Having taken our primary targets early, the rest of the trip became very relaxing. The only thinkg really on my list was the creshays defasa waterbuck. Only think is that they had not seen a bull in 2 years. We spent several days looking, but the only waterbuck we saw was a fleeting look at 2 cows. Now, it seems that there is some law about hunting plains game, that you just can't go on for days without shooting something. There was one animal, that wasn't on my list, but that Terry had an open license for, that we had seen. The lichtensteins hartebeest. We had found a small herd, but it was only females, you, and a couple of small bulls. One morning, early, we found the herd and for some reason or another started to backtrack them. Why we did this, I don't know, but a few hundred yards behind the herd came the old bull. We were caught out in the open with "our pants down" so to speak. Expecting the bull to run, he did the opposite and ignored us. His nose was down and he was on a zig-zag course. We followed, trying to close the distance while keeping brush and trees between us. All of a sudden, he stopped and looked directly at us. We were well hidden behind a tree, but he had us pegged. He was about a 200 yard shot, facing directly at us. I was using my old sako 300, and over the sticks the crosshairs settled in the middle of the chest, just below his nose. Shoot quick he's going to run Terry whispered in my ear. About the time he whispered the 200 gr partition hit and the hartebeest folded in his tracks.


We figured out that the reason he was acting so weird was that the rut had started and he was trailing the herd, looking for a receptive female. (aren't we all . In any case the rich redish brown coat gives the hartebeest a beautiful appearance.
Now all there was left was fishing for catfish in a waterhole. The fishing poles we had were mopane limps, and the line was a piece of steel belting out of an old tire. We had a couple of hooks and a spur winged goose provided the bait. The first night we didn't catch many, but just sitting around the waterhole, watching the animals and enjoying a sundowner while watching the sunset was reason enough just to be alive.
The last afternoon we had our fishing gear all set and about 4 PM we set out for the waterhole. We came on a troop of babos and gave them the old truck run. Then there was this baby babo coming at the end all by itself. Terry was set on catching it. Off we go chasing the thing, trying to get it tired out enough to catch. As we rounded a clump of brush, BINGO. There stood a bull and cow waterbuck. Last day, last night, 2 hours of daylight left, chasing a babo, and we get a gift dumped in our laps. They didn't stand for long. As they started to move out the old sako spoke again. Down went the bull. Terry was beside himself. 2 years without seeing one, and then on the last minute, bang. I got nicknames last minute bwana on the spot.


The bull had scars from a recent fight, so there had to be at least one more around. The charcoal coloration also makes this quite a trophy. I've always had a thing for waterbuck, and this was quite the ending. But, that's mother africa for you, there's always something around the next bend.

Way cool!

Excellent!

What a deal

An unexpected bonus. Congratulations!

Some great trophies.

Congrats on a couple beautiful, uncommon trophies

Sounds like a real quality hunt. Great animals, especially the sitatunga. Will you be full mounting him?

yes bill - both the sitatunga and lechwe are schedules to be life sized. The last few years i find myself doing more and more lifesized. There is so much more to so many animals that you don't see with a shoulder mount. Only trouble is the game room is full, my office is full and i have 3 safaris at the taxidermist now that I don't know where to put.

Beauty. I had to chuckle at your taxidermy "problems".

Do you know more about the rule stating you can't go days without shooting game?

its one of those unwritten things, sort of like either shooting your primary target on the first day or the last