Back From Africa - 2012 Picture Heavy

[BiG Boar]

great thread so far! Other than you son not going. Thats too bad. Woulda been some great memories.
Keep it coming! Thanks for bringing back memories!

[buckguy]

Wow what a fantastic trip of a lifetime. Sorry your son made that decision and I am sure he will eventually realize what an awesome oppurtunity he missed, hunting with his Dad. Great photos, thanks for sharing.

[The Hermit]

I think I might just have to go some day... inspired after all these geat threads. I love that Kudu

[Caveman]

The morning of day four found the PH, assistant PH, tracker and I heading for a new area to pursue a Gemsbok. The terrain was even steeper than anything I had seen yet, but open to where we could do a lot of walking. Walking we would do, but for a different reason. We drove in on one of the few roads, glassing the hillsides looking for Gemsbok. While doing so we came across something, I'm sure very few get to see. A newborn Gemsbok calf, left to fend for it's self, much as a fawn is left by it's mother. Scentless and motionless, as it gains it's strength to be able to join it's mother and run with the herd. This must of been one of the first of the spring, as it was the only one we would encounter. This made the pursuit of a bull that more important as both the female and male Gemsbok have horns. The females are generally thinner, but are also known for being longer. Because they were calving, I had no intention in harvesting a cow.



As I took this picture we glassed a lone cow about 300yds away watching us. The calf would be easy prey for any predator, as it likely only weighed about 30lbs.

We left the calf as we found it. We carried on. No herds were to be see for a while, but then we spotted a group out about 500 yds. The PH and I got out to stalk the group. We got within about 250yds but no mature bulls were with this group as we watched them head off over a ridge. We set up on a hillside and glassed a couple bedded down across the valley from us. We elected to try and have the assistant PH and tracker circle around above them and attempt to drive them across the valley. We made our way to our vantage point as the two walked the ridge some 900yds away. While at our vantage point we spotted 5 more below us, as well as a herd of about 10 Eland. We had a chance to glass and assess the Gemsbok in front of us, but again no big bulls. The Tracker and assistant PH now have the two bulls across the valley, up and coming our way. We readied for a shot. It was going to be about 200yds downhill. The group below us sensed something was up as the two bulls came charging across the valley. They readied to move and the two bulls joined the group below. They stopped briefly giving me a quick shot. Unfortunately, as I squeezed, the bull turned to run at that same moment. The shot was a clean miss and the herd ran up and over the ridge. We were in pursuit on foot. We hurried, up and over the next ridge, only to see them crossing the valley. We pushed on, even though we were still losing ground, hoping they would calm down and go back to feeding. This was not to be. We got to where we spotted one animal out on the edge of a ridge, the rest we could not see. As we tried to close the distance between us, he headed down the other side. We got to the spot he was at only to see the entire herd had crossed the valley and stood an estimated 1000yds away. We came up with a plan to make our way to the valley bottom, at which point we would be out of view and would approach from above them, on a small ridge some 200 yds from where they stood. As we walked down the ridge, we would stop and glass the group to make sure we new where they were. Still in the open, the herd spooked, and ran up and over the next ridge. They spotted us at 750yds. How can that be? The PH claimed they have incredible eye sight and would be content to run a lot, until they got tired. This would only be the beginning.

[BiG Boar]

Oryx is one of the best. Looking forward to seeing the photos.

[Caveman]

Again, the plan was to sent the Tracker and assistant PH to follow the herd and we would circle around and set up for the Gemsbok to be pushed at us. The plan almost worked perfectly. We had over shot where we thought they would come down into the valley we were in, so we had to hastily double back and set up. I was over the sticks and the Gemsbok herd is only about 150yds out. There was just some bush for them to clear as they fed even closer. We waited patiently as they slowly made their way toward us. They had no clue we were there. Just as the first is about to clear the bush at 100yds, out of the corner of my eye, I spot an Impala come trotting right beside me headed in the direction of the Gemsbok. Then another and another. Soon there were a dozen and the Eland right behind them. The PH says get ready, the Gemsbok will join them. Problem was, the Eland and Impala were on the move, not just wandering along. Sure enough the Gemsbok joined the others giving me a very brief glimpse as they hurried from opening to opening. All three species ran up the valley and again over the next ridge. Again we would pursue them over the next ridge as well. We get to the top of the ridge which opened to a large basin, where we could see well over a mile. We can again see the Gemsbok and Eland out about a mile. Between us and them is a lot of open country, as well as a herd of Black Wildebeest. We elected to stay on the ridge and watch them for a bit to get a sense of their next move. We slowly made our way along the ridge in an attempt the circle them and approach from the side. We stayed behind as much cover as possible as we approached. We avoided the Black Wildebeest in our approach. Now we are about 200 yds out when the herds start to come out into view. First out, the are a couple Red Hartebeest, then a few Eland. None in a big hurry, as we have not been detected. Next to emerge are a mixture of Eland and Red Hartebeest with the Gemsbok in tow. Now I don't now which is a cow and which is the bull, so the PH is trying to point me at the right one. They are walking, stopping, walking, and stopping, passing each other, so the one I want is always behind a cow or a bush. Finally he steps out at 180yds giving me a broadside view. I've been on the sticks, ready for the shot, when he stops. Confirming with the PH that I am on the right one, I squeeze the trigger and hit him perfectly in front of the shoulder, in the neck He falls immediately. We played cat and mouse with these guys all day and finally it payed off.

[Caveman]

The PH headed back to retrieve the truck, and on his return, he tells me, "As I walked across the basin to get the truck, the entire herd of Gemsbok just stood there at 200yds and just watched me walk by" What's up with that?

[Caveman]

As it was mid afternoon by the time we returned to the lodge, we decided to take a break, so the wife, daughter and I visited a Cheetah rehab centre for a while.






This is a 6 yr old female and when they purr like a cat it is much like a low growl
They also had a couple Leopards and young lion cubs as well as several Servel cats

[muleychaser]

What an amazing trip!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing and am looking forward to the rest.

[Blainer]

Awsome tale
Good heavy horns on the Gemsbok.How tall??
Beautiful Cheetah.