In the Bush of South Africa~A Short Novel

[Hot4huntin]

I apologize for the long read, but I could not shorten my experience of South Africa.

South Africa was amazing and the culture unbelievable at times! We traveled Air France and left out of Houston at 10:00 p.m. on June 25th for a 9 hr 30 min flight to Paris.





We had a 9 hr layover in Paris, so we decided to test the public transportation system and take a tour of the Eiffel Tower. Holy cow!! The traffic in Paris makes Houston traffic seem rural! I have never heard so many midget clown cars "BEEEEEEEPPPPPP" at the same time. We took the bus to the Arc de Triomphe.





From there, we took the train to the Eiffel Tower. We had planned on taking the tour, but the wait would have put us back at the airport too late.









We ate ate a sidewalk bistro before returning to the airport by train.









Air France for 10 hr 30 minute trip to Jo'burg. It was a little more bumpy than the first leg of our journey.


Jo'burg Airport

Loading up for the approximate 2 ½ hour trip to the concession. It took two trucks and a bus to get us all and our equipment to BJF Lodge.





Arrival at BJF




Checking out a hide

A little practice





It did not take me long to figure out that my bow had been damaged on the trip over. The screw was almost completely out of my cam and my peep sight was twisted. David and Bobby did repairs to my bow, but I was still shooting a high. Frustration!

The first night we shared a loft room with Tom and Renee McIntire. We had community facilities outside. Showering was quite cold!

[Hot4huntin]

The next morning it was near freezing as we headed to the hides. Our PH, Tetrius (Terry), Bobby and I sat together in a pit blind. It was my turn to shoot first being I'm a girl and all. There was a HUGE baboon at his blind. They put out alfalfa, fruit, nuts and corn at the blinds.



The baboon started making his way in, I tried to draw, but it was a no go, way too cold for me with 55#s and given the room in which I had to draw. Rearrangements in the blind were made, so next time he came it, I would be able to draw back. The baboon came in again, quickly grabbed a square of alfalfa, tucked it under his arm like an old lady with her purse and took off, looking over his shoulder the whole time. I could not help but laugh out loud. I drew back on him 4 or 5 times, but could not get a shot off at him. The only sure shot I had was at 30 yards and I hesitated until my PH gave me the okay, but it was too late. We had some sow warthogs with babies come in and eat.



As I was looking out of the hide, I saw the Kudu bulls approaching. Two younger bulls, but my PH gave me the go ahead. I drew back, but they alligned each other and I did not want to take a chance. We also had a nice wildebeest bull there. Then a great Kudu bull came in, over 50". I decided to take him. We waited for him to get in position and he was about 18 yards. I knew my "Mary" arrow would not let me down. I drew and aimed a little lower than usual and let it go. The bull took off, but I knew that I had hit high. We followed blood for a ways. The tracking dog was unavailable at that time, so we decided to break for lunch and give him some time. Frustration!

After lunch, it was Bobby’s turn, not much happened that afternoon. We had the Wildebeest, but that was pretty much it. It was getting close to dark, so I started glassing and I spotted this reddish, yellow cat in a tree fork. Thinking it was probably a caracal, I asked our PH. He said it was a leopard. Gulp!! We sat for awhile longer and an Eland bull started making his way in. A huge bull, which is the main reason Bobby wanted to hunt Africa. It was too late for a shot, so we called it a night.

That evening we moved to the BJF Lodge. We enjoyed South African cuisine much of the time we were there. We even had a liver casserole for breakfast one morning. I did not realize how much cheese, yogurt and bacon were eaten in South Africa. Our chef prepared many delicious dishes. At the BJF Lodge, we also were able to order off of the Tye Restaurant menu, so we had a little taste of Americana on a couple of occasions, T-Bones and Spareribs.





The next morning we were put in a different blind.



We had baboons and a sow warthog with some little ones come in to eat.





The baboons are fun to watch. They have such human like characteristics. Some of the bigger ones kept picking on a smaller one and it put it’s head down and went to the side and sat down like it was pouting. Then we had the white rhinos, which are fun to watch for about 5 minutes. It take you that long to realize they are going to eat all of the food and they cannot be run off.







We also had a huge boar warthog come in after the rhinos left, but there was nothing to eat, so he left in a hurry. Bobby could never get a shot off because he never stopped.

The next day we sat at a Wooden Stick blind and saw two Egyptian geese. That is all we saw the entire day. Here is a pic of the PH and trackers setting out the food plots.



View from the Stick Blind~





The next morning, we were hunting a pit blind with Franz. He was a PH from the Calali Bush Lodge. He was staff for Tetrius and Karien. We had some young Impala show up.



There were two larger ones that passed through the area, but were out of my range. This was a very lucky little squirrel, as he came in during prime hunting time, so no shots were taken.



We had Warthogs and Wildebeest come in to eat.





We decided to sit all day, instead of breaking for lunch. We discovered a lot of game moves during this time. There were several animals eating and then everything scattered. Bobby looked out the side window and grabbed his bow. I knew it was either the Kudu or a mature boar warthog. First African game down.


Bobby and Franz



The young Impala and Wildebeest game back through later that evening, but the mature Impala were a no show.

Our group had been split up for a couple of nights. We were at three different lodges, hunting several different concessions. The next morning, Bobby and I packed for an overnight stay at the Badger Bush Lodge. It was about an hour and half from the BJF facility and the concession, which we would be hunting was about another hour after the lodge. It would give Bobby an opportunity to take an Eland.
On our drive there, we saw numerous people lining the roads selling their goods, fire wood, oranges, etc. They were just sitting on the side of the road. We saw people walking out in the middle of nowhere; in isolated fields, miles from any town. I assume they were walking to find work or food. We saw women carrying baskets on their heads and families in carts being pulled by mules. Some were walking to rural bus stops to catch a bus to work. In towns and cities, you saw razor wire at the top of many fences and yards, along with other security methods for keeping people out.

[Hot4huntin]

Our ride took us way into the mountains of South Africa. The Badger Bush Lodge was wonderful and very accommodating. Jacques and Laurie were fantastic hosts. A couple of mounts from the restaurant~





We shared a two bedroom chalet with our PH, Tetrius. We unpacked and headed out to our concession to try and get Bobby onto an Eland and a Kudu. The next concession at which we hunted.



We hunted in an elevated blind this time. It was pretty squeaky and there were four of us in it, so quarters were very tight. I was after an Impala. Bobby found out that he would only be able to take a Kudu at this particular concession. Frustration!



We saw a lot of animals, including Zebra, Eland, Duiker, Impala, Kudu and Wildebeest. There were lots of game at this concession. Bobby pasted on all the Kudu as he was looking for one over 50". I had one mature Impala come in, but was not able to get a shot with all of the other animals at the watering hole. It offered a quartering toward shot only, so I had to pass.

Back to Badger Bush Lodge for Shepard’s Pie, green salad and stuff squash. It was a fantastic meal. We also did a little shopping in the gift shop and played a couple of games of pool.

The next morning, we traveled to a different concession to hunt. This concession was in Thabazimbi. We were met by Villiam, his son, Villiam, and Peter. They were extremely nice and helpful. Their concession contained a huge, steep mountain. We were taken to the blinds.





Water buck does



There was not a lot happening, so Villiam and Peter came and picked us up for some Safari Style hunting. We road in the back of the truck as the PHs looked for game. We headed up the tall, steep mountain, which was the epitome of the South African Bush. It was thick and sharp.



We saw some Blesbuck and Tetrius wanted me to take a shot at one. I got out of the truck, but the bush was thick. Shots were difficult. I finally was able to take a down hill shot and as to be expected on this trip, I shot completely over him. More frustration! We stayed after him, but the big, red rocks were hard to maneuver down. I pretty sure I left some skin and hide on that mountain.

Then we saw a Bushbuck. They are absolutely beautiful! We stalked it down the hill for awhile, but I was never able to get a clear shot at him. Once we hit the road again, we walked back to the truck. Bobby had seen the Kudu bull, but could not get a shot at him. We proceeded up the mountain and located them not far from the top. He was standing there quite majestically offering an almost perfect broadside shot. That almost was a little limb, which was in the way if you are 6'1" and by the time Bobby kneeled to take the shot, he was walking away. Tetrius and Bobby got out to make the stalk. They could not close the distance, so loaded up for the top of the mountain to enjoy the view.















On the way down, we encountered the Kudu again and Bobby and the PH decided to stalk. While they were stalking, Villiam, his son and Peter showed me some of the local horticulture and scenes.







I did not get a picture of it, but there is a tree called a Paperbark Tree. It’s bark flakes off in light colored ultra thin strips. It is like paper and you can actually write on it. It was very impressive!

We met Bobby and Tetrius on the other side of the mountain, still with no Kudu. However, they had come across a poached Wildebeest, which had only been dead a day or so. It had a snare around its leg and the snare was attached to a tree. Very sad!

I took a couple more shots which went high on a couple of Blesbuck. By this time, I am extremely frustrated. We get back to our blind and pull out the bale of hay on which we had been sitting, so I can site my bow back in. I was finally able to get my bow sighted back in and the last shot, I put my arrow through a coke bottle cap. I was feeling much better!! We left Bobby and Tetrius at the blind and I went with Peter. We did a little more safari style riding and I took a long shot at an Impala. It was 32 yards and the Impala proved to be much faster than my 450 grain arrow. However, the good news is that my bow and arrow performed as they should! Bobby had passed on some Kudu which were less than 50". Again, we left that concession with no down animals. The end of our hunting time in South Africa was growing near.

That evening, we moved back to the BJF Lodge and would be hunting the Calali Bush Lodge the next day. That evening, we feasted on T-bones and baked potatoes. We met the Reps for PSE, Justin, and Grim Reaper, Matt. They both had been having successful hunts and would be hunting the Calali the next day.

[Hot4huntin]

The next morning I sat in a pit blind with Franz. I usually do not sleep in the blind, but after all of the moving, etc., I was exhausted. Franz woke me up when the female warthog and her little ones were coming in. I had wanted to take her because she had some huge cutters and hunting time was dwindling. I got ready to shoot. I figure it to be about a 10 or 11 yard shot, but I had Franz shoot it with the range finder just to be sure. He said 18 yards and I repeated 18??? It was confirmed. I shot at 18 and hit at 18; over the sow’s back. I shot it and it read 11 yards. I am not sure about the mis-communication, but now I had the range finders. I had a small boar come in, one that I had watched for several different days. I decided that I was not watching this time. My hours in South Africa were numbered. I would take him and if something nicer walked out, it would get it too. To be sure of a successful shot, the Buff and Chunky arrow came out! I should have taken those guys our earlier! I waited for a broadside 8 yard shot and let my arrow fly. THWACK!!! Yes, finally!! We found him not too many yards away.





We went back to the blind. The Wildebeest came in and then two Kudu cows. Franz said he was going to try and get permission for me to kill one of the cows because they had been after her with rifles because she was sick.





Permission was granted! Yeah! She was eating at 22 yards and I nocked my Rsatt arrow. THWACK! She went 5 yards and fell over dead. I did not get a load of penetration, but my broadhead went into her heart. We were not able to touch her because of the illness. They did not want to spread the disease. I took some LDP’s with her, but they are not suitable to post.

After lunch at the BJF, we headed back for a safari style hunt. Justin with PSE, his father, who is his camera man and their PH, Peter, Bobby and I loaded in back of the truck. Bobby was after an Eland. Justin was looking for a Wildebeest, Zebra or Red Hardebeest. I was hoping to see an Impala. Justin and Peter tried stalking some Zebra and Wildebeest with no luck. While they were stalking, Bobby located the Eland. However, the big, bull was not in the herd.

Bobby was going to go hunt the concession with Villiam and Peter, so it was nearing time to leave. I sat with Peter, Justin and his dad. Peter was quite a jolly fellow and ensured no one in the blind was bored. A Franklin appeared at the blind and I grabbed my blunt. I drew back and let it fly. THWACK! Feathers went everywhere.


Justin, PSE Rep


Peter and me

Later that night, they invited me on a night hunt. Bobby was still in pursuit of the Kudu Bull at the other concession, so I took them up on their offer. Karien drove, Peter held the spotlight and Justin and I were the shooters. I really was only after a porcupine, Justin was after everything. We eventually returned with no game taken even though Justin had a great chance at a Red Hardebeest, but did not take the shot.

We got back to BJF and I learned that Bobby had taken the big Kudu Bull! I was so excited for him. I saw another thread posted here on the “last day of the hunt”, well his Bull was killed the evening before we left. What an awesome trophy!!







Some parting shots:


Dirk Faul~Ntshonalanga Safaris


Karien and me


Bobby and me in front of a pit blind


Rodel the tracking dog


Tetrius, Karien, me and Bobby

From sunrise



To sunset



South Africa was an AMAZING and INCREDIBLE experience! I met many new friends and hope to hunt with them again. I cannot wait to take the entire Kana Clan back to South Africa!

Thanks for letting me share!

[BOBSTER]

Great recap Dena, I will post more when I get some more pics to add. Bob

[Eric4x4]

Looked like an awesome trip and congrats on the game glad you and Bob were succesful.

[Ronny]

Great recap Dena, glad it was a good trip for ya'll. Congrats on the animals

[TXPalerider]

That is awesome Dena. Sorry to hear you had bow problems.

[River Bottom Hunter]

Great story Dena! Sure glad everyone made it back safe and had a great time.

[nothinbutwelves]

great story and great pics i wish i could have been there with you guys i want to go so bad i am glad you all got back in good health you were missed .congratulations on you animals

[BUFF]

Wow .... what a great read. Thanks for taking us along for your adventure

[Ledjadji Safaris]

Nice story happy you enjoyed it.

[right_wing]

Really cool pictures! Looks like lots of fun!

[DoubleJ]

Great story Dena. Sounds like you guys had a great time. Your next trip will be better.

[Chunky]

That was a great write up. I to am sorry you had bow problems, how frustrating it must have been.

I am glad the Buff and Chunky arrow brought you some luck.

Bobby, that is a fantastic kudu, that one animal makes it all worth it. I know of guys who have gone to Africa several times and still not got one of those. They are probably the most desired of all the plains game...and you got a great one. Big congrats.

We are all glad you are home, it was to quiet around here with out you.