I have had to opportunity to hunt true free-range kudu in North Province of SA here recently close to Molopo River that stretches it banks between SA and Botswana. By free-range it was true free range. There was no high game fence normally encounted in the put N`take farm. Thanks to Andrew McLaren of McLaren Safaris my demands were met to hunt in the Kalahari Bosveld of the SA without the traditional high fence. Here only small cattle fence were abundant and all animals could freely move as they pleased.
To hunt the ghost of Africa was for me a test of own hunting skills. Andrew had warned me before we went up there that the chances to see one were small since it was on open land, and the animals sometimes were there and sometimes they were not there. No guaranties could be made. I agreed on the terms and straight from Jo`Burg we drove up towards Mafeking and onwards to Vergeleë. For me hunting true free-range animals has always been the goal. I know ofcouse hunting on a huge game farms can also become challenging, but at least you know the animals are there. Hunting on free range veld one can be all the good hunter he wants, but if the animals isn`t there.. Tough luck!. I brought with me a M98 in Jeffery`s .333cal for the hunt. Ballistic wise it equals to a 9,3mm Mauser. It’s a short range caliber but very effective and deep penetrating.
Been hunting with Andrew before in 2009 he knew me well, and he knew I would become challenged with free-range Kudu because we could be spending days up there without seeing anything and may not even get close to one. I had 3 weeks in SA and I was willing to take a week of the program for this hunt alone. We arrived at night in Vergeleë and it was very obvious for me stepping out of the vehicle it was red dusty Kalahari sand. The next days were to go getting to know the area. WE ofcouse brought out rifles when scouting but it very soon became very true that one could sneak around for days without seeing much except for colorful birds, yellow mongoose, Warthogs and springboks. On the second day we surprised some young Kudus and later during the day we saw a few more far away. The Kudu see very well like the Springbok, and any mysterious moves or movements they are of, I very soon learned. 3 days had went and only young animals were spotted. I wanted to shoot a mature male horn size didn`t matter here..I was in for the hunt and hunt alone. On the 4th day I had spotted some young cows that hadn`t seen me, and we decided to hunt one of them. A hunt is a hunt after a few hours of crawling, sneaking and reading the wind I finally got close to bring one dawn. What a hunt!. For me the optimal satisfaction was done here as a hunter. I saw the game first, I hunted it alone and I bring it down. No blacks to hold the sticks, no guiding crew..just the true satisfaction of hunting in solitude. Andrew was long way behind agreeing the hunt was mine alone, not his. I had at this point here realized how hard a kudu hunt is. Crawling in old thorn bushes staying low at all times leaves scares on hands and legs, knees etc. I was still up for a mature male. We seeked intelligence from a local farmer, and we ended up with having one of his black farms labors named William to help us finding a bull Kudu. Early afternoon we went off and after a few hours William actually spots one far far of in the Bosveld, the hunt was begun. As we were getting away from its sight at all possible angles we began moving in, and as we walked I spotted another bull from our right. I freezed because that bull hadn`t taken notice of us, and as I was walking behind Andrew & William I asked them to stand absolutely still. A hunt had now begun sooner than I realized. Andrew & I had now our binos focused on the bull I had seen. Not taken the binos down for one moment we waited until the bull became occupied with eating again and we could take the binos down and actually make a plan. Andrew and William were staying back and I was the hunter who wanted to hunt so taken lesson from earlier I knew the next 1200meters or more would become painful and may ended up in nothing, because Kudus see movements through bushes and wander of…or maybe they haven`t seen hunter, but wander of anyway. One never knows. I must admit here the crawling on all four was no fun at all. The rifle seemed to be in my way all the times and as time went I actually for a brief moment hoped the bull was gone so I could stand up or at least sit down normally. I had to get some kind of orientation to assure myself the bull was there, so stretching my neck a little high, I managed to spot the one I wanted, and only to see there was a small herd of females on my left which I now also must to into account. An hour had gone it seemed, and the bull had changed position so I no longer could see him. I made a guess to where he might have gone, and crawled into the unknown so to speak. I still knew there was a herd left of me somewhere, and I knew if they saw me the hunt was over. I was at one point literately on my belly like snake, because I had to move and expose myself for a brief moment, in order to get behind another small bush located further up the direction I wanted. As I came behind bush I had to spend just a little time resting and let area calm down a little. My bull now appears some 150m standing not alarmed and eating normally. I decide to make the move and crawl towards another little bush some 40 meters closer to the bull. As I crawl a Coran jumps up a scream warning everybody I was there. I didn`t move for another 10min..just lying flat on the ground thinking the hunt was over. Every animal will have its head high to see why the Coran took off. I then decided to take chance, why not?. I stretched my head a little high to see I had a herd of females very close to where I was and my now just 60meters away my bull was still standing there. I laid down again to make up my mind. I slowly slowly went up into a sitting position knowing now I would become fully exposed to the kudu females, but still behind a bush for the bull, I took aim for a high neck shot at the bull and shoot!. The bull crashed on the spot!. I couldn`t really believe what I have accomplished!!. I could hear the bullet strike like a hand on a wet pillow. I went for the high shot because at that time I was actually a little unsure if the distance I had guessed was correct, so if the animal was a little further out I would still get him with the slow 300grain bullet of the .333Jeffery. I get up and I walk towards where the animal felt. It’s always something of a feeling as a hunter one in solitude walks towards the animal he has brought down. It’s an intimate feeling difficult to express for outsiders of the hunting community. After a ½ hour Andrew and William came up, been walking towards where they have heard the shot, and also the Coran from earlier. Andrew stated he was getting a little nervous that I might had been lost and later he actually never thought I would get it, because he could see from his position the bull wandered off to another unknown position. The Kudu were estimated to a 38”, which is nothing of a trophy, but regardless of what, the hunt I believe could have been any better. Personally I`d rather shoot a 38”bull on the free-range than a 62” behind a fence.
OH well..the pressure was of and I was sore for two days after this crawling. I feel I have experienced a true hunt as a hunt should be. I spot the game myself not someone else. I hunt it and not someone else. I shoot it with no crew to set up the sticks ( I have no sticks anyway)..I get to walk down to enjoy the works of the hunt in a solitary moment. Definatly no canned hunt here!.




A little warthog...


From the cabin looking over to Botswana..

two hammer shotguns..A Jeffery at the bottom + a Rigby at the top..


The cabin..

Nice pictures and quite the adventure.

Could purchase a few of those hammerguns here at the Vintagers.
They are great looking firearms .

Jens very nice and god shooting.

Mike

Well done, indeed.

Well done indeed Jens

The memory is the true trophy and that one is priceless.

a free ragne hunt in RSa is a real hunt! No Doubt!