That just makes me sick. I can't get time to hunt for my boots much less go hunting.
Congratulations.
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Folks ain't got a sense of humor no more. They don't laugh they just get sore.
Need to follow the rules. Just hard to determine which set of rules to follow Now the rules have changed again. |
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