Outfitter / PH: Pieter Kriel

Dates: May 2 - May 17, 2014

Hunter: Charles

Observer: Ellice (aka Princess Wannatakeapee or Trophy Wife)

Airline: American Airlines DFW to London, British Airways London to Johannesburg

Rifle: Mauser 30-06 and Marlin .243

Animals on my list are: Nyala, Red Hartebeest, Blesbok, and Bushpig.

May 8th: We are excited about seeing the Big Five plus a ton of other animals this morning and now it is time to head for Natal. It is a long ride, we have an interesting detour, and end up making a "Texas" onramp on to N5 (I think). Those of you from Texas or spent much time in Texas understand about making a ramp where there isn't one, but where TXDoT should have put one. :

We arrive in camp and meet up with Anton (our chef / camp manager) and Zwelly (our tracker / skinner). We arrive later than planned so we have what was lunch for dinner. It was a wonderful Blesbok lasagna, garlic bread, and sides. Ellice is very pleased with the chalet and I am excited about tomorrow.

May 9th: I am up well before the alarm goes off. I grab a cup of coffee from Anton.




IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: Instant coffee is common in South Africa. Pieter knows that we (especially the Princess) don't care for instant coffee so he ensures that we have real coffee available. He also provided Ellice with a "survival kit" that included an electric kettle, French press, three different coffee roasts, a hair dryer, a power adapter, and a power strip.

After a light breakfast we head for the hunting property (a very short drive away). I was even more excited to learn that the property has the Big Five. The property is very large and one of the problems they have is that because of the size a helicopter with poachers can land in parts of it without them even knowing. They are in the process of moving their Rhinos to a more secure location, but they had five Rhinos poached the week before we arrived. We sight in the 30-06 and head out.

We see Blesbok, Giraffe, Warthog, and Impala as soon as we start hunting. After a couple stalks on Nyala and hearing "he is too small we can do better" our guide spots a group of ewes and one bull on the slope of the next hill. We go for a walk with our local guide leading followed by Pieter, myself, Ellice, and Zwelly.



We get close enough for Pieter to judge the bull. It is what we are looking for so we stalk up closer. I just put the 30-06 on the sticks and we hear crashing behind up. We turn and are looking at two adolescent Elephants that are looking at us from behind brush about 25 yards away. Ellice and Zwelly are about 10 yards from us at about a 45 degree angle from the Elephants. Pieter and I are motioning, without making big movements, for Ellice to come to us. She is hesitating at first and Zwelly isn't going to abandon her. Once they join us we slowly back out and make a large loop back to the bakkie. Once we are safe I think damn that was better than actually shooting the Nyala. I talk to Ellice and learn that she didn't really understand the potential danger she was in and was thinking about taking a picture of the Elephants until Zwelly gently caught her by the back of her vest and guided her to us. We had a chat about staying closer and following instructions.

We saw a lot more animals and had more stalks that day, but nothing productive. At one point we came across a group of Elephants (a dozen that I counted). One was in the road.



We started to back out, but now there was Elephants in the road behind us. We stopped and patiently waited for them to move on out. One of the younger ones broke off a tree across the road in front of us. That got the attention of the rest of them and they slowly moved that direction so we could back out.



While we are waiting for the Elephants to let us pass I have a texting discussion with my boss about a customer's order terms. Technology has its drawbacks.

Sunsets on my first day of hunting.



On the way out a good Nyala bull was spotted with a group of ewes. We stalk to them, but they are in heavy cover and it is after sundown so I can't see them until the bull catches my attention as he is departing.

Conversation on the ride back and at dinner was more exciting than normal. It may be old hat for some, but for me the close proximity to Elephants added more to the hunt than I can describe with words.


May 10th: We head for a different property. At the lodge we meet up with a very hung over (but friendly) group of South African Rugby fans. We have a cup of coffee despite the numerous invitations to have a beer with them. :

We are rounded up and excited about what the day holds for us.



We drive to an area that looks promising and where we have the wind in our favor, and we start walking. We trek through every type of thorny brush imaginable and up and down gullies for about an hour. We encounter Nyala, but I am told that we can do better.

We have our photo taken with a Giraffe and break for lunch.



After lunch we head to the lake shore and go after Common Reedbuck. It's like hunting Quail. They lay low and then jump up and run. Pieter says that is a shooter and I am either looking at their but bouncing through the tall grass or they have stopped where I just have a shot at their horns.

After doing this for a while our guide says Bushpig and points to a clump of grass. We stalk to about 10 yards from it. I have three openings to shoot into. I am guessing one is the front shoulder area, one is the stomach, and one is the hind quarters. I ask Pieter which way it is laying because I am not seeing the head. Pieter says the head is to the left. I am on the sticks and seconds from pulling the trigger when the guide says "wait, wait". It isn't a bushpig. It is a Cape Buffalo cow.



I came very close to shooting a Cape Buffalo cow with a 30-06 at 10 yards with Pieter videoing it. We start backing out when she stands up. She is surprised to awake from her nap looking at a group of humans and decides to make a hasty retreat.

We spend most of the day walking looking for Nyala, Common Reedbuck, or Mountain Reeduck. We bump Common Reedbuck and Mountain Reedbuck but either they aren't shooters, I am not quick enough, or I just don't have a clear shot.

As we make our way back to the bakkie close to sundown we spot a Common Reedbuck. Pieter says to shoot, I have a shot and take it.



May 11th: We take a break from hunting and go fishing. Frans (one of Pieter's PH's) was a fishing guide earlier in his career and takes us out to try our luck on Tiger Fish. The Princess goes for a short boat ride with us and then goes to have a massage.

I have several bites and manage to almost land one. Fortunately I got it close enough for Pieter and me to see it, but unfortunately I did not get it into the boat so we don't have pictures. We do see a lot of game along the shore including Rhino, Impala, Common Reedbuck (I think he was one that I saw yesterday and yelled that I was too slow), Crocodile, Hippo, and many more. Good thing we don't have rifles.

May 12th: We are back on the property that we hunted May 10th. I am on the sticks several times only to hear "we can do better". On one Nyala I really wanted to pull the trigger, but I trust Pieter's judgment. Did I mention that we leave Natal in the morning?

For lunch we setup a hide overlooking a watering hole. We are entertained by Impala rams that are rutting. They do get stupid. I thought one was going to run us over but he did not even seem to notice us. We watched Warthogs rolling in the mud, a couple young Nyala bulls locking up horns for a while, Nyala bulls strutting for a group of ewes, and a couple decent Kudus.

After lunch we had not gotten very far when our guide tells us about a Nyala bull that he and Zwelly had seen during lunch who was heading our way. We bail off the bakkie and head for him. We quickly find him, Pieter says to shoot, and I take the shot. He is a nice mature bull. I wish I had a close-up of his horns. In spots the rings are worn smooth. I am glad that I waited.

That is a great Nyala bull. The horns are classic and ivory tipped. Great report and keep it coming.

Nice looking Nyala. One of my favorite African antelope. Thanks for the report and great pics. Bruce

Very nice! Congratulations.

Charles.

What a beautiful nyala. Congratulations. Also on this, your first African hunt as I understand it is.

I know Pieter from way back a bit, (2008 actually, where he tried to (unsuccessfully) out walk a group of non hunting women I'd brought to South Africa)).

I'm certain you and your wife had the finest time in his excellent and knowledgeable company on this hunt.

Next time, may I suggest you turn off your phone whilst in the bush.

Kind regards
Jytte

Congratulations on a great hunt . How did it go bringing your guns through London?

congratulations as a very memorable hunt!!! Wonderful trophies and memories!

Best regards, D. Nelson

mej, I wish I could. Unfortunately until I retire that isn't an option.


shotgun46, I didn't take my rifles. I borrowed Pieter's. I was flying on AA air miles. American is not accepting guns for transport through UK. Apparently they have had some issues. I did learn from reading tx308's report that I could have taken my guns if I had flown British Airways.

Thanks D. Nelson.