SMJ Safaris-- Stephan Jacobs
Namibia, Nyae Nyae
July 2022
Video and stills : Igala Productions, Puren Joubert
The team : Tracker 1--- G/og'o, Tracker 2--- !oma, Driver--- !ai!ae The spelling is correct.
This was my last elephant hunt. OL Man time has caught up with me. I wasn't in good enough shape and struggled, had to have the game scout carry my rifle full time which I hated but was necessary. If you can't follow the tracks like these magnificent animals deserve, then it's time to chase something else. Plus, this was Stephan's last year on his contract and, at this point, next year is uncertain, so that played a part in it. This was my 4th hunt in the Nyae Nyae and it's such a magical place I'm not sure I would want to hunt elephant anywhere else.
This was one of my most enjoyable safari experiences, much more than just the hunt. Stephan's family was in camp for three days, his wife, Anza and his son, MW, had never actually followed an elephant track and I was honored to have them experience that for the first time with me. I had to explain to them that the most important thing to remember if we have a bull chase us was NOT TO OUT RUN THE OLD CLIENT!
The first day, Anza jointed us as we tracked 4 bulls, got up close and watched them briefly, backed out with out them even knowing we were there. The next day, MW and his buddy, who was not from a hunting family and had never even seen an elephant outside of a park, tracked 2 bulls with us. We were able to get in close and observe them for several minutes. I can't imagine what was going through those 14 year olds mind.
Third day it was Anza's turn up. Picked up a very distinctive track, deep lugs, which we followed and eventually caught up to a group of 5 bulls. One bull was thin and sway back, defiantly the one we wanted to go for, there was one problem though, one bull was to our left and to get to the bull we wanted we would have to walk in front of this bull, close enough he would see us. The wind was right, but if he saw us, he would run and take the other bulls with him. We decided to skirt around him as far as we could and keep the wind right but he still saw some movement or something he just wasn't sure about. Anyway, instead of running off, he started walking strait toward us. He couldn't smell us but was coming to see what was going on and we were penned down, not moving a muscle while he came closer and closer until he stopped about 20yards away. It was a stare down, the bull was not sure what we were and we were not sure what his intentions were.
Finally, Stephan decided to back out, ever so slowly and quietly and we managed to retreat to a safe distance where we could take a deep breath. Anza, who was not far behind Stephan and me, said she was clenching her fist so tight they cramped and were hard to stretch back out. Fortunately, the bull turned and walked behind the bull we were after, giving us a clear approach. After the up close encounter, the shot was some what anti climatic. I set up in an opening and when the bull walked into the clearing I shot, he went down and then several insurance shots and my elephant hunting days were over. Anza had a front row seat to her first elephant hunt and was, at first, very emotional but after a while she was fine. I guess that's not much different than we are as hunters, I don't take the death of these wonderful animals lightly, but then you understand this one bull will feed a lot of people. The reality of it is, to survive they have to be hunted.
The team, they did a great job, followed this one bull's tracks from the road. It was interesting to see where they were digging for roots and bulbs.
Stephan and Anza, we gave her a hard time about the pink backpack, I told Stephan I was going to call this the pink backpack elephant hunt but he didn't think that was a good idea.
Two happy friends, we have spent a lot of time following tracks together.
The fifth day, we went after buffalo. Because of hoof and mouth these buffalo are in a high fence and I admit , I was a little skeptical but it turned out to be a difficult hunt. We tracked 3 Dugga boys from a watering pan for 3 hours in knee high grass and thick brush, that's tough tracking anywhere. Finally, we caught up to them but getting a good enough look to determine if one was a "non trophy" was tough. When Stephan spotted one with a broken horn, both of us got excited. It took some maneuvering while holding our breath hoping the wind wouldn't give us away to get a shot but patience paid off and with him quartering to me I shot on the point of the shoulder and he crumpled up but then ran. We should have given him more time before we followed but we were sure the shot was good. He only ran 50 yards and lay down but got back up when we approached and after they get the adrenalin flowing they are hard to put back down. There were several shots fired and he really didn't go much farther before going down for good but it added some excitement, that's for sure.
Once again, the team did a great job. For several years, I have wanted an old ,broken horn bull like this. It's called a non trophy but to me it is one of the best trophies I have taken.
Now that is an old warrior.
After the buffalo, we were able to get some Own Use permits for plains game, that's cheap hunting and we had a blast. On the Oryx, he was digging for a huge bulb and had all of his head down in the hole.
Stephan spotted this Wildebeest on the other side of a huge pan, the only way to him was to go around the end, use the brush until it gave out, then bend over as low as this old back would allow and sneak another 100 yards, then get on hands and knees and crawl through waist high reeds for another 100 yards til they ran out. Stephan put the sticks up, I eased up to peek above the grass, got on the sticks and made a good shot. That was fun. The crazy part about it was, when Stephan got a good look at the bull after we had done all the crawling he realized it was a trophy bull but he didn't have the heart to tell this old man he couldn't shoot it. Then, just as a bonus, Puren, the videographer, got out from behind the camera and shot a wildebeest himself.
To end the safari on a high note, Robert, the chef, shot a kudu in the last hour and making it even more special, his daughter was there to experience it with him.
MW maybe a future PH, but for now a gun barer.
What a time these two young men had, what a childhood, rooming the wilds of Africa.
What a beautiful area, notice the hunter is lagging behind.
I didn't know flamingos had black on their wings, they were so beautiful.
Stephan said not to put this picture in the report cause it was the smallest set of tusks he had stood behind but to me it was a symbol of a great hunt. 38# apiece.
This was the last afternoon, the sun was low in the sky causing the grass to have a glow to it. I made the comment, "This is a miniature Serengeti" We saw elephant, wildebeest, kudu, and giraffe. What a fitting way to end the hunt on.
I love this shot, a unique camp built around a baobab tree.
