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Swaziland hunt |
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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/22/2010 at 04:37 |
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Stuck just west of the Kwazulu coastal province (home to Durban and the surfing mecca of South Africa) lies the tiny kingdom of Swaziland. Yes, complete with a royal king.
Three weeks ago a friend invited me to this subtropical paradise for a hunt. Never one to say no, I packed my hunting gear, minus a rifle. We would be entering another country and to get rifles through is just a hassle. We would borrow rifles from his brother, who lives there.
We went through the border with ease, being a rather small border post just south of Nelspruit. We enquired about how much venison we could bring through, the limit being 25kg per person.
The 28 000ha farm was just 10 km from the border.
Once arrived, we made a nice welcoming fire.
We also snacked on some liver on toast. One of the guys had shot an impala before our arrival, which provided the fare.
The next morning we set off before dawn to the hunting area. It was rather cold, but soon warmed to a pleasant temp.
At the designated spot a guide and myself set out on our hunt. The bush is very thick and one has to stalk upwind, treading carefully. Once in a while the bush opens up a bit and "shooting lanes" give one a chance at the buck once spotted. I shot my first ram at a remarkable distance of 158m, given the denseness of the bush. Hitting twigs and branches remain a problem, so one has to take great care a shootable opening exists.
I had a Voere 30-06 topped with a zeis scope and 180gr bullets. I used a power of 4X given the bush.
The ram was looking towards me and I took him in a frontal chest shot, the bullet exiting at the gut. He dropped as if pole-axed.
The ram above dropped only half and hour into the hunt.
Below is the guide carrying him to a vehicle pick up point. Note the bush thickness and lanes opening up.
The ram above weighed 62 kg and dressed 33 kg on the butchers hook. (2.2lb = 1kg)
The next ram made me work a bit harder. It took about 1 hour of following the herd and trying to get into a shootable position with enough clearnce. But by 9 am I was all done with two rams for the deepfreeze.
Below are three other rams shot by the hunting party. (in total we shot 11 for the day.)
A pic of the thick bush.
Our most amazing tracker dog in his hunting seat!!!
That evening we sat around the campfire, nice food and a barbecue or "braai".
We were camped next to a very big dam.
with an open air toilet..
And then we were on our way home. The week end passed all to soon. We managed to get through the border with more meat then our quota. We then went through Nelspruit about 80km otherside the border and we were just telling ourselves how lucky we were, when we got stopped in the South African side in a foot and mouth control point. We did not know that the area was quarantined off for foot and mouth. The Vet Services wanted to fine us $250 and confiscate our meat. We managed to talk our way down to a $90 fine and we got to keep the meat!!!
That took us an hour of negotiating.
And then home...
Only joking, that is one of our famous black taxis!!!!
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Edited by 8shots - June/22/2010 at 04:39 |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Nice 8's. Thanks for sharing
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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lucytuma
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: November/25/2007 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 5389 |
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Great picktures and story "8".
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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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8 I always love to hear your stories and see your pictures. Another great one.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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8"s, another dream hunt of mine. Well done. Your slowly becoming a hunting idle of mine.
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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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Ain't no doubt about it!
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Thanks for sharing, Wouter! I always enjoy your hunting stories and pics!
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Great tale. Great pictures. Life is good. I'm moving to Aftrica... |
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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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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The Socialists in control...................Thanks to the ANC.......who used to be the enemy!!!!
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neilbilly
Optics Master Joined: February/07/2010 Location: Sweeny TX Status: Offline Points: 999 |
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Good Stuff 8's Appreciate you sharing the hunt with us.
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If God didn't want me to play with it, he'd of made my arms shorter.
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bugsNbows
Optics God bowsNbugs Joined: March/10/2008 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 11201 |
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Looks like a good time was had by all. Congrats.
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If we're not suppose to eat animals...how come they're made of meat?
Anomymous |
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tahqua
MODERATOR Have You Driven A Ford Lately? Joined: March/27/2006 Location: Michigan, USA Status: Offline Points: 9042 |
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As always, great stuff Wouter!
Doug |
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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Outstanding!!! |
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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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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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" Let's have a dop.............."
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