The Road to the Hunt in Kimberly
Trip Start
Apr 24, 2006
1
9
23
Trip End
May 22, 2006
Kimberly,
South Africa
Sunday, April 30, 2006
We awoke at 7:00 am had breakfast and left for Kimberly were we were going to hunt for the next 10 days.
We arrived at the area we were going to hunt at just before noon. We were all excited to get the hunt under way. We met with the 2 Professional Hunters (PH)that would guide us on our African Adventure.
The PH's were Pieter Janson and Boeta Steenkamp. You will see Pieter featured on TnT's home page. Boeta will be featured when I return home.
We went an quickly sighted in the rifles than off to the field for the hunt
Shawn Terlson's Zebra
.We loaded into the pipe trucks to travel the 4000 square hectares we will be hunting. Along the way we spotted some Eland on top of a very large hill about 1000 yards away. We continued on and spotted Blesbok, Impala and Zebra.
AS we travelled along we spotted Eland on a far off hill. We continued on and then spotted a Zebra standing in the trees. We decided to spot and stalk. Tony Drain, Boeta and I walked into the bush to pursue the Zebra. As we looked for the Zebra we came across a very nice Impala standing in the trees across a valley. Tony Drain took the shot but was high. At the same time the shot rang out a herd of Gemsbok followed by Wildebeast broke cover and started to run towards us. As the Wildebeast passed Boaeta instructed Tony on which one to take the shot on. Tony took the shot at the running Wildebeast and made a magnificent shot downing the animal instantly.
Tony Drain's Wildebeast was a very old animal with huge bosses that easily made the Roland Ward Record book.
It was now Tony Vause's turn at a shot
Tony Drain's Roland Ward Record Eland
. As we traveled around in the hunting truck, after about 1 hour we spotted a herd of Blesbok. There was a beautiful Ram standing on a side hill at about 150 yards. As the shot rang out from Tony Vause's 7MM Wheatherby the animal was down. Tony Vause was very happy at harvesting such a beautiful specimen and his second African trophy.It was now my turn with the Wildebeast and the Blesbok loaded. After spotting the Zebra we parked the truck and Tony Vause, Boeta and I went on a walk and stalk to try and get in position for the Zebra. We walked about 2 km's to a high hill(that the PH's call coppies. From the vantage point we could see the Zebra in the trees at 250 yards. The were gradually moving and Boeta put out the shooting sticks. I positioned my 338 Win. Mag. for a shot at 250 yards, as the Zebra stepped forward I took the shot it was a hit from the smack that came back seconds later.
Boeta and I tracked the animal knowing it was hit hard. We knew the animal was down behind the herd because the rest were whinnying for the downed stallion.
We walked over two coppies and found the Zebra down under a tree. The stallion was huge and in good shape
Tony Drain's Roland Ward Record Wildebeast
. Boeta estimated him to be over 300 kgs. I was very happy to harvest such a magnificent animal.After the photos we were back on the truck moving around hoping to spot more of the 10 animals I included in the package. It was now approaching dark (which happens between 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm)as we turned a corner a herd of Eland were grazing by the road. As the truck turned the corner the Eland started to break for the side hill. Tony Drain was ready for the shot and listened for instruction from Boeta. Boeta field judged the animals as they were running for the hill and told Tony which one to take. At the Report of the 300 Win. Mag the animal was hit hard. Tony chambered a second and hit the animal inches away from the first shot. The 2000 pound Eland was on the ground measuring 36 inches which would again make the Roland Ward Record Book. Two animals and two book entries for Tony Drain.
After the day hunt at Boeta's we were back in the truck to travel to the Kalahari Desert to hunt Kudu's for three days.
When we arrived it had rained a lot in the desert if you can believe that. We arrived in the season that they have relieved the most rain in 95 years. Rather than red dunes landscaping the Kalahari the dunes were covered in grass that looks like prairie grasses in Southern Saskatchewan or Montana.
Pieter was already there but was having trouble getting through the roads to set up camp. We decided to stay at a guest house 50 km away in Greickwatown.
Shawn
