Wonderful Sable Pictures - I look forward to the second installment

It was at this point we had fuck up. We had left my scout in charge of checking this bait as it was distant. I presumed he knew how to check a bait and was perplexed when I got the message that the Leopard had indeed drank from the artificial water source but HAD NOT touched the bait. The following day the bait remained untouched and this was bothering me so we took a drive to see what was going on.

The camera showed that the Leopard HAD fed over three days but had not disturbed the grass skirt. The camera also showed that Chris the scout failed to check the bait on one occasion.

This series of errors basically cost us this Leopard.

He did feed again on another bait but the late season winds and inclement weather screwed us around.

Another big Leopard fed near camp and I will let Faisal continue.....

Great report! Outstanding sable and that's one beautiful buff. Don't feel too bad about not getting a leopard. It gives you a good reason to return, soon!

I wanna go :-(

great animals,all. Good job

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
It was at this point we had fuck up. We had left my scout in charge of checking this bait as it was distant. I presumed he knew how to check a bait and was perplexed when I got the message that the Leopard had indeed drank from the artificial water source but HAD NOT touched the bait. The following day the bait remained untouched and this was bothering me so we took a drive to see what was going on.

The camera showed that the Leopard HAD fed over three days but had not disturbed the grass skirt. The camera also showed that Chris the scout failed to check the bait on one occasion.

This series of errors basically cost us this Leopard.

He did feed again on another bait but the late season winds and inclement weather screwed us around.

Another big Leopard fed near camp and I will let Faisal continue.....

As Andrew said we both assumed that Chris knew what he was doing. Checking the trail cam told a different story!

Chris got a harsh lesson in checking leopard baits from Andrew and instructions to keep checking the area for leopard movement.
Back at camp we made a plan to hang some more baits along a dambo near the river.
The 24th October was a public holiday celebrating Zambia's independence. Andrew had previously asked if his family could join us as they hadn't seen the camp since it was built.
So that afternoon Andrews boys joined us as we headed out in search of hartebeest. As usual when targeting a specific species every other species is abundant except the one you seek. We eventually spotted a solitary male. After a short stalk I connected with him at just over 200yds with the .300winmag he covered some 40yds before going down to the quartering frontal shot.

Father & son

Upon skinning it was noticed that the Hartebeest had a hole in his skull some two inches bellow its left horn. This was probably caused from fighting and may be the reason he was by himself having lost dominance.
two baits were put up either side of the dambo and trail cams put in place.
this appeared whilst i was taking a shower that evening, it quickly met the sole of my shoe!

Makuyu Means fig tree, there are two very large makuyu's in camp one providing shade to my chalet and the other the main building. It is these trees that the camp is named after.

The trees were heavily laden with ripening fruit, attracting large numbers of bats that would feed on them every evening. The elephant to found them irresistible. Late that night I was awoken by branches crashing down onto the thatched roof of my chalet. As I peered out into the darkness I could make out the outline of two elephants. One with trunk outstretched and on hind legs reaching up into the canopy of the fig to get at the fruit. they were not five yards from me as i retreated back into my chalet. i didn't get back to sleep until they moved off.
The nocturnal elephant activity dislodged a woodpecker chick from its nest in one of the fig trees.

Andrew intervened and with the help of Iran's climbing skills had it back in its nest.

The daily chore of checking baits took up most of the morning as we no longer relied on Chris to check the baits in the south.

The remaining Hartebeest quarter was used to replenish one of the southern baits which was positioned at the intersection of two roads one of which ran alongside a very dense section of bush. Chris in an effort to redeem himself had picked up the leopards tracks again this time deep in this impenetrable bush.

We gathered up the rotten baits to use as croc bait at two spots on the banks of the Kafue river, and spent the rest of the afternoon fishing.
The following day after checking baits we headed to the neighbouring concession of Mushangashi to look over the vast number of puku that frequent the flood plain. The Puku population is increasing steadily on royal Kafue and Andrew wanted me to see the potential of what good management could achieve.



This group of puku were preoccupied watching a lioness cross the floodplain.

Amongst the puku were a good number of reedbuck.


We spotted A number of large crocs basking on the banks of the Kafue and I hoped our baits upstream would attract them.

The following morning whilst driving out after checking baits Andrew spotted a large male leopard crossing the dambo. He quickly stopped the vehicle, I loaded my .375 and got ready to shoot just as the cat disappeared into a small island thicket in the middle of the dambo some eighty yards away. We could clearly see all around the thicket. the closest cover was some sixty yards out. As we cautiously circled the thicket constantly peering into its dark centre through our binoculars, both of us straining our eyes to catch a glimpse of the slightest movement.
Both Andrew and I were sure the leopard was laying up in a grassy depression overhung by a tangle of branches. The birds in the branches above began chattering in an agitated manner signalling the presence of a predator.
Neither of us were comfortable approaching any closer as the cat would either flush into the open or towards us. Checking the wind Andrew suggested I set up at the edge of the nearest cover as that surely would be the path the leopard would take when it breaks cover from the thicket.
Climbing into a tree on the edge of the cover I had a commanding view of the thicket with only a small area behind it not being visible. Andrew was to drive the short distance back to camp to get the trackers and game scout,we hoped the sound of the vehicle leaving would bring the cat out of cover and into my line of fire.
As the sound of the vehicle faded the chattering of the birds in the thicket was amplified. Time seemed to slow, my pulse quickened and senses sharpened as I waited motionless in the tree. My concentration was broken as a genet cat scrambled to the ground abandoning the safety of its tree due to my presence.
Eventually I could hear the sound of the vehicle returning.
Exploring the edge of the thicket first by vehicle and then on foot revealed that the leopard had indeed given us the slip, the trackers picked up its spore heading out into the open.
Although disappointed at not having a shot opportunity, the whole experience and suspense made up for it many times over.

quote:

Originally posted by Jorge400:
Spectacular hunt! The sable are outstanding as are the other animals.

On a lighter note, tell me, if you follow Andrew around with those shoes, does he eventually lead you to a pot of gold?

George

George

Those shoes end up costing you a pot of gold as they have the uncanny ability to put you in front of spectacular trophies that you just can't turn down.

Cheers

Faisal

quote:

Originally posted by maki:
Great hunt! It is hard to get one's head around the idea that a 45" sable may not be a first day sable at Royal Kafue.

Now for the strange observation of the day. The Lichenstein's hartebeest don't have snot streaks on their sides. I was in western Moz a couple of years ago and the PH pointed out that all the Lichenstein's in the area had a long black streak of snot on their sides. I spent the next week looking and he was right. I don't recall them having that streak in the Selous either.

Well done,
Dean

Dean

some did and some didn't I don't know why. The one I shot did have the streaks on his sides although the pictures don't show it well.

Thanks

Faisal

That mark is from burnt grass and the Hartebeest inserts the stem in his pre orbital gland and then wipes it on his flank.

You have to have the burn in order to see this.

Andrew,

That's interesting. I never had heard that about the hartebeest.

Mark

Great report . Waiting for more

Nice Report

Great Sable!!!

Awesome Report and Sable, really enjoyed reading this one.