The Hunt Continues
Trip Start
Apr 24, 2006
1
15
23
Trip End
May 22, 2006
Kimberly,
South Africa
Saturday, May 6, 2006
We awoke at 5:45 am get ready for the days hunt. Tony Drain and I went with Boeta on his truck and Tony Vause went with Pieter on his Land Cruiser.
As we moved through the hunting territory we spotted a herd of Gemsbuck. A nice bull was was on top of the hill cresting the horizon. Boeta indicated that we should try and take that bull he fiquired the bull would score 36 inches.
Roland Ward for Gemsbuck is 40 inches. We decided to shoot bulls because their horns are much thicker than the cows that are longer and thinner. It is cows that usually make book. We knew we were going to Namibia to hunt Gemsbok so we decided we would hunt trophy cows there.
Any ways back to the hunt. Boeta and stalked in on the herd that was on the top of the hill moving as quickly as we could under the cover of the bush. As we moved from tree to tree we got within 220 yards of the bull. Boeta stretched out the hunting sticks and I positioned myself for a shot with my 25-06. Tony Drain was videoing the stalk from the truck.
In position I took the shot and hit the Gemsbuck bull solidly on the shoulder. The Gemsbuck spun around and started running. Boeta seen another nice bull after I had shot and Boeta told me to take that bull as well. Suprized by his request I listened took the shot at 200 yards and with the report of the smack I knew I had hit that bull solidly in the vitals as well.
Boeta and I went to the top of the hill and found a massive blood trial for both animals. As we moved across the top of the hill following the blood we spotted both bulls down in the underbrush in the valley beneath the hill.
We brought both bulls together for the pictures.
Shawn's 2 Gemsbuck Bulls
What an awesome picture. After pictures we went looking for an Impala for Tony Drain.At this stage Tony Drain still needed and Impala, Tony Vause needed a Gemsbok, Kudu and a Eland. After getting my Gemsbuck I still needed Eland and Kudu. So we continued on looking for the Impala ram that Tony Vause and I had seen after he shot his. The ram we were looking for was estimated at 26 inches (23 5/8 inches is book) and was very wide.
we scouted the same area Tony Vause had shot his Impala. After about 1 hour we spotted a ram in the trees. Tony Drain ha a front shot that makes a very small target. Tony took the shot with his 300 Win. Mag. and the animal instantly went down. We went over and took pictures and retrieved the animal, Tony had shot a very nice ram.
We returned to the lapas for lunch and to meet up with Tony Vause and Pieter to talk about the morning hunt and plan for the afternoon. After lunch back in the field we spotted some Gemsbuck so decided to go on a walk and stalk to try and get Tony Vause his Gemsbuck. We pursued them for a couple Kms but the wing changed and the animals winded us and moved on very quickly.
Boeta radioed Pieter and indicated that he had spotted some Eland. Boeta made his way to us and where he had spotted the Eland. We seen the herd very far off as we made our way to the top of the hill. Tony Vause positioned himself for a shot hoping that the Herd would make their way towards us. We waited for over a hour as the herd moved slowly towards us but the closest they came was within 350 yards. Tony Vause took the shot and hit low.
The Eland moved through the valley quickly after the shot so we started to move again stalking for the opportunity at another shot. We walked on top of the hills for about 2 kms which was all rock. Cresting the top of a hill Boeta put out the shooting sticks and Tony Vause steadied for the shot. The smack was undeniable. Boeta said "give him another" Tony missed on the second shot. He chambered another and hit the bull again. The bull went a few yards stumbled and fell. The bull was down.
We were all so happy that Tony Vause had got his Eland he hunted for one hard for 3 days. Walking and pursuing the herd at a rate of 15 kms per day.
We were now loosing light because it was already 5:30 pm. We decided to make our way back to the lapas for the evening.
Shawn
