Now for a Bushbuck to round out the "Spiral Horns"

After the previous two days success and with two days of hunting remaining I was very hopeful of getting a Bushbuck. The areas we had glassed the evening before were very promising and we planned on spending the remaining time there glassing the bush edges. Overnight the weather had changed and a cool change had blown in it was overcast and looked like it may even rain. Talking as usual over our morning coffee, Hendrik said this was perfect Bushbuck weather and they sometimes feed all day in these conditions. After finishing our coffee we loaded up our gear and headed off to to continue glassing the bush edges where we had been the previous afternoon.

With plenty of open clearings and bush edges to glass this was Bushbuck paradise.

When we arrived we got set up on a high ridge and began glassing the edges of the bush and the clearings for Bushbuck. Being relatively small and dark they appear as a dark dot in the distance and to assess them you will often have to get a lot closer, particularly if they feed in and out of the bush. We spent a good hour glassing but didn't spot anything so we moved to another location.
When we arrived we stalked in to a small clearing high in a ridge overlooking a big grassy slope with a creek line at the bottom and got set up to glass.

All of a sudden two Warthogs walked out of the bush and began grazing, one was very big and had a very nice set of tusks! I was also keen on a big Warthog and Hendrick suggested we take this opportunity and get a Warthog. We still had the best part of two days to hunt Bushbuck so I decided to take the Warthog. I got set up using the sticks and a tree to really steady myself as it was a fairly long shot at 270 meters and on a steep downhill angle. We had to wait for the bigger Warthog to feed clear of the other smaller one and once it was clear Hendrik told me to shoot when I was ready.
I slowly squeezed the trigger whilst holding nice and steady on the Warthog's shoulder and as the shot rang out I saw the bullet hit exactly where I wanted.

The Warthog tried to run but was basically dead on his feet and he only made about 10 meters before he stopped and never moved again. I was very excited and could not wait to see him close up, I don't know what it is but I have a real passion for hunting all species of pigs, maybe its because they are the animal I first learned to hunt as a teenager. As we got closer to the Warthog I could see he was a real beauty and both tusks were very large and nicely curved. We wasted no time and quickly took some photos while waiting for a vehicle to take the Warthog back to the skinning shed and cool room.

The Warthog with the clearing in the background looking up hill.

After loading the Warthog into the Bakki and having a cool drink we set off again to glass for Bushbuck. We spent the rest of the day glassing but didn't see a single Bushbuck, we saw plenty of other game and at times had animals feeding within meters of us and we managed to get some very nice video and photos of some of them.

A very nice looking Hartebeest walked past at one stage. 

That evening we made our way to the lodge happy in getting a very nice Warthog but a little disappointed we had not even seen a Bushbuck, Hendrik was very confident we would see one the following morning, Dinner was once again wonderful and after a few drinks and writing in my journal it did not take me long to fall asleep when I climbed into bed.

The next morning was cool and clear and we made our way back to the same area and began glassing  once again. We continued with this for the whole day only stopping for an hour of so to eat some lunch before continuing, the weather was still cool and overcast and Hendrik was confident the Bushbuck would feed all day.  At one point we managed to get pinned into a creak line by a herd of Wildebeest and had to wait for them to feed away so as not to disturb them. While we were waiting a small Duiker Ram fed along the brush edge to within 10 meters of us before disappearing into the brush. Staying put and allowing the Wildebeest to feed away proved to be the right choice as no sooner had we started glassing along the creek line Hendrik spotted a Bushbuck.

We had a good look at him and decided to take him if we could, I was excited to finally be getting the chance to try and take a Bushbuck. We stalked along the edge of the bush slowly getting closer until it looked like he may feed back into the Bush. We quickly set up the sticks and made use of an ant hill to make things really steady. The Bushbuck fed on and gave me an angled quartering away shot from 170 meters, Hendrik told me to take the shot when I was ready.  I aimed 1/3 of the way up his body lust behind his front leg and took up on the trigger. I say the bullet hit and the Buck dropped then jumped to the right taking off out of view, Hendrik could see him stagger as he ran and told me he was going down.

We made our way to where the Bushbuck had been standing then looked in the direction he ran to see the dog standing over him no more than 20mts away. The shot had been perfect and had exited the front of the far shoulder after passing through both lungs. I was one very happy hunter having now completed my Spiral Horns collection. We moved the animal out of the brush where he had fallen and quickly took some photographs.

Photographer Greg Betts, making sure everything is just perfect for the photos.

My Bushbuck Ram. 

While we were taking photos, Hendrik had called for a vehicle and once it arrived we had no trouble carrying the Bushbuck the short distance to the track. We loaded up the vehicle and had a drink and snack then drove back to the lodge. It was hard to believe but my time here was just about over, as were leaving the following morning. At this point in a trip I get some mixed emotions, I am sad to be leaving somewhere I have thoroughly enjoyed but excited to have done what I have and I am always eager to begin the next adventure.

The Video of my Bushbuck Hunt.

When we arrived back at the lodge we showered and changed then had a leisurely dinner and talked at length about the weeks hunting and what we would like to do in future if we got the chance. We stayed up fairly late that evening just enjoying the evening, knowing that we were not hunting in the morning. Eventually it was time to get some sleep and I was out like a light only seconds after my head hit the pillow.

In the morning we ate a large cooked breakfast then we slowly packed our gear into the Landy ready to begin the journey to our next adventure. We said our goodbyes and headed off to begin another adventure together in another part of South Africa.

Greg's Photo from our first trip together just typifies an African Adventure.

On my first trip with the ITZ guy's Greg took a photo of us travelling down a dusty road in the Landy and I think it typifies everything an African Adventure should be. It could be arriving somewhere or leaving anywhere it just typifies African Adventure.
As I left that particular part of the Eastern Cape and Huntshoek Safaris behind  I left with not only some beautiful trophies, but some wonderful memories and some new friends. I also left with a sense of anticipation, my time in Africa was not yet over and there was plenty more adventure to come.