Off we go, was going to be a long, long walk:
As a safety measure Clayton did not hand his rifle to the boys unless he thought they had a clear shot. Clayton told us that that very year a very experienced PH had a tragic hunt. A native South African Dad and son were hunting with this PH, the kid took shot at a water buck and wounded him. While looking for the water buck the PH was climbing down the hill with the gun slung over his shoulder, he lost his balanced and slipped backwards falling on his back, the gun went off shooting the ten year old in his stomach, the kid died from the gunshot wound.
Up one ridge, then another, constantly glassing, he trudged along gamely behind Clayton the PH.
And more walking:
Hold on I see something, is it too far away for you?
Too far, okay let’s see if we can find something else. Down, down I see something, let me check, wait here:
Do you see it, hold on let me put the gun on my shoulder:
You can’t see it? Okay let’s get closer, scoot up on your butt, don’t stand up! See the two over there, you see it, okay I want you to shoot the one on the left. Put your gun on the rock there, Clayton then puts his hat on the rock so the forearm of the rifle is on it. Okay, can you see him, take your time, remember what I said, bring the gun up along the back of his front leg till you are three quarters of the way up, take your time, do you think you can do it, wait, wait, let him turn (Clayton whistles) the animal stops sideways and looks back, one shot and it is down!
Good shot, good shot, let me check:
“Come with me quickly” as they hurriedly try to get into position if the animal is only wounded, they walk up to him, Clayton pokes the Blesbuck in its eye with his shooting sticks to make sure it is dead, it doesn’t move, congratulations and high fives all the way around!
150 yards, was a good shot, I was not sure but he told me, I can do it, I can do it:
Very good shot, see you hit him exactly where I told you, nice Blesbuck, congratulations:
Congratulations and photographs and handshakes:
Hey, its getting hot, and in the distance we see a river, they are actually two that flow through the property. One flows all year and the other is seasonal allowing the animals that are very dependent on water to survive, let’s go check it out.
More Fauna and flora, the bushes that look weird are aloe and these ones are around 50 years old. The animals eat them and it makes their blood bitter and ticks don’t like it:
Nayla bulls in the distance
Like all boys, water is always something you want to skip rocks across or jump in and thoroughly enjoy yourselves.
As we came out we saw a Nyala and a Nyala doe, beautiful majestic, mysterious animals that are native to this region. Want to go back and hunt them, Kudu and Eland next time.
