Blesbok trophy

Hi,

Attached are photos of a Blesbuck ram which I shot during July 2009 on a farm near Vrede, Free State. Measured at 17 3/8 inches he is just short of a inch over the Rowland Ward minimum and way short of the 20 inch monster shown on the Rowland Ward web site's "Rowland Ward’s Trophies Of The World" page. Notwithstanding this, I enjoy telling the story and though you may be in need of some entertainmet.

My friend Div and I were hunting on a farm in the Vrede district of the Free State -- beautiful grassveld rolling between butte peaks formed a topography which I am not familiar with, having hunted mostly in the more arid Karoo and dense bushveld in the past.

We had struck up a repertoire with our guide Gerrie who is the landowner’s son and farms the land, part of which is the 1,000 hectare game-fenced camp in which we hunted.

It is unfortunate that the Free State has gained notoriety amongst local hunters as a place where most hunting is done from the vehicle. Despite the open vegetation and lack of cover, it is possible to stalk to within shooting distance of game by making use of "dead" ground created by the topography of the land, as Gerrie taught us. Elbows and knees scarred by steekgras and grass stubble were discussed as a matter pride around the evening fire, a testament to the stalks we had made on game.

Having loaned my .30-06 to Div for the duration of the hunt, I was using my CZ .375 H&H Magnum and had used it to make a kill on a 14 1/2" Blesbuck ram the day before. Unfortunately my first shot on that ram had been a bit low and had broken the animal’s right front leg just below the shoulder and missed the vital triangle. We tracked that ram for about an hour before I could get in a second killing frontal chest shot. Even the venerable .375 H&H Magnum is insufficient gun for a Blesbuck if shot placement is poor. Shortly after my first Blesbuck ram was in the salt, Div shot a very good 16 1/2 inch ram using the .30-06 loaded with a 180 grain Rhino solid shank hand load.

The following morning I missed two sitter shots on a Springbuck ram. My confidence was battered and Gerrie wisely advised that I put the .375 away and rather use the .30-06. This I should have done from the start of our hunt, but as each of the rifles were sighted in to the individual using it and I usually shoot well with my .375, I had opted to persist using the larger bore rifle.

Later that afternoon we found ourselves admiring a large Blesbuck ram from about 300 metres away, as he wound his way between his ewes in the harem he had gathered for himself. We had spotted him earlier as we drove past the herd in the Land Cruiser and had continued some way past the herd before tracking back on foot to have a better look. We could see that he was a good ram and warranted a closed inspection. Despite what I mentioned earlier about stalking being possible in the Free State, this situation presented absolutely no cover. We were watching the herd from the top of a wide, open slope of which they were at the bottom and they had seen us long ago but had as yet not scuttled away.

We needed to get closer and Gerrie suggested that we walk towards the herd slowly at an oblique angle to them, and one of two things would happen; Either they would scatter or their curiosity would keep them entertained for long enough to allow us to move within range.

We began moving in single file, keeping our eyes tilted down towards the dry earth as we closed the distance between ourselves and the herd. With each step I wondered when they would tire of our antics and move off, but once we had closed the range down to two hundred metres, the herd ram had lost interest in us and once again began inspecting with his ewes.

With my confidence lost, I declined to take a shot from 200 metres and passed the rifle to Div who brought its stock to his shoulder as he laid the forend across the shooting sticks in a single motion. He watched the ram through the scope and then brought his head up. As he already had taken a good Blesbuck and he was planning to still hunt a black wildebeest, he declined the shot and suggested that we should try and get closed to the herd until we were at a range at which I felt comfortable taking the shot.

Rifle -- safety back on -- is handed back to me, the shooting sticks are cradles back together and we continue our crocodile shuffle towards the herd. Fifty metres on and the herd still seems unconcerned by our presence. The situation seems fragile though, and Div ranges the ram at 160 metres. I am feeling more confident now, and nod my head as a response to his mention of the range. Gerrie flips open the shooting sticks and plants the three feet of the tripod -- saplings lashed together with inner tube -- into the ground and I bring the rifle to aim through the cradle formed by the convergence of the sticks. Once I find the ram in the cross-hairs I slowly release the safety and confirm his position with my two colleagues. I feel my nerves cramping and my breath shortening as anxiety attacks me, but I fight it off.”Focus on the job at hand”. The ram continues to move between his ewes and each time his position in the herd changes I call it out to confirm again. I feel calmer now; more in control. The ewes begin moving off to the right, their pace increasing from a walk to a slow canter, He stands still, waiting for them to pass before he will surely follow them. I have found my mark on his body but must wait for the last ewe to cross my line of sight before it is safe to release the shot. The last ewe passes him and as she does so, I squeeze the trigger.

The ram hunches and the shot feels good to me. Then he is off, as if the hunching was more a gathering of energy than a falter, cantering behind his ewes. The jackals of doubt begin gnawing at my stomach. He looks too strong. Still watching him through the riflescope, I cycle another cartridge into the rifle's chamber. Then he turns, running now back in the direction from which he came and past the point where he was standing when I fired the shot. "He is hit!” Gerrie confirms all that I had hoped for. Now he is down. He rolls onto his back and then back onto his stomach but his legs cannot carry him. He lays down his head and neck flat on the ground and now I can see that he is bigger than I first anticipated. Then he is still.

Back slaps of congratulations awake me from my trance of concentration on every hair on his body. No time to celebrate just yet; we walk in a triangle formation towards him. I lead with the rifle at the ready and as we near him I am jubilant with the realisation that he will not rise again. Div takes the rifle from me and unloads it as I take a knee next to the ram. He is perfect. I wrap my hand around his thick and worn bases which are caked with dry matter and have become pale with age. Allowing a smile now, I gratefully accept the handshakes of congratulations and then admire the ram yet once more.

Enjoyed that very much. Thank you for sharing. The more I look at blesbuck, the cooler I think they look. Hope to get one in April.

Good Hunting!

Adam

quote:

now, I gratefully accept the handshakes of congratulations and then admire the ram yet once more.

Great story, well written, and a gorgeous old buck. Congratulations and well done.

Congratulation, a very nice ram and good story.

Great narration.What is nice about this story,apart from the animal,is the most ethical approach to hunting,no bragging and no effort to conceal the internal conflict about taking an unsure shot.Let there be more like you afield.Congratulations on the nice trophy.Thanks for sharing.

Best-
Locksley,R.

Very nicely done and congrats on a old, mature trophy!!! I certainly have a blesbok on my list for my hunt in August.

Congrats again!!!

I enjoyed reading your narration. Congratulations on a great hunt.

a good story well told.

Very nice! The Blesbok, for whatever reason, wasn't one of the animals that I spent my life dreaming about, and consequently I didn't pursue one when I finally got to Africa. I've kinda been kicking myself ever since...and this story and photo make it even worse!

Great looking animal and story. I originally had not planned on shooting a blesbok but did on my first trip. When I got the trophies home I was surprised that the tanned backskin was the softest of all the animals I shot.

Thanks,

Greg

A very fine ram! I have a soft spot for Belsbok but that's another story.

Thanks all,

Blesbuck are very cool. Uniquely South African with a hardiness to match.

One of my favourite animals to hunt!

Great storey & fine beast. Nice to hear of a walk & stalk in the Vrystaat instead of a drive-by from a "gunship"

Congrats.A 17"+ blesbuck is a Ram.Nothing to be sneezed at.The story and the pics will last you a lifetime. Well done and good hunting.Walk and stalk in that country takes some doing.As JCHB says it was a righteous hunt not the customary "Mobile Diesel Blind" or "Freestate Battleship"
Dave Davenport

Very nice story and great trophy.

Great report and pic.
I know what you were going through waiting for the Ram to clear. I took a similar Ram in October and had about the same conditions. Ram being blocked by other animals, having to wait for him to clear, gets behind a bush, comes clear again, etc.
I guess that's good for keeping your arteries cleared out with all that blood pumping though!

Great pics and story!