This past May my son and I hunted with Vaughan Fulton's Classic Safaris near Brandburg Mountain in north western Namibia. My guide on this hunt was John Jacob. John is half Bushman and is one with the country. He is more in touch with the land than I would have ever imagined as you will see as you read below.

On the fifth day of our hunt, John and I located a mature bull Gemsbok standing about 100 yards away on the side of a Kopje. The top half of the bulls horns were smooth and the bases were heavy. John whispered you should take this one, he's a very good bull. I flopped on the ground to use my bi-pod to steady my aim. I found the bull in my scope and brought the crosshairs onto his shoulder. It was going to be a no brainier shot. But just as I squeezed the trigger, the bull spun to go. After recovering from the recoil of the shot, I saw the bull loping slowly over the ridge. I did not have time for a second shoot to break him down before he got out of sight.

John told me I hit him, but the bullet strike did not sound right. It sounded more like a whack then the normal whomp that my 300 ultra-mag normally makes. After a few moments, John motioned for me to come with him and we started up to the top of the Kopje to glass for the bull. He was nowhere in sight. John then walked back to the spot where the bull had been standing and started looking for sign. Within seconds he stopped and looked at me and said, we are going to need to get some extra water. It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out what was behind those words. We were in for a long tracking job.

We got our water and started down the blood trail. I was sure, given the steady flow of blood, that we would recover him quickly. I did not sense that John was shared my enthusiasm. As the distance between the tracks shortened, the blood stopped. John looked at me and said he's gut shot. I asked him how he knew and he said that when the bull ran he bled and when he slowed the blood trail stopped because his intestines blocked the hole. He then broke off the trail and started around the side of the next Kopje. I asked why we were heading in the wrong direction and he smiled at me and said the bull will be behind the next Kopje and will be watching his back trail. As we got half way around the next Kopje, John started up the side and we then moved slowly around. We jumped the bull lying in a recess watching his back trail as John had said he would. He spun around and dove of the rocks. I got off one quick desperation shot and missed. We then sat down and waited awhile. After 10 minutes and a drink of water (it was midday and blazing hot), John said lets try again and we started out. He by-passed the next Kopje and I gave him a funny look. He knew I was questioning his judgment again and he said the bull will go further now that he has been jumped. He will not stop at the next Kopje and will at the one after that. Sure enough, we found him again two kopjes down where John said he would be. As soon as he saw us he broke and ran again. This time however, there was enough open ground to allow me to aim and I put one in the center of his ribs, angling the bullet into the opposite shoulder. I only hit one lung, but I had hit the other lung with my first angled shot.

The bull piled up and thrashed on the ground trying to regain his footing. I was going to shoot him again but John laid his arm across the barrel and said you got him. He's already dead, he just does not know it. He then told me that he would go back to the truck where the skinner and game scout were waiting and come back in get me. I had an hour alone to admire the animal that we had just taken and to reflect on the hunt as I waited. I was over whelmed with John's ability and intimate knowledge of the game we hunted. He seemed to be able to place himself in their heads and follow their every thought. If I ever hunt with Vaughan Fulton's crew again, I will asked to go with John. He's great.




John Jacob and I with a hard won trophy.



Close up of my Gemsbok Bull with the Brandberg Mountain in the background



John relaxing after hard hunt

Great story! I love the pic with Brandberg in the backgroud. I wish I could have spent more than just a couple of days in that concession last year. I guess I need to go back.

Great story....how did you like the Tafel?

TJB

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Tim Burkhart:
Great story....how did you like the Tafel?

TJB

I loved it. I like a weak beer without an after taste drink like Michelob Ultra. To me, Tafel tasted a lot like Mic Ultra. But after stomping around in 90 degree heat all day, any cold beer would have worked for me. LOL

Fascinating story. Can't wait for my hunt next year to the same area.

Congrats on a hard won trophy.

Those guys know the terrain and the animals like the back of his hand

I learned the same lesson last year at the foot of the Brandberg. When I went to Africa I really didn't ever consider taking the small antelope, just the big ones. When my ph and I drove up on a steenbok he stopped the Toyota and said, " If you're ever going to take one, there he is."
I laughed for a while, but I saw in his face that he was serious. We ended up stalking the little guy several times before he finally stood still for a shot.
The funny thing is that my ph told me he was a "4.5-inch" steenbok. But, when I had him measured for SCI last week he measured 4 9/16 X 4 15/16. This qualified him for the gold medal level of steenbok. I listened to my ph and am glad I did.
The Tsiseb is a really magical place that I would love to go back to someday. I tried to get my Gemsbok near the mountain, but they wouldn't cooperate. We had to drive into the Namib before I connected.

quote:

Originally posted by dlroxby:

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Tim Burkhart:
Great story....how did you like the Tafel?

TJB

after stomping around in 90 degree heat all day, any cold beer would have worked for me. LOL

Ain't that the truth!

Congrats,

JPK

Thanks for that superb story.

Really emphasizes just how bloody much we have to learn, and can learn, if we pay attention.

Beautiful oryx, too. Congrats!