Hunted South Africa 2016

[Herdbull]

I had some friends who went with Gene a couple years ago, and after a spring of significant rainfall, all the vegetation was still green and there was water still available throughout the habitat. Thus, a low number of animals visited the man-made watering-holes during the day. But for us this year, it was very dry and lots of animals came to water. We hunted out of ground blinds, pit blinds and tree stands. I really liked the tree stands because of great visibility and my familiarity hunting out of them, but they were more challenging than ground blinds in some respect due to shifting winds, noise and movement. Sitting still in a stand for over ten hours per day would make my muscles a little stiff, especially when there were quite often so many eyes looking and watching. It was great fun trying to film many of the animals creeping close for a drink, while at the same time keeping an eye on a mature kudu bull or zebra that seemed to watch at a distance for hours before committing to come in.

[Herdbull]

At first, my plan was to take whichever game gave me a good shot opportunity. But, I did not follow my own rules once I got to Africa and saw some individually special animals. My old system of whitetail hunting took over me in that, “If you want to shoot a big buck, don’t shoot a younger one.” Ha ha ha. I started passing up some very good shots at other game while waiting for a chance at a nice kudu, eland or gemsbok. I just didn’t want to disturb the set-up after seeing them in the area.

On day 7 a saw a good kudu bull come into the water area at 7:30 AM. He hung around for 45 minutes, testing the shifting wind, but never committed to drink.  After staying in the pit blind for the rest of the day hoping for his return, I passed up many warthogs, impala and nyala. At 4:30 he came in with a group of female eland. Walking behind the water hole at 22 yards he gave me my chance. We tracked him to a bush about 200 yards from the blind just as the sun was setting.

[Herdbull]

I wanted a nice eland bull but got scolded by the PH after I showed him video footage of a bull I passed up at 17 yards. Ha ha.  He said yes they get bigger with dark foreheads and broomed horns, but that is a mature bull for our area. Four days later I was hunting another waterhole 2 miles from where I passed up the bull, but when I saw him come into the area of my blind and noticed his distinctive markings, I remembered the words of the PH. I made the shot. Some folks think of them as cattle, but I have great respect for them after watching and hoping to get one during eight days of hunting. I’ve seen them blow out of there after smelling my scent, and even jump over brush six to seven feet in the air.

 

[Herdbull]

 

 

[Mike Yancey]

Good stuff Mike!

[Hermon]

Congratulations!  Please tell us more!

[Herdbull]

Eland meat was some of best eating of the trip, although all of the wild game prepared was great. The eland was surprisingly tender for a mature animal. Mike

[Mike Yancey]

Good to see this, I have a trip to South Africa next year in August.

[Herdbull]

You can't go to S.A. and expect to be independent. Yes you can hunt alone, but you will need help tracking, hauling, skinning and all of the rest. It's their livelihood and you are their guest.... and we were treated very well.

I found out real quick how hard it is to track droplets of blood that have fallen into the red sand. Everything dries out fast, but the tracker's skill can only be appreciated by witnessing.

The reflexes of the impala are incredible, and we all learned to shoot very low.

There were very good rams on this property. I don't know exactly how large the track of land was, but I would not exaggerate in esstimating 100 sq miles.

 

[Herdbull]

Temps were 40 F in the morning, and warmed up to over 70 F by the afternoon. Very enjoyable hunt with highs and lows like most of our endevers with trad bows.

[Big Ed]

Awesome, congrats on some fine specimens!

[ron w]

Outstanding........      

[Warden609]

Thanks for the story and pictures.

[Pointer]

great story Mike

[BAK]

Very lucky man to have such an opportunity.  I'm going out and buying a lottery ticket.

[DennyK]

Congratulations Mike, thanks for sharing and the awsome photos.

Denny

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Congrats Mike!

[Friend]

A most inspiring adventure

Congrats and thank you for sharing.

Those are some fine critters Mike!!!

Congrats!!!

And eland tenderloin is the best piece of meat I have ever eaten, followed closely by kudu tenderloin! The eland tenderloin the PH cooked for us last summer weighed seven+ pounds!!! One tenderloin!!!

Bisch

[Dry Creek]

Awesome
Congratulations on some fine animals!!