It's been days since you seen another person except for your PH and cammp staff. Now bouncing along in the back of the cruiser on the boundry road you see another cruiser. Fred stops and the other cruiser pulls up alongside. In it are the PH from the neighboring territory, his trackers and clients.
These guys are hunting elephant, and you cast alonging glance at the H&H royal in the gunrack. If only you could afford one. The old gentlemen hunter tells you that they have seen plenty of eles but nothing worth shooting. 25# at best. When Fred mentions that you have this huge male leopard on a bait, the other PH's eyes light up. I know just the bugger he tells you. He's one smart cat, been around the boundry areas for at least 6 years that he knows of. Just getting him on a bait is quite a coup. He has been hunted for years, and nobody has even been able to get him on a bait.
The conversation goes on, but your mind drifts off. Hardly hearing anything more, you wonder about that cat, Just how smart is he, How old? How big? will he come in tonight? The pessimist in you tells you that with your normal luck you'll never see him, but the optimist says tonight is the the night.
The next moment you're off down the boundry road again. The dust boils up and over the top of the cruiser into you nose. Your throat is so dry and raspy from the dust that your gulp of water feels like mud going down, but all of a sudden thats all forgotten about. You beat on the top of the cruiser. You saw a flash of movement on the side of the road just ahead. Fred slows down and sticks his head out, What? he asks. You tell him about the big lone warthog you just saw. Well you've shot one already, but this guy looked like a giant. Jimson is already on the ground, and you are climbing down the ladder, rifle in hand, before Fred opens the door.
There's a small rise in the scrub brush and you can take advantage of. Sneaking along, the sun is getting hot again. The wind is circling and jimson is trying to outguess it. As you clear the rock, jimson freezes and points. The old boar is in front of you, only 75 yards away, and facing away from you. The three of you dart behind the rock and you lay the old model 70 forend across the top. The boar just doesn't seem to be willing to turn around so you can see the tusks well. Then he starts to move off, not to fast, not alarmed, but he still hasn't turned his head. A small mellon is on the ground and he turn to investigate a meal and now you see the ivory. Fred takes one look and tells you that if you ever wanted a warthog, this would be the one.
Through the 4 power leupold he looks even bigger, and the old winchester speaks once again. He spins around in circles, but doesn't go anyplace. Falling on his side the old board teeth are sticking up like a flagpole. Running up to him, Fred already has a tape out. 14 1/2", this is pig to be proud of. He's going lifesize into your game room. Even Jimson is excited, not only because of the size, but because he knows what is going to be for dinner is his favorite. You remember the little warthog cubes that were fried for you just a week or so ago, and your mouth waters as well.
It's early enough in the day to take this guy back to camp, and maybe have a bit of lunch there.
Pulling up to the skinners shed, the hog is unloaded among jabbers and fingers pointing. Damn it would be nice to understand the language here. But enough for now, lunch is ready.
It's kind of nice to have lunch in camp, restful and cool. The river in front has crocs laying on the sandy beach, and there is a troop of baboons lining up for a drink. Lunch is going to have to wait for a minute or two. You run back to you tent and break out a slingshot you brought along just for this. Waiting until the big old dog babo is bending down for his drink you loose a marble at him. Wap, hit him right in the chops. Now the fun starts and he clobbers the por guy next to him, and then a free for all starts. Funniest thing you've seen for years.
Ribs sore from laughing, now its lunchtime, and then a short nap.
Rest well because you're going to the dry riverbed this afternoon. Back to the river, back to the bait, back to the blind, back to the leopard, back to the ghost leopard, the big old male that can disappear in a breath, back to africa

Very nice.

your such a tease!

geoff

OOORAH!!!