I did a 14-day hunt with Bush Africa Safaris, Schalk van Heerden, owner and PH. I used a .376 Steyr Scout with handloads of 300-grain Woodleigh SPPPs at 2300 fps.

We first went to Zululand, Zuka Ranch, near the Phinda Reserve for nyala. I got this one on the second morning there. He was standing in dappled sunlight under some trees 12 yards away when we rounded a bush and saw him. "Take him," Schalk whispered. An off-hand snap shot took out the arteries at the top of his heart and he fell where he was standing.



After driving back to BAS near Ellisras, we ran across this waterbuck while hunting bushbuck along the Limpopo River. The sun had set and Schalk spotted him behind some trees in a meadow. After a 20-minute sneak-and-peek, I set up on a shooting stick at 150 yards and waited. When he stepped out from behind the trees I hit him just inside the point of his shoulder on his chest. He ran 80 yards before dropping. The bullet hit the top of his heart and skidded along the inside of his rib cage. We didn't find it in the gut pile. (It was dark by the time we found him, so this picture was taken the following morning.)



I was unsuccessful when we hunted eland on a nearby ranch, but the next morning I took this bull on Schalk's property. We'd built a blind 65 yards from a trail crossing. The bull and three cows walked in after we'd been sitting an hour. I shot him behind the shoulder when he was clear of the cows and trees. He only got 20 yards before going down. I'd hit the arteries at the top of the heart, and the bullet stopped under the skin on the far side, 96% weight retention.


Finally, on my fifth outing after bushbuck, I got this nice typical ram. We were on our hands and knees next to a tree and behind a bush. All I had was a frontal neck shot at 50 yards. I used Schalk's shooting stick for post rest support, and at the shot the bushbuck disappeared. We jogged over to find him down in the grass where he'd been standing. The bullet passed through the neck just right of the mid-line, breaking the spine.



Last but certainly not least, we hunted buffalo near the Klaserie Reserve, and here's my first buffalo, taken with a .470NE Merkel. After stalking and tracking a bachelor herd of four bulls for almost three hours, we spooked them, then decided to walk back to the truck and try to circle in front of them. We spotted them from the road and sneaked up on them. Schalk picked out the one I should shoot, and I lined up for a frontal shot at 30 yards, but he turned and started walking to my left. I tracked to his shoulder and fired just before his head went behind some trees and brush. Schalk said I hit him, so we waited and listened. Less than two minutes later we heard the death bellow. He'd run between 50 and 60 yards before falling and was dead when we walked up on him a few minutes later. The 500-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw had entered behind his shoulder, broken his upper leg bone, punched through a rib, perforated the top of his heart, and embedded itself in a rib on the other side, with 91% weight retention.



[ 07-23-2002, 06:24: Message edited by: Slingster ]

Those are some GREAT pictures Slingster.
Tell us more .....

Greg

Slingster,

Great pictures, congratulations. Tell us about the weather, food and accomodations.

Regards,

Terry

Very nice animals! I like the waterbuck best.

Great Pic's! I'm moving this thread to our new forum, re: African Hunting reports.

Slingster,

Thanks for the info. You might want to go to the "Miscellaneous Topics" forum. Someone there wants to know what a ching sling is. I thought you might be able to tell them.

Regards,

Terry

[ 07-23-2002, 07:12: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

Great pics and an excellent description. Congrats Slingster, and thanks for sharing.

Canuck

Awesome photo's and stoy. shooting a Cape Buffalo at 30 yards would be a thrilling experience. Best:Bryan

Nice! Cape buff at 30yds! That's awsome!

CONGRATS slingster tanks

weidmannsheil

martin

Slingster,

Congrats on a great hunt! The pictures are terrific. Thanks for sharing.

Bob

From Schalk van Heerden's 2007 Newsletter:
http://www.bushafricasafaris.co.za/?item=311&MenuID=328

quote:

I have to mention that this hunt was organized and promoted by the late Eric Ching who sadly died of cancer this year. Eric was a dear friend who has hunted 4 times with Schalk and has always promoted Bush Africa safaris. He was a fine hunter and has collected most of the plains game species with me as well as Buffalo and Sable in Zambia. Eric was the instigator of many safaris and his detailed descriptions of his safaris led to more to come. He has done so much for Bush Africa safaris and will be missed dearly.

Rest in peace Eric (Slingster).

It is always sad to loose a member this way.

May his 470 always be loaded for those dagga boys in the holy land !

RIP

Wow, I didn't know that we had lost Eric to cancer. I have his Ching Sling and have enjoyed his posts here. Sometimes AR members come and go and you don't know what has happened to them. May he rest in peace.

Very sad news , we will miss him.
Rest In Peace

L