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  1. #1
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    Default Impala and their ways

    Pre 64 warned me that Impala if under pressure would go into the thick stuff.
    Well I have 30 Impala to cull, and the farmer let friend one or two have a go as well, + son in law kind of first hunts, then 'Dave come in and take 30 more off please"

    First hunt 1 of 3 persons actually hunted and we got 1 Impala, 3 Ostriches - I posted about this horrific weather hunt.
    Well I kinda just thought it was the weather that made us see no impala.

    Second hunt made Pre 64's word haunt every hour of the day, not one of the planned 3 definite hunters and 5 stand by if there is an open spot guys arrived on hunt day - hollow stomach arrival on farm alone with a salesman and Cody as full culling team.

    Cody was told I am not playing this time, no guests, Cody first, niceties, he was spotter driver and tracker, I had to shoot 10/15 Impala. I know I can do this, done it before (I shot 19 Springbuck out of 29 in a group of 7 shooters before), I can shoot well enough, see well enough, and hunt well enough, just had to do the job. The job actually became find Impala.
    We went to the plains where they usually stand - nothing.
    Drove to the path where they usually stand and spook whatever it is you hunting, nothing.
    We went to Warthog Valley, where you see them at 700 m and try find a way closer, or cause hunter to buy 308 Norma Magnum - nothing.

    I then took a long walk through the broken velt, nutting Bro, nutting to be seen.

    Pre 64 words were replayed and thicker stuff was breached, saw ghosts and legs, a head and a torso, but no full picture, the instructions were “no trophy rams, anything else big or small, male or female, reduce by 30". Every shot had its issue, could see small horn head, but no vitals. Whole body but no head, full animal but it looked like a jig saw puzzle due to branch's and twigs. Twas the thing of hunters nightmares.
    I was so worked up by lunch time that my boy, beautiful child that he is came and told me I must be careful how I spoke, the visitor guy was looking nervous. People mistake my mannerisms when I become fixated, I do not want to talk and have no niceties to offer.

    I eventually found a ram standing on the far side of a valley and shot it side to side and it fell over, the sales rep went into complimentary overdrive and Ernest Hemingway cringed in his grave.

    Then back into thick stuff, ghosts and glimpse's played out again, got to Cody standing on my shoulders and hanging through bush's and looking ahead, like that elephant hunter in Addo that used a step ladder to look over tree's to see animals.

    Major PJ Pretorious (https://www.addobackpackers.com/addo...%20and%201920.
    https://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/sho...16#post1382916

    It was hard work and no reward. I walked Cody tired and the Sales Rep started sweating alarmingly, this amused Cody to no end and since it is told to all who hunt with me, he is for this day an adult in adult company, the sales rep heard some amusing 12 year old truths. Like, “at least there will be a green line through velt where we walked” (dripping sweat)

    Shame even the dog faded, but not for unfitness reasons, thorns! The velt is now just thorns - millions of Devil Thorns on hard dry ground, so Nikita got carried.

    Eventually we saw Impala in thick stuff, from one hill to another and I walked with sales rep to the area and phoned Cody on hill, he stated they were in same place, unmoved.
    I could not see them, I called in he said they moved to left, I went left at snail’s pace, nothing. Crawled further, messaged Cody to see that I was in among them - could not see one.

    I was studying leaves and twigs, sniffing the air and listening and the sales rep was purely shitting bricks.

    A way onward I saw legs, then a body and then a clear picture of a Darwin candidate, one ewe that stayed behind to look why the rest had evacuated - Darwin came to front and that trait in her genes will not carry forward. (Sorry future hunters)
    She stood just on the edge of bush facing me but with body angled and took the only shot I could give - bullet and result here
    https://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/sho...16#post1382916

    That night at the fire the sales rep shared a beer with me, heard he does not drink, maybe 4 beers a year. That night sales rep asked if family could come,"they must experience this!, today was amazing!" - "how much does a rifle cost?"
    "what do I owe you so far?, can I come again? can my daughter come/ will you teach her to shoot?"

  2. #2
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by treeman View Post
    That night at the fire the sales rep shared a beer with me, heard he does not drink, maybe 4 beers a year. That night sales rep asked if family could come,"they must experience this!, today was amazing!" - "how much does a rifle cost?"
    "what do I owe you so far?, can I come again? can my daughter come/ will you teach her to shoot?"
    Your frustrations made potential hunters. Yes, it wasn't the purpose of the mission, but still successful. Well done!!

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    "Impala are easy to hunt".... How many times have you heard that?

    Maybe sometimes. But they can frustrate a hunter. If spooked and chased around and they know a hunter is after them they will just stay out of reach and yes, go for the thick stuff.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    Quote Originally Posted by Adoons View Post
    "Impala are easy to hunt".... How many times have you heard that?

    Maybe sometimes. But they can frustrate a hunter. If spooked and chased around and they know a hunter is after them they will just stay out of reach and yes, go for the thick stuff.
    Too true.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    Nice story Treeman, thanks for the effort!

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    Love the story, the chase is 95% of the fun in hunting!

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris86 View Post
    Love the story, the chase is 95% of the fun in hunting!
    ****************************
    There was no fun in this hunt - I did how ever enjoy it.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    In my experience impala are quite 'difficult' to hunt on foot. Always struck me as peculiar how people see impala as a 'beginner' species, apart from them being small. Maybe it is because I have almost always hunted late season (where the animals have experienced 2 or 3 months of hunting) and in thick areas (Thabazimbi to Dwaalboom area). When they are in the thickets and in sizeable groups, it becomes really challenging.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Impala and their ways

    Quote Originally Posted by Stef1274 View Post
    In my experience impala are quite 'difficult' to hunt on foot. Always struck me as peculiar how people see impala as a 'beginner' species, apart from them being small. Maybe it is because I have almost always hunted late season (where the animals have experienced 2 or 3 months of hunting) and in thick areas (Thabazimbi to Dwaalboom area). When they are in the thickets and in sizeable groups, it becomes really challenging.
    *********************
    tomorrow you will shoot 3 that stand and stare at you like curious statues, today the same farm has Impala that run when you left home already.
    The only certainty is that there is no certainty about any of it.

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