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Thread: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
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04-05-2021, 19:01 #1
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- Aug 2014
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- Durban North
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165 grains of Sierra happiness
So hunting season is open and I was ahead of the pack for once. Weather cleared in KZN on Saturday, animals were in good shape and lots of them due to bat flu last season.
We had 3 hunters and one 8 year old. The one oke had not shot for 7 years and never hunted before. We were really fortunate to have a real guide with us, a you chap from the area, an excellent marksman and really good with nursing the first time hunter around. One of the salt of the earth seuns,young but he knew his stuff.
Late in the afternoon new hunter and guide had been away for over 2 hours, bored, I set out through the thorn trees and got reasonably close to a heard of Hartebeeste,
the cover was really kind to me and I was tempted to take a shot a few times.
However, being alone and uncertain of the range I passed them up. If it went bad, I had no extra eyes to keep tabs or help me track.
On the way back I spotted a piece of wire tied around a tree, on closer inspection it was along snare line with 10 snares on the one wire, I managed to twist it off and carry it back to the vehicle.
Not long after our guide and hunter returned and we were about to head back to camp.
It was 10 to 5 and I thought it was too late to do anything, guide said no, If you know where they are, lets got for it.
The trees and grass favoured us, we had a little electronic device to calculate the range(first time for me) and got to within 200 m.
Being and expert marksman and experience long range hunter, I thought it prudent to get a little closer. Again the cover favoured us and there was a tree and branch placed right where I needed it. Range was a staggering 146 m. Confident in my expert abilities I chambered a round. The animals had also moved a little and were in a patch of grass that had been cut and baled, we were still in the cover.
Next we selected a nice female conveniently quartering slightly away. Crosshairs lined up just behind shoulder, squeezed trigger and 165 grains of out dated lead and copper bullet technology made it's way over those 146 m and connected just low of where I had hoped for.
She ran a few metres, then walked a few, then lay down. I was all for putting another shot in, guide said no, shot was good, give it a minute before we break cover.
Sure enough it was good, so my first Hartebeeste is hanging in the cold room.
Thing is, all this bullet technology, range drop charts, ballistic apps, never mind the time and tin investing in Nosler Accubonds, bright spark here decides to use the one he knows, worked on 2 Wildebeeste, I Kudu and now one Haartebeeste.
Can't say, the 30 cal 165 HPBT was a pass through(first time as well), but why did I choose them over a better bullet. I think my wiring problem is getting worse or I just stick with what I know.
No pics yet because I don't carry the other devices with me, leave that to the other guys.
So all is well that ends well, I think finding the snare paid off with a reward.
Oh she dressed out at 65 kg's on the button.
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04-05-2021, 20:08 #2
- Join Date
- Jul 2015
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- 43
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- 1,261
Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Congrats on the animal and nice story!
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04-05-2021, 21:47 #3
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- Feb 2015
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- KZN
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Thanks for the write-up. Where was this?
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05-05-2021, 08:30 #4
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- Aug 2017
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- Jo'burg.
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Excellent write up!
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05-05-2021, 09:58 #5
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- Oct 2018
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- Johannesburg
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Thanks, really enjoyed reading this.
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05-05-2021, 12:15 #6
- Join Date
- Aug 2014
- Location
- Durban North
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- 58
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Thanks guys, it was at Kameelkop. Good rains and little hunting has really worked well for us. And the new guide is really switched on.
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05-05-2021, 13:46 #7
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Kameelkop is a great farm. Who is the new guide?
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05-05-2021, 14:58 #8
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- Feb 2012
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- Pretoria
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Excellent piece.
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05-05-2021, 17:42 #9
- Join Date
- Aug 2014
- Location
- Durban North
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Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
New guide is a young chap by the name of Bremmar(spelling ?) or the nickname Punna. His family has a farm and butchery in the area, so he's done a fair bit of both hunting and culling.
He managed to get new hunter to withing 40 metres of an Impala, a lot of patience and perseverance on his part and it paid off.
The Accommodation side is also taken over by a new couple. Getting pricey now though.
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05-05-2021, 20:18 #10
- Join Date
- Jul 2015
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- 43
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- 1,261
Re: 165 grains of Sierra happiness
Thanks Sean, we're due to hunt there later this month and looking forward to going back. Used to enjoy old Njoko and his ways in the bush.
Always was good value for money so will be interested to see the latest pricing.
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