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Thread: Epic solo Kudu hunt
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28-06-2021, 18:52 #1
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Epic solo Kudu hunt
I have been planning a kudu hunt for sometime as my first attempt at the beginning of the season was a bust. Only saw young bulls. We dont shoot cows on the farm. So all was planned for Sunday and as it happens my two hunting buddies pull out at the last minute. So the stupid decision was made to go and look for a bushbuck.
All gear was loaded by 4am, boiled eggs and sarmies made too with out even waking up the household.
Its a 2 hour drive to the farm and arrived just before 6am.
Had quick cup of coffee with the Oom and loaded all my kit onto the old Landy i keep there.
I made my way the the back section of the farm as there is a large hill that the Kudu normally frequent. The road stops about 1km from the Koppie, so ditched the Landy and took a leisurely stroll up the mountain, stopping alot to scan for animals and try suck some oxygen into my lungs.
I got to a nice vantage point and sat and scanned the hills for about an hour or two, moving to better vantage points every so often. I only saw two Kudu cows the whole morning and by 9.30 decided to make my way back to the Landy.
Whilst descending the mountain i spotted a nice Kudu bull about a km away ontop of the next ridge. The wind direction was in my favour and planned my stalk.
After about an hour of stalking i came within 25m of the bull. All i could see was the head but ofcourse had two large branches in my way of a clean shot. As i moved he spotted me and bolted off. Proberly a good thing as i temporarily developed Parkinsons disease.
I sat on a rock and had a smoke and bottle of water as i was disappointed yet very happy with my stalking skills.
I set off in the direction the bull went and saw a kudu cow go through the boundary fence and thought, lets just wait here in the shade of a tree and scan for movement.
About 5 minutes later the bull made his way to the fence and exposed himself.
Ranged the distance at 177m and took a head shot as thats all that i could see above the bush.
The Bull dropped his head and took a few steps backwards and disappeared into the bush.
I was kicking my self for taking a head shot at that distance as im not the worlds best shot. I gave the Kudu about 5mins and then decided to move in. Luck was on my side for a change and he had not moved around alot but was still standing.
I gave him a final shot from about 10m and it was all over.
Gutted the animal and took off down the mountain back to the Landy.
It was about an hours drive around through the neighbors farm to get to the boundary fence.
I had to butcher the animal where it lay as it was too heavy for me to move. Then bagged all the sections of carcass and carried it to the fence.
All in all about 3hours of work from pulling the trigger until loaded on the Landy.
All i can say is i will do it again but it did make me realize that im not in my twentys anymore.
I woke this morning with muscles pains where i didnt know i had muscles.
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28-06-2021, 19:03 #2
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- Jun 2021
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- 12
Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
Well done ! Great read thank you !
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28-06-2021, 19:21 #3
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- Right next to the pot that needs stirring.
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Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
Lekker! I was on my way to the family farm for some Kudu and Impala hunting from Sunday. Bummer... Covids got me.
Get a ramp that can fit in the loading gate of the landy and a chain block or hand operated cable winch with a pan to get an anchoring point the front of the load bin. To pull op even big bulls becomes possible on your own. I have also loaded many kudu on my own by pulling the carcass on a piece of conveyer belt made for the purpose to a decent size tree and then climb into the tree and hang the chainblok and load the carcass. I always use nylon straps over the branch to not damage the tree.
Kudu are shot a lot of times late in the day and for table fair needs to be slaughtered ASAP. Alone in the field in the dark it is diffucult. I rather go through the trouble of making a plan to load and taking it to a lighted slaughtering facility. Lights on the family farm being my bakkies lights. It is rough out there.
I am envious. Great story.
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28-06-2021, 20:07 #4
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- Aug 2010
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- Port Elizabeth
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Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
There is something I have not yet worked out about being alone and doing a full find to on load body hunt, a kind of "me man" (beat chest) feeling, only a very peaceful version there of.
I find that when ever I make a kill alone, everything goes quiet and I feel very singular in a big world, there is a tangible lonely singular feeling and a tremendous sense of self reliance.
Lone hunts, not on own spot or alone over there, alone - no one else came along, has a big open feeling.
Its not the same - its also far clearer and deeper etched than shared experience.
Perhaps each hunt only has so much to give, and if there is 2 or 3 peoples, well that what ever it is that a hunt has to give has to be shared.
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28-06-2021, 20:29 #5
- Join Date
- May 2010
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- Right next to the pot that needs stirring.
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Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
That lone feeling get hold of me when I am bitterly cold from slaughtering that Kudu bull alone in the open and it gets past 12 at night and all the parts are eventually hanging in the cold room. And the most scary part is when my cold and aching body sags into a warm bath and I realise, you bloody fool, you really are going to go out again at 6 to try and do it again.
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28-06-2021, 20:35 #6
- Join Date
- Jul 2009
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Posts
- 2,971
Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
I have a winch on the back of my bakkie, and the Hunting rig tailgate can be removed to be a ramp. It just makes loading bigger animals easier. That being said, it is not a rig for the average hunter.
I have personally loade 2 x Eland myself onto the back of the bakkie. After the first one, I swore that this Doos will never do it again.
It happened again. Won't happen a 3rd time.
Even with a winch, gutting a big animal and loading youself makes you reconsider life choices.
Bring friends. Lots of friends. Makes the hunt easier, especially when there is a carry involvedA roaring Lion kills no game
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28-06-2021, 21:20 #7
- Join Date
- Apr 2021
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- 49
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Re: Epic solo Kudu hunt
Truly a hunt to remember
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