I get a call last week from my bestest hunting buddy.. "You know Oom X, neighbour to my uncle's farm?".. "Ja???"..."He managed to organise some hunting permits, including night permit for fallow deer, but we have to go before 11 December!" Now, don't ask me about EC hunting permits, all I know is that these farmers do things by the book, and we got invited!! R20/kg for eland, R25/kg for fallow deer, etc.

So, leave was organised at work, bags were packed, and rifle cleaned..I took just my 6.5 CM as we were using a 338LM for eland. Sunday up at 4am, start driving to Molteno at 5am, get there around 1:30ish, maybe 2pm. See the Focus, that's what I drove down in, for a reason...I could keep meat cold if I folded seats down etc.



That evening we set off for eland, but out of luck, though another guest at Oom X bagged three. Next morning we were in the veld by 5:30am, but the eland was now wild and running. We viewed them for a while, and it was just so awesome being out there. As we were driving we saw so many kudu, including a nice bull, maybe 80m from the road. He just stood there looking at us grinning.. "You tossers can't shoot me..nah nah".. Come July and he is far away and not to be seen!



This poor Ranger has 424 000km on the clock, and still going strong...insane with the abuse it takes. We decide to try another camp, where three eland bulls were seen. I love this camp, there is always game there, fallow deer, warthog, waterbuck, kudu etc. This camp also has about three or four weirs from long past, and always pigs there. At the second weir we spot some animals, and we manage to shoot two pigs. I took a high lung shot on the pig (over-estimated the distance), it ran about 50m before expiring. I was super chuffed. First pig with the 6.5CM (Federal Fusion 140gn factory ammo).



Shortly after, my friend bagged a nice eland bull, but I didn't take pics, as it was 10am, and we needed to load and get to the cool room!

That evening we went out, and I bagged a nice fallow deer, dressed out to 30kg's, but again, night time, and no photos. Set off home this morning with the two animals and some other meat bought from the farm, and luckily it started raining as I got on the N1 (TStone, did you guys get rain?), and stopped raining just before Bloemfontein, only to rain in Kroonstad again. Meat made it to the butcher without issue, so biltong and cheese-grillers are coming next week!

EC hunting trip in 72hrs. Tonight, I'm going to sleeeeeeeepp!!!