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Kudu Hunt Aug 2007

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8shots View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
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Lord Of The Flies

Joined: March/14/2007
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    Posted: August/13/2007 at 02:25

I have returned from my third and final hunt for the 2007 season. This trip was to the same farm in Willowmore where the other two hunts took place.

True to type, each hunt brings about an unique, memorable experience. Day one started of as a real bad omen when, early in the morning, a kudu cow presented a frontal shot at about 75 yds. She was slightly behind a tree and I could not get a rest, so I took an offhand shot, and missed!!! No excuses, just poor shooting. These things happen for a reason, that is to haunt you. Fortunately I am not to fond of shooting cows so I made peace with my poor performance.

The rest of the day I could not come within shooting distance of any other kudu, allthough other members in the party were succesfull.

Day two was going to be the day of reckoning and I was resolved to work hard. And work hard I did. The farmer chose the highest mountain on his farm (and I am sure in Africa), and suggested I take a look in the klooves at the back(see previous article for explanation of kloof).

Well, my guide and I climbed, and we climbed and then climbed some more. At one point I thought of giving up, and at another point the thought of a heart attack was a welcome thought. Finally we reached the summit, and carefully so as not to expose ourselves on the skyline, peered over the top. When I saw the sheer drop to the valley below I could just exclaim " $%&Y%#" .

We had hardly settled down for a rest when I spotted movement. Four cows and two bulls were making their way below us on the floor of the valley some 400 yds below, going from left to right. What followed was just unbelievable. I tracked the biggest bull in the scope. Oh, on this hunt I was using my Heym 30-06 loaded with 168gr Hornady Interlock. (The reason for not using my 300H&H is another longgggg story).

Ok, so I was tracking this bull, when the crosshair just seemed to stick on the top of the bull's neck, and begged for the trigger to be squeezed. I oblidged, and with a solid thump the bullet struck and the bull went down. For me this was just an incredible shot. A classic downhill shot, about 400yds away, but probably only 150yds on the horizontal. I did not allow for bullet drop as the rifle was set 2 inches high at 100 yds.

The second bull turned and ran back. I immediately swung on him, but lost him in the thick scrub. He re-appeared some 500 yds away and I pulled off a snap shot. Incredibly he went down, but got up again. But he was hit and he made his way through the gulley and up to the other side. Two more shots missed him. At this stage he was about 700yds away, when I realized things are going pearshaped. I was now totally focused as allowed about 12 inches above him and fired. With a thump the bull went down.

As I surveyed the scene below me, the adrenalin rush hit me. With shaking hands I started picking up the spent shells scattered around me.

Now the doubt set in. Did I hit them, are they solidly hit, will they get up as we descend?? Over and over I grilled my guide. Did he see them go down, are they still down, will we find them in the thick scrub??? Slowly calmness returned, and we climbed down to find them. I was ecstatic when we walked straight onto the first bull, shot in the neck, where it joins the shoulder. We found the second smaller bull after searching for a short while. The first shot took him on the hips, the second high up behind the shoulder.

 

 

Photo below: Allmost at the top!!! View from climbing back of mountain.

 

Photo below: First kudu taken.

 

 

Photo below: Second kudu taken

 

Photo below. Looking back at where the shots were taken from. I was where the black arrow points allmost on the skyline. First bull was directly below, behind the tree in the foreground. I am taking the picture from where the second bull was finally shot.

 



Edited by 8shots
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/13/2007 at 17:01

Great story and pics and nice shooting, 8shots!  I always enjoy your hunting stories and envy you for being able to hunt kudu!  Not only that, but I've learned what a "kloof" is.

 

Take care, friend!

Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/13/2007 at 21:28
hell of a poke man!! good shooting nice pictures, it kinda cracks me up that you all are wearing coats,and the leaves are on the trees and stuff is green. africa doesnt strike me as a cold place. what was the temp that day 75 degrees or so?

Edited by pyro6999
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/13/2007 at 21:39

 

 

What sort of scope did Heym wear?

 

Did you recover the bullet on the long shot?  How well did it do?

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Optics Jedi Knight
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/17/2007 at 02:53

Sorry for late responses, but I have been off-line for a while.

The Karoo bush are succulents and hardy perennials, and does not loose it leaves. The northern parts of the country turns brown in the winter.

As for temperatures, it becomes bitterly cold with snow on the high mountains. A typical day is 12F early in the morning with daytime around 65-70F. But the wind chill factor makes it really cold, so warm clothes (as you see us wearing) is a must.

On the closer bull the bullet entered the neck and travelled through the chest cavity. It lodged under the skin against the ribcage. It performed perfectly.

The bullets on the second bull went straight through. Both bullets struck high up with little body to penetrate. Fortunately the second bullet shattered its spine, so it went down and never got up. Again good bullet performance in my opinion.

I used my Leupold 3,5-10x40 on the Heym. This rifle has allways been extremely accurate for me. I have gravitated towards the 300H&H only due to its superior hitting power with a 200g bullet.

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